Big East Cancels Non-Conference Fall Schedule

[dogged1]

So, my son is a college prof whose university hasn’t fully decided on how to handle class. Some will likely be in person, some remote. He also does field scientific research with grad students that make distancing sometimes hard. His 16 year old daughter, while otherwise healthy, has some ongoing lung issues stemming from a 9 week premature birth. His wife is a speech therapist working in an inner city school system with many students coming from populations most often affected by the virus. The present corona situation in their area is relatively well controlled at the moment, but not nonexistent.

I’m sure he, in his late forties, is far less worried about himself than he is about what he might bring back home. He is very careful right now, but viruses are sly little critters. I’m also sure a bunch of teachers have similar concerns. The school systems have to be exceptionally prudent about whether or how to open. My attitude toward this is the same as it is toward actuarial insurance stats. Nobody I know lives an actuarial life and while stats have some relevance, handling the risk appropriately can’t be completely stat driven.

I hear the concern for your family, and I agree that your son and you should make the decisions that affect your family for yourselves.
But, I don't think that @The CDR-Ret was implying you shouldn't. All he did was state what his research had revealed, and his current working conditions at school.
I will mildly disagree with your final thought. In a case like this, public health policy should be driven only by science and statistics. The greatest good for the greatest number. When we think that the science or stats are flawed or that the public policy puts us or family at risk then we opt out and stay home.

 

[cohenzone]

I hear the concern for your family, and I agree that your son and you should make the decisions that affect your family for yourselves.
But, I don't think that @The CDR-Ret was implying you shouldn't. All he did was state what his research had revealed, and his current working conditions at school.
I will mildly disagree with your final thought. In a case like this, public health policy should be driven only by science and statistics. The greatest good for the greatest number. When we think that the science or stats are flawed or that the public policy puts us or family at risk then we opt out and stay home.

It’s actually I think, a bit more complicated. I’m not sure that CDR-RET is arguing otherwise anyway. The virus is a tricky sucker. I agree that the stats should be taken into account. But also not treated as if a favorable stat means you don’t have to account for the virus. Schools are trying hard to figure out the safest way forward without having to make a lot of special case exceptions. Most school districts I think, and some I know for sure, have alternative plans for how teaching can be conducted. The data definitely plays a part. Some politicians have behaved as if you can just open by fiat without taking the science and data into account. That seems to be dying down some as common sense takes over.

Sports are a whole other thing. Few sports can be played without close contact and sweat flying. Things just aren’t “normal” right now as much as we’d all like them to be.

It’s pretty clear that one person, even a young person, can start a chain of transmission affecting a lot of people far beyond the original point of contact. My wife and I are technically in high risk categories, she especially. But we haven’t been hermits, just doing the masking and distancing things. It’s great if schools, and businesses for that matter, can function close to the good old ways, Dropping the guard because stats might make things seem a bit less bleak, until, hopefully, we have a reliable vaccine, seems not the way go. I presume that CDR-RET isn’t suggesting that.

 

[Jimdish255]

Playing any sport has major implications upon more than just the athletes involved. Especially in football the numbers and large support staff make it difficult to implement procedures that account for the unknown. But in football as well as the other sports, if we're focusing on the health and safety of the athletes, it's foolish to assume they will be safer out of the bubble's strict rules and with extra time on their hands. They are social kids who will find a way to interact together. This doesn't really give guidance as to what to do. That ends up being a tug of war between conference leadership, network execs, donors and risk managers. I do think basketball with all teams adhering to a consistent protocol could manage it safely but there is no 100% on either side of the fence.