Covid will dictate the future

[Ferroequinologist]

The Australian study supports my belief that tiny toilets on trains trap germs. Years ago I got the flu after a trip from NYC to Albuquerque. I am convinced that it came from the Superliner toilets. They are tiny rooms. It's impossible to avoid touching surfaces. If a conventional virus can be spread that way, it seems logical that Covid can spread under the same conditions. And how often are toilets sanitized? A Roomette or Bedroom should be safer if you start at an endpoint. Presumably they've been sanitized but boarding along the line is different. What protocols do attendants follow? Are single use gloves used each time a room is cleaned?

 

[user 14106]

I’m not sure the need for the gloom and doom of the opening post. Covid is going to result in some permanent societal changes but the majority of people aren’t just going to be content to essentially quarantine for the rest of their lives - I haven’t in months - I got Covid for making a poor decision in going to a Christmas Eve gathering I should have avoided that was outside my normal social bubble- but other than that for months I continued my life - eating out and socializing though mainly restricting it to the non high risk family members I live near see regularly and a certain “social bubble” of friends (mostly friends from work that I see anyway at work) and have traveled a number of times. I avoided infection by maintaining that bubble and one of the few times I stepped out of it I got infected.

Things will start to come back especially as vaccination results in less hospitalization and death and this becomes more like the flu. Some of us who are most afraid and other more introverted folks who are content to work remotely and live an at home minimalist life will, but most of us will start to venture out a little more - probably a bit more selective about who we see or who we will travel or socialize with. Hopefully enough will in due time to keep things like travel and tourism sustainable.

 

[Qapla]

Virus may never go away but could change into mild annoyance

 

[west point]

Vaccination rates are one item that is going to determine how travel will happen. IMO once most persons that want to be vaccinated then there may be a great demand for the general public to travel by whatever means available. It may be airlines will not be able to ramp up capacity quickly. This may be an opportunity and result for Amtrak to be overwhelmed with demand.

I have no idea when that will happen as there is still too many different out comes of Covid=19 but really believe it will happen sooner or later.. Variants are just one problem.

 

[Hytec]

Fellow AU members, what I'm about post will disturb many, if not most, but I will post it anyway. I am a pragmatist, a subscriber to Darwin's theory of survival. COVID-19 is one more attempt by nature to cull our species of their various mutations that are, or should be incapable of surviving in the long term.

Our medical infrastructure, more importantly our culture cannot handle disease threats emotionally. Our culture has evolved to believe that not only every human life, but every life is precious, trees, grass, even cockroaches. They are not. Everything mutates. Thee and me included. Some mutations are successful, some are not. That's how nature works.

Folks, we have got stop trying to believe that everybody, everything must live forever. We humans are not stronger than nature. II I succumb to a virus or bacterium that I contracted in a coach seat, roomette, bedroom, or toilet, I'm comfortable with that. If I die as a result, I'll be pissed. But that's my opinion. LOL

I intend to continue to travel with Amtrak, because it's better than the alternatives, regardless of what the "experts" in DC decide...AMEN!

 

[joelkfla]

II I succumb to a virus or bacterium that I contracted in a coach seat, roomette, bedroom, or toilet, I'm comfortable with that. If I die as a result, I'll be pissed.

Not for long.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Fellow AU members, what I'm about post will disturb many, if not most, but I will post it anyway. I am a pragmatist, a subscriber to Darwin's theory of survival. COVID-19 is one more attempt by nature to cull our species of their various mutations that are, or should be incapable of surviving in the long term.

Our medical infrastructure, more importantly our culture cannot handle disease threats emotionally. Our culture has evolved to believe that not only every human life, but every life is precious, trees, grass, even cockroaches. They are not. Everything mutates. Thee and me included. Some mutations are successful, some are not. That's how nature works.

Folks, we have got stop trying to believe that everybody, everything must live forever. We humans are not stronger than nature. II I succumb to a virus or bacterium that I contracted in a coach seat, roomette, bedroom, or toilet, I'm comfortable with that. If I die as a result, I'll be pissed. But that's my opinion. LOL

I intend to continue to travel with Amtrak, because it's better than the alternatives, regardless of what the "experts" in DC decide...AMEN!

