Outside of a construction site nearby are these three signs:
It is the central sign which is of particular importance here.
It's a little blurry so here is a clear digital infographic:
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| http://library.upm.edu.ph/node/128 |
Now keep in mind this is all ways to prepare for work due to COVID-19 at an office job and not a construction site. So there's ordinary things like washing your hands but there's also unordinary things like wearing short sleeves and tying your hair back. It's the last line that's really strange. This chart recommends changing into clean clothes and shoes before leaving work but also washing your clothes when you return home. It says do not wear your shoes from work into your home. Are you supposed to have three pairs? One to wear to work, one to wear home, and one to wear into your home?
How would one shower before interacting with their family? Must there be a big announcement before one arrives and everyone leaves so you can wash up before they return? It's all more than a little paranoid.
At that link there are several info charts related to COVID-19. Take a look at this one.
The message is "stay at home" but could it be any more Orwellian??
"We don't need the government to put us on ECQ. We can do it voluntarily! Let's do it for our healthcare workers, for ourselves and families."
Remember this is a virus with an over 90% survival rate. Or forget about it. This is the pandemic gripping the world and is totally serious. Whatever. Lock yourself inside and never come out until the government gives the all-clear signal. Oh and be sure to pray.
Restaurants are crazy now. There is no uniformity in their protocols. One restaurant I ate at in December gave me a standard refillable glass of ice water. At a different restaurant in February I got this:
Don't call me a Karen yet. My friends ordered canned sodas and were given glasses full of ice! What protocols are we talking about here which prevent me from being served with a complimentary glass of ice water? It does not make any sense.
At a local KFC the cashier was wearing this button:
I asked her what COVID-19 training was like and she said she did not go through any training. She was simply given the button by her boss. No one else was wearing this piece of flair. Isn't that lovely? It's called a lie. Good chicken though.
Speaking of training, if you want to go to the local gym you better mask up.
There a number of studies both for and against masks at the gym. Here is one that is against face masks while exercising published in June, 2020.
Exercising with facemasks may reduce available Oxygen and increase air trapping preventing substantial carbon dioxide exchange. The hypercapnic hypoxia may potentially increase acidic environment, cardiac overload, anaerobic metabolism and renal overload, which may substantially aggravate the underlying pathology of established chronic diseases. Further contrary to the earlier thought, no evidence exists to claim the facemasks during exercise offer additional protection from the droplet transfer of the virus. Hence, we recommend social distancing is better than facemasks during exercise and optimal utilization rather than exploitation of facemasks during exercise.
Here is a study that is for face masks while exercising published in November, 2020.
In summary, our study found no detrimental effect of wearing either a non-disposable cloth or disposal surgical face mask while exercising vigorously on exercise performance. For healthy, active people, wearing a face mask during vigorous exercise has minimal effect on arterial or muscle oxygen levels and no effects on exercise performance.
My scientific opinion is that wearing a face mask while working out is stupid. What about all that sweat your body is exuding and which will get flung around or wiped on the equipment? One study from 2004 indicates that sweating can help spread the virus indirectly.
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| https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2020/09/29/coronavirus-infectious-sweat/ |
Can sweat spread Covid-19? That question is also a concern for people with 'hyperhidrosis' — a condition that causes extreme, uncontrollable sweating. And according to the International Hyperhidrosis Society, sweat "could actually help prevent the transmission of Covid-19." The organisation supports that claim with quotes from experts like dermatologist Adam Friedman of the George Washington University, who notes that "Sweat has some inherent antimicrobial activity."
But while that may sound like a definite answer, argument from authority is not scientific evidence — you have to read the research and point to papers. So what does science actually say about a link between sweat and coronaviruses?
The most highly-cited paper to mention a possible connection is a 2004 study led by pathologist Yanqing Ding at the First Military Medical University in Guangzhou, China, and virologist Shibo Jiang from the New York Blood Center.
The Chinese scientists surveyed the distribution of the original SARS-CoV-1 virus across different organs of dead patients and detected the pathogen in the sweat glands, stating that it "may be excreted [...] via sweat, thereby leading to virus transmission." Essentially, SARS-CoV-1 could escape through skin cells.
The virus can potentially escape through skin cells? Why not mandate full-body suits? It's better to exercise at home and avoid these silly regulations as well as any possible infection.
Along with the pandemic comes new litter.
There are face masks and face shields all over the place where I live. The above mask was lying in the middle of the road and is pretty funny because it honors front liners. But check out this mask.
This is from the Vice Mayor's office. It even has his face on it. But four days later.....
This mask has ended up on the side of the road with all other kinds of litter. I'm not going to post all the pictures I have of face masks and face shields lying in sugarcane fields. It would be too redundant. It's enough to show this mask with the Vice Mayor's face.
Why did he even have it made? And at whose expense? Taxpayers? I hope not. There is a glut of face masks in the country right now. We don't need some politician making epal so everyone can see his face as a reminder he exists. Cleary some people don't care or his mask would not have ended up as so much litter!
The local 7/11 has added a new sign alerting us to the tally of local COVID-19 cases.
One active case and a negative two for increase or decrease of cases. Looks like we are in the clear! So why am I having to play dress up every time I leave my house? I can't say the same for any other barangays. In one barangay the employees at a salon do COVID-19 rapid antibody testing every 14 days!
It appears this is a blood test which is less painful than the back of the threat nose swab.
4. What sample is used in the test?
Blood specimen from venous extraction.
https://www.themedicalcityclinic.com/covid-19-rapid-antibody-test-kit-frequently-asked-questions/
It's still pretty invasive but whatever it takes to keep a job, right? But is it really necessary? It does not seem so.
2. Who can take the test?
- Patients with no symptoms but with history of close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases, or persons classified as suspected cases, who have completed the 14-day quarantine period.
- Patients with no symptoms for at least 14 days, without any of the following:
- fever
- cough
- sore throat / throat irritation
- shortness of breath/ difficulty of breathing
- new anosmia (loss of sense of smell) and/or ageusia (loss of sense of taste)
- colds or nasal congestion
- muscle pain
- tiredness
- diarrhea
I would guess that it is the second category which qualifies these employees to test themselves every 14 days. But it's a little paranoid don't you think? With no symptoms why bother to test? Because most cases are asymptomatic? I suppose that means I could have been infected and never have known! Hopefully the employer pays for the test.
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