Here's another point that isn't said often enough. Even if masks did work to "protect" us from clinically trivial URI, I'm willing to bet it's harmful. These minor infections and antigen exposure are part the education of our immune system. Bubble wrapping our immune system will likely lead to a weaker system, worse allergies and more autoimmune disease. Just my hypothesis 🤷🏽♂️.
I couldn't agree more. I was sicker than I had been in years the first year after the mask mandates/isolating/social distancing. It took a year for my immune system to recover. Thankfully, I am as healthy as usual now.
The ‘reporter’ for that masterpiece is Gina Cherelus, who covers "dating, sex and relationships for The New York Times” and I suspect neither she nor her editors have ever heard of the Cochrane Review or anything else that might be relevant.
She just assumes that masks work because she, after all writes for the Times, and that makes her right.
Who said anything about MAGA? Honestly, I just feel sorry for people like you that don't know how to hypothesis test a clinical outcome or critically evaluate a paper trying do do such. Good luck navigating this world.
EDIT: On the drive home, realized the MAGA comment is certainly satire. I keep forgetting this platform actually has open minded, evidence based and pragmatic people 😜.
Good for you to edit your comment as you did! I admit Amos’ satire was pretty close to the line, which makes it good, but it took me awhile to see that.
Yep, Trump promoted masks and vaccines and boosters…it was GOP governors like Kemp and DeSantis that attacked public health officials and stopped promoting masks prior to the Delta death surge. So the southeast had a largely avoidable Delta death surge because not enough people got vaccinated and then people refused to mask and social distance. So MAGA isn’t really to blame for America’s awful response to the pandemic.
You should probably keep the personal attacks and assumptions to yourself and do a little more to educate yourself. Many studies have shown masks are not effective at stopping the virus. Pick up a box at the pharmacy and enlighten yourself with about 30 seconds of reading to see the manufacturer clearly states it doesn't prevent catching or transmitting Covid. But those are minor facts I am sure you will dismiss because they don't fit your narrative. Aside from that the particle size of the covid virus slips right through the sieve of a mask you think is protecting you. Even your king Fauci admitted on more than one occasion that masks are not effective. But again, that goes against your made-up political narrative, so you won't bother to research.
No, you were just right! Sarcasm has to be very close to sincerity in order to land, for a second or two I thought the same as Brenda but could see you were pulling our chain.
I was trying to do my best impression of a science-based-medicine-dot-org fanboy. Guess I nailed it! LOL. Though sad to know so many people actually think and talk just like that!
We have reams of data by county and state that shows masks slowed spread. So Arizona did the fewest mitigation measures of large states in 2020 while Hawaii did the most mitigation and sure enough Arizona has the highest Covid death rate and Hawaii has the lowest.
Omg how awful. And how doubly awful that I (or anyone else with eyes to see) has a “I feel sick to my stomach” reaction upon hearing someone will be attending one of our “Ivy League” schools.
Two of the children of a friend of mine have gone to Yale and Harvard, respectively. My friend knows what those places are, having lost the Yalie to leftism already, but having bragged about her several children's accomplishments on FB for so long, I guess she feels she can't just say nothing at all. I can't bring myself to even 'like' her posts about these two, because my heart sinks. I actually want to give condolences.
Same happened to one of my family members. The day and night difference in her was shocking. Plus all the crying and yelling about which words were no longer permitted to be used in polite society. Ugh. I’m so over it. It’s so boring. I don’t know how young people enjoy being in a cult. When I was young, I couldn’t wait to do exactly the opposite of what anyone told me. Never seen so many “followers.”
Thank you for this point-by-point rebuttal. Your essay made me thankful again for the privilege of growing up in an era without social media in which many of the foolish things I said or did could have been captured for perpetual review by innumerable people. You describe for your readers that those with greater wisdom can 'gift' a young person by declining to swing the stage lights over them at certain points as they take a stand for what they believe. Paradoxical idea.
I have learned a lot from you over the last several years and sincerely appreciate your work.
I also want to express gratitude to Ms. Affleck for contributing as a citizen within her county to the issues under consideration, though I completely disagree with her on every point. We learn from one another by engaging in civil discourse. Perhaps the 'conversation' about these issues could be extended to Ms. Affleck and others who share her views in some other forum in which she could learn to use the Cochrane reviews, etc..
