Laughing
Well-known member
I have no problem with it, I wouldn't I would stay at home if I had a cold or flu, probably not a cough though.
Reports that we may have to wear masks forever...
- Thread starter ChrisTheRed
- Start date
The Card Cheat
Well-known member
COVID-19 Is Surging but Flu Cases Are Down: Here's Why
Flu activity remains surprisingly low this year, largely in part to the safety precautions in place to prevent COVID-19. Furthermore, overall flu vaccination rates are strong. There’s still time for the flu to explode, though.
www.healthline.com
Covid lockdown: England sees fewer cases of colds, flu, and bronchitis
Cases of common cold, flu, and other respiratory diseases in England are substantially lower than average for this time of year, GP surveillance data show. The Royal College of General Practitioners, which published the figures, derived from data from 500 practices across England,1 said that...
Theres two sources for you. The first one is strictly fact checked, the second is from The Royal College of General Practitioners. They both make very clear their opinion that the decline in flu cases is down to social distancing and precautionary measures, like wearing a mask.
Randy
Well-known member
So why are covid cases still about then? Which they are.COVID-19 Is Surging but Flu Cases Are Down: Here's Why
Flu activity remains surprisingly low this year, largely in part to the safety precautions in place to prevent COVID-19. Furthermore, overall flu vaccination rates are strong. There’s still time for the flu to explode, though.
Covid lockdown: England sees fewer cases of colds, flu, and bronchitis
Cases of common cold, flu, and other respiratory diseases in England are substantially lower than average for this time of year, GP surveillance data show. The Royal College of General Practitioners, which published the figures, derived from data from 500 practices across England,1 said that...www.bmj.com
Theres two sources for you. The first one is strictly fact checked, the second is from The Royal College of General Practitioners. They both make very clear their opinion that the decline in flu cases is down to social distancing and precautionary measures, like wearing a mask.
Funky_Chicken
Well-known member
For ever - no no no !
The Card Cheat
Well-known member
Sorry, I don’t know what you mean?
asredastheycome
Well-known member
Do you wear masks at work. Have you suggested it in the past pre covid days.
SmallTown
Well-known member
Why are flu cases? I think you had this chat before you were banned. We aren't eradicating anything and that isn't the plan. It's all about keeping the spread manageable. Oh and covid is easier to catch than flu
Alvez_48
Well-known member
COVID-19 Is Surging but Flu Cases Are Down: Here's Why
Flu activity remains surprisingly low this year, largely in part to the safety precautions in place to prevent COVID-19. Furthermore, overall flu vaccination rates are strong. There’s still time for the flu to explode, though.
Covid lockdown: England sees fewer cases of colds, flu, and bronchitis
Cases of common cold, flu, and other respiratory diseases in England are substantially lower than average for this time of year, GP surveillance data show. The Royal College of General Practitioners, which published the figures, derived from data from 500 practices across England,1 said that...
Theres two sources for you. The first one is strictly fact checked, the second is from The Royal College of General Practitioners. They both make very clear their opinion that the decline in flu cases is down to social distancing and precautionary measures, like wearing a mask.
There's literally no science in those articles at all.
"It is possible that the mitigation measures for SARS-CoV-2 [such as social distancing, remote working, and mask wearing] will help curb the spread of flu [and] other respiratory viruses as well, since these viruses are transmitted in similar ways,” said Dr. Ellen F. Foxman, an immunologist and Yale Medicine Laboratory Medicine physician." - That's your science?
One article talks about a surge in flu vaccines and the bmj article claims in summer flu numbers were below the 5 year average so that must be social distancing (because at the time we didn't wear masks).
Edit - look I don't want to sound like a knob coming down on you too hard it's just that we have people all over this thread shouting 'correlation = causation'.
We have someone comparing masks to shoes
. Just on that point alone there are 11,000,000 deaf or hard of hearing people in the UK, I'm sure a significant proportion of them would hope to at some point be able to read people's lips in indoor public settings again. Maybe the user who mentions shoes talks out of his feet.Viral interference has been an accepted event that's been demonstrated to happen for a long time and is also showing to be happening right now in the UK. If masks are as effective as claimed there's no way we'd be averaging 55,000 cases a day over 7 days, they can at best make a tiny difference if worn and administered correctly.
