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Formerly DT: COVID-19 - Featuring Lots of Politics, now CR because political talk not going away


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Kind of a tangent, but does anyone have a link or tip where to get decent quality masks? On Amazon there are tons of listings for masks, but the reviews generally are very poor (most common complaint being that the elastic breaks and/or the masks are much too small). Most of the "good" reviews are obvious plants (poor English, odd phrasing, etc.)
 
 
 
I went through casetify. They're not medical or n95 but they're solid reusable cloth masks with a slot for filters. Affordable too. I got three and a pack of filters for $50 Or so. They also donate a mask or masks for each sale. It did take a while to deliver, they cited backup in manufacturing. That may be sorted out by now, this was a month or two ago.
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You can't expect that guy to just make it home to his family though without breaking away from the herd to randomly beat and nearly kill innocent bystanders.  I mean, if they can't do that...what the hell was George Floyd's life all about then?  You have to make it home at night.  Even if it means just arbitrary beatings of people on Avenue D, the most pedestrian dense street below midtown.  You have to just pick those people out to fuck up for no reason if you're gonna see your kids that night.  

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22 minutes ago, gmr548 said:
1 hour ago, Paper_jam said:
Kind of a tangent, but does anyone have a link or tip where to get decent quality masks? On Amazon there are tons of listings for masks, but the reviews generally are very poor (most common complaint being that the elastic breaks and/or the masks are much too small). Most of the "good" reviews are obvious plants (poor English, odd phrasing, etc.)
 
 
 

Read more  

I went through casetify. They're not medical or n95 but they're solid reusable cloth masks with a slot for filters. Affordable too. I got three and a pack of filters for $50 Or so. They also donate a mask or masks for each sale. It did take a while to deliver, they cited backup in manufacturing. That may be sorted out by now, this was a month or two ago.

I posted this almost 3 months ago. Got mine in early april

 

www.envomask.com

 

most of my anesthesia group now wears em, as does a lotta surgeons and scrub techs i work with now

 

for the millionth time: youre gonna have to wear a mask for at least 8-10 more months. Buy an envomask. They are comfortable as fuck and easy as shit to switch out

 

jfc

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7 hours ago, Viper said:

Would Abbot be able to do that? Wouldn't something like a seatbelt fine have to come from the legislature?

I haven't watched the press conference yet, but from way-too-brief conversation with a neighbor who works with the COA, it sounds like Abbott is going to leave it up to the cities, and is not going to fight them on the face mask thing as long as they only target businesses/stores/large organizations.  It sounds like anything outside of stores/businesses, people can do whatever they want.   Mandating individuals wear them anywhere outside of businesses/stores and Abbott will try and fight the cities/counties.

She also said cities/counties are going to be jumping on this because the cases are rising so fast, and affected businesses better come up with a plan within a week or so.

It's a compromise.

And it makes for better (safer) video if a store has a closed sign on it, rather than cops writing tickets to individuals on the street.

Baby steps I guess?

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3 hours ago, BradInATX said:

I think it's a fantastic use of their time. If they're writing tickets for masks, they can't be shooting minorities and dogs. 

One of our local neighborhood methods of mass communication has been bitching that the cops are driving around our main park and appeared to be counting people.  I've seen the cops driving around our park, and did think it was odd, since nothing happens there during the day except the occasional homeless person setting up in the little pavilion between the bathrooms (we actually saw Austin Parks & Rec Rangers come out to talk to one of them a week or two ago).

 

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Update 6/17/20

May 1, 2020 - Beginning on May 1, 2020 (Friday), retail stores, restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters and malls will be allowed to operate at 25% capacity. The Travis County Fire Marshal's Office has provided a business reopening guidance.

Travis County Kung Flu Deaths - Cumulative total

3/27: 1 death

6/8: 97 deaths

6/10: 99 deaths

6/11: 99 deaths

6/12: 101 deaths

6/13: 104 deaths

6/14: 104 deaths

6/15: 104 deaths

6/16: 106 deaths

6/17:  108 deaths

Last 10 Days: +11

Travis County Health Care Stats: Current numbers

6/8: Hp - 87, ICU - 40, Vent - 25

6/10: Hp - 91, ICU - 36, Vent - 26

6/11: HP - 104, ICU - 44, Vent - 27

6/12: Hp - 112, ICU - 46, Vent - 26

6/13: Hp - 111, ICU - -48, Vent - 24

6/14: Hp - 129, ICU - 52, Vent - 29

6/15: Hp - 142, ICU - 52, Vent - 31

6/16: HP - 158, ICU - 59, Vent - 28

6/17: Hp - 173, ICU - 63, Vent - 26

Last 10 Days: Hp: +86 , ICU: +23,Vent: +1

Ten Day Average HP (rolling): 119.5    (6/9 used 88 so not 100% accurate)

