Mask wearing: How is it political?

[crossfire]

It's not proof. An alternative explanation is that
benefit was reduced by low (non-N95) mask
quality, poor hygiene (eg, touching one's eyes).
I go with recommendations by trusted sources.

Can face masks protect against COVID-19?

Face masks can help slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Learn about mask types, which masks to use and how to use them.

www.mayoclinic.org

While my family here is statistically insignificant,
we took all the precautions, & never tested positive
for Covid 19.

Michigan also got hit pretty hard with covid, from what I can discern.

 

[Revoltingest]

It proves that life back in the day was a lot more responsible then it is today.

Or more irresponsible towards me.
BTW, I also regularly brought a rifle to high school.
And I once brought a handgun (ca 1860 pepperbox)
to elementary school for show-&-tell. And I often
carried a knife to elementary school.

 

[Revoltingest]

Michigan also got hit pretty hard with covid, from what I can discern.

As I recall, it was Saginaw, Flint, & Detroit.
It's a demographic thingie...about which I won't elaborate.

 

[QuestioningMind]

"During the Covid-19 pandemic, wearing a surgical face mask in the correct manner when in a crowded, indoor place significantly reduced the risk of the wearer infecting other people in the event that the wearer was infected with the Covid-19 virus at the time."

From what I gather, some people consider this to be a political statement. Could anybody please explain how it is?

It's because the orange clown thought he looked stupid in a mask and downplayed their importance, so all of his moronic followers jumped on the Ignorance Band Wagon.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It became political when the government decided to force people to wear them.

It became political when people decided that empathy was "left".

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It became political when people decided that empathy was "left".

I don't see that empathy had much to do with it. More like fear.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't see that empathy had much to do with it. More like fear.

And disbelief that Covid 19 was dangerous.
And that vaccines, masks, & social separation were useless.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't see that empathy had much to do with it. More like fear.

Yeah. That's how it was spun.

When we were in a war against a deadly disease and traitors pretended that doing the literal least we could do to help our communities - the equivalent of turning off our lights during an air raid - was somehow an expression of weakness.

The pandemic shattered the illusion for me that people are basically decent.

 

[Vinayaka]

And disbelief that Covid 19 was dangerous.
And that vaccines, masks, & social separation were useless.

I still find it hard to believe. We've had 'wash your hands' and 'don't sneeze on food' guidelines since I was a kid. And yet people couldn't extend those ideas even a little, but maybe they didn't wash their hands and sneezed anywhere all the time. Who knows? Meanwhile, measles makes its comeback.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/14/health/measles-comeback-who-cdc/index.html

 

[Revoltingest]

I still find it hard to believe. We've had 'wash your hands' and 'don't sneeze on food' guidelines since I was a kid. And yet people couldn't extend those ideas even a little, but maybe they didn't wash their hands and sneezed anywhere all the time. Who knows? Meanwhile, measles makes its comeback.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/14/health/measles-comeback-who-cdc/index.html

Once Trump minimized the danger of Covid 19,
vulnerable people joined his tribe, & it became
a political position...albeit deadly to them.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

And disbelief that Covid 19 was dangerous.
And that vaccines, masks, & social separation were useless.

Most of the mask wearing was a waste of time as most people weren't wearing them correctly or wearing masks that actually are for preventing viral transmission. Technically, anyone who had facial hair and wearing them was wasting their time. I hated those masks as they just made my anxiety worse and are unhygienic and gross. People were just throwing them on the ground all over the place, making environmental pollution so much worse. As for vaccines, get them if you feel the need. I didn't need or want it. As for social separation, I see no positives to it, but a ton of negatives. So many people were psychologically harmed by it, and many committed suicide over it.

 

[Koldo]

Most of the mask wearing was a waste of time as most people weren't wearing them correctly or wearing masks that actually are for preventing viral transmission. Technically, anyone who had facial hair and wearing them was wasting their time. I hated those masks as they just made my anxiety worse and are unhygienic and gross. People were just throwing them on the ground all over the place, making environmental pollution so much worse. As for vaccines, get them if you feel the need. I didn't need or want it. As for social separation, I see no positives to it, but a ton of negatives. So many people were psychologically harmed by it, and many committed suicide over it.

