Threat Model
February 1, 2025 8:19 PM Subscribe
Covid: January 30, 2025
Welcome to Threat Model: an inclusive, curated selection of new information and fresh perspectives on Covid-19 published every Thursday
This is amazing! I was reading Your Local Epidemiologist for Covid and other infectious disease news, but she seems to have gone silent at least temporarily.
posted by coldhotel at 9:03 PM on February 1
posted by coldhotel at 9:03 PM on February 1
I think she has separate Covid and Cyber Security blogs
She also recently published the Covid Safety Handbook
posted by mbo at 9:10 PM on February 1 [5 favorites]
She also recently published the Covid Safety Handbook
posted by mbo at 9:10 PM on February 1 [5 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
Looking around here in Seattle, I am an outlier adn should not be counted...
posted by Windopaene at 9:14 PM on February 1 [13 favorites]
Looking around here in Seattle, I am an outlier adn should not be counted...
posted by Windopaene at 9:14 PM on February 1 [13 favorites]
Your Local Epidemiologist just posted yesterday.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:15 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
posted by gingerbeer at 9:15 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
> Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
Who here is still going out in public?
posted by I-Write-Essays at 9:28 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
Who here is still going out in public?
posted by I-Write-Essays at 9:28 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
Raises hand - spent a few nights last week in hospital (a small stroke) each night there was someone else in the (small 4 person) ward with a hacking cough through the night, at least one of them caught their cough in the hospital. Wore my flo-mask all the time including while asleep
posted by mbo at 9:28 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
Raises hand - spent a few nights last week in hospital (a small stroke) each night there was someone else in the (small 4 person) ward with a hacking cough through the night, at least one of them caught their cough in the hospital. Wore my flo-mask all the time including while asleep
posted by mbo at 9:28 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
I was one of two people wearing a mask on my flight from Europe to the US and expect to be one of not many people wearing one on the return flight. Thanks for the post, otherchaz, and thanks for your work, Violet Blue!
posted by Bella Donna at 9:49 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 9:49 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
I am when I go into a store or such. I don’t wear one when outside, since I avoid crowds and the virus disperses very fast in fresh outdoor air. But indoors, definitely. Most of my outings these days are to outdoor destinations. If I’m going out to eat, I want an outdoor patio. Our favorite coffee shop has an outdoor order window and an outdoor patio.
posted by azpenguin at 10:47 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
I am when I go into a store or such. I don’t wear one when outside, since I avoid crowds and the virus disperses very fast in fresh outdoor air. But indoors, definitely. Most of my outings these days are to outdoor destinations. If I’m going out to eat, I want an outdoor patio. Our favorite coffee shop has an outdoor order window and an outdoor patio.
posted by azpenguin at 10:47 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
I wear a mask on airplanes, and in crowded/poorly ventilated spaces. But I will drink in a spacious beer garden without a mask, for example. I am very well vaccinated and have antihistamines ready to take (certain antihistamines look like they reduce severity of COVID symptoms and risk of long COVID). KN95 usually but but over the head N95 on aircraft etc.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 10:47 PM on February 1 [3 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 10:47 PM on February 1 [3 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
[San Francisco, California, USA] Bay Area here; you don't see my mouth & nose unless I know you.
posted by german_bight at 11:08 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]
[San Francisco, California, USA] Bay Area here; you don't see my mouth & nose unless I know you.
posted by german_bight at 11:08 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]
I thought I might be suffering from "long COVID," because I never bounced back from my first infection, despite a clean bill of health from my lung specialist
Two years later, it turns out I was suffering from hypothyroid, and a $1 monthly pill turned my life around in a few weeks.
ME/CFS and "long COVID" may or may not be real diseases but I am sure as shit not going to govern my life, or the lives of others, by the standards of the folks who self-diagnose
The only people I really worry about in our "post-COVID" (i.e. endemic COVID) world are people with reduced immune function. And even those folks have better treatment options than five years ago. The paxlovid family is basically magic. (God knows it's saved my life)
posted by your postings may, in fact, be signed at 11:15 PM on February 1 [4 favorites]
Two years later, it turns out I was suffering from hypothyroid, and a $1 monthly pill turned my life around in a few weeks.
