Covid, the "lockdowns" etc.

[Ghostmaker]

Those of you pining for the bootheel of government on your neck should move to Germany. Mutti Merkel's locking down EVERYTHING Easter Week. Everything. Supermarkets, essential services, manufacturing...

And may your chains lie lightly upon you.

[jhkim]

Are you referring to this study?

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7010e3.htm

If so yes, a 1.8% reduction in cases and 1.9% reduction in deaths after 100 days. Based on U.S. death rates since last April, that would be around 35 lives saved every day from masking - less because some states have not had mask mandates.

Almost 2000 people die every day from heart disease, and ~130 every day from suicides. 35/day is pretty insignificant comparatively, ergo, the effect of wearing masks is statistically insignificant unless you are a fucking moron.

Masks are an extremely simple, low-effort step to reduce spread. Why not do it, if it saves 35 lives a day - especially since it is only for a limited time until the vaccine is fully distributed.

I understand greater pushback about lockdowns since that has much greater impact and effort - but that doesn't apply to masks.

Also, you're using "statistically significant" to mean "small", but that's not what it means. The effect ​is statistically significant to within p < 0.01 according to the study. Note that is the effect of mask mandate orders, not overall mask use. The total effects of masks is at least 2-3 times greater than that, because even without the mandates, around 40% of Americans wear masks, and even with the mandates, many people do not wear masks (maybe 10 - 20%?). And many people wear them improperly.

[Garry G]

Cunt really is your go to word isn't it?

On balance it's a small thing to do if there is a reasonable chance of reducing risk to theirs. I know you don't care about other people, that's not you being a mental it's a straightforward personality disorder, but here in normal world we do. In the end it's not that unreasonable and has probably helped with the flu virus as well.

I've actually been wanting to ask about how the worldwide conspiracy works in your eyes. Who is behind it, how are they coordinating it between so many nations and what are they're ultimate goals? Lay it out.

Funny, "cases" everywhere went up following mask mandates, not down. So it's questionable that it's helping.

"cases"?

This is the rub. You're doing the quote thing so I take it you're questioning whether there really are cases, or "cases" as you prefer.

Explain the conspiracy please. Who are the conspirators, what is their motive, how have they managed to coordinate a worldwide fake pandemic. Lay it all out for idiots like me.

[Shasarak]

A recent CDC study (which unfortunately I can't look for while at work) showed that mask mandates had no statistically significant effect on transmission reduction. 

Off the top of my head I believe the data showed that where strict masking mandates were followed, after 60 days there was a 0.5 - 0.7% reduction in transmission.  After 100 days of strict masking that % increased to something like 1.6% in reduction of transmission.

That's because they weren't wearing TWO masks!

No one wears two masks!  That would be crazy.

Its three masks or bust.

[Brad]

Masks are an extremely simple, low-effort step to reduce spread. Why not do it, if it saves 35 lives a day - especially since it is only for a limited time until the vaccine is fully distributed.

I understand greater pushback about lockdowns since that has much greater impact and effort - but that doesn't apply to masks.

Also, you're using "statistically significant" to mean "small", but that's not what it means. The effect ​is statistically significant to within p < 0.01 according to the study. Note that is the effect of mask mandate orders, not overall mask use. The total effects of masks is at least 2-3 times greater than that, because even without the mandates, around 40% of Americans wear masks, and even with the mandates, many people do not wear masks (maybe 10 - 20%?). And many people wear them improperly.

I was going to make an actual post in reply, but instead I deleted it and will just say you must lead a sad fucking existence where you think 35 alleged deaths per day in a country with 330mil people is statistically significant. Are you the same type of dude to punish the entire class with detention because one dumbass was caught chewing gum?

Also, imagine trying to sound smart by talking about p values when it was pretty clear what I meant. You're seriously annoying as fuck. Adding Comrade Kim to ye olde ignore list as he seems to add nothing but "actually!" vibes to every discussion.