Since young people like Ms. Affleck were subjected to being locked down during some of the most important years of their life by leaders of our generation--it seems we have a responsibility to them that is unique. I am in the middle of the country, not on the West Coast but would welcome the opportunity to extend hospitality which would foster a conversation which is both scientific and loving. Online options abound but do not foster relationships in the same way.
The New York Times wrote their wellness bible five years ago. Then it did a woke one. They are uninterested in facts. Jane Brody-- their Nutrition journalist for 45 years-- helped make America fat. A few years ago before she retired-- or fled is the better word-- her millions of devoted followers began to complain about her opinions and contradictions. When she began writing almost no one was fat; now 60% are. No apologies from the Times. Her "nutrition" books made $millions too.
Thank you for your continued accurate reporting on this topic. If only we had more of this in the early days of 2020 when it seemed like everyone around me blindly obeyed nonsensical government edicts.
Also it is meaningful, as someone who had a college mandated covid booster and subsequent shoulder injury as a result that is still not resolved to this day.
Well it first started a few days after taking it. It’s also not really something that ever gets an official diagnosis, but symptoms have included limited range of motion, stiffness, soreness and pain.
MRI’s have said things like subacromial bursitis and the most recent one called it tendinitis. This has been ongoing since 2022.
I don’t think we will ever know the true incidence or range of injuries fro the covid shots. They purposefully did not set up the systems needed to report and collect the data
One of my closest friends also has this since a COVID booster. It too has been going on for a couple of years now. In addition she had heart issues of heart rate variability which have plateaued but never completely resolved. She notices them when running as she has been an avid runner for decades. I’m sorry that you have had to go through this as well. Hopefully it will resolve eventually for both of you.
Interesting. I saw an orthopedic doc for frozen shoulder after my bout with the Covid virus in 2020 and the first thing they asked me was if I’d been vaccinated. Luckily I could answer hell no. It resolved on it own.
This can happen with any needle injected near nerves, whose fluid inflated tissues and then there is the question about this vaccine and its components. As a PT, I have seen enough shoulder pain on the vaccine side, to sense this vaccine is different than the flu vaccine (which usually clears up after a day or two and does not impact shoulders more than a day or two). I have seen three people with calcific tendonitis (fairly rare) to rotator cuff tears. I also am seeing many more fractures. And I expect the killing of our intestinal good bacteria from the vax, impacting food absorption, is negatively impacting bone quality. Either than, people have just massively had a shift in balance in the 30-60 yo population. I have seen the weirdest stuff post vax. I attribute most of it to that.
Dear Violet seems to have the same made-up disease that Ethan Couch had when killing 4 people with his car while drunk... Affluenza. I read an article yesterday that her parents used their influence to get her the platform before the county board. So, just more nepotism, entitled and narcissistic behavior by the parents and the child. Violet is also quite the hypocrite. It seems she picks and chooses when she will wear a mask. For instance, she was front and center sans mask while she and her mother were at the White House for some irrelevant reason. And one only has to open the internet and search her mommy or daddy and see that they are not wearing masks when traveling, shopping or strolling the streets amongst the little people. So, her own family doesn't abide by her demands but the rest of us are supposed to. Throw in the nonsense she spouted about "mask bans" heavily impacting the minority and trans people of the world I find it insane and bizarre that anyone listened to her. It's all a bunch of nonsense and perhaps her parents should focus on getting her some mental help.
Thank you for reading the NYTimes so I don’t have to.
Here's another point that isn't said often enough. Even if masks did work to "protect" us from clinically trivial URI, I'm willing to bet it's harmful. These minor infections and antigen exposure are part the education of our immune system. Bubble wrapping our immune system will likely lead to a weaker system, worse allergies and more autoimmune disease. Just my hypothesis 🤷🏽♂️.
I couldn't agree more. I was sicker than I had been in years the first year after the mask mandates/isolating/social distancing. It took a year for my immune system to recover. Thankfully, I am as healthy as usual now.
☝️
The ‘reporter’ for that masterpiece is Gina Cherelus, who covers "dating, sex and relationships for The New York Times” and I suspect neither she nor her editors have ever heard of the Cochrane Review or anything else that might be relevant.
She just assumes that masks work because she, after all writes for the Times, and that makes her right.
Masks work, because, why wouldn't they? Common sense observations about air flow and the path of least resistance? That's MAGA nonsense!