ME/CFS and "long COVID" may or may not be real diseases but I am sure as shit not going to govern my life, or the lives of others, by the standards of the folks who self-diagnose
The only people I really worry about in our "post-COVID" (i.e. endemic COVID) world are people with reduced immune function. And even those folks have better treatment options than five years ago. The paxlovid family is basically magic. (God knows it's saved my life)
posted by your postings may, in fact, be signed at 11:15 PM on February 1 [4 favorites]
I worry in particular about children and teachers, who get it again and again and again at school. That cannot be good.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:42 PM on February 1 [8 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:42 PM on February 1 [8 favorites]
I still wear a mask in public, and basically only go to the grocery store and to pick up take-out. I haven't eaten in a restaurant since covid started, or been to a public performance.
I believe there may one day be vaccines with the effectiveness of current mumps and measles vaccines, that leave me with a justified sense that I won't get infected if I have the vaccine. I am immensely grateful for the vaccines we have now and the fact that they significantly reduce spread and very significantly reduce the odds of dying of an infection, but they're not yet a guarantee against getting sick. So for now, I am happy to do everything I can to avoid even two weeks of brain fog, much less months or years of long covid, and I am happy, still, to be lucky enough to work from home. If I can reduce risk to my grocery store workers and the folks who hand me my take-out by wearing a mask, I am happier still.
posted by kristi at 11:50 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
I believe there may one day be vaccines with the effectiveness of current mumps and measles vaccines, that leave me with a justified sense that I won't get infected if I have the vaccine. I am immensely grateful for the vaccines we have now and the fact that they significantly reduce spread and very significantly reduce the odds of dying of an infection, but they're not yet a guarantee against getting sick. So for now, I am happy to do everything I can to avoid even two weeks of brain fog, much less months or years of long covid, and I am happy, still, to be lucky enough to work from home. If I can reduce risk to my grocery store workers and the folks who hand me my take-out by wearing a mask, I am happier still.
posted by kristi at 11:50 PM on February 1 [6 favorites]
Covid is associated with hypothyroid.
I've been hanging out around a lot of people over the last year (in Seattle), many of whom have been ill and don't have very much access to health care. I'm vaccinated but haven't worn a mask at all.
I did have what I thought was a cold that lasted for about a week, but I didn't have any of the symptoms peculiar to Covid.
I have not feared Covid for a long time now, but I'm aware that's a foolish attitude.
posted by jamjam at 12:44 AM on February 2 [5 favorites]
I've been hanging out around a lot of people over the last year (in Seattle), many of whom have been ill and don't have very much access to health care. I'm vaccinated but haven't worn a mask at all.
I did have what I thought was a cold that lasted for about a week, but I didn't have any of the symptoms peculiar to Covid.
I have not feared Covid for a long time now, but I'm aware that's a foolish attitude.
posted by jamjam at 12:44 AM on February 2 [5 favorites]
ME/CFS and "long COVID" may or may not be real diseases
I'd be curious to learn on what basis you made "or may not" part of that assessment, and also what counts as a "real disease" by your standards.
posted by flabdablet at 1:59 AM on February 2 [28 favorites]
I'd be curious to learn on what basis you made "or may not" part of that assessment, and also what counts as a "real disease" by your standards.
posted by flabdablet at 1:59 AM on February 2 [28 favorites]
Still masking here. Five people in my neighborhood currently have covid while someone very recently said "is covid a thing?" One of those neighbors is a small baby. :(
posted by nofundy at 4:43 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by nofundy at 4:43 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
you're pretty awesome violet blue!
posted by nofundy at 5:07 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by nofundy at 5:07 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Just another immunocompromised person who continues to mask and try to take care of myself (since everyone seems to agree that I'm still at risk but nobody wants to actually, you know, care enough to do anything about it), who really appreciates Violet Blue's newsletter and is glad to see it linked here.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:16 AM on February 2 [5 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 5:16 AM on February 2 [5 favorites]
Half of Americans never think they'll get COVID again
If you want evidence for how out of touch Americans are, this pretty much settles it. Also an indictment of Biden’s “if we ignore it it isn’t a problem like Trump correctly said” combined with the media’s wholehearted downplaying of the continuing disaster. Meanwhile they implemented better containment/ventilation systems in critical government facilities, while not changing building codes for the rest of us…
posted by rambling wanderlust at 5:20 AM on February 2 [10 favorites]
If you want evidence for how out of touch Americans are, this pretty much settles it. Also an indictment of Biden’s “if we ignore it it isn’t a problem like Trump correctly said” combined with the media’s wholehearted downplaying of the continuing disaster. Meanwhile they implemented better containment/ventilation systems in critical government facilities, while not changing building codes for the rest of us…
posted by rambling wanderlust at 5:20 AM on February 2 [10 favorites]
I mask indoors. And I teach in a mask.
