COVID-19 (f/k/a "the Coronavirus")

[Galway Eagle]

Agree with your overall points, but...

Spain is not considered Hispanic. Egyptian/Tunisian/North African is not considered African American.

At least from a diversity perspective it is not.

Are you talking legally or the actual definition of Hispanic? The actual definition of Hispanic includes Spain.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a33971047/what-is-difference-between-hispanic-latino-spanish/

I wasn't aware North Africa was not considered African American. Are they considered middle eastern? Or what?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

It is a social construct. Hispanic includes Spain, but that's Europe, which makes them white. People ancestrally from Egypt would be African American but have more in common with those from the Middle East meanwhile those same people who are from ancestrally from South Africa are also checking African American. We call people from Sicily white, but do you think they have more genetic material from African Tunisia or from Northern Europe?

The list goes on. Race is a social construct and we made it worse by the 1/8th rule regarding if you were considered white or black. Till recently there wasn't even a common belief that someone was "mixed race" if you had a black parent and white parent you were still black (ie: people's reaction to Obama).

A good chunk of my family is Sicily and Ancestry.com test says no genetic material from African Tunisia.  I got 3% Greek which I think comes from Sicily.

[rocky_warrior]

It's coming sooner than expected. I had said 3,000 - 4,000 by mid January.

Not that I'm proud of my maths, but I tried to tell both of you.  We started hitting 2k/day about 3 weeks after averaging 100k cases/day.  We started hitting 200k cases/day after Nov 20.  The next week is going to be awful.

[Galway Eagle]

A good chunk of my family is Sicily and Ancestry.com test says no genetic material from African Tunisia.  I got 3% Greek which I think comes from Sicily.

Conversely, my dad's dad was from there (Messina) and my 23andme came back with a bit of North African descent. It was a Mediterranean trading post so it's not far fetched that there'll be people with ancestry from all over

[Jockey]

Not that I'm proud of my maths, but I tried to tell both of you.  We started hitting 2k/day about 3 weeks after averaging 100k cases/day.  We started hitting 200k cases/day after Nov 20.  The next week is going to be awful.

If awful is the word you use for next week, what will it be by mid-to-late January?

[rocky_warrior]

If awful is the word you use for next week, what will it be by mid-to-late January?

I'm running out of adjectives.

[forgetful]

Are you talking legally or the actual definition of Hispanic? The actual definition of Hispanic includes Spain.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanic

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a33971047/what-is-difference-between-hispanic-latino-spanish/

I wasn't aware North Africa was not considered African American. Are they considered middle eastern? Or what?

Largely, I can only speak from the standpoint of maintaining opportunities in academics and research. From a diversity standpoint, there are opportunities for specific demographics (Hispanic and African American amongst them). From the standpoint of the government (for grants and demographics purposes), originating from Spain is not Hispanic, nor is North African considered, African American.

I know this because of a committee/organization that I had to include different demographics for. I originally had empanelled a person from Tunisia, a person from Egypt, a person from Spain, and a person from Iran. I was told that I did not have any minorities on the committee, because all of those are considered European. Incidentally, I was told that if I just added a person from Pakistan or India, I would satisfy diversity requirements as they are considered Asian.

Also, colleagues from Tunisia, Egypt, and Spain do not qualify for diversity/inclusion for grants.

[Galway Eagle]

Largely, I can only speak from the standpoint of maintaining opportunities in academics and research. From a diversity standpoint, there are opportunities for specific demographics (Hispanic and African American amongst them). From the standpoint of the government (for grants and demographics purposes), originating from Spain is not Hispanic, nor is North African considered, African American.

I know this because of a committee/organization that I had to include different demographics for. I originally had empanelled a person from Tunisia, a person from Egypt, a person from Spain, and a person from Iran. I was told that I did not have any minorities on the committee, because all of those are considered European. Incidentally, I was told that if I just added a person from Pakistan or India, I would satisfy diversity requirements as they are considered Asian.

Also, colleagues from Tunisia, Egypt, and Spain do not qualify for diversity/inclusion for grants.

