Fifth Avenue Forum

Well, it's not really a matter of deserves... and realistically the virus doesn't care about arbitrary "enough is enough" deadlines. It all comes down to the numbers. If hospitals aren't going nuts, if deaths aren't all that high, then sure. Let's move on.

Plus I'm guessing we'll all have to get boosters, etc in the future, so COVID will still be a part of our lives, but not like we know it today.

I just saw that the FDA is set to authorize Pfizer for 12-15 year olds by early next week.

This is really big. I'll be getting my kids vaxed in September. I wonder if the public schools will force all children that attend to be vaccinated by X date.

Shmenguin’s take here is like dodint’s college football take, but super sized and from Taco Bell.

College football is completely frivolous. Church is just mostly frivolous. Not sure you can compare the two.

Well, you can't super size your meal at taco bell either.

I just saw that the FDA is set to authorize Pfizer for 12-15 year olds by early next week.

This is really big. I'll be getting my kids vaxed in September. I wonder if the public schools will force all children that attend to be vaccinated by X date.

Same. I'd bet on it becoming a requirement at some point, but not until it exits emergency authorization.

As far as masks in school go, that isn't something you can simply implement on day 1 in the next school year. This is obvious, but it'll take time to get kids vaccinated.

I just saw that the FDA is set to authorize Pfizer for 12-15 year olds by early next week.

This is really big. I'll be getting my kids vaxed in September. I wonder if the public schools will force all children that attend to be vaccinated by X date.

I can tell you that there are currently no plans to make this a requirement at PPS. They will, however, have drives set up for vaccinated students at schools. They've already done this at the high school level.

drives for vaccinated students? What does that mean? Drives to get them vaccinated or are they already vaccinated?

drives for vaccinated students? What does that mean?

It means I worded it incredibly poorly. What I meant to say is they will set up vaccination drives at schools.

drives for vaccinated students? What does that mean?

It means I worded it incredibly poorly. What I meant to say is they will set up vaccination drives at schools.

Thats what I thought. And I like the idea.

Right... To me, it doesn't have anything to do with some sort of weird arbitrary date. It has to do with the numbers.

your numbers are as arbitrary as shmenguin's date


I get what you're saying but we're never going to get down to 0 cases/0 deaths. So if the number is "less than x cases a day"...that's still an arbitrarily decided upon number and different municipalities will have different values for x. Hell, Texas already opened the **** up

Yeah, our local HS has had vaccination clinics for a while now.

Right... To me, it doesn't have anything to do with some sort of weird arbitrary date. It has to do with the numbers.

your numbers are as arbitrary as shmenguin's date


I get what you're saying but we're never going to get down to 0 cases/0 deaths. So if the number is "less than x cases a day"...that's still an arbitrarily decided upon number and different municipalities will have different values for x. Hell, Texas already opened the **** up

Hospitals have numbers to say when they're in a bind, when they're busy, and when they're operating normally. If you'd like to call that arbitrary, go for it.

Right... To me, it doesn't have anything to do with some sort of weird arbitrary date. It has to do with the numbers.

your numbers are as arbitrary as shmenguin's date


I get what you're saying but we're never going to get down to 0 cases/0 deaths. So if the number is "less than x cases a day"...that's still an arbitrarily decided upon number and different municipalities will have different values for x. Hell, Texas already opened the **** up

Hospitals have numbers to say when they're in a bind, when they're busy, and when they're operating normally. If you'd like to call that arbitrary, go for it.

the original attempt to flatten the curve or whatever was to alleviate the amount of people in hospitals, for sure, but I haven't heard about US hospitals being in a bind or busy in a while. The restrictions we have at the moment, what it seems to be right now, are more about general population safety rather than hospital capacity

Back in March, the local hospital here was reporting how they were maxing out their capacity and had to reopen a COVID wing that they had previously closed. That reopening of the wing caused a domino effect to other things not being able to be done. That's sort of the line in the sand for me. If hospitals are "back to normal" then we're back to normal.