And my (college) students, who I ask but do not command to, mask in my classroom. Gotta say, I love them.
posted by Dashy at 6:06 AM on February 2 [10 favorites]
And my (college) students, who I ask but do not command to, mask in my classroom. Gotta say, I love them.
posted by Dashy at 6:06 AM on February 2 [10 favorites]
I disclose that I'm immunocompromised and ask students to mask on the first day. At most 2 or 3 out of 24 do in each class.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:07 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 6:07 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]
Also still masking, and limiting infrequent indoor social hangs to people similarly cautious and willing to test. Thank you Violet Blue and otherchaz.
posted by TimidFooting at 6:07 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by TimidFooting at 6:07 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
As far as info sources, I really like @michael-hoerger.bsky.social - I especially appreciate when he expresses risk in "1 in X" (egg 1 in 100) people have covid right now. Also @gregggonsalves.bsky.social and @wsbgnl
posted by Dashy at 6:15 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by Dashy at 6:15 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
I've been trying to get a health problem checked out over the past month, which has involved a lot of trips to different doctor's offices, and every office--no matter the specialty--has featured unmasked people hacking and coughing, including staff. When I saw my PCP again last week I was surprised (but gratified) to see some of the nurses back in masks.
"Something's going around," is a phrase you hear a lot, but nobody really talks about COVID anymore. It's true that flu is outpacing COVID this season (although there's still plenty of COVID in the wastewater)--but masks are still good for flu (and RSV, and colds), and it's weird that as a society we really just gave up on masks entirely.
Anyway, I'm still wearing mine. Still feeling weird and awkward about it.
posted by mittens at 6:23 AM on February 2 [9 favorites]
"Something's going around," is a phrase you hear a lot, but nobody really talks about COVID anymore. It's true that flu is outpacing COVID this season (although there's still plenty of COVID in the wastewater)--but masks are still good for flu (and RSV, and colds), and it's weird that as a society we really just gave up on masks entirely.
Anyway, I'm still wearing mine. Still feeling weird and awkward about it.
posted by mittens at 6:23 AM on February 2 [9 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
[Tokyo] Both my husband and I mask in N95s in all indoor spaces. I bring masks to my university classes and encourage students to wear them (some do). I also monitor the air quality in my classrooms and insist that the mechanical ventilation is turned up if the CO2 level is too high. Recorded a whopping 3,300 ppm (!!) one day on two separate Aranet devices, in a room where the air felt quite fresh; thank god for technology as I would never have known how badly ventilated the room was otherwise.
ME/CFS and "long COVID" may or may not be real diseases but I am sure as shit not going to govern my life, or the lives of others, by the standards of the folks who self-diagnose
They most certainly are real diseases. Masking in public spaces and trying to improve indoor air quality, particularly in places people cannot avoid such as hospitals and public transport, is a matter of showing care for others, not controlling their lives.
posted by mydonkeybenjamin at 6:25 AM on February 2 [6 favorites]
[Tokyo] Both my husband and I mask in N95s in all indoor spaces. I bring masks to my university classes and encourage students to wear them (some do). I also monitor the air quality in my classrooms and insist that the mechanical ventilation is turned up if the CO2 level is too high. Recorded a whopping 3,300 ppm (!!) one day on two separate Aranet devices, in a room where the air felt quite fresh; thank god for technology as I would never have known how badly ventilated the room was otherwise.
ME/CFS and "long COVID" may or may not be real diseases but I am sure as shit not going to govern my life, or the lives of others, by the standards of the folks who self-diagnose
They most certainly are real diseases. Masking in public spaces and trying to improve indoor air quality, particularly in places people cannot avoid such as hospitals and public transport, is a matter of showing care for others, not controlling their lives.
posted by mydonkeybenjamin at 6:25 AM on February 2 [6 favorites]
Our household is still masking when indoors with other people (except when I'm in the office at work -- I mask elsewhere in the workplace, just not in the office itself), and we're still generally avoiding restaurants, though not completely as of last year -- we'll go to one once every few months, and we try to pick times when they'll be pretty dead.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 6:26 AM on February 2
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 6:26 AM on February 2
Please note (as Violet Blue does in the newsletter) that the CDC wastewater data is unlikely to be updated for the foreseeable future, but Wastewater SCAN has data for many locations.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:26 AM on February 2 [6 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 6:26 AM on February 2 [6 favorites]
Medical interactions have been hit/miss for me. Recent ER trip (ugh), everyone except one nurse masked, I think mirroring me and spouse. Primary care, same. Colonoscopy suite (x3, don't ask ...) some nurses but no one else.