10 Day Avg on 6/11 - 91.5

https://austin.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/39e4f8d4acb0433baae6d15a931fa984

 

 

US Death Total 6/12/20

Nursing Home/Extended Care Deaths: 57,657 (54.6%)

Remaining Population (all ages):           47,913

Total:                                                         105,570

Top 5: Highest State Death Totals:

NY: 24,442

NJ: 12,489

Mass: 7,538

Pennsylvania: 6,162

Illinois: 5,795

 

Total: 56,426 (53.4% of total deaths)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1ETm51GayRjlnoaRVtUOWfkolEeAQZ-zPhXkCbVe4_ik/htmlview#gid=43566737

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8 hours ago, ZB'Tejas said:

What would you guess the percentage of people wearing masks in Austin is? Even conservatively I'd say it's 70-80% which is pretty good.

I guess I just haven’t seen anything like that. In my little corner Of inside the Loop Houston, I’d say its 5% wearing masks outdoors in public places (parks, jogging, outdoors near stores, etc.), regardless of lines or crowd size.  20% at most in stores.  More like 10% at the Pin Oak Home Depot and local Whole Foods.  I’m not counting store employees-they pretty much all wear masks

In the Village over the weekend I saw nowhere near 20% masks outside, including parking lots and restaurant patios.  Didn’t go in any stores, so not sure there, but if people were slipping them on as they walked in stores they were really slick about it.  They didn’t have them in hand ot visible.. 

Move into the med center and Montrose/Upper Kirby and I’d say it increases significantly, but not close to 50% 

Drove down Memorial past all the park joggers Monday afternoon.   1 mask wearer.  That’s it. 

 

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14 minutes ago, Liquor and Poker said:

I guess I just haven’t seen anything like that. In my little corner Of inside the Loop Houston, I’d say its 5% wearing masks outdoors in public places (parks, jogging, outdoors near stores, etc.), regardless of lines or crowd size.  20% at most in stores.  More like 10% at the Pin Oak Home Depot and local Whole Foods.  I’m not counting store employees-they pretty much all wear masks

In the Village over the weekend I saw nowhere near 20% masks outside, including parking lots and restaurant patios.  Didn’t go in any stores, so not sure there, but if people were slipping them on as they walked in stores they were really slick about it.  They didn’t have them in hand ot visible.. 

Move into the med center and Montrose/Upper Kirby and I’d say it increases significantly, but not close to 50% 

Drove down Memorial past all the park joggers Monday afternoon.   1 mask wearer.  That’s it. 

 

You're complaining about people not wearing masks outside? I am very near you, but I see 50-75% wearing masks inside stores, etc. You don't need to wear a mask walking or running in a park. 

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Saw on the local news tonight here in Dallas that hospital admissions are up 40% since June 1. It's from a Clay Jenkins tweet -- not sure if he's saying 40% more hospital admissions or if COVID-19 hospital cases are up 40%.

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8 hours ago, kevwun said:

Here's a nice chart of new cases by state.  Texas has moved up to #6 in total cases and of those other 6, only California is still seeing their daily numbers increasing.  Texas is on the way to becoming a hot spot.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html#states

I’ve been using that NYT page as a general reference, but because of the increased testing, I’m not sure how valuable case totals are. My state health department publishes daily updates of current hospitalizations and the number ever hospitalized. Those numbers plus deaths seem to me to be better indicators. But, then there is the whole death with vs death from question and how it skews statistics. Then there’s Mike Rowe asking if it was the straw that broke the camel’s back?

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5 hours ago, Lobwedgephil said:

You're complaining about people not wearing masks outside? I am very near you, but I see 50-75% wearing masks inside stores, etc. You don't need to wear a mask walking or running in a park. 

Yep. Wearing masks outside isn’t necessary unless you are outside in crowds like a protest with people yelling. At a park jogging trail, just give people a wide berth. If the trail is packed, go somewhere else.

as far as stores, I see large percents in Houston still wearing a mask at grocery stores. At smaller mom and pop stores, it seems lower but my sample size was 1 so who knows.

