Will you return to Covid restrictions and mask wearing?

[lockinlove]

I have been working in molecular microbiology and infectious disease and recently aiding in the virology units at U of T and Sinai

We have been asked by the Canadian government to start tracking and researching the newest strain of covid that is spreading. We have also been asked our thoughts on enforcing mask-wearing again.

Sorry, I know that we are all tired of this and most are well passed it by now but considering we are being asked our opinion on this matter it means there are conversations going on where there is a possibility of enforcing covid restrictions again.

Many people we have asked this question have a pretty common response. It's either yes or "they will have to arrest me. I am not doing it again".


While it does show escape properties (of the immune system) and growth and mutation properties, it still seems to be a low health risk.

For what it's worth, we have recommended no mask-wearing or restrictions as it is a low public health risk but for some reason, the government doesn't always side with our views even though we are the professionals.

Just curious how people out there feel given this forum has a pretty good mixture from people all around the world.

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[goatwack]

Much as it irks me, as to masks' already debunked uselessness as people walk around with their designer, saliva-steeped face cloths, people are only going to do as to what's mandated by their politicians.

So all the bravado and Twi......sorry 'X'- induced outrage soon goes out of the window upon realizing that businesses etc will dictate as to who enters their premises and so forth, and so will more than likely comply (again) if need be. Much like you'd see people queue outside supermarkets in those little marked segments, as social distancing becomes enabled.

Whether I despise the notion or not, if businesses and services make it a 'thing' once more, faux protestations tend to go out of the window, because as we've seen last time round, people are easily brought to heel, and quick to condemn opposing actions....

Mind you, I'd expect any return of mask- wearing to be negligible, or for much shorter durations, as I don't believe most would abide by prolonged lockdowns and mask mandates, that's the difference.

I know that employees at Lionsgate Studios in Hollywood have already brought them back for a time, in their offices.....but only on the 3rd and 5th floor. The 4th is apparently not affected!

 

[slot_zombie]

They'll have to clap me in irons before I stick a nappy on my face.

Although last time all it took was a quiet "I'm exempt" if asked. No confrontations.

Can't see it happening tbh, most have moved on.

 

[Video_Poker_Pro]

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me

 

[Oscar Arnhem]

Say No to Face Diapers

 

[goatwack]

It's more of a question of 'when', not 'if' really. Goodness knows the media's informed us of impending new strains for about the last two. three months, to much collective groaning. And so it matters little what the everyman thinks, as politicians are going to follow whatever they've been fed, and be reactionary. Didn't we already see that?

Vague guidelines get passed on to businesses, who then implement them to varying degrees. I know many establishments that kept those in place, months after they were lifted elsewhere. And whilst overall fairly relaxed in the UK, many countries' citizens did not have the luxury of being able to choose, and still don't.....

If left optional based on each venue and service as to whether masks are necessary, I'd choose not to. Yet if every place is beside themselves with enforcing temporary mask- usage, what options are there? Cover the windows with newspaper and order off Amazon indefinitely? ?

 

[dunover]

Not conclusive proof of anything but when I went to ICE London 2022 I wore a mask nearly all the time, especially on the Covid express (London Underground) where people from all over the world are packed cheek-by-jowl. No Covid.

Roll on this year 2023, never wore a mask at all, yep, a positive Covid test when I got back, along with a few others in my circle.

 

[L&L-Jan]

Im soon heading for my 9th booster, its important to take the vaccine and wear masks to protect yourself and your loved ones.

 

[mack341]

The pound and budget shop owners will be hoping for a covid resurgence, recently saw one of those test kits on the shelves priced up at £10 odd, and loads of masks and hand gel.

I think I saw a stat that 5 billion tonnes of plastic [slow or non breaking down] has been dumped in the oceans due to masks, you'd think virtue signaller Justin or the swedish lass would have something to say about that!

