Worse thing about a face mask!

The worse thing about a face mask is when I spit and realize to late I am wearing a mask. Second worse is when I am shopping and it causes my glasses to fog up. Third worse is trying to talk on the phone. Fourth worse is trying to identify the good people from the bad people when all are wearing masks. In general just like everyone but robbers, I hate masks.

I've got another one: If you wear hearing aids, they tend to fall out when you take the mask off.
Let's face it, wearing masks is a royal PITA, but apparently necessary until this plague is over. I read that the new variant is even more contagious than the other one.

They can serve as a decent chin warmer on cold windy days

I don't like how they muffle speech. I can hear, but don't understand. I have one ear which is weakening, but in general I think I have also been relying on reading lips and watching hand gestures.

Advantage: I don't have to remember to check for those pesky stray chin hairs to pluck before going out in public.

I am really enjoying this thread. You have checked about all of my boxes on this one. I sneezed in my blue, surgical mask and automatically put my hand over my mouth. I could feel particles coming right through the mask. How much protection am I really getting?

Roy- this video is a really good visual of how well a mask works. Yes, some vapor goes through it, but the mask blocks most of it and keeps it from travelling very far.

https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatoon/comments/js86wj/use_saskatoons_cold_air_to_show_how_masks_work/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

I read that the new variant is even more contagious than the other one.[/quote]


It is quite possible that Omicron could be a good thing in the long run.  It suggests that the latest mutations are less lethal, since it currently is believed to be much milder that Delta with lesser chances of death or hospitalization and seems to equally infect those vaccinated along with the non-vaccinated.  But only time will tell.

https://www.cepr.net/could-the-omicron-variant-be-good-news/

Talking about those pesky face masks, boy did they help with the bobos this year.  Their one true benefit in my opinion.

And yes CEPR news is left leaning.

I like the idea that it so far seems to be pretty mild and non-lethal and it seems to be going after the vaccinated people.  I find that pretty ironic.

But like I always have believed, this virus will not stop because of vaccines or mask wearing or social distancing. As entrenched in the world's population as it is, it will just have to run its course. Many people don't like to hear that but it is the honest truth.

Vaccines do not necessarily eradicate a virus. Some viruses eventually weaken and may disappear over time. I read that polio, while there are still isolated incidents of it in some parts of the world, actually largely disappeared all over the world at the same time, regardless of whether there were mass vaccination programs in those countries, or not.

What vaccines do is save millions of lives until such time as a virus peters out or so many people are vaccinated that it ceases to be a deadly threat. Some viruses never peter out, like the common cold or influenza. But there are different categories of viruses that behave differently. Covid is not in the same category of viruses as influenza and the common cold. So hopefully, maybe it will mutate into something that is simply a stay at home for a few days feeling lousy disease.

I have a friend who has been in a wheelchair since she was 4 years old. She contracted polio during the 50's polio epidemic before the vaccine was available. She could have lived a normal life had she had the opportunity to get a vaccine.

BTW, the Omicron variant is not "going after vaccinated people". That's a really ignorant statement. It is going after everyone, vaccinated or not- it seems to be capable of breaking through the vaccination, as are all the variants, but the vaccinated are much less likely to contract it, if you actually read the science instead of whatever right wing bs you read.

Very interesting the history of the 1918 " Spanish" Flu. It originally presented as a sleeping sickness, people were very sleepy then died in their sleep. That phase quickly vanished, with no explanation, and certainly no vaccinations. The next phase presented as a bad form of influenza, but curiously caused outbreaks all over the globe, even in many countries which were not connected by air travel. It too mysteriously disappeared and no dna identifiable example it is known to exist.
Nature is very difficult subject to deduce expected results.
This, and many more mysteries in Bill Bryson's book, the Body, an occupants manual.

Mudgirl you are right, I shouldn't have phrased it that way.  Omicron is not going after the vaccinated.  But the news media is focusing on the vaccinated in regards to Omicron.  During the weekend they were reporting that all those who have been reported to have had Omicron in the US had been vaccinated and many were facemask wearers.  In the article  I supplied above stated that it had been wildly spreading around in a Scandinavian country due to a Chistmas event and nearly every person infected had been prior vaccinated. But by no means I am trying to imply that it only infects the vaccinated.  I am sure it has the potential to infect all equally.  The good news is that so far it appears to be pretty benign.

"However, for unvaccinated people, the symptoms are worse and many are ending up in hospital. Dr Coetzee said that in South Africa, “on a hospital level… between 88% to 90% (of people) are unvaccinated.”

Meanwhile in the UK, former vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said Omicron will be especially devastating for the unvaxxed. “The variant is so infectious, it will seek [unvaccinated people] out”."