Being excessively cautious (is simple masking enough)

[bobbyr]

If you were trying to get released from jury duty, it worked.

I am gonna try that when my mother in law visits!

 

[Badger]

I was recently called into jury duty (and to my great good fortune, was released after only 10 minutes in the county courthouse - it turns out they'd called too many prospective jurors). The courthouse now mandates face coverings and everyone there complied, with most using a store-bought cloth or paper face mask and a few using a simple kerchief.

By comparison I looked like I was there for Halloween, with my N95 mask, lab safety glasses, face shield (from my machine shop) and rubber gloves. My outfit seemed to disconcert enough people that everyone stayed a good 10 feet away from me. That, plus my brief time inside makes me think I dodged the bullet.

My point, though, is that I was clearly being vastly overcautious and/or overdressed compared to the consensus for safe practice. In a similar situation are folks here from similarly older and at-risk populations taking similar precautions or was I just being silly (and unnerving my fellow citizens for no good reason)?

Sounds reasonable to me. Like everything else in life there is no "One size fits all". Look at the different methods people use for investing. If Covid-19 infection is a concern for you then listen to yourself about how to protect. No one cares about your health except maybe spouse and family.


I like the fact that people stayed 10 ft away from you. I have yet to see anyone stay at least 6 ft . Most people I see are no more than 2-3 ft. based on my observations over the decades I don't think most people really know how long 6 ft is.



Cheers!

 

[Midpack]

Don’t worry what others think and do stay safe.

It’s all about your own peace of mind. So you get to decide what precautions are right.

+100. I see all kinds, do what you’re comfortable with. People who “know better” and don’t take precautions get infected every day...

 

[Masquernom]

As the chemical engineers say, "the solution to pollution is dilution".

Outdoors, with some spacing, I don't wear a mask. Indoors in a large building, like a grocery or Home Depot, I wear a mask. I try to avoid small indoor areas with close proximity to other people.

I assume transmission is mostly by aerosol. I don't bother with gloves or hand sanitizer.

These are only my personal choices, and not meant as a recommendation for anyone else.

 

[Rianne]

Question regarding caution:

A person in your family/friend bubble had Covid in July. They recovered and are considered "safe." That person is somewhat less cautious now. What if that person inhales a load of virus but does not get the virus because they have the antibodies. Can they still infect you?

 

[skipro33]

Question regarding caution:

A person in your family/friend bubble had Covid in July. They recovered and are considered "safe." That person is somewhat less cautious now. What if that person inhales a load of virus but does not get the virus because they have the antibodies. Can they still infect you?

I don't understand how they are considered, 'safe'. It has not yet been proven that having antibodies protects a person from reinfection. If they can be reinfected, then they can retransmit the disease. Until the medical evidence proves a person that tests positive for the antibody can not be reinfected, they are as likely as not to still be contagious as anyone else out there and I would act accordingly around them. Especially if they were less than cautious now. And I'd tell them to do a little more research before declaring themselves 'safe'. (From reinfection, infecting others, cross contamination, transmitting or anything associated)

 

[Rianne]

I don't understand how they are considered, 'safe'. It has not yet been proven that having antibodies protects a person from reinfection. If they can be reinfected, then they can retransmit the disease. Until the medical evidence proves a person that tests positive for the antibody can not be reinfected, they are as likely as not to still be contagious as anyone else out there and I would act accordingly around them. Especially if they were less than cautious now. And I'd tell them to do a little more research before declaring themselves 'safe'. (From reinfection, infecting others, cross contamination, transmitting or anything associated)

Yes, it gets messy. My family/friend bubble just got smaller. Even if my DB tells me he's negative because he just got tested yesterday. Really?

 

[pacergal]

OP-- good for you, you were being safe and sensible.

If I were called for jury duty, I would do the same, if I could not get out of it.
To be enclosed in a room all day with several others, no thanks. I would do everything I could to prevent possible transmission.

 

[audreyh1]

I think you might have stumbled upon a great way to avoid jury duty.
What defendant wants Darth Vader in the jury panel..

I'm thinking that OP's extra precautions , would in some cases unnerve people as those people suddenly think "this is more dangerous than I thought" , and they feel suddenly exposed to catching the covid

If it gets others to take the situation more seriously, that’s good.

Just can’t imagine having to be stuck inside a building or room for several hours with other people!

 

[Ronstar]

There is no such thing as overly cautious.

 

[Freedom56]

I was recently called into jury duty (and to my great good fortune, was released after only 10 minutes in the county courthouse - it turns out they'd called too many prospective jurors). The courthouse now mandates face coverings and everyone there complied, with most using a store-bought cloth or paper face mask and a few using a simple kerchief.

By comparison I looked like I was there for Halloween, with my N95 mask, lab safety glasses, face shield (from my machine shop) and rubber gloves. My outfit seemed to disconcert enough people that everyone stayed a good 10 feet away from me. That, plus my brief time inside makes me think I dodged the bullet.

My point, though, is that I was clearly being vastly overcautious and/or overdressed compared to the consensus for safe practice. In a similar situation are folks here from similarly older and at-risk populations taking similar precautions or was I just being silly (and unnerving my fellow citizens for no good reason)?

You should have seen my wife who had to complete her CPR class to maintain her nursing license. She had a 3M N95 mask, plus a ASTM level 3 surgical mask over the N95 mask, sealed safety glasses, face shield and nitrile gloves. I thought it was overkill but she told me that many were at the facility waiting for the class and not wearing masks. During the class many weren't even wearing their masks properly. Some of these people that were in this class with her work in nursing homes.

