My LA times oped on the new Covid wave, much of which can be prevented https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-12-06/covid-wave-winter-infections-immunity-bivalent-vaccine
"Anyone who doesn’t take seriously the risk of COVID infection is in denial about the risk of #LongCovid and its potentially disabling effects."
I dont think anyone thinks COIVID is over really. They just think the time for masks are over and we cant live like that forever. The risks of COVID are more acceptable then a life in hazmat every time we go outside... I think this was inevitable and went on longer than one might otherwise have thought.
Not full hazmat, obviously, my point is it seems excessive, on the verge of hypocondria, but thats just my opinion.
A better way to think of it is "Is it worth living my whole life in a face mask, being uncomfortable, sweaty, and miserable, because of something that at this point is only slightly more lethal than the flu (early on it was much more lethal)... Id say no..
The truth is there are thousands of deadly diseases we can catch every day. Wearing partial-hazmat for a life time out of the off chance, the small chance, i may get injured is not a fair tradeoff.
That said I wont judge you if you decide to wear it.
@freemo @LeneBe @erictopol The chance of blood clots, heart damage, brain damage, etc. is uncertain but seems a lot higher than what I would call small. And you'll be rolling the dice every time you get covid, say 1-2 times a year. It's like airborne polio with re-infections. There aren't thousands of diseases like that.
"thousands we can catch" -- but we mostly don't. Whereas covid has killed 300,000 Americans this year alone.
If the unknown risks turn out to be quantified and the risks are higher than we thought I am happy to potentially wear a mask **if** wearing a mask presents a potential for a long term solution and is only a temporary thing.
We wore masks for 2 years, more than 2 years... I am more than happy to take my risks rather than wear a mask for the rest of my life, even unknown risks, as there are plenty of those.
@LeneBe @mindstalk @freemo @erictopol Hazmat?! Oh good gad. Wearing a mask is no worse than putting on a hat or wearing shoes. The only two things they prevent you from doing in public are eating and putting your mouth on display. Viewing masks as temporary measures to be endured for extraordinary events instead of just basic wear for everyday life is probably why folks like you haven’t gotten used to them or bothered to find ones that are comfortable.
If wearing a mask is convient for you, go for it.
When I wear a mask I cant see (I wear glasses), I have a lot of trouble breathing (I used to be asthematic) and feel very claustrophobic... While it may be fine for you not everyone response the same, I find it quite miserable to the point where I'd rather not go out. They also give me a headache long term.
@lxo Thankfully young children are pretty resistant to covid and they are very low risk.
That said there are plenty of peple int he world with compromised immune systems who would die from a cold, the flu, or even covid and tons of other diseases... Their situation is extremely unfortunate. But I dont think its reasonable to expect an entire world to live their life wearing hazmat balanced on the risks.
@lxo by that logic if you wear full hazmat gear, including at home youd spread even less disease and save even more lives. People draw a line where it becones an unhealthy trade off (hypochondria).
For me that line is wearing half hazmat gear (just a mask), for you its wearing the full suit. We can reasonably protect the vulnerable by wearing masks in old people homes and in high risk enounters.
@LeneBe @mindstalk @erictopol But that’s the core of it, isn’t it? To make that adaptation requires admitting to oneself that covid is both dangerous and not going away.
@freemo have you ever actually had COVID?
@freemo I’m on week 6 of coughing from being infected the 4th week of October.
@MonicaChilton That really sucks, sorry to hear you got a bad case.
@MonicaChilton 6 or 7 times so far in fact. I travel quite a bit so I am constantly being tested for covid.. 2 of the 7 times i was mildly uncomfortable but it wasnt a big deal... the other times I never even knew I had it.
Keep in mind by not wearing a mask, and by being vaccinated I am exposed more than someone who does wear a mask... So my cases are likely to be frequent and mild rather than infrequent and severe.
@freemo @LeneBe @erictopol But it's not inevitable. Japan, Mexico City, and Berkeley all have high mask rates. Also, a mask isn't like full hazmat.
If you become too disabled to work, will you think "at least I didn't have to mask!"