“I Should Have Worn a Mask”
For seven months I was very careful about mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing. As someone with asthma, I knew I faced heightened risk. Then, at the Rose Garden nomination event for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and during debate preparations with President Trump, I let my guard down and left my mask off. I mistook the bubble of security around the president for a viral safe zone. I was wrong. There is no safe zone from this virus.
Three days after the presidential debate, I still felt fine. Then—all within 24 hours—came the fever, chills and body aches, severe pain and utter exhaustion, and hospitalization in the intensive-care unit. A week in the ICU offers time to reflect.
When you get this disease, it hits you how easy it is to prevent. We are asked to wear cloth over our mouth and nose, wash our hands and avoid crowds. These minor inconveniences can save your life, your neighbors and the economy. Seldom has so little been asked for so much benefit. Yet the message will be broadly heeded only if it is consistently and honestly delivered by the media, religious leaders, sports figures and public servants. Those in positions of authority have a duty to get the message out.
Duty to Get the Message Out
Q: What’s the message from Trump?
A: Trump Attacks Dr. Fauci as a “Disaster” and an “Idiot”
Amusing Video Highlights
Trump: I get along with Fauci … I like him. [But I called him an idiot. Trump likes idiots.]
Town Hall : With Covid is there anything you would do differently?
Trump: Not much. It’s all over the world. It came out of China. China should have stopped it.
How ironic. What was China supposed to do to stop it?
Trump will not admit he should have supported masks. He acts as if nothing could have been done while simultaneously blaming China for not stopping it.
He even threw a Covid party at the White House where he and dozens other caught Covid.
Then he made horrendously inaccurate Tweets that Twitter blocked. Apparently he would not even change that.
In February Trump said: “We have it completely under control.” and “If you want a test, you can get a test.”
Chris Christie is honest about it. He would make changes.
Mish
Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Story of my life…
Funny, I assumed Christie was going to admit he should lose some weight.
In line with current government-sanctioned advice, his statement should have been “everyone else should have worn a mask”. A mask is alleged to reduce the chance of transmitting to others, so him not wearing one wasn’t the reason for his falling ill.
Details are important.
The fact that morbidly obese dude like Christie with Asthma and other pre-existing conditions bounced right back up as a healthy man shows that USA has learned to treat Covid better.
The Daily Beast: “What’s particularly troubling about the return of COVID in Italy is that the country has done everything experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci have been advising. Face masks in public places have been compulsory for months, social distancing is strongly enforced, nightclubs have never reopened, and sporting arenas are at less than a third of capacity. Children who are back at school are regularly tested and strictly social-distanced, and yet, the second wave seems completely unstoppable.”
Looking at Italy, the cases now are 3x what they were in the Spring, yet deaths are 1/6 what they were. Thus, mortality is 18x lower. Why? One possible explanation for part of the reduction is that masks are leading to a lower innoculum, and that leads to a milder case. That was true on the Zaandam, where they used masks and 90% of the cases were asymptomatic, compared to the Diamond Princess, where they did not, and few cases were asymptomatic.
Masks are PROVEN to be worthless!
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/politics/ten-of-thousands-of-doctors-confirm-this-is-a-hoax/
Masks do not prevent contracting Covid.
A study of 11 academic health care facilities during July 1-29, 2020, noted in a table that 70% of the Covid patients had stated they always had worn a face cover or mask during the 2 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms.
Correct, masks do not prevent contracting, but they prevent YOU from spreading it as you don’t know you have it until days later. Come on man… my mask protects you, your mask protects me.
It is too bad that Christie didn’t mention the importance of supplementing with Vitamin D and Melatonin. People with low Vit D levels are 12+ more likely to get complications.
The lockdowns WORSENED people’s D-vitamin deficiencies and were DEADLY.
Everyone should take a D-vitamin supplement and this should be promoted daily by media but isn’t being done.
