Please stay safe this Thanksgiving

[mom2rtk]

That I will agree with for the most part, they either lied in order to preserve the supply of masks or they were wrong. But I don’t think that one mistake early on is cause for never trusting him again.

Since mask wearing is such a critical piece of slowing the spread, I think it was a pretty big mistake. Once you lose credibility on such a big issue, once you've lied to manipulate people, those same people are much less likely to believe everything else you have to say.

I understand the spot they were in. I just wish they had found a better way.

 

[GreatLakes]

Science has, and always should have, more questions than answers. Opinions and suggestions chance and change rapidly in evolving situations.

Masks are not a cure, they are one part of a much larger puzzle with the more important measures being social distancing, limiting non-essential interaction, and being metabolically healthy so the virus isn't a death sentence if you do happen to get it.

Since so much of our population is at risk due to a co-morbidity I think the best thing to do is play it safe. As I said earlier, that means a year or two of sacrifice, not seeming people, skipping birthdays, funerals, and gatherings. It is what it is. I've skipped weddings, my grandma's funeral, and I lost track of how many other parties.

 

[fla4fun]

Since mask wearing is such a critical piece of slowing the spread, I think it was a pretty big mistake. Once you lose credibility on such a big issue, once you've lied to manipulate people, those same people are much less likely to believe everything else you have to say.

I understand the spot they were in. I just wish they had found a better way.

I have had the same thought, but can’t think of a different response. There would have been reports in the news that medical facilities didn’t have the supplies they needed, because they didn’t. They kept reporting that medical personnel would die if they didn’t get masks and gloves and other protective gear. Anyone paying the least bit of attention to what was being said about the medical community was asking themselves why it wasn’t just as important for the public to have the same protections. So it was important to discourage the general public from buying the few supplies there were at the time.

I suppose they could have restricted sales to medical facilities only, but I think that would have caused a panic among the general public when they couldn’t get the same protection. Imagine if the public had treated masks like TP, and people were breaking into supplies at medical facilities to get them. There are such strong feelings on both sides of the issue that I can picture people being desperate to get their hands on them if they were restricted from buying them. I believe the experts would have liked to tell us all to wear masks from the beginning, especially when they weren’t as sure how it was spreading, because as soon as DIY masks went viral they were encouraging everyone to wear homemade masks.

Just this week, they released information that says the mask protects the wearer as well as those around them. That seems like common sense to me, and I have felt that way from the beginning. But I also feel that would have increased the desperation to get masks at a time they weren’t readily available, and that was the last thing we needed at the time. I am just thankful that I am not the one having to provide the latest information to the public. That seems like a rather thankless job to me.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I have had the same thought, but can’t think of a different response. There would have been reports in the news that medical facilities didn’t have the supplies they needed, because they didn’t. They kept reporting that medical personnel would die if they didn’t get masks and gloves and other protective gear. Anyone paying the least bit of attention to what was being said about the medical community was asking themselves why it wasn’t just as important for the public to have the same protections. So it was important to discourage the general public from buying the few supplies there were at the time.

I suppose they could have restricted sales to medical facilities only, but I think that would have caused a panic among the general public when they couldn’t get the same protection. Imagine if the public had treated masks like TP, and people were breaking into supplies at medical facilities to get them. There are such strong feelings on both sides of the issue that I can picture people being desperate to get their hands on them if they were restricted from buying them. I believe the experts would have liked to tell us all to wear masks from the beginning, especially when they weren’t as sure how it was spreading, because as soon as DIY masks went viral they were encouraging everyone to wear homemade masks.

Just this week, they released information that says the mask protects the wearer as well as those around them. That seems like common sense to me, and I have felt that way from the beginning. But I also feel that would have increased the desperation to get masks at a time they weren’t readily available, and that was the last thing we needed at the time. I am just thankful that I am not the one having to provide the latest information to the public. That seems like a rather thankless job to me.

