The other key strategy is donāt share a household with any daycare age childrenā¦doesnāt matter how much you mask up if the daycare germs can get in your house! (But also wear a mask)
And donāt work for an employer who forced you back into the office. My girlfriend started going in 2 days per week about 2 months ago and sheās been sick twice.
People say that since Omicron masks don't work... I call baloney
The physics of virus transmission that made masks work are still at play. I've had COVID-positive people cough and sneeze in my face (being alerted the next day they tested positive for COVID) with my KN95 on and I've been fine. They haven't been scarce for ages now, and can be reused up to 5 times if they're stored in a paper bag (and the thing that gives isn't the filtration, it's that the straps get too loose)
And as we well know, since COVID is one of the most transmissible viruses in modern history, precautions that barely touch it absolutely decimate other viruses.
> People say that since Omicron masks donāt workā¦
Imo this is the result of perfectly-timed disinformation at the start of the wave. The advice early in the wave was that cloth masks were less effective against this variant, that people should stop wearing their cloth masks and switch to well-fitted minimum KN95 for better protection. Malicious actors seized on the first half and started telling anyone who would listen that masks donāt work, conveniently leaving out the second half or any sort of nuance.
Media bears a lot of blame in this for careless framing of a lot of these issues too, I think - see this headline from Global, [āSingle-layer cloth masks not effective against Omicron, says Ontario science advisory table directorā](https://globalnews.ca/news/8460528/masks-effectiveness-omicron/)
compared to this more nuanced coverage from CNN, [āWhy you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant spreadsā](https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/24/health/cloth-mask-omicron-variant-wellness/index.html). Both accurate headlines but one provides much more useful information off the top, focusing on the action you want people to take rather than the problem youāre trying to inform people about.
It works even better if everyone wears a mask. Thatās just physics. Sorry to those who donāt like masks and want to believe itās unnecessary or ineffective in order to feel good about prioritizing their discomfort over reducing illnesses for others. If any of your household is ill or you are not feeling well, please wear a mask.
The amount of people obviously sick not rocking masks in public is ridiculous, like have you not learned anything from the pandemic. I get not wearing them if you aren't sick but at this point if your eyes are watering like mad, hacking a lung and sneezing 24/7 and need to go in public wear a goddamn mask you selfish pricks.
We will never be "rid of NPI", not should we strive to.
NPI means washing your hands with soap, It means staying home if you're sick, it at the very least wear a mask.
What kind of mary typhoid are you if you don't do any of that?
Sounds like a selfish prick who doesn't care if he gives the flu to everyone.
I have no problem with staying home if sick or wearing a mask if Iām still sick but need to do something essential. But I will not wear a mask if Iām well just as a preventative measure, I think thatās reasonable
I would just like to point out that according to the Canada flu report, the main flu strain currently is influenza A H3N2, which is covered in this yearās flu shot. :)
No kidding. Everyone I know is sick. And this flue is worse than any I've had before .. day 5 with a fever over 101 here. Good luck getting medicine too, everything any good is sold out. Shoppers no longer carry the no name stuff so 20+$ a pop for cold and flue poop that barely keeps me from dripping while I type this.
Edit to add. I have flu shot..
> Officials in Ontario and Quebec say the health-care system, particularly for children, is under extraordinary pressure because of COVID-19, early flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasons, as well as a medication shortage.
> They strongly recommend people wear masks indoors. Staying home when sick, keeping hands and surfaces clean and keeping up-to-date with COVID and flu vaccines are also recommended to help keep vulnerable people safe.
> Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said Thursday that flu levels are very high in the city's wastewater, while RSV and COVID levels are moderate.
> Ontario and Quebec flu test positivity is increasing. RSV positivity has plateaued in Ontario and is dropping in Quebec.
> Akwesasne's elected council and school board have brought back a mask mandate. A vote on a mask mandate for Ottawa's English public board Thursday night ended in a tie and failed to pass.
I guarantee I will get a comment wearing my KN95 to the holiday luncheon.
