Please explain this to me

[catherine]

That first comment is mind-boggling to me. The mask isn't permanently affixed to one's face, after all. It's generally not worn at home, and with luck, the pandemic will be over in time. Cluelessness? Selfishness?

Commenter: David Curtis
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment: This article completely fails to consider the costs of mask-wearing. There's a reason why we don't do this. It impairs our quality of life. We like to feel fresh air on our faces. We like to go out and see people. We like to be able to talk to people unencumbered. We like to be able to see people's expressions, their smiles.

Sure, make a judgement about the relative benefits and harms of mask-wearing. But don't purport to be writing some kind of rational appraisal while completely ignoring the obvious loss of quality of life which universal, permanent mask-wearing would entail.

My opinion on this FWIW--there is obviously a dearth of good studies on this topic because this is a brand new problem. So, challenging the study is reasonable. There is nothing conclusive in JAMA or NEJM or any other journals and if there are, please post them.

But IRL, I see NOTHING wrong with adopting a reasonable practice like trying to keep your "stuff" out of other people's faces and vice versa.

It's uncomfortable? You can't see me smile at you? You can't breathe easily through it for a short period of time? Poor baby. Life is tough. Again, I go back to times when people had REAL sacrifice, like living in an an attic annex for 2 years with 8 other people, or taking jobs in factories to hold places for servicemen overseas.

Wearing masks is not a REAL sacrifice, IMHO, and the "why not" is so much bigger than the "why."

[ToomuchStuff]

Why else would medical personnel who tested negative at the beginning of their shift wear PPE? They are not protecting others, they are protecting themselves.

Thank you for your response.

Wrong. Oh so fing wrong.
While used to attempt to protect the medical workers from getting infections, it is also used to attempt to stop the spread of infections, which is why they are SUPPOSED to be a one use thing. There is more to hospitals then just Covid. I have had multiple people I know, come out of hospitals with staph infections that required them to be quarantined until they were no longer infectious. These can be spread by reusing PPE to both the sick and the well.

[JaneV2.0]

My opinion on this FWIW--there is obviously a dearth of good studies on this topic because this is a brand new problem. So, challenging the study is reasonable. There is nothing conclusive in JAMA or NEJM or any other journals and if there are, please post them.

But IRL, I see NOTHING wrong with adopting a reasonable practice like trying to keep your "stuff" out of other people's faces and vice versa.

It's uncomfortable? You can't see me smile at you? You can't breathe easily through it for a short period of time? Poor baby. Life is tough. Again, I go back to times when people had REAL sacrifice, like living in an an attic annex for 2 years with 8 other people, or taking jobs in factories to hold places for servicemen overseas.

Wearing masks is not a REAL sacrifice, IMHO, and the "why not" is so much bigger than the "why."

The breeze on your face? Really? What kind of twaddle is this? Go stand in your backyard and feel all the breeze you want.

You can buy a mask with a window now, for lip-readers. And there are face shields. People in this country seem incredibly childlike and entitled that they can't tolerate even a few months of minor inconvenience like masking up and social distancing.

[pinkytoe]

People in this country seem incredibly childlike and entitled that they can't tolerate even a few months of minor inconvenience like masking up and social distancing.

I completely agree.

[SteveinMN]

I never thought much about what the "Cloud" was, but I found Steve's explanation super interesting. Thanks!

I think in my technologically-naive mind, I almost took it literally! When I look for a document that's backed up in my cloud, I almost picture it descending from the heavens.

You're welcome! What I left out of my note was that the "cloud" refers in part to the data being "up there somewhere" like, uh, clouds.

A lot about current technology, like cell phones and internet, is so mind-boggling. If we thought it would have been hard to explain to someone from the 19th century what a 1950s television set is and how it works, how would we ever explain uncountable bits of data flying through the "air"?

I saw on Twitter once the comment, "If you told someone 15 years ago that in the future their computer would have something called “airplane mode,” they would be incredibly disappointed by what that actually did"

[Yppej]

I don't think mask wearing will be a short term thing. I think a precedent has been set and now every flu season everyone will be expected to wear one, because as the prevailing narrative and Trump say, even one death is too many.

[razz]

Thank you Steve. At some point we are going to be paying for the internet or do ads cover the expense? I have 5G cloud storage and have been advised to pay a monthly fee ($1.29f mth) for more so tryng to figure out options for storage. Memory sticks are a possibility for my photos.

[iris lilies]

There’s never been a virus yet that could spread as fast as a lie congenial to the prevailing narrative.

...and LDAHL hits it out of the park again!

[Gardnr]

I am taking it from your response that as I have asserted elsewhere masks that are not N95 are feel good measures that do not protect against covid. I totally get why you would want to save what actually works for medical personnel. I also appreciate that you get that the wearer of PPE dons it to protect him or herself from sick people, not necessarily to avoid infecting other people. Some others seem to miss this point. Why else would medical personnel who tested negative at the beginning of their shift wear PPE? They are not protecting others, they are protecting themselves.

Thank you for your response.

By the way, I have had the opportunity to try both a homemade cloth mask and a KN95 at work, and the former is far less restrictive, but I would imagine much less protective. The bandannas I would think are of even less utility, not to mention how often people take off random face coverings and let them dangle below their chins.

Wearing a cloth covering is hard enough, full PPE must be truly daunting. It is not some minor inconvenience and in my opinion covering up shouldn't be mandated when it is of little to no benefit, such as with ill-fitting, amateur coverings in non-medical situations where one is not within 6 feet of the same person for 15 minutes or more (the standard for contact tracing).

Are you for real? OK. Experiment. Please go to the nearest hospital. Ask to sit in a COVID room on a COVID unit for 6 hours with no PPE. You should be fine according to your babble above.

Your lack of interest in actually understanding basic facts is so far beyond my ability to comprehend.....l

[Gardnr]

Wrong. Oh so fing wrong.
While used to attempt to protect the medical workers from getting infections, it is also used to attempt to stop the spread of infections, which is why they are SUPPOSED to be a one use thing. There is more to hospitals then just Covid. I have had multiple people I know, come out of hospitals with staph infections that required them to be quarantined until they were no longer infectious. These can be spread by reusing PPE to both the sick and the well.

TMS: Y doesn't want to understand. I don't know why, but after she gets done with her shift in a COVID room for 12hours without PPE, let's see how she's doing on day 18!