University I work for is lifting mask mandates soon... people are rejoicing.

[Ultralight]

Folks seem very happy and relieved now that COVID is over and masks will no longer be required.

It will be strange to go to a 70+ person meeting and see everyone's faces again and to have people sitting right next to me on both sides, and right behind and in front of me. They will pack us into the small rooms again.

[iris lilies]

Is .covid over?

hunh.

But far be it from me to argue with the great brains over there in the great state of Illinois. As an aside, when we were looking for a place to have a weekend house that turned into a place we’re moving, several places in Illinois where attractive but DH said no way would he move to Illinois, that’s not happening, forget about it.

[Ultralight]

Is .covid over?

hunh.

But far be it from me to argue with the great brains over there in the great state of Illinois. As an aside, when we were looking for a place to have a weekend house that turned into a place we’re moving, several places in Illinois where attractive but DH said no way would he move to Illinois, that’s not happening, forget about it.

Folks are sure acting like its over. But you ought to know this. You live in a red state. Yall been acting like its been over since it started. ;)

[iris lilies]

Folks are sure acting like its over. But you ought to know this. You live in a red state. Yall been acting like its been over since it started. ;)
Please explain to my neighbors in this urban core that we’re in a red state so maybe they will vote correctly in the future.

The decline of Illinois is tragic really. You don’t understand what has happened to it, but it used to be a state that was a step up from Missouri and from Iowa, where I’m from. If you moved Illinois that was usually meant you were going to be richer. More prosperous. Things were looking up for you when you joined the Illini elite. Alas, No longer.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Sounds bad and scary. Workplaces I think it varied a lot in how much masking was actually enforced. Retail and stuff yea of course. But offices, by no means were people masking universally in mine, nor was I after vaxes and before Omicron, HOWEVER they also they only had us go in 1-2 days a week (1 for me as I don't even have a cube I'm so crammed in, so never having us in the office at the same time was the only way to have any distance - I almost hate that particular office enough to look for another job for that reason). So there were never very many people in the office at a time either.

For an office in addition to masking I'd buy and run an air filter. No of course it doesn't mean one won't catch it, but it reduces the germs in the air some, so improves the odds a bit. Me and coworkers did it, my bf who has worked in person got one for his office. The meetings though are superspreader events pretty much. I really don't see why the big meetings can't at least be remote.

[Ultralight]

Please explain to my neighbors in this urban core that we’re in a red state so maybe they will vote correctly in the future.

The decline of Illinois is tragic really. You don’t understand what has happened to it, but it used to be a state that was a step up from Missouri and from Iowa, where I’m from. If you moved Illinois that was usually meant you were going to be richer. More prosperous. Things were looking up for you when you joined the Illini elite. Alas, No longer.

I guess I hit a nerve.

[LDAHL]

The “over it” phenomenon phenomenon does seem to be spreading, rightly or wrongly. More and more the restriction-tolerant states seem to be moving in the direction of Texas or Florida. Even in rule-following Canada we see truculent truckers revolting despite the scorn being heaped on them by the progressive gentry.

I do agree about the decline of Illinois. I grew up in and around Chicago and went to the flagship university, and in the intervening years have seen it move from cheerfully corrupt but fairly efficient government to the poisonous brew of identity politics, fiscal fantasticality and incompetence allied with corruption we see today.

[iris lilies]

I guess I hit a nerve.
Score!

you know I’m laughing here, right?

[ApatheticNoMore]

There's a coordinated push seemingly from the Biden white house to be over it. Some and not necessarily all states might have leaned in that direction anyway (that still had any covid precautions, many don't). I leave out if individuals are sick of it, we all are and can weigh our own risks and benefits of say having a dinner party or whatever, but I care about social policies like masks. So does it makes sense to be over it there?

