Time to end mask mandate in town

bub said:

FWIW the number in the UK have been going in the right direction.  Yesterday's positive tests was the lowest number in a long time. 

Their case numbers are still 4 times what they were a year ago, so it's not worth much to me. I was there in October, and the current numbers are roughly where they were then - I masked up and made it back out, and I'll do it again, only this time I know I'm gonna get shyt for it because it doesn't matter for them if they catch it or not, whereas for me if I test positive before I get on the flight, I'm stuck there until I can test negative, so I'll need a hotel for at least a week, hopefully with good enough wifi that I can do my job from there.

Politicians supporting continued mask mandates are now starting to risk serious political damage.  Spring is coming.  Omicron is receding.  Most Americans are mentally done with mask mandates.

So 1558 COVID deaths on February 22, 2022 is somehow dismissable in light of the case count going down. Good to know. This is the 5th time in 2 years that we've seen such a drop. After three of the prior four times we saw a decline we were burned badly when the next wave came around.

PeterWick said:

So 1558 COVID deaths on February 22, 2022 is somehow dismissable in light of the case count going down. Good to know. This is the 5th time in 2 years that we've seen such a drop. After three of the prior four times we saw a decline we were burned badly when the next wave came around.

I am talking about the politics and you are talking about the science.

I would also note that what took the edge of the Omicron surge was vaccinations, not masks.  Vaccinations prevented a health care collapse.

Given that COVID-19 is now with us forever, we can't stay hunkered down because the next mutation might be terrible.

tjohn said:

I would also note that what took the edge of the Omicron surge was vaccinations, not masks. 

Has this been objectively proven?

mrincredible said:

tjohn said:

I would also note that what took the edge of the Omicron surge was vaccinations, not masks. 

Has this been objectively proven?

Hard to say. Early this year Mrs. Ski (double-vaxxed and boosted) tested positive for Omicron and I ( double-vaxxed and boosted) didn't. We quarantined in the same 7 room ranch house for 8 days, both double masked, with me sleeping on the couch, and I never caught it from her during that time. Could have been the vaccinations, could have been the masking. Could have been a combo platter. I'm cool with whatever it is likely was, because if the vaccines were the factor, masking up didn't hurt.

mrincredible said:

tjohn said:

I would also note that what took the edge of the Omicron surge was vaccinations, not masks. 

Has this been objectively proven?

That's debatable. For the vaccinated and boosted crowd, it helped for the most part. Masks were still important since omicron was able to cause many infections anyway. Those not vaccinated paid a high price as well as their taking up much of the healthcare capacity in hospitals for non-COVID problems.

Politics played a role in how bad this **** got these past 2 years. I believe in science.

I believe in science too.  The question is how long we can remain in bunker mode in the face of a virus that isn't going away.  Being in bunker mode causes harm too.

Anyone else find the irony in the fact that @notupset posted about the need to end mask mandates on 2/7 and by 2/21 was COVID positive and had monoclonal antibodies (lots of $$$ paid for by the gov't)?

PeterWick said:

mrincredible said:

tjohn said:

I would also note that what took the edge of the Omicron surge was vaccinations, not masks. 

Has this been objectively proven?

That's debatable. For the vaccinated and boosted crowd, it helped for the most part. Masks were still important since omicron was able to cause many infections anyway. Those not vaccinated paid a high price as well as their taking up much of the healthcare capacity in hospitals for non-COVID problems.

Politics played a role in how bad this **** got these past 2 years. I believe in science.

Everyone I know that got Omicron was vaccinated and boosted.  In many of cases, they were unmasked in a public place and caught the virus.  I was exposed to a couple of them but I was wearing a mask and never tested positive.

I know this is not scientific, but from my experience Omicron was very contagious even if people were vaccinated and masks definitely help prevent transmission.

yahooyahoo said:

Everyone I know that got Omicron (it was many) were all vaccinated.  In many of cases, they were unmasked and caught the virus.  I was exposed to a couple of them but I was wearing a mask and never tested positive.

I know this is not scientific, but from my experience Omicron was very contagious even if people were vaccinated and masks definitely help prevent transmission.

Our experience as well. We have been socially active on a limited basis but have always used masks. I sing in a chorale and play in an orchestra, both of which rehearse weekly. We wear masks and no one is getting COVID because we're careful.

Nothing at all like bunker mode, just using an effective defense device.

Not necessarily a "town" comment, but it does strike me just how conservative many people and companies still are regarding emerging from the pandemic. More-so than the politicians.

I'm a consultant to the MTA and subway ridership is still at only about 50% of pre-pandemic levels.  NJT can't be more than about 30% if the Third Street garage and relatively empty trains are a good measure. Same for LIRR and MNR.

Not sure if landlords and small merchants will recover given the new-normal of signiifcant remote work..

jimmurphy said:

Not sure if landlords and small merchants will recover given the new-normal of signiifcant remote work..

My wife's current company had always been a rather strict old-fashioned "NO REMOTE WORKING" kind of place. It tended to cause them to miss out on some job candidates who couldn't accept that. But now? These past 2 years have been a mad scramble sorting out how to keep the corporation working and it is causing a huge shift in workforce mentality. Some of the longer-term veterans have struggled to get the memo. When they are in upper levels of management, that's a problem.

PeterWick said:

My wife's current company had always been a rather strict old-fashioned "NO REMOTE WORKING" kind of place. It tended to cause them to miss out on some job candidates who couldn't accept that. But now? These past 2 years have been a mad scramble sorting out how to keep the corporation working and it is causing a huge shift in workforce mentality. Some of the longer-term veterans have struggled to get the memo. When they are in upper levels of management, that's a problem.

Agreed. The MTA is very old-school as you'd expect, so I'm in every day, but my employer is planning to allow remote work at least 3 days a week.

Everybody I know that has tested positive got it when they weren't wearing a mask and were with a group of people either having drinks or eating. I'm going to a couple of concerts in the next 3 weeks. I'm planning on wearing a mask regardless of what the policy is. 

My company is old school and just went to "masks optional" policy in the office with no required social distancing.  Basically, back to the pre-pandemic status quo.  We'll see how it goes.....