OT: Texas Rangers to allow 100% capacity at home games this season.
https://twitter.com/Evan_P_Grant/status/1369718768516034563?s=19
Masks required except when actively eating and drinking. Social distancing and non social distancing sections most games.
One day when the masks aren't required and Ron Washington is ripping a lung dart in the Rangers dugout, all will be back to normal. This is a start, I guess.
Coronavirus does not adhere to the Don't Mess with Texas rule, fyi
Good
Not much logic to this decision. The only upsides on this are that the vaccines are currently being distributed at a rate of 2.2 million / day and the Rangers only sell about half their available tix (and they're supposed to be bad this year so probably less in 2021) so some natural social-distancing at work in stands. So maybe a train-wreck will be avoided. Otherwise, yikes.
Masks required except when actively eating and drinking.
So, basically no mask requirement. It is like some people WANT COVID nightmare to continue...
Was going to say the exact same thing. What is there to do at a baseball game besides eat and drink??
Sleep ?
Talk about football and basketball.
Baseball is a social game. You go there with friends and spend the several minutes between each play/pitch talking about other sports. So, yeah...
My best friend and I would ride our bikes to Tiger Stadium when we were in our teens. Bleacher tickets were only $5 back then and we would bet loose change on pitches (mainly pennies and nickels). We also bet on whether the batter would get a hit/homer/strike out, etc.
we basically traded change and it made the game fun. Bleacher seats often got quite rowdy and we had no problem sucking a few brewskies down thanks to our new friends. All we had to do was ask someone of age and never had a problem. A few years later they started selling low alcohol beer in the bleachers, but I don’t think that made a difference.
I'd like to know how you can be at 100% capacity while maintaining social distancing sections. It seems like people would pay for a seat, but then have to wait until the people with the seats next to them left so they could sit down.
Capacity levels are adjustable. If you only sell 50,000 tickets for each game, then 50,000 tickets sold is a sellout, and you've reached 100% capacity. Doesn't matter if your stadium has 50,000 seats, or 224,000 seats...
Some people find the restrictions to be the actual nightmare
Those people are dumb.
EDIT: I was thinking of the mask restrictions when I wrote the original comment (the first comment in this thread i was replying to was, " So, basically no mask requirement.") but I can see how it can be interpreted differently. So I apologize to anyone who lost their job or were otherwise impacted by the larger set of restrictions.
Yeah, people that lost their jobs/businesses/livelihoods, or whose mental health is suffering due to a lack of human contact, yeah those people are really dumb.
No, those people aren't necessarily dumb, but blaming restrictions rather than the pandemic as well as insufficient government relief is pretty ignorant. Texas and Mississippi leaderships are fucking inept and stupid.
You do know there are like 16 states with lessened restrictions, right? All their leaders are morons because they won't give you free money?
And in those 16 or so states Covid infections are no worse than many states with more stringent restrictions.
I certainly hope some dispassionate (if that is still possible in this world) analysis of how this pandemic was handled is undertaken when the dust settles. What worked? What didn't work? This has been a dress rehearsal for something much worse and our political leadership has failed on so many levels.
Lockdowns, social isolation, mask edicts - just as effective as none of the above long-term.
Just compare California and Florida.
Maybe you should compare South Dakota and Vermont. Small sample size studies can lead to very different conclusions.
I'm assuming you're trying to say Vermont is doing better due to restrictions.
South Dakota:
Vermont:
Not a statistically significant difference, especially most recently with definite spikes in VT.
You mention choosing a smaller sample size to lead to different conclusions, whereby also ignoring socioeconomic, geographical, and other associated factors which also impact quality of care. Pretty sure if you're in Burlington and get Covid, you have a much better quality of care potential outcome vs. someone living near the Badlands with no local health system to speak of.
Oh, and South Dakota has almost 300k more people than in Vermont so not really an apples to apples comparison there either.
Florida and California are probably the most representative sample both in volume, gender, race, age, etc. that you could want for a non-scientific analysis of the outcomes.
Two very different approaches with similar results, with one sadly being significantly more detrimental to the state economy and the mental health of its residents.
Vermont - 338 deaths per million
South Dakota - 2152 deaths per million
I am pretty sure that is statistically significant.
March 10th, 2021 at 10:49 PM ^
Large differences in two numbers absolutely do not equal statistical significance. Particularly when mapping epidemiology. All you did was cite two normalized data sets.
Some of you are dumb as fuck and use words you have no idea what they mean or how to properly apply them
March 10th, 2021 at 11:40 PM ^
When one state has 7 times as many deaths per capita there is clearly something different going on in those states.
CDC said this week the increase in infection rates resulting from indoor dining was 1.1% where COVID-related restrictions were lifted.
1.1%.
Should the ball park be open 100%? Probably not. More than 0%, sure.
That doesn't make them fucking inept and stupid.
Context matters. Thanks for taking my comment out of context.
