PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[bundabergdevil]

Data points:

SC coast last week. No masks in sight.

Stopped in DC area shopping center on drive back. 75% masked up.

[Stray Gator]

I flew LGA-Atl last week and it seemed like everyone had masks. Returning in a few days and I’m curious to see where that stands. I had dinner in Atl with a friend who is a doctor at a major hospital here and he said they are seeing virtually nothing, and I hear the same from friends who are ER docs in NYC.

I am heading to Philly in a few weeks where they just restored the mandate.

We flew from New Orleans to Orlando last night, after being away on a visit to Memphis and a Mississippi riverboat cruise with friends for 10 days. When we flew to Memphis on April 8, compliance with the mask mandate was not an issue -- virtually everyone in the airports and on the Southwest Airlines plane wore masks, except when eating or drinking. All that changed dramatically yesterday.

At the departure gate in New Orleans, the attendant gleefully announced to the passengers lined up to board the aircraft that they were welcome to toss their masks in the trash can, because face coverings were now optional on Southwest. More than half the passengers on our flight, and every member of the crew that we saw, went without masks. Although my wife and I have been fully vaccinated and twice boosted, we elected to continue wearing our N95 masks because we have daily contact with our 3-year-old granddaughter, who is still ineligible for vaccination. But I'd estimate that less than 25% of the people we saw in the New Orleans and Orlando airports last night were wearing any kind of face covering, and most of those were not worn properly.

[Bluedog]

We flew from New Orleans to Orlando last night, after being away on a visit to Memphis and a Mississippi riverboat cruise with friends for 10 days. When we flew to Memphis on April 8, compliance with the mask mandate was not an issue -- virtually everyone in the airports and on the Southwest Airlines plane wore masks, except when eating or drinking. All that changed dramatically yesterday.

At the departure gate in New Orleans, the attendant gleefully announced to the passengers lined up to board the aircraft that they were welcome to toss their masks in the trash can, because face coverings were now optional on Southwest. More than half the passengers on our flight, and every member of the crew that we saw, went without masks. Although my wife and I have been fully vaccinated and twice boosted, we elected to continue wearing our N95 masks because we have daily contact with our 3-year-old granddaughter, who is still ineligible for vaccination. But I'd estimate that less than 25% of the people we saw in the New Orleans and Orlando airports last night were wearing any kind of face covering, and most of those were not worn properly.

I'm not suggesting you're "wrong" with this decision-making at all (I'm wearing a mask in certain situations too), but as a parent of a three-year old who has been following stuff closely, I did want to point out that vaccines for the 5-11 age group were only 18% effective against omicron infection. I simply relay this to indicate vaccines for this age group are not magical (nor are they for other age groups admittedly) and hospitalization for 2-5 years olds is so EXCEPTIONALLY low to almost be unchartable for unvaccinated children too. (0-1 age group has the highest risk for young children like basically all diseases, but it's still very low.) Of course, vaccines are critically important to reduce hospitalizations/deaths, but I'm simply stating that I don't think the risk profile for 3 year olds really changes at all once vaccines become available. Unlike say a 75 year old where the risk profile for severe disease changes DRAMATICALLY after vaccination. For me, the biggest reason I want to avoid COVID in my children's cohorts is because of quarantining rules as that's actually the bigger impact on my life than the illness itself (they did already got COVID in January though...so should be pretty protected from re-infection hopefully).

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Lord Ash]

We flew from New Orleans to Orlando last night, after being away on a visit to Memphis and a Mississippi riverboat cruise with friends for 10 days. When we flew to Memphis on April 8, compliance with the mask mandate was not an issue -- virtually everyone in the airports and on the Southwest Airlines plane wore masks, except when eating or drinking. All that changed dramatically yesterday.

At the departure gate in New Orleans, the attendant gleefully announced to the passengers lined up to board the aircraft that they were welcome to toss their masks in the trash can, because face coverings were now optional on Southwest. More than half the passengers on our flight, and every member of the crew that we saw, went without masks. Although my wife and I have been fully vaccinated and twice boosted, we elected to continue wearing our N95 masks because we have daily contact with our 3-year-old granddaughter, who is still ineligible for vaccination. But I'd estimate that less than 25% of the people we saw in the New Orleans and Orlando airports last night were wearing any kind of face covering, and most of those were not worn properly.

We just came up from Florida this weekend. If they had cancelled masks mid-trip, I would have lost my damn mind.

I really feel like that was MASSIVELY irresponsible of the airlines. They should have maintaining masking rules temporarily at least to allow travellers to make alternate plans. Really ridiculous.

[sagegrouse]

We flew from New Orleans to Orlando last night, after being away on a visit to Memphis and a Mississippi riverboat cruise with friends for 10 days. When we flew to Memphis on April 8, compliance with the mask mandate was not an issue -- virtually everyone in the airports and on the Southwest Airlines plane wore masks, except when eating or drinking. All that changed dramatically yesterday.