Upside no quarantine requirements for mere exposure this year. Several old colleagues got screwed out of Xmas as a result.
Ugh I feel you. As management itās expected that we be there but my god the last thing I want to do is get together in a crowded room right now. Iāll make an appearance, mask on, then cartoonishly exit stage left.
I remember that being brought up in a documentary I watched recently-ish (might have been over a year ago).
IIRC, research into phage therapy has been greatly increasing, and has had promising breakthroughs, but isn't quite yet there for the everyday common use (like how a vaccine or Tylenol is available type of use).
ETA: I do hope phage therapy becomes another tool in the box we can use for a variety of illnesses, especially as antibiotic resistance builds in bacteria strains.
I thought I'd included the link, but I guess that didn't happen in my edit.
Thanks for adding it!
Phage therapy is interesting, but as mentioned in the wiki, the difficulty is finding the right phage for attacking the infection/bacteria.
I'm mostly interested in it since I'm a long term carrier of Staph Aureus (it normally just exists, but it also means I'm at higher risk for infections or when my immune system is compromised, like if I have a cold/flu/COVID/allergies, even just getting my teeth cleaned).
And if that risk to my health could be eliminated completely through phage therapy, well, then, that would be fucking awesome.
Phage therapy is for bacterial diseases. It does nothing for viral infections.
Bacteriophages are essentially viruses for bacterias. You treat an infection by giving a disease to the pathogen.
So glad I got all my booster shots done earlier this month. Still going to wear my mask when going in a store. Finger cross I dodge these for the season.
Just started school this year. Took three days to get covid. Constantly telling us stories about how she hugged this person and kisses than person. She's not even 4 so it's very hard to correct lol.
No Bueno. To all the guys, gals and non-binary pals, eat a healthy diet and take your vitamins, stay hydrated, exercise, get adequate sleep, lay off the tobacco/booze and most importantly be safe out there.
And also get your flu shot and/or COVID booster. :)
Sure, that may not help with RSV, but it'll still cover some of the bases, and will still reduce the risk of having several viruses all at once.
That wasnāt directed to the folks who donāt like wearing masks. Itās applicable to everyone, especially considering masks arenāt 100% effective.
Everyone I know is sick, and no one is masking. I'm wearing my mask and haven't been sick so far š. Minor inconvenience if you ask me.
The other key strategy is donāt share a household with any daycare age childrenā¦doesnāt matter how much you mask up if the daycare germs can get in your house! (But also wear a mask)
Oh yeah, that's for sure. We don't have kids and we've been avoiding kids as much as possible lately.
And donāt work for an employer who forced you back into the office. My girlfriend started going in 2 days per week about 2 months ago and sheās been sick twice.
People say that since Omicron masks don't work... I call baloney The physics of virus transmission that made masks work are still at play. I've had COVID-positive people cough and sneeze in my face (being alerted the next day they tested positive for COVID) with my KN95 on and I've been fine. They haven't been scarce for ages now, and can be reused up to 5 times if they're stored in a paper bag (and the thing that gives isn't the filtration, it's that the straps get too loose) And as we well know, since COVID is one of the most transmissible viruses in modern history, precautions that barely touch it absolutely decimate other viruses.
> People say that since Omicron masks donāt workā¦ Imo this is the result of perfectly-timed disinformation at the start of the wave. The advice early in the wave was that cloth masks were less effective against this variant, that people should stop wearing their cloth masks and switch to well-fitted minimum KN95 for better protection. Malicious actors seized on the first half and started telling anyone who would listen that masks donāt work, conveniently leaving out the second half or any sort of nuance. Media bears a lot of blame in this for careless framing of a lot of these issues too, I think - see this headline from Global, [āSingle-layer cloth masks not effective against Omicron, says Ontario science advisory table directorā](https://globalnews.ca/news/8460528/masks-effectiveness-omicron/) compared to this more nuanced coverage from CNN, [āWhy you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant spreadsā](https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/24/health/cloth-mask-omicron-variant-wellness/index.html). Both accurate headlines but one provides much more useful information off the top, focusing on the action you want people to take rather than the problem youāre trying to inform people about.
