Seriously? When I walk down a side street sure I can take off the mask but a busy street is nearby and I'll be on it soon enough. Maybe I cant be bothered to takt it off and put it back on all the time. Uber drivers? Maybe someone is hopping from store to store or just gave people a ride. Come on...

We're not talking about Uber drivers where it might be a company policy to have them on while on a job. I also question the need to wear one at all outside regardless street activity which is down across the board considerably since Covid hit. I would question not wearing one at a crowded ball game especially if not vaccinated but walking down the street? Nah.

I have basically stopped wearing a mask outdoors in Arizona where there is little or no public crowding. Back in the city, where I'll soon be, maybe it'll be a bit different but I don't really think I'll wear mine much outdoors. I'll have to wear it exiting and entering my building and inside all stores, in any vehicle where I'm not alone (Uber etc). I'm still not ready for transit--busses, trains.

I still see some people wearing them outdoors here in AZ and I applaud them but most are on their way into or out of a store. I'm not going to criticize them and let the hard core "never wear one of those things" types off the hook (here there's no mandate although a lot of stores ask people to wear them). I saw a lady driving her own car alone with one on the other day and frankly it surprised me but again, better that than try to go inside stores without one.

Coming back rapidly. In SF seemed basically normal in residential areas even last November. It's only downtown in the center of the high-rise office district that things still seem empty. But as I already posted, even that may soon begin to change with a lot of the tech companies bringing people back, at least 2-3 days per week.

From the Los Angeles Times:

California’s coronavirus case rate now the lowest in the continental U.S.

By LUKE MONEY | STAFF WRITER
APRIL 21, 2021 11:49 AM PT

California’s coronavirus case rate is now the lowest in the continental U.S., an achievement that reflects months of hard-won progress against the pandemic in the aftermath of the state’s devastating fall-and-winter surge.

The state’s latest seven-day rate of new cases — 40.3 per 100,000 people — is dramatically lower than the nationwide rate of 135.3 and edged only by Hawaii, 39.1, over that same time period, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the other end of the spectrum is Michigan, which has far and away the highest seven-day case rate in the nation, at 483 per 100,000 people. Others topping that distressing leaderboard are New Jersey, 269.7; Delaware, 264.1; Pennsylvania, 248.5; and Minnesota, 238.4.

Among larger states, the comparable rates over the same time period were 201.1 in Florida and 65.9 in Texas.

While long-term hope continues to spring from the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, the pandemic still presents a more immediate danger — particularly in areas where cases are on the rise.

“Cases and hospitalizations are increasing in some areas of the country, and cases among younger people who have not yet been vaccinated are also increasing,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a briefing earlier this week. “Just like all of you, I want to get back to doing the things I love with family and friends who I haven’t been able to see over the past year. We all have a role in turning this tide and to trend our cases down.”

California, however, has so far avoided the increases seen elsewhere.

The state’s case rate has been among the lowest in the country for some time, and the numbers reflect the sustained and significant progress the state has made — all the more important as the state rushes to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible and avoid the kind of spikes striking other areas of the country and globe, officials say.

“In order for continued decline in transmission of COVID-19, we will need to remain vigilant and continue to take precautions in the weeks ahead, allowing us time to vaccinate more people,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.

Over the last week, California has reported an average of 2,320 new cases per day — a 13% decrease from two weeks ago, according to data compiled by The Times.

Last winter, California’s average peaked at more than 40,000 new cases per day.

The state’s other metrics have also continued to trend in an encouraging direction.

On Tuesday, 1,774 coronavirus-positive Californians were hospitalized statewide, with 437 in intensive care. Though those numbers have yo-yoed slightly day to day, they remain among the lowest the state has seen since last spring.

And over the past week, the state has recorded an average of 81 COVID-19 deaths per day — a still-sobering toll that nevertheless has steadily plunged from the height of the surge, when the average number of daily fatalities was close to 600, Times data show.

California’s headway is reflected in its reopenings, as many parts of the state have recently been able to lift coronavirus-related restrictions.

Just this week, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Kings, Calaveras and Mono counties moved into the orange tier — the second-most lenient of the state’s four-category color-coded reopening blueprint.

