redsquirrelAG said:

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Y'all still don't get this is about control over your lives and nothing more?

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In think its a combination of a lot of things. Medical experts dumbing down the messaging regarding need for mitigation so more people will do it for starters. It's a common strategy in medicine as a more general message tends to involve the most people even when its totally not necessary.

But its a way for political entities to use the fear factor to gain more votes and attention. The fight between Dallas Cnty Judge Jenkins and Gov Abbott isn't about people's health for Jenkins. It's about making Abbott look bad to voters. He hopes to make some feel that Abbott doesn't care enough and that Jenkins does. Jenkins would love to parlay this into more political power for himself. Whether that's within Dallas or if it's to run for a higher office, who knows. But that is completely what this is about.

Did find it funny that KRLD reported that the mandate IS in effect in Dallas County. Yet no one seems to enforce it. With the issue going back and forth for much, it's hard to keep track but in the end, I lean towards the Governor on this.

Capitol Ag said:

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We shouldn't be.

I'm at a point where I just scratch my head when I see a masked person. Odds are they are vaccinated too. At Kyle Field we were totally perplexed when the occasional fully masked person would stroll by heading into the game, where 100K+ people were milling around and no social distancing was observed. We are talking a 200-300/1 unmasked to masked ratio. So why mask? Serious question to those that were there and masked. Doesn't the situation totally negate absolutely any effect of benefit the mask would give you? It would seem a lot more logical to just not attend said event then to be the one person out of hundreds masked up.

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Correct style masks, worn properly, absolutely protect the wearer. So entirely possible that people wearing masks at the game had some kind of comorbidity, but still want to go on with their lives, and decided to wear a mask at the game. Again, who cares if nobody around them has a mask and the virus spreads around them, if they're properly wearing an N95 mask they'd still have some level of protection if they encountered someone with the virus. I think I saw two people at the game wearing masks, both were N95 and not your common cloth mask.

Just came from HEB in lavernia and this older couple came in masked, wearing rubber gloves and spent significant time disinfecting their cart.

You know what, good for them. They weren't looking down on anyone not doing that, nor did they freak as many others did not.

Masks…pointless as they mostly are in many situations, are here to stay.

htxag09 said:

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Capitol Ag said:

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We shouldn't be.

I'm at a point where I just scratch my head when I see a masked person. Odds are they are vaccinated too. At Kyle Field we were totally perplexed when the occasional fully masked person would stroll by heading into the game, where 100K+ people were milling around and no social distancing was observed. We are talking a 200-300/1 unmasked to masked ratio. So why mask? Serious question to those that were there and masked. Doesn't the situation totally negate absolutely any effect of benefit the mask would give you? It would seem a lot more logical to just not attend said event then to be the one person out of hundreds masked up.

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Correct style masks, worn properly, absolutely protect the wearer. So entirely possible that people wearing masks at the game had some kind of comorbidity, but still want to go on with their lives, and decided to wear a mask at the game. Again, who cares if nobody around them has a mask and the virus spreads around them, if they're properly wearing an N95 mask they'd still have some level of protection if they encountered someone with the virus. I think I saw two people at the game wearing masks, both were N95 and not your common cloth mask.

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I still have yet to see any conclusive proof that in an environment like a college gameday, even an N95 actually affords very much protection. I probably does offer a minor level of protection no doubt, but given the level of movement and people milling about, the need to remove the mask to drink, eat etc and touch the mask, and the fact that there's a reason why we don't perform surgery in a crowd of 100K, we do it in a sterile environment.

I also know I am biased. I hate the things and hate the fact that things got to the point where this even became a possibility. Honestly, I am a little threatened by them. Obviously I am giving way too much power to something another person does that I should not. But I think that the biggest issue for a lot of us is that hate masking is that the more that do wear them opens the door to mandates being more realistically possible. Should I be less hateful of masking. Yes. Will I? Nope. Just hate them. All of that to say I feel a lot of folks wearing them don't need to. Older folks are one thing. But a lot of the people we see are younger and as I have said, and again just a bias as there is no way to tell, do not have comorbidities. Hell, I technically have a comorbidity as I take an immunosuppressant for my UC. Yet I am vaccinated and live my life mask free. Even before I was vaccinated, I would go unmasked anywhere I could. If it wasn't required or wasn't enforced, I usually didn't wear one. And once I had gotten Covid, given the fact I had natural immunity, I almost completely stopped. It wasn't necessary at that point. I also take the better precautions of being super healthy. I am very hard to kill. I just cannot help but think too many keep wearing them out of fear. It's their business, no doubt. I have things to work on about this as well, no doubt.

Maybe off topic, but with seemingly most every retailer mandating masks for their employees, does this also slow or lower the desire for people to take those jobs? Masks definitely seem as if they are standard piece uniform and part of the dress code (flair?!) and there are lots of people that prefer not to work with those policies.

tysker said:

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Maybe off topic, but with seemingly most every retailer mandating masks for their employees, does this also slow or lower the desire for people to take those jobs? Masks definitely seem as if they are standard piece uniform and part of the dress code (flair?!) and there are lots of people that prefer not to work with those policies.

