COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Horus]

I will say that I’m of the mindset that cloth masks *don’t* do much against Omicron, and that expecting every American to wear an N95 in an indoor setting is untenable. There’s a lot of theater involved here.

That said, fine, sure, send every American a better mask than most have. It’s not going to solve the problem in the way mandatory COVID sick leave would, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand the recent push for N95 and KN95 masks. They are uncomfortable to wear, and I'm not sure if the benefits which they may confer outweigh the disadvantages inherent to them.

I agree they can be uncomfortable to wear, particularly it can be hard to breathe sometimes, but worn properly they address the main complaint about lower grade masks, that they don't protect the wearer. The filter also works in both directions so it will also dramatically cut transmission, assuming the mask doesn't have a valve like many sold in hardware stores. COVID will still spread when people gather in private and take off their masks, but if they are worn in a public space that public space should be safe.

Whatever delusion helps you sleep I guess.

The delusional ones are the people on this forum who are convinced that the pandemic is over and that COVID-19 is not a threat anymore, despite 1m cases a day and new record hospitalizations every day, blocking out the news or convincing themselves it's all fake. Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking, a vivid undeniable reminder that in fact the pandemic is still raging and that they should be taking it seriously.

Genuine question: Do you even want the country ever to transition out of pandemic mode?

Why would a ccp lackey want the United States to do the right thing?

[Calthrina950]

Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking

Anti-maskers when they open their mail to find their federal-issue N95

Certainly true. I don't know why anyone would think that anti-maskers and those generally tired of wearing masks would start wearing them just because they were mailed to them by the federal government. And I'm disappointed that the Biden Administration is doubling down on its support for mask mandates and mask wearing in general. Mask mandates are clearly a policy of the Democratic Party at this point. Just about every jurisdiction and every official imposing these mandates is of that Party. Mask mandates have become yet another culture war issue that will only deepen polarization.

[emailking]

Cases are still going up but the slowing is there. If we don't break a million this week it will be close. That might be the peak. Deaths are still bad and stalled out at best at >2K a day.

[H. Ross Peron]

Sad to see students being scared into doing these performative protests:

https://twitter.com/Jill_Jorgensen/status/1480953134553862146

[GP270watch]

Sad to see students being scared into doing these performative protests:

https://twitter.com/Jill_Jorgensen/status/1480953134553862146

These are some of the smartest kids in the city. Brooklyn Tech is one of NYC's specialized schools along with Stuyvesant and Bronx Science.

[Frodo]

Sad to see students being scared into doing these performative protests:

https://twitter.com/Jill_Jorgensen/status/1480953134553862146

These are some of the smartest kids in the city. Brooklyn Tech is one of NYC's specialized schools along with Stuyvesant and Bronx Science.

I wouldn't say 'smartest'.  Gifted and privileged is more like it.  We have seen that lower-income and minority students cannot do remote-learning, and if anything it sets them back significantly.    

[Horus]

Sad to see students being scared into doing these performative protests:

https://twitter.com/Jill_Jorgensen/status/1480953134553862146

These are some of the smartest kids in the city. Brooklyn Tech is one of NYC's specialized schools along with Stuyvesant and Bronx Science.

I'm sure they can do math and physics but if they're advocating remote learning my guess is they're socially delayed. Whether that's from all the time they had to spend at home in 2020/2021 or for some other reason, idk, but it's not a healthy mentality.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I will say that I’m of the mindset that cloth masks *don’t* do much against Omicron, and that expecting every American to wear an N95 in an indoor setting is untenable. There’s a lot of theater involved here.

That said, fine, sure, send every American a better mask than most have. It’s not going to solve the problem in the way mandatory COVID sick leave would, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand the recent push for N95 and KN95 masks. They are uncomfortable to wear, and I'm not sure if the benefits which they may confer outweigh the disadvantages inherent to them.

I agree they can be uncomfortable to wear, particularly it can be hard to breathe sometimes, but worn properly they address the main complaint about lower grade masks, that they don't protect the wearer. The filter also works in both directions so it will also dramatically cut transmission, assuming the mask doesn't have a valve like many sold in hardware stores. COVID will still spread when people gather in private and take off their masks, but if they are worn in a public space that public space should be safe.