All human life IS precious but that doesn't mean that we should live forever. We don't want our lives cut short however.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I'll repeat what the a nurse in my doctor's office told me the other day "People are getting the vaccine because they are desperate to get their old lives back - but they won't". What she went on to explain is that masks are going to continue indefinitely and that social distancing and other safety measures are here to stay. I've been reaading that there is now a theory that those who have been vaccinated could still transmit the virus even a month or more after receiving the vaccine. That means that the vaccinated must go on with the masks. So will there be no relief - ever? This article reports on how the virus lingers on fabrics for three days. Just how safe is an Amtrak sleeping-car compartment if this is the case? Alarming COVID-19 study finds virus survives on fabric for 3 days

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I'll repeat what the a nurse in my doctor's office told me the other day "People are getting the vaccine because they are desperate to get their old lives back - but they won't." What she went on to explain is that masks are going to continue indefinitely and that social distancing and other safety measures are here to stay.

I plan to get the vaccine and wear a mask until I reach the 95% range of immunity, which I believe is a week or two after the second dose. After that I've done what I'm willing to do and getting back to my regular life. If I need a booster in six months or whatever I'll do that too, but I can't control the anti-vaxxer nuts and won't keep living like this forever.

This article reports on how the virus lingers on fabrics for three days. Just how safe is an Amtrak sleeping-car compartment if this is the case? Alarming COVID-19 study finds virus survives on fabric for 3 days

You don't absorb COVID through your skin so how does the virus get from the fabric to your lungs?

 

[flitcraft]

I wouldn't rely on the New York Post for your science news, myself. They specialize in 'alarming' as a business model. But even the version of the study in the Post says that the biggest problem is cotton fabrics. Guess which fabric is extraordinarily unlikely to find in an Amtrak sleeping-car? Hint: it stains badly and is not at all abrasion resistant...

 

[Mailliw]

I plan to get the vaccine and wear a mask until I reach the 95% range of immunity, which I believe is a week or two after the second dose. After that I've done what I'm willing to do and getting back to my regular life. If I need a booster in six months or whatever I'll do that too, but I can't control the anti-vaxxer nuts and won't keep living like this forever.


You don't absorb COVID through your skin so how does the virus get from the fabric to your lungs?

I think I'm more ir less on the same page with you. I mean I'll still wear a mask when required, but I'm comfortable with the risk.

 

[caravanman]

You don't absorb COVID through your skin so how does the virus get from the fabric to your lungs?

I think the path is via your hands/face/nose/eyes after you touch a virus contaminated item.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I wouldn't rely on the New York Post for your science news, myself. They specialize in 'alarming' as a business model. But even the version of the study in the Post says that the biggest problem is cotton fabrics. Guess which fabric is extraordinarily unlikely to find in an Amtrak sleeping-car? Hint: it stains badly and is not at all abrasion resistant...

The Post quotes a study. The Post did not conduct the study.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I plan to get the vaccine and wear a mask until I reach the 95% range of immunity, which I believe is a week or two after the second dose. After that I've done what I'm willing to do and getting back to my regular life. If I need a booster in six months or whatever I'll do that too, but I can't control the anti-vaxxer nuts and won't keep living like this forever.


You don't absorb COVID through your skin so how does the virus get from the fabric to your lungs?

Will you be ALLOWED to not wear a mask? Maybe in Florida but not likely in places like New York and California.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I think the path is via your hands/face/nose/eyes after you touch a virus contaminated item.

I've yet to see anything that indicates secondary surface contact is a major infection vector for C19. That's not to say it cannot happen but washing or sanitizing your hands should be enough to prevent it.

Will you be ALLOWED to not wear a mask? Maybe in Florida but not likely in places like New York and California.

If enough of us get vaccinated we should be able to get rid of the masks. If you hate wearing masks push for more vaccinations.

 

[flitcraft]

The Post quotes a study. The Post did not conduct the study.

Nor, unlike most reputable newspapers, did they provide a link to the study or even the name of the journal it is in, so that we can judge for ourselves its relevance, or if it has been peer reviewed. The New York Post is a tabloid-style publication. Again, not where I'd choose to get my science news from. YMMV, of course.

And, the point stands--Amtrak bedrooms aren't upholstered in cotton cloth. So worry about your t-shirts if you're out and about with unmasked people. Amtrak bedrooms--not so much.

