Coronavirus General Discussion

[SomeDude]

If McDonalds was paid by the government every time they tested someone positive.......they would be testing in the drive through.

And those tests would definitely pick up a lot of false positives.

[dualstow]

I'll be flying between PA and FL soon and as far as I can tell from online searching, I neither have to be vaccinated nor tested. Is it possible I have that right?

I do plan to get vaccinated but I'm youngish and not an essential worker. Waiting until there's less of a line.

[Mark Leavy]

I'll be flying between PA and FL soon and as far as I can tell from online searching, I neither have to be vaccinated nor tested. Is it possible I have that right?

I do plan to get vaccinated but I'm youngish and not an essential worker. Waiting until there's less of a line.

That's correct. My gal has been flying from SFO to all over the country to meet up with me multiple times this year and she has never had to be vaccinated or tested. Strict masking, though, obviously.

New Orleans next month!

[dualstow]

Thanks, Mark!
New Orleans, cool. I need to take the missus there one day.

[jalanlong]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

[Tortoise]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

Even if a consensus is eventually reached that lockdowns aren't effective, we will never see a discussion in the mainstream media regarding whether lockdowns fundamentally violate the First Amendment.

[SomeDude]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

[SomeDude]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

Even if a consensus is eventually reached that lockdowns aren't effective, we will never see a discussion in the mainstream media regarding whether lockdowns fundamentally violate the First Amendment.

Discussion of any kind isn't permitted. Do branch covidians find that odd? Same as the fake mail in election of that feeble babbling fool Joe Biden.

[dualstow]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

[yankees60]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

Excellent, Dualstow!!!!

[mathjak107]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

Exactly

[jalanlong]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

Exactly

Except that car accidents don't cover the news and headlines 24/7 leading the average citizen to believe that it’s a plague wiping out civilization and we all need to hunker in the basement in perpetuity.

If you are going to shut down schools, businesses, gatherings and essentially tell people when and how they can lead their lives then yes the bar needs to be pretty damn high. Higher than just headlines about “cases.”

[mathjak107]

Except that car accidents don't cover the news and headlines 24/7 leading the average citizen to believe that it’s a plague wiping out civilization and we all need to hunker in the basement in perpetuity.

If you are going to shut down schools, businesses, gatherings and essentially tell people when and how they can lead their lives then yes the bar needs to be pretty damn high. Higher than just headlines about “cases.”

If car accidents killed 520k Americans and caused permanent lung damage to millions more, then yeah, you’d better believe we’d shut down roads and car dealerships and switch over to biking and mass transit. Which would do double benefit by helping the environment.

Did you not read Mathjak can’t even walk up a flight of stairs without going out of breath, months after “recovering” from Covid? There is no recovery for many people.

But muh haircuts! Surely styling your hair is more important than preserving life and health of others because muh freedoms and ‘Merica!

Actually. Made it to the fifth floor , but was running 3-4 miles up to the day I got covid , so still not back at all to where I was , neither is my wife .

Most people are not as active as my wife and I are when it comes to working out so they have no benchmark . Normal life seems fine for them except for tired , but when you were demanding of your body like we have been for 18 years you know what your capable off prior you can see things are way off from what they were .

Plus now I developed sleep apnea from a less efficient respiratory system ..

They got to the bottom of my not sleeping since covid ..... when my body starts to go into the deep sleep stages they found o2 levels at time would hit 80 ...they had me sleep with brain wave monitors and other sensors for two nights .

Now I am on a cpat machine ....been three days and sleep is improving with the machine

[dualstow]

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

Except that car accidents don't cover the news and headlines 24/7 leading the average citizen to believe that it’s a plague wiping out civilization and we all need to hunker in the basement in perpetuity.

If you are going to shut down schools, businesses, gatherings and essentially tell people when and how they can lead their lives then yes the bar needs to be pretty damn high. Higher than just headlines about “cases.”

I'm with you on reopening. I think that at this point, people should be allowed to take their own chances if they want to support restaurants, etc. Teachers are getting vaccinated, and even many high school students miss being taught in person.

Of course there are more than just headlines if one is willing to read beyond them, but this was not about sensationalism. This is about denying that covid is anything but a hoax if you don't personally know someone suffering from it.

