Coronavirus prep
Replies
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Our workplace is removing the masking requirement starting this coming Monday. They will still be providing masks for those who want to wear them and if you chose to wear a mask it must be the type provided (3 layer medical type). I will probably wear my mask most of the time at work anyway because it's just one less way of catching or spreading something (covid or other) around the open workplace environment.
Of course they made an attempt last July to remove masks also which lasted almost 2 weeks until Delta showed up. I do see that it is becoming more difficult to keep up with the local statistics as they continue to change their "metrics" and "reporting methods".
The one thing that strikes me about the current conversation is that as a child I used to have ultimate faith and trust in "figures of authority" such as doctors, policement, etc. As I grew up and experienced life I realized that all these were just "people" too. Some smarter or kinder or whatever than others. I see my parents' generation seemed to continue as they aged to have ultimate faith in anything a doctor told them without question. Perhaps the ability to find information and research data thru the www has changed our perspective on 100% trust in such figures?10 -
LA County lifted its indoor mask mandate which I kinda wish it didn't for...evening aesthetic reasons when I'm not all there.
Edited to add: And, apparently, it hasn't started yet or stores didn't get the memo.
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SummerSkier wrote: »Our workplace is removing the masking requirement starting this coming Monday. They will still be providing masks for those who want to wear them and if you chose to wear a mask it must be the type provided (3 layer medical type). I will probably wear my mask most of the time at work anyway because it's just one less way of catching or spreading something (covid or other) around the open workplace environment.
Of course they made an attempt last July to remove masks also which lasted almost 2 weeks until Delta showed up. I do see that it is becoming more difficult to keep up with the local statistics as they continue to change their "metrics" and "reporting methods".
The one thing that strikes me about the current conversation is that as a child I used to have ultimate faith and trust in "figures of authority" such as doctors, policement, etc. As I grew up and experienced life I realized that all these were just "people" too. Some smarter or kinder or whatever than others. I see my parents' generation seemed to continue as they aged to have ultimate faith in anything a doctor told them without question. Perhaps the ability to find information and research data thru the www has changed our perspective on 100% trust in such figures?
Wait. You're saying your workplace doesn't require masks but if you choose to wear one, they dictate which type of mask it has to be? I'm sorry, but that's crazy -- they're telling people who might be uncomfortable or allergic to the material or have sensory-issue problems with the specific type of mask that the workplace is handing out that they're not allowed to wear some other type of mask???6 -
LA County lifted its indoor mask mandate which I kinda wish it didn't for...evening aesthetic reasons when I'm not all there.
Edited to add: And, apparently, it hasn't started yet or stores didn't get the memo.
In our area government-mandated masking has lifted, but stores are still allowed to require masks if they choose on what is, after all, their private property. Pretty much everywhere I've been indoors since the mandate was lifted, the large majority of people have been masked, except for church and restaurants.1 -
FWIW, as others are saying or implying: I was out and about in stores and such today, and it looks like people are still masking up in about the same numbers as before the recent guidance changes. (We didn't have a full mandate here, though, so there was already some individual discretion in nearly all but health care scenarios.)
Perhaps folks will gradually change behavior, but it doesn't look like there was an immediate mass reaction of people shouting "whoo hoo!! I'm free!" and joyfully whipping off their masks. 😆3 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »SummerSkier wrote: »Our workplace is removing the masking requirement starting this coming Monday. They will still be providing masks for those who want to wear them and if you chose to wear a mask it must be the type provided (3 layer medical type). I will probably wear my mask most of the time at work anyway because it's just one less way of catching or spreading something (covid or other) around the open workplace environment.
Of course they made an attempt last July to remove masks also which lasted almost 2 weeks until Delta showed up. I do see that it is becoming more difficult to keep up with the local statistics as they continue to change their "metrics" and "reporting methods".
