If COVID Safety Protocols are Followed Who is Responsible If I Catch It

This is a post I made in another thread. I thought it needed it's own thread, so I cut and pasted it here.

This idea of taking precautions to prevent the spread of the virus is considered good because no one wants to get it or infect others. That is a natural reaction to an outbreak of a disease that will do permanent damage to your body and maybe even kill you or someone you love. So most people will go along with the protocols to try and prevent the spread.

But the protocols keep changing, don't wear a mask unless it's an N95 or better, wait - don't wear N95 masks, they don't stop the spread and doctors need them, wait - even though they may not do a thing but harm your health, wear any face cover available, wear a mask in public, wait - don't bother, it could hurt you, just use it in close quarters around others. Use hand sanitizer, it kills the virus really good, wait- hand sanitizer may harm you and it doesn't kill the virus that well anyway so just wash your hands constantly. Wait . . .

The paranoia induced by these changing protocols is likely the reason the infection rate has leveled off or gone down in certain areas. A lot of people are afraid to do anything or go anywhere and self quarantine most of the time, that is probably the only sure way to remain unexposed as much as possible considering the shifting protocols.

So just last night a question came into my mind after hearing a comment made by a local news caster on the local news broadcast. I won't go into what he said that got me thinking about this, but I thought, "Are we, any of us, responsible if we become infected?"

If you are encouraging getting infected, like going to a COVID party to catch it and get it over with, I'd say you got what you ask for if you became seriously ill or even died from it. Other people who believe that the virus is faked or nothing to be concerned with and defiantly ignore any precautions, then you are asking for it too. But if you are trying to follow the protocols to keep safe from the virus and getting infected, who is ultimately to blame if you catch it? You or the person that gave it to you? Are you responsible or is the place of business you had been in to blame because they missed a spot during their disinfecting routines. Are you at fault because the official protocols are doing little to slow the spread of this virus?

Even deeper yet, I firmly believe that this was a virus altered through gain of function studies and it escaped containment at a government laboratory (who cares what government lab). Is that my fault, or your fault? Just like every problem the government creates, they deflect responsibility and make it the problem of the people who are victims of their mistakes.

I conclude that I am not to blame if I get sick, but there is blame to be had at the source of all this.

Only you are to blame. It's a matter of natural selection. If your genes are so bad that you die from it, while others experience a mild cold, you die for the good of the species. It's your own damn fault.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

God or nature.

Did you pick and choose your genes?

originally posted by: schuyler
Only you are to blame. It's a matter of natural selection. If your genes are so bad that you die from it, while others experience a mild cold, you die for the good of the species. It's your own damn fault.

I hope you are merely being sarcastic because I don't know anyone who has an ounce of control over their genetic makeup. But this attitude that you are to blame seems to be showing up in comments made by talking heads.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck


It will be Trump’s fault, haven’t you heard?

I have been going to stores like I have always done since this crap started, but I have worn a face covering since before it was mandatory just to be on the safe side.
I do not know anyone that has had it and nobody I know knows anyone that has had it.
Unless you can live in a bubble and stay there all the time, not much you can do other than to be smart about it I guess.

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

God or nature.

Sure, if you believe that a virus in bats that hadn't been a problem is to blame, that is until bat lady messed with it at the orders of the CCP. Or maybe it's the fault of this wet market?

IMO if God is involved it's only because he allows free will of choice. Nature, perhaps, but not when scientists pushed nature to infect humans and cause a pandemic.

You.


You are.

You. Yourself.

You can't blame everyone else for your problems.

Your line of questioning is insane, learn to take responsibility for yourself.

You can't just expect the rest of us to pony up when you need help.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Gretchen wHitler

originally posted by: a325nt
You.


You are.

You. Yourself.

You can't blame everyone else for your problems.

Your line of questioning is insane, learn to take responsibility for yourself.

You can't just expect the rest of us to pony up when you need help.

A perfect example of what I'm talking about. You did it all to yourself, yep.

Not these guys apparently

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Our susceptibility to illness and disease is part and parcel of the human condition... no fault, just the nature of the beast. Illness and disease come from Mother Nature.

However, there is much that we can do to nurse and nurture our own bodies to strengthen and fortify our natural immune systems (also part of the nature of the human beast), to minimize adverse outcomes.

It is no one's fault if someone becomes ill from CoVid. It is our own fault if we fail to do our own due diligence to protect and tend to our bodies. And it's our own foolishness if we neglect our responsibility to ourself and expect/demand others to do better for us than we do for ourselves.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

I can’t count how many time I’ve been sick, and knew who gave it to me.

What’s the point of blaming anyone?

You’re sick, you got it. Just focus on getting better.

“Who cares what government lab?”

It doesn’t matter only if you are not interested in doing something about it (or if you would like to keep your options open for casting blame).
I am thoroughly convinced that if you are getting your information from Fauci, then you are getting your info from the source of the virus- and that ain’t good.

As for people not wearing masks in defiance of perceived evil, when and IF they die, you should marvel at their bravery- They are gambling for their freedom, and by extension, your freedom. If they live or die, you are closer to the truth.

And one more thing, I am a quiet polite guy, and there are a million people like me. Please don’t threaten us, especially around our families...

Some good thought provoking answers so far. Thanks for the input.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck


Carole baskin?

But seriously...
It’s trump.
Everything is his fault...

At some point we're all going to be exposed or get it.

Sure the confusion around cleaning & safety protocols isn't helping, but realistically we've known for many years what proper disinfecting and universal precautions are. We also pretty much cut corners when it's inconvenient but expect perfect outcomes regardless. I say that because despite people knowing to change/discard cleaning rags & mop water between cleaning each room/area it's easier to not. It's expensive to clean that way so businesses & home cleaners blow that precaution off.

That being just one example.
Which was necessary to illustrate because if we aren't willing to uphold those standards at home ourselves then it's difficult to fault your workplace for being lax as well.

A bunch of us at work have discussed would it be our employers fault if we are exposed or get the virus? I say no because nothing is stopping us as individuals in grabbing a rag & disinfectant if we're worried. Altho work does provide half-assed PPE I purchase my own because it's my job to make sure I'm not contaminating anyone else, an only a idiot expects their company to take appropriate responsibility.

We have a couple of co-workers who still think the company should protect them 100% an do nothing for themselves.
Boy are they going to be shocked when they file a lawsuit an the company legal dept tosses mega bucks at winning it!

We've explained to these co-workers that life in general is risky an it's their own responsibility to mitigate the risks, but it's falling on deaf ears. We're betting/resigned to the fact they'll be the first to catch Covid outside of work an bring it in. Sigh....

But no,
I don't think in most cases you can hold an employer responsible.
Even a crappy one. You always can refuse to show up. In fact I'd bet that would be one of the first questions you'd be expected to answer in court. "Why did you show up if conditions were that dangerous"? In reality your economic reasons aren't your employers problem. Despite them being possibly drastic.

originally posted by: apydomis
. . . Please don’t threaten us, especially around our families...

I hope that last statement is about people who ignore the protocols, as I am certainly not a threat to anyone but myself in most cases. Otherwise a post I can mostly agree with.

If all you are doing is wearing a mask and social distancing, you are likely to catch it. Washing your hands often with soap and water will protect you better than the face diaper anyway. Hand sanitizer is better than nothing but not nearly as good as soap and water.

It's still a highly contagious disease, and even doing everything right, you might still catch it. The good news is that unless you are aged or otherwise compromised, the chance of a bad outcome is pretty low.

originally posted by: tjack
Not these guys apparently

I want to make a t-shirt of that warning to wear at the same time as one of those masks. It would be epic.