Agree that mask and social distancing should be practiced, and Trump missed the opportunity for pushing for this from Day One. However, previous studies have show that masks are NOT of much help in influenza. Now the flu is less contagious than COVID-19, and it seems that masks may be more helpful in the case of COVID-19, but we won’t know for sure for some time. In the meantime, wearing a mask certainly can’t hurt.
AND HOW ABOUT WHILE YOU ALL ARE ARGUING ABOUT THE SEVERITY OR NON SEVERITY OF COVID19 GO AND DONATE BLOOD AT YOUR LOCAL RED CROSS DO IT!
Chris Christie is really not helping Trump’s case for reelection. I wonder when the tweet storm comes attacking the former New Jersey governor for not staying on Trump’s message.
Chris Christie is emblematic of America’s problem… he should not embrace mask symbolism and should lose weight… a lot of weight.
As is demonstrated by Webej and Duncan Burns–the derp is deep.
Why aren’t you pulling masks of of surgeons in operating rooms–masks do nothing!?!
Great question to pose!
In a seminal study on the effectiveness of masks around 1980 they had a hospital trial with two branches, two surgical teams and operation theatres, exactly the same. Except the one donned the traditional masking, the other did not. Then they collected infection statistics about the patients. At the end of the month, when they feared they would have to abort the study for ethical reasons, no difference. So they prolongated. They went out to 6 months, thousands of patients.
The end result showed the unmasked team had had FEWER infections, though the difference was not statistically significant. There have been at least 12 attempts to overturn this study, without a different result. That is what we call science.
Studies about airflows through masking materials, etc., may be interesting and involve high tech measurements, but in the end they prove nothing. There is a lot more to it, and why poorly designed or studies with flawed assumptions think they are proving some effect, but the end test is actual real life trials.
Many a rocket has been built which should have worked, but it didn’t.
Viruses are too small to be tracked. There is a lot we don’t know about surges in pathogens, why they start, why some continue for years, why they stop for centuries, how completely isolated scientists on the South Pole can have an outbreak of colds after 17 weeks with no contacts to the outside world, etc. You cannot measure exactly how someone is infected and how many viruses reached his body by what path, and how many happened to latch on to a cell (which cell?), etc.
A nation of over 40% obese/diabetic. Maybe instead of worrying about shaming and virtue signaling, and instead encouraging healthier lifestyles/living, it wouldn’t be an issue. The most vulnerable (old/sick) already have a 95% survival rate from C19, in my state (MA), 98.2% had a comorbidity.
Fuck it. Stay unhealthy. We’re on our way to record suicide and OD’s, so what if you can’t control the shit you voluntarily shove in your mouth? Always something or someone else to blame.
So if he had worn his magic sabre he wouldn’t have gotten infected?
Do we know for sure when, how, where he was infected?
It was outdoors: Wearing a mask outdoors is like adding an elastic to the door of your safe, just to sure.
The CDC just came out with a study stating that 85% of the people who contracted C19 had been wearing masks always or almost always. Exactly the same as the control group who didn’t get the virus. In reaction to media coverage of this news, the CDC said that they had never claimed masks protect those who wear them.
Again confirming everything we know about masks having no effect on transmission of airborne pathogens (if it is primarily airborne; there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that is is via the toilet).
What do you think happens to the virions in droplets that are trapped in the mask?
Well, the water in the droplets is wicked away and evaporates. Does the virion cling to the mask? No, chances are good that you will either inhale or exhale a good deal of those particles. Or you will touch the mask and infect yourself. Or you will carry the virus particles to another setting where you will breath them out, or spread by touch. If you wear glasses you will have noticed that most of the air you exhale seems to go into fogging your glasses, because a large share of the air goes around the edges of the mask which is not sealed to your face.
Follow the science: Go find a randomized control trial that has shown any effect on spread by mask wearing. Many attempts have been made in the past century. Don’t forget, if it is so hard to measure an effect, even if there were one, it has to very minor.
Glad to see you live in a world or your own making…
Njbr, I’m glad you live in a world of your own making.
