Corona Virus: How Are We Doing?

[KnittyNorah]

Yeah, masks are like bike helmets.

They'll make a difference, but probably a very small difference. So use one if you want by all means, but be realistic and don't expect it to be a game changer for your risk profile. And just like helmets, there's no reason to suggest others should wear one.

The difference between helmets and masks, though, is that a correctly worn helmet may offer some protection in some circumstances to the wearer, but does not and cannot offer protection to persons other than the wearer, whereas a correctly worn mask may offer some protection in some circumstances to the wearer (depending on its 'grade', how it is handled and how well it fits/seals) and also offers a degree of protection to others in the environs of the wearer, if only by reducing the absolute number of virus particles being exhaled into the airspace if the wearer is infectious but asymptomatic.

 

[Deleted User]

And just like helmets, there's no reason to suggest others should wear one.

I can't believe I've just read this!

It wasn't long ago if anyone dared admitting to not wearing a mask cries of 'selfish ', 'covidiots' , 'snowflake ' and all manner of insults were cast, what's happened to change things?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Please don’t ask for links, take my word for it

Lol. It's nonsense that research shows mask mandates cause more harm than good, and nobody should take your word for it.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

The difference between helmets and masks, though, is that a correctly worn helmet may offer some protection in some circumstances to the wearer, but does not and cannot offer protection to persons other than the wearer, whereas a correctly worn mask may offer some protection in some circumstances to the wearer (depending on its 'grade', how it is handled and how well it fits/seals) and also offers a degree of protection to others in the environs of the wearer, if only by reducing the absolute number of virus particles being exhaled into the airspace if the wearer is infectious but asymptomatic.

Yes, absolutely. But unless most people are wearing them this effect to benefit others is vanishingly small. And we don't have society wide mask mandates, so the practical benefit to others is almost non existent, except in strictly controlled circumstances eg if visiting a vulnerable person in their home.

 

[Milzy]

For information, the Moderna dose I got on Wednesday (AZ x 2, and then a Biontech booster last Christmas) was a 'bivalent' spikevax TM designed to reduce the chance of serious illness caused by Omicron as well as previous variants.
"Take my word for it!"

Report back in January

Yes, absolutely. But unless most people are wearing them this effect to benefit others is vanishingly small. And we don't have society wide mask mandates, so the practical benefit to others is almost non existent, except in strictly controlled circumstances eg if visiting a vulnerable person in their home.

Exactly this. 😚😷

 

[mjr]

Yeah, masks are like bike helmets. [...]

Not really, no. There's too much wrong with those claims for this topic (masks are a far better bet, but still not a certainty), but feel free to raise it in the helmet thread if you'd like an explanation.

There’s plenty of studies to show the mask mandates causes more harm than good.

Look, just because someone mentioned the H word, there's no need to start confusing advice with compulsion, and wishful thinking with cold hard data!

Also seen a few people with them around their chins. WTF again. 🙄

When outdoors breathing hard, it can be better to not have the mask over one's nose/mouth to avoid steaming up glasses (hindering vision, possibly leading to injury risks), while also not having enough time for doffing it and putting it into a storage bag and then doing the reverse. While it's not perfect, the strap tension required for holding the mask tight to one's nose is usually sufficient to hold it loosely but securely under the chin for a short while. It's better than having the mask fluttering from one ear, or being dropped on the floor, but people doing it should probably clean their necks more, to avoid the mask transferring stuff between there and nose.

@Milzy - this is the 'how are we doing? thread. How are you doing?

From the way that question is being avoided, I fear "badly" may be the answer. Be kind.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I can't believe I've just read this!

It wasn't long ago if anyone dared admitting to not wearing a mask cries of 'selfish ', 'covidiots' , 'snowflake ' and all manner of insults were cast, what's happened to change things?