Doing so will permit a host of businesses in those areas to more widely resume indoor activities, at higher capacities.

Now, 38 of California’s 58 counties have reached the orange tier, and three have entered the final, most-lenient yellow tier. None remains in the strictest purple tier.

On March 9, 34 counties were still in the purple tier, and only four had made it to orange or yellow.

But officials stress that progress isn’t permanent and that it’s the collective responsibility of residents and businesses alike to make sure that allowing additional activity doesn’t trigger any increases in coronavirus transmission.

“Every member of our community plays an important role in helping us achieve and continue to enjoy the benefits of loosening restrictions,” Dr. Henning Ansorg, Santa Barbara County’s health officer, said in a statement. “We must continue to be mindful of safety practices including wearing masks, physically distancing, washing hands and getting vaccinated as soon as possible.”

That latter point is particularly important, both to blunt any potential new waves of COVID-19 in the short term and to eventually end the pandemic once and for all.

Providers statewide have administered 27 million vaccine doses to date, and 44.5% of Californians have already gotten at least one shot, CDC figures show.

More than a quarter of the state’s population is fully vaccinated — meaning they’ve received both required doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, or got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine before its administration was paused while federal health officials study a possible link to extremely rare blood clots.

Link: https://www.latimes.com/california/s...nations-lowest

The entire southwest has the same picture including "everything's open and masks are not mandated" Arizona. New Mexico has actually vaccinated a higher percentage of its people than just about any state. Arizona used to be doing better than CA but has recently fallen a bit behind with the shots, hopefully not because it has exhausted willing recipients (but I'm afraid vaccine phobia is going to be pretty high here).

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/ser...040889/enhance
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...vid-cases.html

At least we are still playing HS football in a shortened spring format.

The only public school from Chicago I see is Simeon but I know there are more.

But thats typical. Illinois football is dominated by the Suburban schools first, Chicago Catholic schools next, Downstate Programs in the larger metros, lastly Chicago pubic schools.

It was important to get even this shortened season in for Sr's It esp important for Division One players to get a scholarship to play. Two kids on our team just picked up Division one scholarships they might never have gotten now multiply that by hundreds of other schools. This season is very important for kids and their family's even if they do not get their scholarship and never even plan to play in collage. It was the thing in life from HS that prepared me most for life as an adult.


https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/...21/7309093002/

Class 8A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Loyola (8) (5-0) 89 1

2. Lincoln-Way East (1) (5-0) 82 2

3. Marist (4-1) 65 3

4. Naperville Central (4-1) 60 4

5. Gurnee Warren (5-0) 49 5

6. Maine South (5-0) 44 6

7. Edwardsville (4-1) 39 9

8. Hinsdale Central (5-0) 29 10

9. Huntley (5-0) 12 NR

(tie) Barrington (5-0) 12 NR

Others receiving votes: O'Fallon 6, Glenbard West 5, Brother Rice 1, Palatine 1, Naperville Neuqua Valley 1,


Class 7A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Chicago Mt. Carmel (8) (4-1) 89 1

2. Wheaton Warrenville South (1) (4-1) 77 2

3. Prospect (5-0) 74 3

4. Batavia (4-1) 63 T5

5. Machesney Park Harlem (5-0) 54 8

6. Wheaton North (4-1) 47 9

7. St. Charles North (3-1) 27 7

8. Phillips (3-1) 21 T5

9. Willowbrook (4-1) 17 NR

10. Lincoln Way West (4-0) 13 NR

Others receiving votes: Buffalo Grove 8, Nazareth 2, Normal Community 2, DeKalb 1.


Class 6A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Cary-Grove (7) (3-0) 88 1

2. East St. Louis (1) (4-1) 80 2

3. Crete-Monee (4-0) 70 3

4. Antioch (5-0) 60 4

5. Lake Forest (1) (5-0) 50 8

6. Simeon (3-0) 42 5

7. Peoria High (4-1) 40 7

8. Washington (5-0) 28 9

9. Kaneland (4-1) 12 10

10. Chatham Glenwood (4-1) 6 NR

(tie) Rock Island (3-2) 6 6

Others receiving votes: Morgan Park 4, Vernon Hills 4, Wauconda 3, Providence 2.

