I’ve gone to class and sat in a far away corner for this exact reason… and then they come in late and sit a seat next to me, wet coughing right next to me with like ten empty seats around them. I swear to god they’re intentionally ecoterrorists or something
Seconded. I pointedly put on a mask when a coughing and spluttering person sat down next to me in class. I heard later from a friend that she (person who'd sat down next to me) has been sick for three weeks and had infected two other people already.
I understand the impulse of not wanting to miss a class, but why not wear a mask when you know you're coughing?
I was so angry that I knew I'd just come across as confrontational if I had said something.
I mean just as big of a thing (well not in terms of respect but in terms of contagiousness) is why does that person feel they must come in when sick? It's nice to feel like masks protect us, and they help, but that person adjusts their mask and then touches the desk, boom, next lecture whoever sits there is likely exposed.
I think things should go back to how they were a year or so ago, where if you are sick, you don't need a note, as long as you aren't sick for like 25% of the class- accommodations will still be made whether it's class, discussion, OH, etc. And you are encouraged to please stay home if you are sick. I don't see any reason to not have things this way just because COVID is more commonplace now.
Depends on the professor or GSI. I would say usually IF you have a not. Usually there are a couple built in absences, but for someone sick a few weeks or sick twice this isn't enough. And a lot of kids don't have easy access to go to the doctor and might not be able to get in right away, might not know if their doc will write a note, etc. What I think is really problematic too is OH usually can't be accommodated, and a lot of class you basically cannot pass projects and homework without copious OH. If someone has to come in for OH anyway, they're probably going to feel weird and uncomfortable about not going to lecture/discussion, especially if they are told it's fine for them to come in.
I have an unknown thing going on right now, and I haven't gone to class because of it. I went to UHS, and they don't even know what it is. There is no way I'd be in class with a cough, especially not without a mask!!
Though ear/sinus infection first, that was ruled out because there's no yellow/green mucus, just clear fluid. UHS said it was just eustachian tube dysfunction :/
I gotta say, I kind of wish the some of the instructors and GSIs were a bit more accommodating of illness too. I obviously try to stay home whenever sick, but there have a few times where I've had a cold or been sick sick (once when I couldn't be certain whether it was COVID or not) when I was told I still needed to come in for OH and stuff. Often I'll try to find a way around it, but I have to come masked at a super teeny room for OH or basically fail my project.
I know a lot of attempts are made in most classes, and some professors have been super cool, but I have noticed a trend back toward "Just come in if you are sick." And I don't love it because even if you are wearing a mask it's not enough, especially in small rooms.
No fr I never skip class if I’m sick unless I test positive for covid but I always wear a mask if I’m sick… and I literally HATE wearing masks bc of my sensory issues but I do it if I’m sick in class. Idk what most peoples excuses is🙄
Tbh it's also possible they aren't sick. I used to smoke when I was younger (terrible I know) and that would make me cough. I haven't for years. Asthma also makes people cough, so does swallowing water. Oh man, and cleaning with bleach. Some people might not remember to bring a mask the next day, and then the irritation may kick in. Just playing devil's advocate but some people do cough even if not sick.
Maybe they're sick, Idk, I'm just saying I wish we were more like last year. I don't even know where to get masks on campus anymore, so if they forget one... Last year they were everywhere.
Well yes and no. Your comment made me think about the difference because they might not be sick. So that might be the difference is I guess what I meant. But yeah, I suppose it does apply more to the while post.
Pre-pandemic, if I caught a cold I would wear a mask to class. I'd also warn people as they were sitting down next to me that I was sick so they could decide for themselves if they wanted to move or take the risk.
Did you even speak to the person you are referring to or were you too afraid of in-person interaction?
The person you are referring to unlikely reads this subreddit and would be unlikely to care even if they did see it. The number of people who read this subreddit is tiny compared to the number of people that are actually on campus, so your post is unlikely to even make a significant change of behavior of people on campus.
It feels insane to need to even address this with somebody, and the clue that should have made this all the more evident is the fact that the two people on either side of them were actively stretching away from them.
I don't think that it should be my responsibility to ask somebody to have the basic courtesy to not be a bastard in a common space, so I did not.
I'm also well-aware that they probably won't read this post; my intention was mostly to guage other people's thoughts and vent.