Vaccination.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Yes, absolutely. But unless most people are wearing them this effect to benefit others is vanishingly small. And we don't have society wide mask mandates, so the practical benefit to others is almost non existent, except in strictly controlled circumstances eg if visiting a vulnerable person in their home.

That is perfectly true. At this point I am really not interested in offering a bunch of uncaring strangers any notional protection from me, should I be asymptomatically infected. Of course if visiting the highly vulnerable, the situation is entirely different.

However, correctly wearing a correctly-fitted FFP3 mask while I am in ill-ventilated spaces crowded with this bunch of unknown strangers does, I believe, offer me a useful degree of protection against an airborne virus - just a wearing a lead-rubber apron offered me a useful degree of protection against certain types of ionising radiation when I was a medical physicist.

Nothing that is practical offers 100% protection from either ionising radiation or an airborne virus, but for every risk there are simple mitigating actions which enable one to decrease risk, and I believe that wearing a correctly-fitted high-grade mask or respirator when in a situation which is both crowded and poorly ventilated, is just such a simple mitigating action.

If the C-19 virus changes its modus operandi of presentation and route of infection, then I will just have work out how best to protect myself given its new behaviour, won't I? At present it is no inconvenience at all for me to wear an FFP3 mask when I am on crowded and ill-ventilated public transport - and it may just offer me that extra degree of protection I need to avoid infection.

 

[Milzy]

Not really, no. There's too much wrong with those claims for this topic (masks are a far better bet, but still not a certainty), but feel free to raise it in the helmet thread if you'd like an explanation.


Look, just because someone mentioned the H word, there's no need to start confusing advice with compulsion, and wishful thinking with cold hard data!


When outdoors breathing hard, it can be better to not have the mask over one's nose/mouth to avoid steaming up glasses (hindering vision, possibly leading to injury risks), while also not having enough time for doffing it and putting it into a storage bag and then doing the reverse. While it's not perfect, the strap tension required for holding the mask tight to one's nose is usually sufficient to hold it loosely but securely under the chin for a short while. It's better than having the mask fluttering from one ear, or being dropped on the floor, but people doing it should probably clean their necks more, to avoid the mask transferring stuff between there and nose.


From the way that question is being avoided, I fear "badly" may be the answer. Be kind.

I’m always kind. Doing ok, just going out to test the top model Specialized turbo saddle. Cycling is my religion.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Report back in January

correctly wearing a correctly-fitted FFP3 mask while I am in ill-ventilated spaces crowded with this bunch of unknown strangers does, I believe, offer me a useful degree of protection against an airborne virus . . .

@Milzy are you suggesting I let you know 'how I am doing' in January? First risky activity this year (family wedding, mostly outdoor setting) resulted in a poor night's sleep and a positive test on infection day +4, staying at home (wfh) and still +ve a week later. Might I catch 'it' again: sure (contract will involve a lot of public transport/flying). But the booster I had 2 days ago should continue to mitigate the risk of serious illness.
And, like Norah, I shall be wearing an FFP2 mask for trains, undergrounds and flights, seated alongside randoms.
I agree with her - worth mitigating the risk of illness, and to a small extent unknowingly passing it to others. Outside or in shops etc: no; risk (hazard x likelihood) is already low enough.

 

[Milzy]

@Milzy are you suggesting I let you know 'how I am doing' in January? First risky activity this year (family wedding, mostly outdoor setting) resulted in a poor night's sleep and a positive test on infection day +4, staying at home (wfh) and still +ve a week later. Might I catch 'it' again: sure (contract will involve a lot of public transport/flying). But the booster I had 2 days ago should continue to mitigate the risk of serious illness.
And, like Norah, I shall be wearing an FFP2 mask for trains, undergrounds and flights, seated alongside randoms.
I agree with her - worth mitigating the risk of illness, and to a small extent unknowingly passing it to others. Outside or in shops etc: no; risk (hazard x likelihood) is already low enough.