Class 5A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Sacred Heart-Griffin (Springfield) (9) (5-0) 99 1

2. St. Rita (1) (4-1) 88 2

3. Joliet Catholic (5-0) 80 3

4. Rockford Boylan (4-0) 66 4

5. Sterling (5-0) 61 5

6. Sycamore (5-0) 50 6

7. Marion (5-0) 31 7

8. Hillcrest (4-1) 25 9

9. Triad (5-0) 22 8

10. Kankakee (4-1) 20 NR

Others receiving votes: Mascoutah 5, St. Viator 3.

Class 4A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Rochester (7) (4-1) 88 1

2. Richmond-Burton (2) (5-0) 81 2

3. St. Francis (5-0) 74 3

4. Effingham (4-0) 63 4

5. Coal City (4-1) 51 7

6. Genoa-Kingston (3-0) 43 6

7. IC Catholic (2-1) 30 9

8. Bishop McNamara (3-1) 24 NR

9. Fairbury Prairie Central (3-1) 22 NR

t-10. Marengo (4-1) 6 NR

t-10. Mt. Zion (3-1) 6 NR

t-10. Benton (4-1) 6 NR

Others receiving votes: Dixon 1.

Class 3A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Williamsville (8) (5-0) 98 1

2. Princeton (1) (5-0) 89 2

3. Wilmington (1) (5-0) 83 3

4. Monticello (5-0) 67 4

5. Byron (4-1) 55 5

6. Mt. Carmel (5-0) 54 6

7. Fairfield (5-0) 35 7

8. Tolono Unity (4-0) 34 8

9. Eureka (3-1) 18 9

10. Farmington (3-0) 17 10

Others receiving votes: None.

Class 2A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Quincy Notre Dame (8) (4-1) 98 2

2. Maroa-Forsyth (1) (4-1) 82 1

3. Decatur St. Teresa (5-0) 81 4

4. Clifton Central (1) (5-0) 58 7

5. Breese Mater Dei (4-1) 48 3

6. Rockridge (5-0) 45 8

7. Fieldcrest (4-0) 44 5

8. Sterling Newman (3-1) 43 6

9. Nashville (4-1) 35 9

10. Downs Tri-Valley (3-1) 6 NR

Others receiving votes: Bismarck-Henning 5, Watseka 4, Bloomington Central Catholic 1.


Class 1A
School W-L Pts Prv

1. Lena-Winslow (8) (3-1) 89 1

2. Aquin (1) (5-0) 80 2

3. Fulton (4-0) 69 3

4. Moweaqua Central A&M (5-0) 64 4

5. Greenfield-Northwestern (5-0) 52 5

6. Annawan/Wethersfield (4-1) 50 6

7. Princeville (5-0) 34 9

8. Galena (4-1) 22 8

9. Cumberland (3-0) 14 T10

10. Mt. Sterling Brown County (4-1) 10 NR

Others receiving votes: Camp Point Central 5, Arcola 3, LeRoy 2, Catlin Salt Fork 1.

This is definitely the case for some people here on the forum.

My friend from London who was also here in Florida for a couple of months said when I got here, “I now realise why when someone gets out of prison [ie, the UK] they have to go to a halfway house first.” It was actually quite jarring to be able to live somewhat normally for a day or two. Now I need to go back to the UK next week and it’s going to be like walking back into a minimum security prison.

^ I can definitely see this, and we will get there but many people will want to take more gradual steps (sort of like tiptoeing slowly into the ocean).

I certainly won't have a problem, but that's largely because in my line of work I've been interacting with the public every day for the past year. Fear is our worst enemy

^ The media-driven fear of Covid among left-of-center Americans has run pretty high. I’ve been totally over Covid since like last May.

You just have the sense of your own immortality that's typical of the fairly young. I won't argue with you again about how valid that may be but for many people COVID was something to be validly concerned about and still is. You've just convinced yourself you are invulnerable.

