Are you performing with a face mask?

[Adan]

 

Worth noting that today the CDC says even if vaccinated people become infected, all recent studies say the viral load in their bodies is not likely to be high enough to infect others. Huge shift, and a big deal.

 

Yeah.. The CDC now says that if you're fully vaccinated, there is no longer a need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, and it's okay to actually stand next to someone.

 

I was happy to see that. Post-vaxx, so much of this comes down to who you choose to offend, because you"re bound to offend someone no matter what. The new CDC guidance gives me cover to go maskless where it makes sense without people in my community thinking I"m in the wrong (Vermont is nothing like Florida).

 

On the other hand, when I think of all the colds and flu"s I might have avoided over the years if I"d worn a mask now and then, all that personal suffering and lost productivity, and if I could have prevented even just 25% of those . . . I"m dedicated from now on to thinking more rationally about all this.

[Bill H.]

Yeah.. The CDC now says that if you're fully vaccinated, there is no longer a need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, and it's okay to actually stand next to someone.

 

This changes everything. Last night everyone was maskless - both in the indoor and the outdoor sections of the club.

[ProfD]

Please let me know the benefit(s) of wearing a mask while driving alone in a car because it looks ridiculous.

[Stokely]

It does, agreed. So does wearing one alone on a walking trail outdoors. But unlike the anti-maskers, that affects nobody other than (as was said) lending ammo to certain people to put it down. But then those types manufacture ammo anyway.

 

I found today, at an outdoor garden center, that it was hard to bring myself to take my mask off despite being outside. And it's a pain wearig them with sunglasses. Most people including the employees had one on, so I put one on. In some way it seemed supportive toward those poor workers that have had selfish asshats in their face this whole time, and I had a strong desire not to be considered one of those asshats--despite the new CDC guidance.

 

I'll probably continue to wear mine inside until such time as the captive employees aren't doing so, but probably won't from now on if I'm outdoors at a store like that. Outdoors anywhere else I haven't been wearing them from the start.

[pinkfloydcramer]

I won't miss masks at all. They really suck for people with hearing disabilities- get tangled up in hearing aids, make conversation even harder to understand, and you can forget lip reading. My perspective.

[Ken Beaumont]

It does, agreed. So does wearing one alone on a walking trail outdoors

 

Except for over a year now I have seen on the local next door neighbor website pictures from people driving in cars of people doing just that, walking a trail alone without a mask.

These people have nothing better to do than trash other people who aren't doing anyone any harm. They get really defensive when you ask them why they are taking pictures while driving! They have even gone so far as call 911! Then someone else invariably prints the name, street and on a couple of occasions, a picture of their house! This wouldn't be so sad if it were limited to one or two people, except the sheer amount comments on these posts tells me I can't trust the people in my community to have any common sense. I now know how the Salem with hunts could happen.

[harmonizer]

Indoor group singing was identified as a high risk activity early during the pandemic.

I would feel safe participating in indoor rehearsals of our covers band if all our band members were vaccinated, but 2 of our 7 band members don't want to get vaccinated, and we are a band where 6 out of the 7 of us sing lead vocals and backup vocals. And I don't think they are going to change their minds.

[The Real MC]

Absolutely no mask.

[Adan]

 

The long term benefits of the Buff is it protects your neck, front and back, from the highly intense SoCal rays. If you're hardcore, you could pull it up like a mask and it's outstanding sun shield for your face, especially the nose area....where most active, outdoor people here experience low grade skin cancer. Breathing hard on a bike or running though...basically it sucks. I'll just stay with the zinc based CeraVe sunscreen.

 

Dave, I've been wearing buffs outside for a few years because of my skin cancer problems. Pre-pandemic I got some strange looks, but once you've had a wide excision on your face you stop caring what other people think. Then the pandemic hit and suddenly I blend in because everyone's wearing something on their face. Now that masks are coming off outdoors, I'll be getting even more strange looks as people think I'm some sort of masking militant. But for me it's a life and death issue (just not the virus).

 

Some people may continue to mask up everywhere because they're immunocompromised. Is it so hard to follow that old saying "don't judge someone until you walk a mile in their shoes"?

 

It's been exhaustively studied and documented: a large percentage of the American public is hard-wired to distrust anything the government tells them. Literally the only way you'd get them to wear masks is if the government said "Don't wear masks!" These people will continue to follow their conscience.