Claiming masks are the reason flu cases are down is the same as claiming masks are why we have 50,000 less cancer diagnosis compared to last year. Unfounded.
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The Card Cheat
Well-known member
There's literally no science in those articles at all.
"It is possible that the mitigation measures for SARS-CoV-2 [such as social distancing, remote working, and mask wearing] will help curb the spread of flu [and] other respiratory viruses as well, since these viruses are transmitted in similar ways,” said Dr. Ellen F. Foxman, an immunologist and Yale Medicine Laboratory Medicine physician." - That's your science?
One article talks about a surge in flu vaccines and the bmj article claims in summer flu numbers were below the 5 year average so that must be social distancing (because at the time we didn't wear masks).
Edit - look I don't want to sound like a knob coming down on you too hard it's just that we have people all over this thread shouting 'correlation = causation'.
We have someone comparing masks to shoes
Viral interference has been an accepted event that's been demonstrated to happen for a long time and is also showing to be happening right now in the UK. If masks are as effective as claimed there's no way we'd be averaging 55,000 cases a day over 7 days, they can at best make a tiny difference if worn and administered correctly.
Claiming masks are the reason flu cases are down is the same as claiming masks are why we have 50,000 less cancer diagnosis compared to last year. Unfounded.
They are not strictly speaking scientific articles, but they are written by or reporting on people who are very well qualified to give their opinion. Which is that precautions taken are a large contributing factor. Obviously there are our other things which may contribute to the decline in numbers.
However your original claim that the decline in flu cases has nothing to do with social distancing/mask wearing etc and purely from an inability to coexist with covid, has I think been contradicted by every legitimate source I've read or heard on it, including the article from the guardian you posted.
A couple of other things, masks have been mandatory in shops since July, and were in use voluntarily long before then, so we were definitely using masks in summer.
Also I'm not sure that your comparison with cancer numbers really works, as obviously flu is contagious cancer is not.
I'm not advocating for permanent use of masks, once we're all vaccinated there will be no need. At the moment though in my opinion objecting to wearing something mildly inconvenient that all evidence suggests protects yourself and others is like objecting to wearing a seatbelt.
Alvez_48
Well-known member
I have made no claims about social distancing. The articles you mention do not claim what you state they do. I don't care about wearing masks I simply refute the nonsense that masks are the reason that flu levels are low.
I wasn't making an actual comparison with cancer I was showing clearly how correlation of events does not mean causation. It should be blatantly obvious that there have been 50,000 less cancer diagnosis because patients have not been able to get screened at the same levels as 2019. Try to keep up.
Let's just leave it there. If you want to believe masks are effective at stopping 1 pathogen yet another which is roughly the same size is able to slip through the same prevention that's absolutely fine by me.
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The Card Cheat
Well-known member
Any need to be sarcastic and unpleasant?
MolteniArcore
Well-known member
He's arguing a flawed narrative and If I was him I'd just give up on the issue, unless he's just trolling.
If I'm not leaving my house and I'm never coming into contact with someone with a cold I'm not going to magically catch a cold. He is actively arguing against that.
He might have some valid points but when you are arguing against basic logic, basic 'science' and basic common sense they are lost.
Alvez, I'm sure you are a nice guy, but just give it up man, you aren't going to convince the masses.
Alvez_48
Well-known member
What utter b***ks..
I'm stating nothing other than to claim masks are the reason flu has gone away but Covid hasn't is ridiculous.
I don't care about convincing anyone of anything. You're going on ignore.
bear66
Well-known member
Flu has an Ro of 1.3, covid is 5.7 prior to the new variant, which is 70% more transmissible. It doesn't take much to get the flu R number below 1 compared with covid.
MolteniArcore
Well-known member
Randy
Well-known member
Thanks Bear. Nice to see an explanation in layman's terms.
Still baffles the mind how one has taken over the other with particles been similar sizes I'm guessing?
bear66
Well-known member
I guess it's how the virus attacks cells once it gets into the body. The virus means of attachment and the body's immune response.
Also, I think the contagious period is shorter for the flu.