Apple Drops Mask Requirement for Corporate Workers at 'Most Locations'

[eatrains]

We are not in disagreement. But at least in the U.S. states that had and continue to push for draconian measures in the name of being safe were never better off in absolute numbers of hospitalizations and death than states that were more measured. There is a balance, and with Apple's decision, I am happy to see them relaxing mandates about masks. While mask can help, most people don't wear them properly, or wear masks that do much of anything in the first place. It's nothing more than optics and making others feel safe. We completely and utterly botched the response in the U.S.

Free Florida has had 1.5x the deaths as evil draconian California.

 

[cocky jeremy]

"Society just stopped caring about 100-500 covid deaths a day."

Luckily, they did. 100-500 deaths per day is nothing in a country with over 300,000,000 people and world of almost 8 billion.

 

[IIGS User]

Free healthcare in the UK means that we haven’t thought about Covid for a very long time. UK gave 21 free at home tests per month to each person 1.5 years before the US gave 2 for everyone. I think the last restrictions here was lifted over a year ago. Sad to see the richest state in history in the richest country in history is still dealing with this…all over a lie that free healthcare will completely backup the healthcare system. We in Europe are not as brilliant as you all in the states and have figured it out. Is it perfect? No, but what you’re going through is in deep need of change.

Self righteousness. Brought to you by a person from the country that voted for Brexit and still has Boris Johnson as a PM.

And no one here in the States thinks anyone currently running the place, whether in the White House or Congress is all that “brilliant”. We have some crappy “leaders” on all fronts right now. And things aren’t looking so good for the foreseeable future.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Surprised we are allowed to comment on this story. Happy to see people finally waking to up what I’ve been saying since April 2020.

Yup. I never even remotely took it seriously. I ended up having covid and would have never had a clue if not for my girlfriend feeling sick and getting tested. I only got tested for the week off from work.. lol.

 

[eatrains]

Mandates drive a wedge between us in an already far too divided society.

Public health policy shouldn't be driven by whether some people will get their feelings hurt when asked to wear a mask.

 

[eatrains]

Yup. I never even remotely took it seriously. I ended up having covid and would have never had a clue if not for my girlfriend feeling sick and getting tested. I only got tested for the week off from work.. lol.

Drunk drivers don't take speed limits even remotely seriously either.

 

[BootsWalking]

Free healthcare in the UK means that we haven’t thought about Covid for a very long time. UK gave 21 free at home tests per month to each person 1.5 years before the US gave 2 for everyone. I think the last restrictions here was lifted over a year ago. Sad to see the richest state in history in the richest country in history is still dealing with this…all over a lie that free healthcare will completely backup the healthcare system. We in Europe are not as brilliant as you all in the states and have figured it out. Is it perfect? No, but what you’re going through is in deep need of change.

Fair points yet that doesn't seem to have materially improved the COVID outcomes in the UK vs USA:

Source (FT)

 

[Naraxus]

The complete selfishness and lack of empathy for their fellow human beings on this thread is pathetic

 

[BootsWalking]

Surprised we are allowed to comment on this story. Happy to see people finally waking to up what I’ve been saying since April 2020.

In April 2020 did you say a million Americans would die of COVID?

 

[BootsWalking]

Yup. I never even remotely took it seriously. I ended up having covid and would have never had a clue if not for my girlfriend feeling sick and getting tested. I only got tested for the week off from work.. lol.

A million Americans weren't as fortunate as you.

 

[mikethemartian]

Free healthcare in the UK means that we haven’t thought about Covid for a very long time. UK gave 21 free at home tests per month to each person 1.5 years before the US gave 2 for everyone. I think the last restrictions here was lifted over a year ago. Sad to see the richest state in history in the richest country in history is still dealing with this…all over a lie that free healthcare will completely backup the healthcare system. We in Europe are not as brilliant as you all in the states and have figured it out. Is it perfect? No, but what you’re going through is in deep need of change.

To tell you the truth I would rather pay for my own healthcare than live off somebody else.

 

[jonnyb098]

Masks don’t work?
Where do you get your wisdom from?
People who are sick need to wear a mask to avoid spreading their sickness.
And if you know you will be closely surrounded by people who are sick, it would be wise to wear a mask too.
Don’t tell me that if someone close to you starts coughing and sneezing at you, you will not move away. Even if you do away it may be too late; without a mask, your chances of getting sick are much higher.
Every time I read or hear someone saying that masks (etc.) are just part of the government trying to control people, I laugh 😂.
Some people prefer to fill their minds with garbage spread by fake experts and people with a personal agenda on social media, rather that learn the scientific facts about things.
That’s why we have people believing the Earth is flat because the government wants to control us; that the government is using the COVID-19 vaccine to insert microchips in our bodies to change our DNA, etc.
The world is full of nuts!!! 🤣 😂

Ya know….simple logic and common sense go a LONG way in life. And considering COVID is now SUPER infectious (more than measles), masks no longer do anything unless its a very tightly fitted 95 you NEVER TOUCH OR TAKE OFF. Since like any virus it infects mucus membranes which hilariously include OUR EYBALLS. So unless you plan to walk around with a box tightly strapped to your head, the average person is gonna run the SAME RISK of getting it either masked or unmasked.