If one is an average person of average age and average risk and vaccinated and boosted, odds of death are indeed very low (overall odds of death with 3 boosters). Problem is not everyone is whatever goes into these averages, some people have a lot more risks, they are elderly or immune compromised and I don't see a lot of risks broken down by that level of granularity (by age and illness WITH vaxes). But really it is just so basic, slicing and dicing the data by such finer granularities is what anyone would want to see to try to make sense of it. Just giving us a top number is like okay, not so useful. The push for boosters in this country was also pathetic, not enough people are boosted. And then there is long covid and it's complications. The problem is much hysteria about long covid is pre-vaccine and the question now is risks post-vaccine. *shrug* And the vaccines wear off some in time, even against illness that leads to an emergency room or ICU visit apparently.

[Tradd]

I know which university UL works for.

It is rather odd that all of a sudden these blue states are leading the charge in ending the mask mandates. Gov Jelly Bean Prickster surprised me on this one.

[LDAHL]

I know which university UL works for.

It is rather odd that all of a sudden these blue states are leading the charge in ending the mask mandates. Gov Jelly Bean Prickster surprised me on this one.

Leading the charge or following the herd?

Or perhaps too many blue politicians got caught with their masks down.

[iris lilies]

Leading the charge or following the herd?

Or perhaps too many blue politicians got caught with their masks down.
Preparing for elections.

[Ultralight]

The “over it” phenomenon phenomenon does seem to be spreading, rightly or wrongly. More and more the restriction-tolerant states seem to be moving in the direction of Texas or Florida. Even in rule-following Canada we see truculent truckers revolting despite the scorn being heaped on them by the progressive gentry.

I do agree about the decline of Illinois. I grew up in and around Chicago and went to the flagship university, and in the intervening years have seen it move from cheerfully corrupt but fairly efficient government to the poisonous brew of identity politics, fiscal fantasticality and incompetence allied with corruption we see today.

Those Canadian truckers are like the lunatic fringe there. Not representative of the vast majority of Canadians, despite the imagery on FOX.

[Ultralight]

Leading the charge or following the herd?

Or perhaps too many blue politicians got caught with their masks down.

I think they just know that COVID is over. And people are done with the restrictions. The vast majority of people are willing to take their chances with the virus.

This is why I am okay with ending the restrictions, so long as I can still follow most of them for another couple months. The more people that turn, the better for me.

[Ultralight]

Preparing for elections.

That is definitely a major factor!

[happystuff]

Regardless of mandates or rules or anything else, it will basically come down to whether, when, and if you wear a mask, get vaccinated, get boostered, etc. or not going forward. Some people will, be it out of concern for themselves, concern for others, or both, or not to do any or all of these things at all. Everyone will eventually decide for themself.

The rules and mandates will eventually go away and people WILL be left to decide for themselves and we will all - one way or another - live (or die) with the consequences going forward.

[ApatheticNoMore]

It really sucks that it's come to this.

[jp1]

The thing I find remarkable is that it has become pretty obvious that being outside is fairly safe, which would seem to infer that better ventilation indoors would be a useful way of keeping the death toll down, but I’ve not heard of any efforts in this area. We seem to be headed towards just throwing our hands up and leaving the future death toll to random chance without making any efforts to take control of that future.

[rosarugosa]

The thing I find remarkable is that it has become pretty obvious that being outside is fairly safe, which would seem to infer that better ventilation indoors would be a useful way of keeping the death toll down, but I’ve not heard of any efforts in this area. We seem to be headed towards just throwing our hands up and leaving the future death toll to random chance without making any efforts to take control of that future.

I've seen lots of HEPA air purifiers in dental and medical offices over the past couple of years. I also have noted that regardless of mask mandate status, all medical and dental offices have required masks since early in the pandemic and with no indications that there will be a change in policy. For me, that's a key indicator that masks are believed to be at least somewhat helpful by those whose opinions I hold in higher regard.

[razz]

I've seen lots of HEPA air purifiers in dental and medical offices over the past couple of years. I also have noted that regardless of mask mandate status, all medical and dental offices have required masks since early in the pandemic and with no indications that there will be a change in policy. For me, that's a key indicator that masks are believed to be at least somewhat helpful by those whose opinions I hold in higher regard.

