Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[sullyinMT]

The text of an email written to school staff from our superintendent. Unfortunately we're in one of those awesome states where vaccine status is some protected privacy right:

On Saturday, August 21st, I reissued a masking requirement for the entire School District. All students, employees, and visitors during the normal school day in our schools and other facilities are required to wear a mask to protect against the transmission of the coronavirus. This was not an easy decision and not where I wanted us to be at the start of this school year. My decision is explained in a letter that all employees received via email dated August 21, 2021; the letter can be found on the School District’s website.
I want to address the questions being asked about staff who intend to refuse to comply and/or enforce the masking requirement of all students, employees, and visitors starting tomorrow morning. First, the masking requirement is a directive to all employees of the School District. Second, refusal to comply and/or enforce the masking requirement would be unacceptable insubordination and the employee will be disciplined. By this memorandum all School District teaching and support staff are advised that if a staff member refuses to comply and/or enforce my masking directive,1 they are to be placed on unpaid leave for insubordination for a period of not less than five (5) working days, unless he or she comes to the administration before those days are passed and agrees to abide by the directive.
After those five days have concluded, if the staff member still refuses to comply and/or enforce my masking directive, additional discipline will be considered, up to and including a recommendation for the termination of the staff member’s contract of employment with the School District.

God bless him. Doing what he can, anyway. Parents are already openly calling for a teacher strike (!).

 

[Heelz2315]

Current vaccination status for Orange County via Mayor Demings -

View attachment 581859

The 14-day rolling positivity rate is 19.99%.

come on 5%! That’s where we’d probably loose the indoor masks right?

 

[mmascari]

Parents are already openly calling for a teacher strike (!).

If enough teachers strike, that should close the school. Nobody in the school, nobody catches COVID in the school.

Silver linings.

The no education part is a real bummer though.

 

[Virtual Toad]

The text of an email written to school staff from our superintendent. Unfortunately we're in one of those awesome states where vaccine status is some protected privacy right:

On Saturday, August 21st, I reissued a masking requirement for the entire School District. All students, employees, and visitors during the normal school day in our schools and other facilities are required to wear a mask to protect against the transmission of the coronavirus. This was not an easy decision and not where I wanted us to be at the start of this school year. My decision is explained in a letter that all employees received via email dated August 21, 2021; the letter can be found on the School District’s website.
I want to address the questions being asked about staff who intend to refuse to comply and/or enforce the masking requirement of all students, employees, and visitors starting tomorrow morning. First, the masking requirement is a directive to all employees of the School District. Second, refusal to comply and/or enforce the masking requirement would be unacceptable insubordination and the employee will be disciplined. By this memorandum all School District teaching and support staff are advised that if a staff member refuses to comply and/or enforce my masking directive,1 they are to be placed on unpaid leave for insubordination for a period of not less than five (5) working days, unless he or she comes to the administration before those days are passed and agrees to abide by the directive.
After those five days have concluded, if the staff member still refuses to comply and/or enforce my masking directive, additional discipline will be considered, up to and including a recommendation for the termination of the staff member’s contract of employment with the School District.

God bless him. Doing what he can, anyway. Parents are already openly calling for a teacher strike (!).

That is the very definition of courage as well as common sense! It is exactly how officials should act in this situation. And exactly how we as citizens should expect them to act. Thanks for sharing this with us

 

[Lilofan]

I can only imagine what the CMs have been through lately.

Although I wonder how much of this is new. As a teenager, I worked at an AMC. You should have seen how triggered some people could get when we ran out of those stupid pretzel bite things. Or my personal favorite: "I'm going to miss my movie and sue all of you because the parking lot was full and I had to walk really far." I'm guessing that one never went to trial...

The medical version of "customer-facing retail" is working in an ER. It's not pretty.

It doesn't help matters and staff morale when last year some hospital staff incomes were slashed up to 20% since all hands on deck fighting covid and non essential elective surgeries were postponed affecting hospital revenues.

 

[sullyinMT]

If enough teachers strike, that should close the school. Nobody in the school, nobody catches COVID in the school.

Silver linings.

The no education part is a real bummer though.

We can afford online alternatives (we’re in no position to be parent-teachers), but a lot of kids would suffer. Luckily the local teachers’ union president is on the super’s side here (can’t find the quote to link). It’s the parents, not the majority of teachers (I’m sure there are some), that are the problem.

 

[disneygeek90]

More data from the briefing this morning -

This is a great time to live in Southern Orange County

I all seriousness, it is bad here. Nearly half of my department has been infected over the last few weeks. Parents are getting calls every day about new cases at school. We are starting either proof of vaccination or mandatory weekly testing at work soon. Offices don't want everyone working from home but they don't want everyone sick either.

