D&D and the rising pandemic

[Scars Unseen]

My ex-wife was asking if I would plan a trip to take my daughter to visit family back in the US (I currently live in Japan). I honestly wish I could, since it would allow me to visit some dear friends and maybe even get some D&D time in, but especially since my family is in Texas... absolutely not. Not until the pandemic is actually over, and I thanks to people like Abbot and people who buy into their bunk, I have zero confidence that's going to happen anytime soon.

 

[Zardnaar]

My ex-wife was asking if I would plan a trip to take my daughter to visit family back in the US (I currently live in Japan). I honestly wish I could, since it would allow me to visit some dear friends and maybe even get some D&D time in, but especially since my family is in Texas... absolutely not. Not until the pandemic is actually over, and I thanks to people like Abbot and people who buy into their bunk, I have zero confidence that's going to happen anytime soon.

Tony Abbot?

 

[Scars Unseen]

Tony Abbot?

The very same (oops at misspelling Abbott, the governor of Texas).

 

[Zardnaar]

The very same (oops at misspelling Abbott, the governor of Texas).

I'm a bit vague on the intricacies of Aussie and Canadian political types but figured it was him.

 

[Scars Unseen]

I'm a bit vague on the intricacies of Aussie and Canadian political types but figured it was him.

Just to clarify, I was joking in that last response. My post was referring to Greg Abbott, the current governor of the great plaguelands of Texas. In retrospect, I'm wondering if we should just ban all Abbotts to be safe.

 

[Zardnaar]

Just to clarify, I was joking in that last response. My post was referring to Greg Abbott, the current governor of the great plaguelands of Texas. In retrospect, I'm wondering if we should just ban all Abbotts to be safe.

Ah rgr got it derp. Just been slumming it in the land of the long white sheep erm cloud.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

So in my news today, we have a close friend of the family who can't get a port put in for their cancer treatment because that's an elective treatment, and they can't do any elective surgeries due to staff and room shortages due to COVID.

It sucks, because I hear people talk about "elective" procedures like it's plastic surgery, but it's not. This has profound ripple effects throughout the healthcare system.

(For that matter, one of my partner's good friends is a nurse that lives in a major city. He quit his job last month because he couldn't take another wave.)

 

[Cadence]

When you spend quite a while rearranging the University classroom of 54 desks you'll be using (30 or so for the COVID Capacity, 15 or so labeled not to use to allow for spatial distancing, and 4 that would be over regular capacity) to have actual spacing... only to find out afterwards that there isn't supposed to be any spatial distancing and the stickers should come off those 15.

Glad my class is only up to 25 live and is taped for the rest (or those of the 25 who want to watch from home).

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As far as the K-12 schools - apparently our district isn't offering a virtual option because the state says we can only have 5% in the district virtual and it would be a nightmare fighting off lawsuits about who got in and who didn't, and we don't have new ventilation systems because why would that be in a budget. (Of note, we've known for a long time the state budget proviso said we couldn't have a mask requirement. As for the budget, the state apparently has a $1.7 billion surplus somehow - I'm guessing they'll push for tax cuts).

 

[Ryujin]

When you spend quite a while rearranging the University classroom of 54 desks you'll be using (30 or so for the COVID Capacity, 15 or so labeled not to use to allow for spatial distancing, and 4 that would be over regular capacity) to have actual spacing... only to find out afterwards that there isn't supposed to be any spatial distancing and the stickers should come off those 15.

Glad my class is only up to 25 live and is taped for the rest (or those of the 25 who want to watch from home).

----

As far as the K-12 schools - apparently our district isn't offering a virtual option because the state says we can only have 5% in the district virtual and it would be a nightmare fighting off lawsuits about who got in and who didn't, and we don't have new ventilation systems because why would that be in a budget. (Of note, we've known for a long time the state budget proviso said we couldn't have a mask requirement. As for the budget, the state apparently has a $1.7 billion surplus somehow - I'm guessing they'll push for tax cuts).

At this point it sounds like the only in person classes we'll be having, are likely to be the ones that require labs. There are some regulatory organization tests that require in person invigilating, too, but that seems to be about all we know at this point about classes. One other thing we know is that staff/faculty/students will be required to divulge their vaccination status. Double vaccinated and you're clear to come on campus. Not vaccinated or refuse to divulge, and you're going to be tested. No idea what the "divulge" means at this point (official documentation or just a personal attestation), but that's the lay of the land for Fall semester.

 

[Umbran]

At this point it sounds like the only in person class we'll be having, are likely to be the ones that require labs. There are some regulatory organization tests that require in person invigilating, too, but that seems to be about all we know at this point about classes.

My wife is a veterinarian. Done with school, but requires Continuing Education every year.

The state has not significantly changed the CE requirements to fit the current situation. There is plenty of online CE available, but, the state only allows a limited amount of that to count. For the rest, the CE must be "interactive" - the student must be able to ask questions or otherwise interact with the speakers. Normally, this isn't a problem. She just goes to a conference once a year to pick up her CE...

The conference she'd normally go to is in three weeks. In Florida. And the organizers can't even bring themselves to require masks! While they had a virtual conference last year, not this year^*. My wife has had to hunt down one of the few conferences that does meet the requirements, but much of the material will be busywork that doesn't relate to her pratice.




*For reasons - in general, the contracts with conference centers and hotels put the organizers on the hook not just for conference room rentals, but often for minimum amounts of concessions and booked hotel rooms. There was an agreement to postpone last year, but they aren't allowed to postpone again. The organizers are on the hook for $100,000+. Veterinarians are cancelling anyway, and this may bankrupt the organization.