The one thing that strikes me about the current conversation is that as a child I used to have ultimate faith and trust in "figures of authority" such as doctors, policement, etc. As I grew up and experienced life I realized that all these were just "people" too. Some smarter or kinder or whatever than others. I see my parents' generation seemed to continue as they aged to have ultimate faith in anything a doctor told them without question. Perhaps the ability to find information and research data thru the www has changed our perspective on 100% trust in such figures?
Wait. You're saying your workplace doesn't require masks but if you choose to wear one, they dictate which type of mask it has to be? I'm sorry, but that's crazy -- they're telling people who might be uncomfortable or allergic to the material or have sensory-issue problems with the specific type of mask that the workplace is handing out that they're not allowed to wear some other type of mask???
The way I see it, if they're still working there at this point, and the company has been dictating which mask to wear all this time, they'd have already sorted out any issues with who refuses to wear *that* type of mask.
I'm thrilled to go about with my naked face again. Most of the people who continue to mask around here are at least of the subset of people who understand that all the benefits are conferred by covering ALL the breathing holes. That *kitten* gives me anxiety. I am not bothered if you mask. I am not bothered if you don't mask. I can't keep my cool around someone walking around with a medical mask layered over their N95, but both pulled down under their nose.4 -
@autumnblade75 I can do you one better. A few weeks back I was in the grocery store and chose a check out where the gal was masked (as I was). When I got to the slide she had her mask pulled down from her nose. I politely asked her to pull it up and she said "we are no longer required to wear masks".
Anyway I left it there but honestly if it's not required don't sort of half way wear it.
Re my workplace. They had already made accomodations for some who could not wear the reg masks so that's not really an issue. I just would prefer if I am the only one wearing a mask that I can wear my KN95 vs their good but not great masks. Anyway, it's sort of moot. I do really enjoy seeing faces again altho I guess I am going to have to go for a makeup run on foundation this weekend.6 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »Just to level set, I've worn a mask when required so I'm not an anti-masker. Had an interesting conversation with a young man 2 years into his clinical fellowship (this is a 2-3 year program after medical residency) in pulmonary critical care. He started his fellowship right before the pandemic broke out in the US so has lived this on the front lines since the beginning.
His take on masks, unless you have an N95 you are just wearing a face decoration.
I disagree with that .
Obviously some masks are better than others and obviously a lacey holey one would be useless.
But a cheap paper mask is still better than nothing and for most purposes when you are in public ,not getting that close to other - eg shopping - quite sufficient.
You sure have the right to disagree, but remember who you are disagreeing with, a doctor who has been working with this 16 hours a day most days of the week since Jan, 2020.
Ah, the appeal to authority line.
so somehow his authority ( relayed to us second hand through you, so we dont know exactly what he said ) supersedes that of all other medical authorities who say otherwise and whose recomendations government guidelines of countries around the world are based on.
I agree with other posters - nobody disputes that N95 mask are better than basic paper or cloth masks.
But that doesnt mean other masks are useless - it isnt an all or nothing scenario.
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FWIW, as others are saying or implying: I was out and about in stores and such today, and it looks like people are still masking up in about the same numbers as before the recent guidance changes. (We didn't have a full mandate here, though, so there was already some individual discretion in nearly all but health care scenarios.)
Perhaps folks will gradually change behavior, but it doesn't look like there was an immediate mass reaction of people shouting "whoo hoo!! I'm free!" and joyfully whipping off their masks. 😆
LOL yeah. I snuck into Trader Joe's today. The mask required sign was gone but some people (both employees and shoppers) inside were still wearing them.
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paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »Just to level set, I've worn a mask when required so I'm not an anti-masker. Had an interesting conversation with a young man 2 years into his clinical fellowship (this is a 2-3 year program after medical residency) in pulmonary critical care. He started his fellowship right before the pandemic broke out in the US so has lived this on the front lines since the beginning.
His take on masks, unless you have an N95 you are just wearing a face decoration.
I disagree with that .
Obviously some masks are better than others and obviously a lacey holey one would be useless.
But a cheap paper mask is still better than nothing and for most purposes when you are in public ,not getting that close to other - eg shopping - quite sufficient.