Right... To me, it doesn't have anything to do with some sort of weird arbitrary date. It has to do with the numbers.

your numbers are as arbitrary as shmenguin's date


I get what you're saying but we're never going to get down to 0 cases/0 deaths. So if the number is "less than x cases a day"...that's still an arbitrarily decided upon number and different municipalities will have different values for x. Hell, Texas already opened the **** up

Arbitrary?

When vaccines are available for all ages > 2 that’s not an arbitrary demarcation point. That’s exactly the event that should trigger a broad societal change.

Right... To me, it doesn't have anything to do with some sort of weird arbitrary date. It has to do with the numbers.

your numbers are as arbitrary as shmenguin's date


I get what you're saying but we're never going to get down to 0 cases/0 deaths. So if the number is "less than x cases a day"...that's still an arbitrarily decided upon number and different municipalities will have different values for x. Hell, Texas already opened the **** up

Arbitrary?

When vaccines are available for all ages > 2 that’s not an arbitrary demarcation point. That’s exactly the event that should trigger a broad societal change.

nah, even if the kids are able to get the vaccine IMMEDIATELY after it's available (unlikely as there's going to be some lag between it being available and them actually getting an appointment) there's still what...a 60 day difference between when they get their first shot and when the second shot is fully effective?

And it'll take time to get that done. Everyone isn't going to just rush out at once.

I'm about as impatient as anyone you've ever met. You can't do all of this work, go through all of this stuff - social distancing, vaccines, etc. - and then decide to say **** it, masks in school are dumb now, take them off and see how it goes. It's going to take time.

also a lot of this depends on geography. I met with my accountant yesterday (you know, the one that I complained was too expensive) and in their office I saw exactly one person with a mask and 8 people without a mask. At least here in Coastal NC, people have already moved on

Right... To me, it doesn't have anything to do with some sort of weird arbitrary date. It has to do with the numbers.

your numbers are as arbitrary as shmenguin's date


I get what you're saying but we're never going to get down to 0 cases/0 deaths. So if the number is "less than x cases a day"...that's still an arbitrarily decided upon number and different municipalities will have different values for x. Hell, Texas already opened the **** up

Arbitrary?

When vaccines are available for all ages > 2 that’s not an arbitrary demarcation point. That’s exactly the event that should trigger a broad societal change.

nah, even if the kids are able to get the vaccine IMMEDIATELY after it's available (unlikely as there's going to be some lag between it being available and them actually getting an appointment) there's still what...a 60 day difference between when they get their first shot and when the second shot is fully effective?

yeah...still not arbitrary. and the wait time for rollout + incubation was implied. the "event" spans a couple predictable months - ok. it's still the line in the sand.

I'm about as impatient as anyone you've ever met. You can't do all of this work, go through all of this stuff - social distancing, vaccines, etc. - and then decide to say **** it, masks in school are dumb now, take them off and see how it goes. It's going to take time.

the vax rollout for adults (once grown ups were installed) has moved steadily and without significant obstacles. a few months after being offered, we're now all able to get it without a problem. there's no reason to think the child rollout won't be even more efficient.

so yes - you have to deal with obstacles and you have to wait a little while after release. of course. but if it goes like it has for grown ups, then at some point in the school year - you ditch the masks because they're literally only protecting people who don't want protection.

as for high risk profiles, COVID will be around for a while so i don't know what to tell ya. this is a job for state and local municipalities to deal with, as far as offering safe ongoing child care and remote education for compromised children. it's not a problem you thrust onto society at large at this point.

shmenguin vs. masks. The fight continues

shmenguin vs. masks. The fight continues

No need to rush as we're almost there. Impatient people like him will have to cool their heels.

At least here in Coastal NC, people have already moved on

We were in Myrtle Beach on Saturday. Very few masks and lots of PA and OH plates (already!) One of the restaurant employees (who was wearing a mask) said customers from up north are enjoying the lax mask policies. So there's that.

But I'll tell you what - the traffic was already nearing mid-season levels, on the first Saturday in May. Tourist areas are going to be crazy this summer.

shmenguin vs. masks. The fight continues

The lefty T-shirt that says “science is real” isn’t just to be used when it’s convenient.