COVID-19 aftermath: What things will change forever?

[JosephC]

 

Then I had the unfortunate experience of going into a Walmart. I was one of probably 5% of customers wearing masks. It is too bad that there are so many "you can't tell me what to do" people out there. I'm all for freedom but lets be smart about this so we don't have to close things up again. Yes I know that masks aren't required at Walmart but I was hoping for a much higher percentage. Masks really aren't that big of a pain for a small period of time.

 

The people who don't wear the masks are the people who were listening when this first started as the CDC repeatedly said, "must maintain a six foot distance, masks are of no benefit." Now that the government has run out of money and wants everything open to start the revenue flow again, they have sent out the media to say "wear and mask and all will be OK."

 

Straight from the CDC's website:

 

A cloth face covering may not protect the wearer, but it may keep the wearer from spreading the virus to others.

 

COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

 

This wording has been altered bit by bit over the last few weeks. The last change in the wording was "face covering is not intended to protect the wearer" to "face covering may not protect the wearer." People who are paying attention can see what is going on here. A couple weeks from now they can get rid of the "not" and say "face covering may protect the wearer."

 

It means what it says, unless you cough, sneeze or spit in someone's face, or someone coughs, sneezes or spits in your face...and actual droplets are transferred, then masks actually do nothing. Nothing except allowing the government/media to try to convince everyone that they are safe so they can attempt to reverse the last few months of complete ineptitude.

 

Note that the N95 masks are more effective, but last I heard the common-folk shouldn't be wearing those as they are to be reserved for medical professionals.

 

I do wear a mask when I go into the grocery store but only because I don't want to get into a fist-fight with some do-gooder who thinks he is out to save the world. Otherwise, if I were to sneeze or cough I would just grab the collar of my t-shirt, pull it up over my mouth and cough or sneeze and accomplish the same thing. Not worried about others infecting me because it's been a really long time since someone has coughed, sneezed or spit in my face.

[nodakfan17]

If you have to wear a mask to go on vacation, you probably shouldn’t be going on vacation.

[homer]

 

Then I had the unfortunate experience of going into a Walmart. I was one of probably 5% of customers wearing masks. It is too bad that there are so many "you can't tell me what to do" people out there. I'm all for freedom but lets be smart about this so we don't have to close things up again. Yes I know that masks aren't required at Walmart but I was hoping for a much higher percentage. Masks really aren't that big of a pain for a small period of time.

 

The people who don't wear the masks are the people who were listening when this first started as the CDC repeatedly said, "must maintain a six foot distance, masks are of no benefit." Now that the government has run out of money and wants everything open to start the revenue flow again, they have sent out the media to say "wear and mask and all will be OK."

 

 

From April 3rd:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html

 

"In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

[FVBrewerFan]

From April 3rd:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... cover.html

 

"In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

 

Which as you know, was a change from their original position. They lean on "new evidence" which is ridiculous. It's also contradictory since it's very easy to maintain social distancing in a grocery store. Heck, I even managed to do that before Corona.

[Baldkin]

From April 3rd:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... cover.html

 

"In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

 

Which as you know, was a change from their original position. They lean on "new evidence" which is ridiculous. It's also contradictory since it's very easy to maintain social distancing in a grocery store. Heck, I even managed to do that before Corona.

 

Do you exhale in the grocery store?

 

Cuz that's the entire point of wearing a mask. When you exhale a huge portion of your little germ bubbles get caught by the mask and aren't left to hang in the air for the next person to walk through.

[PeaveyFury]

They lean on "new evidence" which is ridiculous.

 

Considering that this virus didn't exist before a few months ago, it doesn't seem so ridiculous that much of the recommendations and data are evolving as scientists have an opportunity to learn more.

[stoutdude04]

Now might be a good time to be a freshman in college. Sounds like dorms are going to be single occupancy.

 

Gonna make hooking up a LOT easier.

 

Only if you have a crappy roommate.

 

I had a great roommate my freshman year.

 

(It was wallus)

[LouisEly]

No towel on the doorknob? How rude.

Problem is when your roommate brings one home before you do.

[thebruce44]

From April 3rd:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... cover.html

 

"In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

 

Which as you know, was a change from their original position. They lean on "new evidence" which is ridiculous. It's also contradictory since it's very easy to maintain social distancing in a grocery store. Heck, I even managed to do that before Corona.

