Free COVID Masks?

Sorry, I obviously got masks and tests mixed up ... my bad.

Prove it.

I recently heard a right winger lie. In fact, it's an incessant stream of lies from them ... no kidding.

Not to mention the highest inflation in 40 years!!! I mean honestly, what could possibly go wrong in paying healthy young people not to work for a year… ?

Thanks for the link marcel! One question: it seems as though the author forgot to mention/account for inflation… which , well wipes all those gains instantly away. Fun half truth though you posted !

On economics: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-27-2022

Nice dishonest cherry pick there. The Trump tax bill massively reduced taxes for the wealthy. The SALT cap was Trump sticking it to CA and NY ... while it has a small effect on the uber rich, raising the cap is mostly a benefit to small businesses and the middle class.

Off topic Marcelk but Trump put a small cap on the SALT deduction which effectively is a tax increase on the rich. The Dems tried to significantly increase the cap in their Build Back Better agenda, effectively reducing the taxes on the rich. One of many examples of the Dems saying one thing during elections, then doing something completely different while in office. Wake up, they don't care about you, just your vote!

As people who aren't right wing ignoramuses understand, all masks offer *some* protection, but the level differs for different types of masks. And no right winger understands economics ... aside from the reduction in costs to society of people getting ill, and the jobs made available, the masks are being paid for out of COVID funds already allocated by Congress. Those funds in excess of tax revenue--which is greatly reduced due the the Trump/GOP tax bill that stole money out of your pocket and handed it to corporations and the uber wealthy-- are paid for out of government bonds issued by the treasury. Is that a problem? Well, not really, when the GDP under Biden has seen its largest increase since 1984.

AHCHOOO - it's just some desperate and pathetic excuse they keep dredging up to justify their refusal to be "told what to do," especially by a liberal who's smarter than they are.

It’s idiotic to expect the health recommendations given in the first months of a novel virus to be the same as the recommendations given for a variant of that virus a year or more down the line. Things change. Try to keep up.

All masks help to some extent. N95 is obviously best, and omicron is so much more contagious that they're a good idea. Only an idiot wouldn't be able to grasp that, and tink it political.

Pstarsr- with your profound insight about rules being rules, I would love your input on illegal immigration. Please. Do tell.

Sac - that’s the whole point!!!! They only make sense in certain scenarios… this blanket rule/mandate is ridiculous! It’s leads people like 4pm to be justified in their minds for reporting businesses who let people run on a treadmill without a mask. It’s madness!!

Star- Running red lights? You ask that so cavalierly, it's scary! Like "oh, I do that all the time, doesn't everyone?"

CONSERVATIVE - Yes. If they were .01% effective, I would wear them around certain people, like for instance my brother in law who is undergoing cancer treatment and is immunocompromised. I wouldn't and don't wear them outside, but in some situations, like the aforementioned, I would continue wearing one. Why wouldn't I?

Since the virus infects exponentially, even a small decrease in percentage of infections is greatly magnified over time. It's that difficult concept of compound interest, you know?

Sac- just confirming, you would keep wearing a mask if it were only 5% effective? 1%? You said 0% but I’m just asking for confirmation

CHIP - ah yes, pulling that one out again. "Inconclusive" means they don't know for sure. Further, this is a study of classroom situations. We're talking about masks in general being at least somewhat effective. Keep trying.

The extent to which masks can reduce covid transmission is a subject of scientific debate. Please see the article below from the Atlantic. The science has not demonstrated a clear difference in outcomes between schools that required masks and schools that have not.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/01/kids-masks-schools-weak-science/621133/

CHIP - "little or no difference?" No. We all know and have all seen the science proving mask are somewhat effective, even if "just a little." So, no apologies until it shows they were not effective at all. That means 0%.

There are mountains of evidence showing that masks are useful, and only a fool would think otherwise at this point.

That’s alright zero, I’ll be happy to shop elsewhere. I would ask one thing from you however. If sufficient research is conducted and published in the future to prove that masks made little or no difference, I would appreciate an apology.

rules are rules Chip. run any red lights recently?

Taking your business to establishments you like is one thing, but using authoritarian tactics to try to damage businesses you don’t like is just creepy.

867/Sac- if they’re mandating I wear their useless mask to enter, they can pay for it. I consider it a tax for not having a spine.

Chip- right there with you! I have a whole list of places I frequent that don’t require it. All my extra Biden-flation dollars go to them instead.

CHIP, that's great and guess what...it's a county ordinance. You won't be allowed into any business in the county without a mask on and if they don't request it, chances are they are in serious violation of various health codes and mandates. Also, i'd be happy to bounce you out of the store with that sort of attitude

SAC!~ OMG lol nice one bud!

I appreciate businesses that follow public health guidelines, and care whether their customers live or die, rather than just profit or ignorant beliefs.

When a business asks you to put a mask on, it’s much more impactful to explain you don’t wear masks and go elsewhere. I appreciate businesses that respect my personal choice not to wear a mask and I go out of my way to spend my money with them.

CONSERVATIVE - aren't you always crying and moaning about those who rely on social benefits?

Your bootstraps must have fallen off.

Well, looking at the country's allocation of tax dollars, it is customary for cons to freeload, so it's nice to see you sticking to your principles..

I agreed with many of Marcel's thoughts when he first started posting/Marcel, I used to agree with you.
Sadly, your frustration and attitude have increased and your posts have occasionally gone out of bounds. You can always respond to your own post to acknowledge your mistake, or email edhat and ask them to delete it. I see you corrected yourself above, around 9 p.m. Yet people agreed with this inaccurate post. I thought misinformation and inaccuracy were what we were working against?!
Don't let online life get to you, there's more life out there.

I and my well-informed liberal friends have known about this program since before its inception ... I ordered mine as soon as the program went online at https://www.covidtests.gov .

You're right, I clearly was confused. Mea Culpa.

That link is not for masks. It is for 3 free at home COVID test kits. Hopefully there might be a new site for masks

Here's a "central location": https://www.covidtests.gov

It's much smarter for people to ask for info at a central location (edhat, etc) than having every single person call around to ask.

Shasta, the government is distributing free N95s and KN95s to pharmacies. No one is saying these businesses are giving them away for free, they are merely the distribution locations.