Who said anything about MAGA? Honestly, I just feel sorry for people like you that don't know how to hypothesis test a clinical outcome or critically evaluate a paper trying do do such. Good luck navigating this world.
EDIT: On the drive home, realized the MAGA comment is certainly satire. I keep forgetting this platform actually has open minded, evidence based and pragmatic people 😜.
Good for you to edit your comment as you did! I admit Amos’ satire was pretty close to the line, which makes it good, but it took me awhile to see that.
Yep, Trump promoted masks and vaccines and boosters…it was GOP governors like Kemp and DeSantis that attacked public health officials and stopped promoting masks prior to the Delta death surge. So the southeast had a largely avoidable Delta death surge because not enough people got vaccinated and then people refused to mask and social distance. So MAGA isn’t really to blame for America’s awful response to the pandemic.
You should probably keep the personal attacks and assumptions to yourself and do a little more to educate yourself. Many studies have shown masks are not effective at stopping the virus. Pick up a box at the pharmacy and enlighten yourself with about 30 seconds of reading to see the manufacturer clearly states it doesn't prevent catching or transmitting Covid. But those are minor facts I am sure you will dismiss because they don't fit your narrative. Aside from that the particle size of the covid virus slips right through the sieve of a mask you think is protecting you. Even your king Fauci admitted on more than one occasion that masks are not effective. But again, that goes against your made-up political narrative, so you won't bother to research.
I guess I need to write <sarcasm> I thought it was obvious but maybe not.
It was obvious to me. People can be literal by nature.
No, you were just right! Sarcasm has to be very close to sincerity in order to land, for a second or two I thought the same as Brenda but could see you were pulling our chain.
Easy does it. That post was pure satire/sarcasm
I was trying to do my best impression of a science-based-medicine-dot-org fanboy. Guess I nailed it! LOL. Though sad to know so many people actually think and talk just like that!
We have reams of data by county and state that shows masks slowed spread. So Arizona did the fewest mitigation measures of large states in 2020 while Hawaii did the most mitigation and sure enough Arizona has the highest Covid death rate and Hawaii has the lowest.
YUP
She is headed to Yale so whatever maturity and clear thinking she could gain in the next few years will be lost to that academic dystopia.
Yale is the armpit of the Ivy’s. Wait till she finds out she can’t go outside the campus safely!
Maybe Dr. Harvey Risch would like to set her straight when she gets there.
Omg how awful. And how doubly awful that I (or anyone else with eyes to see) has a “I feel sick to my stomach” reaction upon hearing someone will be attending one of our “Ivy League” schools.
Two of the children of a friend of mine have gone to Yale and Harvard, respectively. My friend knows what those places are, having lost the Yalie to leftism already, but having bragged about her several children's accomplishments on FB for so long, I guess she feels she can't just say nothing at all. I can't bring myself to even 'like' her posts about these two, because my heart sinks. I actually want to give condolences.
Same happened to one of my family members. The day and night difference in her was shocking. Plus all the crying and yelling about which words were no longer permitted to be used in polite society. Ugh. I’m so over it. It’s so boring. I don’t know how young people enjoy being in a cult. When I was young, I couldn’t wait to do exactly the opposite of what anyone told me. Never seen so many “followers.”
Thank you for this point-by-point rebuttal. Your essay made me thankful again for the privilege of growing up in an era without social media in which many of the foolish things I said or did could have been captured for perpetual review by innumerable people. You describe for your readers that those with greater wisdom can 'gift' a young person by declining to swing the stage lights over them at certain points as they take a stand for what they believe. Paradoxical idea.
I have learned a lot from you over the last several years and sincerely appreciate your work.
I also want to express gratitude to Ms. Affleck for contributing as a citizen within her county to the issues under consideration, though I completely disagree with her on every point. We learn from one another by engaging in civil discourse. Perhaps the 'conversation' about these issues could be extended to Ms. Affleck and others who share her views in some other forum in which she could learn to use the Cochrane reviews, etc..
Since young people like Ms. Affleck were subjected to being locked down during some of the most important years of their life by leaders of our generation--it seems we have a responsibility to them that is unique. I am in the middle of the country, not on the West Coast but would welcome the opportunity to extend hospitality which would foster a conversation which is both scientific and loving. Online options abound but do not foster relationships in the same way.
