Big East Cancels Non-Conference Fall Schedule

[Alydar]

Its a crazy virus. The virus kills a large percentage of people over 60 but very few under the age of 30. Add to that that the flu kills more people under 30 and is also very contagious. There is a flu vaccaine but as many of us know there are many different kinds of flu and the vaccine doesnt work 100%.

I do beleive we have to find a way to get the kids back to school and adults back to work. Working from home works for many but still kids need to grow and mature and not going to school does not accomplish that. With that said kids need to be safe. IMO get the kids back to school IF the virus truly is not as contagious as we origionally thought. If it is a small risk that the kids get it then it is no more contagious then the flu.

[ ]

So I would think that by having the kids back in college away from their parents would be less of a risk of the parents contacting the virus from their kids. The parents could be more safe. If the kids contact the virus in college then they will be treated and released. The question is can the kids tranmit it to their friends like the flu? If its not a matter of everybody dying then I say start school. Kids get sick all the time. Kids get the flu. If for kids this is no more dangerous then the flu then open classes.

Not wanting to disagree but tell me Tony, if you were a 60+ year old teacher would you feel safe in a room/building filled with sneezing, coughing youngsters who you witness paying little attention to cautionary behavior?

World wide, 9% of the resolved cases (either recovery or death) have died.

 

[donalddoowop]

Not wanting to disagree but tell me Tony, if you were a 60+ year old teacher would you feel safe in a room/building filled with sneezing, coughing youngsters who you witness paying little attention to cautionary behavior?

World wide, 9% of the resolved cases (either recovery or death) have died.

Maybe I am a little dense but would you please explain that last sentence?

 

[Alydar]

Maybe I am a little dense but would you please explain that last sentence?

Sure. All the stats being tossed around it gets confusing. First, flu deaths are estimated. It's extremely rare for anyone to have "influenza" on the death cert as the cause. The CDC estimates the number and comparing it to an actual count of covid deaths is a mistake.

9.1 million resolved cases (total cases minus active cases equals resolved cases) divided by 600 thousand deaths equals 6.6%, which is the percentage of people who die after contracting the virus. This is lower than I said due to me saying world rather than the US. The world-wise numbers are much less acurate than the US.

In the US the numbers are 3.8 million total cases and 1.9 of those are active, right about 50%. Of the 1.9 million resolved cases there have been 140 thousand deaths. 140 divided by 1.9 million gives 7.4 percent.

These percents have dropped over the last few days. I think a lot more of the cases are being listed as recovered than last time I looked a few days ago. My point is that if you avoid catching the virus your survival rate is excellent (100%) but if you catch the bug you are a lot more likely to die than the 0.5% numbers I keep reading.

Like many others with lots of time I have followed this disease closely since January when our leaders told us it was no worse than a bad cold and there was no need to wear masks or to test anyone. I don't trust any of the numbers. This is like war where truth is the first casualty. We were told we didn't need masks because our government never stockpiled any so there were no masks. Did anyone expect them to say they screwed up? I bought a couple of boxes of paper masks last year for my allergy attacks. 100 masks cost me about $12. Yesterday I was in a convenience store and the price of one of those masks was $5.00. What a country we live in!

United States COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer

United States Coronavirus update with statistics and graphs: total and new cases, deaths per day, mortality and recovery rates, current active cases, recoveries, trends and timeline.

www.worldometers.info

 

[Dokey]

Here’s a modest solution for UConn WBB.
First, play only conference games.
Second, each team plays only home games
Looking this over I have a feeling there could be a problem here.
Have fun, folks, and stay safe.

 

[Hope]

I hate to say it, but Covid 19 is here for a significant period of time....the season should and probably will be cancelled. Is the health of the kids and personnel worth it?.....I don't think so.
Who could possibly know where college kids go....and possibly bring virus home to family. $ is the only reason the conferences are maneuvering. I would not allow my daughter to play. Give the kids the option to play the additional year. Grad school should be attractive to many. Yes, we will lose some to the pros, but gambling with people's lives is a no-no. I am a big husky fan and want to see the girls together, so I guess I am just a concerned senior.

If you do, in fact, have a daughter who has a scholarship to play WCBB, I don't think that you could prevent her from playing. Yeah, I "hate to say it", but it's her life and the 2 of you should sit down and weigh the pros and cons. Don't let your fear become an obstacle to her success and life-long dream of playing basketball.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Not wanting to disagree but tell me Tony, if you were a 60+ year old teacher would you feel safe in a room/building filled with sneezing, coughing youngsters who you witness paying little attention to cautionary behavior?