And for what it's worth, I have NO (zero) faith in the mass media. My attitude toward it is based on 50 years of medical experience and knowledge along with analysis from what I can learn in valid scientific literature.

I'm not quite where you are on this, but I'm also not as scared Howard Hughes-esque as....say, Pedestrian is.

The media of course is HORRIBLE--I hate them so--and it is the duty of every American to literally shut off their TVs and stop watching the major media outlets on a LOT of things, Covid just being one of them.

But COVID was not a disease that we should have just sat there and done nothing about.

Our biggest enemy after COVID is "behind us" is not really the virus, or even the fear, but how we take back some of the rights and privileges that we once took for granted, but are now going to be viewed forever as "optional".

I do worry that "never let a good emergency go to waste" really applied here. Unilateral power given to Governors, Mayors, and unelected health officials to simply declare that 'X' and 'Y' are no longer allowed is not something anybody should want to allow so easily.

^ The Covid precautions and shutdowns were very much justified last March when we didn’t know much about this. But by May or June it was time to open up again and there never should have been another imposition of restrictions for a second/third/fourth wave.

People had by then seen the extent of the danger the first time around and been able to make their own choices based on their own level of risk (and tolerance for it). In practice that should have meant businesses staying open and the older or more at risk simply avoiding them if they were sensible people.

I agree he's rather flippant about Covid especially in the early days but he's 100% right with that comment. My more left leaning/ liberal friends have an irrational fear and paranoia that goes beyond vigilance and mitigating risk...largely fueled by sensationalism in the media. It's irresponsible to downplay the severity of Covid but there's no need to treat it like the black death either. I've been saying this for months but the mental illness, not Covid will be the lingering issue and we're already seeing it with young/ healthy people becoming shut-ins because they are bombarded with fear porn on a routine basis.

That may be more about the thing we aren't supposed to talk about--politics--than anything else. The T-man downplayed so it must be the Black Death. But without knowing these peoples' medical histories, I can't argue with you about the rationality of their concerns. I just know it has killed over half a million Americans in a year. To me, that's serious enough for a lot of concern and behavior adjustment. And in my own circumstances, aside from the likelihood I could be among those it kills if I had caught it pre-vax, just the disaster than 3 weeks in the hospital would have wreaked on my life would have been so much worse than wearing a mask and staying 6 feet from people that there's no comparison. This has been my worst fear all along--the life disruption rather than termination.

You simply have read only part of what I've been saying. Did you miss the part about I don't wear a mask outside anymore and have enjoyed dining in SF's restaurant "parklets" through it all? I have never been a germophobe like Hughes and saying so just proves you're in your own world. But I also have never thought any of the restrictions that affected me personally were too much of a burden and worth whining about to the extent that, say 10023 does (especially back when he couldn't go to the gym every day).

Yeah you can tell when a car drives by if it's Uber. Is this what you do? Check out cars and if you see a mask on you look to see if it's Uber?

Where do you live? Street activity down? From what 8 pedestrians a day down to 2 now where you live?

People have different tolerance levels. Not everyone has the same tolerance level. I'm not some hard core masker or even paranoid. I already had COVID. It was a joke for me. Respect people, it's almost over.

I will be curious to hear about how things are in the UK....

I booked a one-way plane ticket to London for the end of August (spending a month in London). Hoping I hedged correctly and things are mostly back to normal there by then.

The US State Dept advises against travel to the UK.


https://www.sfgate.com/travel/articl...s-16118369.php

Believe it or not, you actually can tell if someone drives for Uber or Lyft; they have stickers or a lighted sign placed in a prominent area. Plus, these companies are hurting so likelihood that the person in question is an Uber driver is a lot less than it was 15 months ago. These companies are having to Improvise by delivering food and other means to stay relevant. But by all means deflect from my original point.

Yes.... At this moment, duh.

I suspect that will change here soon for countries like the UK that have their numbers under control.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexled...h=1d1723d13eac

I'm going to possibly the safest place this summer :haha:

https://www.worldometers.info/corona...try/greenland/
Though the State Department hasn't separated it from Denmark (which... is odd actually, given the semi-autonomy and the fact that you get a Kalallit Nunaat stamp when you show up...)

