Apple Stores Will Continue to Require Masks for Now

[BigMcGuire]

I had my second shot 3 weeks ago. If I have to wear a mask in your business I will go elsewhere. This will happen and happen a lot and I bet we see a quick change.

Anything short of a N95 mask worn properly was worthless. At this point they are a political statement.

Worthless? See, I'd have to disagree with that. Are they near 100%? No. Would they block a sneeze in my face? Yes. So they do something, I wouldn't say worthless. lol.

To each their own, I'm not here to tell you what to do. You got your vaccine, imo, that's better than most right there.

I've seen way too many people get mad and go off on the poor minimum wage store clerks at mask requirements that they have no ability to change. That bothers me. (Not saying you do this, just relaying what I've seen). In the end it just hurts the minimum wage workers.

 

[macfacts]

I used to think masks made sense (see my ignorant posts pushing masks last year) until I saw actual real world studies. Even without seeing the studies, you’d think people with any common sense and basic knowledge of facts would realize it’s all bogus by now, but unfortunately it’s become politicized and a way for the morally bereft to virtue signal and shame others who won’t wear one.

People wearing masks and rules requiring masks are not the same thing. Also correlation is not causation. Wearing masks is not causing more covid cases.

"When reached by Reuters for comment, Swiss Policy Research said that the social media posts misrepresented their analysis and that they “do not claim or suggest that masks increase cases, nor do we suggest people shouldn't wear masks.”"

 

[windowsblowsass]

One could argue that Apple and other companies never followed the science or adjust after evidence.

There is an MIT study that argued that physics distancing never worked and I believe the type of masks questionable and what would reduce risk is limiting ones time indoors and best to be outdoors to reduce infection.

Vaccination works by giving your immune system a warning about the virus so your immune system can detect and fight the virus earlier and more efficiently. If you get an infection, there will be fewer viruses circulating in your body and it will be less contagious. This talk about "preventing complications but not infections" ignores the basic biological mechanisms of vaccination. Vaccination will reduce transmission.

This is the thing that drives me nuts in all this. We know how vaccines work. They prevent you from getting a disease in a meaningful capacity and therefore you cannot spread the disease to others. Small pox used to be an absolutely massive issue, killing people at a covid level per year every year. It has been (mostly) eradicated through the use of vaccines.

no vaccine is 100% effective, obviously, but the fact that vaccines severely inhibit spread of disease is not new or controversial.

 

[philrock]

well, after 14.5 — it's fine by me

These folks have it all wrong. The obvious reason Apple is doing this is to make 14.5 relevant a little longer...

 

[Rainshadow]

Society do that all the time.

Gambling is illegal (most places) because some people can't handle it.
Restrictions on alcohol because some people can't seem to behave when they become intoxicated.
Restrictions on pornography because some people don't seem to think children can handle seeing it.
Screening at airports because just a few people wants to bring bombs and weapons onboard.
Establishments requiring and checking IDs of adults because young people seems to be lying about their age.

The only one of those examples that is even remotely similar to what we are discussing is checking IDs for being served alcohol.

Problem is, that example and even those other ones you’ve mentioned, are related to long established LAWS. They are not to enforce a guideline of a governmental department. If a store doesn’t ID you and sells to someone underage, they can be charged and fined criminally.

Big difference. And certainly a bigger incentive for the stores to enact it.

 

[alexandr]

These folks have it all wrong. The obvious reason Apple is doing this is to make 14.5 relevant a little longer...

can you blame them? i love this feature — i even got myself an armband so that i can have the apple watch on even if i choose to wear a different watch on my wrist

 

[Rafterman]

No. The vaccination is supposed to protect you from getting the virus. That's the point.

That is blatantly FALSE.

 

[Rafterman]

There is a shocking selfishness in Americans that the pandemic has revealed. Wearing a mask can cut the spread of the virus by up to 60 percent, and doing so is simple consideration for others. Yet, you'd swear you asked people to cut their own arms off. Screeching about freedom and "they want to control us" - it's become pathetic.

Back in WWII, people were asked to ration. Some cheated, but most did it. Can you imagine asking today's American to do something like that? It seems like Europeans and Asian people are more willing to be considerate of others, in this regard.

 

[jhwalker]

I'll continue to wear masks, thank you; doesn't bother me at all and is protective of others ... who apparently don't care about protecting me, but that's another story ...

 

[robjulo]

Vaccination protects you from having complications but you could be still infectious.

Not according to the latest CDC data. Viral load isn't large enough to transmit.

 

[doelcm82]

I think the CDC has known for a while that vaccinated people without masks are not a significant threat to public health, and that they are not at risk themselves.

One thing to note is that the name of the organization is Centers for Disease Control. Despite how they frame their messages, their mission is control of the disease, not protecting individuals. Those two goals are complimentary, but not necessarily the same.

Telling people who have been vaccinated that they can stop wearing masks could have two different effects (some of each):

1. If vaccinated people are allowed to go maskless, unvaccinated people will have incentive to get vaccinated.
2. If vaccinated people are allowed to go maskless, unvaccinated people will have incentive to lie about being vaccinated.

Assuming masks help slow the spread of the disease (which I do), the second effect is dangerous in terms of public health. The first effect is beneficial.