World wide, 9% of the resolved cases (either recovery or death) have died.

Resolved cases have two outcomes: recovered or died. The numbers depend on the number of cases actually tested positive. With many in the population who have exhibited ZERO symptoms, the number of positive, actual cases is unknowable, but that is NOT bad news. Those who show no symptoms also have little shedding of the virus, therefore they are a minor vector for the disease.

I recently did the "deep dive" into the CoViD-19 data available from around the globe for my Master's course in Biochemistry, of peer-reviewed research and clinical studies that were also peer-reviewed. Each report of the 50+ reports and articles that specifically mentioned the age group 19 and below stated that ZERO evidence was observed in those age 19 and below spread the virus to anyone in their homes or to their grandparents. The only person below the age of 19 who died in the United States was a child who had the co-morbidity of diabetes. [The co-morbidities that are frequently mentioned in the news, but never explained are: 1) diabetes; 2) obesity; and 3) COPD/emphysema/previous lung damage (smoking/vaping) - kind of a complicated 3rd category, not of my personal making]

As I AM going to be teaching face-to-face this fall for dual credit calculus-based Physics [Classical Mechanics], dual credit Chemistry, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, and General Chemistry, it will be the countermeasures against spread of CoViD-19 being used to protect ALL of the children that will also protect those teachers like me who will be over the age of 60 this year and following years.

With 50 million tests being taken in the US, which is 15% of the US population, the death rate (if the tests are only one per person for the # tested {may not be a good assumption - a story for another time} that means the death rate is NOT 9%. When scaled using proper mathematical statistics {with no spin, because I have "skin in this game" - the game of life} the actual death rate is 0.5047%. This death rate is about 5 times the death rate of the 2018-2019 common flu (no coronavirus that year), and the bigger issue is the R-naught which is about three times the common flu rate. R-naught deals with how many people tend to have the virus spread to them via one infected person.

That all being said, my bigger concern is the introduction of visiting fans of sports being the vector of infection. No worries to be back in the classroom teaching chemistry and physics, as cleaning the classroom will be part of the curriculum, as well as presenting the CoViD-19 lesson plan that I developed to minimize fear among the students, as fear is a tremendous immune suppressant. A major portion of the lesson is the Icelandic CoViD-19 report - no spin there as well.

No fear! No worries!

Stay healthy, my friends!

 

[dogged1]

Resolved cases have two outcomes: recovered or died. The numbers depend on the number of cases actually tested positive. With many in the population who have exhibited ZERO symptoms, the number of positive, actual cases is unknowable, but that is NOT bad news. Those who show no symptoms also have little shedding of the virus, therefore they are a minor vector for the disease.

I recently did the "deep dive" into the CoViD-19 data available from around the globe for my Master's course in Biochemistry, of peer-reviewed research and clinical studies that were also peer-reviewed. Each report of the 50+ reports and articles that specifically mentioned the age group 19 and below stated that ZERO evidence was observed in those age 19 and below spread the virus to anyone in their homes or to their grandparents. The only person below the age of 19 who died in the United States was a child who had the co-morbidity of diabetes. [The co-morbidities that are frequently mentioned in the news, but never explained are: 1) diabetes; 2) obesity; and 3) COPD/emphysema/previous lung damage (smoking/vaping) - kind of a complicated 3rd category, not of my personal making]

As I AM going to be teaching face-to-face this fall for dual credit calculus-based Physics [Classical Mechanics], dual credit Chemistry, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, and General Chemistry, it will be the countermeasures against spread of CoViD-19 being used to protect ALL of the children that will also protect those teachers like me who will be over the age of 60 this year and following years.

With 50 million tests being taken in the US, which is 15% of the US population, the death rate (if the tests are only one per person for the # tested {may not be a good assumption - a story for another time} that means the death rate is NOT 9%. When scaled using proper mathematical statistics {with no spin, because I have "skin in this game" - the game of life} the actual death rate is 0.5047%. This death rate is about 5 times the death rate of the 2018-2019 common flu (no coronavirus that year), and the bigger issue is the R-naught which is about three times the common flu rate. R-naught deals with how many people tend to have the virus spread to them via one infected person.

That all being said, my bigger concern is the introduction of visiting fans of sports being the vector of infection. No worries to be back in the classroom teaching chemistry and physics, as cleaning the classroom will be part of the curriculum, as well as presenting the CoViD-19 lesson plan that I developed to minimize fear among the students, as fear is a tremendous immune suppressant. A major portion of the lesson is the Icelandic CoViD-19 report - no spin there as well.