 

But even if you don't trust the government, you should place some credibility on the data from your own life experience. Has anyone here so much as caught a cold in the past 14 months? I haven't, and I don't know anyone who has. Put aside the more exotic viruses. Just to avoid the annoyance of the common cold I'll wear a mask on public transit in winter. If that bothers some people, that's their problem, not mine.

[Joe Muscara]

I'm definitely wearing one if I go to an event like NAMM again. It would be really cool if a lot of others did as well, and the NAMMthrax became no longer a thing.

[wineandkeyz]

I won't miss masks at all. They really suck for people with hearing disabilities- get tangled up in hearing aids, make conversation even harder to understand, and you can forget lip reading. My perspective.

 

Truth. I can"t count the number of times one of my hearing aids has ended up in my lap or on the floor when I tried to take off my mask, no matter how careful I was.

[Stokely]

It does, agreed. So does wearing one alone on a walking trail outdoors

 

Except for over a year now I have seen on the local next door neighbor website pictures from people driving in cars of people doing just that, walking a trail alone without a mask.

These people have nothing better to do than trash other people who aren't doing anyone any harm. They get really defensive when you ask them why they are taking pictures while driving! They have even gone so far as call 911! Then someone else invariably prints the name, street and on a couple of occasions, a picture of their house! This wouldn't be so sad if it were limited to one or two people, except the sheer amount comments on these posts tells me I can't trust the people in my community to have any common sense. I now know how the Salem with hunts could happen.

 

Solution is to avoid those nextdoor neighbor websites. Ignorance is bliss, I really don't want to know what kind of shitbirds live on my block. My neighbors seem nice from casual conversations and that's a good place to leave it

 

Hopefully my 14-year-old will get his first Pfizer shot next week, that will be the whole family unit. Schools have already stated they aren't going to enforce mask-wearing next semester.

[Ken Beaumont]

I look at this way about the mask. When I go into a local place to play. I look around I see everyone seated eating and drinking no mask. They are all being tended to by waitresses with masks. The bartender has a mask. the stage is further away from the people seated than tables are apart from each other. So on stage no MASK, none of the customers in the place are wearing one. If I go up to the bar, I put on a mask. If I use the restroom which is public, I wear one.

I am fully vaccinated have been for over a month. I refused to live in fear of what might happen, I follow the rules as they are dictated. But I'm not going to hide away in fear. My father was in a nursing home, the place was so controlled last year our family couldn't visit him. The staff were tested regularly and wore masks. The staff were assigned to certain buildings, these people were tested regularly. Yet he still died a couple days before Christmas, they said of COVID but he had been battling Alzheimer's for 12 years and was in the advanced stages. So what do you think he really died of? In my opinion it certainly wasn't COVID, because he could have just as easily died from pneumonia, flu or a common cold He died because Alzheimer's trashed his immune system. And all the steps the nursing home put in place could not stop the inevitable.

[raffkey]

"Am I performing with a face mask?"

 

Nope, this is how I really look... (sorry, couldn't help myself)

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

 

Worth noting that today the CDC says even if vaccinated people become infected, all recent studies say the viral load in their bodies is not likely to be high enough to infect others. Huge shift, and a big deal.

 

Yeah.. The CDC now says that if you're fully vaccinated, there is no longer a need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors, and it's okay to actually stand next to someone.

 

 

Company policy where I work is that we still have to wear masks indoors, unless alone in our office (where I am almost all of the time). That's fine with me because going to work each day is by far the riskiest thing I do.

 

Of course, the only two guys who have decided to challenge the policy by going maskless are the same two that have been saying for months they aren't going to get the vaccine. Fortunately for them, the rest of us ARE wearing masks and have gotten (or are getting) the vaccine).

[MathOfInsects]

Solution is to avoid those nextdoor neighbor websites. Ignorance is bliss, I really don't want to know what kind of shitbirds live on my block. My neighbors seem nice from casual conversations and that's a good place to leave it

Ain't that the truth. I am pretty sure I hold the world record for number of times kicked off that site. The details differ, but the structure usually goes,

 

NEIGHBOR 1: I saw someone suspicious on the block.

NEIGHBOR 2: What were they doing? I bet they were casing houses.

NEIGHBOR 1: Just walking along the sidewalk looking a phone. They had a hoodie on and I could tell they were up to something. He definitely isn't from the neighborhood. If you know what I mean.