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I would go out on a limb and say it doesn't help. Not all retailers are requiring it. I have always assumed that the unvaccinated at stores and restaurants are masked. The vaccinated are not. And given a lot of in HS or college that makes sense. We are in no rush to get our kids vaccinated...

Also, many employers are very incorrectly not accounting for natural immunity from prior infection. We have got to stop trying to punish the unvaccinated. I have no issue with the vaccine, but if one does, they shouldn't have to wear a mask of shame for their own personal choice. In the end, that is the reality of what the required mask becomes. It sets a very dangerous precedent to start creating rules about this particular vaccine. Sure, well established vaccines are required and have been for years. But to not understand why some are not as interested in running out to get this is crazy. It probably isn't at all dangerous to anyone. But I get if one might not be convinced yet. There still is a lot of unknown. It can't hurt to wait a little longer. It's a risk for those with serious health issues or who may not realize that their own health is at risk more than they realize, but it should still be the individual's choice, imo. The more we try to force this on people, the more they will rightly resist.

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so why are we still forcing masking?

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Because public health officials are the most risk-averse people in the world.

Get Off My Lawn said:

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If masks worked to "reduce droplets," the only people who ever needed to wear them were covid-symptomatic (who should have stayed at home anyways).

If masks worked by reducing particles in exhalation, then it would make sense to target the asymptomatic spread via masking everyone who doesn't have natural immunity. (Asymptomatic spread by vax'ed individuals was an obvious significant vector in this last spike in cases.)

If masks worked to protect the wearer then it'd be nobody's concern but the individual.

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That is simply not true. Now, it was a reason given initially as to why even the vaccinated needed to be masked but more studies came out showing that the vaccinated cannot be a reliable vector to spread the virus. Hence why the vaccinated never should have been encouraged to continue to mask and the fact that this sent a horrible message to the unvaccinated b/c it made it appear the vaccine didn't really work.

AggieKatie2 said:

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Corporate appears to be instituting vaccination requirement to enter office, but also commented about mask being required in public areas.

Looking at hospital and death rate per 100,000 for vaccinated persons (per NYT site)....the numbers now appear to be well below pre-covid flu numbers, so why are we still forcing masking?

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because....dumb

Capitol Ag said:

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Get Off My Lawn said:

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If masks worked to "reduce droplets," the only people who ever needed to wear them were covid-symptomatic (who should have stayed at home anyways).

If masks worked by reducing particles in exhalation, then it would make sense to target the asymptomatic spread via masking everyone who doesn't have natural immunity. (Asymptomatic spread by vax'ed individuals was an obvious significant vector in this last spike in cases.)

If masks worked to protect the wearer then it'd be nobody's concern but the individual.

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That is simply not true. Now, it was a reason given initially as to why even the vaccinated needed to be masked but more studies came out showing that the vaccinated cannot be a reliable vector to spread the virus. Hence why the vaccinated never should have been encouraged to continue to mask and the fact that this sent a horrible message to the unvaccinated b/c it made it appear the vaccine didn't really work.

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https://texags.com/forums/16/topics/3235899
Do you even Delta, bro?! This thing is leaking past the vaccines. Because the vaccines weren't meant to STOP the disease. And it's ok! They're helping to prevent serious infection of the vaccinated individual! That's great! But let's not pretend that breakthrough isn't a significant issue, and a contributor to the spread.

And it doesn't make you or anyone else a bad person if they're a vaccinated-spreader.

The Agly Duckling said:

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AggieKatie2 said:

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Corporate appears to be instituting vaccination requirement to enter office, but also commented about mask being required in public areas.

Looking at hospital and death rate per 100,000 for vaccinated persons (per NYT site)....the numbers now appear to be well below pre-covid flu numbers, so why are we still forcing masking?

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If you'/re vaccinated you are well protected against getting severe illness, hospitalization and death. You may still contract the virus and spread it to other people.

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So what?

DadHammer said:

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The Agly Duckling said:

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AggieKatie2 said:

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Corporate appears to be instituting vaccination requirement to enter office, but also commented about mask being required in public areas.

Looking at hospital and death rate per 100,000 for vaccinated persons (per NYT site)....the numbers now appear to be well below pre-covid flu numbers, so why are we still forcing masking?

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If you'/re vaccinated you are well protected against getting severe illness, hospitalization and death. You may still contract the virus and spread it to other people.

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So what?

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So let's not segment people as effectively "clean" and "unclean," but instead accept that this virus (and it's variants) are going to be transmitted. Individuals should plan accordingly, and society should go back to the old normal.

i wear a mask for every strain plus the flu.. im up to 15 masks

i think we all know mask dont work, wear one if you want and it makes you feel better, otherwise everyone should do what they want especially here in Texas, no one cares anymore except school boards who want to control Little Johnny from telling dirty jokes in school