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5 hours ago, Liquor and Poker said:

I guess I just haven’t seen anything like that. In my little corner Of inside the Loop Houston, I’d say its 5% wearing masks outdoors in public places (parks, jogging, outdoors near stores, etc.), regardless of lines or crowd size.  20% at most in stores.  More like 10% at the Pin Oak Home Depot and local Whole Foods.  I’m not counting store employees-they pretty much all wear masks

In the Village over the weekend I saw nowhere near 20% masks outside, including parking lots and restaurant patios.  Didn’t go in any stores, so not sure there, but if people were slipping them on as they walked in stores they were really slick about it.  They didn’t have them in hand ot visible.. 

Move into the med center and Montrose/Upper Kirby and I’d say it increases significantly, but not close to 50% 

Drove down Memorial past all the park joggers Monday afternoon.   1 mask wearer.  That’s it. 

 

I disagree.  HEB in Montrose always has 80% or more people wearing masks when I’m in there, and I’m there 1-2x week.  The Home Depot I’m the Heights is probably 60-70% although I haven’t been there in a couple of weeks.
 

Wearing masks outside is pointless right?

 

I think the spread is really happening with the 20somethings at the bars.  I haven’t been but I’m hearing the bars in The Heights and Midtown are packed on the weekends and I doubt masks are common there (or if they are even effective in that environment).

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Mask usage in East Texas seems to be up a bit in the last couple of weeks, but it is still pretty low. We don't have a lot of cases out here, but we do have enough now that lots of folks probably know somebody who has had it. It varies by place, though. Lowes seems to have the most masks. Walmart has a decent amount. But sporting good stores such as Academy and Gander Outdoors have virtually none. I went to Acedemy looking for some rare ammo about a month ago and I was the only person in the whole store I saw with one on.

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7 hours ago, Iceman said:

you know that won't happen.  It was burned down in the last covid-free demonstration of peace.

Which church has been burned down in protests? This is almost as dumb and fallacious as your refusal to take basic personal responsibilities. 

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22 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Kids are going to do whatever they are told to do and generally don't understand how viruses spread, and generally don't go down to covid.

What I saw was a group of 30- and 40-something mostly college-educated guys trying to relieve their high school days, or imagining they were the 1992 Dream Team or whatever, banging into each other like they were Charles Barkley.  Guys whose parents' generation fall firmly in the 65 and over category.

Haven't they been saying asymptomatic carriers aren't spreading the disease?  I know I've seen/heard it a few places, but not sure if that's standard across the board or not.  But if it is true, then no reason not to play basketball.  Those with symptons probably don't feel like running around in the heat.

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No, he looks about the right age.  I just pictured him more debonair given all the pussy he's slayed over the centuries.  

The man is aces in my book.  I hope and pray that I live to be that old and still be as pithy.  

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I've always pictured ArmyBrat as an animated figure carved into a wooden rhyton and brought to life by some ancient curse.   He and the ram's head (who is also alive) bicker back and forth about the pettiest things, but deep down they care about each other and will come together with a sense of mutual respect at the end of Act 2.

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50 minutes ago, landman said:

Haven't they been saying asymptomatic carriers aren't spreading the disease?  I know I've seen/heard it a few places, but not sure if that's standard across the board or not.  But if it is true, then no reason not to play basketball.  Those with symptons probably don't feel like running around in the heat.

Asymptomatic (never show any symptoms), presymptomatic (not showing symptoms yet), and having very minor symptoms (that you might not notice or attribute to COVID) can all be different things, depending on the definitions of who is talking. The WHO statement only dealt with those who are infected but will never show any symptoms, not those who haven’t yet shown symptoms or those showing very minor symptoms that would be attributed to something else. 

It’s unfortunate that this term has at times been used with a very broad definition and at other times with a very narrow definition. Until the WHO statement, based on how it’s been widely used in the media, I would have defined asymptomatic as encompassing at least two, and maybe three of the above categories. The WHO statement was using a very narrow definition.

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20 minutes ago, JBJ said:

I've always pictured ArmyBrat as an animated figure carved into a wooden rhyton and brought to life by some ancient curse.   He and the ram's head (who is also alive) bicker back and forth about the pettiest things, but deep down they care about each other and will come together with a sense of mutual respect at the end of Act 2.

