PT: Covid positivity rate drops below 5% nationally.

[huskypantz]

My wife teaches in West Haven - last Thursday they had 15 teachers out, multiple busses and classrooms quarantined (again), and were remote on Friday. They are back in today, but it as been a clown show of sporadic closures / quarantines. Still better to try than to stay remote, but anyone that says it doesn't spread in the schools is either not living in reality or living in places where everyone has money and can manage social distancing better.

Getting the teachers vaccinated by the end of March will be HUGE!

My niece is a teacher in the town next to us, just got her J&J shot.

 

[huskypantz]

Similar.
Kids have been in school all year. Biggest outbreak of the students came in early November and was traced to some Halloween parties.
First half of the year the kids had to carry a plastic shield to put up around their desks. That went away in January. A few teachers and staff have come down the 'rona but nothing serious.
I've been to plenty of restaurants and bars with outside seating and a few with inside seating where spacing out was not an issue.

We had a few positives just before thanksgiving and our group went remote for two weeks. That’s been it. We’ve also been eating out every other week (indoor dining). Fingers crossed but after a scary December it’s been a stark contrast.

 

[Palatine]

Not that anyone is counting but the national positivity rate is now under 4%. That took a month. There are still 5 and a half months to kick off. I know this is a somewhat bizzare way to think about it. But to me, a normal football season would signal normalcy in America. We are administering between two and three million doses of vaccine a day. There are about 160 days to the end of August. That would get us pretty darn close to full vaccination. And the vaxes seem to be protecting people from the variants.

So keep you fingers crossed and stay optimistic. Other positive signs of note. The seven day average of new cases (per day) dropped from a high 250,000 in the middle of January to a current number below 60,000.

In roughly the same time period the seven day average of deaths (per day) went from 3,400+ to just over 1000+.

Those numbers are not good. But they are better and trending the right way. I may buy season tickets in April.

 

[Bomber36]

Rising Covid-19 cases in some states highlight 'precarious position' as variants build up in U.S.

What’s occurring could be the start of what experts had warned about: localized springtime Covid-19 outbreaks that, while not on the scale of the winter surges, will lead to more people getting sick.

www.statnews.com

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Not that anyone is counting but the national positivity rate is now under 4%. That took a month. There are still 5 and a half months to kick off. I know this is a somewhat bizzare way to think about it. But to me, a normal football season would signal normalcy in America. We are administering between two and three million doses of vaccine a day. There are about 160 days to the end of August. That would get us pretty darn close to full vaccination. And the vaxes seem to be protecting people from the variants.

So keep you fingers crossed and stay optimistic. Other positive signs of note. The seven day average of new cases (per day) dropped from a high 250,000 in the middle of January to a current number below 60,000.

In roughly the same time period the seven day average of deaths (per day) went from 3,400+ to just over 1000+.

Those numbers are not good. But they are better and trending the right way. I may buy season tickets in April.

CMON MAN YOU’RE JINXING IT THIRD WAVE AND ITS GOING TO BE ALL YOUR FAULT

 

[UCFBfan]

Not that anyone is counting but the national positivity rate is now under 4%. That took a month. There are still 5 and a half months to kick off. I know this is a somewhat bizzare way to think about it. But to me, a normal football season would signal normalcy in America. We are administering between two and three million doses of vaccine a day. There are about 160 days to the end of August. That would get us pretty darn close to full vaccination. And the vaxes seem to be protecting people from the variants.

So keep you fingers crossed and stay optimistic. Other positive signs of note. The seven day average of new cases (per day) dropped from a high 250,000 in the middle of January to a current number below 60,000.

In roughly the same time period the seven day average of deaths (per day) went from 3,400+ to just over 1000+.

Those numbers are not good. But they are better and trending the right way. I may buy season tickets in April.

Unfortunately there are too many people who don't think they need to get the vaccine and it's going to hinder major progress. However, seeing the numbers drop is great to see. Fingers crossed that this fall can bring an uninterrupted football season!

 

[freescooter]

Unfortunately there are too many people who don't think they need to get the vaccine and it's going to hinder major progress. However, seeing the numbers drop is great to see. Fingers crossed that this fall can bring an uninterrupted football season!

Dropping mostly but seeing upticks some places. And this shows how perspective is everything. New cases in the 50-60,000 rate seems pretty good news now. Those levels were considered awful last spring...

But if people would just suck it up, stop making common sense minor inconvenience a political statement, get vaccines, this can be reduced to the Equivalent of a bad cold by summer. Once you are vaccinated, even If you get it, you feel lousy for a couple of days, then recover.

 

[Exit 4]

There will be some ups and downs as we get this country vaccinated... I’m pretty confident we’ll get to about 80% by mid summer and that ought to do us well. The interim ups and downs right now are just talking points for the politicians and talking heads with their angles and agendas.

 

[DoctorWho85]

Florida and Texas will be the reason the rest of the country gets screwed if they don't get their collective crap together.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

We went to two parks yesterday, and the difference in community approach was stark. Both parks were busy, as you would want and expect on a beautiful day. Walnut Hill Park in New Britain, almost everyone had a mask on unless they were running.

In contrast, Norton Park in Plainville, I saw two masks out of maybe 200 people. Playground was packed as were most of the picnic tables. Not a mask in sight in those areas. It seems that section of town has declared the pandemic over.

The rate of vaccination is strong in Connecticut. They are doing a great job. Hopefully, it is enough to get us over the hump. Stay safe, everyone.

 

[npignatjr]

Unfortunately there are too many people who don't think they need to get the vaccine and it's going to hinder major progress. However, seeing the numbers drop is great to see. Fingers crossed that this fall can bring an uninterrupted football season!

