D&D and the rising pandemic

[Umbran]

Delta is known to be more transmittable, which means it can affect more people, and thus cause more deaths. Last I read, the statistics are still out on whether it's more likely to kill once someone contracts it. Part of the reason it's harder to tell is because the death rate is highly dependent on rates of vaccination and availability of health services (i.e. ventilators, ICU beds, etc), not just the virus itself.

Yeah, "is it less deadly?" is a complicated question, if only because whether you die depends a lot on what hospital resources are available.

An easier to use metric is that once you have the delta variant, you are not any more likely to need to go to the hospital than with the original strain. Delta is more transmissible, so barring vaccination, for the same human behaviors you'll get more infected people, but their individual chances of needing hospitalization are no greater.

 

[Umbran]

Other covid news today:

The White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients has said that the administration has prepared for the hopeful authorization of vaccines for children ages 5-11, having purchased vaccines and packaged supporting supplies for easy deployment to pediatricians, hospitals, and all. With this came news that such authorization may be coming in the next couple of weeks.

The U.S. is ready to roll out the COVID vaccine once it's approved for kids age 5-11

The White House says the U.S. has enough doses for the country's 28 million kids age 5 to 11 and has laid out a plan to get them inoculated as soon as the vaccine is authorized for the age group.

www.wbur.org

Additionally, a study suggests that natural immunity may not last very long, and that those who are unvaccinated may expect to catch covid every 16-17 months! One study does not mean it is true, but it is an eventuality worth considering

Unvaccinated people should expect to catch COVID-19 every 16 months

“Our results are based on average times of waning immunity across multiple infected individuals.”

thehill.com

 

[NotAYakk]

Delta is probably more deadly. But in the ballpark 1.5x to 2x not 10x.

But if you vaccinate the 5% most vulnerable of the population, covid is more like 10x less deadly. Vaccinate more, biasing towards most vulnerable, and its lethality rate drops.

In Alberta, the Texas of Canada, fully vaccinated (AZ+mRNA or mRNA x2) 80 year olds are safer than 20 year old unvaccinated people.

There are lots.of studies now showing Viral Vector is noticably weaker than mRNA, but VV+mRNA srcond dose is about as good as double mRNA. (this makes sense, as immunith to the vector makes the 2nd dose less effective).

My city just hit 90% of age 12+ with at least one dose (lowest rate 20-40 at under 80%). We have indoor dining (vaccine passport, modest spacing), churches/etc with 50 people in them, schools are open and at 80%+ of pre covid in person, and Delta's Rf is a smidge under 1.

More and more people are using n95/kn95 masks.

As a full vaccination drops delta infection 10x or so, and 95 masks (even crappily worn) also 10, the end is nigh. Elementary is currently a source of spread, which will stop once we vaccinate them.

 

[Zardnaar]

Fruit glut due to Covid hitting exports.

Avocados 9 cents each (6.3 US cents approx).

Nine-cent avocados: Glut leads to low prices - but it's not so flash for growers

A glut of avocados this year has led in extraordinarily low prices at the supermarket, despite growers not being able to make any money.

www.rnz.co.nz

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In Texas, the Texas of America, we’re in the process of voting on a slate of constitutional amendments, one of which I mention because it is germane to this discussion. Basically, the proposal is to prohibit the state government or any subdivision thereof from restricting religious services. As in, the state, county or municipalities would be constitutionally barred from limiting religious services in any way. That means no government-imposed mask mandates or limitations on gathering sizes could be applied to houses of worship during an epidemic/pandemic.

And apparently, in the entire history of the state, only one proposed amendment has been defeated at the polls.

IOW, as bad as Texas handled a pandemic this time around, we’re laying the groundwork to do even worse the next time,

 

[Janx]

In Texas, the Texas of America, we’re in the process of voting on a slate of constitutional amendments, one of which I mention because it is germane to this discussion. Basically, the proposal is to prohibit the state government or any subdivision thereof from restricting religious services. As in, the state, county or municipalities would be constitutionally barred from limiting religious services in any way. That means no government-imposed mask mandates or limitations on gathering sizes could be applied to houses of worship during an epidemic/pandemic.

And apparently, in the entire history of the state, only one proposed amendment has been defeated at the polls.

IOW, as bad as Texas handled a pandemic this time around, we’re laying the groundwork to do even worse the next time,

and nobody knows that's on the ballot. Which is how they pull that crap.

 

[Umbran]

IOW, as bad as Texas handled a pandemic this time around, we’re laying the groundwork to do even worse the next time,

I was reading an opinion piece from the New York Times today, which was lauding one official for speaking straight about mix-and-match vaccines a few months ago - "treating the public like they can handle uncertainty and nuance".

Which, obviously, we can't, as seen above. Health officials can't speak to the public like intelligent adults unless we are willing to behave like intelligent adults.

 

[NotAYakk]

In Texas, the Texas of America, we’re in the process of voting on a slate of constitutional amendments, one of which I mention because it is germane to this discussion. Basically, the proposal is to prohibit the state government or any subdivision thereof from restricting religious services. As in, the state, county or municipalities would be constitutionally barred from limiting religious services in any way. That means no government-imposed mask mandates or limitations on gathering sizes could be applied to houses of worship during an epidemic/pandemic.

And apparently, in the entire history of the state, only one proposed amendment has been defeated at the polls.

IOW, as bad as Texas handled a pandemic this time around, we’re laying the groundwork to do even worse the next time,

Look on the bright side.

A religion that believes in union rights who wants to have a meeting blocking entrance into a factory cannot be restricted from doing so. A religion that believes that the state has no legitimacy can hold services blocking the government from meeting in the government's meeting place. A religion that believes private property is unethical can hold meetings in the private residences of Texas state government representatives.

It could be a funny trainwreck.

(And of course, such interpretations will be blocked; this is about a back door bypass of the "establishment of religion" in Texas, not about religious freedom. It is about giving correct religions are given special rights with a thin veneer of not being the government supporting certain religions with special rights.)

 

[Umbran]

(And of course, such interpretations will be blocked;

Not necessarily. I can think of at least one organization that has challenged such things successfully.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Look on the bright side.

A religion that believes in union rights who wants to have a meeting blocking entrance into a factory cannot be restricted from doing so. A religion that believes that the state has no legitimacy can hold services blocking the government from meeting in the government's meeting place. A religion that believes private property is unethical can hold meetings in the private residences of Texas state government representatives.

All of your examples are already covered and permitted by existing law.