Whatever delusion helps you sleep I guess.

The delusional ones are the people on this forum who are convinced that the pandemic is over and that COVID-19 is not a threat anymore, despite 1m cases a day and new record hospitalizations every day, blocking out the news or convincing themselves it's all fake. Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking, a vivid undeniable reminder that in fact the pandemic is still raging and that they should be taking it seriously.

People are upset because they're vaccinated and don't want to be restricted anymore. I have no problem with restricting the unvaccinated, they could be treated like Vichy collaborationists we're in post-WW2 France and I wouldn't give a sh!t, but people who aren't derange morons and did the right thing shouldn't be punished because so many other people are mentally deficient pieces of trash who take things like QAnon, Joe Rogan and Alex Jones seriously and all the other conspiracy garbage these moronic mouthbreathers believe in.

You're close, but you're missing the key problem posed by the vaccinated (which is a microcosm of the problem posed by Republicans in general to society): they're our fellow human beings, and our fellow citizens. Yes, they're dangerously, aggressively, ignorantly wrong, but they're on our side (whether we want them or not). And it's bad for everyone to let COVID spread and multiply.

No matter why we have lots of COVID cases, they're a massive hit to society, both immediately (deaths, hospital capability saturated, the threat of healthcare system collapse) and over time (long COVID and other ongoing health effects, and the impact that the deaths will have on society for a generation or more). And the more COVID cases there are, the more copies of it are out there, mutating and evolving, and the more chances it has to produce a variant that is both highly infectious and highly deadly.

And that's before getting into how COVID vaccines and boosters provide resistance, not immunity. Sure, the properly vaccinated have better odds across the board, but that doesn't mean COVID's impact is insignificant.

I'm tired of the pandemic, too. But being tired of it and desperately wanting it to go away doesn't actually make it go away.

[Horus]

I will say that I’m of the mindset that cloth masks *don’t* do much against Omicron, and that expecting every American to wear an N95 in an indoor setting is untenable. There’s a lot of theater involved here.

That said, fine, sure, send every American a better mask than most have. It’s not going to solve the problem in the way mandatory COVID sick leave would, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand the recent push for N95 and KN95 masks. They are uncomfortable to wear, and I'm not sure if the benefits which they may confer outweigh the disadvantages inherent to them.

I agree they can be uncomfortable to wear, particularly it can be hard to breathe sometimes, but worn properly they address the main complaint about lower grade masks, that they don't protect the wearer. The filter also works in both directions so it will also dramatically cut transmission, assuming the mask doesn't have a valve like many sold in hardware stores. COVID will still spread when people gather in private and take off their masks, but if they are worn in a public space that public space should be safe.

Whatever delusion helps you sleep I guess.

The delusional ones are the people on this forum who are convinced that the pandemic is over and that COVID-19 is not a threat anymore, despite 1m cases a day and new record hospitalizations every day, blocking out the news or convincing themselves it's all fake. Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking, a vivid undeniable reminder that in fact the pandemic is still raging and that they should be taking it seriously.

People are upset because they're vaccinated and don't want to be restricted anymore. I have no problem with restricting the unvaccinated, they could be treated like Vichy collaborationists we're in post-WW2 France and I wouldn't give a sh!t, but people who aren't derange morons and did the right thing shouldn't be punished because so many other people are mentally deficient pieces of trash who take things like QAnon, Joe Rogan and Alex Jones seriously and all the other conspiracy garbage these moronic mouthbreathers believe in.

You're close, but you're missing the key problem posed by the vaccinated (which is a microcosm of the problem posed by Republicans in general to society): they're our fellow human beings, and our fellow citizens. Yes, they're dangerously, aggressively, ignorantly wrong, but they're on our side (whether we want them or not). And it's bad for everyone to let COVID spread and multiply.

