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Or how about how everyone was anti mask in the beginning, including the CDC, WHO, and my very liberal coworkers. When I said it would be advisable to wear a mas

Or how about how everyone was anti mask in the beginning, including the CDC, WHO, and my very liberal coworkers. When I said it would be advisable to wear a mask when in crowded places March, 2020 - I was heckled for not following the science. Hindsight is always 20/20, early on the virus was not believed to be airborne, only spread through relatively large droplets from coughing/sneezing which you'd likely only encounter in close contact with an actively ill person. Plus, Fauci had the responsibility to preserve masks for those that would be exposed directly to infected people - the medical workers and first responders. The first lockdown in the USA was mid-march, and the mask guidance had already changed by the beginning of April as we understood more about how the disease spread. Early guidance (and news coverage) also recommended sanitizing surfaces to prevent the spread of the disease, but surface contact was later found to be a less significant mode of transmission. As far as making the vaccines political, well they don't have to be. some research has shown that they don't do very well at stopping spread, so why all the fuss to force people to get vaccinated? just say do it for yourself if you want to, politics removed. People with serious diseases are being turned away from hospitals or asked to reschedule appointments/visits because hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients (and healthcare workers are being pushed to the limit). Vaccines are a public health decision, not a personal decision.

account42 5y ago
> Hindsight is always 20/20, early on the virus was not believed to be airborne, only spread through relatively large droplets from coughing/sneezing which you'd likely only encounter in close contact with an actively ill person. This isn't about hindsight. Coronaviruses are not an unknown and airborne spread should have been assumed unless ruled out. And it was assumed by many: Taiwan immediately mobilized their military to ramp up mask production, even before the WHO admitted there was a problem. > Plus, Fauci had the responsibility to preserve masks for those that would be exposed directly to infected people - the medical workers and first responders. Then he and other leaders should have communicated that. Treating people like dumb idiots that you need to lie to to get what you want results in those people mistrusting your future recommendations, e.g. to get vaccinated.
- Johnny555 5y ago
  Coronaviruses are not an unknown and airborne spread should have been assumed unless ruled out. That's the hindsight I'm talking about. The WHO declared that it was not airborne at the beginning of the pandemic, as did the CDC, and it took a long time for them to change their guidance. Even independent aerosol researchers didn't release their findings until April, but that was after the CDC had already asked people to wear cloth masks. Treating people like dumb idiots that you need to lie to to get what you want results in those people mistrusting your future recommendations, e.g. to get vaccinated. You have more faith in people than I do -- the truth is that many of the public are dumb idiots and if you say "We want you to wear cloth masks to protect either other, but please dont use N95 masks, we need those for first responders", the first thing that will happen is that there will be a run on N95 masks, leaving none for first responders. Which happened anyway, my older sister ended up sewing homemade masks that my younger sister used in her job in healthcare because they had to ration N95's. But supply chain issues for PPE is a whole different problem, and I'm not sure we've solved it.

account42 5y ago

> Hindsight is always 20/20, early on the virus was not believed to be airborne, only spread through relatively large droplets from coughing/sneezing which you'd likely only encounter in close contact with an actively ill person. This isn't about hindsight. Coronaviruses are not an unknown and airborne spread should have been assumed unless ruled out. And it was assumed by many: Taiwan immediately mobilized their military to ramp up mask production, even before the WHO admitted there was a problem. > Plus, Fauci had the responsibility to preserve masks for those that would be exposed directly to infected people - the medical workers and first responders. Then he and other leaders should have communicated that. Treating people like dumb idiots that you need to lie to to get what you want results in those people mistrusting your future recommendations, e.g. to get vaccinated.

Johnny555 5y ago
Coronaviruses are not an unknown and airborne spread should have been assumed unless ruled out. That's the hindsight I'm talking about. The WHO declared that it was not airborne at the beginning of the pandemic, as did the CDC, and it took a long time for them to change their guidance. Even independent aerosol researchers didn't release their findings until April, but that was after the CDC had already asked people to wear cloth masks. Treating people like dumb idiots that you need to lie to to get what you want results in those people mistrusting your future recommendations, e.g. to get vaccinated. You have more faith in people than I do -- the truth is that many of the public are dumb idiots and if you say "We want you to wear cloth masks to protect either other, but please dont use N95 masks, we need those for first responders", the first thing that will happen is that there will be a run on N95 masks, leaving none for first responders. Which happened anyway, my older sister ended up sewing homemade masks that my younger sister used in her job in healthcare because they had to ration N95's. But supply chain issues for PPE is a whole different problem, and I'm not sure we've solved it.