@phillybluesfan provided by someone who has worked with patients with some scary infections. The advice is usually very practical and more relevant than textbook answers and made up stuff released by so called experts.

It makes the situation a lot less scary, just part of the rhythm of life. Thanks for sharing.

My wife and I will continue masking during indoor shopping trips. Not willing to restaurant dine indoors. We have patio dined with friends, including the retired eyes-ears-nose-throat doc who has been our personal guide to pandemic behavior.

@ovals49 were from indoor gatherings for group celebrations. I would probably do the same.

I assist an individual who has been unable to use the flu vaccine for years. Infectious control protocols are implemented every flu season. It was just confirmed by their personal physician not to get COVID vaccine. We will just continue with personal habits to avoid being infected. Plan on extra vigilance during the times of year we saw infection rates increase in the past 15 months.

masked in the church, but will pass altogether on the indoor dining/reception. It’s impossible to eat with a mask on, and I’m not particularly interested in watching others eat and drink.

Certain mask requirements are being dropped today here (MA) but I plan to continue to mask up indoors in the company of strangers. Nation wide vaccination rates are in the low 30% range, so there are still plenty or unvaccinated about. Some precautions still seem prudent for us oldsters.

@Lookout especially liked this explanation in the Indoor transmission of SARS-CoV-2 article on wiley.com.

This study has limitations. We only studied outbreaks in China, where very strict intervention measures were implemented. We relied fully on the case reports of the local health authorities in each city, and variation exists in the details and the quality of their original epidemiological investigations. We also made no attempt to access any of the infection venues, and the details of each of these indoor spaces remains unknown.

This study shows that the individual indoor environments in which we live and work are the most common venues in which the virus of the once-in-a-century-pandemic is transmitted among us. An individual infected in one building may infect others in the building(s) that he or she later visits. People are in constant contact as they move from one indoor space or building to another, which creates an indoor contact network through which a virus can spread.20 The buildings and transport cabins in various parts of the world are thus connected and facilitated the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic virus.

Attention to ventilation systems is critical.

Happy to see Chris back publishing on Youtube.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN5gyLwoB-8]
30 min

Here are the studies discussed
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-6817
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7717330/
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2029717
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.03.20206110v6.full
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12766
Outdoor transmission accounts for 0.1% of State’s Covid-19 cases

Bottom line - masking outside isn't necessary unless you're spending long amounts of time talking face to face.

I'm still masking in stores, especially those where employees must wear masks, but otherwise relying on the protection of my vaccines.

It was difficult to get people to start wearing masks, and now it may be difficult for folks to stop. I agree with Chris, it s a personal decision. Do what makes you comfortable.

Thanks for the OT!

@NYCVG in Urban city centers while changing face coverings can be a bit vexing. Weather was a tad nasty one November visit to NYC in the past. My scarf was continually be wound and unwound around my face to prevent wind burn outside or overheating inside.

I forsee that my mask will be with me for many months to come. Chin strap while walking outside and pulled up as I enter stores or lobbies and certainly in elevators.

@enhydra lutris of those solely about themselves and those on a power trip of control of others. Between them any beneficial changes to society is nearly impossible. Nature has a ways of them weeding them out of the population.

Worn masks, as needed, in my time, though they do tend to fog my goggles or glasses should I be wearing any for any purpose. You may have exposed one of the reasons for the bulk of anti-masker activities. Forgetting the potential for schadenfreude, check out this:

https://boingboing.net/2021/05/28/a-33-year-old-cop-who-posted-antivax-c...

His theme "I have an immune system", and I ran into a guy once who declared "I am not a coward".

Consider in light of this: Used to prevent contamination from wearers breath.
For those who are solely about themselves, the chance that they may contaminate others is no issue, hence masks are a nuisance, making one look like a wimp or coward for no personal benefit, they only help others and, frankly, fuck everybody else, it is up to them to have powerful immune systems too and also, booyah. For those who are solely about themselves registers as what? 50% of the populace of so?

be well and have a good one

@QMS Similar to forgetting to wear green on St Patrick's Day in the past. Either get ridiculed or pinched, the lack of green was never simply tolerated.

Went to the tire store yesterday - no one in the building with a mask except me. Next stop Post Office, nearly everyone was putting on a mask prior to entering and removing as exiting. No entry without a mask. People seem to be adjusting to the fluidity of the requirements. The state government has been a little crazy.

at first, I would never remember to mask-up till I saw a sign on the door.
Oops, carry a half dozen in my van, go back and cover.

Now I am so conditioned, I walk in and I'm the only one wearing.
Sheesh, educating dinosaurs is slow.

Used to be hostility in their eyes seeing me without face protection.
Now it's the opposite. Getting looks from peeps, what's wrong with you?
Haven't you been jabbed? It's a good way to maintain personal space.

Fear morphing into hostility. Talk about unsocial distancing...

Thanks for the OT!