cornell covid testing

[upprdeck]

you look at the cornell numbers this week and it really hasnt slowed down all that much. almost 300 the last 2 days of numbers.. I guess everyone boosted up and then said time to go party and eat out every night. its as much staff as kids at this point.

[David Harding]

Starting the spring semester on time, but with two weeks of virtual classes only.  Phase move-in.  Get a booster.  Test before you come back.  Test twice a week for two weeks.  Athletic events continue.  
https://cornellsun.com/2022/01/06/cornell-to-start-spring-semester-online-extend-move-in/
https://www.14850.com/010623410-cornell-spring-2201/
https://ithacavoice.com/2022/01/cornell-will-start-semester-remotely-for-two-weeks-to-allow-arrival-testing-isolation-time/

[upprdeck]

this week cornell tested 200 people and had about 90 test positive.  I wonder if its mainly because only people got tested who thought they had it or were exposed..

[Cop at Lynah]

Testing for employees/students is mandatory.  There is still a pretty fair amount of students on campus

[upprdeck]

masks come off and numbers on campus go right back up.  around town yesterday its way less than 50/50 in most stores/shops. I saw people walk up to panera see they still wanted masks and they turned around, and got in the car and left.

40 positives on campus wed

[CU2007]

masks come off and numbers on campus go right back up.  around town yesterday its way less than 50/50 in most stores/shops. I saw people walk up to panera see they still wanted masks and they turned around, and got in the car and left.

40 positives on campus wed

But the counter argument is all 40 of those people are probably totally  fine or have the sniffles. So, who cares?

[upprdeck]

not a smart argument.  you have no idea who is getting it from them and 40 is just the ones who were found with no symptoms.. the ones with symptoms are not being testing on campus anyway..

[CU2007]

But that's been true of viruses and illness forever. Why cancel everything and force masks etc indefinitely now?

[ugarte]

closing things wouldn't be as necessary if people didn't have to be such fucking babies about masks. i "get" not wanting to be vaccinated. not that i agree with it, but vaccine skepticism has a long and storied history so i "get" that there will be some resistance. anti-mask attitudes are based on absolutely nothing. the purest form of virtue signaling from the people who pretend to hate it the most.

[Trotsky]

closing things wouldn't be as necessary if people didn't have to be such fucking babies about masks. i "get" not wanting to be vaccinated. not that i agree with it, but vaccine skepticism has a long and storied history so i "get" that there will be some resistance. anti-mask attitudes are based on absolutely nothing. the purest form of virtue signaling from the people who pretend to hate it the most.

But mah freedumbs!!!1!1

[Roy 82]

But that's been true of viruses and illness forever. Why cancel everything and force masks etc indefinitely now?

I think that as we approach, in the US alone, 1 million dead and still around 1000 deaths per day that there might just be something different about COVID compared to other viruses and illnesses in our lifetimes. I agree that we can't continue on indefinitely with a lot of restrictions but as others here have noted, if people just did some pretty minimal things like vaccinating themselves and their families and masking or distancing as appropriate then we would indeed be in a position to lift restrictions and treat isolated breakouts. So we continue to protect lives until we can get past some more hurdles rather than give up and have many many more dead.

[upprdeck]

its gonna be a few years before we find out how to handle this.. we already know people have long range effects.  Its like saying its like the FLU but it isnt.  you tend to recover from the flu and a small number die but how many have long lasting issues that affect all parts of the body for month after month.

many want to gloss over it.  but if we did more to make less people sick its not only a better short term thing its a better long term thing.

[Trotsky]

I love that people think their impatience and wants factor into medical realities.

It's so... charming.

[BearLover]

I love that people think their impatience and wants factor into medical realities.

It's so... charming.

The following statements are not at odds with each other:
1. COVID is a lot worse than "the sniffles" or "the flu."
2. Masks and (especially) vaccines are very good at protecting people and preventing spread.
3. There are high costs and minor benefits to many COVID restrictions beyond mandating masks and vaccines.

People suggesting governments, schools, etc. should continue to restrict gatherings, make classes remote, etc. need to be upfront about when (if ever) they'd be comfortable with these restrictions going away. We've all lived under some level of COVID restrictions for two years now. We've had a free and widely accessible vaccine for a year now. What are we waiting for? If some people are too dumb to get vaccinated, what makes you think that is going to change? We're likely going to be stuck with this seasonal, endemic virus forever. Luckily, we have highly effective ways of protecting ourselves. At this point, people need to be afforded the freedom to fully return to their pre-pandemic lives.

[Trotsky]

People suggesting governments, schools, etc. should continue to restrict gatherings, make classes remote, etc. need to be upfront about when (if ever) they'd be comfortable with these restrictions going away.

"Upfront" is obviously loaded rhetoric, since it implies the doctors and health policy experts have an agenda, whereas in reality they're practicing their profession as distinct from individuals who just want what they want cuz WAAH.

But I think it's fair to have trigger conditions for relief of these policies.  And I'll bet they even have them, as if the ideological opponents would (could) read them.

This is science vs fantasyland.  If you really need to put black and white hats on the parties, we all know who's who so please just stop.