# Coronavirus general discussion and chit-chat **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [August 12, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903 "2020-08-12T17:29:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2020, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/102 "2020-10-28T23:25:01Z")
I just got some of these [https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08JJ71S4X/ref=cm\_sw\_r\_sms\_apa\_i\_73FMFbJEH5PG4](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08JJ71S4X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_73FMFbJEH5PG4) I’ve tried them out, and they seem promising. I’m posting because I know other glasses wearers have trouble with masks causing their glasses to fog up. In the link, they are shown upside down. They take air that’s headed up, and redirect it to the sides. In my brief test with some homemade cloth masks, it did not cause any noticable leaks on the sides. There was still a hint of fogging in one lens, but I think I could get it adjusted better with a little practice. I need to figure out if it will help to sort of tack them to the mask with a couple of stitches, or some other attachment method. It also doesn’t seem like it will fit in the KN95 masks I have. I don’t know if it will be bothersome with more extended wear. I remember hearing in a podcast dealing with US officials changing their tune on masks, the host of the podcast was saying that if we’d embraced masks early on, he thought mask technology would have advanced faster. It does seem kind of crazy that I have to (and totally am committed to) wear a mask everywhere, but I frequently have to deal with mild to moderate fogged glasses the whole time. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/103 "2020-10-28T23:55:51Z")
Clever. 👍🏼 > [@eschrodinger](#): > > It also doesn’t seem like it will fit in the KN95 masks I have. My glasses don’t fog with the KN95 mask, just with cloth masks. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/104 "2020-10-29T00:03:39Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > It also doesn’t seem like it will fit in the KN95 masks I have. Here’s a couple of tricks to get a better seal with a KN95 mask. First, fold down the thin edge of the top of the mask towards the inside so it creates a better seal. Second, make the mask press tighter against your face by attaching the loops behind your head instead of around your ears. I use some of these [picture hanging hooks](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVYQ1UW), but any kind of hook will work. If there are gaps along the sides, fold down the thin edge of the sides of the mask to the inside to make a better seal. When I make these modifications, my KN95 mask seals just about perfectly and I don’t get any air escaping from the top or sides. In addition to the added safety, my glasses don’t fog at all. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/105 "2020-10-29T00:20:21Z")
I can fiddle with the KN95s to make them not fog my glasses, but I have to put my glasses on top of the edge of the mask, slightly farther from my face than usual. Folding the edge under doesn’t work for me. I always tie the elastics together with a bit of elastic string to connect behind my head. All my masks are that way. Can’t stand the ear loops. My masks seal to my face just fine. They just fog my glasses. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/106 "2020-10-29T00:43:52Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > but I have to put my glasses on top of the edge of the mask, slightly farther from my face than usual. Which moves the sweet spot on bi and tri-focals just enough to cause eye strain. Folding a tissue and putting it under the top edge of the mask helps, but using an anti-fog spray on my glasses just works so much better for me. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/107 "2020-10-29T00:46:10Z")
Yeah, I have progressives. I haven’t tried antifog spray. Maybe I’ll try that next. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/108 "2020-10-29T00:52:16Z")
Nods head. My eyes didn’t like it when my glasses slipped down my nose when I was in single vision, they certainly don’t like it better now with progressives. I usually get the anti-fog stuff at gun shows, stuff lasts forever, but this close to the election…you might want to avoid the very angry folks buying bullets and shop online. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/109 "2020-10-29T04:54:54Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Second, make the mask press tighter against your face by attaching the loops behind your head instead of around your ears. **I use some of these [picture hanging hooks](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVYQ1UW)**, but any kind of hook will work. Okay, I’m sure those help the loops stay in place, but…_ouch_. > **[HangDone Picture Hangers 25-Pack Supports up to 30 lbs, Brass Plated -...](https://www.amazon.com/HomeDone-Picture-Hangers-25-Pack-Supports/dp/B01KVYQ1UW)** > > HangDone Picture Hangers 25-Pack Supports up to 30 lbs, Brass Plated - Amazon.com ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/110 "2020-10-29T12:09:03Z")