I do feel like it's improved over time, like there's an actual policy to mirror the patient.
posted by Dashy at 6:30 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
I do feel like it's improved over time, like there's an actual policy to mirror the patient.
posted by Dashy at 6:30 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
I have a question regarding the mask discussion. When we started masking the consensus was that wearing a mask helped protect others by preventing the spread of the virus if you were infected. It did not necessarily help protect the mask wearer. Is this still the consensus? Because some of the comments seem to indicate people believe they are protecting themselves by wearing a mask.
posted by Rivvo at 7:36 AM on February 2
posted by Rivvo at 7:36 AM on February 2
Because some of the comments seem to indicate people believe they are protecting themselves by wearing a mask.
I was always a little puzzled by the idea that masks were for sick people trying not to make other people sick. The physics works both ways--a mask that can stop your respiratory droplets from going out can also prevent someone else's respiratory droplets from coming in. But research has looked at it and come to the same conclusion.
posted by mittens at 7:47 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
I was always a little puzzled by the idea that masks were for sick people trying not to make other people sick. The physics works both ways--a mask that can stop your respiratory droplets from going out can also prevent someone else's respiratory droplets from coming in. But research has looked at it and come to the same conclusion.
posted by mittens at 7:47 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
People wear high grade masks now. They protect themselves.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 7:47 AM on February 2 [7 favorites]
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 7:47 AM on February 2 [7 favorites]
I still listen to Dr. Michael Osterholm's semi-weekly podcast on infectious diseases: the Osterholm Update
posted by wenestvedt at 7:55 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 7:55 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Hope your recovery progresses @mbo
posted by stevil at 8:04 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]
posted by stevil at 8:04 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Love this newsletter and hadn’t realised Violet Blue was a mefite!
I’m still masking and her resources among others help me deal with mask fatigue from being the only person here doing it.
posted by ellieBOA at 8:17 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
I’m still masking and her resources among others help me deal with mask fatigue from being the only person here doing it.
posted by ellieBOA at 8:17 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Still masking. Still boosting. Still reading Dr. Katelyn Jetelina’s “Your Local Epidemiologist.” About to add Violet Blue’s resource to my toolbox!
posted by edithkeeler at 8:47 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
posted by edithkeeler at 8:47 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Regarding whether you believe masks work ... would you go into an Ebola tent without one? Would you walk around when wildfire smoke is heavy, or work in a hazmat lab without one? Do you really, really believe they don't work?
posted by Dashy at 8:52 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
posted by Dashy at 8:52 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
Me! Live outside Seattle, commute in to the office on public transit 2-3x a week. Still masking everywhere inside with a 3M Aura N95. I'm currently getting over a cold (tested negative for Covid multiple times), this is only the second time I've been sick since 2019, and to my knowledge I have never had Covid. Every one of my coworkers has had it, usually repeatedly, so clearly something is working.
posted by skycrashesdown at 8:52 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Me! Live outside Seattle, commute in to the office on public transit 2-3x a week. Still masking everywhere inside with a 3M Aura N95. I'm currently getting over a cold (tested negative for Covid multiple times), this is only the second time I've been sick since 2019, and to my knowledge I have never had Covid. Every one of my coworkers has had it, usually repeatedly, so clearly something is working.
posted by skycrashesdown at 8:52 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Not me. Had Covid twice before vaccines were available in my area even though I'm old. The only way I'm sure it was Covid was a classic case of "Covid toes". But other than the toes they were both pretty mild, especially the second time. But then I had pretty intense what-sounds-like-long-Covid and I found out later that "mild" experiences with Covid seem to be tied to it. :(
So, I'm basically wearing a mask if I know (or suspect) I have something but I'm not worried about catching it. I still take the vaccines, don't want to be a spreader if I can help it. From the remarks above there are apparently higher quality masks available so I'll look into one of those if I have to make a plane flight or such.
posted by aleph at 9:52 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
So, I'm basically wearing a mask if I know (or suspect) I have something but I'm not worried about catching it. I still take the vaccines, don't want to be a spreader if I can help it. From the remarks above there are apparently higher quality masks available so I'll look into one of those if I have to make a plane flight or such.
posted by aleph at 9:52 AM on February 2 [1 favorite]
N95 and up absolutely protects the wearer. My household is still masking. Still being careful. We have so far avoided COVID.
