The scientific value of mask hiding and hand wringing is diminishing. That’s right there’s a new study confirming it. The experts say if you hide in your basement and wash your hands incessantly while wearing a mask it increases your probability of becoming president. It does not however decrease your chances of getting the virus.
Researchers say a mutation in COVID-19 appears to make the virus more contagious. The result is masking and hand washing are less effective in controlling transmission of the virus. So if you are hiding in your basement wearing your mask and washing your hands… Begin your panic attack now. Die early to avoid having to bury the rest of us…
The Washington Post carried the report. In it scientists say a new study appears to be the largest of its kind in the U.S. It is comprised of more than 5,000 genetic sequences of the coronavirus. It is a Houston based study with release last Wednesday.
Scientists from Weill Cornell Medicine, the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin made contributions to the study. The study is not yet peer reviewed. It finds people infected with the D614G mutation had higher loads of virus. This means it was more contagious than other strains of the virus. The WaPo reports:
“The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes… All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say.”
Life is a female puppy
It reports 99.9% of cases during the “second wave” in the Houston area were infected with the D614G mutation. The research suggests virus can become more contagious. A virologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says the new research suggests the virus could adapt to become more contagious. David Morens explains:
“Wearing masks, washing our hands, all those things are barriers to transmissibility, or contagion, but as the virus becomes more contagious, it statistically is better at getting around those barriers… Although we don’t know it yet, it is well within the realm of possibility that this coronavirus, when our population-level immunity gets high enough, this coronavirus will find a way to get around our immunity. If that happened, we’d be in the same situation as with flu. We’ll have to chase the virus and, as it mutates, we’ll have to tinker with our vaccine.”
Bottom line, this virus, like so many other types of virus can kill. But it usually doesn’t unless you have an underlying condition. Use a little common sense and go about your business. The scientific value of mask hiding and hand wringing is diminishing. The emotional hyperbolic rhetoric and unconstitutional actions are damaging America more than the virus. This too will pass.
What was true at inception of the outbreak is true today. Herd immunity is likely going to be what stops the virus. From that perspective maybe if we all just catch it faster we’ll get past it more quickly. Suck it up buttercup. You’re probably gonna get the virus. Viruses are like the weather. We complain about them, wait a minute and it changes. Let’s all just grow the hell up. Life is a female puppy…