A high bar, fine. Going by who you know personally- doesn't seem very logical.

[yankees60]

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

Except that car accidents don't cover the news and headlines 24/7 leading the average citizen to believe that it’s a plague wiping out civilization and we all need to hunker in the basement in perpetuity.

If you are going to shut down schools, businesses, gatherings and essentially tell people when and how they can lead their lives then yes the bar needs to be pretty damn high. Higher than just headlines about “cases.”

I'm with you on reopening. I think that at this point, people should be allowed to take their own chances if they want to support restaurants, etc. Teachers are getting vaccinated, and even many high school students miss being taught in person.

Of course there are more than just headlines if one is willing to read beyond them, but this was not about sensationalism. This is about denying that covid is anything but a hoax if you don't personally know someone suffering from it.

A high bar, fine. Going by who you know personally- doesn't seem very logical.

It's the difference between going by anecdotal evidence as opposed to large number statistical evidence.

[WiseOne]

Yep. Also that mask and no mask are basically the same.

Not quite MangoMan!

My hospital, Anthony Fauci, and noted bona fide public health authorities, consisting of journalists and governors with no medical credentials whatsoever, have been telling us for a year now that there is sound science saying that masking is 100% effective at blocking viral transmission. However, according to Fauci, double masking is 70% effective. (It was a press conference he gave...sorry no link.)

So logically, you should wear a single mask only. Double masking is clearly less safe! The science doesn't lie, right?

As for no mask vs mask....there is that Danish prospective study that the noted bona fide public health authorities really hate, because it indeed says there is no difference :-).

[dualstow]

there is that Danish prospective study that the noted bona fide public health authorities really hate, because it indeed says there is no difference :-).

Interesting.

We endlessly debate lockdowns, the vaccines and masks. For me, masks are the weirdest one.

Lockdowns hurt business, mental health and quality of life vs gatherings like the motorcycle clubs in South Dakota really do lead to mass viral spread and death. -- I get that.

Vaccines may very well save lives vs Some people think vaccines are going to hurt them. -- I get that.

Masks:
For those of you who don't wear them, is it bc you feel the whole idea is stupid and therefore your dislike for participating is stronger than any concern about being harassed? I mean that in a sincere way not a snarky way, bc unless you have a breathing problem there is no physical harm coming from wearing a mask.

My cons:
• glasses fog up
• Can't people watch. I miss people's faces on the street.
• Criminals are harder to surveil and catch. (I wonder if some anti-masker non-criminals like that they are less often surveiled. Less of a police state?)

My pros:
• I sometimes get a runny nose at farmers markets in the cold air and this covers it up. Overall, much of my grooming is now optional.
• Homeless guy sneezed on me earlier this year. My mask may not save me but it sure felt better.
Other:
My wife is Asian and an Asian not wearing a mask in the U.S. is asking to be harassed. Am I saying they deserve it? Of course not. I'm saying they leave themselves open to it. Sad situation.

Notice that none of the above has to do with COVID-19. Even I have Fauci fatigue.

[SomeDude]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

No one is trying to inject some experimental drugs into the entire population with zero debate allowed and prevent people from getting together personally or to engage in commerce because of a "pandemic" of car accidents.

Annual car deaths in the US are about 35k. If the government and media told us it suddenly went up to 500k and as a result we weren't allowed to drive anymore, would you question it at all? If they told you we were in the midst of a car crashing pandemic but you didnt know anyone who had been in an accident let alone killed or know anyone who told you they knew anyone who was in an accident, would you be skeptical?

What if they told we could all drive again MAYBE if we got a microchip installed to make us better drivers? Would you be excited for yours?

Would you assume the government and media are telling you the truth?

[dualstow]

No one is trying to inject some experimental drugs into the entire population with zero debate allowed and prevent people from getting together personally or to engage in commerce because of a "pandemic" of car accidents.

Annual car deaths in the US are about 35k. If the government and media told us it suddenly went up to 500k and as a result we weren't allowed to drive anymore, would you question it at all? If they told you we were in the midst of a car crashing pandemic but you didnt know anyone who had been in an accident let alone killed or know anyone who told you they knew anyone who was in an accident, would you be skeptical?

