Masks (Norfolk, Richmond, Lynchburg: salon, hotels, income)

[spencer114]

I don’t know where Yorktown is going but masks are common everywhere I’ve been in Tidewater (Newport News, Williamsburg, Gloucester, Virginia Beach, Norfolk) over the last 18 months.

Masks do work. And not just for COVID 19. Multiple strains of the flu went extinct in 2020 because it couldn’t be transmitted. There was basically no flu season last winter, no colds either and strep throat cases barely existed.

Anyone not wearing a mask in public (in an enclosed space) is a **** that needs to be pointed at and ridiculed.

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by spencer114

I don’t know where Yorktown is going but masks are common everywhere I’ve been in Tidewater (Newport News, Williamsburg, Gloucester, Virginia Beach, Norfolk) over the last 18 months.

Masks do work. And not just for COVID 19. Multiple strains of the flu went extinct in 2020 because it couldn’t be transmitted. There was basically no flu season last winter, no colds either and strep throat cases barely existed.

Anyone not wearing a mask in public (in an enclosed space) is a **** that needs to be pointed at and ridiculed.

I live in VAB and rarely see people in masks.

ETA: as soon as the mandate ended in June everyone stopped wearing them. Prior to that pretty much everyone wore them.

[YorktownGal]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

I live in VAB and rarely see people in masks.

ETA: as soon as the mandate ended in June everyone stopped wearing them. Prior to that pretty much everyone wore them.

I agree. Once the mandates were gone, I felt like the only person wearing a mask.

[Rickcin]

Originally Posted by spencer114

I don’t know where Yorktown is going but masks are common everywhere I’ve been in Tidewater (Newport News, Williamsburg, Gloucester, Virginia Beach, Norfolk) over the last 18 months.

Masks do work. And not just for COVID 19. Multiple strains of the flu went extinct in 2020 because it couldn’t be transmitted. There was basically no flu season last winter, no colds either and strep throat cases barely existed.

Anyone not wearing a mask in public (in an enclosed space) is a **** that needs to be pointed at and ridiculed.

People have the right to do what they are comfortable with since this is not China or Russia and a dictator bestows their belief to be obeyed by all

For those more comfortable wearing one, they can and should do so.

[rural & red]

Effective masking is still the best way to prevent transmission of this virus.

Consider getting yourself an N95+ respirator with dual filters, a face shield and possibly ear plugs for greater protection. Don't get near others in closer quarters when out in public, check your BMI and reduce weight if needed.

Only you can protect yourself.

We have the right to choose in this country and no one can dictate what we all must do. You will not find full compliance here or anywhere.

That said, asymptomatic, vaccinated individuals who have now let their guard down are superspreading this virus, contributing to the huge surge we are now seeing here and elsewhere. But you can't force anyone to wear a mask, so take precautions yourself first and foremost. This virus is now endemic. No amount of bullying others into submission will help, it is impish.

[ersatz]

Originally Posted by rural & red

Effective masking is still the best way to prevent transmission of this virus.

Consider getting yourself an N95+ respirator with dual filters, a face shield and possibly ear plugs for greater protection. Don't get near others in closer quarters when out in public, check your BMI and reduce weight if needed.

Only you can protect yourself.

We have the right to choose in this country and no one can dictate what we all must do. You will not find full compliance here or anywhere.

That said, asymptomatic, vaccinated individuals who have now let their guard down are superspreading this virus, contributing to the huge surge we are now seeing here and elsewhere. But you can't force anyone to wear a mask, so take precautions yourself first and foremost. This virus is now endemic. No amount of bullying others into submission will help, it is impish.

You appear to be insinuating that vaccinated people are the ones most actively spreading the virus, when every scientific study says that it is most predominately spread by unvaccinated unmasked people.

Earplugs?? Not sure how earplugs protect, except against the frothing virulent vomits of mindless hatred targeted against people who dare to try to protect themselves and their loved ones.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by rural & red

Effective masking is still the best way to prevent transmission of this virus.

Consider getting yourself an N95+ respirator with dual filters, a face shield and possibly ear plugs for greater protection. Don't get near others in closer quarters when out in public, check your BMI and reduce weight if needed.

Only you can protect yourself.

We have the right to choose in this country and no one can dictate what we all must do. You will not find full compliance here or anywhere.

