I am a hardcore face covering advocate. I wear a 2 layer mask for most trips out of the house, and this one for running, lawn mowing, or distanced Tai Chi in the park
That is a preface to me saying that if ringing resumes without the requirement for consistent, correct cloth or surgical mask coverings inside, I won't be there. Also, for my own protection, I try not to be near people wearing masks with the valves that let their expirations out.
To make sure that it was legit for me to say that people should be masked to ring, I spent twenty-two minutes this morning masked (commercial 2 layer mask plus extra elastic) raising my arms up above my head and down repeatedly at what I guessed would be ringing speed. The mask was not dislodged. My shoulders claimed that it was harder than ringing, but I was not short of breath in any way. I'm still wearing the mask, because in real circumstances like going to the grocery story, I put the mask on before I leave the house and don't remove it until I am home again, so I presume that to ring for 15 minutes I'd be masked for a couple of hours.
A test is a snapshot of one moment in time. One could test negative and be infected the next day, which is why Yale, for example, has claimed that they will test returning students every three days.
One thing to remember about personal safety is that quantity of the virus that one is exposed to matters. That is why outdoors is better than indoors, mask is better than bare face, etc. Stuff adds up. A combined approach is best.
The Advent is requiring masks for worshippers. Old North is requiring masks for visitors to the historic talks (no services for a couple of months yet). I think it's clear that they would expect us to be masked as well when we are in their buildings.
Laura Dickerson
PS Doctor in Dublin wears six surgical masks on top of each other to show that oxygen levels don't go down. There area lots of others like this
John Oliver talking about conspiracy theories from last Sunday (worth seeing. 22 minutes long)