This is the epitome of the intersection of mental illness and privilege…what an embarrassment!
Right?! If that was my kid, I’d say, what, you’ve got nothing else to do with your time? Take that ridiculous mask off your face and go read a book!
So true…this young woman is obviously mentally unstable. Could she be on The Spectrum, due to a “vaxx injury” in her childhood?
The New York Times wrote their wellness bible five years ago. Then it did a woke one. They are uninterested in facts. Jane Brody-- their Nutrition journalist for 45 years-- helped make America fat. A few years ago before she retired-- or fled is the better word-- her millions of devoted followers began to complain about her opinions and contradictions. When she began writing almost no one was fat; now 60% are. No apologies from the Times. Her "nutrition" books made $millions too.
Well gee, if we’re covering Clooney to support our Biden narrative, then why not an Affleck on Covid? MSM…there’s always, always an agenda
Thank you for your continued accurate reporting on this topic. If only we had more of this in the early days of 2020 when it seemed like everyone around me blindly obeyed nonsensical government edicts.
Also it is meaningful, as someone who had a college mandated covid booster and subsequent shoulder injury as a result that is still not resolved to this day.
What. Kind of shoulder injury? How was it related to the covid shot?
Well it first started a few days after taking it. It’s also not really something that ever gets an official diagnosis, but symptoms have included limited range of motion, stiffness, soreness and pain.
MRI’s have said things like subacromial bursitis and the most recent one called it tendinitis. This has been ongoing since 2022.
Thank you for responding.
I don’t think we will ever know the true incidence or range of injuries fro the covid shots. They purposefully did not set up the systems needed to report and collect the data
One of my closest friends also has this since a COVID booster. It too has been going on for a couple of years now. In addition she had heart issues of heart rate variability which have plateaued but never completely resolved. She notices them when running as she has been an avid runner for decades. I’m sorry that you have had to go through this as well. Hopefully it will resolve eventually for both of you.
Interesting. I saw an orthopedic doc for frozen shoulder after my bout with the Covid virus in 2020 and the first thing they asked me was if I’d been vaccinated. Luckily I could answer hell no. It resolved on it own.
This can happen with any needle injected near nerves, whose fluid inflated tissues and then there is the question about this vaccine and its components. As a PT, I have seen enough shoulder pain on the vaccine side, to sense this vaccine is different than the flu vaccine (which usually clears up after a day or two and does not impact shoulders more than a day or two). I have seen three people with calcific tendonitis (fairly rare) to rotator cuff tears. I also am seeing many more fractures. And I expect the killing of our intestinal good bacteria from the vax, impacting food absorption, is negatively impacting bone quality. Either than, people have just massively had a shift in balance in the 30-60 yo population. I have seen the weirdest stuff post vax. I attribute most of it to that.
Bursitis is awful. Dealing with that myself. Lot’s of stretching exercises. Wishing us both improvement. 💪🏻
Yes, I looked in my journal at all the self-righteous bullcrap I believed. I am sooooo glad no one published a thing I said.
Same!
"self righteous" is exactly right. Somehow I really doubt she cares about the people in prison or govt employees but it sure sounds good.
Hope she doesn't drive, get on a plane, etc.
Maybe she needs some education on her own body and his it works!
Rich and Dysgenic..what a combination...
Dear Violet seems to have the same made-up disease that Ethan Couch had when killing 4 people with his car while drunk... Affluenza. I read an article yesterday that her parents used their influence to get her the platform before the county board. So, just more nepotism, entitled and narcissistic behavior by the parents and the child. Violet is also quite the hypocrite. It seems she picks and chooses when she will wear a mask. For instance, she was front and center sans mask while she and her mother were at the White House for some irrelevant reason. And one only has to open the internet and search her mommy or daddy and see that they are not wearing masks when traveling, shopping or strolling the streets amongst the little people. So, her own family doesn't abide by her demands but the rest of us are supposed to. Throw in the nonsense she spouted about "mask bans" heavily impacting the minority and trans people of the world I find it insane and bizarre that anyone listened to her. It's all a bunch of nonsense and perhaps her parents should focus on getting her some mental help.
I recommend Dr.Vinay Prasad as our next Surgeon General .
Waiting for their next article: "Vinay Prasad deftly debunks Violet Affleck's COVID claims." But I won't hold my breath...
Thank you for your sanity!