No matter why we have lots of COVID cases, they're a massive hit to society, both immediately (deaths, hospital capability saturated, the threat of healthcare system collapse) and over time (long COVID and other ongoing health effects, and the impact that the deaths will have on society for a generation or more). And the more COVID cases there are, the more copies of it are out there, mutating and evolving, and the more chances it has to produce a variant that is both highly infectious and highly deadly.

And that's before getting into how COVID vaccines and boosters provide resistance, not immunity. Sure, the properly vaccinated have better odds across the board, but that doesn't mean COVID's impact is insignificant.

I'm tired of the pandemic, too. But being tired of it and desperately wanting it to go away doesn't actually make it go away.

Stopping the spread of omicron is not possible.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I will say that I’m of the mindset that cloth masks *don’t* do much against Omicron, and that expecting every American to wear an N95 in an indoor setting is untenable. There’s a lot of theater involved here.

That said, fine, sure, send every American a better mask than most have. It’s not going to solve the problem in the way mandatory COVID sick leave would, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand the recent push for N95 and KN95 masks. They are uncomfortable to wear, and I'm not sure if the benefits which they may confer outweigh the disadvantages inherent to them.

I agree they can be uncomfortable to wear, particularly it can be hard to breathe sometimes, but worn properly they address the main complaint about lower grade masks, that they don't protect the wearer. The filter also works in both directions so it will also dramatically cut transmission, assuming the mask doesn't have a valve like many sold in hardware stores. COVID will still spread when people gather in private and take off their masks, but if they are worn in a public space that public space should be safe.

Whatever delusion helps you sleep I guess.

The delusional ones are the people on this forum who are convinced that the pandemic is over and that COVID-19 is not a threat anymore, despite 1m cases a day and new record hospitalizations every day, blocking out the news or convincing themselves it's all fake. Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking, a vivid undeniable reminder that in fact the pandemic is still raging and that they should be taking it seriously.

People are upset because they're vaccinated and don't want to be restricted anymore. I have no problem with restricting the unvaccinated, they could be treated like Vichy collaborationists we're in post-WW2 France and I wouldn't give a sh!t, but people who aren't derange morons and did the right thing shouldn't be punished because so many other people are mentally deficient pieces of trash who take things like QAnon, Joe Rogan and Alex Jones seriously and all the other conspiracy garbage these moronic mouthbreathers believe in.

You're close, but you're missing the key problem posed by the vaccinated (which is a microcosm of the problem posed by Republicans in general to society): they're our fellow human beings, and our fellow citizens. Yes, they're dangerously, aggressively, ignorantly wrong, but they're on our side (whether we want them or not). And it's bad for everyone to let COVID spread and multiply.

No matter why we have lots of COVID cases, they're a massive hit to society, both immediately (deaths, hospital capability saturated, the threat of healthcare system collapse) and over time (long COVID and other ongoing health effects, and the impact that the deaths will have on society for a generation or more). And the more COVID cases there are, the more copies of it are out there, mutating and evolving, and the more chances it has to produce a variant that is both highly infectious and highly deadly.

And that's before getting into how COVID vaccines and boosters provide resistance, not immunity. Sure, the properly vaccinated have better odds across the board, but that doesn't mean COVID's impact is insignificant.

I'm tired of the pandemic, too. But being tired of it and desperately wanting it to go away doesn't actually make it go away.

Stopping the spread of omicron is not possible.

Neither is stopping death, but that's not an argument for legalizing murder, removing traffic laws or eliminating the countless other things we do for both personal and public good. We can limit the number of COVID viruses replicating in human hosts. Every single omicron or other COVID virus that doesn't get a chance to replicate is a tiny win for the human race, and every one that does is a tiny loss.

[Horus]

I will say that I’m of the mindset that cloth masks *don’t* do much against Omicron, and that expecting every American to wear an N95 in an indoor setting is untenable. There’s a lot of theater involved here.

That said, fine, sure, send every American a better mask than most have. It’s not going to solve the problem in the way mandatory COVID sick leave would, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand the recent push for N95 and KN95 masks. They are uncomfortable to wear, and I'm not sure if the benefits which they may confer outweigh the disadvantages inherent to them.

