Why masks in airports?

[N860CR]

All of this is starting to make perfect sense. This was part of the plan all along. Let everyone loose and let it spread quickly.

Have we stopped at Omicron or are we still going?

What’s the other option? Allowing infection in an almost fully vaccinated population seems quite logical. But was there a better plan?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What’s the other option? Allowing infection in an almost fully vaccinated population seems quite logical. But was there a better plan?

The vaccines wear off. Only 70% of the eligible population has had a booster (third dose).

We can’t keep relying on the 95% double-dose forever.

 

[N860CR]

The vaccines wear off. Only 70% of the eligible population has had a booster (third dose).

We can’t keep relying on the 95% double-dose forever.

So again, what’s the other option?

 

[cwphoto]

The vaccines wear off. Only 70% of the eligible population has had a booster (third dose).

We can’t keep relying on the 95% double-dose forever.

Natural immunity.

 

[drron]

Well according to the pundits we now have the variant BA5 which they say can circumvent the immunity provided by vaccination or natural infection.

The current growth advantage for the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of concern (mainly observed in South Africa [4] and Portugal [6]) compared to the dominant variant BA.2, is probably due to their ability to evade immune protection against infection induced by prior infection and/or vaccination, particularly if this has waned over time.

Implications of the emergence and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern BA.4 and BA.5 for the EU/EEA

Most EU/EEA countries have detected low proportions of the SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.4 and BA.5, however many have seen an increase in recent weeks.

www.ecdc.europa.eu

Of course they lose a little respect by saying we should all get our first then second booster! But they just said this variant circumvents the effect of vaccination. An Australian expert says though that it circumvents the immunity of natural infection with no mention of vaccination.

Coronavirus booster jab more important than ever as new Omicron variant takes hold

Australians are today being urged to ensure they receive their COVID-19 booster jabs as a new Omicron strai...

www.9news.com.au

However vaccination stimulates antibodies to the spike protein which is where the new variant has mutations. Natural immunity stimulates s and N antibodies so no way is it more likely to be circumvented than vaccination.

That said being now 75 and obviously at greater risk I will get my second booster but closer to our leaving for 2 months in Europe. I would certainly advise those with co morbidities and immunocompromised to do the same.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So again, what’s the other option?

Simple protocols such as masks and social distancing in high-density environments.

 

[JohnK]

See Sweden. The overall picture says Sweden did OK

You're the doctor. Is everything really OK? I think time will tell.

I know quite a few people who have died and many more who have developed health issues since infection. Sad that an otherwise healthy 30-40 year old has respiratory issues and will more than likely have for life. All this from so called mild version omicron.

By the way I'm still struggling from chicken pox infection at 46 years old. That was almost 12 years ago.

 

[N860CR]

Simple protocols such as masks and social distancing in high-density environments.

Doesn’t work. We know that. So what’s the other option? Or you genuinely believe we can eradicate the virus by wearing a mask?

Post automatically merged: Jun 18, 2022

You're the doctor. Is everything really OK? I think time will tell.

I know quite a few people who have died and many more who have developed health issues since infection. Sad that an otherwise healthy 30-40 year old has respiratory issues and will more than likely have for life. All this from so called mild version omicron.

By the way I'm still struggling from chicken pox infection at 46 years old. That was almost 12 years ago.

Over half of the country has been “infected”. Do we genuinely believe that half the country is suffering from long term issues?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Doesn’t work. We know that. So what’s the other option? Or you genuinely believe we can eradicate the virus by wearing a mask?

Post automatically merged: Jun 18, 2022

Over half of the country has been “infected”. Do we genuinely believe that half the country is suffering from long term issues?

I don’t think it has to be as black and white as you want people to believe.

We don’t need to ‘eradicate’ but rather limit the spread - in high-risk settings - through the use of basic protocols such as masks and social distancing.

Masks do help to stop the spread. There is no evidence to the contrary.

Just because some people have covid with few side effects doesn’t mean everyone is going to be in the same boat.

I don’t want this every single year.

And let’s stop for a moment to negate the excuse of ‘elderly’ or ‘comorbidities’ as being the only people affected… with the implication that we therefore shouldn’t care. It’s not as if either of those are a choice of those affected.

Try replacing ‘comorbidities’ with ‘disabled’. Would we accept a virus that only killed the disabled? No.

 

[N860CR]

I don’t think it has to be as black and white as you want people to believe.

We don’t need to ‘eradicate’ but rather limit the spread - in high-risk settings - through the use of basic protocols such as masks and social distancing.

Masks do help to stop the spread. There is no evidence to the contrary.

Just because some people have covid with few side effects doesn’t mean everyone is going to be in the same boat.

I don’t want this every single year.

