Capitol Hill Blue Forums Science and Technology Health, Medicine & the healing Sciences Masks, after vaxx, after delta

I wore masks away from home until I was vaccinated. Then I generally dropped them until delta brought us joy.

Now I’m having a discussion with a family member. She has dropped masks entirely, because she “doesn’t give a damn about people who are too stupid to get vaccinated.” We’re submitting our questions to the family epidemiologist.

In the meantime, I’m curious. (Obviously I realize these are personal questions; I understand if you’re not interested in responding.). I am asking for your personal thoughts/actions The thinking behind your decisions is always welcome.

1) Are you currently wearing a mask
a. At work
b. Away from home
c. Around large groups of people
d Not at all, or only when required

2) If you are currently wearing a mask, what circumstances would make you comfortable to stop wearing it?

3) If you are not wearing a mask,what would prompt you to start again?

I’ve assumed that everyone here is vaccinated, but I realize there are various reasons that may not be true.

I am fully vaccinated, and have been since March. Like you, I was SO relieved when the CDC announced that masks were no longer required among similarly vaccinated individuals, and even hosted a dinner party celebrating that fact. I was chagrined when masks came back into vogue.

We have returned to almost the same level of masking as before vaccination, although I will admit to being more sanguine about it at home - for example, I had a friend over to do some handyman work and he took off his mask while working under the sink. (I kept mine on, even though we are both vaccinated.) We don't mask around our son, even though he works outside of the house, and amongst unvaccinated coworkers. He's a monk about masking at work because of that.

In my view, it is a matter of ameliorating - not eliminating - risk. In most public settings, I mask religiously, even outdoors, because I have no idea what kind of people I am coming into contact with. Delta is rampant in my county, and we now have a higher incidence of positive cases than at any time since the pandemic began. We recently canceled our Disney vacation (boy was that painful) because it doesn't make sense to go into an environment like Florida at this point in time. But, I am more lax at home than I have been.

I'm looking forward to mandated vaccinations.

BTW, my wife's grand-nephew caught COVID his first week of school. He's 11 1/2. Doing better, but spiked a 103° fever. Very worrying.

Hope your wife's grand-nephew recovers fully. Please keep us posted. There's been a lot of discussion lately about kids having some symptoms for a long time. Reopening schools without following CDC recommendations is a primary driver of our current surge.

I'm pretty sure my wife and I had Covid in March 2020, and are fully vaccinated. So we should have the strongest immunity possible, but we still always mask away from home, never eat in restaurants, sterilize groceries, or let them sit untouched for a few days. If we did get infected again, I'm pretty sure it would be minor cases but the best Covid is no Covid at all.

We are VERY fortunate to have a 10 acre country home, so we can spend a lot of time outside unmasked with complete security.

Nephew doing better. I read this morning that under 12 infections have gone up 240% - I think over the month. I'll find a link.

Glad your nephew is better!

We were fully vaxed by early February. The town was pretty much shut down but we still wore masks to shop, etc. That said it was nice to be around others you knew were vaccinated and you could unmask for a little while.....family, friends, we even did a couple of happy hours.

When UGA started in person classes, K-12 started and delta hit, our cases came back with a roar.

We're back to going nowhere and full masking. No vacations for a year and a half.
Mostly because I want this damn thing to stop! I want to do my part and not make anybody sick!

Boy do I miss the music and the festivals and the restaurants!

I don't wear a mask. I'm vaccinated. I don't work or shop and have everything delivered.

I eat out once a year on my birthday. I haven't been in a car in 4 months.

All outdoor activities are safely distanced.

But if I did have to be indoors with strangers I would absolutely wear a mask!

I will be going to an outdoor concert on Thursday. Reserved seats will be spaced. Haven’t decided whether to mask or not. I’m fairly sure my friend will not. I think I’ll take one with me and decide when I see the audience. Whatever I do will be weird, as I haven’t been around that many people in a long time..

I would mask for my own safety. One never knows when the guy safely distanced beside you might be spewing fumes of foul virus-laden effluvium. When that one moist particle might get caught by the mask and save your life.

Take some vitamin D before you go too.

But I'd stop short of Ivermectin. Though some around you will have coursing through their systems.

Welcome back Mellowicious.


Wear a mask.

Even the vaccinated can carry and transmit a pathogen, the mask(s) add an extra layer or two of protection.

Studies have shown that the viral load of the vaccinated is higher than the unvaccinated. Vaccinated - more resistant to the downside effects of the virus. Unvaccinated - more susceptible to the downside, therefore more hospitalizations and death for this group.

Additionally, last I heard, the vaccinated, when they do have a break through case, suffer less from the virus and the chance of death is nil.

Ivermectin is an antiparasitic, it kills a certain type of parasitic plant or animal. Just like Hydroxychloroquine is an antiparasitic, it kills the protozoan that causes Malaria. Since the Virus is not a plant nor an animal, why take an antiparasitic.

To the best of my poor knowledge, if anything, a virus is an alien form of life that is not based on DNA but on RNA and has a very different reproductive or life cycle from DNA based life. At least this is my guesstimate from what little I understand or my opinion.