I think the gov should close down everything and just pay our mortgages, utilities and food as well as give us free health care, permanently. They can just print up more money. Let us stay home and watch TV. After all, why go to all the dangerous trouble of leaving home when the gov can have our meals delivered. Oh, wait a minute....who's going to deliver the meals? Who's going to keep the power on and the water running? Who's going to put the fires out? Who's going to populate the hospitals and take care of the ill or wounded? Oh my! Who's going to take care of us?

It’s Not Just About You
 

Here is a case study the CDC published about an outbreak in Maine last August. 55 people went to a wedding. 177 people ultimately became infected and in the end 7 people died. None of the 7 attended the wedding but were exposed from people who did (2nd or 3rd level exposure). Sobering report. It’s not just about you! It’s also about helping others enjoy the life they too worked for years to have!

Multiple COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to a Wedding Reception in Rural Maine — August 7–September 14, 2020 | MMWR

Do what’s right for you
 

I don’t think anyone can deny that the virus is real. Everyone has their own opinion on how they want to handle it. By opening everything back up, it gives those who desire to go about their lives to do so, and those who don’t want to go out of the house a choice as well. As I see it, it’s a win win for both sides....it’s open if you would like to enjoy it, and if you choose not to, don’t. It’s as simple as that. One side should not be condemning the other. We are’s till free, for as long as it lasts, to make our own choices.

Mask-wearers and non-mask-wearers BOTH agree that they preferred the better times before CV - but the REALITY of the situation is that ALL our lives are SEVERELY changed by CV. Modern History will speak of this period as BEFORE CV and AFTER CV because the changes are so abrupt, so intense, and so DISRUPTIVE! We just need to LIVE through this society CHANGING event!

I am confused by the 3rd paragraph. Was it to point out that within the US, terror groups exist? We ALL probably are aware of that? To point out that both BAD and GOOD people wear masks for Bad and GOOD reasons? I tried to analyze that 3rd paragraph, but I could not reach a conclusion?

There simply is no question that masks save lives. Thus, they are recommended by virtually every expert in the field.

No religion would say for people to SURRENDER to a PLAGUE and become a denier of Science!

O.k. so you don't want people to impose restrictions on you that you don't agree with but you feel it's o.k. to impose your restrictions on others that they don't agree with?

I think that people have been playing along with the masks for the most part and there will be some major push back if there are mask mandates put in place.

Sorry but this COVID IS (big time IS) an extremely deadly virus that you REALLY do NOT want to tango with. Total deaths are about 1/4 of a MILLION deaths, today. Medical experts predict one-half of a million deaths by mid-2021. Today hospitalizations are about 4.5 million people. So, to extend that to mid-2021, that would be (say) about 10 million people that have been killed or have had terrible experiences with CV. A terrible experience could be a hospital bill too big to ever pay. So, by mid-2021 10 million out of 360 million have suffered badly from CV. That is 1 person out of every 36 that you walk by in a week had bad experiences. Then count the families that have been disrupted. That would make about 1 person out of EVERY 6th person having bad experiences with CV. NOW, everyone knows a friend that has been affected by CV and we are just to mid-2021. It might be over by then, but SOME MEDICAL experts believe that CV will remain an every- year problem into the future????

Dr. Osterholm has been right about all his predictions to date. If you saw the whole context of his remarks you would see that he is again correct. He is ADVISING for a good, possible solution.

You're using unreasonable goalposts to justify an opinion that has no justification.

Yes people who have EXTREME situations, need to take EXTREME measures. But MOST people don't have extreme situations. Most people - especially here at the Villages, have moderate risks. Higher risks simply by virtue of the fact that they're OLD, and lower risks by virtue of the fact that this is an active community and most of these old people don't hang out on rocking chairs knitting until their arthritis and dementia puts them in a home for the aged. I'd venture to guess that the overall fitness level of our community is the #1 reason we're not all sick - and if it weren't for that, there would be thousands more dead old people in Sumter County than the comparable low quantity there are now.

You're also using "safe from" as your benchmark. That is an unreasonable benchmark. The appropriate and correct benchmark with regards to mask wearing, social distancing, and hand sanitizing is "LESS UNSAFE."

There is a HUGE difference between "100% safe" and "less unsafe." There is ALWAYS a risk. The risk is reduced when we (get ready for it)...


(wait for it)...


(drumroll)...


Wash your hands. Social distance. Wear a mask.

Risk reduction. Not safe. Less unsafe. Risk reduction. Not safe. Less unsafe.

Not sure how many posts have to have these phrases in them, before people who insist that the opposite of their opinion is "masks will prevent" anything at all, realize that it is not the opposite of their opinion.

Their opinion is "screw masks, they don't work, I don't like them, I don't wanna, my freedom to go where I want and if you don't like it stay home."

OUR opinion is: "Masks REDUCE THE RISKS, we don't like them, we don't wanna, but we are civilized, so if you don't like it, YOU stay home."

