4 ms·

Why did we ever just accept colds and flus being so common? Many places have a general social expectation of masking if you have any symptoms of anything. Do

Why did we ever just accept colds and flus being so common? Many places have a general social expectation of masking if you have any symptoms of anything. Do we know what the long term cumulative effects of normal seasonal illness is? What would happen if we were able to get rid of them?

VirusNewbie 4y ago
Many colds spread by fomites, so masking and distancing and all that will do fuck all. The flu doesn’t spread this way, so I do hope the culture of isolation continues for those with the flu and we at least massively reduce the spread there.
- maxerickson 4y ago
  Wait, why do you think distancing won't slow transmission of infections that spread by surface contact? If you are sick and don't sneeze on a stair railing because you aren't near the stair railing, then you very likely have less transmission. Same with masks, if the material is captured in a mask then it isn't sitting somewhere else waiting to be picked up.
  - VirusNewbie 4y ago
    I mean distancing in the sense of standing six feet apart or only one person in the elevator.
dude187 4y ago
Nobody is willing to take the gamble of giving up their life in order to chase the dragon of the impossible goal of eliminating illness. The cure is an extremely worse, torturous form of the thing you're trying to stop
hellotomyrars 4y ago
It would be great if we could rid ourselves of all disease. Unfortunately everybody wearing masks all the time forever won’t actually accomplish that that goal and is wildly impractical and unrealistic. I don’t care if other people want to wear masks forever. That is their choice. I was happy to wear a mask when COVID was high in my area (rural, low population). I got my shots. But this is absurd. If we can come up with a permanent vaccine for the flu and the common cold I’ll sign right up but as it is, I’m going to live a normal life unless/until things change.
logicalmonster 4y ago
> Why did we ever just accept colds and flus being so common? Is the number of illnesses that exists the only variable that matters in life? Do we know what the long-term cumulative effects of forced masking does on childhood education and development? How about social cohesion and people forming bonds with the community? How about the overall impact on freedom?

VirusNewbie 4y ago

Many colds spread by fomites, so masking and distancing and all that will do fuck all. The flu doesn’t spread this way, so I do hope the culture of isolation continues for those with the flu and we at least massively reduce the spread there.

maxerickson 4y ago
Wait, why do you think distancing won't slow transmission of infections that spread by surface contact? If you are sick and don't sneeze on a stair railing because you aren't near the stair railing, then you very likely have less transmission. Same with masks, if the material is captured in a mask then it isn't sitting somewhere else waiting to be picked up.
- VirusNewbie 4y ago
  I mean distancing in the sense of standing six feet apart or only one person in the elevator.

dude187 4y ago

Nobody is willing to take the gamble of giving up their life in order to chase the dragon of the impossible goal of eliminating illness. The cure is an extremely worse, torturous form of the thing you're trying to stop

hellotomyrars 4y ago

It would be great if we could rid ourselves of all disease. Unfortunately everybody wearing masks all the time forever won’t actually accomplish that that goal and is wildly impractical and unrealistic. I don’t care if other people want to wear masks forever. That is their choice. I was happy to wear a mask when COVID was high in my area (rural, low population). I got my shots. But this is absurd. If we can come up with a permanent vaccine for the flu and the common cold I’ll sign right up but as it is, I’m going to live a normal life unless/until things change.

logicalmonster 4y ago

> Why did we ever just accept colds and flus being so common? Is the number of illnesses that exists the only variable that matters in life? Do we know what the long-term cumulative effects of forced masking does on childhood education and development? How about social cohesion and people forming bonds with the community? How about the overall impact on freedom?