I understand taking precautions as such will help with your anxiety. However in the beginning we were told the vaccines would stop the spread which was false. We were told they’d save lives but many with the vaccines still died anyway. Unvaccinated were called plague bearers when many of those people were more careful around others than the vaccinated who acted all invincible. Many unvaccinated I know have never known to have showed any symptoms. The big pharmaceutical companies have taken billions from the world’s governments for a product that is nowhere near as good as they said it was. People are resigning all over & heads will role for what’s happened other the last few years. Follow the science? Follow the money more like. How queer that sudden adult death syndrome is on the increase now. 🧐🤔

 

[Ajax Bay]

I understand taking precautions as such will help with your anxiety. However in the beginning we were told the vaccines would stop the spread which was false. We were told they’d save lives but many with the vaccines still died anyway. Unvaccinated were called plague bearers when many of those people were more careful around others than the vaccinated who acted all invincible. Many unvaccinated I know have never known to have showed any symptoms. The big pharmaceutical companies have taken billions from the world’s governments for a product that is nowhere near as good as they said it was. People are resigning all over & heads will role for what’s happened other the last few years. Follow the science? Follow the money more like. How queer that sudden adult death syndrome is on the increase now. 🧐🤔

. . .anxiety - nope; someone else perhaps.
we were told the vaccines would stop the spread - no; you must have misunderstood. Reduce not stop, but most impotantly reduce the numbers seriously ill or worse.
We were told they’d save lives but many with the vaccines still died anyway - Millions of lives were saved (or prolonged, anyway) - "take my word for it or do your own research" . Of course unvaccinated people still died: that's what people do. About 635k per year in UK and more than 100 million annually across the world (estimate - 7+ billion world population, mean age at death <70).
Unvaccinated were called plague bearers - not by any sensible person: but I guess I don't know with whom you frequent.
Many unvaccinated I know have never known to have showed any symptoms. Your deduction is . . what exactly?
a product [vaccine] that is nowhere near as good as they said it was. Actually, the protection offered from the first tranche of vaccines (Dec 2020 - Sep 2021) was very close to the trial data. nnnThe swift devlopment and production at scale of effective vaccines was a testament to the scientists involved and the pharmaceutical companies.
People are resigning all over - who had you in mind? The Prime Minister of Sweden?
& heads will role -
sudden adult death syndrome is on the increase now. Do tell us more about this? Provided it doesn't make you anxious.

 

[Deleted User]

Vaccination.

Really?

You people who were afraid to walk down the street without a hasmat suit on not that long ago are happy to share the same airspace with someone who has had a jab or two now?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

You people

If you wish to know my views please ask rather than assume.

As to the rest, of course the risk of exposure to covid is now massively less due to the protective effect of vaccination.

 

[PaulSB]

How am I doing with Covid? Well fine really. I've had the first two and the initial booster and yesterday had the autumn booster and flu jab. Yesterday felt a bit weird and for perhaps 30 minutes I felt like I had stepped back into lockdown, wondering why no one was taking any precautions.

I've only read the last three pages of the thread but must say I find some opinions expressed regarding vaccines, masks and precautions which some choose to take quite ridiculous smacking of the nonsense spouted by anti-vaxers. Perhaps best to just leave those of us who choose to be careful alone, it's our choice and doesn't impact your life at all.

I'm flying to the States in a month. Probably the riskiest Covid thing I've done. My wife and I will wear FFP2 masks, clean down surfaces etc. just as we did when Covid was at its peak. Does this eliminate risk? Of course not. Does it make us feel a little more comfortable that we've done all we can to avoid infection? Yes, most definitely. Has it harmed or impacted others? No.

I know of people in my wider social circle who have tested positive and then got on a plane. There are selfish, self-entitled idiots in this world and I might be unlucky enough to sit next to one of these awful individuals.

Helmets and vaccines? Well I've crashed twice sufficiently hard to smash two helmets. They work. I've had the vaccines and tested positive with only a 48 hour sore throat. Clearly the vaccines work as well.