What has changed to make the CDC "change its mind"? I think it's the number of daily new cases. A month ago, the daily new cases (7 day rolling average) was around 70,000, and it had been rising. Then it began to drop steadily. Currently it is less than half that number, far below the January level of 255,000. I think the CDC has determined (with more data than I have) that even if some unvaccinated people who were masking decide not to wear one, the outbreaks they help create mostly among other unvaxxed people will be manageable. The good (incenting people to get vaxxed) now outweighs the bad (unmasked, unvaxxed people spreading disease more effectively).

 

[BvizioN]

I love Apple and I do admit I am an Apple fanboy, however they are such a WOKE to the point that is not even funny.

 

[LonestarOne]

Walmart hasn’t required masks for ages. They had a mask requirement briefly, but but stopped enforcing it after a few days because employees were being verbally and physically assaulted by anti-maskers.

 

[BvizioN]

Well it's quite obvious: what the hell was the point of getting vaccinated if we still have to wear masks? And thankfully the CDC recognized this. It was really undermining the vaccine. If you’re uncomfortable going into public places without a mask then wear a mask. Or two.

Spot on. Life outside your "bubble" will always have some risks and that has been the case for as long humans have existed. You want to wrap your face with clothes, be my guest. But STOP demanding others do the same. If you are too afraid, stay in your 100% protective little cocoon. Other people may want to live and not just survive.

 

[Rafterman]

I love Apple and I do admit I am an Apple fanboy, however they are such a WOKE to the point that is not even funny.

"Woke" is simply basic consideration of others. Why has it become a dirty word?

 

[LonestarOne]

Some people seem to tolerate masks better than others.

Some folks don't mind wearing a mask and it's really comfortable for them. Myself, I hate having stuff on my face so I want to rid myself of masks at the first opportunity. I'll always follow the rules, though; I'm not an anti-masker ******* type.

You don’t know what an uncomfortable mask is. Try breathing aviation-grade oxygen with zero humidity.

 

[LonestarOne]

Spot on. Life outside your "bubble" will always have some risks and that has been the case for as long humans have existed. You want to wrap your face with clothes, be my guest. But STOP demanding others do the same. If you are too afraid, stay in your 100% protective little cocoon. Other people may want to live and not just survive.

Please. You don’t know what risk is. I’ve watched pilots crash and burn in front of my eyes. I’ve lost five men on a single mission and would have bought the farm myself except for a twist of fate.

And you know what? None of my pilots have ever whined about having to wear a mask, or a helmet, or boots, or a parachute.

Refusing to take basic safety precautions doesn’t make you brave. No matter what the echo chamber tells you. Man up and wear the mask.

 

[LonestarOne]

So much whining over masks. I’m glad the Duke’s not alive to see it.

 

[jdclifford]

Tell this to the Yankees.

CDC said it was highly unlikely; not impossible. 7 of the 8 NYY are asymptomatic. Wear a mask if you want. (NYY all took J&J vaccine - who knows if that has any meaning?)

 

[LonestarOne]

I'm sure the CDC took liars into account when coming up with their guidance. They're not idiots and realize some people will lie.

No, they’re not idiots, but they’re government employees. How can we be sure, at this point, that they’re responding to data rather political pressure?

 

[I7guy]

CDC said it was highly unlikely; not impossible. 7 of the 8 NYY are asymptomatic. Wear a mask if you want. (NYY all took J&J vaccine - who knows if that has any meaning?)

For the 50% of Americans who have opted out from taking the vaccines and wont water masks, this is the harbinger of a likely attack vector for COVID.

 

[Karma*Police]

People wearing masks and rules requiring masks are not the same thing. Also correlation is not causation. Wearing masks is not causing more covid cases.

"When reached by Reuters for comment, Swiss Policy Research said that the social media posts misrepresented their analysis and that they “do not claim or suggest that masks increase cases, nor do we suggest people shouldn't wear masks.”"

Where did I, or any of the studies, suggest wearing masks causes more covid cases? What we do know is that wearing masks have been ineffective at slowing the spread.

 

[I7guy]

…? What we do know is that wearing masks have been ineffective at slowing the spread.

Really? Can you cite multiple authoritative sources who agree on this and compare the number against those who have disproven this and don’t hold this opinion?

 

[BigMcGuire]

Where did I, or any of the studies, suggest wearing masks causes more covid cases? What we do know is that wearing masks have been ineffective at slowing the spread.

That statement can only be made if everyone wore a mask. It's very clear that a large number of people did not. So therefore, logically, that statement cannot be made.

A more accurate statement could be: "With only some of the population wearing masks, the spread of covid continued."

 

[Karma*Police]

real world studies as reported by a pseudoscientific conspiracy theory site.

cool

Ah, yes, let’s call something you disagree with pseudoscientific conspiracy without any evidence to back it up. The irony, of course, is that the only one spouting conspiracy theories is you. That site links directly to all the studies which you can read for yourself.

Or, you know, use common sense if you don’t like science, and ask yourself, why the spread of Covid hasn’t slowed after mask mandates or why countries where people didn’t wear masks faired just as well if not better than countries that had mask mandates or why the CDC and so-called experts had such conflicting messages (even today) about when and where people should wear masks. You’d think they’d have known this before the pandemic considering we’ve been through 2 in the past century.