A longer while back I heard about a dual covid/flu jab coming this autumn, a covid re-emergence right about now would be awfully convenient (commercial) timing for the pharma giants making the stuff.

As Goatie says if the businesses and shops insist on a mask or you can piss off out, then it is very hard to object.

 

[Webzcas]

@lockinlove interested in your take on whether the standard £1/$1/€1 face masks offer protection if any? It is my understanding that unless you are wearing an N95 mask or equivalent, they offer little to none.

I have had Covid twice, had the vaccine three times and adhered to all lockdowns when they were enforced. But no more. No more vaccines for me, no enforced wearing of face masks and I certainly will not comply with any future lockdowns should any come into effect for a covid strain.

Now if this was something like Ebola on a pandemic scale, my attitude would be markedly different. But the damage to businesses, peoples well being and mental health during the Covid pandemic is immeasurable.

I am certainly not going down that route again. I will take my chances thanks.

 

[Webzcas]

Much as it irks me, as to masks' already debunked uselessness as people walk around with their designer, saliva-steeped face cloths, people are only going to do as to what's mandated by their politicians.

I have a lanyard that gets around that ;-)

 

[goatwack]

Perhaps if more people took the professional approach to mask-wearing, then we could beat Covid back into the depths from whence it came!

 

[lockinlove]

@lockinlove interested in your take on whether the standard £1/$1/€1 face masks offer protection if any? It is my understanding that unless you are wearing an N95 mask or equivalent, they offer little to none.

I have had Covid twice, had the vaccine three times and adhered to all lockdowns when they were enforced. But no more. No more vaccines for me, no enforced wearing of face masks and I certainly will not comply with any future lockdowns should any come into effect for a covid strain.

Now if this was something like Ebola on a pandemic scale, my attitude would be markedly different. But the damage to businesses, peoples well being and mental health during the Covid pandemic is immeasurable.

I am certainly not going down that route again. I will take my chances thanks.

Not really no.

First of all, you need to wear a mask properly, second of all it isn't just about putting a mask on. There is a process first (washing hands etc.) but those cheap masks aren't very effective.

If you pay attention to people who wear masks when not enforced, they are engaging in other practices that increase their efficacy rate slightly. Hand washing, avoiding groups of people, and keeping their distance.

People wearing a mask, and walking down the street by themselves is not effective at all. We have found these people to have general anxiety disorders and/or are not properly educated. A small percentage are virtue signaling. That's why in my previous post, I expressed that if you see people wearing masks, you just leave them be. A certain percentage have anxiety disorders and it helps keep them calm when out in public.

Do higher-quality masks work? Yes. Not 100% but they do. There is a reason why hospitals and labs wore them prior to covid and it wasn't for fashion

 

[lockinlove]

Im soon heading for my 9th booster, its important to take the vaccine and wear masks to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Some people have bars in their homes to have a drink at night.

Does your look like this and instead of a drink on the rocks at night do you have a booster on the rocks?

 

[satchnz]

The wearing of masks and other Covid mandates became a political issue early on, regardless of the science (right or wrong), or common sense. It didn’t help that governments around the world largely made a mockery of the situation through their own actions. Think Trump, Bolsonaro, and probably the worst of them all - the UK government.

Those in charge would have a very difficult time trying to reintroduce any Covid restrictions now.

 

[maxd]

FWIW I've never stopped wearing a mask when I'm anywhere near the public -- certified N95 masks -- or when I need to be near persons outside my household, and have continued to restrict my contact with other people to an absolute minimum. No public events, no public spaces, no gatherings, etc etc. Anything coming into the house -- groceries included -- either gets scrubbed down or quarantined for two weeks.

In the neighbourhood where I lived during the first couple years of Covid I saw WAY too many people in the area leaving their homes in ambulances or hearses -- it was an area with a significant elderly population -- to brush Covid off as so many people seem eager to.

