Coronavirus (NO POLITICAL OR SOCIAL COMMENTARY PLEASE)

[Eye Candy]

https://twitter.com/andymilonakis/st...823975430?s=20

[Hayabusa85]

Andy Milonakis getting likes. 2020 really is strange.

[captveg]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I, personally, don’t drive but I see LOTS of people driving with masks on. Ironically, I see more people driving with masks on than I do see people walking with one on. I guess Coronavirus can ventilate into your car and circulate.

It's often simply easier to keep it on when driving than having to re-tie it, at least if you have the type that needs to be tied like I do.

[Underworld54]

I'm at the point where I put my mask on just before I enter a store and remove upon exiting. It's been humid here the past week and I just can't breath well with it on in those conditions.

[Monterey Jack]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I'm not sure where you live where zero people can be around you. Nobody pops in from time to time? You are the ONLY person in that area 100% of the time??

I live in a small town, and there are few people out and about on the streets. And I can easily give them a wide berth if one is walking past me on the sidewalk.

Outside. Mask Off. Inside. Mask On.

[AeroK]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

Put me in the camp that refuses to wear a mask while I am driving. Got my windows closed and the A/C on with no outside air recirculation. Once I leave the car, my mask goes on and stays on until I am back in the car.

Same with me. I don’t wear masks in my car. If I’m at a drive thru window I’ll put it on, though.

[Lee A Stewart]

The only drive thru I go to is my bank's ATM to either get cash or make a deposit. No mask required.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Underworld54

I'm at the point where I put my mask on just before I enter a store and remove upon exiting. It's been humid here the past week and I just can't breath well with it on in those conditions.

Same here. Only put it on to enter a store. Outside I'll have it on if people get within 6 feet of me, but that rarely happens here in suburbia.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

The only drive thru I go to is my bank's ATM to either get cash or make a deposit. No mask required.

I recently downloaded the mobile deposit app and I love not having to go to the ATM anymore. I always wondered why they don't seem to be as busy as before and now I know.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by bruceames

I recently downloaded the mobile deposit app and I love not having to go to the ATM anymore. I always wondered why they don't seem to be as busy as before and now I know.

LOL - I am a Luddite! All I have is a flip phone.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I, personally, don’t drive but I see LOTS of people driving with masks on. Ironically, I see more people driving with masks on than I do see people walking with one on. I guess Coronavirus can ventilate into your car and circulate.

That's not possible. Aerosols are not an issue outside at all, and even less so inside a traveling vehicle.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Chedwiggen

Is COVID-19 even a thing anymore because you sure wouldn't know it by the way people are acting. Might as well open the whole country up now.

Depends on where you live I guess. Here just about everyone is being real careful. Only exceptions would a few inconsiderates under 30.

The whole county (Marin, CA) is being too cautious IMO. This is far from a hot spot and they're still not letting indoor retail and hair salons open yet. I'm afraid it's going to change the landscape around here even more tilted to the Costcos and Targets and other chain stores when the dust settles. The big box stores couldn't have dreamed of a better scenario to grab more market share from the Davids.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

LOL - I am a Luddite! All I have is a flip phone.

Not a bad call. Smartphones are a double-edged sword.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

nevertheless, may be interested in putting their talents to use vis-à-vis a new career, “She makes it clear that in order to take her course, you do not need a background in infectious disease or public health, and she emphasizes that the course was designed so that anyone with at least a high school education will be able to follow it. - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/21/what...ed-as-one.html

Not sure what that has to do with my passage that you quoted.

As for contact tracing I think it is important but I also think we need something a lot more robust than this that is based on technology. Kind of what is in China or South Korea or some other countries. This can method can work but only if people are extremely disciplined and there are very few cases.

[bruceames]

The contact tracers can call me to come in and test, but if I don't have symptoms I'm not going to. No way am I downloading some tracking app either. This whole thing seems an invasion of privacy. For them to get my phone number, someone will have to give it to them, and I don't like the idea of people giving out other people's phone numbers.

Besides, contact tracing, as mentioned above, would only seems feasible if there are very few cases, and that scenario doesn't seem likely any time soon. I'm afraid there will continue to be plenty of cases in the U.S. until a vaccine comes along.

[bruceames]

Regarding exercising and masks:

Boston appears to have the strictest rules, requiring a mask on outdoors at all times, even while exercising.

First, let’s get to the rules: Runners are required to wear masks, right?
Not necessarily. When cities and states started urging people to wear masks to reduce transmission of the coronavirus, some made exceptions for exercising. Carry a mask, many seemed to say, but if you’re by yourself on an empty street, you don’t have to wear it.