I do not expect the rate of severe complications from COVID-19 to remain consistent. From my own observations, most of the people who are coming down with this virus are asymptomatic or only have very mild cold like symptoms. That indicates that the people who are suffering severe complications from the virus are in some way susceptible to getting seriously ill from it. Usually that means they have other fairly serious health problems that make them more vulnerable to getting sick from any virus not just COVID.

You misunderstood what I said. The side effects of Covid were reported, I just don't remember what those side effects were. I believe motor issues and brain issues were mentioned but don't take that to the bank.

Side effects that were reported at the beginning were blood clots. Who knows whether that was from the virus or from the treatment.

Lets not over inflate the virus. It is what it is, and it is not the end of civilization. It may cause the end of some of our liberties though, if folks don't settle down and quit demanding laws enacted to limit our freedom and liberty.
The way I figure it (my opinion) we have a choice. We can do everything voluntarily to protect ourselves and suffer through an economic drought, or we can allow a few people in D.C. the power to limit and control our destiny. America's freedom and liberty is a model for the rest of the world. We give other countries hope. Hope that some day their country can be as great as ours.
The more power we give a few politicians over us, the more they move us into slavery. Although, there are some countries out there that need or enjoy having a gov nanny.

Dr. Fauci never advocated herd immunity. Where did you get that from?.......

Dr. Fauci says letting the coronavirus spread to achieve herd immunity is '''nonsense''' and '''dangerous'''

One-click over the line - sweet Jesus. When REAL epidemiologists like Dr. Fauci talk of herd immunity it is different than when fake Dr's like Dr. Atlas speak of herd immunity. Dr. Fauci means when 80 or 90 % of a country is vaccinated, then BECAUSE OF the vaccine the "herd" is SATISFACTORILY protected with vaccine stimulated anti-bodies. Dr. Atlas means when 80% of the herd gets SICK, that the SURVIVERS have anti-bodies for the disease. LESS people DIE with Dr. Fauci's method! And, actually, Dr. Atlas was just part of the con job of a justification for a botched (un-scientific) early country-wide Federal response to the CV crisis!

I will not go to places with unrestricted crowds and will follow CDC guidelines at stores, etc.

Hype? It is not hype when I can see with my own eyes the havoc this virus has caused in many large cities in our country. To see our health care workers, doctors and first responders pleading with people to follow guidelines that you resist and refuse to do, makes my heart hurt. There is no getting through to you or any of the people who think like you do.

It’s Not Just About You
 

Please see the CDC case study in my post #246

There are several people on this board who question whether masks save lives. If *virtually* every expert in the field recommends them then that implies there are *some* experts in the field that don't. The states with strict mask mandates today are seeing an increase in cases too. Yes, they must be doing SOMETHING wrong, but maybe, just maybe, that SOMETHING is relying too much on the mask.

Personally, I DO believe masks can make a difference and I am happy to see businesses require them. I DON'T believe they are a complete solution or the only thing needed for a solution.

Small correction: 60% is 3 out of 5, not 2 out of 3. And, more importantly, 60% represents the rate of *tests* that are coming back positive,. 3 out of 5 people tested have positive tests but since not all people are being tested it is not accurate to say that 3 out of 5 persons in South Dakota are carrying the virus.

Be careful what you want to be professed. I will go ALL Professor on you and say.........all religions are relics from past near tribal cultures, that were designed to keep the masses in line. Today they are quaint, but still dangerous devices to drive wedges between groups and sub-cultures. They are by nature CONSERVATIVE because they cling to the status quo primarily to benefit the upper class and hypnotize the lower classes.

To prove that - just remember that the cause of most wars throughout History has been RELIGION. It is ironic that religiosity preaches peace and harmony while, in fact, creating violence. End of my professing, no more forever!

Those are not my demands. Those are guidelines from the CDC that I wish people would abide by. Following the guidelines to mitigate a virus and prevent our health care system from becoming over whelmed is not that same as your demand for everyone to wear only blue shirts and pants.

Just wondering.....don't you think sporting events should have stadiums filled with fans? If you do, that is never going to happen if folks refuse to follow guidelines to slow the spread of the virus.

I make no demands. It is more of a pleading than a demanding. Hope folks realize that I just want to see this country come through this pandemic without losing hundreds of thousands more lives to Covid.

There are YouTube videos of scientific tests that use special light to show droplets emitted when people breathe. Then they show different situations and you can see how far the droplets travel - like with masks and when shouting and when sneezing. It is PROOF THAT MASKS WORK!

I don't understand that point about NOT having demands on an individual. We all have legal demands on us. It is DEMANDED that we do NOT exceed speed limits, that we do NOT REMOVE emission equipment from vehicles, that go to school after a certain age, that we don't do violence to other people and property. It is DEMANDED by society that we do NOT drive while intoxicated or under other influences. Our parents DEMANDED that we brush our teeth.