Yeah, I know, I'm Mr. Covid Paranoid but it ain't over yet as far as I'm concerned and I'm of no mind to play Russian Roulette with my long term health. Even my relatives think I'm being foolish but I'm perfectly content to be one of the "better safe than sorry" crowd, thank you very much. And so far, no Covid cases in our house.

 

[goatwack]

All fine and dandy, people are free to act according to their own lived experiences, and safeguard their own well- being, a complete non- issue as far as I can see!

What I dread is the inevitable hysteria whipped up the media, and enforced through various means so that the whole vaxxer/ anti-vaxxer divisions begin anew. Surely the most annoying aspect, given that these are individual choices, and should not be imposed on anyone.....

 

[Jono777]

Just wait till Jamie sees this thread....

As a regular job, resurrecting the original Covid thread, he will think all of his Christmases have come at once

FWIW, I am not Covid paranoid, far from it and am not having any more jabs. I will however take the common sense approach when it comes to larger crowds and when I see the coughers and splutters and avoid when in Morrisons etc.

 

[mack341]

Some things I'll still avoid even as a part-time covid denier Like those cheap greeting card shops, especially inside a shopping centre so the air is not refreshed, normally full of people with at least a couple coughing and farting in close proximity. [towards you ]

But there is a flipside, afaik the immune system is stronger if it faces challenges [that it can overcome - not ebola!], by employing lots of avoidance strategies for respiratory bugs it could come back to bite you in the bum eventually.

Once vaccinated [unlike myself] catching covid can act like a booster shot, so that's an upside to exposure, rather than your antibody protection melting away unchallenged.

 

[sufferinsilence]

I'd rather wear a mask when necessary than going back to full, or even partial, lockdowns.

Having asthma I prefer trying not to catch respiratory diseases at all. If a mask helps even a tiny bit I'm all for it.

I also noticed when there are no mask requirements and you wear one people stay away from you a tad more, it's a win-win really

 

[dealer wins]

I never did comply with any of it from day 1, and certainly didnt take any of the bioweapon injections.

Thank the god lord I have a partner who feels the same, and most of my family and 50%+ of my friends.

 

[goatwack]

A recent review published by the Royal Society has stated that non- pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) used before the rollout of vaccines, had varying degrees of success, most of it nearer the beginning of the Covid outbreak.

This of course includes masks, as well as social distancing, border controls and so forth.

Yet contrast that with the Cochrane's Institute's findings published in February, which state that masks have circa 5% effectiveness (so, useless then) and ya gots yo'self very mixed messaging!

Actually, probably not that confusing, notwithstanding one's personal proclivity and bias, and what they ultimately choose to believe.

Yet simply put:

Royal Society = Government- sponsored body, relaying its findings back to the Government, E.U and U.N

Cochrane = British charitable organisation conducting multi-national field research and studies, and seen as the benchmark of scientific analyses

I don't know, it's just too difficult

 

[dealer wins]

NHS staff know the score, they are not taking the death darts anymore, and this Autumn takeup will be under 30% guaranteed!!

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[09237653]

in the UK we are just pretending it doesn't exist any more, no testing being done and vaccines have to be paid for under 65s now, cant see any restrictions coming back here any time soon- gov managed to kill most of the vulnerable the first time around anyway.

 

[nisosbar]

Masks are not effective at preventing transmission, but they are a good way of hiding when you are in public, so I do like that bit (hiding from homeless drug addicts who harass commuters, etc.).

But the public were lied to by paid snake oil salesmen in the public health establishment, doing the bidding of the drug therapy quacks, calling hydroxychloriquine 'horse paste', as if it were inert glue. Such outrageousness. So I feel the same anger as do those who say hell, no. And I will NEVER again trust government health authorities.

On a side note, I don't know if Casinomeister had/has a policy about "COVID misinformation" (a/k/a public debate) and banning accounts if they posted things contrary to messages from public health authorities. But other forums I post at did have such a policy, though I'm not sure what the incentive was - if they were paid a stipend of some kind, or bonus...?