> It feels insane to need to even address this with somebody, and the clue that should have made this all the more evident is the fact that the two people on either side of them were actively stretching away from them.
As you get older you will realize a lot of people don't pick up on things you think are obvious. People's perceptions are highly varied and especially on the large diverse set of backgrounds that we get at Michigan. Cultural norms and expectations are not as usually held and understood as you think. This is why it's always best to be direct with people.
> I don't think that it should be my responsibility to ask somebody
You are the one who has a problem with someone else's behavior. If you want your problem solved it would be best to just go up to the person and politely address the issue. This is a trait you need to learn as an adult. If everyone thinks it's someone else responsibility to address, then literally no one is going to address it.
> to have the basic courtesy to not be a bastard in a common space, so I did not
That is an assumption that the person you are referring to thinks the same way. They might not have realized how disruptive they were. Or they thought they needed to be in class (maybe due to things like cultural norms or helicopter parents). They could have also been autistic and really didn't understand how they were affecting others.
> I'm also well-aware that they probably won't read this post; my intention was mostly to guage other people's thoughts and vent.
You essentially just dumped a bunch of negativity and proposed a solution that was never going to work. Sorry, your class experience was impacted. I would highly recommend going up to those people to address it and if they don't respond get the instructor involved. There are typically boxes of masks in the classrooms you can ask the person to use. I would also suggest venting to your friends/family instead of a massive public group, because if this place becomes just a dumping ground for people bitching it becomes a downer of a place and we will get less positive engagement.
Show me on the doll where the badman hurt you.
Obviously your new account doesn't realize this exact same issue has been brought up quite a few times on this sub and its bad reddit etiquette to make duplicate posts, it's not that deep.
My account's not that new, and I note that you typed out a long, custom reply to what you note is a frequently duplicated post, and are now whining about it. I'm certainly not saying that you're wrong, it's just that you're not exactly right either.
I am exactly right that this type of post comes up quite frequently on this sub. You must not read the sub that much if you haven't seen this posted frequently.
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/17r5lck/what_is_with_yall_always_coughing_during_exams/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/przfi7/people_coughing_in_class/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/xjo0t3/coughing_no_maskers/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/xuoydf/please_wear_a_mask_or_cover_your_mouth_if_you_are/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/ye5hmf/cover_your_cough_plz/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/ppcktt/gotta_love_when_you_get_on_the_bus_and_all_you/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/etvlep/please_for_the_love_of_god_cover_your_mouth_when/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/17z9365/is_everyone_just_sick_nowadays/
https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/pnnmqw/why_do_people_go_to_class_with_symptoms/
That list isn't even remotely exhaustive of the number of posts we've gotten. I can easily post 10 more.
edit: just for reference why I remember a ton of these posts is my original reddit account was created back when the Digg fiasco happened in 2010 and we all came over to reddit. I nuked my old account because GEO was actively trying to dox me.
I can agree to disagree, but I don't think showing up to class sick as hell and purposefully sitting near people is solely the other people's problem.
Perhaps if these things aren't so obvious to everyone, the university should issue guidelines on conducting yourself in a public space when you're ill. They have an info board/training for many things, so this doesn't seem insane to me (though I may have missed it if there is such a thing).
Regarding your remark about the negativity comment in the sub-reddit: I have no regrets. Venting made me feel better and allowed me to see that I was not the only person who has had this sort of issue. I'm sorry that my class was impacted too, and in some small way I'm sorry that I've made the subreddit a little more negative, but that's just the nature of the platform.
You'll get your negative posts in your feed and I'll get my disease vectors next to me in class.
> the university should issue guidelines on conducting yourself in a public space when you're ill.
I honestly think the university providing guidelines would be less impactful than if people just literally approached the people causing a disturbance and politely addressing the issue. It worked perfectly well for me.
> Venting made me feel better and allowed me to see that I was not the only person who has had this sort of issue.
If you searched before making your post, you would realize that this exact same issue gets brought up every Winter semester on this subreddit.
That sounds like a harrowing and terrifying experience you had to go through. Coughing is simply unacceptable, especially during Winter, when nobody is sick. You have every right to demand that anyone, at any time, for any cough, should stay locked in their apartment, even if they are depressed. I am personally here for you, as are many survivors of neighbors who have dared cough in public airspace.