As a now retired dental hygienist, masks were required for most of my 36 year career so I don't understand the issues with using them on a daily basis. I will continue to use them in crowded settings.

[iris lilies]

Regardless of mandates or rules or anything else, it will basically come down to whether, when, and if you wear a mask, get vaccinated, get boostered, etc. or not going forward. Some people will, be it out of concern for themselves, concern for others, or both, or not to do any or all of these things at all. Everyone will eventually decide for themself.

The rules and mandates will eventually go away and people WILL be left to decide for themselves and we will all - one way or another - live (or die) with the consequences going forward.

exactly.

[iris lilies]

I've seen lots of HEPA air purifiers in dental and medical offices over the past couple of years. I also have noted that regardless of mask mandate status, all medical and dental offices have required masks since early in the pandemic and with no indications that there will be a change in policy. For me, that's a key indicator that masks are believed to be at least somewhat helpful by those whose opinions I hold in higher regard.

Yes, individual proprietors of health services and businesses may indeed require masks. They may make their own requirements for use of their facility. That is the way it should be.

[jp1]

I've seen lots of HEPA air purifiers in dental and medical offices over the past couple of years. I also have noted that regardless of mask mandate status, all medical and dental offices have required masks since early in the pandemic and with no indications that there will be a change in policy. For me, that's a key indicator that masks are believed to be at least somewhat helpful by those whose opinions I hold in higher regard.
If we want to get back to a normal that doesn’t include an average of 2400 people/day dying of covid in the US it seems like better ventilation will need to be implemented in a lot more places than medical facilities. Most people don’t go to the doc every day, but they do go to offices and restaurants and bars and shopping malls, etc. Until we figure out how to have safe air in those places I imagine we’ll keep seeing wave after wave of illness and death. But apparently for the people UL works with that’s ok as long as they don’t have to wear masks during those waves.

[Yppej]

If we want to get back to a normal that doesn’t include an average of 2400 people/day dying of covid in the US it seems like better ventilation will need to be implemented in a lot more places than medical facilities. Most people don’t go to the doc every day, but they do go to offices and restaurants and bars and shopping malls, etc. Until we figure out how to have safe air in those places I imagine we’ll keep seeing wave after wave of illness and death. But apparently for the people UL works with that’s ok as long as they don’t have to wear masks during those waves.

An average of 2400 unvaccinated people a day dying. And it is having an impact - I know of several people who refused earlier now getting their shots because they see someone they know who was unvaxxed hospitalized or dead. Vaccines and not masks are the answer.

1 in 10 nursing home residents has died of covid. Ventilation most needs to improved there.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Here in Phoenix I'm getting the feeling more and more that covid is ebbing. I continue to test negative and continue wearing masks. I don't want to send the wrong message so I continue wearing a mask as do most of my vo-workers. And on Valley Metro it is Federal law to wear a mask - and I often see drivers not wearing one - and then there's the other extreme where bus drivers zoom right by you as they continue to cap boarding. People's reactions to covid are all over the map.

But one good thing I'm seeing re covid? The past couple of years have shown the character and makeups of most people. And many seem to have a new regard for working to live vs before. And many of us have been freed of commutes and offices and office politics (hopefully on this last) Rob

[happystuff]

[QUOTE=gimmethesimplelife;402825]But one good thing I'm seeing re covid? The past couple of years have shown the character and makeups of most people. [QUOTE]

I agree with this. I have to say I am happy with the character and makeup of my family and friends... taking care for themselves AND for others! Skipping events if they feel sick or even think they may have been exposed, masking up for themselves and others, doing all those things that benefit not only themselves but others.

As much as I hated missing Christmas with family, I would/could never forgive myself if my exposure actually ended up infecting others. I'm proud of the people who are stepping up and, regardless of the inconvenience, are still taking care for themselves AND those around them. I still believe that MOST people are good and caring and compassionate! I'm so sad for those who have died from this and for their friends and families who have suffered the loss of one or more loved ones.