I was not amused to see the State Fair list "Stay home if you're not feeling well" as part of their "health guidance". This is the public health equivalent of "thoughts and prayers" -- completely worthless advice.
People who are contagious with COVID-19 usually have sniffles or an infrequent cough. NOBODY would consider these symptoms as "not feeling well". Imagine you saw someone in public blowing their nose into a tissue. If you walked up to them and asked, "Are you not feeling well?", what do you think they would say?
I'd guess "Oh, it's nothing", "It's just allergies", or "I'm just a little stuffed up" would be popular responses. The point is that none of these responses indicate the person considers themselves to be "unwell". Yet, this is the exact symptom that someone contagious with COVID-19 would have.
IF SOMEONE WHO IS CONTAGIOUS WITH COVID-19 DOESN'T CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE "NOT WELL", THEN TELLING PEOPLE TO "STAY HOME IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL" WON'T AFFECT THEIR DECISION TO COME TO THE FAIR.
This is almost exactly the same as telling someone who is drunk "Don't drive if you think you're impaired". NOBODY who is drunk considers themselves to be "impaired" -- and if they do, they are absolutely convinced that they "can handle it". Nobody who has "the sniffles" considers themselves to be sick, either.
Of course, it's even dumber than it seems. Most people would consider themselves to "not feel well" if they suffered from a hangover, had stiff joints or muscles, had a toothache, had indigestion or constipation, etc.
So the brilliant "health guidance", were it not ignored, would have someone suffering from a hangover say, "I'd better stay home. I don't want to give anyone COVID". Not sure how that advances any public health goal. But someone who just has "the sniffles" is sure that it'll clear up right away, so they don't think that they are "not well" and they won't stay home -- even though they are likely spreading the virus!
I suppose if someone were wheezing, coughing, and having trouble breathing, they might think they didn't "feel well". But they probably wouldn't be planning on a visit to the State Fair, either. If someone with COVID-19 is sick enough to consider themselves to be "not well", it's already too late.
Hmm. This "health guidance" now breaks down to "If you're too sick to walk around for hours in the heat, you should stay home". How many people who are that sick were ever really planning on staggering around the Fairgrounds, gasping for breath, coughing constantly, sinuses clogged up -- sounds like a lot of fun, eh?
Gee, the geniuses at the State Fair have basically offered a "health guidance" that says, "If you're too sick to enjoy being at the Fair, you shouldn't come to the Fair".
Yep. That will make a lot of difference.
But these same people expect the public will take heed of the State Fair's "urging" them to wear a mask. Because the Fair has so much credibility on public health issues.