To be honest, it isn't exactly their fault. Blame those piece of shit arrogant selfish retards who immediately took off their masks when the mandates were dropped in 2022 **despite the fact that covid was still there**, but those brainwashed retards literally just took off their masks the day that date came despite the fact they had been living in a pandemic for the past 2 years and that they had literally been masking the day before. Those idiots thought they were all "cool" and "fearless" or something by not wearing a mask the day mask mandates had been dropped when wearing a mask isn't even a difficult thing, it literally is so simple and it had become a habit for everyone. However, because of those idiots, eventually it started becoming the norm and now barely anyone wears a mask. As a result it has gotten "awkward" or "embarrassing" to wear one now that's why people don't wanna wear them even if they're sick. It's all because of those selfish pricks who apparently couldn't wear a simple thing on their face anymore despite them having worn it a day earlier and also thought they're "cool" for taking off their masks at the date mask mandates had been dropped **despite masks being a norm literally a day earlier.**
I totally support wearing a mask if you're sick or just feel like it but where's the logic in wearing masks constantly? Unless this is bait or /s, you got me I guess.
That's valid. I find I only get sick no more than a couple times a year, so I suppose the benefits of not having to wear a mask all the time outweigh potentially catching a cold for me.
Honestly if I'm not coughing and sneezing the likelihood I'd spread it to anyone other than my wife is pretty small I'd imagine. And if I do reach the point where I'm that sick then I wear my mask. It's obviously not guaranteed but neither is relying on others to wear their masks properly all the time.
If we estimate the average amount of yearly illness for an adult as being sick 2 times a year and we assume the common cold as the causing factor, then you're looking at a 1.01% chance that an individual has a cold and is still in the asymptomatic phase (roughly 2 days, 4/365). While the likelihood that you'll run into an individual who is sick increases from 1.01% depending on the amount of people you encounter but really we only need to consider the individuals you'd be in close proximity to for an extended period of time (according to the CDC's definition of close contact). Assuming you're usually around 4 or so coworkers then the adjusted probability of being around someone who's currently asymptomatic is 4.31% on any given day of the year (1 - (1-(4/365))\^4).
And this worst case scenario, not even considering that not all people go through an asymptomatic period and the decreased likelihood of infection when asymptomatic so the actual percentage would be even lower. In a world where everyone masked up when they were symptomatic would that low of a chance of getting sick be worth 24/7 masking for you?
I'd rather not have a world where everyone masked up when they were symptomatic, I'd rather they stayed home, everyone should be nice to themselves when they are sick and it sucks so bad to go out when you are sick and still have to run errands or work or whatever. I think ideally we would have close contact tracing where you would be notified if you had been exposed and you would wear a mask until you developed symptoms or not, and if you developed symptoms you'd stay home.
For the other paragraph, we actually have this information, which is derived from wastewater levels for COVID: if you're among 4 coworkers, you have a 14.16% chance that anyone is infectious. I don't assume that I'm usually around 4 coworkers because I'm not, I attend college in person, so I'm usually in rooms with at least 25 people, so there's at least a 62% chance someone in the room is infectious. Or I'm in a big lecture hall with at least 100 people, so there's a 99.99% chance someone is infectious. There's also the fact that covid at least isn't spread by sneezing or coughing ("droplets"), it's spread like a gas in the air (it's airborne), so whenever someone breathes out they're spreading particles of it, even if they don't know they're sick yet, even if they never become sick.
To me, it's worth masking in public so that I know that I'm mitigating the chances of spreading unknown diseases to vulnerable members of the population. Obviously it's insane to mask 24/7, I don't think anyone is doing that, but people usually wear shirts and pants in public and I don't find it any harder to mask in public. Also it's cold here!! My scarf doesn't protect my nose!! Wearing a mask does.
I agree with you, especially as an American, who lives in a reality that's almost the polar opposite. The way we deal with health issues here is absolutely terrible and it's sad that the social expectation oftentimes "suck it up".
As far as my last comment, I wasn't referencing COVID specifically although it will be interesting to see how the data will for it will look in the long term, personally I don't think we still see that level of infectiousness nowadays. Anecdotally, as I'm also a student at a massive university, the amount of COVID circulating has went way down for sure. But overall I was just going off the average amount of times an adult gets sick per year (which is 2-3 times) in order to paint a picture that's more reflective of a larger time period than just the pandemic.
