The Coronavirus Thread

[Tero]

https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/20/cor ... ants-fears

Well look at that link. It is different to what you are saying. People are being forced to buy and wear these more expensive masks because politicians cant think of anything else? It is obvious that the present day rags are not working.

The seat belt thing, Scotty. We are just replacing the lap seat belt with one that has a lap and shoulder part. It's better, you don't fly out of the car. Soon, we will add airbags to the mask.

[NineBerry]

https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/20/cor ... ants-fears

Well look at that link. It is different to what you are saying. People are being forced to buy and wear these more expensive masks because politicians cant think of anything else? It is obvious that the present day rags are not working.

Nothing in there contradicts what I said.

The motivation behind the decision is speculation, but what I said is what I believe the motivation was. Before the meeting, scientists demanded more severe restrictions like closing more businesses and stricter curfews. Some of the states didn't agree with that. So, the medical mask requirement is a fig leaf.

The article doesn't mention free distribution of masks because this doesn't happen. You have to get your own masks. Elderly people get a handful of masks each, but this is not a new decision. This has been decided in December already.

[Scot Dutchy]

https://www.euronews.com/2021/01/20/cor ... ants-fears

Well look at that link. It is different to what you are saying. People are being forced to buy and wear these more expensive masks because politicians cant think of anything else? It is obvious that the present day rags are not working.

Nothing in there contradicts what I said.

The motivation behind the decision is speculation, but what I said is what I believe the motivation was. Before the meeting, scientists demanded more severe restrictions like closing more businesses and stricter curfews. Some of the states didn't agree with that. So, the medical mask requirement is a fig leaf.

The article doesn't mention free distribution of masks because this doesn't happen. You have to get your own masks. Elderly people get a handful of masks each, but this is not a new decision. This has been decided in December already.

Just a better grade fig leaf but we all know fig leafs seldom work or slip. Free distribution is mentioned in the video.
Btw what was said about the curfew is about the same as was said about masks. Masks were never approved by the Tweede Kamer. The government called upon shop owners under old legislation.
The same is true of the curfew. The Tweede Kamer is against it. This a decommissioned Kabinet dependent on the good will of MP's. The mayors of many towns are against it as how is it going to be enforced has not been discussed.

[NineBerry]

as how is it going to be enforced has not been discussed.

I propose water cannons against non-mask-wearers

[Scot Dutchy]

as how is it going to be enforced has not been discussed.

I propose water cannons against non-mask-wearers

Not curfew. That was an illegal demonstration.

[Scot Dutchy]

The German government’s decision to introduce the obligatory wearing of high filtration medical masks, instead of fabric masks as has been the norm since early on in the pandemic, has prompted an inevitable scramble for them, amid fears of escalating prices, their affordability for those on low incomes, and fakes.

So-called FFP1, 2 or 3 masks (FFP stands for filtering face piece) and the thinner, paper masks often donned in operating theatres must now be worn in the workplace, on public transport and in shops, Angela Merkel announced yesterday evening, in response to experts’ advice that cloth face coverings do not offer sufficient protection from the more virulent mutations of the disease.

The decision follows the introduction of a medical mask rule in the southern state of Bavaria on Monday.

The over sixties and those with chronic, pre-existing health conditions are to receive vouchers in the post from their health insurers, towards buying masks in pharmacies.

Employees who cannot keep a distance of 1.5 metres from colleagues must be provided with the masks by their employers, the government has said.

Earlier this week the Robert Koch Institute, the government’s disease control agency, said that 16 cases of the so-called British variant, B117, had so far been detected in Germany.

Most of the cases were of people who had arrived from Britain. But at least three cases have since been detected in Berliners suffering from coronavirus who had not travelled for months, all of whom are being treated in hospital.

These samples were tested on January 8 and lead virologists to believe that the mutation from Britain has been circulating in Berlin for some time and may be more widespread in Germany than previously thought.

But due to the lack of gene sequencing that has so far been carried out in Germany, it was widely suspected that this mutation and others, such as the so-called South African variant, and one from Brazil, were likely more prevalent.

Gene sequencing was being carried out in Germany on only around one in 900 samples of the virus derived from positive test results until very recently.

But Jens Spahn, the health minister, announced in the past week that sequencing was immediately being increased to be carried out on five per cent of positive test results in future, a figure he said might sound low but that if done in a targeted way, was efficient enough to track new mutations and their development.

Coronavirus live news: France warns homemade masks may not halt spread of new variants; China finds two cases resemble UK strain

[Scot Dutchy]

Once again the advice goes against that Lancet report.

Wear medical-grade masks if you can't socially distance, Britons told

As new Covid variants emerge, scientists advise use of FFP masks that filter inflow and outflow of air


Scientists have urged Britons to wear medical-grade masks when they cannot physically distance, amid growing concerns of faster-spreading Covid-19 variants – but said that any face covering is better than none at all.

This week French health officials advised people to wear surgical masks rather than homemade fabric ones as these afford greater protection against highly contagious new variants.

Germany went a step further and followed Austria and Bavaria in making it compulsory for full protective filtering face piece (FFP) masks to be worn on public transport and in shops.

Unlike fabric and surgical masks, which are designed to protect other people from larger respiratory droplets produced when we speak, cough or sneeze, FFP masks also protect the wearer because they filter both the inflow and outflow of air. They also give a degree of protection against smaller droplets or aerosols, depending on the mask’s rating.

