Quote:
Originally Posted by golfing eagles
Wow, and people think I've been a bit harsh 
Over the last year, OBB has generally made some very good posts with reasonable thought processes. On this one issue, however, she has decided to worship at the altar in the Church of the Holy Mask. She, and likeminded individuals believe that if everyone wore a mask, all the time, from day 1, there would be no pandemic. Simply not true, pandemics are difficult to get rid of. It took almost 200 years to eradicate smallpox from the face of the Earth from Jenner's original cowpox vaccine. And smallpox was relatively easy since the virus had no animal reservoirs
Some of the always mask proponents believe they are acting out of pure altruism to protect others---well, OK, thank you. Others think the mask is protecting the wearer, which is a minimal to zero factor, one earlier post claimed this was the opinion of a lifelong nurse. The truth is that there are times when a mask is appropriate and times when it is useless, and it certainly is not the answer to the pandemic. Social distancing does more than a mask hands down. And even though surface to human transmission has not been documented to any degree, I'm sure there are still those that are wiping down their groceries with bleach (YUK) |
Is there some part of "risk reduction" that eludes you, Doctor? Nowhere have I said, hinted, implied, or pretended to believe that wearing a mask would prevent the virus. What I have said, stated, emphasized, and repeated, is that it would reduce the risk, and lower the number of cases.
I'm not a whatever of the holy whosits. I am a proponent of the concept that risk reduction is a good thing, when there is a pandemic going on. And if people would have just agreed to reduce their risks as recommended by the CDC (and by subsequent recommendations as they learned more about this novel virus), the risk of spread would have been reduced. Not eradicated. But reduced. It could have been reduced to the point where we could've re-opened months ago.
I've also stated, on several posts in several threads, that I DO NOT WEAR A MASK OUTSIDE. I guess you skipped past all those as well. Because, y'know - if I was one of "those people" who thought everyone should've worn a mask, all the time, from day 1, I might not have said - on several posts, in several threads, that I DO NOT WEAR A MASK OUTSIDE.
I do, however, make efforts to social distance - even outside. Which is something that sadly - other people refuse to do.