At the departure gate in New Orleans, the attendant gleefully announced to the passengers lined up to board the aircraft that they were welcome to toss their masks in the trash can, because face coverings were now optional on Southwest. More than half the passengers on our flight, and every member of the crew that we saw, went without masks. Although my wife and I have been fully vaccinated and twice boosted, we elected to continue wearing our N95 masks because we have daily contact with our 3-year-old granddaughter, who is still ineligible for vaccination. But I'd estimate that less than 25% of the people we saw in the New Orleans and Orlando airports last night were wearing any kind of face covering, and most of those were not worn properly.

I've had three shots plus have Covid now -- I'm still wearing masks at the airport and on flights -- that is, after I recover.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I've had three shots plus have Covid now -- I'm still wearing masks at the airport and on flights -- that is, after I recover.

We've truly proven that as a community of people, American's are incredibly hesitant to undergo the most minor of inconveniences for the health and safety of their fellow neighbors.

[Skydog]

We've truly proven that as a community of people, American's are incredibly hesitant to undergo the most minor of inconveniences for the health and safety of their fellow neighbors.

More accurately we've proven that a significant portion of Americans are incredibly hesitant to undergo the most minor of inconveniences for the health and safety of their fellow neighbors and a significant portion of Americans are incredibly responsible and willing to go the extra mile for the same reasons. Covid has brought out both the worst and the best in us as a nation.

[Phredd3]

Thought at least someone would post about the news of a judge striking down the mask mandate for transportation. Airlines were very fast to go mask optional after the announcement.

Personally, I wish they'd have been one day slower with this. It turns out Delta lobbied for this. (Not the court case, per se, but dropping the mask requirement.) In short, they were more than happy to optionalize masking, and I happened to be sitting in the part of the plane where people were practically having a party about it.

[MChambers]

Personally, I wish they'd have been one day slower with this. It turns out Delta lobbied for this. (Not the court case, per se, but dropping the mask requirement.) In short, they were more than happy to optionalize masking, and I happened to be sitting in the part of the plane where people were practically having a party about it.

I'm sure that was awful.

My wife is flying across the country today, and back next week. She's vaccinated and boosted, but is 65, so there still is quite a bit of risk. She'll wear an N95, of course, but it would be better if everyone else did.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

My SO got her Moderna booster (#2) yesterday afternoon. Only side effect is a sore arm at the injection site.

[jv001]

My wife and I have 2 Pfizer vaccines plus the Pfizer booster. However, in late January she got Covid, and the next week so did I. My case was not too bad, no fever, no stomach problems, lost taste for a couple of days but I have had a lingering cough since. My wife who is younger than me wasn't so blessed. She ended up with a pulmonary embolism in her lungs. A rather large one. She spent a day and half in the hospital and the doctor told her she was one lucky lady. He put her on Eliquis and sent her home. He said the embolism should dissolve on its own in 4 to 6 months. She can't lift anything heavy, can't overexert herself and was told be very careful not to cut herself because she could bleed to death. It's coming up on 3 months and she is still fatigued as she was the day first went to the hospital. She has a doctor's appointment with her provider Friday, and I hope he has her get another scan. The embolism is a saddle embolism and is said to be the largest. Needless to say, we have been doing a lot of praying. Oh, one of her friends asked her if the booster she got in January, caused her to contract covid. My wife told her no, but it probably saved my life.

[OldPhiKap]

My wife and I have 2 Pfizer vaccines plus the Pfizer booster. However, in late January she got Covid, and the next week so did I. My case was not too bad, no fever, no stomach problems, lost taste for a couple of days but I have had a lingering cough since. My wife who is younger than me wasn't so blessed. She ended up with a pulmonary embolism in her lungs. A rather large one. She spent a day and half in the hospital and the doctor told her she was one lucky lady. He put her on Eliquis and sent her home. He said the embolism should dissolve on its own in 4 to 6 months. She can't lift anything heavy, can't overexert herself and was told be very careful not to cut herself because she could bleed to death. It's coming up on 3 months and she is still fatigued as she was the day first went to the hospital. She has a doctor's appointment with her provider Friday, and I hope he has her get another scan. The embolism is a saddle embolism and is said to be the largest. Needless to say, we have been doing a lot of praying. Oh, one of her friends asked her if the booster she got in January, caused her to contract covid. My wife told her no, but it probably saved my life.

Scary story, prayers for her full recovery.

[wavedukefan70s]

We've truly proven that as a community of people, American's are incredibly hesitant to undergo the most minor of inconveniences for the health and safety of their fellow neighbors.

I get really torn on this .i mean im vaccinated i wore a mask for quite sometime .sparingly now.
I believe the research proves them valuble . But ill admit part of me feels
Like i don't want to make decisions or have ill feelings to those that dont.
If im vaccinated ect.ive done all i can do. But then again im a introvert.
I dont mind if i dont interact with a soul.so it probably doesnt affect my life style as harshly as it does others.