And let’s stop for a moment to negate the excuse of ‘elderly’ or ‘comorbidities’ as being the only people affected..l stint the implication that we therefore shouldn’t care. It’s not as if either of those are a choice of those affected.

Try replacing ‘comorbidities’ with ‘disabled’. Would we accept a virus that only killed the disabled? No.

It’s very black and white to believe that masks plus social distancing equals “covid OK” and not doing so is “letting it rip”.

Over the last two years we’ve established that we can either lockdown permanently (which did largely work in Australia) or move on. Our highest level of transmission occurred in January when we had mask restrictions in all settings and significantly more other controls. We’ve now all but removed said controls and we’re at the lowest transmission rate we’ve seen all year. Totally kills the mask argument.

Our options were lockdown forever, or allow the virus to circulate in the community (as we do with every other virus). It is mild, now you’ve had it you’ll have better protection moving forward and, as much as people don’t like to admit it, we’ve always made decisions for the “greater good”.

 

[JohnK]

Over half of the country has been “infected”. Do we genuinely believe that half the country is suffering from long term issues?

Not everyone but even if 10% are suffering with long term issues you should show you care about them.

How did society deteriorate to this point? We really do need a reset. There's nothing good left.

 

[N860CR]

Not everyone but even if 10% are suffering with long term issues you should show you care about them.

How did society deteriorate to this point? We really do need a reset. There's nothing good left.

Except 10% isn’t. Given we had nearly two years of being told this was the end of the world, it’s not surprising that people have worked themselves up. The simple fact of the matter is that, if you’re vaccinated, this is not indifferent to a cold. I’d hardly take that to the point of “there’s nothing good left”.

 

[Happy Trails]

.

Masks do help to stop the spread. There is no evidence to the contrary.

There is evidence that they increase severity and case fatality rate among wearers.

The Foegen effect: A mechanism by which facemasks... : Medicine

med to determine whether mandatory mask use influenced the case fatality rate in Kansas, USA between August 1st and October 15th 2020. This study applied secondary data on case updates, mask mandates, and demographic status related to Kansas State, USA. A parallelization analysis based on...

journals.lww.com

Correlation Between Mask Compliance and COVID-19 Outcomes in Europe

Masking was the single most common non-pharmaceutical intervention in the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Most countries have implemented recommendations or mandates regarding the use of masks in public spaces. The aim of this short study was to analyse the...

www.cureus.com

 

[cwphoto]

Simple protocols such as masks and social distancing in high-density environments.

Doesn't work and is impractical.

 

[cwphoto]

Not everyone but even if 10% are suffering with long term issues you should show you care about them.

How did society deteriorate to this point? We really do need a reset. There's nothing good left.

What about the 10% who didn't want to be vaccinated? Where was the care/compassion shown for them.

Pot meet Kettle.

 

[andye]

There is evidence that they increase severity and case fatality rate among wearers.

The Foegen effect: A mechanism by which facemasks... : Medicine

med to determine whether mandatory mask use influenced the case fatality rate in Kansas, USA between August 1st and October 15th 2020. This study applied secondary data on case updates, mask mandates, and demographic status related to Kansas State, USA. A parallelization analysis based on...

journals.lww.com

Correlation Between Mask Compliance and COVID-19 Outcomes in Europe

Masking was the single most common non-pharmaceutical intervention in the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Most countries have implemented recommendations or mandates regarding the use of masks in public spaces. The aim of this short study was to analyse the...

www.cureus.com

Interesting. Clearly no proof of causation as could be confounders. Medicine is full of counter-intuitive findings though.
Also worth noting that research findings that do not fulfil the highest (randomised controlled trials) level of evidence are given more credence if they support the prevailing orthodoxy (applicable to both sides in this case)

 

[CMA222]

What happened to this thread being about masks in airports. There are other threads for arguing expressing personal views on Covid-19 generally.

 

[OATEK]

What happened to this thread being about masks in airports. There are other threads for arguing expressing personal views on Covid-19 generally.

Agree - time to move over to the on aircraft debate.

 

[JohnK]

Except 10% isn’t. Given we had nearly two years of being told this was the end of the world, it’s not surprising that people have worked themselves up. The simple fact of the matter is that, if you’re vaccinated, this is not indifferent to a cold. I’d hardly take that to the point of “there’s nothing good left”.

Fully vaccinated people are developing respiratory issues after getting infected. That's a fact.

My point regarding nothing good left refers to this world. It's an evil place. Rich getting richer and poor literally getting poorer. Corruption every where you turn.

 

[Saab34]

My point regarding nothing good left refers to this world. It's an evil place. Rich getting richer and poor literally getting poorer. Corruption every where you turn.

Take me back to the 90s. Please. This decade is just going to get worse and worse. Just wait until Trump gets a second term. I seriously wish I could just jump ship to another planet at the moment. Come back in 20 years and see if things have improved here.