Masks in the Mountains

[Dave B]

Because there is little evidence masks work, and there are harmful downsides to them as well. Children growing up not seeing facial expressions on people, the deaf or hard of hearing can't read lips, etc.

Not true, the dramatically lower rate of the flu and common cold this year directly point to beneficial impacts of masks (and social distancing) on disease transmission.

[docinco]

hope somebody can help me out here. we've had no flu season 2020-21, mirroring the experience down under--oz and nz. but masks don't work?

[XterraRob]

Many people don't like government but that doesn't mean common sense and doing the right thing should also go out the window.

Sure, maybe the masks only help a bit or make your glasses fog up but why not try to help the country as a whole.
Sure, the vaccination might hurt your arm but why not try to help the country as a whole.

They don't trust an authority that they feel isn't acting in their best interest, they are even willing to risk their health over it. Can you blame them? I don't.

The amalgamation of Government & Corporate America means things may happen that aren't in the General Public's best interest but stand to make some companies a lot of money. This concept is nothing new though, Big Pharma & Big Tech are certainly enjoying present times.

[Somewhat of a Prick]

Because there is little evidence masks work, and there are harmful downsides to them as well. Children growing up not seeing facial expressions on people, the deaf or hard of hearing can't read lips, etc.

Not true, the dramatically lower rate of the flu and common cold this year directly point to beneficial impacts of masks (and social distancing) on disease transmission.

Does it point to that? Or is the flu down this year because much of the country is either working remotely, not working, remote learning, etc? Unlike covid, children are actually carriers of the flu. Or are you asserting none of the other variables played any role in a reduced flu season and its proof positive that masks work and are the sole reason for the flu being light this year?


*Edit*

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... demic.html

"The mere presence of the coronavirus may have also played a role in suppressing flu cases, said Dr. Webby, because there is often just one dominant respiratory virus in a population at a given time. “One tends to keep the other out,” he said."

Good read

[crossfitter]

hope somebody can help me out here. we've had no flu season 2020-21, mirroring the experience down under--oz and nz. but masks don't work?

What makes you think it's that masks are doing the job, and not that everyone on the planet is being forced to stay home and not travel? I'm going to take a wild guess that not sharing office space with coworkers with germ-factory kids that aren't spreading flu at school is going to have infinitely more of an impact, considering that masks haven't demonstrated a difference anywhere in the world regardless of compliance or mandates.

[BillMiddlebrook]

crossfitter, I'm not a scientist but, yes, I tend to trust them as well as doctors. Especially when there is a large consensus and it seems like common sense. They aren't asking me to believe in Bigfoot.

Since this virus spreads in aerosol form, wearing my KN95 mask makes sense to me. Maybe I will have worn it all these days for nothing. If that is proven down the road, I will be comfortable knowing that I tried to help. I don't want to get sick and wouldn't want to get anyone else sick, so I'm willing to try. Now that I'm vaccinated, I wear it in less situations.

I'm not a pro-masker, I'm a anti-getting-sicker. I have no team, I just care about my health, my family, and that of our country.

/done

[zerosignal28]

Because there is little evidence masks work, and there are harmful downsides to them as well. Children growing up not seeing facial expressions on people, the deaf or hard of hearing can't read lips, etc.

Not true, the dramatically lower rate of the flu and common cold this year directly point to beneficial impacts of masks (and social distancing) on disease transmission.

Can we talk about the negative social aspects that masks also have? Nobody is talking about what this is going to do to people in the long run, especially kids. I watch my 6 year old daughter show up to school where she is forced to wear one and it breaks my heart. The so-called "benefits" of wearing masks are a joke compared to the issues that are being ignored.

[XterraRob]

I love you Bill.

[montanahiker]

Because there is little evidence masks work, and there are harmful downsides to them as well. Children growing up not seeing facial expressions on people, the deaf or hard of hearing can't read lips, etc.

Not true, the dramatically lower rate of the flu and common cold this year directly point to beneficial impacts of masks (and social distancing) on disease transmission.

So the masks are never going away?

[supranihilest]

Because there is little evidence masks work, and there are harmful downsides to them as well. Children growing up not seeing facial expressions on people, the deaf or hard of hearing can't read lips, etc.

Not true, the dramatically lower rate of the flu and common cold this year directly point to beneficial impacts of masks (and social distancing) on disease transmission.

Can we talk about the negative social aspects that masks also have? Nobody is talking about what this is going to do to people in the long run, especially kids. I watch my 6 year old daughter show up to school where she is forced to wear one and it breaks my heart. The so-called "benefits" of wearing masks are a joke compared to the issues that are being ignored.

Care to actually elaborate? This post doesn't say anything of substance.

[Dave B]

hope somebody can help me out here. we've had no flu season 2020-21, mirroring the experience down under--oz and nz. but masks don't work?

What makes you think it's that masks are doing the job, and not that everyone on the planet is being forced to stay home and not travel? I'm going to take a wild guess that not sharing office space with coworkers with germ-factory kids that aren't spreading flu at school is going to have infinitely more of an impact, considering that masks haven't demonstrated a difference anywhere in the world regardless of compliance or mandates.

I just showed you the graph that refutes your statement. You sure spend a lot of time pounding the table about nobody presenting contradictory information, only to ignore it when presented... pretty weak sauce s**t, bro.

And, I get that the study ends before the second wave, but it nonetheless shows a clear, definitive, and statistically significant impact of masks. So, stop saying there isn't any evidence.

[Dave B]

Because there is little evidence masks work, and there are harmful downsides to them as well. Children growing up not seeing facial expressions on people, the deaf or hard of hearing can't read lips, etc.

Not true, the dramatically lower rate of the flu and common cold this year directly point to beneficial impacts of masks (and social distancing) on disease transmission.

So the masks are never going away?

FFS, again, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. There has never ever ever been a legal mask mandate. It's come down to voluntary compliance. You can go to the store without a mask. Everyone is going to think you're an a**hole, but a lot of people seem just fine with that. Others don't have the balls so they just whine about masks on the internet.