I saw that, @chris_ottawa…!
1 Like
Sadly not an accurate distance, although roughly “acceptable” for laypeople and risk of infection. In other words respiratory droplets can and do travel farther depending on situation, but the concentration of droplets outside 2 meters is less likely to cause infection. Sort of a “statistical significance” threshold like the famous p=.05
The other part of this is that masks don’t stop all the droplets from dispersing–particularly from cloth and ill fitting masks–they just reduce the distance they are likely to fly. There have been several empirical studies as well as a very widespread supercomputer model showing these patterns. Since many people don’t know how to fit or wear their masks, it’s not a 100% barrier to droplet spread.
Consider it like a silencer for a gun…it doesn’t “silence” anything anywhere near completely, but it does deaden the sound
2 Likes
regional differences matter. The two links you posted were from the Tulsa rally, where we KNOW most of the attendees were not wearing masks (we have a shit ton of photographs and videos to look at), and then a national perspective regarding BLM protests. My best guess is that both perspectives are based on the numbers of covid cases in those two areas starting 2-3 weeks following their respective events. We KNOW that Tulsa has had a surge in recent weeks (along with many neighboring states like Texas and Arizona), and we know that nationally, there are many areas with stricter regulations on social distancing that aren’t seeing similar surges, even in the wake of BLM protests.
Now that being said, it would be ignorant to suggest that the covid virus did not spread AT ALL through protests. That’s a fucking ridiculous notion. I wasn’t going anywhere near the protests in my city (Dallas). I’m someone who IS consistent in my belief that covid can spread regardless of how pure your protest is, lol. Virus don’t care. But yea, I’d say these opinions are mostly centered around data. They could very well be poor interpretations of data, however. Regarding Tulsa, the surge also corresponds with loosed social distancing measures and reopening of businesses. I don’t think it would be reasonable to suggest that those things were less effective at spreading the virus than the trump rally.
REGARDLESS. At the end of the day, we know it’s easier to get the virus if you’re around people. The more people, the worse it is. Indoors is the worst. We also know that masks help prevent the virus spread, but that there’s also only so much they can do when people are in crowded areas. It would be nice if people could agree on at least these basic concepts, since they are so fucking easy to prove.
2 Likes
Well, until recently most people here weren’t wearing masks and we still managed to get the number of cases way down. Last week we were down to 44 in Ottawa, population 1 million, and 27 were nursing home residents. So there really isn’t any urgent need to suddenly implement mandatory mask laws. As for social distancing, it probably has some benefits if masks aren’t available but where masks are mandatory and there are next to no cases it seems unnecessary.
If only they had done this stuff back in March instead of shutting down the economy, not only would we be in a better situation economically but the virus could almost be finished by now. Instead they told us not to wear masks.
Yes, it’s only properly fitted N95s that are near 100% effective and I don’t think there is a way to fit yourself for them at home. The test they do for fitting them involves putting a sort of helmet over your head and spraying some bitter tasting gas in there, if you taste it then the masks doesn’t fit right. You would have to buy a bunch of different models of N95s to try on.
That’s how it seems. If suddenly there are a whole bunch of new cases across the US in the weeks after thee protests then how can you actually prove it’s not related to the protests?
They can trace the virus, whether they are bothering to is another question and whether anyone wants to know the answer is yet another …
1 Like
So in that case it seems irresponsible of the media to say that the protests didn’t increase COVID cases. The message is basically that it’s safe to support left-wing causes and even riot and loot, but stay away from Trump or you will get sick and die.
Absolutely
1 Like
Thanks man! Yep, would have been nice to see the President himself modeling the wearing of a mask.
Should the blind stupidity just be ignored?
To me, it’s blind stupidity to think that this is a virus with a political bias.
Also; with not just cases, but deaths and hospitalizations rising in Arizona, Texas, Florida, India, Brazil, South Africa…on an on…to still…as of this morning.…still be yelling “Fake Pandemic!”…
What the hell is it going to take, folks?
Again…should we all just do the best that we can do and ignore the blind stupidity?
(Serious question…)
I missed this earlier, this post wasn’t visible due to forum issues.
What you are saying here makes sense, but what I was going on about is taking it off to do a set at the gym and put it back on after you catch your breath. Breathing heavily = more respiratory droplets and more breaths in the same time period (increasing risk of getting infected), and in this case it could be a couple minutes rather than a few seconds.
What else can you really do? If facts don’t matter then how do you convince them? It’s like trying to argue with flat earthers.
It’s real when there are no sports.
For some people that only perpetuates the idea that it’s a scam and all big businesses are in on it.
1 Like
Then it’s just more evidence those people are idiots. Big business suffers MAJOR loss if college sports and especially football are canceled. There’s no reason they would want that
1 Like
IMO, we are too tolerant of stupidity. This tolerance allows incorrect ideas to perpetuate. I heard on NPR news that about 40% (maybe slightly less) of Americans said in a poll that they would resist taking a corona vaccine. They did not go into reasons why, but from what I have seen it is mostly conspiracies like injecting micro chips, or general anti vax concerns.
I am not sure why people seem to be getting more into conspiracies. Additionally, I am curious about why people on the right seem to buy more into conspiracies than people on the left. Maybe because their party has been peddling them?
1 Like
We have to be. It’s racist to be otherwise 
I’m only half joking about the perception. Obviously it’s not racist but…
Neither of these questions really belong in this thread so I will avoid derailing by getting on my soapbox, but IMHO it has partly to do with the information age and the internet. Most people have access to information but they’re unwilling or unable to understand what makes good or bad information. No critical thinking skills. This you get stuff that sounds smart on the surface and ends up being conspiracy BS.
I think these are okay questions. This thread in large part is about people calling a pandemic “fake” or a “hoax”, and what evidence will convince them.
I would really like to see a required course addressing these issues in high school education. I have spent a bit of time on epistemology and learning common logical fallacies. After these studies, it is amazing to see the stuff people pass off as sound logic, or believe to be sound logic.
1 Like
One of the “devices” or “tricks” I see being used by those calling it all “fake” are providing these anecdotes of unaffected people in areas not as affected (yet)…and pointing out the hardships “caused” by the Nazi’s and Emperors out to take away our rights. (With being in the midst of an obvious pandemic having nothing to do with it???).
It’s maddening.
Try telling that to the idiots.
Seems to me that censoring stuff is worse than allowing bullshit. By censoring it, people get the impression that these are facts that the powers that be want to keep hidden. By contrast, have any flat earth posts or videos been censored? None that I am aware of.
There are politically incorrect facts on various topics that are either true or may deserve consideration, but are subject to censorship. By censoring things like COVID nonsense you put those theories in the same category. Look at Alex Jones, one of the biggest bullshitters of all time. Nothing ever boosted his credibility like when they banned his from social media and youtube.
I wouldn’t take it either. The discussion on vaccines in general is a separate topic, but the problem here is that they are trying to produce a vaccine too fast and won’t take time to adequately test it for effectiveness and long term safety. Last time they made a vaccine in a rush it had the opposite effect of what as intended:
The left is all about delusional bullshit too, the difference is that it has the media’s support so it isn’t called conspiracy theory.
1 Like