The person that I was "close contact" to is still miserable 12 days later. She is unvaccinated and relatively young and healthy.

 

[Disney Experience]

I can only imagine what the CMs have been through lately.

Although I wonder how much of this is new. As a teenager, I worked at an AMC. You should have seen how triggered some people could get when we ran out of those stupid pretzel bite things. Or my personal favorite: "I'm going to miss my movie and sue all of you because the parking lot was full and I had to walk really far." I'm guessing that one never went to trial...

The medical version of "customer-facing retail" is working in an ER. It's not pretty.

One memory I have of movie theaters is leaving a movie theater in Austin, Tx and arriving home to realize I had dropped a roll of $300 in theater. I called, they looked ( I wondered if they would keep it if found), they found it, and when I arrived to pick it up, they would not accept a reward (I am sure the job is not high paying) .

Surprised, and impressed. ( Remember it even twenty years later )

 

[mmascari]

We can afford online alternatives (we’re in no position to be parent-teachers), but a lot of kids would suffer. Luckily the local teachers’ union president is on the super’s side here (can’t find the quote to link). It’s the parents, not the majority of teachers (I’m sure there are some), that are the problem.

I was joking for the first part. The longer this goes on, the darker the humor attempts will get.

The second part, if there was a strike and education is lost wasn't a joke (or it was even darker, I'm not sure I can tell anymore).

The whole situation everywhere is a disaster. Schools not doing anything, just roll the dice, schools doing stuff and parents protesting, teachers demanding better mitigations, teachers demanding nothing be done. It's all insane.

It's like there's 3 sets of people left. Those that want to do the things to end this. Those that want to pretend it's over because to keep doing things just reinforces how bad we've done and they want to believe it's over already. Those that never thought it was bad or ever worth doing anything. It's really hard on the first group fighting the apathy.

 

[Lilofan]

I was joking for the first part. The longer this goes on, the darker the humor attempts will get.

The second part, if there was a strike and education is lost wasn't a joke (or it was even darker, I'm not sure I can tell anymore).

The whole situation everywhere is a disaster. Schools not doing anything, just roll the dice, schools doing stuff and parents protesting, teachers demanding better mitigations, teachers demanding nothing be done. It's all insane.

It's like there's 3 sets of people left. Those that want to do the things to end this. Those that want to pretend it's over because to keep doing things just reinforces how bad we've done and they want to believe it's over already. Those that never thought it was bad or ever worth doing anything. It's really hard on the first group fighting the apathy.

Many challenges in the school system but what brings a community together is Friday night under the lights - High school football has begun!

 

[sullyinMT]

I was joking for the first part. The longer this goes on, the darker the humor attempts will get.

The second part, if there was a strike and education is lost wasn't a joke (or it was even darker, I'm not sure I can tell anymore).

The whole situation everywhere is a disaster. Schools not doing anything, just roll the dice, schools doing stuff and parents protesting, teachers demanding better mitigations, teachers demanding nothing be done. It's all insane.

It's like there's 3 sets of people left. Those that want to do the things to end this. Those that want to pretend it's over because to keep doing things just reinforces how bad we've done and they want to believe it's over already. Those that never thought it was bad or ever worth doing anything. It's really hard on the first group fighting the apathy.

I was fully on board with your humor, but then you also got me thinking ! Working in an OR and occasionally an ICU, dark humor is a prerequisite for the job.
I agree that the apathy is beyond difficult to combat. Every. Single. Day.

 

[sullyinMT]

I’ve seen it in today’s news cycle, but haven’t heard a solid answer. For those that are tied in more closely to the vaccine research: what do we know about the 5 to 11 vaccine approvals? It occurred to me a couple of hours ago that with increased pediatric case counts, we should have an efficacy number pretty soon, shouldn’t we?

 

[DisneyFan32]

Is federal transportation extends mask mandate for another five months to slowing down COVID-19 spreading by January 2022?

 

[Gringrinngghost]

Walt Disney World and Unions Reach An Agreement on Vaccine Requirements.

In a statement Service Trades Council Union released, union Disney cast members (employees) are required to show proof of vaccination by October 22, 2021.

STCU is a group of a half dozen unions representing tens of thousands of cast members, but does not include every union that represents the variety of roles at Disney. I imagine further negotiations continue.

The negotiations have focused not on IF vaccinations will be required, but rather language and practice on how exemptions would be provided.

