Official Off Topic Discussion Thread #1
- Thread starter Chrisplosion
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Many years ago I remember watching a futuristic sci-fi type film. A scene which stood out was in a heavily populated far eastern city. The streets were full of Japanese or Chinese, so maybe Beijing or Tokyo. The clothes were outlandish, there were "gizmos" all over the place, the buildings were all futuristic and weird lights were all over the sky. The film makers had basically gone out of their way to put their slant on what a densely populated modern day future city may look like. But one thing that stood out more than anything else, because I thought it was just a strange thing for the film makers to do, was the vast majority of people on the very busy streets were all wearing masks!
At first I thought well maybe it's because of the "smog" that you hear about in these huge industrial cities so yeah maybe that's plausible. But modern day cities wouldn't have smog due to decades and decades of "cleaning up" industrial practices. No, the masks represented something else in that film I saw years and years ago. And it's easy to understand with what we are going through at the minute exactly what they represent. Looking back now it was an ingenious addition to the film by the astute makers which indeed captures future life forever.
Just to add to that, our lockdowns in the uk are being gradually relaxed at a fast pace and by June we may be back to almost normality. BUT, BUT, BUT, our leader, Boris Johnson has hinted that masks may still have to be worn for a good while yet!
That statement brought back that film I watched many many years ago. Are we indeed on the cusp of a generational change where masks end up being part of our everyday attire. There are that many strains about, and undoubtedly more to follow, nastier too maybe. Our jabs can't fight them all. And masks, at the minute, may be the only way they can think of to at least help with the situation.
At first I thought well maybe it's because of the "smog" that you hear about in these huge industrial cities so yeah maybe that's plausible. But modern day cities wouldn't have smog due to decades and decades of "cleaning up" industrial practices. No, the masks represented something else in that film I saw years and years ago. And it's easy to understand with what we are going through at the minute exactly what they represent. Looking back now it was an ingenious addition to the film by the astute makers which indeed captures future life forever.
Just to add to that, our lockdowns in the uk are being gradually relaxed at a fast pace and by June we may be back to almost normality. BUT, BUT, BUT, our leader, Boris Johnson has hinted that masks may still have to be worn for a good while yet!
That statement brought back that film I watched many many years ago. Are we indeed on the cusp of a generational change where masks end up being part of our everyday attire. There are that many strains about, and undoubtedly more to follow, nastier too maybe. Our jabs can't fight them all. And masks, at the minute, may be the only way they can think of to at least help with the situation.
Hello; that is a loaded answer. Since the good sorts of masks, N-95 and better, have been reserved for medical staffs what the rest of us have made do with are far inferior. Most of the masks I see folks wearing are of the sort reported to be less than 30% effective at stopping droplets. Many of the paper disposable masks least effective of all.Just ensure that it is civil and not encouraging reckless behaviour
Once the truth about the aerosol nature of the virus was finally told, then most of the masks are not effective at all for these particles. By aerosol I mean the very tiny virus particles which can float and linger in the air and do not fall out in six or ten feet. They pass right thru all but the best respirators. Turns out being outside was the much more safe place to be. Sunlight will kill the virus and outside the virus is spread way too thin in all but a few cases. If you were huddled real close to some others in a group then someone shedding virus might be a risk.
The real risky places to be were inside with ventilation systems re-circulating the same air over and over. Saw a report that being outside was the least risky place to be. The aerosol virus was getting to people indoors. The nursing homes, for one example, became test cases for that.
I went to the local gym today for the first time in about a year. One guy was wearing a mask. I sat and talked to him as i knew him. I did not mention his mask, but did let him know I was vaccinated. His mask was one of the simple cloth types. At best he would be some protected from a cough or sneeze.
Around a year ago I made a guess about the airborne aerosol nature of the virus. Just a guess based on limited information and no testing on my part at all. I posted in one of the threads active at the time. I was not sure, but it made sense. Now there are a number of things about mask wearing which do not make sense. Fully vaccinated people or those recovered from the virus naturally for sure do not need a mask outside at all. I am pretty well convinced vaccinated and recovered people do not need to wear a mask indoors. At least I have yet to hear of a convincing reason.