What if they told we could all drive again MAYBE if we got a microchip installed to make us better drivers? Would you be excited for yours?

Would you assume the government and media are telling you the truth?

I think jalanlong covered all that. Again, the point is responding specifically to the notion that covid is a hoax "because I don’t know anyone in the hospital."

ADDED: We take our chances every day when we get in a car, understanding the risk because there is the benefit of getting from point A to point B. As I said, at this point I am largely in agreement with jalanlong on easing up on the lockdowns. Essential workers are getting vaxed. We should be allowed to take our own chances if we want to go out and participate in life again.

[SomeDude]

https://apnews.com/article/public-healt ... wad7qMR4tM

For me, this is the ultimate trump card in the argument about how hard to lock down and mask.

All that means is FL would have had no "cases" if they went Kalifornia style.

I've lived in FL the whole time though and haven't heard of a single person getting sick let alone hospitalized.

I don’t know anyone personally who died in a car accident in the past few years so i guess car accidents don’t exist and if they do, they aren’t deadly.

Exactly

Except that car accidents don't cover the news and headlines 24/7 leading the average citizen to believe that it’s a plague wiping out civilization and we all need to hunker in the basement in perpetuity.

If you are going to shut down schools, businesses, gatherings and essentially tell people when and how they can lead their lives then yes the bar needs to be pretty damn high. Higher than just headlines about “cases.”

Thanks J. I just read your comment. To quote Mathjack "Exactly"

[SomeDude]

No one is trying to inject some experimental drugs into the entire population with zero debate allowed and prevent people from getting together personally or to engage in commerce because of a "pandemic" of car accidents.

Annual car deaths in the US are about 35k. If the government and media told us it suddenly went up to 500k and as a result we weren't allowed to drive anymore, would you question it at all? If they told you we were in the midst of a car crashing pandemic but you didnt know anyone who had been in an accident let alone killed or know anyone who told you they knew anyone who was in an accident, would you be skeptical?

What if they told we could all drive again MAYBE if we got a microchip installed to make us better drivers? Would you be excited for yours?

Would you assume the government and media are telling you the truth?

I think jalanlong covered all that. Again, the point is responding specifically to the notion that covid is a hoax "because I don’t know anyone in the hospital."

ADDED: We take our chances every day when we get in a car, understanding the risk because there is the benefit of getting from point A to point B. As I said, at this point I am largely in agreement with jalanlong on easing up on the lockdowns. Essential workers are getting vaxed. We should be allowed to take our own chances if we want to go out and participate in life again.

i hadn't read his response until after i commented. I am glad someone else saw the obvious difference.

[dualstow]

You both have a point but respectfully, you both missed mine.

[pp4me]

I don't believe COVID is a hoax and I also don't personally know anybody who has gotten it, either here in FL or in the other states where my family lives (OH,ME,CO).

According to the FL CDC, 6% of the people in my Zip Code have tested positive so that isn't so surprising.

I believe politicians have taken advantage of COVID and will continue to do so because that's just what they do.

I believe it's a shame that nobody can trust anything anybody says any more. Lots of people are to blame, mostly politicians and the media.

I wonder if we will EVER be allowed to stop wearing masks without having to resort to massive civil disobedience. Despite what you hear about FL being "wide-open" we have had county wide mask mandates in place for a long time and you can't get into a public place without one.

I don't bother reading tomfoolery's posts any more because it takes too much effort to reverse engineer in order to figure out what he is trying to say.

In FL, it appears that we have not just flattened the curve in regards to the death count but the curve has almost flatlined - yet cases are not declining in the same way. Don't know what this means - better treatment, virus weakening, or both?

[Cortopassi]

I don't bother reading tomfoolery's posts any more because it takes too much effort to reverse engineer in order to figure out what he is trying to say.

Amen

[Mark Leavy]

For me, I don't think they do much, if anything, positive.

Well then, why not wear one anyway if there is no harm to them?

I think there is enormous psychological harm in physically reinforcing the mental state that we should live our lives in terror. I believe that just donning a mask every day changes the way you think, the way you carry yourself, the way you address decisions in everyday life.

It is literally re-wiring your brain every time you don it. And re-wiring in a way that I don't wish to go.