Which really doesn't mean anything. They're doing that because that's where we're at now. If the situation changes, they'll change too. I guarantee you Disney would prefer to not have any mitigation measures in place for the 50th and will pull them back if they can.
While you try to be non-partisan, these types of comments frustrates me. Instead of trying to figure out what TX is doing right, the implied thought is "Those stupid Neanderthals don't know what they are doing and a plague of biblical proportions is right around the corner. The current results in TX is just blind luck." This is the difference in a glass half-full and half-empty approach.
I agree. It‘s just a race against the variants. We got hit with a surge recently in PA when the UK variant ramped up. We didn’t have enough people vaccinated to avoid it, similar to MI and NY/NJ. I believe the surge was shorter lived due to the level vaccinated and the fact that the vaccines are highly effective vs that variant. I think every level of government needs to do a better job promoting the vaccine and pushing it. Making it available isn’t enough anymore. Crossing the 50% threshold seemed to be about where the biggest impact started to be seen.
I agree. The messaging will be much easier for Disney if they can happily announce the lessening of measures than if they set expectations now for no masks and then have to go back and tell people to mask up. And I'm sure they don't want a bunch of bookings now that get cancelled later if people find they have to wear a mask.
They sort of have to right now.
Keep in mind that, so far, the vaccines have been effective against all of the variants that have popped up. It is certainly possible that the virus mutates into a variant that isn't controlled by the vaccine. But it's also possible that even if we continue to have variants, the vaccine will work just fine against them. Variants rendering vaccines ineffective isn't a guarantee, even if we don't get the percentage of vaccinations we would like.
When did I say any of that? The percent vaccinated is a known stat. TX is 36 out of 50 states.
Personally, I'd be shocked if they are still masking *indoors* in October. But we just really don't know yet. And Disney is going to be conservative in their messaging.
You are preaching to the choir. I 100% agree. The key to remember is the most common variant right now in the US and the world, the UK variant, is not a problem for the vaccines. Without the vaccines that variant is much more contagious and possibly more deadly (mixed reports on that).
The explanation for what? Why cases go up and down? We still doing the gotcha game after 12+ months?
I think it’s important to note that, even though there is risk of a rare breakthrough case when vaccinated, the vaccine is nearly 100% effective at mitigating death and/or severe disease (hospitalization). And ultimately, that’s what we want to prevent. The virus will likely continue to circulate, but the purpose of the vaccine is to reduce potential damage. I’m perfectly fine with vaccinated people wearing a mask outdoors indefinitely, but I think there should be an understanding that the risk level of severe illness is nearly nonexistent.
I see what you are saying. And I understand Disney will be conservative. But with us reaching the point where even public health experts like Dr. Fauci and Scott Gottlieb are saying that we are approaching the point where indoor mask mandates should start going away, I just am confident that the situation by October is going to be dramatically different than it is today. I've said many times in this thread that I remain an optimist. Even though vaccination rates have slowed, I believe we're ultimately going to do a good job getting people vaccinated, and I believe that over the next few weeks we're going to see case and death numbers plummet. I am confident that we will avoid significant spikes again in the fall.
I agree. It’s very low risk and community spread is dropping every day so getting lower. The less people spreading the virus the less chance of breakthrough infection too.
