489 replies to this topic

[Florin]

Social distancing isn't a magic bullet either. Aerosols accumulate indoors regardless of distance. People won't social distance with everyone. 6 feet isn't ideal, especially for the more contagious variants.

 

The best solution is reusable respirators. No social distancing required.

[Dorian Grey]

Social distancing isn't a magic bullet either. Aerosols accumulate indoors regardless of distance. People won't social distance with everyone. 6 feet isn't ideal, especially for the more contagious variants.

 

The best solution is reusable respirators. No social distancing required.

 

Agree, no magic bullets if you're going to go outside your home & interact with others.

 

"The best solution is reusable respirators. No social distancing required."  I trust you mean respirator with eye goggles.  Any exposed mucus membrane can result in infection.  

 

Still, I'd prefer to inhale a small concentration of ambient indoor aerosol, which is more likely to result in asymptomatic or mild infection & natural immunity, than get a lung full of highly concentrated aerosol at close quarters.  The size of initial inoculum largely determining severity of disease.  

 

Masks have given everyone a false sense of security, and social distancing has largely been abandoned.  I'm shocked at what I see while out & about.  

[seivtcho]

...

 

Masks have given everyone a false sense of security, ...

 

Masks work in my case.

From the start of the pandemics up to now I haven't been infected, and all of my tests that far have been negative.

 

 

[Florin]

"The best solution is reusable respirators. No social distancing required."  I trust you mean respirator with eye goggles.  Any exposed mucus membrane can result in infection. 

Yes, but I'd prefer wraparound safety glasses as goggles are probably overkill (eyes don't "inhale," so they're not going to suck up aerosols). I usually don't mention eye protection (or more obvious stuff like hand washing) because reusable respirators are far more important.
 

Still, I'd prefer to inhale a small concentration of ambient indoor aerosol, which is more likely to result in asymptomatic or mild infection & natural immunity, than get a lung full of highly concentrated aerosol at close quarters.  The size of initial inoculum largely determining severity of disease.  
 
Masks have given everyone a false sense of security, and social distancing has largely been abandoned.  I'm shocked at what I see while out & about.

If you want some but not a huge amount of exposure, wearing a mask is probably the safest way to do that.

Edited by Florin, 24 February 2021 - 10:42 PM.

[Mind]

Just like the masks have proven to be ineffective at stopping the spread of the most recent pandemic (as was well-known before 2020), disinfecting everything everywhere is just about useless as well: https://www.popsci.c...es-spread-clean

 

I am glad to see many more mainstream publications acknowledging the futility and "religiosity" of NPIs (masks, social distancing, plexiglass barriers, disinfecting). The world cannot be turned into a level 5 clean room. This much should be obvious.

 

The only thing that has worked to some degree is extreme lockdowns, especially for island nations that can more easily close and monitor their borders.

Edited by Mind, 25 February 2021 - 04:21 PM.

[Dorian Grey]

Yes, but I'd prefer wraparound safety glasses as goggles are probably overkill (eyes don't "inhale," so they're not going to suck up aerosols). I usually don't mention eye protection (or more obvious stuff like hand washing) because reusable respirators are far more important.
 

If you want some but not a huge amount of exposure, wearing a mask is probably the safest way to do that.

 

Except that masks don't work during close encounters: 

 

https://www.yahoo.co...-144533471.html

 

You can spread COVID-19 by talking in hair salons or during a massage - even while wearing a mask, research suggests

 

The false sense of security you get from your magic shields can kill! 

 

Simply stand back, & stay safe.

[Florin]

Except that masks don't work during close encounters: 

 

https://www.yahoo.co...-144533471.html

 

You can spread COVID-19 by talking in hair salons or during a massage - even while wearing a mask, research suggests

 

The false sense of security you get from your magic shields can kill! 

 

Simply stand back, & stay safe.

 

Masks work if you want a lower dose which is what you seem to be after.

 

If you don't wear a mask, someone could easily sneak up on you and give you a full dose, or you could pass through a dense cloud of aerosols without realizing it.

 

If you don't want any exposure, wear a reusable respirator.

[Dorian Grey]

Masks work if you want a lower dose which is what you seem to be after.

 

If you don't wear a mask, someone could easily sneak up on you and give you a full dose, or you could pass through a dense cloud of aerosols without realizing it.

 

If you don't want any exposure, wear a reusable respirator.

 

I'd prefer not to get dosed at all, but if I do get infected I'd like the smallest inoculum possible.  

 

Looks like the greatest danger of large inoculum occurs in close contact, masks or not.  

 

Prioritize social distance for maximum safety!  

[geo12the]

I'd prefer not to get dosed at all, but if I do get infected I'd like the smallest inoculum possible.  

 

Looks like the greatest danger of large inoculum occurs in close contact, masks or not.  

 

Prioritize social distance for maximum safety!  

 

I think one thing no one is talking about is that there is probably variability in the amount of virus spread depending on the physiology of the infected individual and the timing of their infection.  Based on reports of superspreading events (there was just one in the paper about a gym instructor infecting a bunch of people), my hypothesis is that some people may turn into COVID factories and churn out high loads of the virus. If you are near them you are out of luck. I had hoped they would speed up the production of rapid test kits that would easily identify such people but I haven't heard a peep on that front for a while. My view on masks is that they work BUT if you near a "COVID factory" person who knows.

Edited by geo12the, 26 February 2021 - 04:52 AM.

[Dorian Grey]

I think one thing no one is talking about is that there is probably variability in the amount of virus spread depending on the physiology of the infected individual and the timing of their infection.  Based on reports of superspreading events (there was just one in the paper about a gym instructor infecting a bunch of people), my hypothesis is that some people may turn into COVID factories and churn out high loads of the virus. If you are near them you are out of luck. I had hoped they would speed up the production of rapid test kits that would easily identify such people but I haven't heard a peep on that front for a while. My view on masks is that they work BUT if you near a "COVID factory" person who knows.

 

Agree.  Masks, good!  Distance, good!  Masks + distance: PRICELESS!