NEIGHBORS 3 through INFINITY: Definitely casing houses and probably homeless. I hope you called the cops. That guy better not let me be the one who sees him next time.

MATHOFINSECTS: Crazy idea, but what if it was just someone walking down the sidewalk--you know, like how sidewalks are meant to be used? And even if it was an iphone-owning homeless person who "isn't from this neighborhood"...isn't this still just a post about how a person was walking on a sidewalk?

NEIGHBORS 1 though INFINITY: SHUT UP TROLL. MAYBE YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT CRIME BUT WE SURE DO. IF YOU LOVE CRIMINALS AND HOMELESS PEOPLE SO MUCH, WHY DON'T YOU INVITE THEM ALL TO YOUR HOUSE?!?!

 

Then two days go by and I can't log in any more.

 

However, this last banishment appears to be permanent. Probably best for all involved.

[Losendoskeys]

Masks are ineffective.

40+ years of scientific study on surgical face masks came to that conclusion.

And that was with people who know how to wear one AND change them regularly.

The reason that changed was POLITICAL - the rules literally changed overnight and the same Government advisor who said they were ineffective said they now had benefit.

It's a control issue.

The most likely cause for reduction of other viruses is because Covid has taken over the virome from colds and flu as it is epidemic and people washing their hands regularly.

 

The original intention for surgical faces masks was........you guessed it.........for when doctors are performing surgery.

Not for every idiot on the planet to wear one badly or everywhere or wear the same one for 365 days running.

 

If you are a scumbag and you don't cover your face with a tissue when you sneeze or your hand when you cough, you will transmit ANY virus or bacterium into the air.

Those people are unlikely to wear a mask anyway because they don't give a shit.

And if they do wear a mask it won't seal properly and virus escapes anyway.

 

And then there are cloth masks - even worse, they probably SPREAD virus because nobody washes them, they are made of non-filtering material and they get damp, which enhances the situation for the virus.

 

For a virus that kills less than 1% of the population, the world has gone paranoid, I'll be glad when the media and so called scientist have got bored with it all and stopped scaring the sheep.

[Adan]

Masks are ineffective.

40+ years of scientific study on surgical face masks came to that conclusion.

 

.

 

Do you have a citation to any actual study? I don't mean a citation to someone else who shares your position who also doesn't cite a study, I mean an actual study.

 

It's interesting that you put your faith in some scientific studies but not others. It certainly true that some studies are better than others, and some turn out to be just plain wrong. The only way to separate the the bad ones from the good ones is through . . . wait for it . . . more science!

[Stokely]

Indoor group singing was identified as a high risk activity early during the pandemic.

I would feel safe participating in indoor rehearsals of our covers band if all our band members were vaccinated, but 2 of our 7 band members don't want to get vaccinated, and we are a band where 6 out of the 7 of us sing lead vocals and backup vocals. And I don't think they are going to change their minds.

 

 

Are you worried FOR them, or getting sick FROM them?

 

Either way, provided they have had an opportunity to get it, my own feeling would be that they have made their bed. It wouldn't be your fault in the (looking to be quite unlikely) situation that you, a vaccinated person, were to spread it to them. Almost certainly that is probably very low on the list of risks they are taking anyway. Anti-maskers have loved to yak about not living in fear, this would be one case where I'd listen to them and not let them limit the rest of you. Obviously not my call to make, just saying what I'd do in that situation.

 

Our drummer is a bit different, he's hesitant because he's "worried" about the vaccine. I know some others like that. The things they are worried about are pretty out there and not based on anything scientific, to put it mildly. Not quite to the insanity level of it oozing out of pores to infect kids with autism (which is one I've heard), but heading in that direction. It's not my job to fix stupid, I'd be glad to offer my opinion if he asked me though. The rest of us have loudly and proudly proclaimed our vaccination so maybe he'll feel better about getting it when we haven't grown an extra head.

 

Edit: nvm responding to some of that above, not from this quote. What's the point.

[Losendoskeys]

Who needs a study? - here is a clip of the UK Deputy Chief Medical Officer saying that masks have no benefit:

I would expect him to be fully informed - he refers to a conversation with a professor colleague in Hong Kong to the same end.