Scientists have long cautioned that masks alone will not prevent Covid-19 transmission, and should be combined with physical distancing and hand-washing.

Even so, “the research suggests that cloth face coverings are a useful tool in the fight against Covid-19 and help to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus”, said Prof Miles Carroll, head of research at Public Health England’s National Infection Service.

Yet, faced with more transmissible variants, some experts believe people should consider wearing medical-grade masks – particularly if they are likely to be in close proximity to other people indoors for extended periods of time.

“People should be using the best mask available to them, and the government should make it as clear as possible as to what this means,” said Dr Allen Haddrell at the University of Bristol’s Aerosol Research Centre. “Given the concern with how infectious this new strain appears to be, the goal of the French government is to try to limit the amount of viral aerosol exposure across the board,” he said.

“Increasing the number of people correctly wearing high-quality masks will dramatically limit the degree to which Sars-CoV-2 can be spread through the aerosol phase. No mask is 100% efficient, but some are definitely much less effective than others.”

Confusion is now complete.

[Tero]

Correctly wearing masks! Very funny!

I've seen seniors my age pretty much routinely wear KN95 masks they paid 3 dollars a piece wrong. They drive to the store. Put on masks in the parking lot. Walk in. And the mask is on top of their glasses, leaking out the top.

[laklak]

I signed up on the new vaccination waiting list app. Soon I'll be called, and will accept the Mark of the Beast on my forehead!

I, for one, welcome our new nanobot overlords!

You will be absorbed. Your individuality will merge into the unity of good, and in your submergence into the common being of the body, you will find contentment, fulfillment. You will experience the absolute good.

[Sean Hayden]

--we celebrate your courage brother, all things made new again, welcome :cultface:

[Hermit]

Once again the advice goes against that Lancet report.

Wear medical-grade masks if you can't socially distance, Britons told

As new Covid variants emerge, scientists advise use of FFP masks that filter inflow and outflow of air


Scientists have urged Britons to wear medical-grade masks when they cannot physically distance, amid growing concerns of faster-spreading Covid-19 variants – but said that any face covering is better than none at all.

This week French health officials advised people to wear surgical masks rather than homemade fabric ones as these afford greater protection against highly contagious new variants.

Germany went a step further and followed Austria and Bavaria in making it compulsory for full protective filtering face piece (FFP) masks to be worn on public transport and in shops.

Unlike fabric and surgical masks, which are designed to protect other people from larger respiratory droplets produced when we speak, cough or sneeze, FFP masks also protect the wearer because they filter both the inflow and outflow of air. They also give a degree of protection against smaller droplets or aerosols, depending on the mask’s rating.

Scientists have long cautioned that masks alone will not prevent Covid-19 transmission, and should be combined with physical distancing and hand-washing.

Even so, “the research suggests that cloth face coverings are a useful tool in the fight against Covid-19 and help to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus”, said Prof Miles Carroll, head of research at Public Health England’s National Infection Service.

Yet, faced with more transmissible variants, some experts believe people should consider wearing medical-grade masks – particularly if they are likely to be in close proximity to other people indoors for extended periods of time.

“People should be using the best mask available to them, and the government should make it as clear as possible as to what this means,” said Dr Allen Haddrell at the University of Bristol’s Aerosol Research Centre. “Given the concern with how infectious this new strain appears to be, the goal of the French government is to try to limit the amount of viral aerosol exposure across the board,” he said.

“Increasing the number of people correctly wearing high-quality masks will dramatically limit the degree to which Sars-CoV-2 can be spread through the aerosol phase. No mask is 100% efficient, but some are definitely much less effective than others.”

Confusion is now complete.

No, the advice does not go against that Lancet report, and there is no confusion. From the above:

Unlike fabric and surgical masks, which are designed to protect other people from larger respiratory droplets produced when we speak, cough or sneeze, FFP masks also protect the wearer because they filter both the inflow and outflow of air. They also give a degree of protection against smaller droplets or aerosols, depending on the mask’s rating.

faced with more transmissible variants, some experts believe people should consider wearing medical-grade masks

Scientists have long cautioned that masks alone will not prevent Covid-19 transmission, and should be combined with physical distancing and hand-washing.

Even so, “the research suggests that cloth face coverings are a useful tool in the fight against Covid-19 and help to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus”

And a couple of bits you left out:

People should be using the best mask available to them, and the government should make it as clear as possible as to what this means

Increasing the number of people correctly wearing high-quality masks will dramatically limit the degree to which Sars-CoV-2 can be spread through the aerosol phase. No mask is 100% efficient, but some are definitely much less effective than others.

[Cunt]

I'm still un'marked'. Currently, I'm too young to be a priority. Also, I lower myself down the priority list, because of my extra-strong cardio system. I don't mind waiting a bit until the less-well-protected get theirs.

But our region is 10% done now, or thereabouts

[Joe]

I'm due to get mine in a week. I thought I'd get it after the people who see patients, but we're a pretty young bunch so I guess they figure I'm an old guy.

[JimC]

The roll-out in Oz is to start mid-Febuary; medical staff, people in aged care homes, people doing quarantine duty etc. After that, old buggers like me. Perhaps sometime in March.

[NineBerry]

Are you going to get the good mRNA stuff or the cheap stuff from Oxford?