Coronavirus (general - personal, gov't response, etc. - not sports-specific)

[Lawman]

Schools need the foreign tuition money so I am guessing they'll create a limited number of in-person classes to satisfy the government regulation. The government does not have the capacity to investigate individual cases as well (nor should they waste time on investigating whether a student goes to in-person classes), so I am guessing official academic models will all be some hybrid of online and in person even if the ratio is 100-1 in favor of online.

Agreed.

[LoneStarPhan]

First time since WWII, there will be no Texas State Fair. Not sports specific but could cause changes in a big college game that is held at Fair Park area during the State Fair.

OU/TX Or TX/OU... What Difference Does It Make If There's No State Fair Of...

UT/OU football game is a part of the celebration each fall.

I see some football games for this fall have already been cancelled. Would colleges play without fans in the stands?

Lafayette-Navy joins lists of college football cancellations

Whoops! Now this is getting more and more sports related.

[LoneStarPhan]

Getting back off sports and COVID, I see a serious discussion coming should most colleges return to on-line/distance learning only. Should students pay the same for these courses as they do for the traditional on campus courses?

It seems that they are paying for a college education/experience that is significantly different and IMO better than the product the colleges will be delivering.

Harvard and other major universities still charging full tuition as classes go...

[Lawman]

@allentown really framed the argument quite well.

I think there are many small schools where a student can get a very solid education. When one goes to Harvard or its peer elites, one is buying the name on the diploma and the contacts made with other graduates with the elite diploma and alumni with same. You are also buying recommendations from national name professors. In short, it is more obvious that you are buying prestige and contact than that you are buying a better education.

If you're interested in buying the education, and the quality of the education is diminished due to the classes being on-line, then I think the answer is yes. You're going to look for reduced rates. If you're interested in buying the name brand of the school, then I think you're not going to care as much about how you're educated, in-person or on-line.

[zambonir]

I think there's a middle ground though. You are paying for an education, a name-brand degree and an educational experience. And there's already an established price point for just online and just a degree (albeit not at Harvard).

I also think you lose a lot of the networking value from not being on campus. Yeah, the school and the alumni network is worth a lot in and of itself, but making friends and forming relationships with professors and other mentors is what really gets you jobs and connections.

[zambonir]

2020 Phillies Spring Training News, Notes & Discussion

I'd love to read responses from all these folks on other common "decisions" we all have to make--eating out (outside) at restaurants, eating inside at 6' spaced tables, talking to adult children or grandchildren outside at a "spaced" picnic, sharing a car with a relative who is also cautious but not living with you, wearing a mask while jogging or bike-riding, returning to work even with "precautions" in place, flying on planes (even when masked), etc.

I open mail and packages as I've always done based on the complete lack of credible evidence of that mode of transmission. I have dramatically cut my grocery shopping, though, and sanitize throughly after visiting the store. I used to wear gloves, but I've cut that out recently.

We've only been open in Oregon for two weeks. I haven't been to a grocery store since early March (we do pick-ups), do take-out from restaurants no more than once a week, restaurant delivery no more than once every two weeks (but mostly because the apps are terrible for restaurants), haven't seen another person besides my wife in any context, including distanced/outside. I would like to go visit a restaurant's outdoor set-up, but our county was already not actually meeting its benchmarks when it opened, and cases have continued to rise. The message from the governor has basically been, "you're allowed to go to restaurants or do leisure travel now, but don't, or we might close again. Which, paradoxically, makes me want to get in a couple of outings just in case that happens.

But I've also been to liquor stores, the UPS store and my wife had a short outpatient surgery. She also goes to our farmer's market which is outdoors and capacity-controlled/distanced.

As far as mail I sometimes try to quarantine stuff for 24 hours (packages, especially from Amazon) but really just opening it and disposing of the packaging and washing your hands is enough. We'll wipe down groceries a bit. Don't wash produce any more than usual.

Even if surface transmission was a big risk the answer is still just to wash your hands constantly, and always before eating, and don't touch your face.

[BostonRoss]

My alma mater just released a partial plan for the fall semester. Among undergraduates, only seniors are guaranteed to be allowed back on campus. Only resident students will be allowed on campus, but anyone can participate in on-line courses. All dorm rooms will be singles; no fraternity/sorority houses will be open. Gap years allowed if you apply in time. Some courses will be on-line only. There are tuition.fee discounts (they overly complicated the description, but it seems to be around $7,000-$8,000 (it's an expensive school).