 

https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/coronavirus-wearing-face-masks-makes-no-difference-to-spread-of-disease-insists-uk-medical-chief

 

EDIT: It seems there is a video censor on this forum - the video from the BBC was blocked so I pasted the article instead

 

And there are a number of studies cited here which state masks don't work - the logic is simple - a regular mask doesn't stop droplets from aerosols because the holes in the fabric are too big:

https://www.rcreader.com/commentary/masks-dont-work-covid-a-review-of-science-relevant-to-covide-19-social-policy

[synthizen2]

For my opening gig this year (a couple of weeks ago), we played a medium sized outdoor venue in the northeast. Bandleader told us that we would have to enter the venue (for load-in) masked... but once we were in and setting up our gear, you didn't have to wear one if you didn't want to (including for the performance). The general rule for the venue was "mask required" based on state regs... obligatory signs posted... but the venue owners and the security were quite loose on the rule, once everybody was inside and the music got going.

 

"Compliance" during the event was mixed. Some wore masks. Some didn't. Some wore them some of the time, and didn't wear it some of the time. It was just a mixed bag of "do what you feel comfortable doing" during the whole event. Security hassled no one.

 

My reading on this, is that the venue owners did what they had to do, to prevent some state-funded "Karen" who arrived early to check for signs and compliance when entering the venue, from shutting it down. Once the "Karen" was gone, the regs were relaxed. And this was in a fairly "mask-compliant" state.

 

This, in my view, was the smart way to go about it.

 

It was a fun day, great show, had a blast. Lots of mask-wearing and non-mask-wearing all day long. Nobody cared, or talked about it.

[Stokely]

If not masks, then I'd like to know why Japan has had so few cases all along compared to most countries, despite not shutting much or anything down this whole time, including the subways and other mass transit. They do tend to avoid shouting and being rude in public places like the subway so maybe that's a factor.

 

Testing how effective masks are, or aren't, doesn't exactly seem like it would be that hard to pull off. Yet here we are with radically different opinions. At this point, we are where we are so I try not to sweat it. All I can do is vaccinate myself and my family (the 14-year-old is the last to get it, hopefully next week.)

 

Pretty much every store and place of business here said (and still says) "mask required" and all along a lot of people simply ignore it. At this point it's probably a mix of anti-maskers and vaccinated people but I'll respect the store's rules for now, just like I'm not going in without a shirt when it says "shirt required" (and I'm sure the other customers are very grateful!)

[Losendoskeys]

If not masks, then I'd like to know why Japan has had so few cases all along compared to most countries, despite not shutting much or anything down this whole time, including the subways and other mass transit. They do tend to avoid shouting and being rude in public places like the subway so maybe that's a factor.

 

Testing how effective masks are, or aren't, doesn't exactly seem like it would be that hard to pull off. Yet here we are with radically different opinions. At this point, we are where we are so I try not to sweat it. All I can do is vaccinate myself and my family (the 14-year-old is the last to get it, hopefully next week.)

 

Pretty much every store and place of business here said (and still says) "mask required" and all along a lot of people simply ignore it. At this point it's probably a mix of anti-maskers and vaccinated people but I'll respect the store's rules for now, just like I'm not going in without a shirt when it says "shirt required" (and I'm sure the other customers are very grateful!)

 

You might ask in the same breath why Florida did so well.............relatively

[Stokely]

Florida has had 36,000 deaths and a population around 22 million.

Japan has had 12,000 deaths and a population of 127 million. I guess that could sorta be called relatively the same if you squint really hard.

 

Japan has an even older population than Florida (not too many can say that) and they f-ed up vaccine procurement, they are far behind Florida so recent deaths there could likely have been avoided if they'd had them as early as we had.

 

If Vitamin D indeed has some impact on helping to avoid serious cases, Florida would be far better off since they are basically New York as far as sunshine angle and amount, and much colder of course in the winter which forces everyone inside. Florida has crap for mass transit, there are people who ride buses but not many at all.

 

They are a lot thinner and healthier than Americans by and large.

 

Lots of possible reasons for differences, among them is that they don't yolo without masks in public. Whatever the cause, we could have used some of what they had.

 

All of this about deaths puts aside the many people with lingering issues. Hopefully those will prove to be temporary.

 

Whatever, believe what you will and I'll do the same. I personally don't believe doctors are trying to scare people, that is just plain ridiculous, but it goes hand in hand with the silly idea that hospitals love covid because they are making money from it. They aren't.

