RogueWaves

My older sister and hubby were expected in state for a sibling's (delayed by 'rona) funeral/burial. She's 70+ with recent other health battles so to me they are right in their concerns. No need to tempt fate when that's your situation. Sucks, and they'll be missed by the rest of us, but fully understood too.

Sooo, in your mind, since they got that wrong they get everything wrong?? "Even a broken clock is right twice a day." One of our fave sayings around here, lol.

Agree, total "positives" means little since we've been aware since day 1 many carriers weren't sick, or sick enough, to warrant a test. Personally, I've always focused on the fatalities (against a typical flu season and other historical outbreaks) more than cases. Obviously, the more that test (+) and don't succumb or even fall seriously ill, the lower that over all death rate gets. Thru selective/limited testing the numbers looked horrible scary ofc. It will be very interesting to see where this ends up when all is said and done (if someone ever publishes an update of this):

While the author of the "OSHA 101" write-up could be taken as anti-mask, I think he/they were more so just giving Peeps a heads-up that many folks masking are not in touch with the proper use of them, nor the various ways they are (or are not) truly effective. Even prior to C-19 my local hospital's walk-in clinic asked anyone coming inside sick/coughing/contagious to grab one of those medical type masks and wear it while there to get checked out. It's a small closed in lobby, not well ventilated so that's always made sense to me. Certainly use them in similar situations but dispose of/wash them depending on their type in appropriate manner.

So, as said, this is was a comment posted on a you-tube video. People rarely use their real names. The Mr. Kalani identified in the opening section could've been his real name or the poster had simply obtained it elsewhere; wasn't clear. I work in industry where PPE is frequently used during manufacturing processes and governed by OSHA regulations. Nothing written in that strikes me as suspect or wacko. It states the intended uses for certain mask types and their known limitations for any other purpose. Just making some more information available to take into consideration, that's all. This link is about some scientific studies about the efficacy of masks and respirators in preventing spread of viruses such as C-19. Hope that helps. https://technocracy.news/censored-a-review-of-science-relevant-to-covid-19-social-policy-and-why-face-masks-dont-work/

I get that bar and restaurateurs are eager to get back into full capacity and balancing their budget sheets after suffering extensively, but I think keeping the 50% MAX capacity indoors is wise. If they have an option to increase outside dining with proper distancing during summer, good for them. Allow them that option. Spoke with a gent who built his own 9-hole golf course to run after retiring from civilian work. He told me he's down $13K in revenue this spring. Not sure what that means in percentage for his season, but he's a Mom and Pop type of operation and by the tone of his remark, it's significant. Crappy cold April/May sure didn't help his cause any either ofc.

There's been a lot of good disco/posts in here this week. We've got Peeps on both ends of the "to mask or not to mask" spectrum, and a few like myself gravitating a little more towards a compromised middle-of-the-road sensible approach. I think the "wear a damn mask" crowd generally cites the stopping of exhaled water droplets (potentially containing attached C-19 virus compounds) as their #1 reasoning. And to be fair, it's a reasonable if not good argument as a way to help slow a spreading virus of anything (common flu included). There are, however, some general fallacies regarding various types of masks that really need to be looked at closer. These functional details are not often spoken of in any common reporting outlet I follow (online news, gov web sites, etc.). Maybe they're out there and I've just been missing them. Bottom line, per the following from someone's comment (on a y-tube vid), if masks are used improperly they can actually have their own illness inducing side-effects. We should all be aware of the limitations and recommended "best practices". Especially if we find them mandatory going into the autumn months. The knowledge of these mask design specifics leaves me personally right where I had landed prior = minimal duration mask wearing when indoors/unavoidable extended close proximity. Here's some OSHA data on various mask types/designs from a subject matter expert (who admittedly is not so keen on masks as being helpful to the cause):

Whether you're personally in a position to accept it or not, there are many points to be made about the economic impact of C-19. Many here have been doing just that and what gives you the right to bully them not to continue to do so? Economically depressed lives matter! To some, that may be their only reality of this entire historical episode. But they can't comment? Now they have to forfeit that freedom of opinion as well? Perhaps you should hand over your next two paychecks to someone who's been put out of work by this to better understand the perspective.

