Austria Makes Covid Vaccine Mandatory for Entire Population

[thedanNYC]

11 minutes ago, Unicorn said:

Come on. Are you just being argumentative? It can make sense to require EITHER, but, since they're equally effective, not allowing the far less expensive and far more comfortable mask obviously is nonsensical. Yes, one would have to do a study to find out for sure if people are more likely to repeatedly reuse a mask which costs 1 Euro instead of 10 cents, but there is no reason to forbid the surgical masks in the first place. 

Of course, I'd argue that in a setting in which everyone's vaccination status is proven to be positive, a masking requirement is overkill to begin with--but that's a whole other discussion. 

Not at all. You said the Austrian government wasn't relying on science when choosing to mandate the use of N95s, and I pointed out that they in fact had relied on science given that you explained that N95s are as effective as surgical masks. In other words, they chose an effective mask type.

 

35 minutes ago, thedanNYC said:

 

Well, if N95s are as effective as surgical masks, then there's as much scientific reason for requiring N95s as there is for requiring surgical masks. N95s are easy to purchase in Austria for less than a Euro each, cheaper if you buy in bulk. So it seems like your issue is that Austria is requiring use of the more expensive of the two equally effective mask types. That's fair, but it doesn't establish that Austria didn't rely on science when choosing which mask type to require that people use.

Whether that price difference is driving people to reuse N95s more than they would reuse surgical masks is something we don't know. That seems to be a feeling or intuition, rather than science (lighthearted poke there, couldn't resist). 

 

I conceded the fact that it is fair to be against choosing the more expensive option, but that has nothing to do with science. That's a separate issue. That's all I'm saying.

[coriolis888]

3 hours ago, thedanNYC said:

The masks are absolutely less than a Euro each outside the airport, where everything is significantly cheaper.

You are correct, the masks are now cheap. 

Based on the below cited article, "more than five euros" was the initial price but now the prices have come down:

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210125-austria-makes-ffp2-masks-mandatory-in-shops-public-transport

[coriolis888]

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[pubic_assistance]

On 11/22/2021 at 3:32 PM, WilliamM said:

Blacks have long memories in the United States  about "experiments."

🎯

[thedanNYC]

7 minutes ago, coriolis888 said:

You are correct, the masks are now cheap. 

Based on the below cited article, "more than five euros" was the initial price but now the prices have come down:

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210125-austria-makes-ffp2-masks-mandatory-in-shops-public-transport

I understand that you don't know the full context because you got your mask at the airport, where it was bound to be expensive. And you visited Austria only recently. But I spend a significant amount of time in Europe for personal and business reasons, and I've had to deal with these mandates extensively in several countries. So I'm very familiar with them.

It's important to note that the article you cited is from January 25, 2021, and it states: "Though often sold for more than 5 euros each just a few weeks ago, the masks, which block 94 percent of aerosols, can now be found at all grocery stores for 59 cents each. Elderly residents and low-income households received packs of free FFP2 masks last week." In other words, the masks have sold for less than one euro since at least January 25 (that's the "now" the article is referring to, not present day). That "now", by the way, also refers to when the N95 mask mandate was imposed.

That's consistent with what I said. The Austrian government didn't just impose a nonsensical mandate that forced people to buy 5-euro masks. Instead, it imposed a mandate to use masks that are as effective (but more expensive) as surgical masks and have been widely available for purchase for less than 1 euro.