The anecdotal evidence is that if you wear a mask, you get less sick. Wearing a mask does not appear to completely stop transmission.
Its a dose effect, look up Paracelsus. Nah, dont do that, just keep wandering the world act like you know what is going on.
He presented a challenge, he requested a study, go find that randomized control study he requested, or just blather on like everyone else making up their own narratives about the world. If you do bring a study, make sure it has the proper controls or you and the authors will be dismissed back to graduate school. Would you even know what a proper control is, that is my question.
It is also been long established for all viruses that travel via water droplets, that when sick people are wearing a mask, they spread it less effectively.
Yes. I agree, and said as much. The anecdotal evidence appears to suggest that masks reduce the total amount of virus coming out and going in. Hence, lower viral loads, and less sick. This does not mean, “No Sick”. You still get the bug. What matters is the dose.
I’m a masker myself, you will see soon. Winter is coming, I speculat that viral loads are going up, and I furthet speculate you wont want to be infected in January.
That’s a common sense thought, just never been proven out.
Experiments often show that things works differently than we first thought.
Some studies show more spread when sick people wear masks.
It is actually very hard to establish how, where, when somebody was infected, what the initial inoculum was, by what route it first made its way into the body.
Meanwhile, back in the reality based community…
Why is it so hard to post a link to cnn? This is the third time I’ve tried and it was edited out.
w w w . c n n . c o m/2020/10/16/politics/fact-check-trump-cdc-masks-85-percent/index.html
Where I live the public health authorities (science) have actually said from the beginning, and still say, that there’s no evidence for mask wearing. And still the politicians and people in the streets are adopting them. In March I thought, How could that be? Surely they don’t exist for nothing. But digging into the evidence and the studies in fact show no clear evidence, and there has recently been a study showing that masks have a number of deleterious effects, including on the amount of transmission.
I think you will find these two articles helpful re: masking. Others will also, if they take the time to read instead of blindly posting from the hip.
Reminder: CDC Says Facemasks Don’t Stop Covid
By Allan Stevo
September 24, 2020
Open Letter from Medical Doctors and Health Professionals to All Belgian Authorities and All Belgian Media
– September 20, 2020
“Masks
Oral masks belong in contexts where contacts with proven at-risk groups or people with upper respiratory complaints take place, and in a medical context/hospital-retirement home setting. They reduce the risk of droplet infection by sneezing or coughing. Oral masks in healthy individuals are ineffective against the spread of viral infections. 29 30 31
Wearing a mask is not without side effects. 32 33 Oxygen deficiency (headache, nausea, fatigue, loss of concentration) occurs fairly quickly, an effect similar to altitude sickness. Every day we now see patients complaining of headaches, sinus problems, respiratory problems and hyperventilation due to wearing masks. In addition, the accumulated CO2 leads to a toxic acidification of the organism which affects our immunity. Some experts even warn of an increased transmission of the virus in case of inappropriate use of the mask.34
Our Labour Code (Codex 6) refers to a CO2 content (ventilation in workplaces) of 900 ppm, maximum 1200 ppm in special circumstances. After wearing a mask for one minute, this toxic limit is considerably exceeded to values that are three to four times higher than these maximum values. Anyone who wears a mask is therefore in an extreme poorly ventilated room. 35
Inappropriate use of masks without a comprehensive medical cardio-pulmonary test file is therefore not recommended by recognised safety specialists for workers.
Hospitals have a sterile environment in their operating rooms where staff wear masks and there is precise regulation of humidity / temperature with appropriately monitored oxygen flow to compensate for this, thus meeting strict safety standards. 36″
I’ve been using the same 3 $1store masks for the last 8 months. [lol]
In my view social distancing is much more effective than masks. People don’t use masks properly. They wear them for prolonged periods of time after which some are useless. They pull them down over their chin and constantly fiddle with them so their hands are infected with whatever germs they breath out and then passed onto whatever they touch. In close proximity indoors they’d reduce the spread of vapour if clean, fresh masks are being used but from what I can tell this is rarely the case. The one benefit of them is that they’re a constant reminder we’re in a pandemic and they therefore help to keep people alert.
