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The scientific information on this has been out there, available for anyone to read, for months. Indoor transmission is the primary means of virus infection. Aerosols, regardless of whether someone is coughing or sneezing, just from breathing, can hang in the air for up to 3 hours. This is why simply distancing, if sharing indoor spaces, isn’t adequate. This seems like a really simple concept, but apparently is beyond many people’s mental grasp.
Masks have been shown to keep the mask-wearer’s aerosols from spreading into the air, but not completely. And protect the mask wearer from other’s aerosols to a much lesser degree. So if you don’t wear a mask, your breath is out in the air for the other person to breathe in even if they are wearing one.
But it’s apparent from your posts that your “personal freedom” trumps your concern for the health of others.
Nope nopity nope nope. As a nurse caring for patients long before Covid-19, we were required to wear masks to protect the patients and us. The type of mask depended upon level of protection needed meaning not all masks were n95 but did the job
I hate to see people wearing a mask with “dick nose” hanging out. Coughing is a major germ spreader, at least the mouth is covered so they are spreading fewer germs, but they are putting themselves at serious risk and are not fully protecting the people close by.
Not quite accurate. Unmasked coughing launches airborne germs up to 30 feet with the largest concentration within 6’ and up to 10’. 6 feet is safer but not “safe”.
Not in the group of doctors, nurses, EMTs etc. that I know. If masks didn’t provide some benefit why would millions of medical professionals put themselves through the discomfort over the past 100 years?
This. The best description I’ve heard is to think of the virus like smoke. If you go into a space where smoke would build up (visually - smell is a far, far lower threshold for detection), then the virus will build up there and social distancing is not enough. Masks won’t be a perfect defense, either, in that environment.
My DH and I have debates on whether masks really work. The good news is that we both agree that the use of a mask is a minor inconvenience even if it is not a major help
If masks barely worked, medical professionals wouldn’t have been wearing them all these years. Mask wearing, distancing, hand washing, sterilizing things, avoiding crowds, etc, are all pieces that go together to make a whole. It’s like creating a delicious meal- it doesn’t happen with just one ingredient- it’s the combination of things that make it work.
The smartest person I know, a Ph.D. scientist, was skeptical of masks and thought the US polarization over it was strange. She lives in a nation that brought it under control without mask mandates: New Zealand.
But they are small nation with a population close to that of AZ. Also the restrictions they put in place would make US “freedom” folks lose their minds. They had a real lockdown plus real quarantining, isolation, testing and contact tracing.
We’ve become the laughing stock of the world because we won’t even comply with the easiest thing that would help.
My personal opinion is: if when I was bedside could wear a mask 10-12 hours a work day and if my bedside RN friends can wear a mask 12-14 hours a shift then Everyone can wear a f@“king mask for an hour while they buy groceries. Fogs your glasses, hot, uncomfortable—I don’t care. Welcome to a tiny piece of our world.
With all the media focus on the election circus recently, it’s almost as if some folks have forgotten that your country is setting new infection records on a daily basis.
The US reported a third straight daily record for new coronavirus cases on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
More than 127,000 infections were reported in 24 hours, as well as 1,149 deaths.
Unfortunately, even with widespread use of masks, here in Spain we are not much better. The difference between the countries is that it’s acknowledged that we are in a serious way here, and government, both central and local, are actively taking measures to try and curb the rises.
I hope that the next seventy odd days of the current US government isn’t taken up with futile litigation, instead of confronting the danger to many of your population.
Dear NotSo GentleHart,
Droplets can spread up to twelve feet and linger in the air for no one knows how long. I went through this argument on NextDoor not too long ago and could not believe the baloney that was tossed around. You wear a seat belt don’t you? Boy, if anything intrudes on personal space, it’s being tied to your car seat!
So, you don’t wear a mask and you celebrate your “liberty and freedom” and you unknowingly give a guest Covid! What a great review you’re going to get after they do the contact tracing but it won’t matter because you’ll be locked down and that review is going to stay there for a long time. You’ll probably only get bookings from other “freedom fighters” like yourself and you can all just cross-contaminate each other.
As JohnF said, it’s just plain selfish. Freedom my ass!
It is your right on your property to do whatever you want but do not invite others in and not protect them especially if you are living in a shared space. You can never be too careful with this deadly virus. I can’t believe how self centered human beings are.
Hi there, I am really sorry to intrude on this post. But I cannot for the life of me find a way to start a new topic on this web site. Can anyone advise me?
So far, replying to a topic is the only way I’ve been able to have my say.
I am a relatively new user, only signed up recently.
New Zealand has an alert level of 1 and has had very few community transmitted cases of covid as our government has been wise enough to get it under control early rather than wait until it is rife in the community. Airbnb’s one rule fits all policy does not work when it involves many different countries with different approaches to covid. If America had taken the action that our team of 5 million did then it’s people would not be in this situation. Airbnb should be requiring hosts to comply with local rules rather than American ones. I will not be dictated to by an American company and will not wear a mask until my Government tells me to. If Airbnb see fit to block me from hosting then so be it.
So true. Here’s hoping that the election of a true president/leader who is focused on controlling the pandemic rather than controlling his followers Will bring quick results in the future
I understand COVID is an emotive issue for many. Many comments have assumed I put our guests (and others) at risk because I do not agree with being mandated by a corporation to wear a mask on my own land. (Particularly as that corporation provides a service to my business, i.e. an IT platform.) This is not the reality.
We live in a low COVID incident, rural area and our listing is a separate dwelling. We always meet our guests, say hello, give them the keys and take them to their ‘home’ for the next few days. Over the past few months we’ve asked every guest how they would like us to interact, given the virus threat and the laws of our country. If they ask for masks to be worn outside we comply even though it’s not mandatory in our country. Our law (led by the science) requires 2m “safe distance” at all times and for businesses masks to be worn inside. We’ve had a very busy summer which has helped make up for a non existent spring and added to our 5 star reviews on every occasion and not killed off any guests that we know of.
My original post sought to get views on Air’s impending global policy of wearing masks at all times when interacting with guests. This isn’t the law in my country. I also shared my personal view on mask wearing, which seems to have largely hijacked my main point!
I don’t agree with Air’s new mask rule, but will comply given it could have a detrimental impact on our business. I also think there’s more to Air’s policy than concern for health, given their aspirations to float, but let’s not open that can of worms😔
Thank you JohnF for editing your original post. Civility costs nothing.
Wow! Quite the response. This is a forum for discussion. Sharing helpful thoughts which include opinions. I’m new to this. I hope it’s okay to ask questions without someone telling me to quit the platform.