NSF has negotiated a weird quarantine rule... I'll quarantine for 5 days in New York before my ANG flight to Kangerlussuaq, then 5 days in Kangerlussuaq and test, then fly to Summit Station which will be a COVID-free zone...

It's not clear what happens if anybody tests positive in Kangerlussuaq. The Air National Guard won't fly us back, so I guess we'll depend on our university's travel insurance to charter a flight or something? Fortunately our entire team will be fully vaccinated by the time we leave...

I wouldn’t hold out hope for “normal” by August or at any point this year, but the situation may be something like last summer.

The nanny state overreach is extreme over there, and the government is going overboard now (what they call “being conservative”) due to the criticism they took for not imposing stricter measures last spring. Plus the UK is a gerontocracy and until the last old bag is satisfied that she’s safe from Covid the Telegraph and Mail will make sure they are all living like semi-prisoners.

Why would you think anyone cares?

I haven’t convinced myself that I’m invulnerable, the statistical data has - at least to a very high degree of confidence. Crossing a busy street or riding a bike in London is more dangerous to me than Covid given my risk factors (or lack thereof).

"I already had COVID. It was a joke for me"

When you had covid, did you quarentine or isolate yourself, or at least wear a mask to protect others?

The virus may yet mutate into variants that are more harmful to younger people, so any claims of near invulnerability are premature. If old people were less impacted than younger people, I just bet you would favor more restrictions. I may be wrong, but you only seem to care about yourself. If I am wrong about that, I apologize.

Most older people care about their lives as much as younger people, and in fact may care more, since they have less time left. Life becomes more precious as it ebbs. You cling to and savor what remains. You will find out one day.

Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan are the leading candidates; advanced democracies that didn’t screw up. Far more advanced democracies failed, and their societies and economies suffered consequently.

And where exactly do you disagree with the approach taken by Australia and New Zealand? That they were too successful in limiting the number of unnecessary deaths? That they have managed to dodge the long-term health issues of long-Covid rampant in many countries? That they were able to limit the mental distress to countless millions? That they were minimise the massive economic hit to their economies? That they endured far less frequent and long-lasting lockdowns, and were able to open far earlier and return to a greater degree of normality? Where exactly did their approach go wrong? I suspect that I would not be alone in seeking for you to elaborate where they went so wrong with their approaches relative to that of the UK, US and countless other countries…

As we have experienced over the past year, this viewpoint is fundamental to understanding why countless countries failed. Ignorance, stupidity, selfishness, or a combination of all three; perfect facilitators for a virus that needs people to collaborate with, to survive, to thrive.

You can keep repeating the same erroneous assessment, but it will not make it a fact. I’m not going to repeat myself yet again, as I addressed this point several times previously (11th and 16th February and last on the 9th March), but running away from facts, much as how you ran away to Florida doesn’t project an image of intellectual integrity.


If we had more competent administrations enforcing lockdowns and penalising selfishness, most countries would have got on top of this crisis and most of us would be out on the other side. I would like to hope that in the future we’d go in tough and hard rather than go half-hearted and repeat the mistakes of the past year.


The UK government have outlined a phased approach to reopening which is under constant review depending upon vaccination rates – which are currently amongst the highest in the world – and data around cases and any new problematic variants. Currently you can go shopping, visit the zoo, libraries, gyms, hairdressers, but you can only go to a restaurant, café, or pub where they have outdoor seating (which is why swathes of Central London have been closed off for alfresco dining).

Phase III (17th May) will mean that you can eat inside a restaurant and go to a cinema, whilst outdoor stadiums will be able to host larger crowds. Phase IV (21st June) should see all restrictions removed. International travel will be the lingering issue, the government will set out its traffic light system for countries in May, and the suggestion is that around 8 countries (including the US) will be ‘green’; Spain is assumed to be ‘amber’, and France ‘red’.

I have been out to the pub three times and restaurants twice since restrictions eased; the experience isn’t completely normal, but this phased science-based process is what ought to have happened last year, in conjunction to a competent track and trace system and closure of borders. I have also done several group (cycle) rides. I had my first vaccination 4 weeks ago.

delete

And aliens may arrive in our solar system and turn our planet into an eco-reserve resort for their tourism.

