That as of yesterday, there were 398 confirmed or probable new cases of COVID in the state in the past 24 hours. By the time you click on this it may be updated with today’s figures. That same number increased by 686 on Wednesday. Hospitalizations and ventilator use are also on the rise.
My understanding is that this is a higher daily case total than we were getting last summer with no vaccine; the worst day I can find last June was 676 new cases (the worst day overall was in late December, and had been declining with more vaccinations until recently). So I’m starting to wonder if this will force HY to rethink opening RRS to full capacity, or at least enforcing mask use. The problem seems to be that pretty much everybody who wants to be vaccinated, already is, and those who aren’t, aren’t interested, and there are a whole lot of people who aren’t interested.
I know that this will bring out all the usual suspects, but if it winds up reducing the crowds at RRS, that’s kind of an important topic for the program.
Sure wish our state had better, more creative leadership to address vaccines. That, and I wish our citizenry was smarter and better able to sift through the kooky stuff about vaccines. But so it is….
I don’t think HY will unilaterally do anything but the SEC or the governor could mandate something if this virus surges again. There is a chance that the stadiums in states that have achieved a high level of vaccinations (Pac12, Big10, etc.) are going to be laughing at us in the SEC where our stadiums are half or less full because our states have a majority of folks that still think Covid is no big deal. If they were the only ones paying the price for that, it might be OK to let them get immune the hard way. The very young, the very old, the ones with immune problems, and health care workers get to share the pain resulting from that attitude and they don’t deserve it. The longer Covid runs unchecked the more likely the next “variant” will be much worse than the Delta one taking over the country right now. I know this can be construed as too political but it effects sports so I think it is worth discussing. JMVVVVVHO
I don’t see the UA doing anything about it unless the governor through the Department of Health decides to reimpose some kind of mask mandates. Don’t hold your breath.
That’s probably correct, and I don’t expect Asa to reimpose a mandate.
I had been thinking about coming back for a game in RRS this fall, but even though I’m fully vaccinated with Moderna, which appears to be quite effective against Delta, I’m having second thoughts. I’m not real keen on dropping myself into a Petri dish of unvaccinated people, and right now the numbers say only a third of Arkansans are fully vaccinated. I’ll be watching that trend before I decide to buy tickets.
It will be interesting to see what kind of outbreak does or does not happen in the next couple of weeks after several sporting events with large capacities have been taking place. We were elbow full at Baum Walker 2 or 3 weeks ago, I’m sure a large number were not vaccinated. I am myself, but my son is not. So far so good👍🏻
Which is just how it should be at this stage of the event. You make your choice and you live with it. That’s true for buying tickets or for being vaccinated. Everybody has to be responsible for the consequences of their own actions to themselves and those they care about.
I’ve weighed the risks of getting a breakthrough case bad enough to make me or someone in my family severely ill, and it does not give me any concerns about crowds at football games. But that’s me. Other folks may feel differently and choose differently, and that’s fine. Going to the games does not make me a better Hog fan or person than somebody who thinks it’s too chancy and stays home.
I don’t feel sorry for people that elect not to get vaccinated and get sick. If they make someone else who is not vaccinated in their family sick, and that person dies, they have to live with that, too. It’s unfortunate, but their bad choices are not a reason to make everyone else change their normal activities to protect them from their own folly.
Many people I know say they have a right to choose not to be vaccinated. And you are trying to take away their rights if you force them to get a shot.
My question to them is, if I like to drive my car on the interstate at 100 MPH, is that my right? I personally remember when polio was rampant and people were fearful of swimming in the summer, I remember having to take a TB shot to get into school etc.
We are not 7 billion individual separate being,s we are a community. We need self protection.
I think the key will be how well the vaccines protect against any new mutations. The unvaccinated are quite likely to get it. I just hope children remain reasonably safe from it until a vaccine is available to them. I have 4 young grandchildren I want to see protected. I haven’t worried too much until now, but as this delta variant & other mutations evolve, I’m getting somewhat concerned about them. If the illness/death stays limited to adults too stubborn to get it, then I’m all for them exercising their right to be stupid. I’m just worried it won’t stay so limited. (And btw, just to be clear, I’m not criticizing those rare people who can’t get the vaccine because some medical condition prohibits it. I’m talking about the cowboys who just won’t do it.)
At the site I linked in the OP it has a count of how many are fully and partially vaccinated. As of yesterday, the fully vaccinated count was less than 1 million. Arkansas’ population just topped 3 million. Yes I’m aware that there are a lot of kids in that 3 million who can’t be vaccinated yet. But still less than a third of all Arkansans have had both shots, and there will be kids at RRS too.
It’s possible that if I do decide to go to a game, I’ll be wearing a mask. Even if it’s the only mask in the stadium.
If we again find ourselves with empty stadiums, empty restaurants, & a closed economy this Fall due to Covid surge & this new more aggressive strain, we can only blame ourselves, specifically those who did not take this virus seriously & chose to not vaccinate.
Many of us do not want to relive the pandemic of 2020, including the economic hardships & the loss of family & friends.
I don’t think we’ll see a closed economy again under any circumstances, but I’m afraid we’re about to get a very painful reminder that until we reach something close to herd immunity we are still very much at the mercy of this virus. Covid isn’t through with us yet, and it has apparently really stepped up it’s game with this Delta variation. Delta is sweeping the world fast. Scary fast. I’d love to think Covid was through evolving, but I think we all know better.
If you’re debating whether or not to get vaccinated–please do it for yourself and for the ones who love you.
The Governor can’t do a darn thing now regarding COVID with out getting the Legislatures OK and I don’t see the Arkansas Legislature admitting we have a problem and agreeing to attendance limits, masks or anything else.
I’m sure that HY will make a statement if the surge continues…I could see the SEC taking a stand on this issue and requiring masks or allowing vaccinated fans only. Several SEC states are in the same category as we are. Just my thoughts for now.
I doubt you would be the only vaccinated person wearing a mask. There are lots of cautious people around.
I see people with masks on working out at the gym these days, maybe one in fifteen or twenty. I don’t know if those folks are unvaccinated, but I bet a few probably are.
If you go places where you see international travelers, especially from the Far East, you will probably see a few healthy looking people wearing masks even in normal times, especially in airports.
Today’s update: Exactly 700 new cases (same link as above).
The problem for me, in going to a game, is I have no way of knowing who isn’t wearing a mask because he’s fully vaccinated, and who’s not wearing a mask because, as Chip put it, he’s a cowboy.
And if you try to restrict admission to those who can prove they’re fully vaccinated, the cowboys flip out about how their rights are being violated. Thus the current furor over “vaccine passports” that would do exactly that. But I’d feel much safer going if proof of vaccine were required. I’m quite happy to send a PDF of my vaccine card, or get a vaccine passport or whatever, if that’s going to ensure my safety and the safety of 76,000 other people (being optimistic about ticket sales other than the Texas game).
Angler, the antibody treatments (and I worked on one of those clinical trials) are still up in the air. Right now it looks like the vaccines are still effective, but if you do get sick, that’s another issue. Nobody new died of COVID today in Arkansas, which is a very good thing, but 12 more people were hospitalized.
Yes, we are in a surge…hope we can get more People vaccinated or the surge will continue. I watch the number of people on ventilators……knowing that about 30 - 40 percent will not be with us. Sad why some will not get vaccinated.
