Sunday, September 05, 2021

Delta Ball

Test scores for K-18 students last year showed dramatic decreases in reading comprehension, math, across the board it was alarming. Worse, underprivileged kids didn't re-enroll this year! This led the experts to unanimously and vociferously argue for a return to in-class teaching. No rational person could disagree, I am a rational person, ergo. But kids are going to die! It's a nauseating choice, literally sacrificing a few for the good of the whole. I still don't think it's going to work out but I agree that we have to try.

The same thing cannot be said in defense of colleges returns to campus. I am deeply concerned about the crowds at this weekends college football games: 50,000, 100% capacity, sitting right next to each other for at least three hours in Minnesota; 71,000, 96% cap., in hole-in-the-roof Mercedes-Benz stadium in Atlanta; 73k, full 100, in open-air Bank of America in Charlotte. On and on. That is, normal crowds, super-spreading events in an abnormal time. Only Connecticut fans were responsible, occupying only every other seat and masking with full paper bags over their heads. 

Are we practicing eugenics trying to beat this thing by culling the vulnerable youngest and oldest? Increase "natural immunity" in the robust to go along with vaccinated immunity?