Ability to attend games in-person next season

[copious1218]

If 100% of the eligible people take the shot as soon as they can, the <1% who really can't take it for medical reasons would be safe enough to attend with a negligible risk of spread.

This still ignores the 20% of the population not eligible (<16). 

[MarquetteDano]

This still ignores the 20% of the population not eligible (<16).

Point taken but my guess by the time the games are played Pfizer will have at least 12+ covered.  They are already in trials for ages 12-15.

[GooooMarquette]

This still ignores the 20% of the population not eligible (<16).

That will very likely change before November. And the vaccine will be rolled out and waiting as soon as it is approved.

[MU82]

Kinda weird seeing some of the same folks who are demanding the USA "return to normal" refusing to do the most important thing each of us has the power to do right now to help us get there.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

I flash my passport/driving license to enter a drinking establishment. I flash my insurance card to receive medical care. I flash my membership card to enter a gym. I flash a ticket in hand to enter a sporting event.

What's so hard about flashing your vaccine card along with those entry forms?

Same group who complains about vaccine card is hell bent on having a voter ID despite voter fraud being insignificant.  Idiots can't get past myth and look to the herd for detailed, informed, complicated answers. 

[Galway Eagle]

Kinda weird seeing some of the same folks who are demanding the USA "return to normal" refusing to do the most important thing each of us has the power to do right now to help us get there.

Doesn't seem that weird given that they've fought masks this whole time

[jesmu84]

Same group who complains about vaccine card is hell bent on having a voter ID despite voter fraud being insignificant.  Idiots can't get past myth and look to the herd for detailed, informed, complicated answers.

What messed up scenario are we in when I agree with you??

[WolfganghisKhan]

Impressive we got to gun control and voter ID. Should we tackle abortion and tax cuts next?

[Skatastrophy]

Impressive we got to gun control and voter ID. Should we tackle abortion and tax cuts next?

Yo can we talk about how that SALT cap is the pits?

Also, abortion should be legal up until 3 years old.

[Galway Eagle]

Impressive we got to gun control and voter ID. Should we tackle abortion and tax cuts next?

You mean whether Tax cuts and abortions should require ID's?

[Skatastrophy]

Since the decision for game attendance is up to the Fiserv Forum peeps, have they signaled anything so far? From the website it looks like they increased capacity and are still enforcing social distancing, but nothing about what their capacity expansion plan looks like.

[MUfan12]

Since the decision for game attendance is up to the Fiserv Forum peeps, have they signaled anything so far? From the website it looks like they increased capacity and are still enforcing social distancing, but nothing about what their capacity expansion plan looks like.

The NBA is pushing hard for full arenas next season, but the Bucks/FF are deferring to the MKE Health Department. Not sure what it's gonna look like yet.

[MU82]

Here's what' going on in Israel, where almost every adult has been vaccinated:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-coronavirus-vaccine-herd-immunity/2021/04/20/e4e1199c-a118-11eb-b314-2e993bd83e31_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F31f9f03%2F60804eb79d2fda1dfb573d2a%2F5f8d147cae7e8a56e5b732a4%2F13%2F68%2F60804eb79d2fda1dfb573d2a

JERUSALEM — Israel is partying like it's 2019. With most adults now vaccinated against the coronavirus and restrictions falling away — including the lifting this week of outdoor mask requirements — Israelis are joyously resuming routines that were disrupted more than a year ago and providing a glimpse of what the future could hold for other countries.

Restaurants are booming outside and in. Concerts, bars and hotels are open to those who can flash their vaccine certificates. Classrooms are back to pre-covid capacity.

The rate of new infections has plummeted — from a peak of almost 10,000 a day to about 140 — and the number of serious coronavirus cases in many hospitals is down to single digits. The emergency covid-19 ward at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv resumed duty as a parking garage, and waiting rooms are suddenly flooded with non-covid patients coming for long-deferred treatments.

"It feels like it is going away for good this time," said Sarah Goldstain, 24, who was standing with her bare face turned skyward at Jerusalem's outdoor Mamilla Mall. "I can breathe. I have the sun on my face."

Health officials are quick to note that the pandemic is not over. Infections continue to rage in countries around the world and next door in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Variants of the virus, some of which may be more resistant to vaccines, require strict surveillance.