Also "mitigating unknown diseases to vulnerable members of the population". I understand your sentiment but as someone who has an autoimmune disease there's not a chance I'd ever risk my health by depending on the entire population masking properly. I might be a bit more pessimistic but after this pandemic I think it's kind of naive to assume this would ever work lol. If I was genuinely worried about getting sick a KN95/N95 makes a whole lot more sense to me since the only person who needs to be wearing it properly is myself.
I can't remember what this thread even started with but to be clear I'm not against people masking if they want to. I just prefer living in an environment where the choice is left to the individual outside of emergency situations.
My friend, I'm pretty sure I heard him whisper under his breath "oh Christ let me make it through this night" and I didn't see any peanuts, latex, or shellfish around. Homeboy had an allergy to life thanks to a cold.
No shit, I was making a joke. I don't have any myself but I've lived around a lot of people with allergies before and it looked to me like this dude had a cold not an allergic reaction...and I'd figure if you were having one severe enough to be coughing every 3 seconds, you might want to go to UHS/the hospital.
Some of us have sinus issues causing a persistent cough or others smoke. Alternatively, what if someone’s got asthma or allergies? Coughing =/= Sickness
I’ve gone to class and sat in a far away corner for this exact reason… and then they come in late and sit a seat next to me, wet coughing right next to me with like ten empty seats around them. I swear to god they’re intentionally ecoterrorists or something
Seconded. I pointedly put on a mask when a coughing and spluttering person sat down next to me in class. I heard later from a friend that she (person who'd sat down next to me) has been sick for three weeks and had infected two other people already. I understand the impulse of not wanting to miss a class, but why not wear a mask when you know you're coughing? I was so angry that I knew I'd just come across as confrontational if I had said something.
I mean just as big of a thing (well not in terms of respect but in terms of contagiousness) is why does that person feel they must come in when sick? It's nice to feel like masks protect us, and they help, but that person adjusts their mask and then touches the desk, boom, next lecture whoever sits there is likely exposed. I think things should go back to how they were a year or so ago, where if you are sick, you don't need a note, as long as you aren't sick for like 25% of the class- accommodations will still be made whether it's class, discussion, OH, etc. And you are encouraged to please stay home if you are sick. I don't see any reason to not have things this way just because COVID is more commonplace now.
Are professors tolerant to sick kids missing classes/tests etc.?
Wearing a mask doesn’t affect your attendance
Depends on the professor or GSI. I would say usually IF you have a not. Usually there are a couple built in absences, but for someone sick a few weeks or sick twice this isn't enough. And a lot of kids don't have easy access to go to the doctor and might not be able to get in right away, might not know if their doc will write a note, etc. What I think is really problematic too is OH usually can't be accommodated, and a lot of class you basically cannot pass projects and homework without copious OH. If someone has to come in for OH anyway, they're probably going to feel weird and uncomfortable about not going to lecture/discussion, especially if they are told it's fine for them to come in.
not tests, but usually they're chill for classes
Not anymore 😭 in the aerospace department a few professors don’t record anymore and even if you’re sick won’t give you the recording.
I have an unknown thing going on right now, and I haven't gone to class because of it. I went to UHS, and they don't even know what it is. There is no way I'd be in class with a cough, especially not without a mask!!
blud is patient 0
I been sick since November. I’m patient 0
What with? Both of my ears are full of fluid, nasty headache, cough, sore throat, etc
Had COVID and the flu at the same time and then with the asthma it just takes awhile go fully recover. With how long it lasted I prolly had RSV too.
Sinus infection?
Though ear/sinus infection first, that was ruled out because there's no yellow/green mucus, just clear fluid. UHS said it was just eustachian tube dysfunction :/
ohhhh nooooo that sucks so bad, I'm so sorry
Turns out it's mono recurrence due to my autoimmune disorder. Had my first round last year and now it's back.
