kenomora

I just hate it with politics are brought up. This has absolutely nothing to do with it.
 
I (and at least a few other members here) work in healthcare and trust me, you do not want to be infected with this virus. Being younger than 65 does not make you invincible and telling old people to stay home while you're constantly getting yourself at risk is unfair to them, to yourself, and to everyone around you. If people keep propagating the virus outside, it will eventually find its way to population at risk even if they are sheltered.
 
I have been deployed to control outbreaks more than a few times over the past year, and have heard people telling me countless times how miserable they are even after they recover. A lingering cough, constant fatigue and pain, and prolonged loss of sense of smell and taste that still hasn't come back months and months after they got infected. And that's not even an exhaustive list.
 
A lockdown is not always needed. People can (kind of) live their lives as long as they wear masks, practice social distancing, and do not hang out with people outside their households. Now, getting a massage is going far beyond normal social interactions and everyone involved is at risk. If one decides to get a massage, they should self-quarantine afterwards for 10 days with no contact with the outside world. Getting a test within a few days after the session is useless and self-quarantining is the only safe way to protect others. If you're out and about after getting a massage, you're essentially a threat to public health.
 
The idea that vaccines and testing will keep you safe at this point is, well, delusional at best. Yes there are multiple vaccines, but it could take up to a year from now or longer until most people are vaccinated. Until then, no one is safe. And even then we still haven't had them around long enough to determine the actual long term effectiveness.
 
Yes we do have tests, but not all tests are made equal and the ones you could get quickly at an urgent care (the ones that do not get referred out to a real lab) are probably less sensitive than a more complex molecular test that takes a day or two to get results, which means you could walk out of the clinic thinking you're fine but actually not.
 
Tests and vaccines don't matter much if people are still putting themselves and others around them at risk. Changing social behavior is the most important thing at this time.
 
I think you almost have the right idea, having mentioned taking precautions. However, one needs to know the difference between safe and risky behaviors.
 

Not everyone needs to quarantine. You only need to quarantine after risky encounters or exposure to a positive case. Having a prolonged, intimate contact with someone outside your household is a risky behavior and essentially against the "precautions".

I just hate it with politics are brought up. This has absolutely nothing to do with it.
 
I (and at least a few other members here) work in healthcare and trust me, you do not want to be infected with this virus. Being younger than 65 does not make you invincible and telling old people to stay home while you're constantly getting yourself at risk is unfair to them, to yourself, and to everyone around you. If people keep propagating the virus outside, it will eventually find its way to population at risk even if they are sheltered.
 
I have been deployed to control outbreaks more than a few times over the past year, and have heard people telling me countless times how miserable they are even after they recover. A lingering cough, constant fatigue and pain, and prolonged loss of sense of smell and taste that still hasn't come back months and months after they got infected. And that's not even an exhaustive list.
 
A lockdown is not always needed. People can (kind of) live their lives as long as they wear masks, practice social distancing, and do not hang out with people outside their households. Now, getting a massage is going far beyond normal social interactions and everyone involved is at risk. If one decides to get a massage, they should self-quarantine afterwards for 10 days with no contact with the outside world. Getting a test within a few days after the session is useless and self-quarantining is the only safe way to protect others. If you're out and about after getting a massage, you're essentially a threat to public health.
 
The idea that vaccines and testing will keep you safe at this point is, well, delusional at best. Yes there are multiple vaccines, but it could take up to a year from now or longer until most people are vaccinated. Until then, no one is safe. And even then we still haven't had them around long enough to determine the actual long term effectiveness.
 
Yes we do have tests, but not all tests are made equal and the ones you could get quickly at an urgent care (the ones that do not get referred out to a real lab) are probably less sensitive than a more complex molecular test that takes a day or two to get results, which means you could walk out of the clinic thinking you're fine but actually not.
 
Tests and vaccines don't matter much if people are still putting themselves and others around them at risk. Changing social behavior is the most important thing at this time.
 
I think you almost have the right idea, having mentioned taking precautions. However, one needs to know the difference between safe and risky behaviors.
 

