A friend posted this on Facebook today. I thought it would be worth sharing on here.
"Jim Wright
6 hrs
I had to go to the store yesterday.
I wear a mask, like responsible people do. Mine's a professionally made cloth mask with a replaceable N-95 insert.
I got a dozen derisive looks from unmasked men as I crossed the parking lot. I wondered how well they'd be able to smirk plugged into a ventilator and breathing through a tube and about a gallon of their own snot.
It apparently never occurred to any of these manly Truck Nutz that I might be positive for the virus and that the mask I wore was protecting THEM. Because, a) despite copious information on this subject over the last five months, these drooling lowbrows STILL don't understand how PPE works, and b) because their version of manhood is based on TV shows where they think the thuggish dimwitted bully is the actual hero of the story -- like, you know, The Apprentice. These idiots are the product of a culture that ties identity to consumption. Their sense of self-worth is vested entirely in the size of their truck and how many guns they own and how long they can maintain an erection even if they have to order illegal Viagra from Mexico.
Inside the store, I noted more than a dozen people who were sort of half-ass wearing masks, pushed down onto their chins covering their mouths but not their noses. One woman had a mask bunched up over her nose, but NOT HER MOUTH -- figure that out.
Then there was the guy who was wearing a mask correctly ... but stopped to pull it down so he could SNEEZE.
That's right. He pulled the mask down, sneezed without covering his mouth, wiped his nose on the back of his hand, and then put the mask back on and continued with his shopping.
But most of the people in the store were not wearing any protection at all and never even looked up when Sneezy blew snot into the air they were breathing.
Me? I'm not positive for the virus.
I was going to say, "Of course, I'm not positive for the virus," but that's the thing, isn't it?
It's NOT "of course."
I say I'm not positive, but I haven't been tested. What I should say is that I'm not symptomatic.
That's the thing, that, right there. You don't know. You can't know. Not without being tested in real-time.
Looking at somebody in the store, unless they're coughing up lung tissue, you don't know.
They could be positive, they could be asymptomatic, every breath they breathe out could be blowing millions of live virus particles into the air. That could be YOU.
You don't know. You CAN'T know. Until it's too late.
That's whole point here. You don't know.
If you don't suspect EVERYBODY of being a potential source of infection, INCLUDING YOURSELF, and take the appropriate precautions, this thing is never going to end.
You might not give a shit NOW, but sooner or later it's going to be somebody you care about.
It's not the guy in the mask that's at risk, it's YOU.
It's not the guy in the mask that's a risk to everybody else, it YOU.
Or at least not just that guy. It's you. You wear a mask not for yourself, but for everybody ELSE.
We're nearly six months into a global pandemic and you shouldn't have to be told this. You shouldn't have to told what community is. You shouldn't have to be told what personal responsibility is.
You should goddamned well know by now.
The virus doesn't care how big your truck is, or your dick, and all the guns in the world won't kill it.
Put your damn mask on. And wear it correctly. And start thinking about others instead of just your own goddamn self. BE responsible.
Do it."
Unfortunately or fortunately these lowbrows will get the message. They will learn either from others or when they are sick or dead.
Well said. Here in my neck of the woods it's all about "my rights". They really are not willing to consider the community.
We sort of have the same thing here. There has only been one case and nothing recently. In the store half the people, men and women, have no masks and even only a few clerks wear masks. I saw one older guy come in with a mask on but saw others without one and he pulled his mask down. People are really bad at learning from others mistakes and being proactive.
This article is pretty good, how pepper in your soup won’t stop Covid 19, and other myths busted:
Interestingly, they have removed the bit that was under there for temperature. It put a timeframe on the time come one can be carrying the virus without symptoms at 2-12 days, I think it was.
Strangely masks aren’t mentioned, but airborne droplets are. Perhaps they’re trying to save the PPE for the medical and care staff that are most exposed? Not all countries have ready access.
I'm so glad I haven't yet had to sneeze or cough while wearing a mask, but if I do, I'm glad I always have a fresh back up and copious wipes and santizer. I'm no longer sick, and have been healthy now for 2 months, but I have no idea if I might be a stealth carrier of the virus, so I take wearing a mask in public seriously. If what I had was covid-19, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
I think millions of people do not realize that 20 to 30% of the people are asymptomatic and they are the ones that are spreading it. If we can ever convince people of that fact I think a lot more people will wear a mask out of consideration for others.
Optimistic, aincha?
Captains of industry are an even bigger problem; they want to force everyone back to work and get people consuming again. At least with the lockdown the knuckle-draggers have nothing to do except grouse and even without masks are less likely to spread disease or fall ill to it. But once the lockdown ends even partially, we'll have a new "wave" and people will wail that it's just not Fair.
Elon Musk is the best example of the moment; he's been pitching childish fits for weeks now and finally opened his Tesla plant in California against local authorities lockdown. Thousands of miles away, a nurse survived Covid only to be shot to death in her own bed in a mistaken police raid, but Musk, who likes to remind everyone he's no Ordinary Person, gets a call from the governor and zero consequences, despite flouting the law and inviting someone to arrest him.
So it goes here in 'Murica.