See, I'd consider a piece of cloth that covers your face (admittedly, it might be a little itchy) and stops the spread of a deadly disease to be less of a nightmare than possibly suffocating alone in a hospital room or dealing with long-term health issues, but I'm also not a big fan of horror movies so my nightmares may not be creative enough.
Anyway, good luck to Texas. Due to the miraculous pace of scientific breakthrough and diligent work of millions to slow down the spread of COVID-19, Rangers fans have the luxury to sit in the stands of a baseball game without having to wear a mask. Truly a victory for personal freedom.
"possibly suffocating alone in a hospital room or dealing with long-term health issues"
This is a very rare event.
Someone crunched the numbers here, but in short anyone under the age of 65 has a greater risk of dying in a car crash than what you described.
Almost 600,000 people - in less than one (1) year - would like a word...
March 10th, 2021 at 10:34 PM ^
And somehow next to zero deaths from the flu this year. (Next to zero being hyperbole of course)
How many 100's of thousands were blamed on Covid yet likely SHOULD have been attributed to other diseases and illnesses (and even the flu since they aren't even testing for it)?
No statistical significant difference in deaths year over year and the flu killed 3 of my relatives in the past 3 years.
Sorry but the data you think you have isn't real. ?
(Not sorry)
Well, 17% of the US population is 65+, so that's millions of people. Also, the long-term health issues are still being investigated but they absolutely exist. Studies are still emerging about long-term mental, physical, and emotional impacts of COVID-19, but it's pretty clear that a decent chunk of people infected with COVID-19 suffer from these issues even once they "recover".
I get people who are annoyed with overly-reactionary responses to situations like this, and I recognize that we do need to start opening back up the world as more people get vaccinated. But wearing a damn mask seems like the bare minimum one could do to help protect those around you and it's weird how even that has become a bridge too far for people.
March 10th, 2021 at 10:45 PM ^
Every coronavirus ever has potential for longterm effects. Even the common cold can cause myocarditis or other cardio pulmonary issues.
And how many people complained of long term effects from "Covid" but never went back to the doctor for any other tests which could explain their issues? E.g. they caught a cold which made them short of breath or tired...but somehow an illness that was NOT Covid is ignored and the issues blamed on Covid.
Very weird. At least one. Even better, put on 3 or 4 masks as Fauci advised. My hazmat suit from Amazon should be here any day now...it's patriotic!!!
Not sure how those numbers work out. In 2020 there were 42060 deaths from car crashes. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/preliminary-estimates/
in the last year, there were 72,840 deaths from Covid in the 50 to 64 year old age category alone. There is almost definitely some age point where your statistic is true, but I could not find motor vehicle deaths by age to check it out. My guess is that it is lower than 40 to 49 where there were 14000 covid deaths but probably higher than 18-29 where there were approximately 14000 covid deaths.
So with Covid around we basically doubled our chances of dying (car crash + covid) that doesnt seem reassuring?
The thing is California had some of the most restrictive edicts in place during this pandemic and they STILL had among the worst outcomes meanwhile Florida another populous state which has a huge elderly population was essentially open for the past year and had similar outcomes. I’m just not convinced masking and social distancing has helped. Florida and California prove it. Not to mention Florida’s economy is way better than California and New York. Bottom line is lockdowns don’t work. We are getting close to a point where if we don’t open up it’s on you. Life is about risk can’t just stay behind the mask or at home forever. Now having said that if a business wants to make masks mandatory that makes perfect sense as that is their establishment but if people don’t want to frequent that establishment that is their right as well.
California actually did not have anywhere near the worst outcomes. They have had under 1400 deaths per million. The national average is over 1600 per million. A counter to your example might be South Dakota one of the least dense states in the US, (the US average is 92 per square mile, South Dakota has 11). They currently have the 8th most deaths per capita. It is easy to cherry pick data to suit your narrative, but many studies agree, masks and social distancing work. From the CDC: “Seven studies have confirmed the benefit of universal masking in community level analyses: in a unified hospital system,38 a German city,39 a U.S. state,40 a panel of 15 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.,41,42 as well as both Canada43 and the U.S.44 nationally. Each analysis demonstrated that, following directives from organizational and political leadership for universal masking, new infections fell significantly. Two of these studies42,44 and an additional analysis of data from 200 countries that included the U.S.45 also demonstrated reductions in mortality.”
I understand the pushback to social distancing, especially as more people get vaccinated, but masks seem like such a low cost remedy, the resistance to them is baffling to me.
I am also quite hopeful that well before football season and hopefully before the all star break, this debate will become un-necessary because anyone who wants a vaccine will have been able to get one,
March 10th, 2021 at 10:40 PM ^
It is easy to cherry pick data for your narrative since you ignore what another poster shared above...