All viruses mutate, constantly. The mutations are random but the direction of travel favoured by natural selection is generally that of higher transmissibility and lower harm (both of which lead to greater spread of those viral genes).

There is no indication that any variant is more harmful to young people, despite Pedestrian’s (and other’s) attempts to twist articles about younger people making up a higher proportion of hospitalisations (because they are less likely to be vaccinated) into such.

If a variant emerges that is shown by the data to pose a much more significant risk to my own health, and these risks are also shown to not be prevented by the vaccine that I’ve already had, then I will act more cautiously in my own life until I get a vaccine for said variant. But those are two conditions that must be met and confirmed by data. I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m in danger when I’m not, but I theoretically might or might not be at some undetermined point in the future.

Back in the real world, it makes perfect sense for an older or otherwise vulnerable person who is at more risk to make more sacrifices in their daily lives out of prudence.

You are a slave.

Governments should not be able to compel us to do these things.

Australia and New Zealand are also isolated places that can more practically cut themselves off to travel; Korea and Taiwan had well established infrastructure for track & trace (which the UK government spend billions of pounds on but failed).

The NHS is an inadequate healthcare system today. It struggles with bad seasonal flu let alone Covid. The facilities, both hospitals and long-term care, are outdated and ill-suited to controlling the spread of infections. Doctors and nurses are underpaid and so it is difficult to recruit enough of them (especially the latter) such that capacity remains an issue even when the government opens lots of beds in Nightingale hospitals. I could go on but this would be pointless - challenging national myths is always bound to trigger an emotional response, and in the UK the national myth (along with WW1 being the Germans’ fault) is that the NHS is the finest healthcare system in the world.

I went to Florida because it was the best place in the world to be at the time.

Do you have like any idea what you are talking about, or are you simply parroting the fear-porn coming out of the media? :facepalm:

Why weren’t you this scared in 2019 about other theoretically scary things that hadn’t yet posed a threat to you but, “you never know, something could change and we can all be in danger”

Sorry, fear porners. The fun of sitting comfy in your home and hiding from society is going to come to an end. You will have to face the real world. Covid is not going to mutate into something different than it is and suddenly become a brand new entity. Get over it.

This

I have, but the tone of your posts says it all. You are not approaching this rationally. You are definitely among he camp of “worst case scenario” interpretations of any data out there, and it’s sad. I can see this nonsense coming out of fear-porners with likely no scientific knowledge like Cali-native, but you disappoint at another level.

Even Fauci, who leans cautious, is not talking the way you are.

Jeez, duh, what do you think people do when they have Covid.

You sound legitimately SPOOKED by this virus.

The mental illness caused by this pandemic is so damn insufferable.

The other end of this is those dumb shits who refuse the vaccine. People like that are on par with the fear porn folks. Seriously, I want the Covid fear porn idiots and the vaccine hesitancy fucktards to all be put on an island together so that I’m never forced to interact with them again.

I mean, how about just moving to a country like Korea or Australia if you like how they handle things better than we do? That’s a more practical solution than telling a nation of 360 million to change what and who they are :shrug:

Your bizarre perspective, which is bordering on hilarious, is like an American standing outside of a uniformed school in China blaring into a megaphone, “Allow your children to wear whatever clothes they want, it’s freedom of expression!”

That is 100% not true, lol. Kinda wild that you believe that.

So we now have the Mass Media's verdict on the question of wearing masks outdoors (which I have already said I have largely stopped doing while continuing to wear them always indoors when not at home):

NY Times Morning newsletter

Now certain formers, for whom "the decent thing" means nothing, can chime in.

Eh...no. Vaccinated people should wear them indoors because most places still require them and thus we should respect these rules as long as they are in place but no way should we facilitate this little social engineering game of cultural acceptance. They are a necessity for the time being and that's all they are.

Exactly.


