Global Pandemic Lockdown

Started by Snarky, Sat 14/03/2020 11:38:17

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Sinitrena

#340
A study on the efficiency of masks, comparing Jena (a city where mask wearing was made compulsary earlier than in other cities in Germany) from the university in Mainz:

https://download.uni-mainz.de/RePEc/pdf/Discussion_Paper_2016.pdf

Edit: Who wants to read a thirty pages research paper? Sorry. Quote from the conclusion:

QuoteWe set out by analyzing the city of Jena. The introduction of face masks on 6 April reduced the number of new infections over the next 20 days by almost 25% relative to the synthetic control group. This corresponds to a reduction in the average daily growth rate of the total number of reported infections by 1.32 percentage points. Comparing the daily growth rate in the synthetic control group with the observed daily growth rate in Jena, the latter shrinks by around 60% due to  the  introduction  of  face  masks.  This  is  a  sizeable  effect.  Wearing  face  masks  apparently  helped considerably in reducing the spread of Covid-19.

Stupot

Yeah, I have no lingering doubt that wearing masks (when in close proximity to other people) has a positive effect on the prevention of the spread of the disease.

I do maintain that you’re very unlikely to catch or transmit the disease by running past a lone jogger, especially if you’re both probably going to try to allow a bit of distance between you anyway. So I will continue to take my mask off when walking around my quiet neighbourhood, if you don’t mind.

The point about masks helping to prevent face-touching is a good one though, I’ll concede that. Especially if you’re in a situation where you’re touching stuff and can’t easily sanitize your hands. But when I’m walking in my neighbourhood I’m not touching anything else and coronavirus doesn’t just magically appear on your hand when you step outside.

LimpingFish

Excluding those who can't wear them, for physical or medical reasons, the "masks don't really work" excuse is usually the fallback argument for people who just don't want to wear them. Regardless of how effective they are, they are somewhat effective in stopping people from spreading the disease. We can argue percentages, but, even if the end percentage is only a single digit, doesn't it still make sense to wear them? Despite our governments fence-sitting over masks, some private companies here (such as airlines and a number of retail outlets) are insisting customers wear them. Because, along with social-distancing and proper sanitizing, they're another weapon we can utilize against Covid-19.

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Laura Hunt

Quote from: LimpingFish on Tue 09/06/2020 22:52:52
Excluding those who can't wear them, for physical or medical reasons, the "masks don't really work" excuse is usually the fallback argument for people who just don't want to wear them.

Yeah, it's classic cognitive dissonance.

Brain: I am not a bad person.

Brain: I don't want to wear a mask because it's uncomfortable and inconvenient.

Conflict: But these measures are meant to protect the vulnerable and help prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths, so not doing it makes me a bad person.

Solution: mAsKs dOn'T dO aNyTHinG AnYwaY

Slasher

#344
Whether masks work or not we still have to abide by the rules even if we think they're a waste of time. People who are scared would want you to wear one.

As many may know, I don't completely buy into the whole fiasco but again we must observe others wishes who wish to wear a mask...

cat

I don't doubt that masks can help to avoid spreading the virus, I just doubt if it is necessary. In my district with 100.000+ inhabitants there have been 2 new cases confirmed within the last 7 days. Just compare that to how many people get the flu every year (or multi-resistant bacteria, for example). We could also all drive our cars at 20km/h to avoid traffic accidents. The question is not what can be done but what is reasonable.

Khris

How do you know that it's not precisely the masks that made the number of new cases drop?
This is like going on a diet, losing 20 pounds, then immediately going back to your old eating habits because you're thin now.

The cases in Brazil are growing exponentially, guess what Bolzonaro thinks about implementing mask rules?

Blondbraid

The problem with masks though, is that while they can prevent infected from spreading the disease by coughing, there have been lots of problems with people having to adjust their masks,
making them touch their faces more than they would otherwise, which in turn increases the risk of the virus getting on their hands and contaminating even more surfaces. It's a double edged sword.


Mandle

This discussion about masks in here in starting to turn into a Facebook-type discussion where people just post all kind of opinions, nobody has all the facts or data, and it turns into a complete mess of people getting butt-hurt over being contradicted.

Maybe the thread should just go back to the original informative topic of how people are dealing with the current situation, and what is happening in their part of the world,  instead of a useless back-and-forth about what people "should" be doing?

Slasher

#349
Mandle: I agree to some point but it is good to know how people are dealing with this issue..

Regarding facts and data: There is plenty, but censorship stops them becoming m/stream... Even ags has implemented new algorithms..

At the moment I am doing day to day stuff ok.. My mind is clearer and i'v caught up with some reading... So all good  (nod)

Mandle

Quote from: Slasher on Wed 10/06/2020 14:27:43
Mandle: I agree to some point but it is good to know how people are dealing with this issue..

Yeah, I agree, but the whole "I have this opinion to say or this data to present that shows your opinion and/or data is/could be wrong." downspiral is the way Facebook conversations more than often end up, and we here at AGS are better than that.

Khris

My statements are based on a recent study from Germany. I don't have a personal opinion about the efficiency of masks that goes beyond the current scientific consensus, that would be ridiculous.

Slasher, I love facts and data, can you link me to those censored sources?
And what are these new AGS algorithms? That's the first time I'm hearing of this.