But we have to wear them so I do.
Masks are very useful when social distancing is impossible.
Most viruses are not free particles, and the ratings system for masks is not easy to understand if you don’t understand exactly what the numbers mean. I don’t wear an N95 mask….but I do wear a real well-fitting polyester “cup” style surgical mask.
If nothing else, it cuts the viral load way down….that’s the worst case.
In most cases, in real life (not a lab) it’s the droplets that matter most…because the virus is in a droplet…and if the droplet doesn’t pass, the virus doesn’t pass.
Dry viruses might pass..but there is something else at work too. Brownian movement and electrostatic charge. Masks are like a magnet. I’m not talking about home-made ones or bandanas.
Certainly people who touch their face constantly and let their schnozzola hang out….are not going to get the benefit.
“Masks are very useful when social distancing is impossible.”
I agree they should be, on public transport or small indoor areas for example. In practice, as per my original comment, people are using them over and over, pulling them over their chin, touching them to adjust them, particularly if glasses fog up. Locally to me nearly everyone is using cloth or paper masks, keeping them in their pocket to put on before going into a shop, or in the the car in case they forget them when they go out. They’re more for show than effective in my opinion.
Funny how the flu has magically disappeared. Week 40-44:
2019 – 1251 cases.
2020 – 66 cases.
It’s a miracle I tell ya.
Not really, if people mix less, are more hygienic and social distant I’d expect less cold & flu.
It isn’t funny, it’s scientifically inevitable. It’s direct proof of the efficacy of current recommended practices, and evidence that non-compliance is a major factor in the virus’s lasting prevalence.
You do know that to list a death as a Covid death a Covid test is NOT needed.
Just symptoms are enough, so those flu deaths are being listed as Covid deaths so Federal government pays for the treatment to the hospitals at their internal list prices and gives extra +20% on top thanks to CARES act instead of them having to negotiate with health insurance companies and getting paid -50% less than their internal list prices.
Sure, “Facts”, just keep bringing the garbage disinformation.
It’s NOT misinformation. But of course, no one is going to actually admit doing this as they might lose their reimbursements from the government. Wink, wink, know what I mean? know what I mean?
He should have stuck to a diet. Obesity is a major risk factor for getting Covid.
Ridiculous comment of the year award. Obese people are more likely to get COVID. Amazing. Thanks, Dr Jojo.
Here you go loser, straight from the CDC.
Overweight, Obesity and Severe Obesity
Having obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) between 30 kg/m2 and <40 kg/m2 or severe obesity (BMI of 40 kg/m2 or above), increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Having overweight, defined as a BMI > 25 kg/m2 but less than 30 kg/m2 might increase your risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Re-read your post, dude.
“Increased risk of severe illness” is vastly different than “major risk factor for getting.”. You made it sound like obese people are more likely to get COVID (compared to skinny people).
Edited to add:
If you edit your original post to “Obesity is a major risk factor for THOSE WHO GET Covid” (or something like it, which is what I think you meant), and edit your reply calling me a “loser”, I will delete my critical replies. Deal?
Obese people are more likely to DIE from Covid.
That may be so, but that’s not what Jojo said:
“Obesity is a major risk factor for GETTING Covid.” (Emphasis is mine).
Maybe that’s not what he meant, but that is what he said, and it’s a completely ridiculous statement, IMO.
Compare his statement to these, where I’ve only changed a few words:
Smoking is a major risk factor for getting lung cancer.
Or
Obesity is a major risk factor for getting diabetes.
There is ZERO evidence (that I’m aware of) that “Obesity is a major risk factor for getting Covid”.
Young perfectly healthy people are getting Long Covid. We ‘re still learning about this Nasty virus.
And? How about the flu? I’ve had flu infections where I didn’t really get over it for 3-4 months. I was still coughing more than normal and had other left-over problems.