 

[tmm99]

Who says you're being "excessively cautious"? Perhaps eeveryone else is being "excessively lax"?

Personally, I wear a mask, sports goggles (because they're prescription glasses) as well as a baseball cap just to go grocery shopping. I wear gloves as well because my hands are sensitive and I'd rather Prell my gloves than Prell my bare hands. So if I were to go for a jury duty, I'd do the same thing, even more so because it'd be in a much more confined space and I'd be with the same people for a prolonged amount of time. If the ventilation is not optimal, you'll be swimming in the sea of microdroplets hanging in the air.

 

[Montecfo]

Distancing is more powerful than masking. So I try to maintain that at all times.

Masks vary in effectiveness and none are foolproof so I definitely think using the best you can find, especially when you will be in close contact with people.

Got to work hard to stay safe.

 

[P.S.]

Stepford,
I think you were appropriately dressed, and not excessively cautious.
You could anticipate sitting in a closed space (doesn’t matter the ceiling height or vent situation), with no clear timeline, amongst not previously tested citizens.
If it were me, I would have dressed as you had except I would have worn my N100 mask and a surgical mask over that instead of N95.

How you dressed is how I dress when at work, taking care of non-COVID patients who have been previously tested. Theoretically no one is infected b/c of testing, but I regard every novel human encounter as infected.

I think if every citizen approached this virus similarly, the pandemic would quickly wind down.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

I think you do you. Only you know your underlying conditions, or those of loved ones you may come into contact with at home. I wear an n95 and Im not in any risk group whatsoever, I simply dont want covid. I give zer0 sh%ts about what anyone may or may not think about it. If it looks too close, i even n95 to pump gas. Again, zero sh*ts given. Also, maybe in your case it let the clerk in charge of juries know youre taking it very seriously for some reason so maybe let you leave ASAP. Well worth it.

 

[Tadpole]

I don't see how someone could stay that way all day long, especially the rubber gloves. On the other hand I think some people probably wished they had access to more protection than a courthouse setting would provide.

 

[W2R]

I think you do you. Only you know your underlying conditions, or those of loved ones you may come into contact with at home. I wear an n95 and Im not in any risk group whatsoever, I simply dont want covid. I give zer0 sh%ts about what anyone may or may not think about it. If it looks too close, i even n95 to pump gas. Again, zero sh*ts given. Also, maybe in your case it let the clerk in charge of juries know youre taking it very seriously for some reason so maybe let you leave ASAP. Well worth it.

Great advice. Do not let peer pressure or the opinions of anyone else affect your decision on this. It's your decision, not theirs!

 

[Brat]

Can those who have had & survived the virus infect others?

No one really knows but based on a discussion on TWIV about persons vaccinated, yes. They said that the vaccine prevents a person from getting sick from the virus but not from being infected and thus even people who have been vaccinated should wear a mask to prevent infecting others.

The person who has been nominated for the Supreme Court allegedly had Covid19 in June. It is possible that someone could have re-infected her and thus she could have been a link in the contagion chain. She wouldn't get sick but she could have been infected by others.

Let me give you an example of an illness with similar characteristics: Polio. The polio vaccine prevents getting sick with polio but the polio virus can still live in a person's intestines. That is why polio can be spread by the vaccinated to those who haven't been vaccinated.

This virus is sneeky!

 

[Toddtheformeraccountant]

That actually seems like a brilliant way to get out of jury duty!

 

[timo2]

You may have hit on something for the NFL coaches that keep getting fined for facemask violations. Jon Gruden needs to show up in the whole 'space suit' outfit!!

 

[harllee]

That actually seems like a brilliant way to get out of jury duty!

I personally don't think the courts should be having jury trials now--too much like a super spreader event. My state is not having jury trials at this time and trials before a judge are on video.

 

[RetMD21]

If I get called for jury duty I'm wearing all the ppe i have

 

[Rianne]

No one really knows but based on a discussion on TWIV about persons vaccinated, yes. They said that the vaccine prevents a person from getting sick from the virus but not from being infected and thus even people who have been vaccinated should wear a mask to prevent infecting others.

The person who has been nominated for the Supreme Court allegedly had Covid19 in June. It is possible that someone could have re-infected her and thus she could have been a link in the contagion chain. She wouldn't get sick but she could have been infected by others.

Let me give you an example of an illness with similar characteristics: Polio. The polio vaccine prevents getting sick with polio but the polio virus can still live in a person's intestines. That is why polio can be spread by the vaccinated to those who haven't been vaccinated.

This virus is sneeky!

Totally answered my question.

 

[sengsational]

Totally answered my question.

It's possible, but much less likely because (presuming antibody response), they will not be allowing the virus to replicate and so the count will be very low compared to someone who has the exponential viral particle growth as seen in the typical infection.

But back to the OP's choice of protection, I probably would not go with the gloves, but I have a belt mounted hand sanitizer bottle I'd wear. Plus a 3M N95 with a surgical mask over that (to cover the exhaust vent). I have goggles and a plexi shield, prepped for a March flight that never happened.

Talking about not caring what others think, I was tested last night. I dreamed I was in a group indoors and nobody had a mask on. I felt it was important to stay, but said "I've got to leave", and I took off

 

[tmm99]

I heard Fauci say that even after you get vaccinated for COVID, you should still wear a mask as you could infect others although you wouldn't get sick yourself (or your symptoms would be mild.) so I understand what Brat is saying.

I am not sure however if you'd test positive if you'd been infected after vaccination. In Amy's case, the test was negative.

I wonder if you could infect someone if you're infected but your test is negative. ..