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To me, this ignores the fact that a death of a loved/cared for individual is the most "minimum quality of life" you can get. Sure, being able to go watch a fam

by ajford 5y ago

To me, this ignores the fact that a death of a loved/cared for individual is the most "minimum quality of life" you can get. Sure, being able to go watch a family movie together used to be a big family thing, but we can't do that anymore. Our QOL has dropped in that regard, but it's far less impactful than saying to heck with it and going to the theater and having my kid or an in-law catch Covid and die. Long Covid even indicates there's a chance that surviving Covid leaves you with a long-term impact to QOL. Why take that risk over minor irritation in the near term? Sure, masks are tedious and annoying. But to my youngest, so are shirts and shoes. If he had his choice, he'd run around all damn day in underwear or shorts. But society as a whole benefits from a general adherence to everyone wearing shirts and shoes in public. He's got the same feelings towards seatbelts. Just like masks, seatbelts are only a half-measure. They don't prevent you from dying in a car crash, but they give some modicum of benefit overall. There's a higher chance of surviving a crash with a seatbelt on, even if it's not guaranteed. All of these "I'm done with masks/precautions" statements are made in a void while ignoring the ripple effect that stems from that. There's a turning point where life will have to resume one way or another, but the longer we can go as a civilization with a reduced QOL the better the chances of resolving the pandemic with fewer deaths all around.

AllegedAlec 5y ago
> To me, this ignores the fact that a death of a loved/cared for individual is the most "minimum quality of life" you can get. Counterpoint: my grandmother spent her last two years in perpetual loneliness because of covid measures in care homes preventing our family from ensuring full time visitors.
- ajford 5y ago
  Up front here, I'm in no way attempting to demean your loss. As a counter-counterpoint; Buddy of mine by way of a local community group lost his elderly mother in a care home because someone decided to come in to visit last year while unknowingly covid-positive. It swept through the wing and at least three other residents died from Covid complications. My friend himself ended up catching it from his mother and was in ICU when she passed herself. Lack of social connections can be overcome with virtual communications. It's not the same as true face to face interaction, but it beats killing someone with your mere presence.
  - AllegedAlec 5y ago
    > Lack of social connections can be overcome with virtual communications. It's not the same as true face to face interaction, but it beats killing someone with your mere presence. While true, when someone's dying, skyping not in any way a replacement for being at their side.

by ajford 5y ago

AllegedAlec 5y ago

> To me, this ignores the fact that a death of a loved/cared for individual is the most "minimum quality of life" you can get. Counterpoint: my grandmother spent her last two years in perpetual loneliness because of covid measures in care homes preventing our family from ensuring full time visitors.

ajford 5y ago
Up front here, I'm in no way attempting to demean your loss. As a counter-counterpoint; Buddy of mine by way of a local community group lost his elderly mother in a care home because someone decided to come in to visit last year while unknowingly covid-positive. It swept through the wing and at least three other residents died from Covid complications. My friend himself ended up catching it from his mother and was in ICU when she passed herself. Lack of social connections can be overcome with virtual communications. It's not the same as true face to face interaction, but it beats killing someone with your mere presence.
- AllegedAlec 5y ago
  > Lack of social connections can be overcome with virtual communications. It's not the same as true face to face interaction, but it beats killing someone with your mere presence. While true, when someone's dying, skyping not in any way a replacement for being at their side.