When they came out and discussed mask wearing later on it was a big focus on homemade masks, patterns to sew and no sew patterns were all over the news, all over the stores, everywhere. Cloth masks were what the main focus was. That could have been made the main focus early on too. That isn't to say this would 100% fix 100% of the concern but when they did come out they purposefully made it about homemade and we all accepted that.

The message early on they gave the public was uncertainty about how important masks are and that is what people took to heart. Many of us did feel it was a supply issue but I'm at least one person who feels another avenue could have also been used that would have gotten the message out about wearing masks and yet preserving as much as possible medical grade ones (that's an important part because vast majority of our disposable masks the public has been buying are NOT medical grade ones anyways).

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Since mask wearing is such a critical piece of slowing the spread, I think it was a pretty big mistake. Once you lose credibility on such a big issue, once you've lied to manipulate people, those same people are much less likely to believe everything else you have to say.

I understand the spot they were in. I just wish they had found a better way.

I agree. We probably all remember the following tweet from the U.S. Surgeon General. I remember reading this and instantly being amazed at the amount of glaringly obvious contradiction this person was able to pack into just one sentence. Perhaps his intentions were good. If only he would have omitted everything before the comma....

 

[mom2rtk]

When they came out and discussed mask wearing later on it was a big focus on homemade masks, patterns to sew and no sew patterns were all over the news, all over the stores, everywhere. Cloth masks were what the main focus was. That could have been made the main focus early on too. That isn't to say this would 100% fix 100% of the concern but when they did come out they purposefully made it about homemade and we all accepted that.

The message early on they gave the public was uncertainty about how important masks are and that is what people took to heart. Many of us did feel it was a supply issue but I'm at least one person who feels another avenue could have also been used that would have gotten the message out about wearing masks and yet preserving as much as possible medical grade ones (that's an important part because vast majority of our disposable masks the public has been buying are NOT medical grade ones anyways).

Hard to focus on making homemade masks when you have all the fabric stores closed down. So I'll add that they should have highly encouraged localities to declare fabric stores essential, and flood the airwaves with instructions for making masks. People were trying to make them and elastic and fabric was sitting in stores that were closed.

I would have been fine with diverting all medical grade masks for distribution to front line workers.

But lying to manipulate the public was very damaging.

 

[NFLDERS]

I have had the same thought, but can’t think of a different response. There would have been reports in the news that medical facilities didn’t have the supplies they needed, because they didn’t. They kept reporting that medical personnel would die if they didn’t get masks and gloves and other protective gear. Anyone paying the least bit of attention to what was being said about the medical community was asking themselves why it wasn’t just as important for the public to have the same protections. So it was important to discourage the general public from buying the few supplies there were at the time.

I suppose they could have restricted sales to medical facilities only, but I think that would have caused a panic among the general public when they couldn’t get the same protection. Imagine if the public had treated masks like TP, and people were breaking into supplies at medical facilities to get them. There are such strong feelings on both sides of the issue that I can picture people being desperate to get their hands on them if they were restricted from buying them. I believe the experts would have liked to tell us all to wear masks from the beginning, especially when they weren’t as sure how it was spreading, because as soon as DIY masks went viral they were encouraging everyone to wear homemade masks.

Just this week, they released information that says the mask protects the wearer as well as those around them. That seems like common sense to me, and I have felt that way from the beginning. But I also feel that would have increased the desperation to get masks at a time they weren’t readily available, and that was the last thing we needed at the time. I am just thankful that I am not the one having to provide the latest information to the public. That seems like a rather thankless job to me.

HEAR! HEAR!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Every person in authority bungled this and then refused to work together. The American people deserve better than that. I think we can all agree on that if nothing else.

 

[NFLDERS]

Oh, he changed his mind? I guess science isn't ever really "settled" is it?

It was a learn and live moment earlier on, in the ever changing fight against this pandemic.

 

[NFLDERS]

I'm talking about early on when they told us masks didn't work. They knew masks worked. They just didn't want people out buying them up at that point. They lost a lot of credibility choosing that course.

Umm... at that point in time the medical community was at odds with one another especially the semi experts.

