And to think growing up my parents always said the salt water and beach was good for a cut to heal. Who knew we build castles out of such a hazardous stuff.
COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW
- Thread starter WDWRLD
- Start date
MD and PA are capped at 50%. The biggest issue with SFA is if they see a surge in attendance from their normally low attendance is if they could safely handle it with their marginal operations.
It’s up to Six Flags and Maryland to work that out. VA shouldn’t do something potentially irresponsible here just to attempt to mitigate the possibility of a reckless decision elsewhere. This entire line of reasoning seems super far fetched to me.
I am from Virginia Beach and I spent the last year living at Chics. I know exactly what that beach looked like.
Looks like some venues are not willing to wait until "Phase 17"...
www.wric.com
With no set date, large venues in Virginia have a plan in place to reopen: ‘We don’t want to be phase 17’
Phase 3 of Virginia’s reopening plan starts on July 1, but with the restrictions set forth a lot of different venues still can’t open their doors.
www.wric.com
Looks like some venues are not willing to wait until "Phase 17"...
With no set date, large venues in Virginia have a plan in place to reopen: ‘We don’t want to be phase 17’
Phase 3 of Virginia’s reopening plan starts on July 1, but with the restrictions set forth a lot of different venues still can’t open their doors.
Honestly, could you imagine if some of these organizations pulled an Elon Musk in CA when he reopened the factory against what the city council / board wanted? I don’t know how he didn’t get screwed legally, both from them AND if any employees got sick and wanted to sue...
Anyways, what I’ve noticed about Covid is that even the smallest, I.E. graduation parties, bday parties, etc., have been linked to covid outbreaks of like 100+ people. My feeling is that the governor believes that places like BGW / KD will become these massive epicenters of breakouts. Because The scrutiny on these parks / venues will be SO scrutinized, they will have to implement protocols to the nth degree. Temperature checks, guest registration, reservations, etc. I guess I just believe that they should have the opportunity to show that they can do something responsibly. If an outbreak or cluster is linked back to one of them, close them down. Keep in mind that contact tracing would be easier as well.
Northam has, effectively, left the door open for the modulations WITHIN Phase 3 that BGW/KD and the groups mentioned in that article are suggesting: he's basically saying "give the data a few weeks to ensure that we don't see major upticks and we'll see how things are looking." But BGW, in particular, is threatening that Water Country wouldn't open at all if it can't open in mid-July, which is why they're trying to force the timetable up.
The fact that there has not been any clear evidence presented of Universal/SeaWorld Parks in Florida being an epicenter of infections raises some definite questions: as you say, they have reservation information, meaning they can contact trace more easily than a beach could. The question is whether or not there's actually effective enough contact tracing in Florida right now to be able to determine whether any visitors at the parks are infected, and whether that is where the infection originated. And obviously, if the parks ARE aware of this, they're not going to be in a huge rush to reveal it lest it hasten their closure (which if Florida keeps spiraling is very possible).
Before Florida's blanket shutdown of bars, they closed a couple bars where large outbreaks occurred, which indicates they can decently contact trace where it's happening.
Florida Bar's License Suspended After 41 Workers and Patrons Test Positive for COVID-19
A popular bar in central Florida where dozens of workers and patrons have come down with the new coronavirus had its alcohol license suspended after a state inspector found patrons weren’t socially distancing and following other rules meant to slow the virus’ spread. At least 13 employees and 28...
www.nbcmiami.com
I really would like Northam to look at Florida and Texas specifically shutting down bars and not amusement parks as evidence of where the problem is and be more surgical in policy. Going to bars operating at 100% capacity is almost certainly going to cause the same issue in VA as it did in TX and FL.
Yes lets look to two of the states having the worst breakouts as a good example. ?
Yes I would look to TX and FL shutting down bars as a really big red flag that VA is about to do something really foolish opening them up to 100% capacity. Just because VA has a mask policy doesn’t mean anyone will wear them while drinking.
Do you think opening bars - where mask-wearing is far and few between - to full capacity is a good move on Northam’s part?
Im not sure. ?
It could be good because the slow time opening gave time for bars to learn how to operate and clean. It could backfire because people are assholes. I lean towards bad.But to say that parks in VA should open because of what is happening in FL and TX isn’t exactly the best example of places to follow. Especially since there is no Maslow requirement period.
FWIW I was in a bar earlier and unless people were actively drinking people were wearing masks.
No. There's been a consistent group of people who have wanted everything to open later and there's been a consistent group who have wanted everything open sooner. The group who wanted everything open sooner is now upset that BGW and KD aren't part of that and are flipping everything now criticizing him opening everything else early. The group who wants everything opening later has been consistent and thinks we opened bars too early, generally speaking.
Im not sure. ?
But to say that parks in VA should open because of what is happening in FL and TX isn’t exactly the best example of places to follow. Especially since there is no Maslow requirement period.
FWIW I was in a bar earlier and unless people were actively drinking people were wearing masks.
It just strikes me as odd to oppose opening theme parks but to not have the same sentiments towards opening tightly-packed indoor spaces where everybody taking a drink doesn’t have a mask on, at full capacity no less.
@r757chan: my question was specifically aimed at @warfelg’s previous post.
Here's an outbreak of 60+ cases from a Michigan bar, a state which has arguably been one of the most restrictive states regarding the shutdown.
65 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases now linked to outbreak at East Lansing bar
Health officials have now linked 65 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases to the outbreak at a bar in East Lansing.
www.clickondetroit.com
Opening and closing different types of businesses isn't necessarily a black and white issue of open or close everything. The risk varies, often greatly, depending on the activity. Personally I am ok with the parks reopening to capacity limits (more than 1,000) so long as the high risk activities (e.g. indoor attractions, tight queues) are mitigated or closed. I'm not ok with bars and clubs being open except under limited capacity and only outdoor areas (which can be expanded into parking and road space if need be) since they meet all the major criteria for major spread events such as shared airspace over long periods, limited social distancing, poor judgement from inebriation, and possible sharing of beverages.