Hell, even Slate came out with an article two days ago showing the chances of getting Covid outside are basically zero. No one should wear a mask outside. I understand, people still will. I do when its cold.My gf sometimes keeps hers on IN THE CAR because she doesn't want to keep taking it off and putting it on smearing her makeup (eh). But many will continue to wear their masks outside for virtue signaling. We all know this. It's silly.


I'll wear my mask indoors because as Jmac said, I am not an asshole and will follow the rules of wherever I am at.

But I refuse to wear my mask outdoors because the science is and has been clear on this since at least June. And now that I'm vaccinated my chances of having Covid, being asymptomatic, and then giving you Covid from a 1-second walk by is INSANELY low, like getting hit by lightning twice in a day low. I won't be a sheep to some stupid game being played.


In any case, it appears within a month anyone who wants want will have at least one shot, which gives you around 80% protection, so all of these theater should be ending soon.

Unless we tattoo "vaccinated" on peoples' foreheads I agree with the Times that vaccinated people should play along with "the decent thing" until everyone has had the opportunity they have had. And once given that opportunity, hopefully most people will do "the decent thing" and get the shot. Because otherwise we will continue to have to assume the person next to us in line or having a "close conversation" is unvaccinated and potentially infectious and treat them as such if we want to do everything we can reasonably do to avoid infection.

Yes, I know the risk is small if you yourself are vaccinated. But you and people like you evidently find masks far more of an issue than I do. I've worn them when in the presence of infection for 50 years on the job. No big thing.

Why would you assume an unmasked person is unvaccinated when over 50% of Americans have had at least one shot?

Pedestrian, you appear to have placed Covid and whatever restrictions our governmental overlords (to include random NYT reporters) have decided as your new religion man.

You also constantly seem to think that everyone should think and act like you. Why would I act like someone who is 65+? Why would I act like someone who isn't vaccinated? It makes zero sense..

The longer we go through this pandemic the more the "TRUST SCIENCE" people become the conspiracy theorist and the rest of us become normal lol

Seems like a safe bet to me. I'd bet there's an extremely high correlation between anti-maskers and the anti-vaccine crowd.


I agree. The criteria for mask mandates should be based on objective measures related to the pandemic, and not based on setting an example. It's the same reason why it's dumb for states to drop mask mandates prematurely.

I think it is pretty safe to assume that the person not wanting to wear a mask indoors and making a stink about it is more likely to be the person who is not vaccinated and won't get vaccinated and thinks they're young and/or healthy and invincible to covid. They likely don't care if they happen to infect others and probably claim covid is still a hoax.

Most people who have gotten vaccinated are probably okay with still wearing a mask indoors because it really isn't a big deal. Most understand in this Country dumb asses are going to pretend it is a big deal and their freedoms have been violated at the thought that they still have to wear a mask indoors and will use the "I have been vaccinated" as an excuse not to wear one when they indeed have not been vaccinated. So it probably is good to keep wearing them inside for all until enough people have been vaccinated that it is no longer an issue.

We're probably only talking a couple more months at most... that is unless this out of control situation in India doesn't create a super variant...

From the Los Angeles Times:

California’s massive UC and Cal State systems plan to require COVID-19 vaccinations this fall

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Alex Harris, right, waits in line with a friend for COVID-19 vaccination at Cal State L.A. on April 9. The UC and Cal State systems announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will be required for students and staff.(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

By NINA AGRAWAL, TERESA WATANABE, COLLEEN SHALBY
APRIL 22, 2021 1:15 PM PT

The University of California and California State University announced Thursday that they intend to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff on campus properties this fall once the Food and Drug Administration gives formal approval to the vaccines and supplies are sufficiently available.

The directive is the largest of its kind in U.S. higher education, affecting more than 1 million members of the two public university systems. More than five dozen colleges nationwide have already announced they will require vaccination for enrollment this fall, including Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd in Claremont.

But UC and Cal State have not yet taken that step because of questions over the legality of requiring vaccines before they have been formally approved by the FDA. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are being distributed under emergency-use authorization, although health experts expect formal approval of at least one of them by the fall. The Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine is on pause due to concerns about blood clots.

As with other mandatory shots for measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox, the COVID-19 directive would allow for students or employees to seek an exemption based on medical or religious grounds.