[ProfD]

There will be many "lessons learned" as the pandemic will be "studied" for several years.

[Delaware Dave]

masks lifted in delaware effective today so that answer would be no...

[harmonizer]

.....Are you worried FOR them, or getting sick FROM them? .....

 

I am worried about both. In terms of getting sick FROM them, as a baseline, if all 7 band members were unvaccinated, it would be nuts for us to rehearse indoors together. If 2 out of the 7 remain unvaccinated, that's a pretty high percentage. And one of those 2 works in a school where there are students too young to get vaccinated, at least for how. Indoor get-togethers (without singing taking place) are one level of risk, and I think it is about this level that most guidance is targeted, about who people can or should meet with. Indoor group singing takes it to another level. 6 out of the 7 of us sing, and 2 of us singers also play horn instruments. During an outdoor rehearsal last August, I watched a tiny glob of my spit arc out in front of my face and land over 10 feet away from me. I only saw it because there was a black asphalt driveway in front of me going uphill towards the street, with street level higher than my head. So the black asphalt driveway formed a perfect backdrop to make such flying spit visible. I was singing a lead vocal at the time.

 

I got the Moderna shots. I have heard effectiveness rates of between 90-95% for people who are fully vaccinated (I don't know what the exact percentage is).

I have not read any CDC guidance on group indoor singing, but I know it's a significantly more dangerous activity than the activities for which guidance has been offered.

 

For a point of comparison, our church choir will sing together at service tomorrow for the first time since last March. We will be singing outdoors (at an outdoor service), while wearing choir masks, and trying to maintain 6 feet of distance from each other.

[MoodyBluesKeys]

The mask requirement in NC was lifted May 14, for fully vaccinated people (and the order states that vaccination can't be checked). There are certain areas that still have the requirement, including schools, day care, medical, and prisons. Indoor capacity was restored to 100%, no crowd restrictions; but masks are strongly encouraged in settings where large quantities of people are close together. Requirements for "social distancing" were removed. Even before this time, there were exceptions for those who couldn't wear a mask for various reasons.

 

Having said that, local jurisdictions can still have more restrictive rules, and private businesses can set their own rules. Some stores and restaurants still require, some not.

 

All restrictions on religious institutions were lifted months ago, when there were lawsuits prepared on Constitutional grounds.

 

My gig is at church, and we are spread apart on the stage area far enough to have a good distance. I am sitting on the back at least 10 feet from anyone else. I have not been wearing one during the musical part of the service for some time. I carry a KN95 in my pocket, and put it on when it makes sense. I was fully vaccinated before the end of February, my wife before end of March. I don't sit right next to others in the congregation.

 

We recently found that my wife also has COPD, but NO heart problems (verified by a cath procedure Thursday). I rather suspect that her incident where she was having difficulty breathing, and her heart rate went up on 4 Feb while we were shopping at Walmart may have been a COPD incident, aggravated by the mask. She was using a cloth mask with 1 or 2 layers of coffee filter behind it. I found such things too restricting a good while back, and switched totally to the paper mask, then to the KN95 as soon as they became readily available. There is one in each vehicle, in case of forgetfulness. I forgot one morning until I got 36 miles away and was ready to enter my client site. Fortunately, there was one in the glove compartment.

 

I do not wear one for "virtue signaling" instead wearing when it makes sense. Didn't wear the whole time if I was 20 or more feet from anyone. Also I don't consider not wearing as a mark of rebellion, just doing it when it makes some sense. I have NOT been tested at any time, there were known stories here (by people I believe) of some people missing their appointment for testing a while back, and finding they had been marked as positive.

[MotiDave]

No way i would wear a mask while playing.

[Stokely]

We played at a big anniversary party at a VFW yesterday. Outdoors but I did venture in to the restrooms once or twice.

 

Not a single mask anywhere, inside or out. Definitely seemed "back to normal", hopefully we are actually headed in that direction.

 

I've started playing basketball at the park again. No idea if everyone there is vaccinated (there have been people playing there for the past year), but at this point anyone who wanted a vaccine could have gotten one so I don't have any worry for them, or me. I'll still wear masks if someplace asks me to, and even before covid I tried to avoid crowds so that still stands!

 

Also, 3rd gig with all my organ sounds coming from an ipad (B-3X). I'm still leery of the thing but it's worked just about flawlessly so far!