Masks

[jesmu84]

https://mobile.twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1375253401647341569

So far so good despite the doom and gloom predictions.  Still early but 🤞🤞

Let's hope that's accurate.

But we've seen how things developed in NY and FL...

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Fingers crossed is a great way to characterize our 2020 plan.  We've fingers crossed our way to 560K deaths - just a staggering number of people.   

Clearly is one more surge left (before mass vaccine/summer).  Hopefully much less strain on the hospitals this time with a lot of the vulnerable now fully vaccinated.  It's not like any of these preventative items are fool proof and each counter-measure we erode (masks, bars, full in person dining, people just sick of being cooped up and mixing) increases the likelihood.  It's already started in the northeast.

[rocket surgeon]

You're becoming a charicature.  Just stop.

you dont seem to want to honestly address the issue hards.  just because it wasn't on his "cheat sheet note cards" they aren't allowing press down there until they get it all cleaned up. they are bringing in unknown numbers of covid infected people and releasing them back into our country as our numbers were showing a drop in positive tests and hospitalizations. not to mention the STD's they are also carrying in  the guy we have is the caricature: my God he can't talk extemporaneously at all, looks to his guys for when to talk, walks like a stiff board. at least the latest reports show he was able to dodge that sniper fire climbing the steps of air force one pretty good sustaining only a dog bite injury 
    reminds me of when stalin didn't allow
 the outsiders in until they could get the cardboard cutouts in place, the streets cleaned up and the people to smile...nothing the matter here

[GooooMarquette]

https://mobile.twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1375253401647341569

So far so good despite the doom and gloom predictions.  Still early but 🤞🤞

Excellent news. And early evidence that the unaccompanied minors being allowed to cross the southern border aren't likely bringing a new wave of Covid.

Great to see positive trends.

[Hards Alumni]

you dont seem to want to honestly address the issue hards.  just because it wasn't on his "cheat sheet note cards" they aren't allowing press down there until they get it all cleaned up. they are bringing in unknown numbers of covid infected people and releasing them back into our country as our numbers were showing a drop in positive tests and hospitalizations. not to mention the STD's they are also carrying in  the guy we have is the caricature: my God he can't talk extemporaneously at all, looks to his guys for when to talk, walks like a stiff board. at least the latest reports show he was able to dodge that sniper fire climbing the steps of air force one pretty good sustaining only a dog bite injury 
    reminds me of when stalin didn't allow
 the outsiders in until they could get the cardboard cutouts in place, the streets cleaned up and the people to smile...nothing the matter here

I'm always happy to honestly discuss any topic.  You're just easily scared of brown people.  I get it.  I called you a caricature because you're espousing the same views that the American population of the mid 1800s had towards the Irish immigrants. 

I don't think that the border crisis you've been told about is nearly as bad as you've been lead to believe.  The media has nothing to talk about, no new scandal for the week, and they're happy to push whatever xenophobic nonsense people like you love to gobble up.  It's all out of the same playbook and you're a sucker for buying it.  Notice how they've largely moved on from that story to the gun control debate?  It's like watching a rerun for the 100th time.  The same points come from both sides, and nothing changes.  And in a couple of months they'll play it again, Sam.  Slop for the hogs.  Dig in, buddy!

I think your strange obsession with Joe Biden's ability to walk up stairs is pretty hilarious considering Trump had trouble with a ramp, and raising a glass to his mouth.  Its all BS anyway.  If we wanted someone who could do those things we should probably stop electing old farts to run the country.

Though, none of this has anything to do with Masks.

[pacearrow02]

Excellent news. And early evidence that the unaccompanied minors being allowed to cross the southern border aren't likely bringing a new wave of Covid.

Great to see positive trends.

Imagine how much lower there %positive would be without the documented Covid + immigrants crossing the border and being released into communities across Texas is what I think you were trying to say.

If they had 0% positivity rate your comment would make sense.

[GooooMarquette]

Imagine how much lower there %positive would be without the documented Covid + immigrants crossing the border and being released into communities across Texas is what I think you were trying to say.