“Together, the CSU and UC enroll and employ more than 1 million students and employees across 33 major university campuses, so this is the most comprehensive and consequential university plan for COVID-19 vaccines in the country,” said Cal State Chancellor Joseph I. Castro.

UC President Michael V. Drake, a physician, said that vaccinations are a “key step people can take to protect themselves, their friends and family, and our campus communities while helping bring the pandemic to an end.”

The two system leaders said they were making the announcement now to give students, families and employees ample time to plan their vaccinations before the fall terms begin. They will discuss the immunization plan with students, faculty and labor unions before any implementation.

“The state of California has been a leader in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, and Californians receiving a vaccine has led to significantly reducing the transmission of COVID-19 in our state,” Castro said. “Continued vigilance will further mitigate the spread of the disease that has radically altered our lives over the past year. We will continue to strongly encourage all members of our respective university communities to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as it is available to them.”

Both UC and Cal State plan for mostly in-person instruction and activities this fall, although the degree will vary by campus.

At Claremont McKenna College, President Hiram Chodosh announced this month that all students would be required to be fully vaccinated before returning to campus this fall. Those unvaccinated — exempted for medical or religious reasons, for instance — would be tested for the coronavirus twice a week. In addition, the campus plans “limited, infrequent, randomized community testing and sequencing to decipher any unexpected risk of resistant variants,” he said.

“It is now clear that a fully vaccinated community is the best way to reduce and eventually eliminate future restrictions on restoring our full in-person experience,” Chodosh said in his message to the campus community.

Vaccines are not required for K-12 schools because they are not yet approved for children under age 16.

In California, COVID-19 transmission and hospitalizations related to the virus are low and vaccinations are on the rise. More than 32% of the state has been fully vaccinated and more than 44% have had at least one dose, according to federal and state data. While those numbers continue to grow, a large chunk of the population has yet to get a shot.

Health experts believe that herd immunity — protection against the virus that occurs when a mass population has reached immunity through infection or vaccination — may be a long way off. But the idea of vaccine passports or requirements for vaccinations within certain spaces, such as school campuses or workplaces, could replicate that concept.

Some experts say that requiring vaccinations for students will make significant headway in containing the pandemic since young people at social gatherings have touched off COVID-19 spikes around USC and UC Berkeley, among other campuses.

While there has been no statewide or federal mandate ordering residents to get any emergency-authorized COVID-19 vaccine, there has been some indication already that a show of proof may be necessary at times. California recently allowed live indoor events and performances to occur for counties in the red, orange or yellow tiers. Evidence of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test are required for entry.

Link: https://www.latimes.com/california/s...ions-this-fall

I wholeheartedly support requiring vaccinations to return to Universities :tup:

Covid rates are coming down in Illinois. I’m pretty sure it’s the vaccine.

Science and rationality works.

Fear, fear porn, and partisanship masquerading as science doesn’t.

I also hope they become necessary to board an airplane too. Either by the airlines or required by countries for international travel. I wouldn't mind it for domestic flights too.

So crazy watching all this, I can't believe kids still aren't back in school.

I'd say about 1 in 200 people in public places are wearing masks here - restaurants and bars are packed, offices full, public transport back at capacity.

I know we had to cut ourselves off from the world to do it but it's not so bad.

You've worn them for years because you chose to work in medicine so they come with the territory.

Like I said, I wear a mask where required or encouraged which should fall under your 'decent thing' qualification by simply not acting like an entitled child but you (and that NYT Op-Ed) lose me where we should wear them to virtue signal in an attempt normalize them as a new aspect of our culture.

While I agree that wearing masks outside is pretty damn silly, I still wear one, but not to virtue signal, it's because everyone else in my neighborhood does so, and I'm scared to be the first one to de-mask and risk my neighbors thinking of me as a self-centered jag-off.

Hopefully with these new official reports of just how silly outdoor mask wearing is most of the time, we'll see a change up here in Lincoln square. I really think we're at the point now where no one wants to be the first one to jump into the pool out of fear of judgement.


Maybe I need to go into the t-shirt business.

It could say:



Might be a big seller this summer in chicago.