This Pandemic thing?

[akaAnnie]

Originally Posted by Usia

I know, right? Pretty narrowminded to think that people are dying and the whole world is going through this awful pandemic just to influence the American elections. We don't know when this is going to end, and November 3rd prediction as end-date is just ludicrous.

I was just wondering how we got the rest of the world to cooperate(and die in large numbers) in our election process!

[Sue B]

kiwichick, your PM is amazing. It's interesting that many of the world and local leaders who have gotten a handle on this thing have been women.

I was watching the news last night and they had a parade of American officials, mostly old white guys, standing at podiums saying everyone should wear masks - none of them were wearing masks! Then I saw a tape of Tokyo's governor giving a speech, and she was wearing a mask.

Viruses don't care about elections or who you voted for! They attack everybody and it's not going to end in November. I wish!

[wendug]

Originally Posted by akaAnnie

I was just wondering how we got the rest of the world to cooperate(and die in large numbers) in our election process!

I've heard this statement about the pandemic being over after the election from others, too. It must be a political talking point. It makes no sense, though, as why would thousands across the globe get sick or die and economies damaged for U.S. elections? That's some 5d chess!

[Leonana]

Immunity most likely lasts more than a few months. I posted a link to a podcast above where a doctor explains the problems with the two studies about immunity. There are only two studies and they have issues and are not conclusive. Also, antibody tests are not reliable all the time. And immunity does not depend solely on antibodies, it also depends on our cells. It's a lot more complicated than just having antibodies show up on a test. All that to say, current information leads medical professionals to believe immunity lasts similar to SARS and MERS, which is two to three years.

That doesn't mean I'm downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic. Even with longer immunity, we'd have a horrific amount of deaths without a vaccine. Also, we don't develop herd immunity to a disease without a vaccine, so just having everyone get the virus isn't going to make it go away. That's another false belief I keep hearing.

I think it's a complicated issue wrt the media. Now that we are in a clickable news culture, the news is focused on the negative. That is what gets more clicks, and makes more money. Which in reality is our fault, it's what we click on. Trauma gets more clicks than happy news. It's a real problem with medical studies. The media reports something as fact, when there are only one or two studies, and the studies have issues and aren't conclusive. But those articles get more clicks.

The end result is that people start distrusting the media. Especially if something really traumatic happens like a pandemic. People want to believe it isn't that serious, it makes them feel better. Unfortunately, this belief has dire results when people won't wear masks and put others in danger.

[leigh1673]

Originally Posted by pgun3

I do not think it's a hoax, I think it is real. I have not yet wore a mask in public until my governor made me and threatened the stores to take their licenses. I am not concerned in the least that I will get it myself but deep inside I am more concerned with giving it to family and co workers if I were to get it. I do not think masks do anything to help the spread. I feel that the"experts" don't have a clue what is happening. I think that once November 3rd passes this whole thing will end.

I am sure I will get some hate for this post LOL

Oh lord. No hate but, um, good luck to you. Sounds like you're going to need it.

[Hsim]

Originally Posted by pgun3

I do not think it's a hoax, I think it is real. I have not yet wore a mask in public until my governor made me and threatened the stores to take their licenses. I am not concerned in the least that I will get it myself but deep inside I am more concerned with giving it to family and co workers if I were to get it. I do not think masks do anything to help the spread. I feel that the"experts" don't have a clue what is happening. I think that once November 3rd passes this whole thing will end.

I am sure I will get some hate for this post LOL

Well I don't think the whole thing will end when Nov 3 passes, but hopefully it will start getting better. Maybe we will actually get some real leadership in government something that is sorely needed. Other countries have been able to make some real progress on stopping the spread of this thing. Obviously we are not or this thing would not be so out of control.

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by pgun3

I do not think it's a hoax, I think it is real. I have not yet wore a mask in public until my governor made me and threatened the stores to take their licenses. I am not concerned in the least that I will get it myself but deep inside I am more concerned with giving it to family and co workers if I were to get it. I do not think masks do anything to help the spread. I feel that the"experts" don't have a clue what is happening. I think that once November 3rd passes this whole thing will end.

I am sure I will get some hate for this post LOL

Pgun, no hate from me.

I'll be 65 in a few months. In my life, I have made some bad decisions that I regret bitterly. The kind that nag at me a night when I try to sleep. There is no going back to fix them.

One thing that will not be a regret is doing anything and everything I can think of to protect myself and others from the virus.

I'll never lie in bed at 3am thinking, "I wish I had worn a mask when I had the choice. I wish I had social distanced when I should have."

.

[Pat58]

Originally Posted by pgun3

I do not think it's a hoax, I think it is real. I have not yet wore a mask in public until my governor made me and threatened the stores to take their licenses. I am not concerned in the least that I will get it myself but deep inside I am more concerned with giving it to family and co workers if I were to get it. I do not think masks do anything to help the spread. I feel that the"experts" don't have a clue what is happening. I think that once November 3rd passes this whole thing will end.

I am sure I will get some hate for this post LOL

No hate from me. I just hope your dislike of masks doesn't cause you to contract the virus and/or pass it along. Maybe this article from The Mayo Clinic will help you change your mind a little about the belief that masks are not effective:

How Much Protection Do Face Masks Offer?

Maybe I'm not interpreting your post correctly. In any event - good luck.

[prettyinpink]

.

[Izzy]

I am not a fan of mask either for no other reason that I struggle to relax and breath and I am very claustrophobic. Either the mask are too big or too heavy, fall off, come lose etc etc. But it's fine. I wear them where they are required. At work (I work in a library), I can take it off in my office. I respect others and do my part. I want and hope that by all of us wearing mask, this will help this situation.

What bothers me is those who do not believe that people do struggle from wearing mask. My director and others often disregarded me when I said I struggle with them; up until the other day when we were doing an interview. My mask was too big, I was struggling with breathing etc. The director pointed this out afterwards. I wanted to say "yes, I have been saying this all along." But my point is that many people do not believe some folks really do struggle with this and we are doing our best to comply. There was an older man in church who was struggling as well. He was doing his best and the usher kept going over there telling him to pull it up. You can tell by his eyes, he was really trying and really wanted to be in church. He eventually left.

I just want to believe that most people want to do the right thing. But people are judging left and right. I live alone. I am older. I have stayed away from my family. I have said nothing to anyone about what they chose to do. Yet the very second someone got wind that I went to visit my brother and SIL for a weekend the comments started coming at me. It just made me feel very defensive.