But even cautious epidemiologists say that Israel can breathe easier and that the country is showing what other nations can expect if they can keep on vaccinating. With almost 90 percent of the most vulnerable cohort — those 50 and older — fully inoculated, experts say hospital ICU units are now shielded from being overwhelmed, as almost happened earlier in the pandemic.

"We do need to be alert," said Hagai Levine, an epidemiologist at Hebrew-Hadassah University and recent chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians. "There is always the possibility that we will see outbreaks in schools [where most students are too young to be vaccinated], but it's now extremely unlikely they would lead to a public health crisis."

So those who whine about wanting America to get "back to normal" can do everything within their control to make it happen -- and what they can control is the choice to get vaccinated, as Israelis have. Or they can choose to complain ... and to risk putting themselves, their loved ones, their co-workers and others at risk of a still debilitating (and even deadly) infection.

The power to return to "normalcy" is in the hands of everyday Americans, not politicians.

[Coleman]

The Israel thing is good news, but I am still skeptical on the efficacy vs new variants. We will see. Not denying the importance of vaccines, everyone should get one, but I don't think they are a silver bullet either. I hope I'm wrong.

Regarding the poll and fans allowed, I think 75% is kind of a red herring. You can't social distance with 75% capacity: it might as well be 100%. I think somewhere between 20% and 50% capacity is probably the most likely, and if I had to pick one, it is going to be on the lower end of that range for an indoor event. Which is better than 0%.

You might see outdoor baseball/football stadiums going 50% though.

I wonder if it would be possible to amplify crowd noises somehow if only 20% capacity were allowed.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Here's what' going on in Israel, where almost every adult has been vaccinated:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-coronavirus-vaccine-herd-immunity/2021/04/20/e4e1199c-a118-11eb-b314-2e993bd83e31_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F31f9f03%2F60804eb79d2fda1dfb573d2a%2F5f8d147cae7e8a56e5b732a4%2F13%2F68%2F60804eb79d2fda1dfb573d2a

JERUSALEM — Israel is partying like it's 2019. With most adults now vaccinated against the coronavirus and restrictions falling away — including the lifting this week of outdoor mask requirements — Israelis are joyously resuming routines that were disrupted more than a year ago and providing a glimpse of what the future could hold for other countries.

Restaurants are booming outside and in. Concerts, bars and hotels are open to those who can flash their vaccine certificates. Classrooms are back to pre-covid capacity.

The rate of new infections has plummeted — from a peak of almost 10,000 a day to about 140 — and the number of serious coronavirus cases in many hospitals is down to single digits. The emergency covid-19 ward at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv resumed duty as a parking garage, and waiting rooms are suddenly flooded with non-covid patients coming for long-deferred treatments.

"It feels like it is going away for good this time," said Sarah Goldstain, 24, who was standing with her bare face turned skyward at Jerusalem's outdoor Mamilla Mall. "I can breathe. I have the sun on my face."

Health officials are quick to note that the pandemic is not over. Infections continue to rage in countries around the world and next door in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Variants of the virus, some of which may be more resistant to vaccines, require strict surveillance.

But even cautious epidemiologists say that Israel can breathe easier and that the country is showing what other nations can expect if they can keep on vaccinating. With almost 90 percent of the most vulnerable cohort — those 50 and older — fully inoculated, experts say hospital ICU units are now shielded from being overwhelmed, as almost happened earlier in the pandemic.

"We do need to be alert," said Hagai Levine, an epidemiologist at Hebrew-Hadassah University and recent chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians. "There is always the possibility that we will see outbreaks in schools [where most students are too young to be vaccinated], but it's now extremely unlikely they would lead to a public health crisis."

So those who whine about wanting America to get "back to normal" can do everything within their control to make it happen -- and what they can control is the choice to get vaccinated, as Israelis have. Or they can choose to complain ... and to risk putting themselves, their loved ones, their co-workers and others at risk of a still debilitating (and even deadly) infection.

The power to return to "normalcy" is in the hands of everyday Americans, not politicians.

New Zealand was holding concerts many months ago - another prominent example of success.  Of course, most Americans don't even know where the hell it is on a map or even care.   

