The answer to “why are masks partisan?” has multiple facets. To be fair, the GOP is more likely to have libertarian-leaning folks, or simply those who don’t trust government/don’t like to be told what to do. Likewise, Democrats see themselves, in the main, as being pro-science, and therefore more likely to comply with what they perceive as science-based arguments (setting aside whether that is true or not, it certainly is the self-perception of Democrats, and it clearly influences behavior). Also, the fact that Covid-19 outbreaks were more prevalent in urban, and therefore more Democratic, locations also could have some explanatory effects (and probably other variables I have not considered). But, of course, in the context of all of that is the simply fact that the leader of the GOP, Donald Trump, has not taken this pandemic seriously. A simple illustration just from yesterday makes the point: Trump held an event at Mount Rushmore that did not require masks nor social distancing. Further, he made only a passing reference to “the virus” without any reference to the fact that the country has been registering record daily cases.* The message that Trump sent to the nation yesterday was clear: enjoy the Fourth of July as per normal. Gather in large crowds without protection or mitigation procedures. Indeed, let’s all collectively ignore the increase in cases. Move along, nothing to see here. His events in Tulsa, OK and Arizona sent the same message. That is an utter failure of leadership. It is an abdication of responsibility.
God bless that Costco employee. She was much more polite than I would’ve been and exhibited great customer service, despite the customer’s unwillingness to follow store policy.
The WHO has a 5% positive rate as the threshold for unsafe. Houston is now 4 times over that. Not to be a Cassandra but you are going to have a very very black July and August in front of you. Maybe even with field hospitals. Stay safe.
Happy 4th everybody! Today was the lowest daily deaths in the US since March 23rd! Great news. I’ve been out all day doing service work in the community. Hope all are having a great 4th! God bless America.
dumb spoiled little toddlers throwing tantrums because of a damn mask that can help protect them and everyone who has to unfortunately be around them. .
It's no wonder we can't stop the spread. Too many selfish people in this country. Scenes like this all over. People just don't care.
Deaths are not the only thing that matters. HERE'S FACT, LOGIC, AND REASONING THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR UNTIL YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT: According to Spain's antibody study, which was the largest and most well designed of similar types of studies, THE NUMBER OF ASYMPTOMATIC CASES out of a randomly selected group of 70,000 participants was 33.7%. https://amp.reddit.com/r/Coronavirus/comments/gjjxt4/337_of_subjects_with_antibodies_for_coronavirus/ "How big of a deal is it when people are asymptomatic?"
One year ago, Houston Methodist was at 95% ICU capacity, about what it’s at today, but today’s high rate is being blamed on Covid. “It is completely normal for us to have ICU capacities that run in the 80s and 90s,” he said. “That’s how all hospitals operate.” Source: Marc Boom, CEO Houston Methodist Hospital, Friday press conference