Not everyone needs to quarantine. You only need to quarantine after risky encounters or exposure to a positive case. Having a prolonged, intimate contact with someone outside your household is a risky behavior and essentially against the "precautions".

Stay safe, dude! Be well.

Yes - Google " How many people have died from COVID in the USA" Answer 406,000

You have been the voice of reason on the issue. People need to understand that the only way to stay out of the disease is to not have contact with anyone outside your household, and if you're outside you must have face covering, be socially distant, and wash your hands before and after you touch your face or any suspicious surfaces. Air purifier, having windows open, changing sheets and covers, disinfect surfaces - none of these would do any good for a facility offering massages. The contact during a session is too intimate and prolonged.

You have been the voice of reason on the issue. People need to understand that the only way to stay out of the disease is to not have contact with anyone outside your household, and if you're outside you must have face covering, be socially distant, and wash your hands before and after you touch your face or any suspicious surfaces. Air purifier, having windows open, changing sheets and covers, disinfect surfaces - none of these would do any good for a facility offering massages. The contact during a session is too intimate and prolonged.

You have been the voice of reason on the issue. People need to understand that the only way to stay out of the disease is to not have contact with anyone outside your household, and if you're outside you must have face covering, be socially distant, and wash your hands before and after you touch your face or any suspicious surfaces. Air purifier, having windows open, changing sheets and covers, disinfect surfaces - none of these would do any good for a facility offering massages. The contact during a session is too intimate and prolonged.

You have been the voice of reason on the issue. People need to understand that the only way to stay out of the disease is to not have contact with anyone outside your household, and if you're outside you must have face covering, be socially distant, and wash your hands before and after you touch your face or any suspicious surfaces. Air purifier, having windows open, changing sheets and covers, disinfect surfaces - none of these would do any good for a facility offering massages. The contact during a session is too intimate and prolonged.

Bottom line is Big Dale is correct. This is NOT the time to be seeking out massages. As well, wearing masks and washing hands frequently are the two most important things to do when go into public places. The wisest thing is to remain at home and social distance. The greatest spread is currrently caused by mixing of households and private social gatherings. If you need to go to a grocery store, go in buy what is needed go home and stay masked during the shopping, use hand sanitizer after getting in your car and wash your hands again at home. Physician offices are relatively safe so long as you are masked, there is screening occurring by the medical staff, and you again use hand sanitizer after leaving. I am a physician, have worked full time throughout the pandemic, have not become COVID positive and follow these simple rules. Finally, get vaccinated as soon as you are offered the opportunity to do so.

So incredibly late to the party on God’s Own Country, as I only sought it out because I wanted to see what the dude who plays Prince Charles on the Crown has done previously. And wow, what a film. I was deeply moved by the simplicity and honesty of it all. Sometimes it’s freaking scary to love or be loved, as it could make us feel weak and vulnerable, and this film is all about that. I also think that it’s kind of refreshing that that the movie is not really about the trials and tribulations of coming out or being gay, but solely about love. And that ending.....I’m welling up just thinking about it!

I viewed "God's own country" a couple of years back and liked it very much for its sensitivity, warmth, beauty, and depth.

Saw this a few weeks ago and cannot get it out of my head. So beautiful. I cried my eyes out a few times throughout. Josh and Alec are such great actors and very open and vulnerable in the film, considering they're both straight. They're also super yummy.

Lol yes. In one of the interviews Josh was joking that his sticky outy ears saved the producers a lot of money for prosthetics. Josh is so dreamy and seems to be smart, sincere, and kind. I think that it’s hilarious that he believes he is not good looking. Also a very transformative actor. Saw him in God’s Own Country and could not believe it was him.

1. Escorts? No, boo. Check the forum.
2. Asking if there's updated info is not "on a tear", I have not hired anyone, nor do I have immediate plans (or even long term plans to).
3. As a novice, should you really be here making such an ass of yourself?

No, because measures that reduce the transmission of one airborne respiratory virus are likely to have a side effect of reducing the frequency of all airborne respiratory viruses. Lysol doesn't discriminate. This really isn't that hard to grasp, and you are being aggressively ignorant here.