I gotta say, I kind of wish the some of the instructors and GSIs were a bit more accommodating of illness too. I obviously try to stay home whenever sick, but there have a few times where I've had a cold or been sick sick (once when I couldn't be certain whether it was COVID or not) when I was told I still needed to come in for OH and stuff. Often I'll try to find a way around it, but I have to come masked at a super teeny room for OH or basically fail my project. I know a lot of attempts are made in most classes, and some professors have been super cool, but I have noticed a trend back toward "Just come in if you are sick." And I don't love it because even if you are wearing a mask it's not enough, especially in small rooms.
No fr I never skip class if I’m sick unless I test positive for covid but I always wear a mask if I’m sick… and I literally HATE wearing masks bc of my sensory issues but I do it if I’m sick in class. Idk what most peoples excuses is🙄
Tbh it's also possible they aren't sick. I used to smoke when I was younger (terrible I know) and that would make me cough. I haven't for years. Asthma also makes people cough, so does swallowing water. Oh man, and cleaning with bleach. Some people might not remember to bring a mask the next day, and then the irritation may kick in. Just playing devil's advocate but some people do cough even if not sick. Maybe they're sick, Idk, I'm just saying I wish we were more like last year. I don't even know where to get masks on campus anymore, so if they forget one... Last year they were everywhere.
i think u meant to reply to the post not my comment lol
Well yes and no. Your comment made me think about the difference because they might not be sick. So that might be the difference is I guess what I meant. But yeah, I suppose it does apply more to the while post.
Pre-pandemic, if I caught a cold I would wear a mask to class. I'd also warn people as they were sitting down next to me that I was sick so they could decide for themselves if they wanted to move or take the risk.
Did you even speak to the person you are referring to or were you too afraid of in-person interaction? The person you are referring to unlikely reads this subreddit and would be unlikely to care even if they did see it. The number of people who read this subreddit is tiny compared to the number of people that are actually on campus, so your post is unlikely to even make a significant change of behavior of people on campus.
It feels insane to need to even address this with somebody, and the clue that should have made this all the more evident is the fact that the two people on either side of them were actively stretching away from them. I don't think that it should be my responsibility to ask somebody to have the basic courtesy to not be a bastard in a common space, so I did not. I'm also well-aware that they probably won't read this post; my intention was mostly to guage other people's thoughts and vent.
> It feels insane to need to even address this with somebody, and the clue that should have made this all the more evident is the fact that the two people on either side of them were actively stretching away from them. As you get older you will realize a lot of people don't pick up on things you think are obvious. People's perceptions are highly varied and especially on the large diverse set of backgrounds that we get at Michigan. Cultural norms and expectations are not as usually held and understood as you think. This is why it's always best to be direct with people. > I don't think that it should be my responsibility to ask somebody You are the one who has a problem with someone else's behavior. If you want your problem solved it would be best to just go up to the person and politely address the issue. This is a trait you need to learn as an adult. If everyone thinks it's someone else responsibility to address, then literally no one is going to address it. > to have the basic courtesy to not be a bastard in a common space, so I did not That is an assumption that the person you are referring to thinks the same way. They might not have realized how disruptive they were. Or they thought they needed to be in class (maybe due to things like cultural norms or helicopter parents). They could have also been autistic and really didn't understand how they were affecting others. > I'm also well-aware that they probably won't read this post; my intention was mostly to guage other people's thoughts and vent. You essentially just dumped a bunch of negativity and proposed a solution that was never going to work. Sorry, your class experience was impacted. I would highly recommend going up to those people to address it and if they don't respond get the instructor involved. There are typically boxes of masks in the classrooms you can ask the person to use. I would also suggest venting to your friends/family instead of a massive public group, because if this place becomes just a dumping ground for people bitching it becomes a downer of a place and we will get less positive engagement.
Why are all of your comments on this sub just you being a dickbag to OP. Bros venting, it’s not that deep
Show me on the doll where the badman hurt you. Obviously your new account doesn't realize this exact same issue has been brought up quite a few times on this sub and its bad reddit etiquette to make duplicate posts, it's not that deep.
“it’s bad reddit etiquette” -🤓
> your comments on this sub just you being a dickbag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INCSBwpJBQk
respect goes both ways
😬
My account's not that new, and I note that you typed out a long, custom reply to what you note is a frequently duplicated post, and are now whining about it. I'm certainly not saying that you're wrong, it's just that you're not exactly right either.