So he's like the Barbara Hershey character in "Beaches" then?  

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7 hours ago, Lobwedgephil said:

You're complaining about people not wearing masks outside? I am very near you, but I see 50-75% wearing masks inside stores, etc. You don't need to wear a mask walking or running in a park. 

Ok, that’s far from what I said but I’ll bite.   There’s the “outside” thing.  Please explain to me like I’m 5 this “magic outside air” theory.  I’ve had dozens of people proffer it to me as a catchall for any outdoor activity. I get that you don’t need a mask riding a bike down the middle of a residential street, but that’s just distancing really.  And I would argue you ought to have one with you in case anyway. 

But explain why you don’t need a mask slowly walking down a trail so crowded you have to maneuver around people to keep yakking away to your friend right next to you, or that you still don’t need one 5 minutes later when you’re standing in a 10-deep outdoor line waiting to order food.  

Explain why it’s OK to lets your kids loose on the playground with 20-30 other kids while you and 8 other parents sit and stand around a single park bench.  No masks.

Also explain why it’s OK to sit at an 8-top at a patio right next to another full 8-top and casually eat and have drinks without masks.

Because every time I ask I get the same answer - “it’s outside so it’s fine.”

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1 hour ago, Captainant said:

Which church has been burned down in protests? This is almost as dumb and fallacious as your refusal to take basic personal responsibilities. 

Well not burned down, but I don't think it's a wild assumption to think that was the intent....

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/historic-church-near-white-house-damaged-amid-unrest-leaders-pray-for-healing/2318673/

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1 hour ago, Liquor and Poker said:

Ok, that’s far from what I said but I’ll bite.   There’s the “outside” thing.  Please explain to me like I’m 5 this “magic outside air” theory.  I’ve had dozens of people proffer it to me as a catchall for any outdoor activity. I get that you don’t need a mask riding a bike down the middle of a residential street, but that’s just distancing really.  And I would argue you ought to have one with you in case anyway. 

But explain why you don’t need a mask slowly walking down a trail so crowded you have to maneuver around people to keep yakking away to your friend right next to you, or that you still don’t need one 5 minutes later when you’re standing in a 10-deep outdoor line waiting to order food.  

Explain why it’s OK to lets your kids loose on the playground with 20-30 other kids while you and 8 other parents sit and stand around a single park bench.  No masks.

Also explain why it’s OK to sit at an 8-top at a patio right next to another full 8-top and casually eat and have drinks without masks.

Because every time I ask I get the same answer - “it’s outside so it’s fine.”

Obviously there are risks in your extreme examples but we know primary (not the only, but primary) method of transmission is close, sustained person to person contact.   We know virus particles disburse more quickly outside vs. inside, we know UV light kills virus particles, we know high heat kills virus particles and we know high humidity kills virus particles.   With that, most outdoor activities are relatively low risk.  Not zero risk, but low risk.  

I'll add that in your example of kids at the park while parents stand around talking, risk not eliminated in any event but I think a safe assumption that that the same scenario at 10AM on a hot, sunny, June morning vs. a cool, cloudy dry February morning would have materially different risks of virus transmission.

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1 hour ago, Liquor and Poker said:

Ok, that’s far from what I said but I’ll bite.   There’s the “outside” thing.  Please explain to me like I’m 5 this “magic outside air” theory.  I’ve had dozens of people proffer it to me as a catchall for any outdoor activity. I get that you don’t need a mask riding a bike down the middle of a residential street, but that’s just distancing really.  And I would argue you ought to have one with you in case anyway. 

But explain why you don’t need a mask slowly walking down a trail so crowded you have to maneuver around people to keep yakking away to your friend right next to you, or that you still don’t need one 5 minutes later when you’re standing in a 10-deep outdoor line waiting to order food.  

Explain why it’s OK to lets your kids loose on the playground with 20-30 other kids while you and 8 other parents sit and stand around a single park bench.  No masks.

Also explain why it’s OK to sit at an 8-top at a patio right next to another full 8-top and casually eat and have drinks without masks.

Because every time I ask I get the same answer - “it’s outside so it’s fine.”

Check out some of the reporting and studies on viral load; that might clear it up some. Sustained close presence is the condition that is most likely to transmit, which coincidentally typically happens when you are inside.   Outside you have wind, circulated fresh air, sunlight etc, all which play a factor.   You do not need to be concerned with walking past someone closely outside unless they are coughing and sneezing.

