quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

I believe in freedom. You believe in using force on those whom you disagree with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

quote:

ORIGINAL: bohumm

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Oh, and hospitals exercise their freedom and turn the unvaccinated away. Freedom for our hospitals!

None of this applies to people that cannot take the vaccine for medical reasons.

Can't actually do this, but sometimes wish we could. I have three patients today who got COVID and didn't die, but probably wish they had. Their lives will likely be lived out in a shitty bed in a shitty room in a shitty facility, trached and maybe on a ventilator.

Get the vaccine.

Again, just for the record I am vaccinated. Also, I want to say that I like your style. You are using persuasion (and you're good at it). It reminds me of the fable of the contest between the sun and the wind. They both wanted to get the coat off the man walking down the road. The wind tried to use force, but the harder he blew the more firmly the man clung to his coat. Then, when the sun shone warmly the man took off his own coat.

Of course in the political discourse of today emotions run high, but when we get angry with someone it only leads them to be more stubborn with their viewpoint. (like the wind and the coat) I am thinking that the divisions that we have today are not acceptable- we are like immature children. The thing that can best change that, in my opinion is that we listen to each other better and the way to do that is to let the other person know that you understand what they are saying. (even to repeat the point back to them to show that you do understand) Part of the frustration of the whole scene is that we tend to repeat to each other ad nauseam our views because it feels like the other side is not listening. And then we also tend to interrupt each other instead of listening to what the other is saying. We are listening and thinking how to respond before allowing the other person to finish speaking. Then we really can't have constructive dialogue like that.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bohumm

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

I believe in freedom. You believe in using force on those whom you disagree with.

No need to use force, but if one chooses not to be vaccinated, their choices should be severely curtailed, and they have to wear masks in all public spaces. That's fair.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Most of the non-mask states have far less people, are more rural, and have far fewer populations clusters.

The author couldn't even base it on per capita? He/she probably knows the gullible masses will swallow that whole.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Most of the non-mask states have far less people, are more rural, and have far fewer populations clusters.

The author couldn't even base it on per capita? He/she probably knows the gullible masses will swallow that whole.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David F.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Most of the non-mask states have far less people, are more rural, and have far fewer populations clusters.

The author couldn't even base it on per capita? He/she probably knows the gullible masses will swallow that whole.

A person would be hard-pressed to design a state that is more naturally suited to avoid the damage of a pandemic than South Dakota. Not only is the population miniscule, they are significantly spread out. On top of that the small towns are incredibly self sufficient. Public transportation? They've never heard of it.

They had every advantage yet still managed to be one of, if not THE, worst state in the union at handling it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thebigo

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Johanesen

Most of the non-mask states have far less people, are more rural, and have far fewer populations clusters.

The author couldn't even base it on per capita? He/she probably knows the gullible masses will swallow that whole.

That Trump loving CDC.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's another article explaining how the lifting on the mask mandate did not have an impact on Texas.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/14/texas-coronavirus-mask-order-abbott/

quote:

ORIGINAL: paulgly

Flu cases are at historic lows this year. That's likely the main reason our health care system didn't become completely overrun. This is the first winter I personally did not get sick at all. But sure, stop wearing a mask for the 15 minutes while you're in a Target. Better yet, make a scene while you're doing it and harass others who are. The hell with your health, and other people and their stupid health...bunch of sheep...

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: paulgly

Flu cases are at historic lows this year. That's likely the main reason our health care system didn't become completely overrun. This is the first winter I personally did not get sick at all. But sure, stop wearing a mask for the 15 minutes while you're in a Target. Better yet, make a scene while you're doing it and harass others who are. The hell with your health, and other people and their stupid health...bunch of sheep...

LOL. Flu and pneumonia cases/deaths are practically nonexistent because they're calling it all Covid.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: paulgly

Flu cases are at historic lows this year. That's likely the main reason our health care system didn't become completely overrun. This is the first winter I personally did not get sick at all. But sure, stop wearing a mask for the 15 minutes while you're in a Target. Better yet, make a scene while you're doing it and harass others who are. The hell with your health, and other people and their stupid health...bunch of sheep...