I expect you carried on as normal though.
From what I can gather Long Covid is much worse and more debilitating.
You need to look at better sources of information before planting your flag.
Some Signs of Recovery From Severe Covid Lung Damage
In two early studies, researchers said some patients showed signs of healing just weeks after leaving the hospital.
By Lina Zeldovich
Oct. 18, 2020
Yes. But very few are actually getting sick …
Well, time will tell I suppose.
The rabble can babble on about its dangerous or we are all going to die anyway or its just the flu and while you fight about among yourself I will wash my hands wear a mask when among clusters of people and avoid large gatherings thank you
Covid is no day at the beach, Governor.
The vast majority of people who get Covid recover w/o any major problems or lasting affects.
Of course, there are always a few that will experience more difficulties. Life isn’t fair.
That was a Bridgegate too far Jojo.
Beachgate?
The empty beach chair meme would have reached great fame had COVID snatched Christie’s body.
Well… A day at the beach is probably where one catches Covid.
Nice of Christie to be honest about this but the mask is just one of many health choices he should have made differently over the years. He’ll be lucky to make it much past 65.
Still, moments of candor are much appreciated nowadays, so good for him.
In February Trump said: “We have it completely under control.” and
“If you want a test, you can get a test.”
Sadly, he hasn’t learned much in the next eight months. Now he says “Don’t fear the Coronavirus”. Should the 220,000 people who have died from it have feared it?
I was looking for a bunch of Tweets but could not find the oners I was looking for. I recall those so added them to my post.
Thanks
No they shouldn’t have feared it either. They should have got their mostly fat, sorry asses in shape. Maybe they wouldn’t have gotten sick then. Maybe they wouldn’t have even died. It’s called “culling the herd” (of the weak and sick).
BS. Most of these folks were going to die shortly anyways. They were not healthy enough to get fit, go out walking, prepare their own food, etc. The median age of Covid deaths is exactly the same as the median age for death. Annualized, the excess burden of death will not be higher than years with a bad flu season.
The aftermath of this panic will be far worse than the virus itself. The UN is forecasting and additional 130 million people will starve globally, mostly children who have a lot more life ahead of them than 90% of the median age 78 year old Covid victims with comorbidites, who has very little life expectancy left. Average life expectancy is 78 without Covid too. In the US 8 million people have been pushed into poverty since this started. Wait until the eviction flood starts. Excess death burden is starting to climb for all kinds of other conditions. A lot of people will have drastically less ‘life’ because of the fall out.
I agree with what you wrote. Where does the “BS” come in and why?
In the first place, we all will die sooner or later. Thus, from your logic, none of us matter; it didn’t “cause” our death as we were going to die anyway. Second, it has dramatically affected the death rate on everyone over Age 25.
Deaths for those 25-44 have had 40% higher death rates than normal.
Deaths for those 45-64 have been running about 25% higher than normal.
Deaths for those 65-84 have been about 30% higher than normal
Deaths for those 85+ have been about 15% higher than normal
Deaths for Hispanics have been 60% higher than normal
Deaths for Asians and Blacks have been 35% higher than normal
Deaths for White have been 15% hither than normal.
So, I guess that if you are White, and under 25 or over 85, it probably hasn’t affected your life expectancy much.
Many of those extra deaths are from suicides and drug overdoses caused by the lockdowns and loss of jobs and desperation.
Then there is the fact that murders are much higher thanks to BLM scaring police away and Democrats politicians cheering it so shootings are 100%+ higher than comparable months last year.
Thanks for the disinformation, Joe.
This article discusses magnitude of deaths and how small the number is among other issues. So maybe people will stop whining over a relatively few deaths.
And just to pre-reply to the usual snarky comeback, no, I wouldn’t change my opinion about relatively small if someone or numerous someones that I knew had died from Covid-19.
Government Policies Have Worsened the Coronavirus Crisis
Richard M. Ebeling
– October 21, 2020