Back Story: https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2021/08/05/disney-unions-negotiate-over-new-vaccine-requirement?cid=app_share

Here’s the statement from the Services Trade Council:

“Employees with medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs will be eligible to apply for an accommodation through a negotiated process. This process ensures prompt processing of requests for accommodation, weekly meetings between the Union and Company to address concerns as they arise, an explanation if any accommodation is denied, and access to the grievance procedure should there be a dispute on the accommodation request. Disney will make every effort to reasonably accommodate employees with a medical or religious accommodation need in their current role or classification. Cast Members who do not comply with the vaccine requirement and do not request a legitimate accommodation, will be separated from the Company with a "yes" rehire status.

In addition to vaccines being readily available, Disney will be hosting on-site vaccine events over the next several weeks. Cast interested in getting vaccinated at work should go on the HUB for more information. Vaccines are safe, effective, and free. As of today, the Pfizer vaccine is FDA approved and is being offered by the Company. Getting vaccinated is the best way for workers to protect themselves from this deadly virus.”

Cite: Greg Angel of News 13

 

[Willmark]

How's your back? and Gunner?

Back is meh, new meds make it tolerable.

Gunner is good, but he has a a cold right now. He’s on the downward side of it from a couple days ago when I was picking snot/ bubbles out of his nose.

 

[DCBaker]

Agreement reached for some Disney unions for mandatory vaccines -

Here’s the statement from the Services Trade Council:

“Employees with medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs will be eligible to apply for an accommodation through a negotiated process. This process ensures prompt processing of requests for accommodation, weekly meetings between the Union and Company to address concerns as they arise, an explanation if any accommodation is denied, and access to the grievance procedure should there be a dispute on the accommodation request. Disney will make every effort to reasonably accommodate employees with a medical or religious accommodation need in their current role or classification. Cast Members who do not comply with the vaccine requirement and do not request a legitimate accommodation, will be separated from the Company with a "yes" rehire status.

In addition to vaccines being readily available, Disney will be hosting on-site vaccine events over the next several weeks. Cast interested in getting vaccinated at work should go on the HUB for more information. Vaccines are safe, effective, and free. As of today, the Pfizer vaccine is FDA approved and is being offered by the Company. Getting vaccinated is the best way for workers to protect themselves from this deadly virus.”

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts reaches agreement with Unions on Cast Member COVID vaccinations

Disney's latest agreement should see all Walt Disney World Cast Members vaccinated against COVID-19 in less than a month from now.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Disney Experience]

I was fully on board with your humor, but then you also got me thinking ! Working in an OR and occasionally an ICU, dark humor is a prerequisite for the job.
I agree that the apathy is beyond difficult to combat. Every. Single. Day.

Dark humor always kept me relaxed under pressure.

I was in Camp Victory/North Liberty ( helping night /recon as a civilian) during Iraqi Freedom. I had a number of moments that Dark Humor sprung into my mind.(Some think it is just trivializing danger, but I understood the danger, dark humor made it easier to manage, Army also acknowledges the benefit of it as a coping method)

Example: Someone ran up to me to tell me what happened earlier in the morning at the MWR on base: A soldier was exercising and a mortar round landed on top of the MWR killing him.

I turned to the person telling me this and said with a grin, “See, exercise can be dangerous to your health.”

 

[Figgy1]

Back is meh, new meds make it tolerable.

Gunner is good, but he has a a cold right now. He’s on the downward side of it from a couple days ago when I was picking snot/ bubbles out of his nose.

I'm glad the new meds are making it somewhat better and poor Gunner he's already been through enough this year. Any chance it's allergies?

 

[Willmark]

I'm glad the new meds are making it somewhat better and poor Gunner he's already been through enough this year. Any chance it's allergies?

I don’t think so.

I think it’s the fact he’ll be 14 in March and the hot/cold of outside to AC. It’s been very humid all month due to the remains of several hurricanes or tropical depressions.

 

[sullyinMT]

Dark humor always kept me relaxed under pressure.

I was in Camp Victory/North Liberty ( helping night /recon as a civilian) during Iraqi Freedom. I had a number of moments that Dark Humor sprung into my mind.(Some think it is just trivializing danger, but I understood the danger, dark humor made it easier to manage, Army also acknowledges the benefit of it as a coping method)

Example: Someone ran up to me to tell me what happened earlier in the morning at the MWR on base: A soldier was exercising and a mortar round landed on top of the MWR killing him.

I turned to the person telling me this and said with a grin, “See, exercise can be dangerous to your health.”

Absolutely. It makes hell tolerable. Thank you for willingness to serve.