The best part is masking also protects against many other things. (Haven’t been sick at all since 2019). As “fun” new diseases and old diseases rise around us, masks do a lot of work.
posted by Darkivel at 10:07 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
The best part is masking also protects against many other things. (Haven’t been sick at all since 2019). As “fun” new diseases and old diseases rise around us, masks do a lot of work.
posted by Darkivel at 10:07 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]
Why we need to wear better masks
Fitted particle-filtering masks like N95s are up to 75 times more effective at preventing infection with COVID-19 than surgical masks, according to a study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
It will take 25 hours for an infectious dose of COVID-19 to transmit between people wearing non-fit-tested N95 respirators but if they're wearing a tightly sealed N95, they'll have 2,500 hours of protection, per a study reported by the WSJ.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 10:41 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]
Fitted particle-filtering masks like N95s are up to 75 times more effective at preventing infection with COVID-19 than surgical masks, according to a study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
It will take 25 hours for an infectious dose of COVID-19 to transmit between people wearing non-fit-tested N95 respirators but if they're wearing a tightly sealed N95, they'll have 2,500 hours of protection, per a study reported by the WSJ.
posted by rambling wanderlust at 10:41 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]
I worry in particular about children and teachers, who get it again and again and again at school. That cannot be good.
I have a six year old, who, to state the obvious, has spent most of his life in covid times. I believe he's brought covid home to me at least twice but I say "I believe" because for him and the rest of his class covid is no more than a slightly runny nose. He's never tested positive and he's never been what I'd even describe as sick. That seems to go for his cohort generally.
In terms of masking, I'm not asking a kid who's just constructing their social skills to be the only person with their face covered at school, the social consequences would be far greater than the medical.
posted by deadwax at 11:37 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I have a six year old, who, to state the obvious, has spent most of his life in covid times. I believe he's brought covid home to me at least twice but I say "I believe" because for him and the rest of his class covid is no more than a slightly runny nose. He's never tested positive and he's never been what I'd even describe as sick. That seems to go for his cohort generally.
In terms of masking, I'm not asking a kid who's just constructing their social skills to be the only person with their face covered at school, the social consequences would be far greater than the medical.
posted by deadwax at 11:37 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]
this was a fantastic read, I love the glut of refs and resources.
interesting about the hypothyroid connection. I was dx'd with Grave's Disease about 6 months after my first COVID (this causes hyperthyroidism). and there is a potential connection with COVID there too.
posted by supermedusa at 11:59 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]
interesting about the hypothyroid connection. I was dx'd with Grave's Disease about 6 months after my first COVID (this causes hyperthyroidism). and there is a potential connection with COVID there too.
posted by supermedusa at 11:59 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]
also, still wearing mask 100% for pubtrans, about 50% for shopping, depending on how busy.
posted by supermedusa at 12:02 PM on February 2
posted by supermedusa at 12:02 PM on February 2
Still reading Dr. Katelyn Jetelina’s “Your Local Epidemiologist.”
Your Local Epidemiologist (Substack) is fantastic!
I also got hypothyroidism after having Covid and hadn’t realised they were connected!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:13 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Your Local Epidemiologist (Substack) is fantastic!
I also got hypothyroidism after having Covid and hadn’t realised they were connected!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:13 PM on February 2 [1 favorite]
Also if you’re in the UK and want to keep an eye on bird flu news the UKHSA is really good.
posted by ellieBOA at 12:27 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 12:27 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I don't want masking in schools as such, I want air purifiers, ventilation, and a system that makes it easier to keep sick children home.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:33 PM on February 2 [12 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:33 PM on February 2 [12 favorites]
I haven't seen anything for a while about whether you can get Covid from airborne droplets in your eyes, but I had assumed a positive answer to that question was a factor in claims that a mask keeps you from spreading Covid but not from getting it.
posted by jamjam at 5:06 PM on February 2
posted by jamjam at 5:06 PM on February 2
Since droplet spread been mentioned a couple of times, just a note that, as Violet Blue says in every single newsletter, COVID is airborne, and we've been confident it is primarily aerosol (rather than just droplet) spread since 2021. It's not your fault if you didn't know--this is one of the many failures of public health communication globally.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:16 PM on February 2 [8 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 5:16 PM on February 2 [8 favorites]
Thanks for the link.
