Delta Variant - please no politics

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: balto
No Politics? How about stop posting on this. Relax, you will be fine. The media is manipulating you.

Sadly, everything has become political. However, by the rules of this forum posting public health information, especially with citations, is not political. It should be possible for such information to be discussed on its merits.

Politics works in many ways. Some folks are inherently more likely to drop their guard and believe things they otherwise wouldn't believe because of politics. Other folks are more likely to reflexively disagree with something they would otherwise agree with because of politics.

In matters of life and death, such as a global pandemic, it's best to remember the tools of reason, logic and analysis which we all have and try to use them without political influence. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653
Certainly the most important thing in that article was mentioned last, so I'll post it again for the benefit of all those that don't read the whole thing.

proper ventilation and filtration may be even more helpful (SN: 5/18/21). In the mannequin study, researchers also placed two HEPA filters in various locations around the room. HEPA filtration cut exposure to airborne particles by 65 percent compared with no filtration and no masks. When all the mannequins were masked and the HEPA filters were on, the average particle concentration was reduced 90 percent.

Businesses need to focus on new ventilation systems. This should have been true since this crap first started. Money needs to be directed at this issue rather than elsewhere.

Ventilation and filtration are indeed crucial tools to reducing indoor transmission for any airborne/aerosolized contagion, such as this virus. Even opening a window in a room helps. This is a good set of advice along those lines, which would reduce transmission in any indoor space - office, school or home.

https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus/improving-ventilation

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
Why did you even start it?

Was it to keep the panic and hysteria going?

Remember that Fauci said that masks don't help - even when he knew that masks helped. So he is a liar. Just think, 60 percent of the white tailed deer in Michigan that they have tested so far have antibodies for Covid-19 - are all of those animals going to be killed?

The original poster's intent was clearly to help inform his fellow gamers, given that we are in the middle of a global pandemic and COVID 19 has just in effect upgraded itself to "COVID 21" or Delta.

I fully recognize that many of our "leaders" and institutions have not set politics aside and have been either wrong, or misinformed or misleading (generally for "noble" reasons).

However, a public health crisis like a global pandemic is in fact akin to a war. The virus does not care what our politics are, it simply hunts for new hosts. This is one of the situations where we as a society need to pull together and set politics aside. If our leaders won't do it, then we must do it ourselves and set a better example, not by turning reflexively to whatever the opposite politics are but by informing ourselves based on the best information, reason and logic we can muster.

The politicians will get through this, our goal should be to make sure civil society, reason and wargaming does as well.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

One last post before locking this.

First, a general warning to all. Posting information with citations/references is not inherently political. Responding with politics to that information is political and violates the forum rules. If you want to disagree or debate, do so on the merits with your own vetted information, not based on politics. Let's have these debates with the kind of civility, reason and logic that we apply to our wargames.

Second, for those who may not yet be vaccinated. I personally hope that you will reconsider. I've done my own research on this and concluded that the vaccines are safe and effective, irrespective of politics. If you have concerns about them and would like to discuss, feel free to PM me and I'll engage.

My only interest is in making sure as many of our wargaming community as possible get through this without mortality, morbidity or any debilitating effects. I have already seen this virus wreak havoc on some within my extended family and among our development teams. I am against this virus, period.

I've attached a good report that summarizes the risks/benefits of the vaccines vs. COVID quite well, in my opinion.