So called herd immunity is reached when a combination of those vaccinated and have already had the virus is at 60%. You mean Alabama didn't win the NC. Or Tampa the SB?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Florida and Texas will be the reason the rest of the country gets screwed if they don't get their collective crap together.

Define collective crap together.

There isn't much of a difference in the top 8-10 most populous states for vaccinations per 100k or total percent of population vaccinated.

Texas is lagging a bit in percent vaccinated- a percent or two below the rest.

NY, CA, FL, OH, GA, VA, etc are all in the same range.

 

[Palatine]

Define collective crap together.

There isn't much of a difference in the top 8-10 most populous states for vaccinations per 100k or total percent of population vaccinated.

Texas is lagging a bit in percent vaccinated- a percent or two below the rest.

NY, CA, FL, OH, GA, VA, etc are all in the same range.

The most interesting thing is Florida is in the middle of the pack (mid twenties of all states) for cases and deaths per million even though they have had very liberal policies on openings and crowd sizes.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Florida and Texas will be the reason the rest of the country gets screwed if they don't get their collective crap together.

I’d much rather take a vacation in Florida or Texas now than in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts or California. The states still under lock down still have no herd immunity.

 

[UCFBfan]

I’d much rather take a vacation in Florida or Texas now than in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts or California. The states still under lock down still have no herd immunity.

I think it's funny how people don't understand that herd immunity doesn't work by having one place or state reach a percentage vaccinated. Do you think that once Florida or Texas hit some number that no one will ever intermingle with others out of state? You only reach herd immunity when the whole reaches it. As it is, we as a country could reach it but it won't fully be a success because the rest of the world is still ravaged by it and it is still spreading and mutating

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Florida has been cooking the books for months.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Florida has been cooking the books for months.

So you believe CDC has been incompetent and local and national media have been asleep at the wheel??

You honestly believe bodies are piling up at morgues and no one noticed it?

 

[Chin Diesel]

The most interesting thing is Florida is in the middle of the pack (mid twenties of all states) for cases and deaths per million even though they have had very liberal policies on openings and crowd sizes.

Nothing amazing. It's a bit of sausage making and random distribution.

After a year everyone who understands science should realize Covid is spreading and being contained independent of state policy.

States have chosen drastically different vaccination priorities yet cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have gone down in all states.

 

[UCFBfan]

No matter anyone's views, even if they are the wrong views , we can all agree that numbers are going down and hopefully it continues that way. The bottom line with this thread is that we want to be able to have a season without interruption in both football and basketball. We want to be able to safely have fans in the stands in higher numbers than we had this past season.

Let's hope we can all see that happen come fall. The work must continue now and into the summer for that to remain the reality we see it being right now.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Florida has been cooking the books for months.

I think you’re cooking with LSD.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I think it's funny how people don't understand that herd immunity doesn't work by having one place or state reach a percentage vaccinated. Do you think that once Florida or Texas hit some number that no one will ever intermingle with others out of state? You only reach herd immunity when the whole reaches it. As it is, we as a country could reach it but it won't fully be a success because the rest of the world is still ravaged by it and it is still spreading and mutating

If you think herd immunity has much to do with vaccines, then I have a bridge to sell you. It’s a natural process. There were no vaccines in 1920 when the Spanish flu finally died out, and keep in mind, at its height, the Spanish Flu made COVID-19 look like a pool party and it definitely did not discriminate according to age or pre existing conditions, yet herd immunity was eventually reached.

 

[DoctorWho85]

If you think herd immunity has much to do with vaccines, then I have a bridge to sell you. It’s a natural process. There were no vaccines in 1920 when the Spanish flu finally died out, and keep in mind, at its height, the Spanish Flu made COVID-19 look like a pool party and it definitely did not discriminate according to age or pre existing conditions, yet herd immunity was eventually reached.

You're failing to take into consideration that the Spanish Flu was just another strain of the flu. And it killed more people because, like Texas and Florida, people did not take it seriously. COVID-19 has shown that even after recovery, there is still long term side effects from the virus. Herd immunity is achieved at a much more rapid pace with vaccines. Only side effect of the vaccine is thousands of lives saved. You clearly have zero knowledge of science outside of google.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

You clearly have zero knowledge of science outside of google.

I worked in the health care industry in R&D for 30 years before retiring 2 summers ago. You should be inoculated against spreading viral misinformation on a college sports fan board. Have a great day!!!

 

[Marbles90]

cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have gone down in all states.

Michigan is holding on line 2 (check their updated numbers).

As for Florida, everyone thinks it is the Wild Wild West just because the state is not closing and restricting. I just got back from spending most of the winter down there (working remotely so might as well be in warm weather). Everything is open and people are free to go out but that does not mean they are not wearing masks and being cautious. Every business is requiring masks and social distancing.

People by nature are going to do what they as individuals are comfortable with. If they are comfortable gathering, they will. If the state restricts where they can gather they will do it in their homes. If people do not feel safe, they won't go out. It was nice being in FL where I could decide for myself what I felt comfortable doing and not the state telling me what I can and cannot do. And as others have pointed out, the FL numbers have not been any better or worse than states that have strict restrictions.

 

[Palatine]

Nothing amazing. It's a bit of sausage making and random distribution.
After a year everyone who understands science should realize Covid is spreading and being contained independent of state policy.
States have chosen drastically different vaccination priorities yet cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have gone down in all states.

It may not be amazing but it is counter to what Fauci and the CDC has told us for over a year -- that lockdowns have an effect. At the very least it is something that should be explored. There doesn't seem to be any correlation between strict lockdowns and the progression of infections.

At this point, there has been so much disinformation and just plain bad guesses that a scientifically agnostic group should do the post mortem. Just over a year ago Fauci told us we didn't need masks, now he's wearing two. He should be nowhere near the group that tells us what actually happened.