Hello; I may get your point. If you mean outside of a vaccine there was not really an effective way to deal with the virus then I follow. The masks were and are minimally effective but were pretty much all we had, so they have become a symbol of sorts.
If the worldwide mutations carry on the way they are doing and different strains are not effected by a vaccine developed for a previous strain for example, then all we'll have is the masks to rely on! The vaccine developers won't know whether they're coming or going trying to keep up.
A proper well developed mask though may protect against ALL strains. But of course there are doubts about the science of it all at the moment. We're still floundering through it really, though admittedly we're floundering better than we were a few months ago, lol.
Hello; I do follow about the mutated strains maybe becoming an issue on their own. Like the flu virus does, this covid may drift enough to to point the current vaccines are in some range of bein less effective. So far I have not heard of this. There are some strains recognized to be different from the initial virus. From what I have seen the vaccines are working to some extent. May be that at some point a strain will be resistant to the vaccine. The thing I have been hearing so far is this virus does not drift much. That is not something to take to the bank just yet.
On pure speculation I fear danger from possible mutated strains will be played up for reasons beyond medical considerations only. Such seems to be the way of things now. Even if such happens there is a lot of very good news about the virus. Unless the number have changed recently the survival rates of the infected are very good. Even at my age, 73, the survival rate is over 94%. For those in younger age groups the rate is around 98+% if memory serves. The numbers should become very firm by now. I have not checked in a couple of months.
Another historic thing about viral infections which is known is after the jump to a new host they sometimes become less lethal. It could very well be any new strains will not make us as sick. That may be the case for some strains already. I seem to recall that the new strains are some easier to catch but are making people less sick.
The other good news is there are now some proven clinical treatments treatments. You will not be facing the infection with no medications or no treatments that work. Some things can be done to relieve the symptoms now that were not know a year ago. We know of the blood clots and doctors know how to deal with them ( blood clots from the virus I am thinking of)
It is still a risk for the old and those in poor health. That said, being old or in poor health is always a risk anyway. The covid virus is not the only thing that hits old or sickly people. I can begone tomorrow and it likely will be of natural causes. Unless you are old or sick try to not be so worried. I think the fear is being used to promote some things that otherwise would not have a chance.
A few days ago I saw a woman inside her car alone with the windows rolled up wearing a mask. I get that is part of the message being promoted by some but it does not make any sense. There is no way a person alone in a car needs to wear a mask. Outside in the sunlight at a distance from others is another case where a mask is not needed.
I saw a video of a high school runner having to wear a mask during a race outside in the sun. She collapsed near the finish line. This makes no sense. The "science" is reported that being infected while outside is very rare if it ever happens at all. I think it was reported about one questionable case, but it was not clear if the infection happened outside.
Before i was vaccinated I did wear a mask in stores. I did not go visit folks in their homes. I did not hug, kiss nor otherwise touch others. I live alone so did not have to deal with that. But if you are cooped up in a home with a family just breathing is apparently a risk, so family ought not be so strict about masks in a home.
Why did nobody tell me that I would feel like death visited me after I took the vaccine? Yesterday was hell man, I hadn’t felt that bad in literal years, one time I was sick and had food poisoning on top of that and I still felt better than yesterday. I’d still go through it again if I had to though.
Hello; Though I had posted about this. I was very sick for a day after the second shot. If this was after the first shot I figure it is a clue you already had the virus and recovered in the past. That would be why such a strong immune system reaction would happen.
If only the first shot then you likely do not need a second with such a strong reaction.
A research doctor was on TV not long ago saying he felt it was a mistake to give second shots to folks before every one had at least one shot. He also said survivors did not need to get a shot before those who needed a shot. That way many more could be vaccinated right now than currently are.