Heck, that’s just one step up from pierced ears, tunnel earrings, nose rings, elf ears, amirite? We’re gonna be wearing these masks for a long time. Having permanent hooks embedded in your skull to hold the mask securely–what’s the BFD? People get doo-dads stuck in their skulls all the time-- cochlear implants, hydrocephalic shunts. I envision a whole new medical sub-specialty! You won’t be able to get this done at the mall or a Mary Kay store-- no, somebunny’s gotta make BIG money on it. Probably plastic surgeons will be the ones to claim it, now that breast implants have flattened in popularity. Another way DJT is creating jobs in Murrika! MAGA! 😛 [/s] ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/111 "2020-10-29T14:33:29Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > now that breast implants have flattened in popularity. I see what you did here😏 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/112 "2020-10-30T20:35:24Z")
It has gotten chilly here so I dug out my winter hats-- the kind that pull down over your ears. Oops. It’s not easy to put on and take off a mask when wearing a hat like that. Especially if you’re already wearing glasses, hearing aids, and possibly earrings. My ears flaps are having to do a lot of extra work. But here’s a clever solution. Sew buttons on the outside of your stocking cap to hook your mask onto. > **[Amazon.com: CISID Women Men Black Beanies with Buttons Winter Knit Skull Caps...](https://www.amazon.com/CISID-Beanie-Slouchy-Headwear-Acrylic/dp/B092J8NN8G)** > > Buy CISID Women Men Black Beanies with Buttons Winter Knit Skull Caps Hats 2 Packs: Shop top fashion brands Hats & Caps at Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/113 "2020-10-31T04:28:47Z")
What _ **exactly** _ are people who confidently say that we’ll no longer hear about the coronavirus come November 4th getting at? They think Trump is re-elected and then…? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2020, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/114 "2020-10-31T12:10:08Z")
^Armageddon. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/115 "2020-10-31T13:29:16Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > What _ **exactly** _ are people who confidently say that we’ll no longer hear about the coronavirus come November 4th getting at? They think Trump is re-elected and then…? DJT will shut down all news outlets except for FOX and QANON, as well as the whole internet except for his Twitter account. Finally! No more contradictory news stories! ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/116 "2020-10-31T14:38:18Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > What _ **exactly** _ are people who confidently say that we’ll no longer hear about the coronavirus come November 4th getting at? They think Trump is re-elected and then…? It’s not just Trump… Even if Biden is elected, the coronavirus is “fake news” being manufactured to torpedo Trump’s reelection bid, so as soon as Biden is elected it won’t be needed, so you’ll stop hearing about it. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/117 "2020-10-31T14:45:57Z")
There was talk of an asteroid coming dangerously close to Earth around election day. Mostly jus5 wishful thinking, though. The one in question was not even refrigerator-size. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/118 "2020-11-02T14:28:47Z")
If the coronavirus does end up being seasonal like the flu and require re-vaccination, are the odds reasonably good we’ll see a combo flu/coronavirus shot in a couple/few years? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/119 "2020-11-02T15:41:26Z")
That is fantastic news! I’m getting tired of hearing about the new daily positive infection records. Wednesday should be a record low in the US! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/120 "2020-11-02T17:04:49Z")
Can someone clarify: is “testing positive for COVID” the same thing as “having COVID” or “being diagnosed with COVID”? I’m thinking of AIDS. People got tested and were said to be “HIV-positive,” but that did not constitute a diagnosis of AIDS. Eventually, back in the late 80s anyway, many of those HIV-positive people went on to get what was then referred to as “full-blown AIDS,” and yeah, lots of them died. I don’t think all HIV-positive people got AIDS, but back then, people who did get AIDS virtually all died. That’s not the case anymore. Someone can correct me. But does this analogy hold with COVID? IOW is _testing_ positive the same as _having_ COVID? ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903/121 "2020-11-02T17:54:03Z")
It’s not the same as being symptomatic, but they are either infected or have a false positive. Some percentage of people who have enough of an infection to be producing the virus, and this can spread it, and test positive for it, never develop symptoms, or at least, serious symptoms. There’s no evidence that I’ve heard, though, of people having a latent infection for a long time, and then later becoming ill, as with HIV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-general-discussion-and-chit-chat/917903.md?page=7)