Still masking in indoor spaces, including eg with workmen in my house. Still testing before gatherings. I’ll go pretty much anywhere I can go in a mask, but avoid restaurants unless I’m in control and can ensure an outdoor table.
We put a lot of money into a nice patio dining area 2 years ago and this year we might build a spot for a fire pit. It’s easier to get people to go along with safety if I can make it fun, draw the attention away from the reason. I’m lucky to have these options.
My cat keeps getting seriously ill with something that’s not on the standard cat microbe panels and I always wonder, is it covid? Why don’t they add Covid to pet panels, anyway?
posted by eirias at 7:59 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
Still masking in indoor spaces, including eg with workmen in my house. Still testing before gatherings. I’ll go pretty much anywhere I can go in a mask, but avoid restaurants unless I’m in control and can ensure an outdoor table.
We put a lot of money into a nice patio dining area 2 years ago and this year we might build a spot for a fire pit. It’s easier to get people to go along with safety if I can make it fun, draw the attention away from the reason. I’m lucky to have these options.
My cat keeps getting seriously ill with something that’s not on the standard cat microbe panels and I always wonder, is it covid? Why don’t they add Covid to pet panels, anyway?
posted by eirias at 7:59 PM on February 2 [2 favorites]
I had no idea epidemiologists construed 'droplet' in such a way as to exclude them from aerosols.
Here is how the Wikipedia article on fog describes its subject, for example:
Here is how the Wikipedia article on fog describes its subject, for example:
Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface.posted by jamjam at 8:13 PM on February 2
It used to be common pop epidemiological wisdom that there's some kind of step change in the ability of droplets to carry viruses and/or make their way through HVAC systems at a droplet size of 5 microns, an arbitrary size picked to distinguish "droplets" from "aerosols". Also, apparently, the human respiratory system is so finely calibrated that a human infected with COVID can be relied upon to emit only droplets larger than 5 microns.
Belief in that particular piece of blatantly obvious nonsense was widespread enough to require some serious efforts at debunking. Which, as so often happens with debunking, was mostly ignored; after the usual game of Telephone between experts and policymakers, a lot of public policy - notably, the misuse of the notion of social distancing to mean "don't stand closer than 6 feet to another person" and salad-bar-style splash guards as substitutes for masks or occupancy limits - got constructed on that farcical basis.
posted by flabdablet at 9:00 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
Belief in that particular piece of blatantly obvious nonsense was widespread enough to require some serious efforts at debunking. Which, as so often happens with debunking, was mostly ignored; after the usual game of Telephone between experts and policymakers, a lot of public policy - notably, the misuse of the notion of social distancing to mean "don't stand closer than 6 feet to another person" and salad-bar-style splash guards as substitutes for masks or occupancy limits - got constructed on that farcical basis.
posted by flabdablet at 9:00 PM on February 2 [6 favorites]
By the way, I was under the impression that the Violet Blue who writes the Threat Model is different from the Mefite Violet Blue; but perhaps I'm mistaken?
posted by mydonkeybenjamin at 2:00 AM on February 3 [3 favorites]
posted by mydonkeybenjamin at 2:00 AM on February 3 [3 favorites]
Who here is still wearing a mask in public?
Me.
P2 standard (N95 equivalent), and getting boosters when available, though the added benefit of each subsequent booster is apparently dropping substantially.
Also keep up with other boosters, like annual flu shots. Had the Shingrix course for shingles a while back. Etc.
Masks work. When used properly P2/N95 grade masks provide high level protection against airborne infectious diseases, for both wearer and those around them. They have long been one of the cornerstones of basic infection control, and will remain so as they are one of the very few effective measures that airborne infectious agents cannot evolve their way around.
posted by Pouteria at 8:08 AM on February 3 [5 favorites]
Me.
P2 standard (N95 equivalent), and getting boosters when available, though the added benefit of each subsequent booster is apparently dropping substantially.
Also keep up with other boosters, like annual flu shots. Had the Shingrix course for shingles a while back. Etc.