This is actually quite interesting and I'd like to know more as to why. I mean does each institution change its definition or what qualifies as what? Obviously, you can read the links explaining Spain is included in Hispanic. And It seems rather odd to not consider a person from Africa as African while a mixed race person who is a quarter southern African may qualify.

I don't want to get the thread more off track but it does add to the idea that race is a social construct as African American apparently relates to a person's skin on the Fitzpatrick scale more than actually being from Africa.

[forgetful]

This is actually quite interesting and I'd like to know more as to why. I mean does each institution change its definition or what qualifies as what? Obviously, you can read the links explaining Spain is included in Hispanic. And It seems rather odd to not consider a person from Africa as African while a mixed race person who is a quarter southern African may qualify.

I don't want to get the thread more off track but it does add to the idea that race is a social construct as African American apparently relates to a person's skin on the Fitzpatrick scale more than actually being from Africa.

In all honesty, it really amounts to, "you are if you say you are." My colleagues that don't qualify, are aware that the opportunities aren't intended for them. So they do not claim Hispanic or African American heritage. But if they thought they did count, nobody would check anything.

My learning experience for the panel, was enlightening, and clearly indicated that it was truly a social or institutional construct.

[MU82]

I'm running out of adjectives.

Not sure how you can say any of these terrible things.

It affects virtually nobody, you know.

[MU82]

North Carolinians don't need no stinkin' vaccine ...

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article247723660.html?ac_cid=DM341576&ac_bid=-1180529981

As N.C. hospitals prepare to receive COVID-19 vaccines, a new poll shows that only 40% of North Carolinian respondents said they would get an FDA-approved vaccine to fight the virus.

Health experts, awaiting the imminent approval of several COVID-19 vaccines, have worried that some people's mistrust of vaccinations could limit the vaccines' effectiveness in combating the spread of the coronavirus.

A new Elon University Poll, released Thursday morning, found that 60% of the 1,390 North Carolinians surveyed either would not take the vaccine, or are not sure.

[Marquette Fan]

North Carolinians don't need no stinkin' vaccine ...

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article247723660.html?ac_cid=DM341576&ac_bid=-1180529981

As N.C. hospitals prepare to receive COVID-19 vaccines, a new poll shows that only 40% of North Carolinian respondents said they would get an FDA-approved vaccine to fight the virus.

Health experts, awaiting the imminent approval of several COVID-19 vaccines, have worried that some people's mistrust of vaccinations could limit the vaccines' effectiveness in combating the spread of the coronavirus.

A new Elon University Poll, released Thursday morning, found that 60% of the 1,390 North Carolinians surveyed either would not take the vaccine, or are not sure.

I'm expecting this to be a common attitude in a lot of areas - I think there are going to be a lot of people who do not want to get the vaccine.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm expecting this to be a common attitude in a lot of areas - I think there are going to be a lot of people who do not want to get the vaccine.

About 70% of the population has to get the vaccine (or have recovered from Covid) before we can get back to 'normal.'

If a large portion of the country refuses to get vaccinated, we need to make those people understand that they are the reason we all will have to keep wearing masks far longer.

[MU82]

New Hampshire GOP lawmaker dies of COVID-19. Will it change any views on what, both sadly and idiotically, has become a partisan issue?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/10/us/richard-hinch-nh-covid.html

The New Hampshire State Legislature was already fiercely divided over the coronavirus when the new Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Hinch, died suddenly on Wednesday. Then came the news on Thursday that the cause of his death was Covid-19.

Mr. Hinch, who was 71, died just a week after he was sworn in as speaker — and about three weeks after an indoor meeting of his caucus that led to several members contracting the virus, an event that Mr. Hinch had tried to play down in public remarks. It was not clear whether he, too, had caught the virus at the caucus meeting.

The news will undoubtedly heighten tensions among state lawmakers, who have been at odds over the refusal of many Republican lawmakers to wear masks or take other pandemic precautions seriously. Splits have opened not just along partisan lines but also within the Republican ranks.

William M. Marsh, a Republican state representative, said  the responsibility for Mr. Hinch's death lies on the shoulders of a group of Republican members who refused to take precautions like wearing masks and maintaining social distance, and who leaned on others to do the same. "The peer pressure from colleagues is the root cause of what happened to my friend," Mr. Marsh said of Mr. Hinch.

