The Masking Conundrum

[Dreamstalker]

My mom used to work for the now-CDC head (nanny for the kids...they were ignored by the parents and total terrors) and she's a brilliant researcher, but fairly incompetent when it comes to anything having to do with public policy or people in general. So mom was less than surprised when the guidelines were released and then backtracked. We both got vaxxed as soon as we were allowed (my health center gets federal funding so was able to ignore our ridiculous "phase" system, as a federally-classified essential worker I was able to get it two full months before the state decided to open up my phase), but have still been masking indoors in public.

A cousin in OR is strongly anti-vax...while she does know that Covid is real, she believes that the variants were engineered by the vaccine makers and that we don't need a vaccine, the human immune system can defeat the virus. She didn't have a reply to the obvious challenge.

I've run out of fucks to give about the willing vax/mask deniers...their "freedom" does not extend to killing anyone else.

[Kittish]

UGH why can't everyone take this seriously? The pandemic is so not over.

Because people are dumb, panicky animals and you know it. Also, because the pandemic isn't really real to most of them, unless or until it effects them personally, directly in some fashion that isn't merely annoying inconvenience. And there are the idiots who prefer to believe that the pandemic is literally not real, because... I don't understand their reasons, so I guess that brings it back around to people being dumb, panicky animals who give zero shits about anything except their own personal comfort. Literally this exact same thing happened the last time we had a pandemic in the U.S., back in the 1920s. Right down to the refusal to wear masks and get vaccinated. Americans must have their free-dumb!! Ugh...

[telecom_goddess]

UGH why can't everyone take this seriously? The pandemic is so not over.

[Pixelated]

Alberta (currently in the hands of the Conservative Party) is backing down on virtually all COVID precautions. In fact, starting Aug. 16, you don't have to quarantine even if you test positive for COVID.

[Kittish]

And here we are, halfway through 2021, and Covid is kicking up AGAIN, because idiots won't get their jabs, won't stay home when they're sick, and won't wear their goddamn masks.

Me and mine are all vaccinated (though admittedly with the probably less effective J&J version since it's a one dose- I am severely phobic toward hypos; it was all I could manage to allow the one jab, no way would I be able to do it twice), and we're all still wearing masks anytime we go out.

The day the CDC changed their mandate to "you can stop wearing your mask if you're fully vaccinated", damn near every single person in this town stopped wearing one. I know full fucking well these people ain't all vaccinated. And this is a big part of why I'm going to keep on wearing my mask. Quite possibly for the next few years.

[Gravekeeper]

Thank you
I'm surprised she wears a mask around the building, TBH, even though it's mandated.

My building doesn't even allow guests / non-residents inside except for care workers. As there's a number of vulnerable seniors in the building.

[Pixelated]

I admire your restraint in not immediately stabbing him in the arm with your keys.

Thank you

It's a her, and I wasn't terribly surprised by this as I've heard some of her conspiraloony stuff before (breast cancer is due to "mommy issues" being one). I went to share a coffee with her once, in one of the building's atriums, and towards the end of the conversation she began trotting out a lovely collection of conspiracy theories about COVID. Whoops, sorry, it's past my bedtime ...

I'm surprised she wears a mask around the building, TBH, even though it's mandated.

[NorthernZel]

Quickly pitching in:

Now that a mask mandate is looming over here, our Gub'mint advises that plastic/plexiglass visors are recommended as well, especially for citizens that have respiratory issues (though, of course, type IIR surgical disposable masks are the best).
What are the recommendations over the pond regarding that?

[Gravekeeper]

I've developed a cough (and yes, am going to get tested tomorrow), which a fellow tenant says is "probably because you're inhaling your own carbon dioxide because of those masks ..."

I admire your restraint in not immediately stabbing him in the arm with your keys.

[Pixelated]

I've developed a cough (and yes, am going to get tested tomorrow), which a fellow tenant says is "probably because you're inhaling your own carbon dioxide because of those masks ..."

[NorthernZel]

I'm getting in a kind of a tizzy with Mr Zel. He's kinda getting his own conspirancy theory that the pandemic is not like "made up", but rather "exaggerated" by face mask producers since the numbers in Europe do not add up in his mind (like, Italy has had mandated masks for months and they're still considering lockdowns at the moment due to a surge in cases). I don't mind him wondering whether our newest mask mandate is relevant or not, but I feel like he's going down the wrong rabbit hole...

[catcul]

Somebody said that the virus spreads quickly thanks to two main factors:

1. The density of the population.
2. The density of the population.

[jedimaster91]

I am tired of the restrictions. And it's the people who won't follow the gosh darn diddly dang rules that keep stretching it out.

[jackfaire]

We're getting people around here ranting about how people are "tired" of the restrictions. Well, you just tell the virus that; I'm sure it'll back right off.

I no shit saw someone on the news at a protest who said, "We didn't sign up for this long term shut down" NONE OF US DID! But if you go out and ignore it then get sick and die I'm making as much fun of you as I do the idiots that refuse to evacuate during a natural disaster. No one signs up for this crap we weren't all hoping 2020 was gonna be the year of the Homebody. It kind of trashed my plans for my 40th birthday but those people need to get the hell over it.

[Pixelated]

And seriously, what is the WORST that can happen if it turns out masks weren't actually all that helpful? You wore a square of cloth over your face for several months. (And in my case, spent a ridiculous amount of money on masks ... "Oh look, there's a nice one! *click* "Oh look, there's another nice one!" *click* )

We're getting people around here ranting about how people are "tired" of the restrictions. Well, you just tell the virus that; I'm sure it'll back right off.