The patio table scenario above is going to be inherently more risky because that many people that close together for that period of time increases the amount of time sharing the same air etc. While I am sure that is happening in some places, I don't think that's all that widespread. Most restaurants have spread out tables and are limiting occupancy. And also - again it's outside. I haven't gone that far to do something like that yet, but i can see why others have.

Check out this professor from UMASS - Erin Bromage, and his reports and studies.  Here is an article that references it: but I'm sure you can find more online.

https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/professors-viral-tips-to-avoid-coronavirus/

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7 minutes ago, Skipper said:

Obviously there are risks in your extreme examples but we know primary (not the only, but primary) method of transmission is close, sustained person to person contact.   We know virus particles disburse more quickly outside vs. inside, we know UV light kills virus particles, we know high heat kills virus particles and we know high humidity kills virus particles.   With that, most outdoor activities are relatively low risk.  Not zero risk, but low risk.  

I'll add that in your example of kids at the park while parents stand around talking, risk not eliminated in any event but I think a safe assumption that that the same scenario at 10AM on a hot, sunny, June morning vs. a cool, cloudy dry February morning would have materially different risks of virus transmission.

 

6 minutes ago, Enchubben said:

Check out some of the reporting and studies on viral load; that might clear it up some. Sustained close presence is the condition that is most likely to transmit, which coincidentally typically happens when you are inside.   Outside you have wind, circulated fresh air, sunlight etc, all which play a factor.   You do not need to be concerned with walking past someone closely outside unless they are coughing and sneezing.

The patio table scenario above is going to be inherently more risky because that many people that close together for that period of time increases the amount of time sharing the same air etc. While I am sure that is happening in some places, I don't think that's all that widespread. Most restaurants have spread out tables and are limiting occupancy. And also - again it's outside. I haven't gone that far to do something like that yet, but i can see why others have.

Check out this professor from UMASS - Erin Bromage, and his reports and studies.  Here is an article that references it: but I'm sure you can find more online.

https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/professors-viral-tips-to-avoid-coronavirus/

I don't disagree with anything you say, but that's far from "if you're outside, there's nothing to worry about," which is what I've been told repeatedly by other people.  And those "extreme" examples are actually things I've seen in the last 3-4 days.

 

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This virus is still mainly predicated on population density. Here, in Hood County, we still have only had 35 cases, and only 3 infections have been from other Hood County residents. All of the others were travel related, or from working in DFW. 28 of the 35 have recovered. This is a retirement area, so we have had 4 deaths, all elderly. Our bars and restaurants were opened to 75% about 2 weeks ago. I would say the average mask usage is probably 40% and always has been.

I bought the envomask that Greenspoint recommended when this first came out. I wear it in Ft Worth, I wore it in Austin, but I rarely wear it in Granbury. If the parking lot is full at HEB, Home Depot, or Lowe's is full, I wear it. I just tend to shop at low periods of customers. The idea that wearing masks as a state requirement is ludicrous in Benjamin, Texas.

CHIEF

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4 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Mask usage in East Texas seems to be up a bit in the last couple of weeks, but it is still pretty low. We don't have a lot of cases out here, but we do have enough now that lots of folks probably know somebody who has had it. It varies by place, though. Lowes seems to have the most masks. Walmart has a decent amount. But sporting good stores such as Academy and Gander Outdoors have virtually none. I went to Acedemy looking for some rare ammo about a month ago and I was the only person in the whole store I saw with one on.

If it's up in the last few weeks in Tyler, I haven't seen it.  I did a curbside pickup at WalMart two days ago, and I couldn't tell you I saw anyone go into the store other than employees wearing a mask.  I'd guess overall masking is less than 10% around here.  Meanwhile, my whole family is masked up when we go anywhere.

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2 hours ago, JBJ said:

I've always pictured ArmyBrat as an animated figure carved into a wooden rhyton and brought to life by some ancient curse.   He and the ram's head (who is also alive) bicker back and forth about the pettiest things, but deep down they care about each other and will come together with a sense of mutual respect at the end of Act 2.

I like to picture my Armybrat as having angel's wings and singin' lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd.  And I'm in the front row, hammered drunk . . .  .

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  • hayden_horn changed the title to Formerly DT: COVID-19 - Featuring Lots of Politics, now CR because political talk not going away


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