Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston: neighborhood, living, restaurant)

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by Boston Shudra

I don’t really understand it. Does transmission increase after 9:30pm?

This is just going to force any people who would be eating at that time to go out earlier?

It's to keep people out of bars (which technically aren't open anyway) and away from partying with each other (which are always above the indoor limit anyway)

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Hmm why require masks all the time...I dunno...maybe he wants mask-wearing to actually become a habit? And not something that people conveniently forget?

Yup. It closes the door on the gray area questions that frequently come up.


Do I need to wear a mask in the drive-thru?
Do I need to wear a mask at the park if I am jogging past people momentarily?
Do I need to wear a mask at the beach if I distance myself?



Gray area is gone. In public, put a mask on. Very similar, and likely not necessary in some situations, but again...gray area gone.

[BostonMike7]

I thought schools and colleges also would drive the spread. But none of the data, or anecdotal tales I've seen has really confirmed that. If anything, I think schools should continue now based on what I've seen.

To be frank, I think the group driving spread right now are their parents. That however is a feeling.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by sawyer2

Data driven rather than a 'feeling'.

It's happening in every state in the country. It all started when schools and colleges reopened. It's more than a feeling.

The data simply doesn't match reality. As msRB311 might say: wake up!

[sawyer2]

Originally Posted by redplum33

It's happening in every state in the country. It all started when schools and colleges reopened. It's more than a feeling.

The data simply doesn't match reality. As msRB311 might say: wake up!

Meh, I'm awake ....... but I will go with data rather than your 'feeling'

I already gave you several additional contributing factors. Are colleges being open contributing? Sure, anything that increases contact/transmission/viral replication does.... BUT the data thus far does not show that it is the tidal wave that you think/hope that it is.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by redplum33

It's happening in every state in the country. It all started when schools and colleges reopened. It's more than a feeling.

The data simply doesn't match reality. As msRB311 might say: wake up!

Correlation vs causation.


Schools - both colleges and K-12 - reopening may have given some people a false sense of security and left them to act out. Also, after 9 months of a pandemic, people are getting lazy. We've talked about that endlessly here.


This is sort of a similar issue to people eating inside restaurants being more likely to be diagnosed with covid-19. It's not necessarily that they're contracting covid in those restaurants, but more likely that they're willing to take more risks despite the identifiable factor being eating inside.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Hmm why require masks all the time...I dunno...maybe he wants mask-wearing to actually become a habit? And not something that people conveniently forget?

I spent some time with my father in both rural Maine and Boston this summer and early fall. It was painful. He really doesn't have to use one up there apart from going into the grocery store in town and for a few other errands he runs fairly infrequently. So it's not a habit at all. In Maine, we had to return to his house several times because he "forgot a mask" at home. Other times he would get out of the car and start walking into a local business before realizing he didn't have it on and have to go back to the car to get it. In Boston, I had to remind him to grab a mask every. single. time. we left my place. Again, he got frustrated with the "stupid masks" because he wasn't in the habit of using one and it became a tedious chore for him. But my girlfriend and I who have been doing this since April have them hanging on the key rack by the door, have several extras in the car, and never forget. Because it's habit. It's not frustrating, it doesn't add time, and it's easy once you're in the habit. I'm blown away by the hysterics around wearing them.

[luvmyhoss]

When I go for a walk it’s unbelievable how many people jog, race walk, etc. right by me.
I try to avoid the by 6 feet, but they are breathing heavily.
Yes I have a mask on

[Arya Stark]

Originally Posted by Boston Shudra

I don’t really understand it. Does transmission increase after 9:30pm?

This is just going to force any people who would be eating at that time to go out earlier?

I am concerned these rules bear no relation to the pandemic. It makes no sense to ban anything after a certain time of day. It is reaching levels of V for Vendetta here.

I am not in public when I am in the car. They can arrest me if it requires a "mask". The chances of transmission in the drive thru is ridiculous.

It's to keep people out of bars (which technically aren't open anyway) and away from partying with each other (which are always above the indoor limit anyway)

It may be but they are not allowed to try to do such a grab that includes everyone to get to a small subset of people.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Boston Shudra

I don’t really understand it. Does transmission increase after 9:30pm?

This is just going to force any people who would be eating at that time to go out earlier?

That's generally when things shift from "dining" to more drinking and people begin letting their guard down.


The mask requirement seems kind of ridiculous, as has been said here it will punish the responsible people while the irresponsible will keep on doing what they are doing without a care. I can sort of see it in urban areas where the constant need to pop it on and off becomes a boondoggle from an enforcement perspective ("just put it on and leave it on"), but in most suburban areas there is no need to come within 10 ft. of others never mind 6 ft. so implementing this at the statewide level is overkill imo. Again the real problem at hand is private indoor gatherings among college kids and young adults, not walking around your cul-de-sac with an uncovered face. These for-show measures are nothing but a measly gimmick by Baker, if he's not going to seriously address the prior.