 

[NFLDERS]

Every person in authority bungled this and then refused to work together. The American people deserve better than that. I think we can all agree on that if nothing else.

Personally and forgive me but as a Canadian, I lay blame at the feet of one person. Did I get this wrong, that the stored PPE was sold off to the highest bidder(s?)

 

[akl432]

Personally and forgive me but as a Canadian, I lay blame at the feet of one person. Did I get this wrong, that the stored PPE was sold off to the highest bidder(s?)

I lay blame at the feet of one, too: the Chinese.

 

[NFLDERS]

Hard to focus on making homemade masks when you have all the fabric stores closed down. So I'll add that they should have highly encouraged localities to declare fabric stores essential, and flood the airwaves with instructions for making masks. People were trying to make them and elastic and fabric was sitting in stores that were closed.

I would have been fine with diverting all medical grade masks for distribution to front line workers.

But lying to manipulate the public was very damaging.

Cut strips from clothing hanging in a closet, 2 elastic bands.. voila' (sp?) a mask.

 

[Farro]

Every person in authority bungled this and then refused to work together. The American people deserve better than that. I think we can all agree on that if nothing else.

Apparently not.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Personally and forgive me but as a Canadian, I lay blame at the feet of one person. Did I get this wrong, that the stored PPE was sold off to the highest bidder(s?)

Yes, that's wrong...the US had low levels of stored PPE b/c it was never replenished after swine flu...and the world had low amounts b/c China bought it all up 1st...

 

[NFLDERS]

I lay blame at the feet of one, too: the Chinese.

Different cultures have their own food chain choices. There are many that I'd never eat. Different countries have differing Health & Safety regulations. The Chinese not giving their pandemic information sooner was extremely damning. Midway in the Coronavirus discovery we were told (here in my neck of the woods) that the virus was found in bats, in caves in Europe. Our news stated that investigations of first human origin contact were ongoing. They were not looking to place blame, but rather to rid the world of this horrid virus by better understanding it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We cancelled our much looked forward trip to the Smokies where we would meet our TX family, stay in different cabins and safely enjoy each other’s company. The drive just seems too dangerous with numbers up so high in the states we have to pass through.

We’ll be booking next year soon.

 

[LSUmiss]

I thougght maybe thats right, but sinc eour stae requires everyone to have it, we getting higher count all the time, while f other states that dont there increases or decresses are about the same. But niethe rone of us are right all the time and we both know everyone wont all agree with everything we say, so thats alright , at least it is for me, and I bet you too

You know I’m all about masks & have been, but more & more, I’m starting to wonder this. A friend has Covid & goes nowhere but work which is a high school. All the girls in her class & wear their masks correctly all day & yet now she has it. She has been the person I know who has been the most careful through all this.

 

[LSUmiss]

Amazing that a simple thread just wishing people a happy thanksgiving and to be safe and careful has devolved into the back and forth about masks. 2 entire pages with not a single mention of what the original thread was about.

Unfortunately at this point in time, and specifically in the US, we won’t be able to convince anyone of our point of view on anything. If you’re anti-mask, you will continue to be anti-mask forever regardless of how many things people tell you or what you read. Same goes for pro-mask. It’s definitely frustrating, but as with most things right now, it’s par for the course.

Was it though or was it a passive aggressive public service announcement?

 

[disneypharm]

You know I’m all about masks & have been, but more & more, I’m starting to wonder this. A friend has Covid & goes nowhere but work which is a high school. All the girls in her class & wear their masks correctly all day & yet now she has it. She has been the person I know who has been the most careful through all this.

I have seen that happen too, but wearing masks is not the only way to prevent the virus. Most experts have also said that masks do not prevent transmission 100% of the times. That's why they say wear masks, social distance, wash your hands, .... If you are staying in an environment with hundreds of people for a long period of time, just touching your eyes after touching contaminated surfaces can get you sick. My grocery store, Sam's Club, disinfects each self checkout register after each customer. If you are in a school that gets cleaned once or twice a day, there is always a chance for you to get sick.