I agree they can be uncomfortable to wear, particularly it can be hard to breathe sometimes, but worn properly they address the main complaint about lower grade masks, that they don't protect the wearer. The filter also works in both directions so it will also dramatically cut transmission, assuming the mask doesn't have a valve like many sold in hardware stores. COVID will still spread when people gather in private and take off their masks, but if they are worn in a public space that public space should be safe.

Whatever delusion helps you sleep I guess.

The delusional ones are the people on this forum who are convinced that the pandemic is over and that COVID-19 is not a threat anymore, despite 1m cases a day and new record hospitalizations every day, blocking out the news or convincing themselves it's all fake. Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking, a vivid undeniable reminder that in fact the pandemic is still raging and that they should be taking it seriously.

People are upset because they're vaccinated and don't want to be restricted anymore. I have no problem with restricting the unvaccinated, they could be treated like Vichy collaborationists we're in post-WW2 France and I wouldn't give a sh!t, but people who aren't derange morons and did the right thing shouldn't be punished because so many other people are mentally deficient pieces of trash who take things like QAnon, Joe Rogan and Alex Jones seriously and all the other conspiracy garbage these moronic mouthbreathers believe in.

You're close, but you're missing the key problem posed by the vaccinated (which is a microcosm of the problem posed by Republicans in general to society): they're our fellow human beings, and our fellow citizens. Yes, they're dangerously, aggressively, ignorantly wrong, but they're on our side (whether we want them or not). And it's bad for everyone to let COVID spread and multiply.

No matter why we have lots of COVID cases, they're a massive hit to society, both immediately (deaths, hospital capability saturated, the threat of healthcare system collapse) and over time (long COVID and other ongoing health effects, and the impact that the deaths will have on society for a generation or more). And the more COVID cases there are, the more copies of it are out there, mutating and evolving, and the more chances it has to produce a variant that is both highly infectious and highly deadly.

And that's before getting into how COVID vaccines and boosters provide resistance, not immunity. Sure, the properly vaccinated have better odds across the board, but that doesn't mean COVID's impact is insignificant.

I'm tired of the pandemic, too. But being tired of it and desperately wanting it to go away doesn't actually make it go away.

Stopping the spread of omicron is not possible.

Neither is stopping death, but that's not an argument for legalizing murder, removing traffic laws or eliminating the countless other things we do for both personal and public good. We can limit the number of COVID viruses replicating in human hosts. Every single omicron or other COVID virus that doesn't get a chance to replicate is a tiny win for the human race, and every one that does is a tiny loss.

Omicron isn't serious enough to look at that way.

[Hammy]

I will say that I’m of the mindset that cloth masks *don’t* do much against Omicron, and that expecting every American to wear an N95 in an indoor setting is untenable. There’s a lot of theater involved here.

That said, fine, sure, send every American a better mask than most have. It’s not going to solve the problem in the way mandatory COVID sick leave would, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I don't understand the recent push for N95 and KN95 masks. They are uncomfortable to wear, and I'm not sure if the benefits which they may confer outweigh the disadvantages inherent to them.

I agree they can be uncomfortable to wear, particularly it can be hard to breathe sometimes, but worn properly they address the main complaint about lower grade masks, that they don't protect the wearer. The filter also works in both directions so it will also dramatically cut transmission, assuming the mask doesn't have a valve like many sold in hardware stores. COVID will still spread when people gather in private and take off their masks, but if they are worn in a public space that public space should be safe.

Whatever delusion helps you sleep I guess.

The delusional ones are the people on this forum who are convinced that the pandemic is over and that COVID-19 is not a threat anymore, despite 1m cases a day and new record hospitalizations every day, blocking out the news or convincing themselves it's all fake. Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking, a vivid undeniable reminder that in fact the pandemic is still raging and that they should be taking it seriously.