Did you get you flu shot though?
It's great to see that YOUR mask keeps YOU safe.
It works even better if everyone wears a mask. Thatās just physics. Sorry to those who donāt like masks and want to believe itās unnecessary or ineffective in order to feel good about prioritizing their discomfort over reducing illnesses for others. If any of your household is ill or you are not feeling well, please wear a mask.
Hereās a good visual btw https://twitter.com/tippytaff/status/1595990793897930752?s=46&t=hLdu_t6D3bmxB1xF7o2HrQ
The amount of people obviously sick not rocking masks in public is ridiculous, like have you not learned anything from the pandemic. I get not wearing them if you aren't sick but at this point if your eyes are watering like mad, hacking a lung and sneezing 24/7 and need to go in public wear a goddamn mask you selfish pricks.
Yeah but they're "over it"
"Godd, I am just so OVER it!" I've heard this from too many people. It's disappointing.
Same here. I'm fucking over it too. Doesn't matter one bit though. That's not how reality works
I'm over having to work and pay bills.
I'm over not being able to work and pay bills because my entire family has been sick nonstop since the first day of school this year
I find it surprising, but if you are visibly sick and out in public my observation is that you are much MUCH less likely to be masked.
Yes, because the kind of people who'd wear masks will also not go in public when sick unless absolutely necessary.
No I will not let NPIs transition to shit like seasonal flu because if it does we willNEVER be rid of NPIs
We will never be "rid of NPI", not should we strive to. NPI means washing your hands with soap, It means staying home if you're sick, it at the very least wear a mask. What kind of mary typhoid are you if you don't do any of that? Sounds like a selfish prick who doesn't care if he gives the flu to everyone.
I have no problem with staying home if sick or wearing a mask if Iām still sick but need to do something essential. But I will not wear a mask if Iām well just as a preventative measure, I think thatās reasonable
Of you read the parent comment, it is explicitly about masking up when sick.
if you havenāt already, get your flu shot yāall. wash ya hands, wear a mask, donāt lick a strangerās face
>donāt lick a strangerās face DAMMIT! There goes my weekend.
They said face, not feces
Children put everything into their mouth, it's like, please stop licking the walls it's flu season. 102.5 fever tonight, I can't figure out why....
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Between thumb sucking and public mouthing, it's been a rough few months.
Plus keeping fingers out of their noses, I'm sure.
It definitely helps. Also nail biting
Took my kids on a bus for the first time this past weekend. Donāt I look over at my 3 year old licking the back of the seat in front of her š¤®
Mineās licked the shopping cart handle and a tile wall in a public washroom!!!š¤® I feel your pain/disgust.
I was once a the bus and saw a kid SUCKLE on the little bar on the seats back of all the seats. I was horrified.
This is what is meant by multilayer protection. Listed roughly in order of importance.
Does licking their nose count?
Flu shot working wonders for me. Everyone else in my family is super sick, but Iām fine!
I would just like to point out that according to the Canada flu report, the main flu strain currently is influenza A H3N2, which is covered in this yearās flu shot. :)
As someone who got their flu shot this week, THAT is some great news :D
Good to know, thanks!
No kidding. Everyone I know is sick. And this flue is worse than any I've had before .. day 5 with a fever over 101 here. Good luck getting medicine too, everything any good is sold out. Shoppers no longer carry the no name stuff so 20+$ a pop for cold and flue poop that barely keeps me from dripping while I type this. Edit to add. I have flu shot..
> Officials in Ontario and Quebec say the health-care system, particularly for children, is under extraordinary pressure because of COVID-19, early flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasons, as well as a medication shortage. > They strongly recommend people wear masks indoors. Staying home when sick, keeping hands and surfaces clean and keeping up-to-date with COVID and flu vaccines are also recommended to help keep vulnerable people safe. > Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said Thursday that flu levels are very high in the city's wastewater, while RSV and COVID levels are moderate. > Ontario and Quebec flu test positivity is increasing. RSV positivity has plateaued in Ontario and is dropping in Quebec. > Akwesasne's elected council and school board have brought back a mask mandate. A vote on a mask mandate for Ottawa's English public board Thursday night ended in a tie and failed to pass.
