My son is an RN who worked five twelve hour shifts every week on the covid ward of his hospital. He hasn’t seen any family members or friends who are not also hospital workers since February. I was afraid when he had only a few patients with it and he was young and in good shape. He was exhausted by his work, and emotionally exhausted by watching them die. Then, he got it himself. He was only in the hospital for four days, because he knew to get there early, and he was in his own hospital, so he got VIP treatment. But, he will be off work, at best for about a month. He was so weakened by the disease that he required home health care, and he has scarring in his lungs and a weakened heart.Those healthy young people who believe that the Trump plague is no match for their immune system need to remember several things.
1. You are infecting people when you have no symptoms at all. This includes your family and people who actually matter to other people even if they don’t to you.
2. When you overestimate your immune system, or underestimate the plague, you wind up competing for a respirator and other materials needed by those who developed the disease because they were essential workers.
3. Many viruses remain within the cells of your body. We don’t know that this is one of them, but it’s not unlikely. They wait there until your body’s immune system is no longer strong enough to keep them in check. That could happen when you are older, or in the car wreck you have next week. Then, with their new assistance, they come back in full force.
4.. You are endangering the medical workers who have to care for you and the people that you infect. They are already risking their lives. What right have you to add to their jeopardy because you need a haircut?
You can determine exactly how important masks are with this simple test.
Go to any local hospital lobby. You will be greeted by a masked worker who will do a temp test on your forehead and hand you an N95 paper mask. All very good.
However, if you walk in with your own mask you will be allowed into the building. Look around. How may are wearing cloth masks? How many are wearing scruffy looking paper masks?
Are you visiting a patient? You will allowed into the room with that cloth mask you haven’t washed in…what…a week? 2 weeks? Longer?
The protocols for N95 and N99 masks are very stringent. Normal use around people not infected calls for a mask swap at least once every 4 hours. If you are coming in contact with known infected people you are supposed to swap to a new mask the moment you leave the room.
Cloth masks are simply NOT ALLOWED for medical personnel moving from room to room or coming in contact with multiple patients. But they will allow you to visit Grandpa who is recovering with a broken hip, wearing your filthy cloth mask.
Yes, new, clean N95 masks can and do reduce the spread of the virus.
That rag in your pocket? At best it does nothing. At worst it is like you are blowing out through a virus sponge, spreading everything on the outer layer on to every surface within 4-6 feet.
But they will let you wander around a hospital with that very same filthy rag across your face.
wjones over 3 years ago
Your personal freedom; It’s not 2021 yet.
Happy, happy, happy!!! Premium Member over 3 years ago
Sneezing into your mask when you have a beard isn’t good.
Especially if it’s a juicy sneeze.
Doctor Toon over 3 years ago
Your personal freedom ends where mine begins
If your germs invade my space your infringing on my right to stay healthy
Mask up, keep your distance, and please quit complaining
Diane Lee Premium Member over 3 years ago
My son is an RN who worked five twelve hour shifts every week on the covid ward of his hospital. He hasn’t seen any family members or friends who are not also hospital workers since February. I was afraid when he had only a few patients with it and he was young and in good shape. He was exhausted by his work, and emotionally exhausted by watching them die. Then, he got it himself. He was only in the hospital for four days, because he knew to get there early, and he was in his own hospital, so he got VIP treatment. But, he will be off work, at best for about a month. He was so weakened by the disease that he required home health care, and he has scarring in his lungs and a weakened heart.Those healthy young people who believe that the Trump plague is no match for their immune system need to remember several things.
1. You are infecting people when you have no symptoms at all. This includes your family and people who actually matter to other people even if they don’t to you.
2. When you overestimate your immune system, or underestimate the plague, you wind up competing for a respirator and other materials needed by those who developed the disease because they were essential workers.
3. Many viruses remain within the cells of your body. We don’t know that this is one of them, but it’s not unlikely. They wait there until your body’s immune system is no longer strong enough to keep them in check. That could happen when you are older, or in the car wreck you have next week. Then, with their new assistance, they come back in full force.
4.. You are endangering the medical workers who have to care for you and the people that you infect. They are already risking their lives. What right have you to add to their jeopardy because you need a haircut?
Andylit Premium Member over 3 years ago
You can determine exactly how important masks are with this simple test.
Go to any local hospital lobby. You will be greeted by a masked worker who will do a temp test on your forehead and hand you an N95 paper mask. All very good.
However, if you walk in with your own mask you will be allowed into the building. Look around. How may are wearing cloth masks? How many are wearing scruffy looking paper masks?
Are you visiting a patient? You will allowed into the room with that cloth mask you haven’t washed in…what…a week? 2 weeks? Longer?
The protocols for N95 and N99 masks are very stringent. Normal use around people not infected calls for a mask swap at least once every 4 hours. If you are coming in contact with known infected people you are supposed to swap to a new mask the moment you leave the room.
Cloth masks are simply NOT ALLOWED for medical personnel moving from room to room or coming in contact with multiple patients. But they will allow you to visit Grandpa who is recovering with a broken hip, wearing your filthy cloth mask.
Yes, new, clean N95 masks can and do reduce the spread of the virus.
That rag in your pocket? At best it does nothing. At worst it is like you are blowing out through a virus sponge, spreading everything on the outer layer on to every surface within 4-6 feet.
But they will let you wander around a hospital with that very same filthy rag across your face.
Why is that?