Comparing California - one of the most populous AND affluent states with a serious investment in Healthcare as in reference to Covid deaths - to South Dakota - at best a 48th to 50th in accessibility to ANY sort of Healthcare you are gonna have different results
Case counts are similar but deaths per whatever metric you cherry pick are SLIGHTLY higher in South Dakota but again you prolly can get your vaccines or medical care much easier in Malibu than podunk South Dakota
Yes, and the Alabama championship celebration and the Super Bowl were huge super spreaders, until they weren't.
Also people who have had it only have 12 weeks of immunity, which is why millions of people aren't getting it again.
Indoor dining suddenly being allowed in several cities/states one day after the inauguration followed the science, and wasn't a coincidence at all.
What you don't understand is to millions of people, the shut downs were the nightmare.
double post
Putting aside trips to the restroom (and maybe concession stand), I can see this working.
I'd feel safer at an outdoor sporting event with thousands of people than I would in a large restaurant with low ceilings and a hundred people.
Will it be open for opening day. Don't they have a retractable roof?
I think Ron Wash ripping a line of booger sugar is more of his normal. Considering he's the Braves 3rd base coach, unless they play Texas in interleague this year he will have to celebrate the Rangers 100% capacity from Atlanta.
March 10th, 2021 at 11:37 PM ^
Is it bad that my first thought about the OP, as a Braves fan, was about Washington not being with Texas anymore and none of the other stuff?
This will be an interesting case study. Since they "opened up" entirely a week ago, I've been keeping an eye on their numbers (i.e. case volume and deaths) since I have family and friends in Texas. Overall, things are still moving the right direction, so I have hope (but still a little early). I suspect if things take a turn for the worse, they reduce that number in the ballpark.
So overall, I'm not against this move, mainly because it doesn't involve me. But if things work out well for Texas, that'll be good news for everyone. Also, I'm that camp where we can all start to inch our way to pre-COVID life with regards to human interaction. Frankly, I think we're ready.
Last week's freak-out (by some) about Texas didn't make any sense to me.
Yes, their Governor dropped the state-wide mask mandate. But many Texas counties, cities and businesses still have one. It's not like that's prohibited. Mask compliance % was likely already lower in more rural parts of the state.
And of course there already were 10 or so states (e.g., Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, South Dakota, etc) that hadn't had a state-wide mask mandate for months and months prior.
Net: not much really changed in Texas, and Texas is hardly some national outlier anyway.
I think it's 95% likely Texas' trend in March correlates well with the trend in the rest of America.
The problem is that it's yet another attempt by certain individuals to underplay the current state of the pandemic, as they have for basically the entire pandemic. Abbott said, for example, that a record number of hospitalizations and cases back in June of 2020 weren't reason for concern; he downplayed it again in the fall but then shockingly didn't have a ton of comments on the dramatic shortage of ICU beds in Texas in December. And that's just Abbott - many of the states you listed without mandates have had bad outbreaks but have been slow to initiate protective measures and quick to rush to "business as usual" openings.
I understand people are tired of the pandemic; we all are. And I understand the tension that exists between protecting the health of people and also getting the economy back in swing. But we're so freaking close to stamping this disease out, with close to 3M vaccinations a day at this point, and measures like this feel like unnecessary missteps that will put peoples' health, and potentially their lives, at risk for minimal gains.
That's mostly 2020 thinking, however.
It's 2021 --- we now have vaccines, they should be widely available by May, and hospitalizations nationwide and in Texas are consistently falling by double-digit percentages week-over-week. None of that was true in 2020.
If states want to dial things back a bit in this newer environment, I'm fine with that.
As for your sentence "stamping this disease out" --- I hope you don't mean eradication. If eradication is the goal, it's a likely impossible goalpost, even with the best of efforts.
March 10th, 2021 at 10:55 PM ^
The article you linked about dramatic shortage of hospital and ICU beds made me laugh at the absurdity of the article and the fact you chose to link it in support of hiding in your basement.
50.
Fifty TOTAL hospitals in ALLLLL of Texas reported high hospital utilization and ICU capacity thresholds being threatened.
50.
In a state of close to 800 major metropolitan hospitals and excluding God knows how many smaller hospitals there are.
6% saying they were close to capacity (which is anything greater than 80% census and does NOT mean those are all Covid cases).
6% of alllllllll hospitals in alllllllllll of Texas had capacity "concerns" in January.
Which is now no longer valid.
STFU if you aren't even going to bother to investigate that which you use to support your baseless fear-mongering rhetoric.
But many Texas counties, cities and businesses still have one. It's not like that's prohibited.
Yeah, it literally is prohibited. The Texas Attorney General is threatening to sue Austin and Travis County by 6pm today if they don't drop their mask requirements.
Only private businesses can require it, and many of those have dropped it for anyone except their employees.
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/10/texas-ken-paxton-austin-mask-mandate/
It seems that you have dedicated your life to being spectacularly wrong on all things COVID-related.
Texas state-wide policy does not permit counties and cities in Texas to keep local mask mandates.
Texas Attorney General has threatened to sue Texas municipalities, such as Austin, to force them to lift their local mask mandates.