OK, well, Keith is not an "expert on masks" per se, well not any less of an expert than a logical, intellectually honest person is. Keith is a good friend and a pretty smart guy all around. I think what our biggest frustrations are these days, especially with the "mask debate" is that people have lost their bloody minds! I just imagine that those sitting on their golden thrones are looking down at us and pointing, "omg look at that one in the pink bandana" or "this one wins the stupid prize!" In some states, mask coverings are mandatory to stop the spread of this "deadly virus"...but any old rag that covers your nose and mouth will do. THIS, this is where the blatant stupidity comes into play. There is NO science behind this! There is NO medical mandate as to what medically approved mask one should wear, just put something, like an pair of pantyhose over your head and you can come on in and be served. And none of the Covidiots (CO-VID_EOTS) think there is anything wrong with this...meanwhile the intellectuals, those who are actually thinking, laugh and cry at the same time! So, I can unequivocally say that Keith is as much of a "mask expert" as anyone. The following is his take. He presents his case much nicer than I would. 😉
To mask or not to mask, while flattening the curve? That is the question.
Keith Gibson July 2, 2020 Guest writer--Itsmac
Is it possible that both sides of this decision, have merit?
For any that know me, I love everyone, & like to learn, rather than be argumentative.
This is an attempt to build a bridge, rather than a divide.
Yes, I have had friends, & friends of friends, that have been hospitalized with covid-19. Most survived, but sadly not all.
I myself am at risk. I still believe each individual has the right to choose for themselves, how best to handle choices surrounding covid-19, for themselves.
I sincerely believe that most Americans have way more in common on the majority of topics, than the lesser portion of differences that exist.
So, if you are open to a counter point of view, perhaps I could ask a few questions, so we can work towards the same perspective.
I can't write this without bias, but I'll entertain respectively written/spoken, alternate points of view, of course.
How long has polio been around?
How about Ebola, measles, chicken pox, Smallpox, etc...?
Can we agree, that once they are out, they don't go away, without a lot more time than any 1 human can live?
Considering that we are still being vaccinated for some of these things, that have been around for 100+ years, and seeing that those things still exist, it's safe to say that Covid 19 is also not going away, even after a vaccine is developed, and tested long enough to be considered safe.
Once these things get out of Pandora's box, they don't go back inside.
That's not the way it works.
Our best shot with covid therefore, is herd immunity, like many other yuckiness that we've obtained herd immunity on, and still have vaccines for.
I'm trying to interject a little positivity here. Consider that covid treatments have become more effective, and covid has a 99.5% survival rate (which the media doesn't focus on, because good news sadly doesn't sell as well as sensational news).
Perhaps we can agree, the media is not currently helping. (Really sick of spin, and it's on both sides.)
So yes, we're talking about something terrible, but doable, and going to happen whether we like it or not.
Also terrible, but has given us some positive perspective on the "statistical data", there's been some noteworthy items:
1. The numbers have been double reported, and the CDC has apologized for the error. (Antibody results were being added into the "New Cases" total, (and that's the opposite of what an antibody test indicates).
The antibody test means somebody got covid, and developed antibodies, and didn't even know they had it, in most cases.
2. A huge chunk of the "Dead" counted, were the result of a really horrible policy, that was made by local government officials in several cities, like New York, Seattle, etc... Where, governors and mayors were idiots. They actually made it illegal for old folks facilities to refuse admission of "covid positive" patients/residents.
That's idiocy, and criminal in my book.
Just in the US, out of 120k ish dead
50,000 of those deaths, were our most vulnerable, our seniors, that died because of this terrible policy, that unnecessarily were exposed.
However, trying to focus on what that means, regarding the media that spins everything as negatively as possible, it means that the stats of survivability are even better now, that the policy was uncovered, and done away with.
What's more, is this 99.5% survivability rate is gratefully very high, and we don't even have a vaccine for this yet.
There are multiple very smart, and very credible sources on both sides of the mask argument. They each point out pros and cons of either choice we make.
That being the case, perhaps we just let people choose for themselves, which arguments/protocols, seem the most safe for their individual situations?
I think a one size fits all could be greatly improved on.
For instance, if you're elderly and/or immune compromised, take extra precautions.
If you are healthy, young, and like the idea of catching covid, building up your immune system by developing antibodies, so that you can work as opposed to the alternative devastating evils, then feel free to choose that.
Both choices have risk.
If the cure for you, is worse than the sickness, then you have every right to avoid the negatives that are definites for most people, where you go bankrupt, loose your home, marriage, etc...
Right now, alcoholism, domestic violence, child abuse, drug abuse, etc... are spiking, like a lot.
Can you see the value in maybe letting folks judge the lesser of those evils probability, for their individual situations?
Bottom line, this isn't going away. There's no disputing that.
The shutdown and the mask wearing wasn't to wait for this to disappear. It was to flatten the curve.
Many don't know what "Flatten the curve means".
It doesn't mean to wait it out.
It does mean everyone will absolutely unavoidably eventually be exposed to it, (naturally or by vaccination) and either way they will develop antibodies, which will give us "Herd Immunity" like we have on other nastiness that's also very deadly.
The flatten the curve part was just so that it didn't happen all at once, and overwhelm the hospitals.
Waiting for it to go away was never an option.
So how do you want to get exposed to it?
I'm happy to let you choose that for yourself.
I ask the same courtesy in return.
Just my 2 cents.
Keith Gibson July 2, 2020
