Saturday, February 20, 2021

CoViD-19: US Can't Keep Up With Sequencing | Dems To The Rescue For Texas | Youth Sports Rant | Make A Cheap Air Filter |

Ficus, Strawberry, & Kiwi on their blankets, towels, and heating pads.
I hate sharing interior pics, but it's ok for #LoveYourPetDay (Taken 11.27.2021)

I am not always a good person. I experience my share of shadenfreude or deep feelings of 'good riddance' when certain media figures or politicians kick the bucket and sometimes even hope for it when I hear people like Mitch speak or I read rulings by Clarence or wonder why Donny is even still in the news. I'm a bad person, but I still think they are worse. 

In that vein, it's easy to look abstractly at Texas and think about how just a few months ago, some trucks tried to run a Biden bus off the road or how California was not only criticized, but mocked for blackouts and fires. But someone posted a meaningful tweet that really hit me that basically highlighted the fact that Biden won New York in the 2020 election with 5,230,985 votes. Joe Biden lost Texas with 5,259,126 votes. Around 29,000 more Texans voted for Biden than New Yorkers. Considering voter suppression and gerrymandering and legislative bullying in the state for so long, it isn't hard to envision a blue future for the state (and let's face it...most states who've had the same kind of suppression and gerrymandering.) I've had the good fortune of traveling to Austin on three separate occasions and obviously it was amazing and I have more friends in Texas than I realized who all suffered immensely this past week, not to even mention the dozens of people who died or will die due to circumstances resulting from the past week's weather. Watching AOC and Beto and even Bethenny Frankel step up with their fundraising and direct aid has been inspiring, and I'm not gonna lie, makes me feel like a total asshole. 

As for other things going on, I'm feeling much better (thanks to those who reached out.) I'm thinking it had less to do with exposure to anything and more about late night habits and vices, even though it's been a few days since we had a tequila night around here. 
The last thing on my mind, of course, is school and youth sports reopenings. I think we're pretty clear for Nova's school returning, but if that measurement of community spread keeps moving, I'm gonna have to use my best judgment when we think it's okay for her to be in a classroom again, and for how long, and what mitigation would have to take place for us to feel comfortable (Do you remember what it's like to spend time around middle school boys?). And the same would be true for sports, though I think that she's given up on soccer forever and is on the fence about competitive derby, which is probably still a long way off from returning anyway. So today's post won't just be data and articles, but a few threads that got my attention last night. I'll catch ya on the flip. Stay safe out there.
Before all of my data links, I had a lot to say about the Youth Sports/School Reopening thing, but I'm kinda tired about talking about it. But after reading parts of the "Minute Order" on NBC 7/39 (Judge's Order Clears Way for Return of Youth Sports written by my pal Eric Page on 2/19) I just want to say WHO THE HELL IS REPRESENTING THE STATE? Were they even trying to win the case or defend their position? Dr. Gandhi was the expert on behalf of the high school kids and while obviously she's a brilliant doctor and has been all over news and media during this pandemic, she's spent her career in AIDS research, and has very strong views against any messaging that is absolute or preaches abstinence because of human behavior. But the state really only said that the ban should stand because there are more teams in high school than college and pro which means more community spread, and because college students and pros are "more mature". 

It feels like all they really had to do was present data on how many college/pro games were canceled or rescheduled, how many players tested positive, how many around them had to quarantine, and if they spread any cases to households including cases and deaths. They could've cut together video of all the collegiate athletes, pros, and coaches, and fans, who take off their masks to yell, cheer, hug, wear under their noses, and show that it doesn't matter the rules and mitigations, stupid people don't always follow them. Instead, now they have this stupid judgment that also allows indoor sports when we already know how that works out based on the wrestling tournament study (CDC MMWR 1/29).

I'm not a lawyer (I have to say that even though you obviously know that,) but whoever is repping the state and county health departments is not doing an adequate job, just like the dumb arguments (or lack thereof) during the restaurant case. So dumb. I'm sure I'll have more to say on this one, too but I lost a couple hours because we finally went shopping for the first time in a few weeks. I'll leave there /rant.
Posted by Rosemary Bystrak at Saturday, February 20, 2021
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