LOL. Flu and pneumonia cases/deaths are practically nonexistent because they're calling it all Covid.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

Bill Maher's thoughts concerning COVID:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp3gy_CLXho

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's another article explaining how the lifting on the mask mandate did not have an impact on Texas.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/14/texas-coronavirus-mask-order-abbott/

You need to read more than just the the first sentence of the headline...

Texas coronavirus cases haven't surged since Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the mask order. Experts warn it's too soon to celebrate.

Experts point out that vaccination is ramping up, many businesses are still requiring masks and there are unique factors impacting individual metrics — like a drop in demand for testing that is driving down raw case numbers.

They also emphasize that, especially at this point in the pandemic, a stabilization of such metrics, or even a modest decline, is not exactly cause for celebration.

“I think we could’ve been even lower at this point in time,” if not for Abbott’s latest decisions, said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious disease specialist at UTHealth’s McGovern Medical School in Houston. “The fact that we’re sort of stable is not necessarily good news — because we’re stable at a very high level. It’s like everybody saying you’re at a stable cruising speed — but at 100 miles per hour.”

Jaquelin Dudley, the associate director of the LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease at the University of Texas at Austin, said the underreporting of previous cases could be masking the extent to which the state’s population is already immune. Combined with the vaccination effort, “we’re definitely impairing the ability of the virus to spread” at this juncture in the pandemic, she said.

She and other experts also cited anecdotal evidence that most businesses, especially in the state’s major metropolitan centers, are still requiring masks despite the lack of statewide mandate.

“I think it’s too early to drop mask mandates, and that’s really been left up to the individual businesses,” Dudley said. “Certainly the places that I know of are still requiring masks, and I’m sure that’s helping.”

The experts, though, are pleading with the public to still take the pandemic seriously, even as the numbers look good and the statewide restrictions fall further in to the rearview.

“If we don’t focus — and all we’re asking for is two more months … — we’re really gonna lose all that ground we gained,” Ostrosky said.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's another article explaining how the lifting on the mask mandate did not have an impact on Texas.

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/14/texas-coronavirus-mask-order-abbott/

You need to read more than just the the first sentence of the headline...

Texas coronavirus cases haven't surged since Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the mask order. Experts warn it's too soon to celebrate.

Experts point out that vaccination is ramping up, many businesses are still requiring masks and there are unique factors impacting individual metrics — like a drop in demand for testing that is driving down raw case numbers.

They also emphasize that, especially at this point in the pandemic, a stabilization of such metrics, or even a modest decline, is not exactly cause for celebration.

“I think we could’ve been even lower at this point in time,” if not for Abbott’s latest decisions, said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious disease specialist at UTHealth’s McGovern Medical School in Houston. “The fact that we’re sort of stable is not necessarily good news — because we’re stable at a very high level. It’s like everybody saying you’re at a stable cruising speed — but at 100 miles per hour.”

Jaquelin Dudley, the associate director of the LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease at the University of Texas at Austin, said the underreporting of previous cases could be masking the extent to which the state’s population is already immune. Combined with the vaccination effort, “we’re definitely impairing the ability of the virus to spread” at this juncture in the pandemic, she said.

She and other experts also cited anecdotal evidence that most businesses, especially in the state’s major metropolitan centers, are still requiring masks despite the lack of statewide mandate.

“I think it’s too early to drop mask mandates, and that’s really been left up to the individual businesses,” Dudley said. “Certainly the places that I know of are still requiring masks, and I’m sure that’s helping.”

The experts, though, are pleading with the public to still take the pandemic seriously, even as the numbers look good and the statewide restrictions fall further in to the rearview.

“If we don’t focus — and all we’re asking for is two more months … — we’re really gonna lose all that ground we gained,” Ostrosky said.

I sincerely believe you hope that millions die in Texas so that you can say you were right all along.

quote:

Some of you will continue to insist that you are with the science and the data, but really you are just stubborn and don't want to admit the truth. The truth is that we need to open up society because the damages from shut downs already will be felt for generations- many times greater than the benefits of shutdowns. If you are still nervous about the virus, just stay home then but don't make everyone else do it too.