If they had 0% positivity rate your comment would make sense.

No - that is not what I said.

You assume the %positive is higher among immigrants than the native Texas population. Do you have any data to back that up, or do you just assume that Fox News is guessing correctly?

[pacearrow02]

No - that is not what I said.

You assume the %positive is higher among immigrants than the native Texas population. Do you have any data to back that up, or do you just assume that Fox News is guessing correctly?

Sorry got distracted, what a great day!!!

But to your question HHS data shows about 1 in 10 are testing positive. 

[tower912]

Michigan has a 15% positivity rate right now.

[warriorchick]

Michigan has a 15% positivity rate right now.

Are people still paying attention to this metric?  It's just as meaningless as it was a year ago. 

[Skatastrophy]

Are people still paying attention to this metric?  It's just as meaningless as it was a year ago. 

It's one of the only leading indicators we have, and it has been a good-to-great predictor of hospital admittances a few weeks out.

What leading indicator do you use?

[warriorchick]

It's one of the only leading indicators we have, and it has been a good-to-great predictor of hospital admittances a few weeks out.

What leading indicator do you use?

Hospitalizations and deaths.

Unless the population of who is getting tested remains consistent, the percentage positive doesn't mean anything.

Do you think that the same types of people are getting tests now for the same reasons?  You have to take a test to go to Hawaii, for example.  That wasn't a thing even a few months ago.

[Skatastrophy]

Hospitalizations and deaths.

Unless the population of who is getting tested remains consistent, the percentage positive doesn't mean anything.

Do you think that the same types of people are getting tests now for the same reasons?  You have to take a test to go to Hawaii, for example.  That wasn't a thing even a few months ago.

So your leading indicator is a lagging indicator? Got it.

[warriorchick]

So your leading indicator is a lagging indicator? Got it.

It's certainly a more accurate gauge of the severity of the problem at a certain point in time.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

This is the best leading indicator.

https://yalecovidwastewater.com/reports

[TSmith34, Inc.]

This is the best leading indicator.

https://yalecovidwastewater.com/reports

That's fascinating and brilliant.

[Skatastrophy]

That's fascinating and brilliant.

Price aside, this would be much easier to roll out nationwide than mandatory randomized testing. More ethical, too.

[rocky_warrior]

Not shocking, but good confirmation:

COVID-19 positivity rate is lowest among those who always wore a mask

[Billy Hoyle]

Not shocking, but good confirmation:

COVID-19 positivity rate is lowest among those who always wore a mask

How could this have been affected by those who always wore masks also were the most likely to stay home and avoid public places? I've heard from people who hadn't been to a restaurant in 14 months and those who worked from home the entire time. Those are the people most likely to say they always wore a mask.

I did always wear a mask where it was required or encouraged. I was also tested weekly.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Nice to see the majority of Walgreens' employees sans masks the last 2 weeks.  The drug store leading the way in following the science and showing people its OK to be vaccinated and maskless.

[HansMoleman]

Just got back from two weeks in FL with the fam.  It was glorious.  Busch gardens, Disney (outdoors), the Trop, Marlins Park... smiling faces everywhere!

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Just got back from two weeks in FL with the fam.  It was glorious.  Busch gardens, Disney (outdoors), the Trop, Marlins Park... smiling faces everywhere!

First time in written history that The Trop was included in a paragraph with the word glorious.   

[HansMoleman]

First time in written history that The Trop was included in a paragraph with the word glorious.   

Ha! It was actually quite enjoyable.  Great game, good food, and the staff was super friendly.  A few stopped and chatted with us and answered all our questions.  And my boys got 5 balls during batting practice and between innings!

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

First time in written history that The Trop was included in a paragraph with the word glorious.   

While this may be true, it's not as bad a place to see a game as always joked about.  There something to be said for going from 95 deg to always 75.

[pbiflyer]

Just got back from two weeks in FL with the fam.  It was glorious.  Busch gardens, Disney (outdoors), the Trop, Marlins Park... smiling faces everywhere!

[/b]
Must have been fans of the other team then.