New York City explicitly states that face coverings are not required while walking, running or biking, if you can keep your distance. Likewise, San Francisco has urged runners to carry a mask and put it on when they are near other people.

Since mid-May, Los Angeles has required residents to put on a face covering upon leaving home. But masks are not required while running and biking so long as distance is maintained — though they should be carried, the county and city later clarified.

In Boston, an elevated heart rate is no excuse not to cover your nose and mouth. “You need to be wearing a face covering when you’re out exercising,” Mayor Marty Walsh said in April.

Regarding transmission risks from runners and bikers, and outdoors in general...

Still, there’s evidence that runners and bikers should wear masks, right?
There is no scientific consensus around the importance of wearing a mask while exercising, primarily because so little relevant research has been completed.

Researchers do agree that masks slow the spread of the virus. They also agree that it’s best to avoid exercising within six feet of anyone beyond your immediate household and that working out is less risky outside than inside.

Donald Milton, a professor of environmental health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health who has studied masks’ ability to block respiratory droplets, suggests their value depends on location. “Outdoors is relatively safe, and masks would only be important if you are exercising in crowded areas or indoors in space shared with other people,” he said.

How could a runner or biker infect me?
It would most likely occur while you were stopped talking to them, said Julian Tang, a virologist and a professor at the University of Leicester in England. He thinks the risk of infection from quickly passing someone is low, because the “massive air volume will dilute any exhaled virus and the wind may carry it away.”

In general, researchers agree that air circulation outdoors seems to strongly inhibit transmission of the coronavirus. In a study of more than 7,300 coronavirus cases in China, just one was connected to outdoor transmission.

So only case out of 7300 was from outside. Just one. People need to worry about indoor transmission and not so much outdoors. That's why there's a trend on doing activities outdoors, such as outdoor dining and meetings. It's relatively safe to be outside and the sooner people realize that, the better. There is enough fear going around as it is.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/h...O6lzOtcPBjzVq0

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by darkness2918

If im driving in my SUV I don't need a mask. If im at a big park where its more then possible to stay 6 feet apart or more (like Central Park) I don't think you need to wear a mask either. Also wait until its 90-100 degrees out, see how much you like wearing a mask. Me & my wife already stopped wearing gloves because its too hot for them, I carry around hand sanitizer though.

This is the reason why I’m likely going to cancel my trip to WDW. The August heat and humidity walking around in those parks... I’ll pass!

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by bruceames

The contact tracers can call me to come in and test, but if I don't have symptoms I'm not going to.

I would do it, IMHO
1) not knowing is worst then knowing
2) if I have it I can make triply sure I don't pass it along to others
3) If I get better, that would mean I got through the worst of it.

No way am I downloading some tracking app either. This whole thing seems an invasion of privacy.

I have everything disabled on my phone and tablet and every time I install something on my phone/tablet the first thing I do is make sure everything is off (you would be amazed how often an upgrade will mess up your settings). But depending on how it works, I would be OK with installing this and having tracking on.

For them to get my phone number, someone will have to give it to them, and I don't like the idea of people giving out other people's phone numbers.

Not necessarily. Back in early March there were a few public announcements like this one https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montr...ruda-1.5492659
where they say where the persons had been. Or when South Korea opened up again and they said what day the guy went to that club that lead to an extra 100 cases.

Unless it is very limited super spreader event(like that funeral, family reunion...) most people come in contact with strangers when they leave their homes. So it would be impossible to find everyone by phone using manual tracing.

Besides, contact tracing, as mentioned above, would only seems feasible if there are very few cases, and that scenario doesn't seem likely any time soon.

my comment was meant to deal with manual tracing, a well designed app could work well even with a lot of cases. and help open things up faster and safer.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by bruceames

So only case out of 7300 was from outside. Just one. People need to worry about indoor transmission and not so much outdoors.

don't forget that these are nothing but guesses, it is not like they can go back look at some footage see the guy as green, see him meat someone red, see some red spittle go from red guy to green guy and green guy becomes red. So that they can say "that is exactly where and when he caught it. It would be more like "did you go to the market on X?"; "yes";"did you go to any interior stalls?";"yes"; "OK, chances are he caught it indoors at the market" plus any Chinese study with 7300 (could not find any reference outside from that article to such study) was probably done in the winter time when people will naturally spend a lot more time indoors, temperatures are around freezing that time of year

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

Not sure what that has to do with my passage that you quoted.

I was thinking that with all the voluntary interest in coronavirus by contributors here that some may want to channel that energy and empathy? into something a bit more productive in terms of public health service and for those unemployed posting here, with lots of time on their hands, alert them as to the possibility of a new, satisfying career as a bonus.

An inside look - https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/artic...ct-tracer.html