[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

"Participant numbers are down, but then that seems to be the case generally for all post COVID events." I think this varies a lot, though not in a way where I've figured out any patterns. For example our dance (Cambridge MA, N95 required, relatively young group) has averaged

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

to 60 paying attendees. > > We have returned to offering free snacks. > > Lou Echeandia > > -Original Message- > From: Darlene Hamilton via Organizers > To: Seth Seeger > Cc: A list for dance organizers > Sent: Wed, Apr 12, 2023 11:20 am > Subject: [Organizers

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

on via Organizers To: Seth Seeger Cc: A list for dance organizers Sent: Wed, Apr 12, 2023 11:20 am Subject: [Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates? Thank you Seth! On Wed, Apr 12, 2023 at 8:10 AM Seth Seeger via Organizers wrote: Hi everyone, I'd like people to consi

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Hi everyone, I'd like people to consider a few things when discussing covid... * People are asking what others are doing. Not asking for advice on what they should be doing. Please don't offer unsolicited advice. I think it is useful to hear what is happening at other dances. But if there

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Hi Everyone, Seth suggested a 2-day cooling off period before any new posts on this topic. A good idea. I am traveling in Australia right now, and between the 200 different time zones, the switch to standard time from daylight savings time, and the international date line, it's taken me about

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates? -- TIME FOR COOL OFF

Hi everyone, As moderator, I'm calling for a 2 day cool off period on this thread and other covid topics. It's tricky stuff, with politics and personal feelings all mixed up together. I'm sorry I haven't had time to keep more on top of this thread. Seth

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Dancing in Florida has been complicated by politics. It is illegal in Florida for a business, even an unincorporated association or nonprofit, to require a vaccine, $5000 fine per occurrence, each denied attendee is an occurrence. Now: In Orlando, Florida, given our dancers’ behavior outside of

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Wearing a mask allows us to titrate that risk better. I’m sure that dancing has saved lives in our communities and that not dancing has negatively affected our mental and physical health. Will gladly wear a mask for that benefit. On Sun, Apr 9, 2023 at 10:26 AM Jon Greene via Organizers <

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Mac, I guess none of us then should really be contra dancing at all because dancing surely creates more transmission risk than not dancing. And for a recreational activity that, unlike earning a living, is not even a necessity. - Jon Greene Sent from my iPhone > On Apr 8, 2023, at 5:27

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Hi Mac, There are a few different issues with how you're interpreting those R0 numbers. The big one is that R0, the basic reproduction number , assumes an entirely "susceptible" population. That is, a population in which no one has any

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Thank you Mac - If one infected person will infect 5 more we are no where near going maskless. The risk of wearing masks is so much less than the risk of going maskless. I've been wearing the 3M VFLEX mask and it has the highest and easiest flow thru of any tried so far. A great seal and only

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Becoming infected by Covid today is a lower risk to the individual than at the start of the pandemic. However, becoming infected by Covid is also an opportunity for the Covid virus to be transmitted to others, and to mutate. R0 is the number of people that an infected individual is likely

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Responding to Lisa’s question for data on other dance organizer experiences relative to policies about masks: See https://www.belfastflyingshoes.org for info on our programs, policies, etc. Our series resumed dancing outdoors in July-Oct 2022. When our monthly two-part public dance series

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Hi Julian, I linked my sources in my email: for hospitalizations I used the NYT and for deaths I used the CDC and MA DPH

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

I have a reply pending - I embedded an image I took from CovidActNow, but the short answer is: While it varies from area to area, I'm using CovidActNow for the basis of saying that deaths and hospitalizations are well above what they were a year ago. Yes, we're on a downwards trend, but we were

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Yikes, masks forbidden?! That sounds pretty extreme.Most dances in western Mass are still requiring masks and vaccinations, which I fully support. Without those precautions I, and many others, would not feel able to attend.Liz Sturgen  Easthampton, MA Sent from AOL on Android On Fri, Apr

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Hi Julian, You wrote "Hospitalizations and deaths for covid are still well above what they were a year ago" but this looks wrong to me, both for MA and nationwide? Nationally , hospitalizations are at 1.9/100k compared to 2/100k this

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

All of my immune-compromised friends are still masking and still not able to enjoy the things so many people are taking for granted. Hospitalizations and deaths for covid are still well above what they were a year ago. Reported cases are down, but positive test % is still very high - indicating a

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Oh, I forgot to add that for our annual Jane Austen Ball in May, we chose to require masks and proof of vaccination for the event because it attracts dancers from a larger geographic area. Covid incidence is expected to be uneven across the region. This was set in January and is unlikely to change

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

In Rochester, NY, we have two dance series, in separate venues, so policies are slightly different between the two series. In addition, we conducted a survey of our dancers in February about factors that affect their willingness to attend a dance.

[Organizers] Re: Is it time to change our mask mandates?

Mask mandates for medical facilities were lifted in Oregon in March. Brooke Friendly On Fri, Apr 7, 2023 at 6:35 AM Lisa Sieverts via Organizers < organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hello fellow organizers, > > I have been a big proponent of our dance mask mandates and feel we have >