Has anyone noticed the decrease in mask usage?

[TaraJo]

I think that if Trump had endorsed wearing a mask the picture would be completely different.  Those who currently wear masks do so because they believe in medical science - they wouldn't stop wearing masks to make the dumpster fire look bad.  Trump's endorsement would mean that the Trumpanzees would wear a mask because that's the Murican thing to do.

He could have made one tiny step in the right direction and altered the whole course of this virus.

Dumbass could have offered MAGA masks and his whole following would have stocked up with enough masks to cover their entire bodies.

And yet because he's got this bizarre obsession with winners and losers, an even more bizarre belief connecting germs with negativity, and a sense of Social Darwinism that's probably the only consistent part of his ideology outside of racism, we get what we got.

The good news is, the virus is most likely to kill people who have other health issues and/or the elderly.  Trump is 74 years old and obese.  I'm forced to wonder how his Trumpanzees will react when he chokes to death on a respirator after covid turns his lungs into swiss cheese.  Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't want anyone to have to die like that, but if that's the wake up call we need to get people to start taking it seriously, I'll welcome it.

[Rev. Rye]

And yet because he's got this bizarre obsession with winners and losers, an even more bizarre belief connecting germs with negativity, and a sense of Social Darwinism that's probably the only consistent part of his ideology outside of racism, we get what we got.

The good news is, the virus is most likely to kill people who have other health issues and/or the elderly.  Trump is 74 years old and obese.  I'm forced to wonder how his Trumpanzees will react when he chokes to death on a respirator after covid turns his lungs into swiss cheese.  Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't want anyone to have to die like that, but if that's the wake up call we need to get people to start taking it seriously, I'll welcome it.

Bear in mind that Trump has somehow managed to keep ticking, possibly because, longevity-wise, his genes managed to luck out: Trump's father died at 94 (his own mother died at 85; dad died at 49 as an early case of the Spanish Flu epidemic) and his mother at 88 (her father was 87 and mother was 96.) Except for his paternal grandfather, the minimum death age was 85. Then again, that one outlier died during the last huge flu pandemic.

A while back, I wrote this: 

Trump seems to have inherited genes that will predispose him to living a very long life (barring... occupational hazards inherent in being the most consistently unpopular president in living memory). And given that he:

• Lives on steaks so well-done they're indistinguishable from the firewood probably used to cook them, 2400-calorie meals at McDonald's, KFC, and maybe a taco if he feels like looking a bit less racist than he usually does
  
• Does not exercise, and is convinced that people are born with a finite amount of energy and exercise merely saps our reserves
  
• Has, on a good day, four hours of sleep, often as little as 90 minutes, per day
  
• Has been living like this for DECADES and the closest thing to it catching up with him being his taking Crestor for cholesterol
  

It's certainly possible he'll still be kicking well into his late eighties.

With all this, I can't help but think he'll be alive for the long haul, even with his reckless attitude towards the pandemic. Health-wise, he's the health equivalent of an Idiot Houdini. Though with this development, to quote the Tyrion Lannister of English Poetry, hope does spring eternal.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Saw on CNN this morning where the Vice Muppet has called for more people to wear masks.

[onlinebiker]

I think that if Trump had endorsed wearing a mask the picture would be completely different.  Those who currently wear masks do so because they believe in medical science - they wouldn't stop wearing masks to make the dumpster fire look bad.  Trump's endorsement would mean that the Trumpanzees would wear a mask because that's the Murican thing to do.

He could have made one tiny step in the right direction and altered the whole course of this virus.

Dumbass could have offered MAGA masks and his whole following would have stocked up with enough masks to cover their entire bodies.

You know what you would get if Trump endorsed facemask wearing?

A serious uptick of C19 infection among the 
( D ) crowd.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

There’s clearly a cultural disconnect on this. We were declared COVID-free a few weeks ago and mask-wearing seems to be holding at about 50%.

Conclusion: a lot of kiwis seem to have adopted the idea that breathing in what other people breathe out may not be the best idea.

Boru

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I think that if Trump had endorsed wearing a mask the picture would be completely different.  Those who currently wear masks do so because they believe in medical science - they wouldn't stop wearing masks to make the dumpster fire look bad.  Trump's endorsement would mean that the Trumpanzees would wear a mask because that's the Murican thing to do.

He could have made one tiny step in the right direction and altered the whole course of this virus.

Dumbass could have offered MAGA masks and his whole following would have stocked up with enough masks to cover their entire bodies.

You know what you would get if Trump endorsed facemask wearing?

A serious uptick of C19 infection among the 
( D ) crowd.

Another thing we might get is a suspicion that Trump owns stock in a mask manufacturer.

Boru

[Anomalocaris]

This is something I've noticed.