People are upset because they're vaccinated and don't want to be restricted anymore. I have no problem with restricting the unvaccinated, they could be treated like Vichy collaborationists we're in post-WW2 France and I wouldn't give a sh!t, but people who aren't derange morons and did the right thing shouldn't be punished because so many other people are mentally deficient pieces of trash who take things like QAnon, Joe Rogan and Alex Jones seriously and all the other conspiracy garbage these moronic mouthbreathers believe in.

You're close, but you're missing the key problem posed by the vaccinated (which is a microcosm of the problem posed by Republicans in general to society): they're our fellow human beings, and our fellow citizens. Yes, they're dangerously, aggressively, ignorantly wrong, but they're on our side (whether we want them or not). And it's bad for everyone to let COVID spread and multiply.

No matter why we have lots of COVID cases, they're a massive hit to society, both immediately (deaths, hospital capability saturated, the threat of healthcare system collapse) and over time (long COVID and other ongoing health effects, and the impact that the deaths will have on society for a generation or more). And the more COVID cases there are, the more copies of it are out there, mutating and evolving, and the more chances it has to produce a variant that is both highly infectious and highly deadly.

And that's before getting into how COVID vaccines and boosters provide resistance, not immunity. Sure, the properly vaccinated have better odds across the board, but that doesn't mean COVID's impact is insignificant.

I'm tired of the pandemic, too. But being tired of it and desperately wanting it to go away doesn't actually make it go away.

Stopping the spread of omicron is not possible.

Neither is stopping death, but that's not an argument for legalizing murder, removing traffic laws or eliminating the countless other things we do for both personal and public good. We can limit the number of COVID viruses replicating in human hosts. Every single omicron or other COVID virus that doesn't get a chance to replicate is a tiny win for the human race, and every one that does is a tiny loss.

So you're arguing getting covid is a moral failing? Or that it should be a crime? Your logic here is deranged, and borders on psychological terrorism against an already traumatized public. Covid is endemic, and that needs to be taken into account moving forward.

And the notion that this may evolve into something simultaneously more contagious and deadlier is blatantly ignorant of pandemic evolution--both the common cold (itself a coronavirus) and the flu evolved this way, and COVID has similarly reduced it's mortality rate with each wave--drastically with each wave.

The solution here is not continuing pandemic measures for eternity, but continued vaccinations that can further weaken the virus, along with increasing hospital capacity, which is disgustingly poor even in the best of times.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Imagine their shock and dismay when they receive N95 masks in the mail from the federal government, doubtless accompanied by a postcard encouraging continued social distancing and masking

Anti-maskers when they open their mail to find their federal-issue N95

"How's Annie?"

Irrelevant aside, because the meme was posted: I got a DVD box set of the original series for Christmas and binge watched it over the holidays.

[compucomp]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

[Calthrina950]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

[compucomp]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Remember a year ago when Biden talked about 100 days of masks?

Pepperidge Farm remembers.

[ꙮ]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

I am in awe of your ability to make absolutely nonsensical points with such confidence. Bravo.

[Calthrina950]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

This makes no sense, whatsoever. A Democratic or Republican voter should not be required to support every position that their candidate or their leader holds. If such a requirement were exacted of them, that would be an unfair and undemocratic move. Ironically enough, what you say here sounds very much like what the Trumpists would say. Any Republican who does not wholeheartedly support Trump and who even deviates from one position that he holds is denounced by them as a "RINO" or as "not being a true conservative." Such a viewpoint should not invade the Democratic Party. I'm a Biden voter, and yet I haven't approved of much of the Administration's strategy and messaging with regards to the pandemic in recent months.

[Not Me, Us]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

This may shock you, but it is possible to recognize that Trump is a traitorous, fascist, would-be dictator while also recognizing that mask mandates only serve to punish those who do the right thing and get vaccinated and boosted. But you aren't arguing in good faith, so I don't even know why I bother.

[GP270watch]

Sad to see students being scared into doing these performative protests:

https://twitter.com/Jill_Jorgensen/status/1480953134553862146

These are some of the smartest kids in the city. Brooklyn Tech is one of NYC's specialized schools along with Stuyvesant and Bronx Science.

