As authorities revealed that a new Covid-19 variant has been detected in the US, medical experts are emphasizing that high-risk persons resume masking to prevent potentially deadly infection. Warnings from these physicians come amid an ongoing increase in Covid-19 hospitalizations.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that scientists have discovered a new coronavirus variant, BA 2.86, during routine monitoring of wastewater. Officials said that this variant’s “large number of mutations” has prompted concerns that it could evade immunity derived from vaccination and prior infections more than other variants.

    • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I stopped wearing money because I have been vaccinated 4 time now for covid, and then I finally got covid a few months ago. Doesn’t help as much either when everyone else stops masking. If you have covid, masking helps limit the spread, yes. But if you don’t have coivd, and you’re the only one wearing a mask, it’s markedly less effective at preventing covid. But, the larger point I’m trying to make is that a larger percentage of people are vaccinated now and/or have a level of protection from covid from getting it, or both. So, the calculated risk is far different than it was 2-3 years ago. That said, when I get on a plane, I wear a mask still. Those places are sess pools for getting sick.

      • pokemaster787@ani.social
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        1 year ago

        But if you don’t have coivd, and you’re the only one wearing a mask, it’s markedly less effective at preventing covid.

        Worth noting that is mostly only true for cloth masks. The person you’re replying to said N95, which do a lot better at protecting the individual wearing them even when others aren’t masked.

      • Polar@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Obviously if only one person is wearing a mask and not the other(s), it’s less effective, but it’s still VERY effective.

        I’ve properly masked up, along with my girlfriend, since the beginning, and neither of us have gotten COVID yet.

        We’ve been to weddings, conferences, shows, events, friends, families, shopping, etc. and we are still good. Even places where people have tested positive after, and we’re still good.

        People have a weird perception that visiting family and friends is safe, but if your family and friends don’t mask up, they’re opening you up to thousands if not hundreds of thousands of potential exposure in their day to day life.

        We are also extra cautious about sanitizing our hands when removing or putting the mask on, we don’t shove our masks in our pocket, we shower as soon as we get home, and we wipe down our groceries to prevent any germs. Colds and flus can last 24 hours on surfaces, so we treat COVID the same way. Actually, we treat COVID as if it lasts 3 days on surfaces.

        The biggest issue is people don’t protect themselves properly. Chewing your fingernails in the grocery store, or bringing your dirty ass phone home and not wiping it down when you get in the door is keeping the spread going.

        • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That’s extremely excessive at this point. Vaccination is more than enough to protect you without a mask unless you are immunocompromised.

          • Rhaedas@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            I’ve had to deal at work with the occasional “you don’t have to wear a mask” for a while, and now while I still wear a mask I hear people around me coughing and sneezing. Yeah, I guess it’s excessive, but it does seem to help.

            Maybe you didn’t mean to imply it, but a vaccine isn’t protection from infection, instead it helps the body fight off the infection better than without. Sometimes it may seem like it’s acting as a shield since your body doesn’t even react with symptoms, but there’s still crap around. And as a healthy person who has fought it off, you’re acting as a carrier now for what’s left in your body. Maybe excessive is okay.

            • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I’m not gonna knock you for not wanting to get sick. I was paranoid for 3 years about wearing masks and getting covid. I get not wanting to deal with it. Everybody has different risk tolerance after the pandemic.

              As far as the vaccine, it does offer some amount of protection from infection. Depends on the person though. The media has grossly misrepresented the covid vaccine unfortunately.

          • Polar@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            I had a double lung transplant…

            A simple cold could send my lungs into rejection. I think I will remain “extremely excessive”.

            • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I did mention immunocompromized in my comment. For the vast majority of people, they are not in your shoes, and the vaccine is more than enough protection from covid. Sorry you have to deal with all that regardless.

    • naught
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      1 year ago

      Havent even had the sniffles in like almost 4 years. Y’all can keep your gross ass germs to yourself 🤗

      • dangblingus@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You mean, you haven’t gotten sick from someone else’s germs? You know how facemasks work right?

    • Steeve@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Cause I got 3 vaccines, I work from home, and it itches my smooth little baby face

    • HootinNHollerin
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      1 year ago

      That’s excessive but good on you. I had to wear one all day at work and after over a year I just won’t unless around someone actually immuno compromised or sick