 

What do you want the CDC to do? Dig their heels in and not change their stance to save face? The point of researching something is to learn new things. How is finding new information in anyway ridiculous?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

If you have to wear a mask to go on vacation, you probably shouldn’t be going on vacation.

 

Why? You can't get on a plane without one. It's out of your control. If you feel fine doing so, go on your trip. The masks will be a part of air travel for a super long time, probably way after reasonable risk has subsided.

 

If I can go back to normal life faster just by wearing the stupid mask, I'll agree to those terms.

 

It seems completely rational to me to think this is a huge overreaction and just agree to wear the mask because you're playing by the rules.

[superfly]

From April 3rd:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... cover.html

 

"In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission."

 

Which as you know, was a change from their original position. They lean on "new evidence" which is ridiculous. It's also contradictory since it's very easy to maintain social distancing in a grocery store. Heck, I even managed to do that before Corona.

 

What do you want the CDC to do? Dig their heels in and not change their stance to save face? The point of researching something is to learn new things. How is finding new information in anyway ridiculous?

 

Do you really think they “discovered” that it was beneficial to wear one? No, we had a short supply of masks so to do their best to help medical workers out they lied about it to try and keep the remaining supply from being panic bought. Now we have an entire industry of mask making, even though (in another recommendation) n95 or better masks were the ONLY ones that would be effective. That was before we went to a no mask policy, and then back to oh wear a mask it might help.

 

I do get quite a laugh out of bikers, walkers etc out in the middle of nowhere wearing masks. At least something in this screwed up world is worth a laugh.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm with superfly on this simply because there was no way to explain how wearing a mask wasn't helpful. That was a bunch of BS. They knew early on that airborne was an issue. If I put a mask on and don't drool and get boogers all over the produce that's obviously helpful. That was an outright lie that they waited to change gears on.

[stoutdude04]

 

I do get quite a laugh out of bikers, walkers etc out in the middle of nowhere wearing masks. At least something in this screwed up world is worth a laugh.

 

I guess I dont see why it's funny that someone doesnt want to risk spreading their germs even in an open space.

[adambr2]

Yeah, I have to agree with superfly on this one. I get that we're constantly learning new things about COVID-19, but potential protection of masks is not something that the CDC should have ever had to change position on. Information evolving on things like vaccines and antibodies is one thing but if you seriously can't be consistent on whether or not a mask helps you prevent spread of a virus, your credibility absolutely sucks.

 

As far as bikers/walkers/drivers wearing masks it doesn't really bother me one way or another. Odds of spreading it around by being out biking and exhaling on something that somehow gets inhaled later by someone is probably somewhere between nonexistent and minuscule, but some people probably either would rather just keep them on while out and about rather than constantly taking them off and putting them on or they're so used to wearing them in public by now that they don't even think about it or even remember that they're still wearing them. Doesn't affect me either way.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

 

I do get quite a laugh out of bikers, walkers etc out in the middle of nowhere wearing masks. At least something in this screwed up world is worth a laugh.

 

I guess I dont see why it's funny that someone doesnt want to risk spreading their germs even in an open space.

 

The risk of transmission while riding a bike or jogging outside is effectively 0. It's at the point where if you're going to do that you might as well get the thing sewn on your face with a zipper for eating because germs.

 

Doesn't "bother" me, but I'd also probably laugh.

[TURBO]

Friend of mine believes that the reason we are now pushing masks is so the companies that make them can profit. Also, those companies have the cdc in their pockets, so in his line of thinking, that would make sense.

 

I'm not saying this is true, but it is another thought that is out there.

 

Our world is a screwed up mess. One thing this virus and even the current Minneapolis/National issue has taught us is that there are lies upon lies upon lies out there, and now, more than ever, everyone has to do their homework to find the truth. Even then, I'm not sure the entire truth is out there. I have no faith in our media, in any way, shape or form anymore. It's a shame and an embarrassment.

[owbc]

Friend of mine believes that the reason we are now pushing masks is so the companies that make them can profit. Also, those companies have the cdc in their pockets, so in his line of thinking, that would make sense.

 

I'm not saying this is true, but it is another thought that is out there.

 

Our world is a screwed up mess. One thing this virus and even the current Minneapolis/National issue has taught us is that there are lies upon lies upon lies out there, and now, more than ever, everyone has to do their homework to find the truth. Even then, I'm not sure the entire truth is out there. I have no faith in our media, in any way, shape or form anymore. It's a shame and an embarrassment.

 

So true. It's one of the biggest downsides to our current era of social media replacing actual reporting and media sources trying to report up-to-the-second breaking news.