I wouldn't say 'smartest'.  Gifted and privileged is more like it.  We have seen that lower-income and minority students cannot do remote-learning, and if anything it sets them back significantly.    

 I'm from NYC and when I was growing up there, I knew the kids that went to all 3 schools and Hunter High and LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, these students are definitely in the group of smartest kids in the city.

 They're not being manipulated by anybody, they're very sharp.

[Skunk]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

This makes no sense, whatsoever. A Democratic or Republican voter should not be required to support every position that their candidate or their leader holds.

He's a CCP shill. Of course this would be how he views American politics.

[MATTROSE94]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

This makes no sense, whatsoever. A Democratic or Republican voter should not be required to support every position that their candidate or their leader holds.

He's a CCP shill. Of course this would be how he views American politics.

Don’t know about compucomp being a CCP shill. Instead he strikes me as the type of person who reads a lot of stuff on COVID from zero COVID advocates on Twitter like Permanent Social Distancing Advocate, Vincent #ZeroCovid, Eric Feigl Ding, Denise Dewald, Yaneer Bar-Yam, Trisha Greenhalgh, Matthew Sims, and Leana Wen. Not that I fault him for holding those beliefs, but we have some disagreements regarding COVID.

[Calthrina950]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

This makes no sense, whatsoever. A Democratic or Republican voter should not be required to support every position that their candidate or their leader holds.

He's a CCP shill. Of course this would be how he views American politics.

I wasn't aware of this. But as I was saying above, the majority of posters here are at odds with compucomp over his views on the pandemic.

[compucomp]

Your leader has spoken! He asks that you continue to wear masks. Do you want to be a Trumpist numbskull? I know you don't, 90% of this forum opposes Trump. Wear the mask.

President Biden on masks

“I know that for some Americans, a mask is not always affordable or convenient to get. So next week, we’ll announce how we’re making high-quality masks available to American people for free,” he said in remarks about the administration’s COVID-19 surge response.

He touted the work done already to make sure there is a supply of N95 masks for health care workers and first responders.

“We also helped make sure that high quality masks are widely available and an ample supply at affordable prices sold online and in stores,” he said, regarding masks for the public.

Biden on Thursday also addressed the frustration among Americans with continued mask wearing mandates and guidance.

“I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But there is a really important tool to stop the spread, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant. So please, please wear the mask,” he said.

You are equating opposition to mask mandates for support with Trump? That doesn't seem to be a fair evaluation of where this forum stands on the issue. But at this point, it's obvious that the majority of posters are at odds with you on this, as you are with them. You won't retreat from your viewpoints, and they won't retreat from theirs.

Now that President Biden unambiguously supports masks, if you oppose them you oppose him. Then since we are in a two party FPTP system, if you oppose Biden you support Trump. The anti-maskers here now must decide, do they oppose Biden here and allow Trump to get a win, effectively turning into a Trump supporter? Or do they close ranks behind Biden to form a united front against Trump?

This makes no sense, whatsoever. A Democratic or Republican voter should not be required to support every position that their candidate or their leader holds. If such a requirement were exacted of them, that would be an unfair and undemocratic move. Ironically enough, what you say here sounds very much like what the Trumpists would say. Any Republican who does not wholeheartedly support Trump and who even deviates from one position that he holds is denounced by them as a "RINO" or as "not being a true conservative." Such a viewpoint should not invade the Democratic Party. I'm a Biden voter, and yet I haven't approved of much of the Administration's strategy and messaging with regards to the pandemic in recent months.

You did a good job of describing how politics should be. But that's not how it is. Clearly Trump and the Republicans have taken "in unity lies strength" to heart. Their total unity behind Trump clearly powers them through just about any crisis or bad press and keeps them always a threat to take over. In the face of this, not supporting Biden and showing Democratic disunity is basically unilateral disarmament, like Republican states drawing gerrymanders while Democratic states use independent commissions and draw fair maps. Look at the 2016 and 2020 elections, it's clear that only a unified Democratic party can beat the Trumpist Republicans. So if you want to oppose Trump, you must support Biden on the foremost issue of the day.