Folks much better educated and trained in human immunology than self have gone on record stating that our immune system actually weakens and our resistance drops as we isolate from exposure to societal "stuff". The isolation thing is a stall tactic at best, but eventually if it finds you, your immunity strength will be key. I've personally had a compromised immune system back in the 90's and suffered a great illness so I've been cognizant of that in my daily lifestyle wrt changing my habits to an extreme. I'd love to think I could pin my hopes on some vaccine too, but with the history of those doing as much harm as good (in some cases much more harm than good - see 1976 flu vaccine horrors for example), there's no guarantee that would be a viable option to herd immunity either. As usual tho, we want big pharma to produce another magic bullet. Why don't we consider alternative approaches like building people's natural defense to ward off the viral intruder? Wouldn't it be great if there were highly educated people eagerly preparing such an option? If you're out of work, you're out of work and have probably filed for benefits so you'd be in the 21% unemployed attm. Unless you are referring to private contractor types that are self-employed and thus not really part of the whole UIA system in the first place.

I like the fact that people are using hand sanitizer, washing more often, and keeping shopping carts, card swipe machines, etc disinfected. These are common sense public place hygiene practices that quite frankly our culture has been sorely lax with for years. This should've been SOP for decades, especially for any establishment related to food prep and service. I'm pretty disgusted if I approach an entry door to an eatery (fast food or otherwise) and notice tons of hand smears all over the glass and the handle looks like it's never been cleaned in it's existence. Talk about a germ/bacteria/virus transmitter in full effect! As for current pandemic "threat" and donning a mask. I'm ok with the idea if you have to be in close confines with a stranger for any length of time not just passing them. Such as sitting in a chair to get my hair cut. When eating and drinking you can't keep it on anyways, so bars and eateries best avenue is just spacing tables apart. Since I'm not a fan of over-crowded rowdy pubs I guess that's actually the ideal side-effect for me personally.

Look, I'm not responding because I wish to trivialize yours or anyone's concerns of catching C-19 or any unpleasant sickness spread in society. People likely wouldn't understand fears I have. I will say tho, that in all these months of shopping I've not had one single cashier or other store worker even give me a look of disdain for not wearing a mask. There's a woman at my local supermarket who is like "the boss lady" with a lot of years working there and seniority. She is there constantly morning noon and night I see her working. I asked her if she was tired of the whole masking deal. She told me she was so over it and would not be wearing one if management wasn't dictating such. She's no youngster either. Guessing 50's to maybe even 60 so leaning higher risk end of the spectrum.

Part of me said "hey, some occupations routinely require PPE, so this isn't much different than if I were in one of those". Had my state's governor re-assured us this was for a defined period of weeks to "flatten the curve" and allow our free-market society to continue to function versus shutting it down, I would have been much less adverse to it. Instead, the approach of dictatorship was a huge red flag for someone who does not believe that "big government" (let alone global government) has my best interest at heart nor any concern for my human rights as an individual. Trust 'em with an inch and they'll likely be back to take your mile as well. We've had two pandemics ('57 and '68) that were 600% more deadly and society was not shut down for either.

Thank you for putting up those numbers. I'm still waiting for the utopian example of socialism on the global scene. And I don't mean some low-density N. European country playing socialism while their lifestyle would shout otherwise. Ofc you know it's also peak tourist season up here and when I was north a week ago there were tons of out of state plates. Not quite as convenient for the New Englanders to head this way but you'd be surprised how many Maryland plates you see here in the "3rd Coast" state.

Since you baited.. How about starting with a poll of governors and their admins who decided it was "best option at the time" to force known C-19 ill patients back into LTC facilities full of otherwise uninfected elderly instead of isolating them as would be proper.

I think it was/is expected when restrictions are loosened. Our state likes the destitution route tho. Did the same in the beginning and decided the risks were no where near the "fear porn" being sold to the general public at the time. After reports came out from Italy and other places that the numbers were being way over-blown since every death was being attributed to C-19 whether it was the primary cause or not, it was even more impossible to "buy the numbers". Having said this, I know I am in the minority here. Nonetheless, I'm not totally clueless and stupid either. I've kept my eye on "the threat" just like I did on the storms the other night. I took appropriate action when I knew the threat was legit and heading my way and would do the same for C-19. Admittedly, I live a pretty quiet lifestyle compared to some. I'm not young and single hanging out at bars or other high transmission risk scenarios. But my neighbor works at the hospital every day and I chat with him frequently. I'm still waiting to personally know somebody who knew someone who died or was even seriously sick with C-19. That's not a statement of "blindness to the situation". It's merely a stated fact. I was told there's a huge bad storm coming for me, but unlike Friday night, I can't see lightning or hear distant rumbles of thunder to confirm it's true. I don't trouble my fam to hit the basement for a d3 TOR threat. I've said it before, I think there's been way too much fear-mongering during this outbreak and it's paralyzing.