[Brad]

No one wears two masks!  That would be crazy.

Its three masks or bust.

Look, wear three masks for just two more weeks. We promise this time. Seriously.

[jhkim]

I was going to make an actual post in reply, but instead I deleted it and will just say you must lead a sad fucking existence where you think 35 alleged deaths per day in a country with 330mil people is statistically significant. Are you the same type of dude to punish the entire class with detention because one dumbass was caught chewing gum?

The homicide rate in the U.S. is an average of around 40 deaths per day. Would you say that all homicides in the U.S. are statistically insignificant, and not worth any concern?

[SHARK]

No one wears two masks!  That would be crazy.

Its three masks or bust.

Look, wear three masks for just two more weeks. We promise this time. Seriously.

Greetings!

Hi there, Brad! Good to see you still standing strong!

Fuck the goddamned masks! I rarely ever wear the fucking things. The *only* times that I do put the fucking mask on is when I have to go to some place that absolutely requires it, of everyone. Such as when I have had a medical appointment--they require everyone to wear a mask to enter the building--or when I needed to conduct business at my phone company--they, too, have a mask requirement for everyone entering the business. So, I have occasionally had to wear the fucking mask.

Fortunately, most places around where I live--businesses, restaurants, markets, do not have such requirements, and the majority of patrons and customers going into such places aren't wearing the fucking mask, either. Some restaurants, for example, have their employees wearing masks--but I'm glad to also see that some restaurants have gotten rid of that program, too, and the girls that cook for me and bring me my food often are smiling and happy, and normal--not all masked the fuck up and making everyone feel like they are sitting in a fucking hospital.

I'm very glad that the society--at least here--is making efforts to return life to normal, and are not embracing hysteria, paranoia, and fucking government tyranny.

It's so nice to see people's faces, enjoy actually having conversations together, seeing them laugh. Fucking LIVING and enjoying LIFE.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

[Shasarak]

No one wears two masks!  That would be crazy.

Its three masks or bust.

Look, wear three masks for just two more weeks. We promise this time. Seriously.

If you are not prepared to wear three masks for ever then you might as well just kill Grandma right now.

[Kyle Aaron]

If you are not prepared to wear three masks for ever then you might as well just kill Grandma right now.

Well, she's statistically insignificant, isn't she? Now where's my rifle...

[Brad]

If you are not prepared to wear three masks for ever then you might as well just kill Grandma right now.

Well, she's statistically insignificant, isn't she? Now where's my rifle...

Your grandma is, sure.  Mine are both dead, and if they weren't I'd tell them to stay the fuck home if they were worried about this sham.

[Kyle Aaron]

If being vaccinated doesn't mean we can ease up on the rules and calm down, then certainly the little fact of their already being dead isn't going to stop us from needing to protect them.

[Shasarak]

If being vaccinated doesn't mean we can ease up on the rules and calm down, then certainly the little fact of their already being dead isn't going to stop us from needing to protect them.

How else are Brads Grandmas going to vote for Biden again next election?

[Brad]

How else are Brads Grandmas going to vote for Biden again next election?

They both voted for Biden at least five times, I bet. Also:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220305348

So...yeah. Fucking dumbasses like Comrade Kim calling themselves scientists but ignoring studies like that because they don't fit the media narrative is exactly why I have zero respect for anyone in academia anymore.

[horsesoldier]

I was going to make an actual post in reply, but instead I deleted it and will just say you must lead a sad fucking existence where you think 35 alleged deaths per day in a country with 330mil people is statistically significant. Are you the same type of dude to punish the entire class with detention because one dumbass was caught chewing gum?

The homicide rate in the U.S. is an average of around 40 deaths per day. Would you say that all homicides in the U.S. are statistically insignificant, and not worth any concern?

I would. I'm concerned about the homicide rate in my zip code. It is vanishingly small. Spread it out the county, vanishingly small. National figures are of no use to me.

And if our murder rate was as suspicious as our corona-related deaths it would mean even less.