If you like pina coladas and getting out of the rain. If you’re not into fevers and you have half a brain…
You get the picture: don’t come down with COVID-19 and never bring it into my home or office. I’m over 65, and my pregnant daughter arrives next week. It’s called common courtesy to keep your germs to yourself, and common sense to wear a mask so we can all be out and enjoy dinner and a trip to CVS. But no – – some of you lame-os are rebels without a cause. As if – the same sun doesn’t rise and shine on other folks too. Bad idea not to don a mask because it’s so easy, Bubba!
Smart Girl wears a mask to increase her odds of symptom-free COVID-19, if she must. CBS reports that masks reduce the viral load we intake; thereby avoiding an immune-system overload and keeping the virus in check. Picture D-Day if the waves onto Normandy’s beaches were limited to 200 Allies: the Germans would have easily remained asymptomatic. But Ike sent in 200,000 and overwhelmed Rommel’s defenses – just as COVID wants to do to you.
The seminal study is the analysis of two cruise ships: one in Asia that did not give out masks, and one in South America that had every passenger wear masks in public. On both ships, most of the passengers tested positive for CV-19, but 81% of the mask-wearing South America cruise were asymptomatic, compared to only 18% of the no-mask Asian cruise. This squares with the outcome at an Oregon seafood plant: masks were worn, employees tested positive, and 95% of workers remained asymptomatic.
In 1938, scientists found higher viral doses lead to more severe cases of the disease (source: AJH). One study infected volunteers with different viral loads of the flu and verified disease severity correlated to viral intake. In February, doctors found high amounts of CV-19 shed in the mouth, just like the HSV-1 that causes cold sores. You wouldn’t wet-kiss a date with a gnarly cold sore, and you shouldn’t let some random college kid close-talk you. A mask keeps me/you healthy.
My sweet wife wears a mask to protect those she encounters, and we should be good citizens, especially uber-social teenagers. Popular Mechanics has a video up of a backyard experiment proving the effectiveness of masks on out-bound gas/droplets (watch). Needless to say, it’s a compelling visual and a reason to wear your mask when visiting mom at the nursing home.
I am surprised how many EYI (educated yet idiotic) Americans there are. I just assume they skipped the history class in which ancient diseases were covered. The seminal breakthrough of early science was twofold: (1) illness is spread by microscopic bugs, and (2) hygiene is the first (and best) line of defense. It stands to reason that not getting/giving the virus in the first place beats everything that comes after.
Time magazine just reported Europeans are “disappointed in the US” and no longer see Americans as leaders in science and technology because of our CV-19 experience. Overall, a dumb article but for an observation that Americans are “individuals.” I agree if the tradition of individualism includes self-regulation. Bottom Line: self-regulate your free spirit into a facemask!