Schnitzel Republic: Mask Chatter

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Mask Chatter

A bit of a 'fight' has broken out between the federal Health Minister and the Minister of Health of Bavaria.

Topic? Surgical masks working as well as the FFP-2 mask....for bus and train riders in Bavaria.

The federal Minister (Lauterbach, SPD)....has staked out a position that only the FFP-2 mask is protecting you from the evil Covid.

What is the real angle of this? I will say this....if you are riding a bus for an extended period (say 30 minutes) and trying to be 'safe' with the FFP-2 mask....the heat within the mask is helping to dehydrate you. Using the surgical mask? It's cooler in this scenario.

Effectiveness ratio? Well....that's the thing....it's just not a lot of testing to say one thing or another. I would suggest the humidity level with the FFP-2 mask is awful harsh to handle with 32C or higher temperature.

Federal folks able to demand a rule? Well...no, not in Germany....the states have a lot of say in various matters.

The other thing in this chat.....cost. I can buy a box of 50 surgical masks for around 18 Euro. Those FFP-2 masks? They usually range (better quality type) around 1.20 Euro each.

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About the Collection of Essays

First, note that this is NOT a blog....it's a collection of essays similar in nature to what the Greek Plutarch attempted to write.

Second: NO, there will be no Facebook connection to the essay collection. Besides the negativity with FB, there is just too much potential in the future for censorship with FB.

Third, this log of essays is written by an American (not a German). If you are a German seeking commentary written by a German, on Germans....look elsewhere.

Fourth, I will offer wit and sarcasm on Germany, Germans, Germanology, German political figures, German TV, German beer, German food, German humor (or lack of), German habits, German weirdness, German news, German autos, German brilliance, German stupidity, German customs, German Nazis, German history, and German stubbornness.

Fifth (new), the essays are not about ethnic pathways to your grandfather or great-grandmother who was German. It relates present day Germans. If you are trying to get some understanding to your ancestor who packed up and left sixty years ago from the old 'homeland', then this blog is probably not for you.

I was one of those Americans who did over twenty years of military time....married a German....and eventually returned as a retiree.

I'm one of the few who stood under the German umbrella.....paid German taxes for some years.....German social security.....and felt the various pains like Germans.

So, this is my all-purpose commentary essay, designed for non-Germans mostly (and those Germans who accidentally discover it). I tend to put German culture into the spotlight of sarcasm, wit and humor. I'm simply pointing out the richness and craziness of life in Germany, which even some Germans can't understand.

The amusing thing is that I'm merely repeating the exercise that Mark Twain performed in 1880, when he published "A Tramp Abroad". Various comments were dished out on the Germans....which apparently did not trigger any wars, chaos, climate change, or ill feelings.

Final note: I generally only delete comments that are spam-related, or hype over pure Nationalist Socialist agendas. I generally won't support one-sided arguments/agendas. I also don't think accusations of racism or nationalism are generally proven, and can reflect poorly upon the person making the accusations.