I remember, back in April and most of May, if you went to the grocery store or the gas station, EVERYONE was wearing a mask.  But over the past few weeks, I've noticed fewer and fewer people wearing them.  I went to get groceries last week and it was actually rare to see people wearing masks.  If I had to guestimate, I'd say 10% or less of people were actually wearing masks.  I have a friend who said she had the same problem at the grocery store yesterday.  Me, I've decided to try to do any significant errands or shopping during the week when it's less busy just so I can avoid the potentially infected crowds.

I can't say I'm entirely innocent here, either.  I've had more than a few times I've forgotten my mask.  I'm lucky I don't have to get out much, but on those rare cases I do go out, I usually wear my mask.  Usually isn't always, though.  Does it get hard to keep doing it or to remember to keep doing it?  That doesn't even take into account the people who don't just forget to wear masks, but make it a point to be against any mask wearing.  I've watched videos of people reaction with rage and violence over being asked to wear a mask.  

It's kinda crazy, though, because covid cases are still sky high.  The disease isn't going away; it's actually getting worse.  

And, yeah, I have a friend who works retail who probably has the virus.  She has all the symptoms: lost of taste/smell, cough, fever.  And her daughter, just a little thing, who is asthmatic, and isn't doing great, either.  

What will it take to get people to treat this virus like it's a serious threat?

The current spike in COVID cases across the US is what happens when people think politicians know more than virologists.

But maybe - just maybe - these people will be able to make the connection between fewer masks and more cases. Maybe.

Boru

No, it happens when people think they know, somehow, better than virologists and their politician is but the expression of their own uninformed and uneducated wisdom, no doubt given by god.

[Figbash]

Yes. It's the all about me, butthurt little douchebags, the I can do whatever the fuck I want pricks that voted for trump who are refusing to wear a mask.

[TaraJo]

The good news is, the virus is most likely to kill people who have other health issues and/or the elderly.  Trump is 74 years old and obese.  I'm forced to wonder how his Trumpanzees will react when he chokes to death on a respirator after covid turns his lungs into swiss cheese.  Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't want anyone to have to die like that, but if that's the wake up call we need to get people to start taking it seriously, I'll welcome it.

Bear in mind that Trump has somehow managed to keep ticking, possibly because, longevity-wise, his genes managed to luck out: Trump's father died at 94 (his own mother died at 85; dad died at 49 as an early case of the Spanish Flu epidemic) and his mother at 88 (her father was 87 and mother was 96.) Except for his paternal grandfather, the minimum death age was 85. Then again, that one outlier died during the last huge flu pandemic.

A while back, I wrote this: 

Trump seems to have inherited genes that will predispose him to living a very long life (barring... occupational hazards inherent in being the most consistently unpopular president in living memory). And given that he:

• Lives on steaks so well-done they're indistinguishable from the firewood probably used to cook them, 2400-calorie meals at McDonald's, KFC, and maybe a taco if he feels like looking a bit less racist than he usually does
  
• Does not exercise, and is convinced that people are born with a finite amount of energy and exercise merely saps our reserves
  
• Has, on a good day, four hours of sleep, often as little as 90 minutes, per day
  
• Has been living like this for DECADES and the closest thing to it catching up with him being his taking Crestor for cholesterol
  

It's certainly possible he'll still be kicking well into his late eighties.

With all this, I can't help but think he'll be alive for the long haul, even with his reckless attitude towards the pandemic. Health-wise, he's the health equivalent of an Idiot Houdini. Though with this development, to quote the Tyrion Lannister of English Poetry, hope does spring eternal.

As much as he has certainly had some Karma Houdini going on, I think a lot of that is because he's rich and his family is rich.  In this world, rich people never suffer.  They never lose.  Things always work out for rich people.  But it remains to be seen how much protection money will provide him from covid ripping his lungs to shreds.  As much as he may have financial defenses, he's been going out of his way to encourage people to ignore the pandemic, to not wear masks, to pretend there's no disease, to be hostile towards anyone who attempts to control the disease.  Those rallies he's throwing, I can't think of an environment better suited to spreading the virus to thousands, all at once, and it would be quite easy for Trump to be one of those thousands infected.  If he actually have that kind of insane luck, he's really going to press it until this pandemic ends.

[Rev. Rye]

When it comes to his crimes, he's certainly a Karma Houdini, but that's not what I was talking about.

Technically, I actually meant "Idiot Houdini." Health-wise, it fits perfectly: he makes stupid health decision after stupid health decision, and somehow, he's never had to answer for it. Motherfucker lives on fast food (frequently with individual meals going over the daily recommended caloric intake of about 2000), sleeps four hours per day maximum, and doesn't excercise. By the time most people who live like this reach his age, they'd probably be dead or with some serious health issue. Trump? He takes Chrestor. And that's it. There's only so much that the privilege that comes from his obscene wealth can do to explain it.

Trump is to personal healthcare what Elmyra from Tiny Toons is to animal care. They abuse the shit out of it and never get any consequences.