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by astrophysician 1915 days ago
You should wear masks in public when you are vaccinated because while you're protected from severe symptoms, you can still carry the virus and transmit it to others.

> The ultra risk aversion is what many people are souring on, especially considering the risks are low to begin with for the vast majority.

Yea but...they are not low for a significant portion of the population, which should matter? And those people are affected when people don't wear masks because many of them are not able to completely isolate. I don't really understand this line of reasoning -- wearing a mask helps people, so why not do it? Is it really that debilitating? I don't like wearing a mask either but if wearing one helps, why not wear it?

1 comments

> You should wear masks in public when you are vaccinated because while you're protected from severe symptoms, you can still carry the virus and transmit it to others.

You say this as if it's a fact, but as of 2 days ago, we still don't know the answer to that question. Unless you have a source I'm unaware of?

> Yea but...they are not low for a significant portion of the population

Heart disease is a large risk for an even more significant portion of the population, yet McDonalds is still open and people can still choose to eat there?

Once the vaccine is widely available (and it already is for the at-risk groups), it's up to those who are at-risk to get themselves vaccinated. If they choose not to, well, that's their prerogative to assume extra risk and I no longer have any obligation to protect them (at least, not any more than I protect my obese friends from heart disease).

Yes, but it's likely to be several months in the US before everyone who wants to get vaccinated will be able to get fully vaccinated. I've been eligible for a couple weeks and I still haven't been able to get an appointment and under 55s aren't eligible for another few weeks. And even after people get a jab, with the two shot vaccines, it's about another month before they'll be fully vaccinated.
> You say this as if it's a fact, but as of 2 days ago, we still don't know the answer to that question. Unless you have a source I'm unaware of?

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vac... <- that's the advice from public health authorities. I myself am not a public health expert, and so I don't pretend to know more than public health authorities, though maybe that is not the case for you?

> Heart disease is a large risk for an even more significant portion of the population, yet McDonalds is still open and people can still choose to eat there?

Right, because you going to mcdonald's can't give someone else heart disease.

> Once the vaccine is widely available (and it already is for the at-risk groups), it's up to those who are at-risk to get themselves vaccinated. If they choose not to, well, that's their prerogative to assume extra risk and I no longer have any obligation to protect them (at least, not any more than I protect my obese friends from heart disease).

It is already widely available to people with high risk, yet it is still almost impossible to find appointments in some states (including my own). It may very well open up to the majority of the population before everyone at high risk is able to get vaccinated. Also, people with compromised immune systems cannot get vaccinated.

If someone chooses not to get the vaccine when they otherwise should and have no health conditions that preclude them getting it, sure I agree they are taking on that risk themselves, but there are plenty of people that should get the vaccine that aren't able to for whatever reason.

Also....protecting your obese friends from heart disease is absolutely not the same thing and is not a good analogy.

> that's the advice from public health authorities

The link says: "We’re still learning how well COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading the disease", so don't make authoritative statements about post-vaccination spread unless you have a real source.

> Right, because you going to mcdonald's can't give someone else heart disease.

What if I'm a parent of 4 kids and I bring my 4 kids with me? In fact, me going to McDonalds can and does spread heart disease to my progeny, which is a big reason obesity and heart disease are inter-generational problems. Kids learn bad eating habits from their parents.

> The link says: "We’re still learning how well COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading the disease", so don't make authoritative statements about post-vaccination spread unless you have a real source.

You know what, that's fair, I should say you "could" still, but again, I didn't make this up, here's the Mayo Clinic giving the same exact advice

> Keep in mind that if you're fully vaccinated, your risk of getting COVID-19 might be low. But if you become infected, you might spread the disease to others even if you don’t have signs or symptoms of COVID-19. This could be dangerous for people who are unvaccinated and at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. -- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/e...

It seems like you feel that if there's any uncertainty, you should do the thing that makes you most comfortable? Again, I just ask why? Is wearing a mask that debilitating?

> What if I'm a parent of 4 kids and I bring my 4 kids with me? In fact, me going to McDonalds can and does spread heart disease to my progeny, which is a big reason obesity and heart disease are inter-generational problems. Kids learn bad eating habits from their parents.

I am genuinely confused by this example and how much you think this relates to a communicable disease: if you cause people to eat McDonalds, um....I guess yes you are spreading heart disease to them? How is that similar to someone being in the same physical space as you, who does not want to eat your proverbial McDonald's, but has to anyway because they have to breathe?