Ni5: Perspectives

This is where we offer some of our thoughts and perspectives to you. We won't promise they're better than anyone else's. Or even right. But we'll at least provide interesting ways of looking at things.

Combined with the information we provide in the other parts of this site, we hope to encourage interesting and meaningful conversations about things that affect you.

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Still believing in the science

Date: 2021-Aug-17 Author: Barry Shatzman

As much as i hate being wrong, i have to tell you that there's something i wrote on News in Five that is just that.

It was right at the time anyway.

Back in May i suggested that you could ditch your mask if you're fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It was simple... the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that vaccinated people not only were unikely get the disease, but they also were unlikely to spread it.

We still have to believe in the science. But with the now prevalent Delta variant, the science has changed.

Hospitalizations and deaths still occur almost exclusively among the unvaccinated. But there's some evidence now that vaccinated people can catch this new flavor and spread it - even if significantly less than had they not been vaccinated.

So if you're vaccinated, should you wear a mask indoors to protect those who chose not to get vaccinated?

There definitely are things i'd do for them. I'd try to inform them. I'd suggest they get their doctor's opinion. I'd suggest they might wanna give another think before betting their literal lives on their understanding of science versus those who have dedicated their careers to immunology and have worldwide consensus among others who've done the same.

But would i let my eyeglasses fog up just so i can protect them from my breath when they wouldn't do the same for me? I'm done even trying to come up with clever ways to say no. So just no.

However... there are those who cannot be vaccinated such as young children. And i figure i ought to help protect real children, even if i don't give a flying fuck about those who merely act like them.

So for now, please wear a mask indoors. It's not a whole lot of effort. And it'll show everyone who the adult is in the room.