Slasher

#352
Quote from: Khris on Wed 10/06/2020 16:40:02
My statements are based on a recent study from Germany. I don't have a personal opinion about the efficiency of masks that goes beyond the current scientific consensus, that would be ridiculous.

Slasher, I love facts and data, can you link me to those censored sources?
And what are these new AGS algorithms? That's the first time I'm hearing of this.
Khris, I'd e love to show you some data/info but very little point as you would not accept them due to your belief.

i mentioned about cri-ses in Chi-na which was factual and got warned that i could get banned from a non-reply PM..

Meanwhile, keep well and free..


Crimson Wizard

#353
Quote from: Slasher on Wed 10/06/2020 17:00:00
Quote from: Khris on Wed 10/06/2020 16:40:02
And what are these new AGS algorithms? That's the first time I'm hearing of this.
i mentioned about cri-ses in Chi-na which was factual and got warned that i could get banned from a non-reply PM..

Slasher, there's no automatic algorithms on AGS site from what I know, that PM was likely sent to you by one of actual human moderators (Snarky, LimpingFish or someone else) who read this thread. I know because I have some mod rights and read their discussion on this.

Slasher

Well, it was misleading in its origins.. but still censorship.. Anyhow, I was warned by X... enough said...

Mandle

Quote from: Khris on Wed 10/06/2020 16:40:02
My statements are based on a recent study from Germany. I don't have a personal opinion about the efficiency of masks that goes beyond the current scientific consensus, that would be ridiculous.

Khris, my comments were not aimed specifically at anyone. My point was just that the thread was originally intended to just kind of check in on members of the AGS community that could post here and talk about how they were doing and what was happening in their part of the world. Then it turned into a back-and-forth about personal opinions about masks that is most likely going to go in circles, quite likely circles spiraling downwards. I see this all the time on Facebook (for example).

My point was that I didn't want to see a topic that was started with a caring sentiment turn into that kind of bickering. Maybe my worries were unfounded but I just wanted to speak up and remind people that we are AGS, one of the few friendly places left on this shitty internet.

Blondbraid

Quote from: Mandle on Wed 10/06/2020 22:54:41
Quote from: Khris on Wed 10/06/2020 16:40:02
My statements are based on a recent study from Germany. I don't have a personal opinion about the efficiency of masks that goes beyond the current scientific consensus, that would be ridiculous.

Khris, my comments were not aimed specifically at anyone. My point was just that the thread was originally intended to just kind of check in on members of the AGS community that could post here and talk about how they were doing and what was happening in their part of the world. Then it turned into a back-and-forth about personal opinions about masks that is most likely going to go in circles, quite likely circles spiraling downwards. I see this all the time on Facebook (for example).

My point was that I didn't want to see a topic that was started with a caring sentiment turn into that kind of bickering. Maybe my worries were unfounded but I just wanted to speak up and remind people that we are AGS, one of the few friendly places left on this shitty internet.
That is so true, and I'm quite frustrated at seeing several people I used to respect at various sites devolve into near panicked rants dead set in painting Corona as literally as bad as the black plague, ignoring the facts and risk assessments by real scientists.

Here in Sweden, the latest number on how many have died from the virus is about 4 800 dead, out of a 10 million population. Here is my source: https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/3Jgxj9/senaste-nytt-om-coronaviruset


LimpingFish

Quote from: Khris on Wed 10/06/2020 16:40:02
And what are these new AGS algorithms? That's the first time I'm hearing of this.

Yeah, that's not a thing.  :)

All our moderators are of the flesh-'n-blood variety, and we make decisions the old fashioned way:



Quote from: Mandle on Wed 10/06/2020 22:54:41
Maybe my worries were unfounded but I just wanted to speak up and remind people that we are AGS, one of the few friendly places left on this shitty internet.

I understand your concern, but the Covid situation is changing from day to day, and I think it's healthy for people to highlight how they are coping with new developments as restrictions start to be eased. Right now, here in Ireland, the news is dominated by mask talk, so it's at the forefront of my own thoughts as I venture outside again. It's largely unavoidable that discussing this is going to involve opinions and personal feelings, or comparing one countries plans to another. While it would be nice if we could ensure things are kept friendly, sometimes the conversation might get a little heated.

But I agree, a few more supportive posts might keep us all a little saner.
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Stupot

I was hoping for some more comments about being expected to wear the poison bleach necklace. (Although I don’t wear it. My compromise is I’ll hang it in my room but I’m not putting it around my neck).

Quote from: Stupot on Tue 09/06/2020 02:40:26My company is making us wear this “Virus Away” blocker which has been banned in multiple countries and is clearly a scam, but they refuse to check anything, especially if it’s “MADE IN JAPAN”


eri0o

#359
I think I lurked around this thread to see if forum members that had vanished would eventually respond, saying that they are alright (or not, but alive!), just were not making games... Or coding or writing or drawing or composing something to share in the forums for whatever reason...

I don't see AGS forums as an echo chamber of personal opinions on complex problems that can affect each local communities differently. I know we can't even agree on Verbcoins!

Quote from: Mandle on Wed 10/06/2020 22:54:41
My point was that I didn't want to see a topic that was started with a caring sentiment turn into that kind of bickering. Maybe my worries were unfounded but I just wanted to speak up and remind people that we are AGS, one of the few friendly places left on this shitty internet.

This right here. Also this is your fault for not doing a good job as the Hog keeper. It's kinda suspect that just after you stopped feeding it we all got caught into this.

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