Society is not without DEMANDS, it is an integral part of group living.

I used the adverb "virtually" because I am sure that some purported "expert" does not agree that masks work. Neither I nor anybody else claims masks are a "complete" solution. They are clearly a necessary part of getting the virus under control, which is necessary to save both lives and our economy. We need immediate county action on a mask mandate.

This is reasonable. When you mitigate your own risks, what others do is less important.

Agreed that the US was ONCE a model for freedom and liberty for other countries to follow. That was about pre-1970. Today the world LAUGHS at us as we teeter on the brink of losing our precious freedoms. We are low on the world list for "quality of life". We have the HIGHEST wealth disparity of any western country. We have a recent tax cut that was NOT needed and further hurts the wealth disparity. We are fighting about little things like mask-wearing, when we need a united front against a dangerous Plague. Nobody, but me, mentions Global Warming because we created so many other problems for OURSELVES. Racism as a problem should have been fixed 50 years ago. WE had some elements of the GREATEST country back pre-1970 (at least whites did) but we evolved from that point rather sideways - not making substantial progress forward from there. So, here we are - some like yourself feel that the US is wonderful. I feel like we had our chance and BLEW it! And the future is NOT so bright that we have to wear shades - we have to wear HazMat suits!!!!!

You are free to go or not go to the Square, live in The Villages, Florida or not.

Those are not "my" restrictions. They are the guidelines put forth by the experts in the field of epidemiology. Let's not forget that the CDC is in existence to maintain our public health and safety.

OBB....you have such a way with words!

They are guidelines just like a hot weather advisory is a guideline which usually tells older people and those with compromised health to limit their time outdoors.

It doesn't mean that the elderly and those with compromised health are not allowed outdoors. They can go outside if that is what they choose to do.

A guideline to wear a mask and avoid crowded places are guidelines that you are free to follow. Always maintain at least 6 feet between yourself and another person and you should have no problem. Just don't expect others to do as you do.

You nailed it about our country not being a model for anything. We are mocked and ridiculed through the world. We have become a laughingstock, sadly. Our future is bleak right now.

You are correct that 60% would be 3 out of 5 - 2 of 3 would be 66%. I guess I thought 66 was close to 60 and 2 out of 3 sounded more relatable to most people. So, I stand corrected! The other part about 60% being positive results divided by total tested people. I am ASSUMING that the results of that small study can be extrapolated to the whole population of South Dakota. I am NOT assuming that it would be exactly 60% of the whole state. I doubt that EVEN the preparers of the statistics that were releasing that information could guarantee it to be even within 10% accuracy for the whole state.

I would say that it ONLY indicates that South Dakota is a much HOTTER hot spot than FL. is right now. It could be because of lower temperatures and more indoor gatherings ( maybe in churches, without masks). There may be a whole host of other factors. I really do NOT know. Maybe wearing cowboy boots is a magnet for the virus? I am sure that some University is studying that.

I was just trying to make TV Land more aware of the problem and the need to have more awareness and to overcome COVID fatigue and an unreasoned fear of mask-wearing. We are older than South Dakota and we live more closely together, so there is a reasonable worry that TV Land could have cases around 60% and then what happens?

Masks CAN be a solution but we Americans are no where near the compliance that is needed to mitigate the virus. I'm afraid we will never see the compliance that is needed for masks to really be effective in slowing the spread. Sad, isn't it?

Glad you brought that up. Just in case anyone has not seen this video.........

How Well Do Masks Work? (Schlieren Imaging In Slow Motion!) - YouTube

So.......are you saying that those who refuse to do the right thing and do their part to quell a virus which has created havoc on the world are to be tolerated?

The people in South Dakota sure seem to love their governor. They even threw her parade!
She must be doing something right for her citizens to approve so highly of her.

Yes, absolutely we have to tolerate each other. The bottom line is we only have control over ourselves. If I am worried about catching this virus, I am going to 1) avoid crowds 2) stay 6 feet away from others at all times 3) wash my hands frequently 4) shop at less busy times. Masks won't do a thing if you don't do those 4 things and if you are doing those 4 things you should be good no matter what others may or may not do.

So explain why states that have mandatory mask mandates are spiking at a rates equal to or higher than states without mandatory mask requirements? Look at the states & look at the number of positive cases. Then based on those numbers, justify why “we need immediate county action on a mask mandate”.

Spoke to a friend who is a key member of the staff of a hospital which I will not name. From what I've heard they have 60 beds and only 12 are occupied with Covid19 patients only 2 of them are critical. Yup, I'm convinced the numbers are fudged and it wasn't only this person's report.

On the opening of the squares I'm blessed that I partied, did the nightclub dance scene until I was 32 while still unmarried. I had enough of that party dance drinking scene to last me the rest of my life. I find it comical 50, 60 and 70 year old somethings acting like teenagers. You don't have to hit that party scene to enjoy a contented and happy life.

Stay healthy everyone do what you feel is right for you.