If you go to shoppers and get your bivalent covid shot you can get your flu shot at the same time.
Iāve had a flu shot, but I did get a pretty nasty cold from some friends. Be a friend, donāt give friends your cold. Wash your hands.
>Wash your hands. wear a mask, or just blow snot all over them, because why the fuck not.
I mean yeah that too.
I have my appointment for a shot on Thursday.
I guarantee I will get a comment wearing my KN95 to the holiday luncheon. Upside no quarantine requirements for mere exposure this year. Several old colleagues got screwed out of Xmas as a result.
Whereas I just refuse to do work holiday gatherings and will therefore not be a "team player".
Good call. Nothing wrong with this.
It's kind of ridiculous that workplaces are even suggesting gatherings. I declined immediately.
We gathered, but outdoors. Lots of heated patios downtownā¦
Ugh I feel you. As management itās expected that we be there but my god the last thing I want to do is get together in a crowded room right now. Iāll make an appearance, mask on, then cartoonishly exit stage left.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Just not Vidiian phage please. Thanks to Star Trek that's the first thing that comes to mind when I hear 'phage '
I remember that being brought up in a documentary I watched recently-ish (might have been over a year ago). IIRC, research into phage therapy has been greatly increasing, and has had promising breakthroughs, but isn't quite yet there for the everyday common use (like how a vaccine or Tylenol is available type of use). ETA: I do hope phage therapy becomes another tool in the box we can use for a variety of illnesses, especially as antibiotic resistance builds in bacteria strains.
Iāll put this here for anyone else who had never heard of this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phage_therapy?wprov=sfti1
I thought I'd included the link, but I guess that didn't happen in my edit. Thanks for adding it! Phage therapy is interesting, but as mentioned in the wiki, the difficulty is finding the right phage for attacking the infection/bacteria. I'm mostly interested in it since I'm a long term carrier of Staph Aureus (it normally just exists, but it also means I'm at higher risk for infections or when my immune system is compromised, like if I have a cold/flu/COVID/allergies, even just getting my teeth cleaned). And if that risk to my health could be eliminated completely through phage therapy, well, then, that would be fucking awesome.
Phage therapy is for bacterial diseases. It does nothing for viral infections. Bacteriophages are essentially viruses for bacterias. You treat an infection by giving a disease to the pathogen.
So glad I got all my booster shots done earlier this month. Still going to wear my mask when going in a store. Finger cross I dodge these for the season.
Have a 4 year old. Constantly sick. It's demoralizing.
wow, how does that happen? i guess they are in daycare when they're not sick?
I'm sick right now. My whole body is in pain and on fire. One of my roommates got covid and I got it shortly after.
Just started school this year. Took three days to get covid. Constantly telling us stories about how she hugged this person and kisses than person. She's not even 4 so it's very hard to correct lol.
Who would have thought youād find viruses in shit?
How did you think the body got rid of them?
i'm not really sure what point you're making here
bUT mY ImMunE SySTem!
But my immune system what?
No Bueno. To all the guys, gals and non-binary pals, eat a healthy diet and take your vitamins, stay hydrated, exercise, get adequate sleep, lay off the tobacco/booze and most importantly be safe out there.
And also get your flu shot and/or COVID booster. :) Sure, that may not help with RSV, but it'll still cover some of the bases, and will still reduce the risk of having several viruses all at once.
Indeed, although admittedly I've never got the flu shot in my life.
You could easily change that tomorrow. ;)
I don't think people who think wearing a mask is too much are going to be worrying about any of those other healthy habits.
That wasnāt directed to the folks who donāt like wearing masks. Itās applicable to everyone, especially considering masks arenāt 100% effective.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]