To Think We Should Still Be Wearing Masks

[TheShellBeach]

Especially seeing the news coming out of China, and the lies they seem to be telling about the Covid situation there.

I never stopped wearing a mask when shopping anyway, even though we were told it was no longer necessary.

Yes, I know that most people have now been vaccinated.

Yes, no issue if people want to wear masks. That's their prerogative (and should be the case on both sides).

As the great Zuby says: the real battle is between people who want to be left alone, and those who refuse to leave others alone. Always has been, always will be!

Viruses aren't unique to humans nor are they "designed" to kill the host, in fact there are viruses that are beneficial to us as well as those that are harmful.

I wore one the other day at the hairdressers to hide several coldsores, I do wonder when I see people in them if it is because they are ill.

I had covid a couple of months ago and now have the awful flu doing the rounds. The flu is way way worse. Part of me wishes I had worn a mask but I also wonder if there is truth in the argument that our immune system has been weakened by mask wearing and isolation. I dunno.

I had Covid a couple of months ago and it was quite short and sharp, in bed for a couple of days then quickly got better. The cold I had recently lasted ages and was worse, it cumulated in four coldsores, hence the mask to cover them. I think this year is going to be the year of the bad colds.

I feel awful at the minute with covid, the cough is the worst
Waiting a delivery of antivirals though so I can start them today

No, mask-wearing doesn't weaken the immune system.

@Thebestwaytoscareatory

which viruses are beneficial to humans? Thanks.

You missed the "and isolation" bit which definite does weaken the immune system.

Mask wearing itself doesn’t weaken the immune system but catching things does strengthen the immune system (if it doesn’t kill you).

I think the mask wearing WAS the correct thing at the time but it wasn’t without cost … I’ve seen higher absences at school than EVER in the last term, especially amongst EYFS and KS1, where their immune systems haven’t had a chance to really develop.

I followed the rules when we had them and would do so again. I did catch covid but I was at work, in school, with unmasked children every day so it was always going to happen. I’m also “vunerable” but not CEV so got all my jabs earlier than most.

which viruses are beneficial to humans? Thanks

Example here

Also here

The theory I have read is that in protecting ourselves from covid via masks and isolation we also limited our exposure to colds and flu. The theory being that when we then get exposed to common viruses our immune system is not prepared. It kinda makes sense but then the other theory I have read is that if you have had covid it has a long-term impact on body and we are hit harder when exposed to common viruses. That also makes sense.

I do feel like protecting myself from exposure to viruses over the next couple of months because I have been so badly impacted with this flu.

Absolutely not. It’s personal preference but you certainly won’t see me wearing a mask ever again.

Anything more recent than millions of years ago, or that is not genetically engineered?

What current naturally occurring viruses in 2022 are beneficial to human beings?

Anything more recent than millions of years ago, or that is not genetically engineered?

The first link covers that.

No. I WON'T go backwards. Our immune systems have taken a tanking and its taking an age for my family to just get over basic colds that wouldn't have made a dent before. We need to crack on and I won't be told otherwise.

Before masks were mandatory I felt they worked well as a signal that the people wearing them were a little more worried/vulnerable and they were generally respectfully given plenty of space.

Once they were widely worn we've all become so used to seeing them that we're more likely just to treat them as any other person and not afford them that additional space.
Hopefully the mask itself is providing the wearer a little reassurance and maybe even some protection as people lean across them to get to the frozen chips.

I have not read through the thread but I think the the public should be wearing them in a crowded indoor spaces with no ventilation. This meta analysis found mask wearing reduced the risk of infection by 53%. www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2021-068302

I'll never wear one again outside of a medical setting. Useless horrid things.

Pararetroviruses protect plants from pathogenic viruses, while others such as Bromoviridae can alter a plants tolerance to drought/temperature (useful in agriculture for us humans).

Bacteriophages are viruses that only target specific bacteria in their host and have been shown to be able to fight and destroy several drug resistant bacteria. A lot more research was focused on these viruses before the advent of antibiotics but there is now a renewed and growing interest in them and the benefits they present.

Slightly redundant now but historically retroviruses helped in the evolution of the placenta and without a virus our distant egg-laying ancestors wouldn't have evolved to birthing live young.

That's just some broad examples, if you want to learn more just search for "beneficial viruses" or something similar. I found Marilyn Roossnick's paper "The good viruses: viral mutualistic symbioses" a good introductory piece, but it is not focused purley on humans.

www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro2491

Masks are useless. Worse than useless because they do nothing for covid yet make normal human interaction difficult.

Just adding to this as I see @ZeldaWillTellYourFortune already replied to someone else dismissing articles because they weren't recent examples.

Roossnick has a book coming out next May called "Viruses: A natural history", which "covers what viruses are and where they come from; how they transmit and evolve; the battle between viruses and hosts, including immunity and vaccination; viruses that are good for us ; and the critical role viruses play in the balance of earth's ecosystems".

As a professor emeritus at Penn State I would imagine that it shall tick both the recent and authoritative boxes and you can pre-order it now.

I remember during the UK lockdowns how depressed I felt at the world - not because of the virus but about the rabid nastiness of dimwits who were itching to shame no -NHS flappers, call the police if their neighbour walked the dog more than once, applauding women being arreated for meeting for a walk , filming people not wearing masks and shaming them on social media and loudly declaring people without the vaccine should be denied healthcare and not caring that the economy was being destroyed. nasty, callous little fuckers who also said #BeKind and claim they’re really selfless because they’re in the privileged position of being able to afford to lol around in their garden whilst on furlough

It really was the busybodies time to shine wasn’t it and you can tell that they miss it.

Nor me. Enforcement was disgusting and unnecessary and relentless for those who couldn’t wear masks.