It's not rocket science.

[Lee]

I used to work with a guy like that, he was a smoker too. I was always pushing him away.

I had a friend who was a close talker. I put in a lot of miles backing up.

[802Mike]

Mask doubters, give this seven minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqSMrswPy4

[Bobby]

By far the best video about wearing masks.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

He doesn't beat around the bush!

[wildbears]

Test sensitivity versus specificity:

For screening, a medical test should be sensitive, even if this results in false positives.

For confirmation of a positive screening test, the confirmatory medical test should be specific with little or no false positives.

Note that the rate of false results, positive or negative, is related to the incidence of the disease in the population relative to a test's specificity and sensitivity.

[MattB]

Mask doubters, give this seven minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqSMrswPy4

https://fee.org/articles/europes-top...ting-covid-19/

[Bobby]

250000 people expected at the Sturgis rally. Of course there won't be any precautions taken. And then all those assholes will go home and spread the virus everywhere. Thanks for being decent, responsible neighbors.

[MattB]

250000 people expected at the Sturgis rally. Of course there won't be any precautions taken. And then all those assholes will go home and spread the virus everywhere. Thanks for being decent, responsible neighbors.

Bobby, Mike, et al -

I've been trying to stay out on conversations like this because in the end, it is just another thing (political IMO) that is being used to split us apart as a country.

I have been hearing for 4.5 months now about how dangerous this virus is and wearing a mask is a must. If masks are that helpful to the situation, it shouldn't be long until all the non-maskers are dead and gone, right?

Second, before I personally attack anyone, and call anyone a hypocrite, how many of you publicly denounced the protest gatherings which have been happening across the nation?

As I mentioned earlier, people talk as if they have the knowledge on what's best, but it seems that nobody truly knows the answer to that. I have friends in the medical community (including doctors) that suggest this virus is very serious and needs to be treated with extreme caution. I also have friends in the medical community (including doctors) who claim that while the virus is real, its biggest danger is in that it's being used as a political weapon.

I am not going to pretend that I have the final answer, or indisputable facts on the issue. I do have one indisputable fact however, my 86 year old grandfather was one of the early folks to catch the virus in the US.

Opinion: it's a very uneasy feeling not to be able to visit a loved one at the hospital

Opinion: losing someone and not being able to attend their viewing, burial and memorial service is torture

Fact: my 86 year old Grandfather, with pre-existing respiratory issues, SURVIVED!

Yes, he's a tough SOB, I'm happy as hell, but my point is that this may not be the instant death that many of you have fashioned it to be in your head. To be fair, those thoughts of eminent death were placed carefully into your head by the government/media at the onset of this pandemic. It's easy to understand your fear, as an individual with respiratory issues, I was there at the onset as well.

Where we differ, many of you are okay with giving away freedoms in the name of "public interest", me, I don't trust my government not to hurt me and mine after continuing to erode our freedoms throughout time. So, have your mask. Stay inside and distance. I will not mock you for masking (although I often question to myself the folks that I see wearing masks, alone, inside their vehicles). I just ask that maybe you try to give us the same respect as we wait out our quick death/demise as we continue to live life, and choose not to vaccinate ourselves.... shit, it's a wonder that i've made it this long in life, my death is overdue.

Alright, gonna go before I end up making the divide much worse, thanks for listening to a different perspective.

[802Mike]

How is your grandfather doing now? Any after effects?
If I get it, I get it, but I'm not out there trying to either. Nor would I
be able to live with the fact that I gave it to one of my 86 year old
clients and they died.
If you're going to get in my space you're going to wear a mask or
I will be backing away.

[MattB]

Mike, by all measures, he's back to the guy that he was before contracting the virus. Not shockingly, he still has the same respiratory issues that he went in with, but he was not informed of anything new that he should worry about in the long game.

The worst part of this damn virus for me was when he was in the hospital. Like I said, he would have been one of the early cases, for sure. I got notification that they had whisked him away to the hospital (it was actually a visiting nurse for a foot injury that he was dealing with that called the ambulance to come and get him). He went in around 6pm, by morning he was in a room whereby I was unable to visit him (no visitors due to COVID), and unable to call him as they had him hooked up to breathing apparatuses before ultimately putting him on a vent a few days later. The toughest pill to swallow, again this was in the beginning when I had much more confidence that our health officials had a damn clue, was that I was basically of the understanding that his chances of survival were very slim, and yet I was not afforded an abiltiy to say my goodbyes, and also know that he would not be offered a proper burial... THAT SUCKED.

[802Mike]

Matt, in the beginning it was thought that the visiting nurses were the ones spreading it to the elderly.

[Karlb]

[802Mike]

[Flyboy]

[955i]

That makes two of us. I'm glad everyone in NYC is wearing a mask, too.

[wildbears]

Maybe a good place to take extra precautions is the lab you go to for Covid testing.

[802Mike]

My daughter got tested in AL last month. She waited in the car and they called her in. Or, she could've sat in a waiting room.

[BillGsa]

This was recommended to me for a possible covid preventative, I ordered some to help with my allergies & inflammation. It's cheap enough to give it a try. I'll get it tomorrow.
Great reviews

https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-High-St.../dp/B07V7CGYXX

[Bobby]

An article about the concomitant impacts of catching Convid 19. In addition to a high rate of adverse structual heart changes, there can be neurological or psychological impacts as well. In short, if you catch the virus your won't get better without long term healthy effects. Take all the precautions you can and be safe.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020...eath-toll.html

[wildbears]

There was a high incidence of Parkinson's in the Spanish Flu survivors. That took years to develop. We'll have to wait to see what shows up years from now with Covid-19.

[955i]

This virus is the "magic virus." Everyday there is some anecdotal report of another mysterious symptom that it causes. Next it will be reported that it causes foot pain, acne and impotence. There is just so much we don't know about this novel disease and we must take all possible precautions to "flatten the curve" and not overload our critical ICU beds. Once that is done, we can get back to living our lives again.

[Bobby]

Like the article stated, the information regarding long term healthy effects are anecdotal at this point. It's pretty compelling though when there are very high percentage of Convid people with serious conditions. A friend of mine had a mild case back in March. He says that he and others in his running group have serious difficulty running, breathing, now. These guys are athletes that know their bodies well. If they says there are lingering effects, there are lingering effects. IMHO, if you get the virus you'll likely have long term health effects.

[MattB]

we must take all possible precautions to "flatten the curve" and not overload our critical ICU beds. Once that is done, we can get back to living our lives again.

Good news Tyson, I think that we are getting there and in 3-4 months, we will most likely turn the corner.