That said, asymptomatic, vaccinated individuals who have now let their guard down are superspreading this virus, contributing to the huge surge we are now seeing here and elsewhere. But you can't force anyone to wear a mask, so take precautions yourself first and foremost. This virus is now endemic. No amount of bullying others into submission will help, it is impish.

Um, what?

[rural & red]

Research shows that vaccinated individuals carry similar viral loads as unvaccinated individuals for variants of SARS-CoV-2, like the delta variant which predominates now. They're also more likely to be asymptomatic and not get tested, hence more likely to spread inadvertently.

The question remains for how long is their infectious period and does it drop faster than with unvaccinated individuals, or not?

https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/files/coron...ve20210816.pdf

Right now we're hearing about how this is a "pandemic of the unvaccinated", which is a load of crock since vaccinated individuals do still get Covid and more importantly, transmit it to others with similar regularity. Don't let your guard down, which is what many vaccinated individuals have done. This, in my belief, is what's contributing to the surges we're now witnessing despite 75% of adults in the U.S. being vaccinated.
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The point of this thread is about masks though, which are highly effective. However the onus is on you to wear a mask, you cannot force others to do so.

[macalan]

Originally Posted by Rickcin

People have the right to do what they are comfortable with since this is not China or Russia and a dictator bestows their belief to be obeyed by all

For those more comfortable wearing one, they can and should do so.

Yes, people have the "right" to do what they are comfortable with IF their actions do not affect or harm others. As a history professor once said - "Your "right" to swing your arms stops when you hit me in the face". Freedom and rights aren't absolute.

A person can wear a mask which will offer some protection, but if other people they come in contact with are not wearing a mask, their risk level increases.

What I don't understand, is why people would NOT wear a mask to protect other people from getting infected and/or dying. Please help me understand how that's ok.

A lot of people don't know they have the virus because their symptoms are so mild, and they may attribute them to allergies, or they may have no symptoms at all.

I also don't understand why people would not wear a mask to slow down the spread and take the pressure off of our health care workers and hospitals. There are countless stories of hospitals being overwhelmed, people lying in ER for hours waiting for an ICU bed, hospitals trying to find a bed elsewhere for patients, patients being turned away for care because they weren't deemed "sick enough" because resources are stretched thin, and then succumbing at home.

When did we all stop caring about each other?

[ersatz]

Originally Posted by rural & red

Research shows that vaccinated individuals carry similar viral loads as unvaccinated individuals for variants of SARS-CoV-2, like the delta variant which predominates now. They're also more likely to be asymptomatic and not get tested, hence more likely to spread inadvertently.

The question remains for how long is their infectious period and does it drop faster than with unvaccinated individuals, or not?

https://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/files/coron...ve20210816.pdf

Right now we're hearing about how this is a "pandemic of the unvaccinated", which is a load of crock since vaccinated individuals do still get Covid and more importantly, transmit it to others with similar regularity. Don't let your guard down, which is what many vaccinated individuals have done. This, in my belief, is what's contributing to the surges we're now witnessing despite 75% of adults in the U.S. being vaccinated.
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The point of this thread is about masks though, which are highly effective. However the onus is on you to wear a mask, you cannot force others to do so.

I agree with most of your posting. It is true that many vaccinated people have let their guard down, unaware that they can still contract COVID and spread it. As you pointed out, recent troubling research shows vaccinated people can carry as big a viral load as unvaccinated people. As COVID continues to mutate, vaccines will have to be modified to adequately protect against the newer strains. Does that mean that the modified vaccine will not adequately protect against older lingering strains? I guess it will be like the flu vaccines today that try to predict what strains will be dominant during the flu season.

There are severely immunocompromised people in my family so I take mask wearing seriously. I thought your statement that "you cannot force others to do so" is not accurate, as people are required to wear them on public transport, in schools (depending on locality), hospitals etc. I have never been confronted and threatened for wearing a mask in the state of Virginia, as I was down South. It does not help that some influential celebrities such as Tucker Carlson are urging people to confront and harrass people wearing masks. It boggles my mind that there is an active movement to try to force others not to wear masks regardless of their vulnerability.

Although standard cloth and disposable surgical masks are of limited effectiveness in protecting the wearer, N95 masks have been proven to work, if properly handled and fitted. Earlier in the pandemic, people were urged not to buy them so that they could be prioritized by healthcare workers and first responders. Since then, N95 masks are far more readily available and can easily be ordered on Amazon.