[zambonir]

In short, Sweden suffered a vastly higher death rate while failing to collect on the expected economic gains....

Here is one takeaway with potentially universal import: It is simplistic to portray government actions such as quarantines as the cause of economic damage. The real culprit is the virus itself.

Sweden Has Become the World’s Cautionary Tale

[andyb]

A pretty good summary of reasons why the death rate has fallen while the number of cases is increasing. There is a lot of emphasis on the time lag here, and as deaths have been increasing in the last week (especially in FL, AZ, and TX), we will likely see some further increase due to the increased number of cases. Part of the time lag is also catching infections earlier which lengthens the time lag. But the cases are among younger people and we have become better at treating this. Some decline in the fatality rate should be expected from those two factors.

COVID-19 Cases Are Rising, So Why Are Deaths Falling?

[bkox]

56 Florida hospital ICUs have hit capacity

[flyers19rw]

L.A. could reimpose stay-at-home order if coronavirus spike continues, mayor...

[Lawman]

My sister who lives in Israel with her husband and two little kids just told me her husband tested positive for Covid. Symptoms are mild, so he should be ok. Israel is experiencing a 2nd wave. The whole family now has a 14 day mandatory quarantine - no shopping, no walks, nothing. Government check-ins occur periodically, and breaking the quarantine comes w/ a 5,000 shekel (~$1,300) fine. Walking outside w/o a mask comes with a 500 shekel (~$145) fine.

[Patchmk88]

I don’t post a ton on here because you all provide great data and seem to be a good intellectual group, that is savvy with the back and forth discord and I just don’t feel like I could add much.

Just wanted to note how much I appreciate it. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to the University of Louisville sports board I visit often. Over there you are called an “idiot” for buying into mask wearing. We have had people say that sports need to continue even if college players get infected and some die, because more will get murdered in their home towns if there is no season. It is sometimes a disgusting place to be. In my years of perusing the board here, I’ve never come close to thinking that.

Just a little salute to all the great members here.

[zambonir]

Funny, everyone I know in Kentucky is still broken up about Booker losing to McGrath.

I spent a long time living in Texas and know a lot of really conservative hockey fans from both Texas and Alberta, so I have to agree. One of the joys of being a Philly sports fan is a generally more progressive mindset. And also, a lot more Jewish people (myself included)!

Which is also kind of contrary to the Philly sports fan reputation, but I don't suppose this board has many members who get drunk in the parking lot before Eagles games, or have been out protecting the Columbus statue.

So, @Lawman does the government arrange for food/household/medical supply delivery, or is delivery allowed? Of course if you told me everyone in Israel was already prepared with 14 days of food and water on hand I wouldn't be surprised either.

[tom81]

Well to the surprise of very few on this board the Cronavirus new death total change has turned upward the last few days.

Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count

[Lawman]

@zambonir My sister told me that they can either order food/medications and stores deliver or their friends have all offered to go shopping for them.

[bigegypt0417]

The worldmeter has the US over 3.2 million and 135,822 deaths.

[Lawman]

A plasma shot could prevent coronavirus. But feds and makers won't act,...

[Purduke]

Somewhat superficial article by the writer, but the research uses a large population dataset from UK. One thing catches my attention. When speaking of the impact on minority populations it says that the researchers normalized for sex, age and (interestingly to me) "health conditions," but not income, without detailing how. They still found a disproportionate impact on fatalities (does not specifically say if the same impact was seen on instances of infection).

Of course, the UK has National Healthcare. It would be interesting to superimpose a US population on top of this one to see what shakes out.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/study-17-million-identifies-crucial-185704558.html

[zambonir]

Pretty amazing thread (there's a lot more)

On Friday I'm flying home to Australia. When I arrive I'll be tested for COVID and put in 2 weeks of government-mandated (and government-funded) quarantine in a hotel room somewhere in Sydney.

— Chloe Angyal ( @ChloeAngyal ) July 1, 2020

When we got to the hotel we were briefed on the bus by a state police sergeant. "You will not be given a room key, because you are not allowed to leave your room."

— Chloe Angyal ( @ChloeAngyal ) July 5, 2020