 

[jis]

It’s NY Post. Personally I’d just ignore it and read the actual studies in reputable scientific journals.

 

[MARC Rider]

Even after I get vaccinated, I will continue to wear a mask when I'm around other people. Even before Covid, in Asia lots of mask-wearing all the time by people. Some of this might have been because of particulate pollution, as, curiously, the Chinese cloth masks I've bought all seem to come with PM2.5 inserts. However, they might be on to something, as I believe that most of the Asian countries had less per-capita Covid than we did.

On the other hand, once I'm vaccinated, and the disease rates start going low, I will feel quite comfortable going out and about (wearing a mask in crowded areas), eating indoors in restaurants, traveling, etc. I think there will be some changes in our lives, but maybe not as apocalyptic as some people want to make it out.

 

[flitcraft]

Fellow AU members, what I'm about post will disturb many, if not most, but I will post it anyway. I am a pragmatist, a subscriber to Darwin's theory of survival. COVID-19 is one more attempt by nature to cull our species of their various mutations that are, or should be incapable of surviving in the long term.

Our medical infrastructure, more importantly our culture cannot handle disease threats emotionally. Our culture has evolved to believe that not only every human life, but every life is precious, trees, grass, even cockroaches. They are not. Everything mutates. Thee and me included. Some mutations are successful, some are not. That's how nature works.

Folks, we have got stop trying to believe that everybody, everything must live forever. We humans are not stronger than nature. II I succumb to a virus or bacterium that I contracted in a coach seat, roomette, bedroom, or toilet, I'm comfortable with that. If I die as a result, I'll be pissed. But that's my opinion. LOL

This is a reply that will also disturb many, if not most. It is link to a short video of what nurses working in ICUs see every day. If you have the guts to do so, watch it, Hytec. I doubt you'd append an LOL to this reality.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/...l?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

 

[Mailliw]

Will you be ALLOWED to not wear a mask? Maybe in Florida but not likely in places like New York and California.

Eventually even the bluest states will succumb to pandemic fatigue, settle on "eh, good enough", and get rid of mask mandates and social distancing.

 

[caravanman]

Eventually even the bluest states will succumb to pandemic fatigue, settle on "eh, good enough", and get rid of mask mandates and social distancing.

Maybe the states run by populist cretins will instead start to understand the science?

 

[gwolfdog]

Hardly any Flu this year, is that a clue to wearing Masks? I've had both shots and will be Double Masking for awhile. No one lives forever but the chore of wearing a Mask, or others looks or opinions, for me is not substantial. People are still dying and getting sick, why not avoid it, as best that you can?

 

[Ziv]

I think you are right about secondary surfaces not being a major contributor to the spread of Covid. From what I have read the main transmission mechanism is through the air and the amount that you breath in, the viral load, is critical (after the amount and type of comorbidities) to the severity of the case. That is why singing in a church or talking animatedly in a bar can be so deadly. Not only do you get the disease but you get a larger viral load and that makes the onset of the disease worse. The good thing is that the viral load appears to dissipate relatively quickly outdoors though not quite as quickly indoors.
I don't like the speed that the vaccine has been developed in some ways, but the speed will also be a factor that saves tens of thousands of lives so my mixed feeling will take a back seat and I will get the vaccine as soon as my age group is allowed to get it. A couple weeks after my second dose I will only mask up when required to do so and I will start to travel again, or rather, to travel as much as I used to do. I have to admit that I am going to the USVI next week and I haven't even gotten the first shot yet. I am just "sick" of not traveling. I have always traveled a lot so this year has been boring as h#77. But the USVI has mandated that anyone going there has to prove that they have had a negative test in the past 5 days, so my direct flight there will be the safest one I have taken in a year. Not perfectly safe, but safer.

I've yet to see anything that indicates secondary surface contact is a major infection vector for C19. That's not to say it cannot happen but washing or sanitizing your hands should be enough to prevent it.


If enough of us get vaccinated we should be able to get rid of the masks. If you hate wearing masks push for more vaccinations.

 

[jiml]

Hardly any Flu this year, is that a clue to wearing Masks?

Excellent point.

 

[Ryan]

Maybe the states run by populist cretins will instead start to understand the science?

Sadly, I think there's no danger of that.