[Bluedog]

My wife and I have 2 Pfizer vaccines plus the Pfizer booster. However, in late January she got Covid, and the next week so did I. My case was not too bad, no fever, no stomach problems, lost taste for a couple of days but I have had a lingering cough since. My wife who is younger than me wasn't so blessed. She ended up with a pulmonary embolism in her lungs. A rather large one. She spent a day and half in the hospital and the doctor told her she was one lucky lady. He put her on Eliquis and sent her home. He said the embolism should dissolve on its own in 4 to 6 months. She can't lift anything heavy, can't overexert herself and was told be very careful not to cut herself because she could bleed to death. It's coming up on 3 months and she is still fatigued as she was the day first went to the hospital. She has a doctor's appointment with her provider Friday, and I hope he has her get another scan. The embolism is a saddle embolism and is said to be the largest. Needless to say, we have been doing a lot of praying. Oh, one of her friends asked her if the booster she got in January, caused her to contract covid. My wife told her no, but it probably saved my life.

Sorry to hear that and best wishes for a full recovery to your wife. Late January means it was likely omicron but I thought that variant wasn't associated with loss of taste or smell. (I got COVID in January too after booster in early December, no loss of smell or taste. Maybe it's just LESS common but still possible). I had a lingering cough for a couple weeks but nothing like you guys are experiencing. Best wishes!

[Section 15]

My wife and I have 2 Pfizer vaccines plus the Pfizer booster. However, in late January she got Covid, and the next week so did I. My case was not too bad, no fever, no stomach problems, lost taste for a couple of days but I have had a lingering cough since. My wife who is younger than me wasn't so blessed. She ended up with a pulmonary embolism in her lungs. A rather large one. She spent a day and half in the hospital and the doctor told her she was one lucky lady. He put her on Eliquis and sent her home. He said the embolism should dissolve on its own in 4 to 6 months. She can't lift anything heavy, can't overexert herself and was told be very careful not to cut herself because she could bleed to death. It's coming up on 3 months and she is still fatigued as she was the day first went to the hospital. She has a doctor's appointment with her provider Friday, and I hope he has her get another scan. The embolism is a saddle embolism and is said to be the largest. Needless to say, we have been doing a lot of praying. Oh, one of her friends asked her if the booster she got in January, caused her to contract covid. My wife told her no, but it probably saved my life.

I've been on blood thinners, including Eliquis. The warning about bleeding to death, the way you have written it, is exaggerated by a lot. Yes, average cuts can be annoying because they do not clot as fast as the usually would, but to scare people the way your wife apparently was (is this was what she was actually told?) doesn't seem responsible to me.

What I recommend is getting some bleeding control bandages, which you can get at your local pharmacy or online. This is a technology that was developed around the time of the gulf war, and was very effective on the battlefield. Two products I have used are "bleeding control bandage" by Curad, and "Bleed Cease," which is a sterile pad that you can attach with tape to a cut. Both work well.

My point is that while you want to be more careful than usual if you are on blood thinners, you aren't at mortal risk. However, it does help to have some bleeding control products on hand in case of minor cuts.

Good luck. Sorry to hear of your wife's situation and hope she is better soon.

[budwom]

So for all the cheering on airplanes when the masks are no longer required, the AP announced a survey in which 56% of people say they still want to wear masks on airplanes, only 24% are opposed (the rest aren't paying attention, or don't care).

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

So for all the cheering on airplanes when the masks are no longer required, the AP announced a survey in which 56% of people say they still want to wear masks on airplanes, only 24% are opposed (the rest aren't paying attention, or don't care).

I found it interesting that the judge who overturned the masks on planes mandate didn't do so because she thought that it was now safe to go without them. She did it because she disputed the legality of the mandate to begin with.

Very reassuring.

[aimo]

I found it interesting that the judge who overturned the masks on planes mandate didn't do so because she thought that it was now safe to go without them. She did it because she disputed the legality of the mandate to begin with.

Very reassuring.

Judges can only rule on the legality of it.

[budwom]

Limiting the authority of the CDC, what could go wrong? I'll admit, I really don't know the precise legal parameters, but I somehow suspect that the CDC having the authority to require things like masks under certain conditions is hardly a bad thing.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

So for all the cheering on airplanes when the masks are no longer required, the AP announced a survey in which 56% of people say they still want to wear masks on airplanes, only 24% are opposed (the rest aren't paying attention, or don't care).

I flew from Atl to NY yesterday and that pretty much matches the percentage I saw wearing masks.

Delta has signs up and has the flight attendant saying how happy they are to see our faces again, which seems to encourage people not to wear them. I believe one of our flight attendants was wearing and the other wasn’t. The flight attendant making the announcement also made a comment about now being happy to be able to spot cute guys. I was wearing a mask - her loss…