You sure have the right to disagree, but remember who you are disagreeing with, a doctor who has been working with this 16 hours a day most days of the week since Jan, 2020.
Ah, the appeal to authority line.
so somehow his authority ( relayed to us second hand through you, so we dont know exactly what he said ) supersedes that of all other medical authorities who say otherwise and whose recomendations government guidelines of countries around the world are based on.
I agree with other posters - nobody disputes that N95 mask are better than basic paper or cloth masks.
But that doesnt mean other masks are useless - it isnt an all or nothing scenario.
If you don't like what I passed on from a conversation with someone that has more medical knowledge than anyone posting here, you are free to scroll on by.3 -
Give it a couple a weeks ... the majority of people will stop masking. Where I live very few people masked in the summer and fall but as Omicron showed up in Dec I noticed that people started masking up ... I did too. It was completely self directed because my state hasn't had a mask mandate since spring of 2020 and it was short lived (two months max). But the last couple of weeks in Feb the number of people masking has dwindled. Rates in my state are back to pre Dec rates.
I've spent a couple of weeks (separated by roughly a month) in a state that had no mask mandates and about the only people I saw masking where those who were quite elderly or had some kind of physical disability. When I went there at the end of Jan/begin of Feb I was sure I was going to get Covid but so far after two years I've yet to get it. Truth be known I'm surprised. I'm fully vax'd with booster.
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »Just to level set, I've worn a mask when required so I'm not an anti-masker. Had an interesting conversation with a young man 2 years into his clinical fellowship (this is a 2-3 year program after medical residency) in pulmonary critical care. He started his fellowship right before the pandemic broke out in the US so has lived this on the front lines since the beginning.
His take on masks, unless you have an N95 you are just wearing a face decoration.
I disagree with that .
Obviously some masks are better than others and obviously a lacey holey one would be useless.
But a cheap paper mask is still better than nothing and for most purposes when you are in public ,not getting that close to other - eg shopping - quite sufficient.
You sure have the right to disagree, but remember who you are disagreeing with, a doctor who has been working with this 16 hours a day most days of the week since Jan, 2020.
Ah, the appeal to authority line.
so somehow his authority ( relayed to us second hand through you, so we dont know exactly what he said ) supersedes that of all other medical authorities who say otherwise and whose recomendations government guidelines of countries around the world are based on.
I agree with other posters - nobody disputes that N95 mask are better than basic paper or cloth masks.
But that doesnt mean other masks are useless - it isnt an all or nothing scenario.
If you don't like what I passed on from a conversation with someone that has more medical knowledge than anyone posting here, you are free to scroll on by.
There are shades of gray here, but I think many experts believe that Omicron with its greater transmission through aerosols pushed paper masks into being much less useful. With earlier variants, you were fairly safe unless someone sneezed directly on you or you spent a number of minutes in close proximity. With Omicron I have read it’s possibly as transmissible as measles, which means you can catch it by walking through an area which someone else walked through earlier. You really need an n95 to make a difference with Omicron.
At this point there’s no reason not to buy an n95 or kn95 (which is essentially the same level or protection unless you get it wet) so this isn’t an argument against masks, it’s an argument for better masks.5 -
Double kn95 not perfectly fitted? Has anyone noticed that kn95s don't usually fit as well as n95? And.... what about fake kn95s, which I feelz are more often the case then not, in spite of Inspector 17 adding a piece of paper saying they inspected them?🤯🤷🏻♂️3
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »Just to level set, I've worn a mask when required so I'm not an anti-masker. Had an interesting conversation with a young man 2 years into his clinical fellowship (this is a 2-3 year program after medical residency) in pulmonary critical care. He started his fellowship right before the pandemic broke out in the US so has lived this on the front lines since the beginning.
His take on masks, unless you have an N95 you are just wearing a face decoration.
I disagree with that .
Obviously some masks are better than others and obviously a lacey holey one would be useless.
But a cheap paper mask is still better than nothing and for most purposes when you are in public ,not getting that close to other - eg shopping - quite sufficient.