 

[I7guy]

Surprised we are allowed to comment on this story. Happy to see people finally waking to up what I’ve been saying since April 2020.

100%. It took masks, hygiene, lock-down, vaccinations, boosters and a mutating virus to get us to where we are today. Each was an integral part into turning the pandemic into an endemic.

 

[I7guy]

Ya know….simple logic and common sense go a LONG way in life. And considering COVID is now SUPER infectious (more than measles), masks no longer do anything unless its a very tightly fitted 95 you NEVER TOUCH OR TAKE OFF. Since like any virus it infects mucus membranes which hilariously include OUR EYBALLS. So unless you plan to walk around with a box tightly strapped to your head, the average person is gonna run the SAME RISK of getting it either masked or unmasked.

As long as there is a non-zero probability that a mask will help, I’ll continue wearing them as I see fit.

 

[bobtem]

The Employees who didn't want to return to the office are now going to be ok with no masks?

 

[ApplePhy]

Show me an RCT that shows that masks of any kind reduce the spread of respiratory viruses.

Nice.

Let’s throw common sense out the window while we’re at it.

 

[ApplePhy]

Why are we told to cover our mouths and turn away before sneezing? And don’t say it’s only to prevent us from spraying others with snot.
People who are sick need to wear a mask to avoid getting others sick. But because of people who don’t care about others, some people who are not sick choose to wear a mask and keep their distance, etc.
I don’t need to read a RCT to prove it. I’ve been seeing it happen with people I know. Only this past week, 7 got sick, and they all live in different places, so it’s not a case of a group of people that got infected together.
There’s a lot of people who are still contagious wondering at stores and other places, but because they did their 5 day quarantine, don’t bother to wear a mask, and are getting others infected.

Edit: add two more to the list, and I was with them the day before they showed symptoms. But i didn’t get sick. Could it be because I was wearing a mask?

Totally agree.

That’s like asking for a RCT to prove that washing your hands after using the toilet is necessary.

Go ask why anesthesiologists, respiratory therapists, ICU intensivists, pulmonologists why they wear masks when caring for the critically ill

I guarantee if a known COVID positive patient is in a non ventilated room with you and starts sneezing/coughing the poster will be the first to grab that N95.

 

[KPOM]

Nice.

Let’s throw common sense out the window while we’re at it.

That’s what the mask zealots have been doing. Japan is recording close to 400,000 “cases” daily. Mask usage was high before, during, and after the pandemic.

Would you use chain-link fencing (surgical mask) to block mosquitoes? How about chicken wire (N95)? Surgical masks don’t filter air. They just redirect air and block droplets. Viruses spread through aerosols. N95 is meant to block dust and particulates, not viruses. That’s why study after study shows no effect.

 

[KPOM]

Totally agree.

That’s like asking for a RCT to prove that washing your hands after using the toilet is necessary.

Go ask why anesthesiologists, respiratory therapists, ICU intensivists, pulmonologists why they wear masks when caring for the critically ill

I guarantee if a known COVID positive patient is in a non ventilated room with you and starts sneezing/coughing the poster will be the first to grab that N95.

Mostly for show. There is really no benefit to medical masks. And by now, we’ve probably all ”had COVID,” even if we haven’t known it.

Did you wear masks every winter during cold season?

 

[iGeneo]

How can anyone possibly even remotely care about this still? It's over, go home.

We (US) are still averaging over 350 deaths per day to Covid. So.. image a 747 going down every day killing all aboard, would that get your attention?

FFS.. when did we become a country that stopped giving a 💩?

 

[iGeneo]

Surprised we are allowed to comment on this story. Happy to see people finally waking to up what I’ve been saying since April 2020.

A million American families would disagree

 

[lifeinhd]

No such thing as tax-free. What are the consequences of your lower tax rate?

Having more money.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

Dealing with what? It's been up to the business entities or local - city/town level - decision makers since February. And actually, that was before Boris lifted yours. I think the last public space that requires one is the NYC subway and bus system, but nobody wears one and nobody enforces it.

A lot of people still wear masks on the subway.

 

[lifeinhd]

Surprised we are allowed to comment on this story. Happy to see people finally waking to up what I’ve been saying since April 2020.

They’re not “waking up.” You were mistaken in April 2020. The situation has changed in the 2 years since.

 

[barkomatic]

My main takeaway was I can't believe they left it this long to drop masking.

At least the employees at Apple could take them off at their desks. At my office, they are still required at all times at your desk and you can't eat your lunch in the building. By the way, I don't work in a healthcare setting.

I certainly don't mind other people wearing masks and I do believe they are effective -- but at this point I'm vaccinated and it should be my choice. It's incredibly ridiculous in 2022. The upside is that its our choice to come in our not, so I'm fully remote for now.