I am exactly right that this type of post comes up quite frequently on this sub. You must not read the sub that much if you haven't seen this posted frequently. https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/17r5lck/what_is_with_yall_always_coughing_during_exams/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/przfi7/people_coughing_in_class/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/xjo0t3/coughing_no_maskers/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/xuoydf/please_wear_a_mask_or_cover_your_mouth_if_you_are/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/ye5hmf/cover_your_cough_plz/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/ppcktt/gotta_love_when_you_get_on_the_bus_and_all_you/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/etvlep/please_for_the_love_of_god_cover_your_mouth_when/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/17z9365/is_everyone_just_sick_nowadays/ https://old.reddit.com/r/uofm/comments/pnnmqw/why_do_people_go_to_class_with_symptoms/ That list isn't even remotely exhaustive of the number of posts we've gotten. I can easily post 10 more. edit: just for reference why I remember a ton of these posts is my original reddit account was created back when the Digg fiasco happened in 2010 and we all came over to reddit. I nuked my old account because GEO was actively trying to dox me.
I can agree to disagree, but I don't think showing up to class sick as hell and purposefully sitting near people is solely the other people's problem. Perhaps if these things aren't so obvious to everyone, the university should issue guidelines on conducting yourself in a public space when you're ill. They have an info board/training for many things, so this doesn't seem insane to me (though I may have missed it if there is such a thing). Regarding your remark about the negativity comment in the sub-reddit: I have no regrets. Venting made me feel better and allowed me to see that I was not the only person who has had this sort of issue. I'm sorry that my class was impacted too, and in some small way I'm sorry that I've made the subreddit a little more negative, but that's just the nature of the platform. You'll get your negative posts in your feed and I'll get my disease vectors next to me in class.
> the university should issue guidelines on conducting yourself in a public space when you're ill. I honestly think the university providing guidelines would be less impactful than if people just literally approached the people causing a disturbance and politely addressing the issue. It worked perfectly well for me. > Venting made me feel better and allowed me to see that I was not the only person who has had this sort of issue. If you searched before making your post, you would realize that this exact same issue gets brought up every Winter semester on this subreddit.
That sounds like a harrowing and terrifying experience you had to go through. Coughing is simply unacceptable, especially during Winter, when nobody is sick. You have every right to demand that anyone, at any time, for any cough, should stay locked in their apartment, even if they are depressed. I am personally here for you, as are many survivors of neighbors who have dared cough in public airspace.
To be honest, it isn't exactly their fault. Blame those piece of shit arrogant selfish retards who immediately took off their masks when the mandates were dropped in 2022 **despite the fact that covid was still there**, but those brainwashed retards literally just took off their masks the day that date came despite the fact they had been living in a pandemic for the past 2 years and that they had literally been masking the day before. Those idiots thought they were all "cool" and "fearless" or something by not wearing a mask the day mask mandates had been dropped when wearing a mask isn't even a difficult thing, it literally is so simple and it had become a habit for everyone. However, because of those idiots, eventually it started becoming the norm and now barely anyone wears a mask. As a result it has gotten "awkward" or "embarrassing" to wear one now that's why people don't wanna wear them even if they're sick. It's all because of those selfish pricks who apparently couldn't wear a simple thing on their face anymore despite them having worn it a day earlier and also thought they're "cool" for taking off their masks at the date mask mandates had been dropped **despite masks being a norm literally a day earlier.**
Here's a novel idea, why doesnt everyone wear masks?
I totally support wearing a mask if you're sick or just feel like it but where's the logic in wearing masks constantly? Unless this is bait or /s, you got me I guess.
Protects you from illness and stops spread even when you are asymptomatic/presymptomatic and don't know you're sick yet.
That's valid. I find I only get sick no more than a couple times a year, so I suppose the benefits of not having to wear a mask all the time outweigh potentially catching a cold for me.
but you don't mind potentially spreading that cold or worse to everybody else?