Even if it is dangerous to themselves and many others?

I find it interesting that you are willing to accuse others, a medical doctor even, of being beholden to big pharma or worse...when you come across so supportive of the supplement and vitamin industry. An industry notorious for its lack of standards and transparency.
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/02/11/fda-launches-tougher-oversight-supplements/
 
Please do your homework - every year hundreds of people end up in hospital, some even die from liver and kidney failure due to protein and other dietary supplement use. I am sure this happens in Australia as well. Please do some research before you claim zero deaths.

This past flu season was a double barrel flu season - where two strains overlap, making it easier to get it twice, or the vaccine less effective - and around 62,000 died. Covid-19 has killed some of my clients, and a lot of the 200,000 people that have died so far are in the age range of my clients. And my parents, for that matter.
 
Getting my flu shot next week. I didn't use to get one because I'd never had the flu and I had a lot of friends who got sick every year when they get it, so I shrugged it off. But I think that was selfish of me because getting the flu shot is more about protecting others than protecting myself - like wearing a mask, or not j-walking in front of children, or not punching people in the face.
 
I do not feel inconvenienced by the possibility of getting sick from the shot, or getting the flu anyways, because I can survive either and I hope that when I feel comfortable to start working again my clients and parents are still alive.

Yes, preliminary data from many Southern Hemisphere countries with high public health compliance supports the idea that the precautions taken against COVID19 should also help against other respiratory infections with similar transmission profiles: distancing, masks, and minimizing time indoors especially around people who don't live with you are critical. Frequent cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces and hands also help.
 
The problem for the USA is that the very same communities with poor compliance for distancing, masking, and limiting travel/time around others are the very same people who are more likely not to get vaccinated or take the necessary precautions against the flu. Only time will tell if the healthcare systems in those communities will be overwhelmed over the next four months or so.

Just to say it, not taking the full course of prescribed antibiotics has been demonstrated to create the circumstances under which bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance.

Also, were they Prescribed antibiotics left over from prior infection? Many people don’t use the full course of antibiotics, stopping when they “feel better”. That’s not usually as prescribed.

It's nice to know you can diagnose your sore throat as a bacterial infection without any tests. The amount of doctors who over prescribe antibiotics for illnesses for which they have no effect is the main reason we are seeing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. I certainly won't presume to know why you have a standing antibiotic prescription.
 
Actually, one reason for pesticide resistant bugs is exactly that. People overuse pesticides because companies like Monsanto spread disinformation about how their products should be used solely to get people to overuse them so they can make more money. It's exactly the same problem. Using antibiotics for every single and sneeze is no different than constant and continuous spray of pesticides.

Passing around anti-vaccination propaganda and being a person who takes antibiotics for an undiagnosed sore throat is not only terrible medical advice but can be dangerous. You don't want to get the flu shot? That's fine and giving your reasons doing so is also ok. But passing around information that contradicts 99% of doctors and scientists is part of the reason why we have antibiotic-resistant bacteria and new outbreaks of measles.

There are over 170 types of HPV, many of which are entirely asymptomatic, relatively harmless, or the body can fight off. So rather than trying to fit 170 different types of HPV into a needle and hoping the immune system adapts defenes against all of them, the researchers focused on the HPV types that are most likely to lead to cervical cancer, genital warts, and cancers of the mouth, anus, etc. So the HPV vaccine isn’t perfect, but it literally is a vaccine for many types of cancer.
 
And people who firmly believe in the scientific reasoning behind vaccines push for more people to take vaccines in order to maximize their societal benefits. The more people immune to whatever disease reduces its spread, and saves lives or reduces suffering.
 
The more people get the HPV vaccine, the lower chance that people who can’t receive it (immunocompromised, whatever) come in contact with HPV and later on develop cancers.

I feel this video is very much needed in this thread.
While personal experiences and opinions are free to be expressed,
only scientific knowledge gives us the truth and the light to make the best-informed decision.