Taking the responsible course of action is often very much of a hassle, but being able to withstand that is one of the biggest signs of maturity.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Taking the responsible course of action is often very much of a hassle, but being able to withstand that is one of the biggest signs of maturity.

That has nothing to do with what I said.

 

[Koldo]

That has nothing to do with what I said.

It does. Wearing masks, keeping social distance, and taking vaccines were all the responsible choices, and yet a huge hassle.

 

[Revoltingest]

Most of the mask wearing was a waste of time as most people weren't wearing them correctly or wearing masks that actually are for preventing viral transmission. Technically, anyone who had facial hair and wearing them was wasting their time. I hated those masks as they just made my anxiety worse and are unhygienic and gross. People were just throwing them on the ground all over the place, making environmental pollution so much worse. As for vaccines, get them if you feel the need. I didn't need or want it. As for social separation, I see no positives to it, but a ton of negatives. So many people were psychologically harmed by it, and many committed suicide over it.

I wore N95 masks. No beard at the time.
Convenient, & I never caught Covid.
I've gotten vaccinated every year.
Covid 19 has been good to us here.

 

[Heyo]

The pandemic shattered the illusion for me that people are basically decent.

The pandemic adjusted my view of how stupid people are. I had a prediction of COVID deaths that was widely seen as pessimistic. Turned out, I was too optimistic.
With that adjusted view, I was prepared that Trump might win, though barely. Turned out I was too optimistic.
With that experience, I now formulate Heyo's Law:
You can't overestimate the stupidity of people - even when you take Heyo's Law into account.

 

[crossfire]

The fact that the pandemic hit during election season followed by January 6th is probably another reason why masks got politicized. Seeing everyone masked in the police brutality demonstrations might have made people associate masks with the left. Propagandists and spin doctors will pounce on any meme they think can stick.

 

[crossfire]

Most of the mask wearing was a waste of time as most people weren't wearing them correctly or wearing masks that actually are for preventing viral transmission. Technically, anyone who had facial hair and wearing them was wasting their time. I hated those masks as they just made my anxiety worse and are unhygienic and gross. People were just throwing them on the ground all over the place, making environmental pollution so much worse. As for vaccines, get them if you feel the need. I didn't need or want it. As for social separation, I see no positives to it, but a ton of negatives. So many people were psychologically harmed by it, and many committed suicide over it.

Washington state was pretty good with people masking up and social distancing. We had ZERO flu deaths during this time, so it is effective against the spread of viruses. Now people are getting covid and influenza at the same time. At least we are past the novel stages, so they are less deadly.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

At face value it isn't political though it could be questioned as to its accuracy.

Everything can be questioned. But to question a scientifically supported statement means that it must be countered with more / better scientific support.

What makes it political is when it is included with government mandates requiring masks based on the assertion that it reduces the risk of infecting others with COVID.

Disagree. Just like it isn't "political" to put into law that you need to wear a seatbelt while driving or can't drive drunk, based on the assertion it increases safety on the road. These are not matters of mere opinion or political ideology. These are matters of demonstrable scientific data.

There is considerable question/controversy as to whether the mask mandates were warranted, most especially for young children, and also question/controversy whether the masks were effective in preventing the spread of Covid since an awful lot of people got it even though they and everybody else wore masks.

There is no such controversy among medical specialists.
It's why doctors in surgery will always wear masks and have been for decades.
Because wearing masks helps demonstrably in reducing risks of carrying over pathogens.

Nobody considers it fun to wear them. But during a pandemic which risks collapsing medical facilities and capacity, which in turn results in millions of deaths, to mandate wearing them in public is just plain common sense.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

It became political when the government decided to force people to wear them.

Then forcing people to not drive drunk, wear seatbelts, etc... are also "political".

Fine if you wish to define it as such, but it renders the statement rather meaningless and of no consequence.