 

I do think that now is a time where one can learn a lot by just stepping back, observing, and listening. Even though our society wants to move at warp speed, it is going to take time for "truth" to emerge from this, and the best one can do is to listen to as many different viewpoints of the situation as possible and to try and emphasize with where that particular observer is coming from. Especially for people like myself who are experiencing these events from a position of privilege.

[tmwiese55]

Man this mask talk is so much. There is no doubt that mask helps, this has been going on for years and years during these outbreaks through he world. Too many people are latching onto this as if they're flip flopping on the science and trying to act like it undermines their credibility. The CDC and anyone has known the whole time masks help, or at the very least might help even if it's marginal. They straight up lied at the time in order to prevent psychotic hoarding, and they were absolutely correct to do it (look at TP) as they needed the masks in the medical professionals hands. This trying to argue back and forth on if it helps or not is a waste of time. If you want to complain about them lying for the greater good, I guess you have a legit discussion on whether the govt should do that. It's essentially the same as saying 'stay calm' during a crisis of some kind like a fire. But that's what happened. Maybe it would be better for PR for them to just come out and say they intentionally lied, but I think that opens up a different can of worms so the right choice is to just say "new evidence" and move onto stuff that actually matters. Essentially, no one is going to listen anyway and is just dug in to complain no matter what so might as well just move on.

 

Baldkin nailed it, it's really that simple. This isn't difficult science to grasp. Or think of like this, do you want the person preparing your food to not be wearing a mask right now? Breathing right on top of it?

[LouisEly]

I do think that now every day is a time where one can learn a lot by just stepping back, observing, and listening. Even though our society wants to move at warp speed, it is going to take time for "truth" to emerge from this, and the best one can do is to listen to as many different viewpoints of the situation as possible and to try and emphasize with where that particular observer is coming from. Especially for people like myself who are experiencing these events from a position of privilege.

Fixed.

[superfly]

 

I do get quite a laugh out of bikers, walkers etc out in the middle of nowhere wearing masks. At least something in this screwed up world is worth a laugh.

 

I guess I dont see why it's funny that someone doesnt want to risk spreading their germs even in an open space.

 

The old adage “you do you” fits here, and it doesn’t bother me. Everyone earns the right to be chuckled at as well for thinking that biking alone on the side of a county road with acres/miles of land is putting others at risk. Might as well just put me in a bubble now so I never see a germ again.

[owbc]

Might as well just put me in a bubble now so I never see a germ again.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-bubble-shield-design-to-stop-coronavirus-spread-2020-4

[tmwiese55]

I think one's chuckles are best left for the people running around acting like this is all made up over the people that are choosing to be extra cautious to possibly maybe help your chances just a smidge. They're not stupid, they know they're being anal on it. They're choosing to inconvenience themselves a bit for the greater good, even if it's just minimal, and you're making fun of them for it.

[Baldkin]

I think one's chuckles are best left for the people running around acting like this is all made up over the people that are choosing to be extra cautious to possibly maybe help your chances just a smidge. They're not stupid, they know they're being anal on it. They're choosing to inconvenience themselves a bit for the greater good, even if it's just minimal, and you're making fun of them for it.

 

 

[stoutdude04]

 

I do get quite a laugh out of bikers, walkers etc out in the middle of nowhere wearing masks. At least something in this screwed up world is worth a laugh.

 

I guess I dont see why it's funny that someone doesnt want to risk spreading their germs even in an open space.

 

The risk of transmission while riding a bike or jogging outside is effectively 0. It's at the point where if you're going to do that you might as well get the thing sewn on your face with a zipper for eating because germs.

 

Doesn't "bother" me, but I'd also probably laugh.

 

 

I suppose that I just dont see why it's funny to see someone thinking they are helping out.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think one's chuckles are best left for the people running around acting like this is all made up over the people that are choosing to be extra cautious to possibly maybe help your chances just a smidge. They're not stupid, they know they're being anal on it. They're choosing to inconvenience themselves a bit for the greater good, even if it's just minimal, and you're making fun of them for it.

 

If it were this simple I'd agree but the fact is that a ton of people aren't just doing that, they are actively judging those who choose to live normally and acting like they're completely insane. You can barely dissent from this at all in public, god forbid question it on social media, without people calling you Karen (doesn't even align with the meme), calling you a MAGA guy, or some other kind of dismissive insult.

 

To be honest, I've seen a lot more of that than what you're suggesting.