[jesmu84]

We don't have a California thread.

https://theintercept.com/2020/12/11/hollywood-covid-filming-california-lockdown/

[Skatastrophy]

Government shutdown tomorrow? Funding runs out at midnight, and unless a funding bill is passed or the WH steps in a lot of workers will be furloughed.

If we can't pass a perfunctory spending bill, we have no hope of passing another stimulus package.

[Marquette Fan]

About 70% of the population has to get the vaccine (or have recovered from Covid) before we can get back to 'normal.'

If a large portion of the country refuses to get vaccinated, we need to make those people understand that they are the reason we all will have to keep wearing masks far longer.

I agree with you but unfortunately have no reason to think that people who haven't been taking Covid seriously are going to suddenly start listening now.

[GooooMarquette]

I agree with you but unfortunately have no reason to think that people who haven't been taking Covid seriously are going to suddenly start listening now.

I certainly am not optimistic, but it's the only way I see out. If we don't get to ~70% somehow, the pandemic doesn't die out.

[tower912]

It does for those who take the vaccine and then are diligent with follow up.

[MUBurrow]

About 70% of the population has to get the vaccine (or have recovered from Covid) before we can get back to 'normal.'

If a large portion of the country refuses to get vaccinated, we need to make those people understand that they are the reason we all will have to keep wearing masks far longer.

I'm not trying to be obtuse, but once we get to a point where anyone who wants a vaccine has been able to get one, why do the vaccinated keep wearing masks?  To protect the portion of the country that refuses to get vaccinated? I'm not doing that. I will absolutely wear a mask if the people that refuse to get vaccinated are putting persons who have already been vaccinated at risk (like immunity doesn't last long enough or something). But I'm not wearing a mask to keep people who are politically opposed to vaccination safe.

[Warriors4ever]

Having had an allergic reaction to Shingrix, albeit not a severe one, I don't know how this whole Pfizer thing will play out for me, and believe me, I am otherwise ready to roll up my sleeve. So please continue to mask if needed for the sake of those who might want to take it but can't.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm not trying to be obtuse, but once we get to a point where anyone who wants a vaccine has been able to get one, why do the vaccinated keep wearing masks?  To protect the portion of the country that refuses to get vaccinated? I'm not doing that. I will absolutely wear a mask if the people that refuse to get vaccinated are putting persons who have already been vaccinated at risk (like immunity doesn't last long enough or something). But I'm not wearing a mask to keep people who are politically opposed to vaccination safe.

Actually, it's to protect who can't get the vaccine due to medical conditions. The early results in the UK hint that people with severe allergies might not be able to take it, and we could learn other contraindications as time goes on. And at least until late next year, kids won't likely be eligible - including kids with immune system issues.

If we can ever get past those groups to only people who have chosen not to be vaccinated, I'd agree there's no pressing need to wear a mask to protect the willfully stupid.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Having had an allergic reaction to Shingrix, albeit not a severe one, I don't know how this whole Pfizer thing will play out for me, and believe me, I am otherwise ready to roll up my sleeve. So please continue to mask if needed for the sake of those who might want to take it but can't.

I just my Shingrix vaccine last week and the flu vaccine at the same time.  My arm was very hurt for like 3-4 days.

[Warriors4ever]

I have a friend who just declared that she will never get them at the same time again.
I've never even had a side effect of any vaccine before, so getting an allergic reaction was a big surprise to me.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I'm not trying to be obtuse, but once we get to a point where anyone who wants a vaccine has been able to get one, why do the vaccinated keep wearing masks?  To protect the portion of the country that refuses to get vaccinated? I'm not doing that. I will absolutely wear a mask if the people that refuse to get vaccinated are putting persons who have already been vaccinated at risk (like immunity doesn't last long enough or something). But I'm not wearing a mask to keep people who are politically opposed to vaccination safe.

Here is an article.  Essentially they haven't tested if a vaccinated person can incubate and shed the virus (while being protected themself).  My guess is by the time the gen pop gets the vaccine, they will know the answer. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/08/health/covid-vaccine-mask.html