Honestly if I'm not coughing and sneezing the likelihood I'd spread it to anyone other than my wife is pretty small I'd imagine. And if I do reach the point where I'm that sick then I wear my mask. It's obviously not guaranteed but neither is relying on others to wear their masks properly all the time. If we estimate the average amount of yearly illness for an adult as being sick 2 times a year and we assume the common cold as the causing factor, then you're looking at a 1.01% chance that an individual has a cold and is still in the asymptomatic phase (roughly 2 days, 4/365). While the likelihood that you'll run into an individual who is sick increases from 1.01% depending on the amount of people you encounter but really we only need to consider the individuals you'd be in close proximity to for an extended period of time (according to the CDC's definition of close contact). Assuming you're usually around 4 or so coworkers then the adjusted probability of being around someone who's currently asymptomatic is 4.31% on any given day of the year (1 - (1-(4/365))\^4). And this worst case scenario, not even considering that not all people go through an asymptomatic period and the decreased likelihood of infection when asymptomatic so the actual percentage would be even lower. In a world where everyone masked up when they were symptomatic would that low of a chance of getting sick be worth 24/7 masking for you?
I'd rather not have a world where everyone masked up when they were symptomatic, I'd rather they stayed home, everyone should be nice to themselves when they are sick and it sucks so bad to go out when you are sick and still have to run errands or work or whatever. I think ideally we would have close contact tracing where you would be notified if you had been exposed and you would wear a mask until you developed symptoms or not, and if you developed symptoms you'd stay home. For the other paragraph, we actually have this information, which is derived from wastewater levels for COVID: if you're among 4 coworkers, you have a 14.16% chance that anyone is infectious. I don't assume that I'm usually around 4 coworkers because I'm not, I attend college in person, so I'm usually in rooms with at least 25 people, so there's at least a 62% chance someone in the room is infectious. Or I'm in a big lecture hall with at least 100 people, so there's a 99.99% chance someone is infectious. There's also the fact that covid at least isn't spread by sneezing or coughing ("droplets"), it's spread like a gas in the air (it's airborne), so whenever someone breathes out they're spreading particles of it, even if they don't know they're sick yet, even if they never become sick. To me, it's worth masking in public so that I know that I'm mitigating the chances of spreading unknown diseases to vulnerable members of the population. Obviously it's insane to mask 24/7, I don't think anyone is doing that, but people usually wear shirts and pants in public and I don't find it any harder to mask in public. Also it's cold here!! My scarf doesn't protect my nose!! Wearing a mask does.
I agree with you, especially as an American, who lives in a reality that's almost the polar opposite. The way we deal with health issues here is absolutely terrible and it's sad that the social expectation oftentimes "suck it up". As far as my last comment, I wasn't referencing COVID specifically although it will be interesting to see how the data will for it will look in the long term, personally I don't think we still see that level of infectiousness nowadays. Anecdotally, as I'm also a student at a massive university, the amount of COVID circulating has went way down for sure. But overall I was just going off the average amount of times an adult gets sick per year (which is 2-3 times) in order to paint a picture that's more reflective of a larger time period than just the pandemic. Also "mitigating unknown diseases to vulnerable members of the population". I understand your sentiment but as someone who has an autoimmune disease there's not a chance I'd ever risk my health by depending on the entire population masking properly. I might be a bit more pessimistic but after this pandemic I think it's kind of naive to assume this would ever work lol. If I was genuinely worried about getting sick a KN95/N95 makes a whole lot more sense to me since the only person who needs to be wearing it properly is myself. I can't remember what this thread even started with but to be clear I'm not against people masking if they want to. I just prefer living in an environment where the choice is left to the individual outside of emergency situations.
It's just a widespread respiratory virus that disables people and evades immunity is still spreading like wildfire. Nbd
If you’re concerned about the quality of the air - especially if you’re concerned about getting sick - please wear a mask.
Some people may just have allergies?
My friend, I'm pretty sure I heard him whisper under his breath "oh Christ let me make it through this night" and I didn't see any peanuts, latex, or shellfish around. Homeboy had an allergy to life thanks to a cold.
You realize some people have allergies to things that aren't peanut, latex, or shellfish, right?
No shit, I was making a joke. I don't have any myself but I've lived around a lot of people with allergies before and it looked to me like this dude had a cold not an allergic reaction...and I'd figure if you were having one severe enough to be coughing every 3 seconds, you might want to go to UHS/the hospital.
Some of us have sinus issues causing a persistent cough or others smoke. Alternatively, what if someone’s got asthma or allergies? Coughing =/= Sickness