Covid-19 miscellany

[TSwizzle]

If a face mask is designed to stop viruses and lab tests show it stops nearly all viral particles, that is good evidence that if people put it on correctly, it protects them and others from COVID.

Please. What is being presented are results from iffy studies (self reporting LOL), not lab tests. Very few people here (where I live, Los Angeles, CA, wear masks designed to stop a virus. A cloth bandana worn across the face is not going prevent anything. The most common mask worn is the generic single use blue mask imported from China. It will most likely say on the box, "Does nothing to prevent the spread of anything".

Wear your mask if it makes you feel protected but there is no evidence to say that it actually does. Maybe you do have a specially designed, lab grade mask that does perform better than the most common masks but that's not widely used.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Wife of COVID patient in coma sues to get husband treated with ivermectin.

Not even two steps forward and one step back. More like two steps up, then fall down three flights.

Betcha in three years, procedural TV drama will have a case where the wife has the husband's medical proxy and murders* him by insisting he wanted ivermectin, or hydrochlorowheatbix or whatever. Could be a fad for spermicide or battery terminal cleaner between now and then.


*Cop show, successful murder, but loses the court case, found guilty before the credits roll. Doctor show, murder attempt but doctors get the guy lucid long enough for him to expose the lie, they take her away before the credits roll. Supernatural show, the wife is haunted by the ghost due to the undiscovered murder, she escapes legal consequences, gets hit by a truck delivering mouthwash, roll credits. Comedy, he barely survives, turns out to be a miscommunication, He said when he drove in the rain, the car was 'hydroplaning in Queens!' She says if he doesn't start ennunciating, she WILL kill his ass....

 

[blastula]

Antivax maga preacher Joshua Feuerstein has the hoax virus.




No word that he's been hospitalized, but there's been no word at all from him since missing that event over a week ago. He's a rather large man. Also appears he has scrubbed his socials of all his antivax posts which is not a good sign. But not to worry since he's taking the droxy and ivermectin and prayer. But why the horse paste at all if already vaccinated by the blood of Jesus?

 

[Jarhyn]

Paper that found stay at home orders ineffective has been retracted as their model would only possibly ever show that regardless of the data used.

 

[Angra Mainyu]

Please. What is being presented are results from iffy studies (self reporting LOL), not lab tests.

That is very probably true of some face masks. It is not true of all. In fact, there are face masks designed to not just block, but destroy viruses (not just this one), bacteria, and some other stuff, so that they do not linger on the mask, either.

Very few people here (where I live, Los Angeles, CA, wear masks designed to stop a virus.

Most people here don't, either. But many do - I do not know how many, or the percentage, but one can't walk on the street around here without seeing them, let along go to a supermarket where the percentage of mask wearers is close to 100% (because it's mandatory). One can buy one of the most common designs for about $600 in the local currency ($3 US dollars), in any reasonably good pharmacy. I can find one of those within 2 blocks from where I am now, and two more within 6 blocks. It can be washed 15 times, and used 8 hours between them. There are other models good masks over here, though more expensive ones. The US is much more advanced than Argentina, so I would expect much better masks to be available over there - though perhaps they are more expensive too, I do not know how much they cost.

Wear your mask if it makes you feel protected but there is no evidence to say that it actually does. Maybe you do have a specially designed, lab grade mask that does perform better than the most common masks but that's not widely used.

Sure, it is specially designed and tested by scientists in a top local research institute and certified by other local authorities, though only for social use - you'd need even better for laboratories, but that would probably have a considerably higher cost.

In any case, I'm not saying such masks or similar are widely used. I do not know the frequency. I'm saying one can wear a face mask that is useful.

Side note: I would wear a face mask even if it were useless because it's mandatory to do so in any closed space (except for one's home), so it includes stores of any kind, etc., and I don't want any trouble, but that's another matter.

 

[bilby]

If a face mask is designed to stop viruses and lab tests show it stops nearly all viral particles, that is good evidence that if people put it on correctly, it protects them and others from COVID.

Please. What is being presented are results from iffy studies (self reporting LOL), not lab tests.

Your comittment to accurate and well sourced data does you credit.

Very few people here (where I live, Los Angeles, CA, wear masks designed to stop a virus. A cloth bandana worn across the face is not going prevent anything. The most common mask worn is the generic single use blue mask imported from China. It will most likely say on the box, "Does nothing to prevent the spread of anything".

Oh, wait.

Shit.

 

[Keith&Co.]

The most common mask worn is the generic single use blue mask imported from China. It will most likely say on the box, "Does nothing to prevent the spread of anything".

Nope.
Most masks will have a warning saying it will not protect the WEARER from COVID. This =/= 'does nothing to prevent the spread'.
It does a lot to protect the person downwind of your possibly contagious ass...

God, reading comprehension in this wasteland...

 

[Loren Pechtel]

FFS, here we go again. That insufferable prick of a governor of California Gavin Newsom has issued a statewide mandate making masks to be worn indoors.

