No More Masks

[JamieLogical]

2 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Thanks!  Now, if we could just figure out the port where embarkation is happening!

 

Hehe! Exactly!

[KateQ22003]

No, 

2 hours ago, Beaver1975 said:

Incorrect. Human Resources of businesses are held to HIPAA laws also. 

Not sure what kind of businesses you are referencing, but if they are not healthcare they aren't held to HIPAA laws. HIPAA relates to healthcare/insurance providers. They may use other laws to protect confidentiality, but it is not HIPAA.

[BermudaBound2014]

22 hours ago, coffeebean said:

According to what you have said your sources say, my answer will be your understanding is correct.

 

My information sources are based on evolving science. Just sayin'.

 

From evolving information sources....

 

"Fauci’s comments at the United Facts of America event are a departure from his previous comments from the direction as back in May 2020 he dismissed the possibly of a lab leak."

Fauci Calls For Investigation Into COVID Origins Amid Reports Of Wuhan Lab Outbreak (ibtimes.com)

[KennyFla]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

From evolving information sources....

 

"Fauci’s comments at the United Facts of America event are a departure from his previous comments from the direction as back in May 2020 he dismissed the possibly of a lab leak."

Fauci Calls For Investigation Into COVID Origins Amid Reports Of Wuhan Lab Outbreak (ibtimes.com)

He needs to call for an investigation of himself.  His agency was funding some of that research.

 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/top-us-health-advisor-dr-fauci-backed-controversial-wuhan-lab-for-risky-coronavirus-research-report/articleshow/75449844.cms

 

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/nih-cancels-funding-for-bat-coronavirus-research-project-67486

 

[Beaver1975]

34 minutes ago, KateQ22003 said:

No, 

Not sure what kind of businesses you are referencing, but if they are not healthcare they aren't held to HIPAA laws. HIPAA relates to healthcare/insurance providers. They may use other laws to protect confidentiality, but it is not HIPAA.

 My sister was head of HR for a major restaurant food supplier and they were absolutely limited on what they could ask  employees, and applicants, about their health issues because of HIPAA laws. 

[Sinbadssailors]

2 minutes ago, Beaver1975 said:

 My sister was head of HR for a major restaurant food supplier and they were absolutely limited on what they could ask  employees, and applicants, about their health issues because of HIPAA laws. 

 

Possibly ADA, but really just a distinction without a real difference.

 

Our local Walmart didn't enforce mask requirements. 

Why? Because those with certain medical conditions were exempt, and the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibited asking.

[graphicguy]

7 minutes ago, Beaver1975 said:

 My sister was head of HR for a major restaurant food supplier and they were absolutely limited on what they could ask  employees, and applicants, about their health issues because of HIPAA laws. 

Hmmmm….I think that’s probably a corporate policy.  You can’t ask someone if they’re pregnant, their sexual orientation, or their race.  But, my former (very large) tech company just made it a requirement to have a COVID Vaccine as part of their employment agreement.

 

ADA has no play here.  Covid is a virus, not a disability.  The Walmart store was illinformed.

Edited May 25, 2021 by graphicguy

[Sinbadssailors]

4 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Hmmmm….I think that’s probably a corporate policy.  You can’t ask someone if they’re pregnant, their sexual orientation, or their race.  But, my former (very large) tech company just made it a requirement to have a COVID Vaccine as part of their employment agreement.

 

ADA has no play here.  Covid is a virus, not a disability.  The Walmart store was illinformed.

 

But the disability could be the reason for not wearing the mask. 

It wasn't about Covid. It was about not being able to ask what was keeping a person from wearing the mask.

 

 

[Jamesatgsu]

26 minutes ago, Beaver1975 said:

 My sister was head of HR for a major restaurant food supplier and they were absolutely limited on what they could ask  employees, and applicants, about their health issues because of HIPAA laws. 

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html

Who Is Not Required to Follow These Laws

Many organizations that have health information about you do not have to follow these laws.

Examples of organizations that do not have to follow the Privacy and Security Rules include:

• Life insurers
• Employers

Edited May 25, 2021 by Jamesatgsu

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Geez...I'm just trying to figure out if I should bring a mask with me on my cruise?  Since the fully vaccinated don't require masks, I'm assuming no.  But, that's an assumption.

 

All the rest?  Whether you do or do not have a COVID vaccine(s), it doesn't matter to me, nor does it matter to me why you do or don't.  I just don't care.

 

All I know is that I'm sailing NCL because they require everyone to have one (among other reasons).  Why is this so difficult to understand?

Well said, about exactly how I feel.  

[graphicguy]

15 minutes ago, Sinbadssailors said:

 

But the disability could be the reason for not wearing the mask. 

It wasn't about Covid. It was about not being able to ask what was keeping a person from wearing the mask.

 

 

Frankly, I'm struggling to think of a disability that would preclude you from wearing a mask.  But, some will stretch this as far as they can, sort of like a rubber band, until it breaks.

[rbschultz]

26 minutes ago, Sinbadssailors said:

 

But the disability could be the reason for not wearing the mask. 

It wasn't about Covid. It was about not being able to ask what was keeping a person from wearing the mask.

 

 

 

And all the company has to say is "no mask, no service."