Masks work. When used properly P2/N95 grade masks provide high level protection against airborne infectious diseases, for both wearer and those around them. They have long been one of the cornerstones of basic infection control, and will remain so as they are one of the very few effective measures that airborne infectious agents cannot evolve their way around.
posted by Pouteria at 8:08 AM on February 3 [5 favorites]
Per Violet Blue via MetaTalk, the MeFite Violet Blue is not the Covid threat author.
posted by cooker girl at 11:37 AM on February 3 [12 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 11:37 AM on February 3 [12 favorites]
I still mask too, and since I like to get close to people and chat with them whether they’re masked or not, I also wear non-prescription glasses to protect my eyes from flying spit. I think wearing them is a better use of my effort than trying to make my N-95 have a perfect fit everytime, but they help there too, since fogging is a good reminder to reset the mask on my nose.
If masks are outlawed, I will likely keep wearing the glasses, hold my breath selectively, and try the Neosporin in my nostrils.
posted by puffinaria at 2:58 AM on February 4 [1 favorite]
If masks are outlawed, I will likely keep wearing the glasses, hold my breath selectively, and try the Neosporin in my nostrils.
posted by puffinaria at 2:58 AM on February 4 [1 favorite]
Per Violet Blue via MetaTalk, the MeFite Violet Blue is not the Covid threat author.
posted by cooker girl at 11:37 on February 3
The reason my nickname is otherchaz is when I signed up for MeFi, the nickname chaz was already taken.
It's ironic that I never considered that there might be more than one Violet Blue in the world.
posted by otherchaz at 3:57 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 11:37 on February 3
The reason my nickname is otherchaz is when I signed up for MeFi, the nickname chaz was already taken.
It's ironic that I never considered that there might be more than one Violet Blue in the world.
posted by otherchaz at 3:57 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
Mod note: Deleted the Violet Blue bit from the original post as per Violet Blue's MetaTalk comment.
posted by loup (staff) at 7:18 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
posted by loup (staff) at 7:18 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
Since I have a beard (fairly short) I always assumed I was getting airflow through there. Masks are kind of primitive but they're what we have. Wonder if some will go complete clear bubble head with (air-conditioned?) filtered air in/out.
Perhaps for the severe immune compromised at first.
posted by aleph at 11:36 AM on February 4
Perhaps for the severe immune compromised at first.
posted by aleph at 11:36 AM on February 4
I've considered buying a more permanent mask with replaceable filters like a Flo Mask, but people already treat me so badly for wearing (easily recognizable and understandable) N95s, I can't imagine what it would be like to wear something that made me stand out even more.
posted by hydropsyche at 2:23 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
posted by hydropsyche at 2:23 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
I wear a flo-mask - great with a beard - I've slept with it on on planes and in hospital
posted by mbo at 2:33 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
posted by mbo at 2:33 PM on February 4 [1 favorite]
Recommend reading - The “pandemic of abandonment”: Navigating friendships 5 years into COVID-19 by October Krausch.
posted by edithkeeler at 3:08 PM on February 4 [2 favorites]
posted by edithkeeler at 3:08 PM on February 4 [2 favorites]
« Older 100th FPP Special: The Frick Collection returns... | How three WA boaters developed a lifesaving device... Newer »
Okay, so, I found it a little confusing, because a lot of the posts are about things other than Covid-19, but then I saw the headline under the upper-left badge:
Threat modeling cybersecurity, Covid, and more with Violet Blue
So it looks like it's Covid, cybersecurity, and other stuff, and it LOOKS like all of it's by Violet Blue.
So I've only had a moment to begin skimming this stuff, but
HOLY HECK. This looks AMAZING.
It looks overwhelming and terrifying and ... ... but also it looks super well researched and clearly presented and really, really useful.
I'm going to forward this to my closest covid-news-watching friend, who will also love it if they don't already know about it.
I haven't had a great source of covid information since Dr. Robert Wachter seemed to fade out a bit (he retired, and was on Twitter, so I haven't seen whatever he might be doing for a long time), and Eric Topol is good but seems to post a lot more about AI in medical research than long covid these days.
I am really stoked to dive into this (possibly with a timer, and kitten video chasers), and I am deeply impressed.
Thank you so much for posting this, otherchaz - and Violet Blue, thank you for creating it!
Wow.
posted by kristi at 8:34 PM on February 1 [7 favorites]