California is bringing back a rule requiring people to wear masks indoors, a move aimed at containing a new type of the coronavirus as people gather with family and friends during the holidays. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration announced the new mandate will start Wednesday and last until Jan. 15. “We know people are tired and hungry for normalcy. Frankly, I am too,” California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Monday. “That said, this is a critical time where we have a tool that we know has worked and can work."

ABCNews

Except there is zero evidence to back that up.

Continuing to proclaim the lack of evidence doesn't make it so.

If nothing else the huge difference between red and blue counties is enough to show that people's actions have a major effect on whether they will get infected.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I look at countries with good vaccines "mRNA, AstraZeneca/Sputnik" and they are not doing particularly well in terms of spread. And countries with crappy vaccines seems to be doing better. I wonder if crappy chinese vaccines could be actually better in the long term. Especially with Omicron.

Look at the demographics of the countries using it.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Not hardly. These are studies where conclusions (also known as wishful thinking) "suggest" wearing masks stop/reduce the spread. They are weak at best and downright telling fibs at worse. Look at the "studies", look at the method, littered with "self reporting. Not very scientific at all. There never ever has been a significant reduction in transmission where mask mandates have been set.

The "suggest" because you can't ethically do a better test.

And mask mandates do help--the effect is fairly small because of a lack of compliance. I was just out shopping, I saw multiple people not even wearing a mask. Including a couple getting a Covid vaccine.

Also, most people are wearing cloth or surgical masks. Those are far more effective at preventing spread than in protecting the wearer. Only the N95/KN95/KF94 masks actually provide substantial protection to the wearer--and only a few percent of masks I see are one of these.

 

[barbos]

I look at countries with good vaccines "mRNA, AstraZeneca/Sputnik" and they are not doing particularly well in terms of spread. And countries with crappy vaccines seems to be doing better. I wonder if crappy chinese vaccines could be actually better in the long term. Especially with Omicron.

Look at the demographics of the countries using it.

and? Demographics can affect death rate, but not the spread. If anything, young people are more careless.

 

[barbos]

So omicron is 10x more contagious than Delta.
That must make it most contagious virus ever?

 

[barbos]

David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC™ on Twitter: "Wife of COVID patient in coma sues to get husband treated with ivermectin.
Doc gives him two doses, his condition immediately worsens, doc calls it quits & the guy dies days later.
Miracle drug! (link)" / Twitter
noting
Man who won a court battle to treat his COVID with ivermectin has died

Such an american story. Should the doctor now sue the widow and her lawyers for medical malpractice?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So omicron is 10x more contagious than Delta.
That must make it most contagious virus ever?

Measles probably beats it.

And Disco Fever. Thank god they developed a vaccine for that before this crazy anti-vax nonsense!

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

David Waldman-1, of Yorktown LLC™ on Twitter: "Wife of COVID patient in coma sues to get husband treated with ivermectin.
Doc gives him two doses, his condition immediately worsens, doc calls it quits & the guy dies days later.
Miracle drug! (link)" / Twitter
noting
Man who won a court battle to treat his COVID with ivermectin has died

Such an american story. Should the doctor now sue the widow and her lawyers for medical malpractice?

These people are desperate and are constantly listening to misinformation because they want to be special and know the "real truth". It is a dangerous combination. Desperation is also a reason why certain walls exist in medical care to prevent 'everything but the kitchen sink' protocols of care.

 

[barbos]

Measles probably beats it.

I remember reading that Delta was approaching Measles.
And Omicron is 10x of Delta, that must make it the king.

One of the russian resercher/doctors suggested that Omicron could be British lab made variant to use essentially as a vaccine. Apparently one part of genome looked unnatural.

 

[thebeave]

A little tip for the mask wearers:

I use the cheapo disposable blue masks that are very common. I throw it on the passenger seat of my work truck, along with lots of other odds and ends (I rarely take passengers in my truck, so its a convenient spot for tossing random stuff). Apparently, I had a small black velcro cable tie wadded up in a ball on the seat as well, and the mask and velcro ball decided to mate, without me knowing. So I put my mask on without realizing it and walked into the local Lowe's store to return some items. No problems..then I proceed to the aisles to shop for stuff. After a few minutes of wandering the aisles, I scratch my face and...hmmm, what's this? Shit. I must have looked like a total goober at the return counter. I actually wish the cute girl working the return desk would have said something.

Maybe I'm now officially at the age where I walk around with shirts mis-buttoned, fly down, shoes on the wrong feet, etc. I have this paranoid fear that next time I go in Lowe's, that girl will be there covering her laughing face with her hand, pointing at me and elbowing her coworker, saying "That's the guy I was telling you about!".

 

[Swammerdami]

Let's go Brandon!

Whats this about?

 

[Elixir]

Whats this about?

It means “fuck Joe Biden”.
Represents the epitome of right wing maturity, deep thoughts, wit and eloquence.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Let's go Brandon!

Whats this about?

A guy named Brandon won a NASCAR race and the crowd was chanting "Fuck Joe Biden" (because the right-wing hates politics mixed with sports), and the commentator talking to the driver thought they were saying "Let's go Brandon". It caught on among the alt-right and even politicians are making the reference.