[Silkk the Shaka]

New Zealand was holding concerts many months ago - another prominent example of success.  Of course, most Americans don't even know where the hell it is on a map or even care.   

A good friend of mine lives there... sends me videos of full concerts & rugby matches at least once a week. They handled it so well he never even had to wear a mask after the initial lockdown, everything's been normal over there since June of last year. Brutallllll! but hopefully we can get to a similar level by end of summer

[MU82]

The Israel thing is good news, but I am still skeptical on the efficacy vs new variants. We will see. Not denying the importance of vaccines, everyone should get one, but I don't think they are a silver bullet either. I hope I'm wrong.

Regarding the poll and fans allowed, I think 75% is kind of a red herring. You can't social distance with 75% capacity: it might as well be 100%. I think somewhere between 20% and 50% capacity is probably the most likely, and if I had to pick one, it is going to be on the lower end of that range for an indoor event. Which is better than 0%.

You might see outdoor baseball/football stadiums going 50% though.

I wonder if it would be possible to amplify crowd noises somehow if only 20% capacity were allowed.

Your comment about Israel is very reasonable. It does appear that those who are vaccinated but who contract a variant have less severe results than those who aren't vaccinated. But only time will tell, and I fully agree about the "silver bullet." Again, we have control of a few things, and choosing to get vaccinated is a pretty easy one. Or so one might think.

I do stand by this: If you choose not to get vaccinated, you should lose the right to complain about things not getting back to "normal."

And I agree with your percentages. I hope we can have at least 50% attendance next season, but I'll understand if it's lower.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Your comment about Israel is very reasonable. It does appear that those who are vaccinated but who contract a variant have less severe results than those who aren't vaccinated. But only time will tell, and I fully agree about the "silver bullet." Again, we have control of a few things, and choosing to get vaccinated is a pretty easy one. Or so one might think.

I do stand by this: If you choose not to get vaccinated, you should lose the right to complain about things not getting back to "normal."

And I agree with your percentages. I hope we can have at least 50% attendance next season, but I'll understand if it's lower.

Couldn't Fiserv just request a vaccine passport via app to get in?  Attendance could be upped to 100 percent, of course, Vaccine Passport via app will lower the ceiling of attendance. 

[WolfganghisKhan]

Personal opinion: If we're not at 100% by November, something went very very wrong and we have bigger problems to worry about than a basketball game. 100% just seems like a no brainer with the way things are trending.

[BM1090]

What messed up scenario are we in when I agree with you??

MU got rid of Wojo and suddently Deane's is a reasonable person.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Personal opinion: If we're not at 100% by November, something went very very wrong and we have bigger problems to worry about than a basketball game. 100% just seems like a no brainer with the way things are trending.

There will never be 100% vaccination for Covid due to all of the misinformation out there, lack of intelligence, etc. Supply is already outpacing demand. 

[WolfganghisKhan]

There will never be 100% vaccination for Covid due to all of the misinformation out there, lack of intelligence, etc. Supply is already outpacing demand.

And we continue to live in a normal society back to how it was and the people who don't get vaccinated risk getting Covid. At some point we need to get back to how life was and for me that is when everyone who wants a vaccine can get one. I don't think that's an unreasonable statement. I and many others have sacrificed enough, I'm not going to give up more of my life because a small group of people refuse to take a vaccine.

[McLintock]

There will never be 100% vaccination for Covid due to all of the misinformation out there, lack of intelligence, etc. Supply is already outpacing demand.

There will never be 100% vaccination for Covid due to the fact Covid poses virtually no threat of any kind to a considerable percentage of the population.  Sorry Deane, but not everyone that disagrees with you is lacking intelligence or suffering from misinformation.

[rocky_warrior]

the fact Covid poses virtually no threat of any kind to a considerable percentage of the population.

Tell me more...and maybe get a job at the CDC!  They could have really used you through all of this!  sheesh.

[MU82]

Couldn't Fiserv just request a vaccine passport via app to get in?  Attendance could be upped to 100 percent, of course, Vaccine Passport via app will lower the ceiling of attendance.

Totally agree.

Private businesses have every right to do this, and I believe they should.