No fear! No worries!

Stay healthy, my friends!

WOW, I thoughtful, fact and research based post on CoVID, without an underlying political message.
Well done sir. well done indeed.
The fact that you are also a teacher gives me hope.
1,000 likes.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

WOW, I thoughtful, fact and research based post on CoVID, without an underlying political message.
Well done sir. well done indeed.
The fact that you are also a teacher gives me hope.
1,000 likes.

Thanks for the 1000 likes!

We are removing attendance incentives that would make students want to be in class for fear of failing behind, instead of staying home when they are sick [CoViD or otherwise]. We are putting in place simultaneous streaming of classes while those who can be in class will be in class, and those who are out: quarantined/or just ill with other things will have the opportunity to watch on-line and contribute to the conversation via chat. Each class will now be block schedule, so only three transitions between classrooms will be required with staggered dismissals to avoid over-crowding in the hallways, and masks while in motion. Plus multiple other precautions for safety of "our family" of students, teachers, and staff.

It will be vital to maintain positive communication between students-teachers-parent-administration as we go forward.

Personally [for my chemistry and physics classes], those who can stay after school for help sessions in person will assist in building short 2 - 5 min videos on key information that was difficult for them or their friends/team mates to be posted at the end of the day via my YouTube channel to improve the entire class's ability to problem solve. Most of our high performing students are involved in sports, drama, student council, clubs, academic competitions, etc. so there is a high percentage of students who are not available for help sessions, and the YouTube channel will most likely fill up rapidly.....

Again, the goal is NOT to think like me, but have them think for themselves. When students come back to the High School to thank me for "launching them correctly" and are successful in college and launching their careers - sometimes in three years of college they are in a Master's program - I invite them to talk to my current classes. They are much more impactful in a positive way than any pep talk than I can give, because they are positive examples of "embracing the process" and achieving great success on the path that THEY are meant to go.

 

[Steelerone]

It might be stupid to open Disney for a bunch of reasons. Time will tell. They also won’t be getting much in the way of visitors who are too far away to drive there and pretty much no foreign visitors. And when my kids were about middle school age we went there this time of year and it was brutally hot..

To paraphrase the old, and oh so true adage, the answer to any of your questions is money.

 

[cohenzone]

Resolved cases have two outcomes: recovered or died. The numbers depend on the number of cases actually tested positive. With many in the population who have exhibited ZERO symptoms, the number of positive, actual cases is unknowable, but that is NOT bad news. Those who show no symptoms also have little shedding of the virus, therefore they are a minor vector for the disease.

I recently did the "deep dive" into the CoViD-19 data available from around the globe for my Master's course in Biochemistry, of peer-reviewed research and clinical studies that were also peer-reviewed. Each report of the 50+ reports and articles that specifically mentioned the age group 19 and below stated that ZERO evidence was observed in those age 19 and below spread the virus to anyone in their homes or to their grandparents. The only person below the age of 19 who died in the United States was a child who had the co-morbidity of diabetes. [The co-morbidities that are frequently mentioned in the news, but never explained are: 1) diabetes; 2) obesity; and 3) COPD/emphysema/previous lung damage (smoking/vaping) - kind of a complicated 3rd category, not of my personal making]

As I AM going to be teaching face-to-face this fall for dual credit calculus-based Physics [Classical Mechanics], dual credit Chemistry, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, and General Chemistry, it will be the countermeasures against spread of CoViD-19 being used to protect ALL of the children that will also protect those teachers like me who will be over the age of 60 this year and following years.

With 50 million tests being taken in the US, which is 15% of the US population, the death rate (if the tests are only one per person for the # tested {may not be a good assumption - a story for another time} that means the death rate is NOT 9%. When scaled using proper mathematical statistics {with no spin, because I have "skin in this game" - the game of life} the actual death rate is 0.5047%. This death rate is about 5 times the death rate of the 2018-2019 common flu (no coronavirus that year), and the bigger issue is the R-naught which is about three times the common flu rate. R-naught deals with how many people tend to have the virus spread to them via one infected person.

That all being said, my bigger concern is the introduction of visiting fans of sports being the vector of infection. No worries to be back in the classroom teaching chemistry and physics, as cleaning the classroom will be part of the curriculum, as well as presenting the CoViD-19 lesson plan that I developed to minimize fear among the students, as fear is a tremendous immune suppressant. A major portion of the lesson is the Icelandic CoViD-19 report - no spin there as well.

No fear! No worries!

Stay healthy, my friends!

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.

 

[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.