Coronavirus...post your thoughts here...

[Naughts]

Please be able to back up your post with a link to a reputable source if necessary.

From CDC.GOV:

Evidence for Effectiveness of Masks​

Your mask helps protect those around you​

COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets travel into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout, or sing. These droplets can then land in the mouths or noses of people who are near you or they may breathe these droplets in.

Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others. Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.

You should wear a mask, even if you do not feel sick. This is because several studies have found that people with COVID-19 who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic) and those who are not yet showing symptoms (pre-symptomatic) can still spread the virus to other people. Wearing a mask helps protect those around you, in case you are infected but not showing symptoms.

It is especially important to wear a mask when you are indoors with people you do not live with and when you are unable to stay at least 6 feet apart since COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another.

Your mask offers some protection to you​

A cloth mask also offers some protection to you too. How well it protects you from breathing in the virus likely depends on the fabrics used and how your mask is made (such as the type of fabric, the number of layers of fabric, and how well the mask fits). CDC is currently studying these factors.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I'll withdraw from this...too many uninformed posts from a minimal number of people.
I'll keep my continued covid work where it belongs...in The Real.

 

[Fishmanic]

Here are a couple of charts showing the status of Covid in the United States from start of Covid till now. It's a bit small but you can see the recent trend on the right side of the charts. Click on chart to enlarge. We are in another surge here in the US. The delta variant is responsible for the bulk of the recent growth in cases. Source of charts is

Coronavirus Update (Live): 139,639,618 Cases and 2,998,307 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer

Live statistics and coronavirus news tracking the number of confirmed cases, recovered patients, tests, and death toll due to the COVID-19 coronavirus from Wuhan, China. Coronavirus counter with new cases, deaths, and number of tests per 1 Million population. Historical data and info. Daily...

www.worldometers.info

 

[Spiskits]

Possibly lost in translation? We were talking about infants (small children), and I was referring to your argument about them not having to wear masks (i.e. infant argument). I was not calling your stance infantile.
Given your wife's experience, she would know just how quickly a choking hazard could happen. Shall we stare persistently at small children 24/7 so that they can wear a mask?

And calm down. I've read your posts through and through. Even the one where you stated you wanted a civil discussion. Doesn't seem that's why you're posting at all.

Again, it's been over a year and minds are clearly made on both sides. You won't sway mine same as I can't sway yours.

That's the problem with the written word, how my comments come across and how they sound in my mind are completely different. I'm happy we can agree to disagree, that's a fair outcome.

 

[itiwhetu]

New Zealand update. Auckland locked down the rest of the country Locked down with Takeaways. So we are all staying at home. Government is paying wage subsides so all is pretty good. We can work a little, the government tops us up for lost income.

 

[Spiskits]

No-one, not even an 'expert', will claim to be an expert, but there's no way your basic and unqualified opinion is as valid.

So anyone who disagrees with your way of thinking is invalid? Clearly, you DO seem to consider yourself an expert.
Did you not read my first comment regarding my neighbour? A nurse of many years experience? She never wears a mask outside work and she is far from the only one. So there are hundreds of her colleagues carrying out their daily lives maskless who work at my local hospital, never mind the other hospital staff all over the country who do the same. Perhaps you consider NHS staff unqualified and invalid?

If you want to spend your life behind a mask, that's your decision. I prefer to breathe fresh air rather than rebreathe my own hot breath.

 

[FF_Member146894]

are we really having an argument about wearing masks?
i don't see what's so difficult about wearing one, there's no reason you should be out of your house for very long anyway

 

[Fishmanic]

Here are a couple of charts on the Covid situation in the UK. They are into another surge of cases.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Kentucky update:

We don't have to wear masks out in public anymore, unless it's posted on the store windows. I can also go back to my homeschool meetings, and I don't have to wear masks.

When my sister went to basic training, she had to wear a mask for the FULL 3 months. And that was in heat and humidity, inside and outside.

The military requires all its members to wear masks when on post. if they are vaccinated, then they can take it off inside.

(That's also why I have to now wear masks at CAP)

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I'm pretty sure you can still get and spread Covid to others even if you've had the vaccine. I may be wrong but it's my understanding that the vaccine lessens the chance of you getting severely ill from covid rather than immunity. So it doesn't particularly make a difference in my opinion whether the people who work for you are vaccinated or not but they should be courteous and wear a mask knowing that you're a vulnerable person with poor health

 

[Byron]

I'm pretty sure you can still get and spread Covid to others even if you've had the vaccine. I may be wrong but it's my understanding that the vaccine lessens the chance of you getting severely ill from covid rather than immunity. So it doesn't particularly make a difference in my opinion whether the people who work for you are vaccinated or not but they should be courteous and wear a mask knowing that you're a vulnerable person with poor health

True that one can spread Covid when vaccinated, but that is frankly irrelevant to Jan's initial question. The fact is, that three quarters (75%) of the people spreading Covid are now known to be unvaccinated, with only one quarter of those spreading it being vaccinated. There can be no doubt that vaccination does significantly help stop the spread, and I do not see how any human being can argue against vaccination, and I am thinking of the uncaring individuals who consider vaccination an infringement of their so-called and imaginary "rights."

 

[Byron]

How do we know who is responsible for the spread?

This is a very relevant question, and fortunately one we can answer.

In Canada, records are kept by every province, recording all new reported cases, all hospitalizations, all ventilator (ICU) patients, and all deaths from Covid-19. Each province also has records of every resident who has received their first dose, and the second. It is easy enough to calculate this data from these records. One has to be in the data base of the provincial health ministry to begin with, and this data is added.

We know for example that this fourth wave is already surpassing all previous daily records for new cases across Canada [and I believe the USA is in a similar boat]. And it is simple enough to know if these people are or are not vaccinated.

Three (or may be four now) provinces are introducing vaccination cards. People who do not get vaccinated will be denied entry to public spaces/events, like sports games, theatre, cinema, concerts, etc. Restaurants are buying into this too, and most (all may be mandated) will use the same policy. The federal government has stated that any federal agency employee who is not vaccinated both doses by Oct 31 will either be terminated or put on sick leave with no pay.

Air Canada is bringing in a similar policy for all employees, and passengers without proof of vaccination will not be allowed to board any flights, domestic or international.

 

[snailaquarium]

Just curious, has anyone read about a symptom of the virus in which you can touch one part of your face and yet feel the sensation in another part of your face?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Just curious, has anyone read about a symptom of the virus in which you can touch one part of your face and yet feel the sensation in another part of your face?

Er....no? just keeps getting weirder and weirder

 

[Colin_T]

Just an update from Australia.

Delta strain is going nuts over east and the idiots in government aren't really trying to contain it now. They are just trying to get 70% of eligible people vaccinated with first dose to reduce the number of people dying in hospital.

In Western Australia there is still no vaccine anywhere, even in Perth (the capital city of WA). The government is putting all sorts of crap on the radio and television saying there is now heaps of vaccine available in stock for everyone. This was from Monday last week. Today I am still unable to find a vaccine anywhere in this state. It's doing my head in. I ask doctors and they say "no vaccine until next month or whenever".

I am old to go online and check but there is none available online.

The politicians are all getting ready to open up borders when 70% of the eligible population have had their first dose and I still can't get a dose in this state.