 

The company is not in any violation. They're not asking about a specific or even abstract disability, just stating that you need a mask to enter regardless of religion, disability, etc. Most stores (if not all) in my area made significant efforts to ensure that anyone choosing not to wear a mask for any reason had the ability to get what they desired from the stores/businesses. Basically all big box stores all added curbside pickup, many restaurants had signs posted on the door with QR codes to scan for outside pickup, etc. 

[Sinbadssailors]

2 minutes ago, rbschultz said:

 

And all the company has to say is "no mask, no service."

 

The company is not in any violation. They're not asking about a specific or even abstract disability, just stating that you need a mask to enter regardless of religion, disability, etc. Most stores (if not all) in my area made significant efforts to ensure that anyone choosing not to wear a mask for any reason had the ability to get what they desired from the stores/businesses. Basically all big box stores all added curbside pickup, many restaurants had signs posted on the door with QR codes to scan for outside pickup, etc. 

 

People learned to simply say "I can't", when asked to wear a mask before going in.

 

They wouldn't be asked why

[coffeebean]

7 hours ago, Beaver1975 said:

That is still private information as it pertains to our HIPAA laws. 

Each individual decides for themselves which information they wish to keep private. Any individual can divulge their vaccination status if they wish. HIPAA protects individual from one health care facility divulging health information to another health care facility or individual.

 

What ever we have to deal with going forward regarding having to prove vaccination status (such as to get on a cruise ship), any individual can decide to give that information to whom ever is requesting it. An individual can also decide not to divulge their vaccination status if they wish to keep it private. Having said that, if one must divulge their vaccination status to board a cruise ship, if you wish not to divulge that information, you do not get to enter said cruise ship. Until those protocols no longer exist, this is the world we must deal with and that protocol just may goe further than embarking on cruise ships. Once these vaccines have full FDA approval, I believe we will be seeing more and more requests for vaccination proof.

 

All my opinion, of course.

[coffeebean]

4 hours ago, winterbliss said:

The previous post brings up conspiracy theory. Over a year ago it was 'conspiracy theorists' who said virus was Wuhan lab leak. Blasted by mainstream as crazy. Now not looking so crazy. We'd better hope that all the 'conspiracy theorists' who have concerns about these injections are wrong. I had hoped that our children would have been protected. But they're now lining up for this. Totally unnecessary.

I have thought all along this was a deliberate leak at the Wuhan lab and that was before I ever heard this reported on MSM. In fact, it wasn't very long before MSM was reporting what I had thought from the get go. Even Dr. Fauci has said publicly, that is a possibility this "leak" was not an accident but there has to be a thorough investigation done. MSM also reported very early on that our scientists were not allowed in the Wuhan lab to do an investigation as to the origin of this virus. So....there is that.

Edited May 25, 2021 by coffeebean

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, rbschultz said:

Basically all big box stores all added curbside pickup, many restaurants had signs posted on the door with QR codes to scan for outside pickup, etc. 

This is a great point! Before I abandoned a certain well known social media site last year, I had conversations with people who seemed to think they could waltz into any store without a mask and HIPAA would protect them. If a store refused to do business with someone at all because of a medical condition, that would be one thing. But large stores like Walmart did offer people curbside pickup, delivery, or allowing a 3rd party to pick things up, all without requiring the customer to go in maskless. I think some of them felt it was their right to shop in person without a mask, however they felt like. Nope.

 

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

You won't need a mask onboard, but you should definitely bring one/some for your travel to/from the cruise port and for any port stops on the cruise where you will need to adhere to any local mask requirements.

Driving to the port through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  No need for a mask in any of those locations.

[KennyFla]

On the subject of masks, an interesting study from the University Of Louisville;

 

Our findings do not support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates decrease with greater public mask use," notes the U of L report. Researchers stated that "masks may promote social cohesion as rallying symbols during a pandemic, but risk compensation can also occur" before listing some observed risks that accompany mask wearing:

Prolonged mask use (>4 hours per day) promotes facial alkalinization and inadvertently encourages dehydration, which in turn can enhance barrier breakdown and bacterial infection risk. British clinicians have reported masks to increase headaches and sweating and decrease cognitive precision. Survey bias notwithstanding, these sequelae are associated with medical errors. By obscuring nonverbal communication, masks interfere with social learning in children. Likewise, masks can distort verbal speech and remove visual cues to the detriment of individuals with hearing loss; clear face-shields improve visual integration, but there is a corresponding loss of sound quality.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2021/05/26/new-study-refutes-fauci-efficacy-of-mask-mandates-n2589990

 

 

 

[rbschultz]

On 5/25/2021 at 2:05 PM, Sinbadssailors said:

 

People learned to simply say "I can't", when asked to wear a mask before going in.

 

They wouldn't be asked why

I'm not sure where you're located, but in MA those people were turned away and told there were accomodations made for them (curbside pickup + online ordering, phone orders and items brought out). 

[coffeebean]

4 hours ago, rbschultz said:

I'm not sure where you're located, but in MA those people were turned away and told there were accomodations made for them (curbside pickup + online ordering, phone orders and items brought out). 

Absolutely the way that scenario shod have been handles. The honor system truly is a joke. There will always be people who try to scam the system, what ever that system is.