You sure have the right to disagree, but remember who you are disagreeing with, a doctor who has been working with this 16 hours a day most days of the week since Jan, 2020.
Ah, the appeal to authority line.
so somehow his authority ( relayed to us second hand through you, so we dont know exactly what he said ) supersedes that of all other medical authorities who say otherwise and whose recomendations government guidelines of countries around the world are based on.
I agree with other posters - nobody disputes that N95 mask are better than basic paper or cloth masks.
But that doesnt mean other masks are useless - it isnt an all or nothing scenario.
If you don't like what I passed on from a conversation with someone that has more medical knowledge than anyone posting here, you are free to scroll on by.
I am free to comment on it too - that is how threads work.
All the medical experts who advise government policy and recomendations to the public have more medical knowledge than most of us too - not sure why you think your friends opinion, passed on second hand to us, has more authority than all of them
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In Italy we still must mask until the end of March. N95's are required on public transport, museum visits, and various "close quarters" areas.
Our numbers are dropping and we were sitting pretty, BUT we are taking in Ucranian refugees. The first have arrived and Italy is offering free vaccinations upon arrival, along with housing and necessities. The majority are no-vax and therefore refusing the COVID vax. The experts are saying that we will see an increase in COVID numbers with this influx.8 -
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/local-companies/2022/03/04/is-there-a-frito-shortage/
Probably would not have read this article had it not reminded me of the OP.
My grocery store still has a "please wear mask" sign and most shoppers do. Inventory is still spotty on specific things. Whole chickens are back but I'm really missing my plain Greek yogurt for the past several weeks. Fresca has been hit or miss the whole pandemic.1 -
Illinois dropped the mask mandate. I'm in a purple area of the state. Maybe 2 people at the gym with masks, another 1 or 2 at Sam's Club on a Saturday morning.2
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »Just to level set, I've worn a mask when required so I'm not an anti-masker. Had an interesting conversation with a young man 2 years into his clinical fellowship (this is a 2-3 year program after medical residency) in pulmonary critical care. He started his fellowship right before the pandemic broke out in the US so has lived this on the front lines since the beginning.
His take on masks, unless you have an N95 you are just wearing a face decoration.
I disagree with that .
Obviously some masks are better than others and obviously a lacey holey one would be useless.
But a cheap paper mask is still better than nothing and for most purposes when you are in public ,not getting that close to other - eg shopping - quite sufficient.
You sure have the right to disagree, but remember who you are disagreeing with, a doctor who has been working with this 16 hours a day most days of the week since Jan, 2020.
Ah, the appeal to authority line.
so somehow his authority ( relayed to us second hand through you, so we dont know exactly what he said ) supersedes that of all other medical authorities who say otherwise and whose recomendations government guidelines of countries around the world are based on.
I agree with other posters - nobody disputes that N95 mask are better than basic paper or cloth masks.
But that doesnt mean other masks are useless - it isnt an all or nothing scenario.
If you don't like what I passed on from a conversation with someone that has more medical knowledge than anyone posting here, you are free to scroll on by.
He is speaking outside his realm of expertise and/or there is something misconstrued in the meaning being passed second hand here. Medical experts on the whole, and experts in infectious disease and disease transmission disagree. An early release of the latest study posted to the CDC website found respirator style masks (N95/KN95) were the best, but other masks provided protection to the user. MANY other studies have found widespread masking reduces community transmissions through source control.
I am licensed professional engineer, but I know damn well enough to defer and consult with engineers in their field of expertise when I am working in another area where I have a working knowledge but am not an expert.
Latest study on mask effectiveness: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm11 -
The mask mandate ended in my area of Southern CA a week ago. Most people were still wearing them that first week, but the rates have dropped rather quickly. I went to the grocery store this morning and mask usage was in the 10-20% range after being near 90% a couple weeks back. Almost every employee was no longer wearing them. I chose not to this morning. Rates in the area are low and still dropping quickly in the area, and I'm vaccinated and boosted.
Our workplace ended the mask mandate this week and is making return to the workplace at least two days a week mandatory.2
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