One of the many odd things I’ve seen over the past few weeks is "pandemic pods. It’s the new quarantine bubble. Theses pods are informal arrangements with other households where kids are supposed to exclusively spend time together. These families agree to a set of safety precautions, and they connect to educate their children at home.
From what I’m reading, they remind me of playdates. I hated them whan my kids were younger. I felt they were more like dates between adults. The kids were forced together so the adults could have some adult time with one another.
Parents who want their children to have more social engagement in the upcoming school year are looking for avenues to accomplish socialization and these so-called pandemic pods, formed outside of school, are ways to make it all happen.
Health professionals suggest, whether it’s a school that has decided to open or a neighborhood-organized pod, the number of children and adults should be kept low. If there are small groups, people will know who is responsible for a breakout of COVID if one occurs.
I have a few questions:
When one person leaves the “quaranteam” and goes outdoors to be around any other human being, how do they know they won’t get infected by someone else with whom they interacted?
Are the people in these pods tested for the coronavirus? If so, how frequently and for how many weeks?
People are concerned about ventilation. Are these pods equipped with the standard of air circulation people expect from schools?
If kids and adults can be in these pods, why can’t they be in school?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Mask Breaks
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo taking a mask break:
A “mask break” is a dedicated time when kids can remove masks—whether it’s during recess, or in hallways at school.
School administrators acknowledge the difficulty of having young children go for seven to eight hours a day with their masks on. Some school districts are considering whether or not there can be mask breaks for students at specific points of the school day.
Wouldn’t this defeat the purpose of universal masking? If people are COVID crazy and feel masks are suggested to slow or stop the spread of coronavirus, how is this practice even remotely advisable?
Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey has strict mask policies for public school students. He said, "Face coverings will be required for all students at all times while inside a school building, regardless of social distancing, unless doing so would inhibit the individual's health."
Damn, that’s harsh!
Oh wait, there are exceptions? Ahhh!
His mandate would not allow for masks to be taken off indoors, and he acknowledged that students would not be able to snack or eat lunch under those conditions.
Exceptions to the masking order would include:
Doing so would inhibit the student's health.
The student is in extreme heat outdoors.
The student is in water.
A student's documented medical condition, or disability as reflected in an Individualized Education
Program (IEP) precludes the use of face covering.
The student is under the age of two (2), due to the risk of suffocation.
During the period that a student is eating or drinking.
Face coverings should not be placed on anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, or anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance (e.g., face coverings should not be worn by Pre-K students during nap time).
The student is engaged in high intensity aerobic or anaerobic activities.
Face coverings may be removed during gym and music classes when individuals are in a well-ventilated location and able to maintain a physical distance of six feet apart.
When wearing a face-covering creates an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task.
I guess people can take mask breaks after all.
Someone has to tell me if they understand the rules here. I don’t. Kids can’t go to school and have 25 of them in a class indoors, but if someone wanted to have a pandemic pod where 15 to 20 kids were with each other indoors, but not in school, that would be ok? What if it were ten kids? Does that number matter? How does anyone know what is going on in these pods? Are they regulated by the state?
Mask breaks. No one in school can take their masks off, ever! Except for the 11 reasons listed above. It’s similar to the exceptions for people like the VMA’s and the Honorable Nanci Pelosi.
No one can come from a COVID hotspot like California without quarantining for 14 days, except those who are attending some silly awards show.
There is a video of Nanci Pelosi visiting a San Francisco salon even though salons in the city were officially closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
They are exempt from the rules.
I see there are rules and guidelines for everyone, except those who don’t have to follow them.
I think I understand.
Thought-Provoking Articles:
‘The true picture: Has Sweden emerged as paragon or pariah in the corona sweepstakes?‘ – An excellent piece by Prof Ramesh Thakur in the Times of India
Jimmy Page recalls meeting The Rolling Stones for the first time - "I thought, ‘That’s going to be really great, let’s go along.’"
‘Former Congressman: “The Coronavirus lockdown is one of the biggest mistakes in the history of this country”‘ – Former Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr delivers the truth serum
Ice Cube Calls Out Democrats After Convention: 'What's in It for the Black Community?' - The hip-hop icon and actor urged Black Americans to make both parties "earn that vote."
‘Your Coronavirus Test Is Positive. Maybe It Shouldn’t Be‘ – The New York Times discovers false positives.
Something Interesting:
I finally saw Dirty Dancing last night. I am slowly catching up on my ‘80’s movies. It was interesting. Now I understand the cultural reference: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”
I also realized I worked with Lonny Price when I played drums for Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar And Grill. He directed that show but played Neil Kellerman in Dirty Dancing.
Clayton Craddock is an independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City. He is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Ain't Too Proud. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University's School of Business and is a 25 year veteran of the fast-paced New York City music scene. He has played drums in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including "Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical and Lady Day At Emerson's Bar and Grill. Also, Clayton has worked on: Footloose, Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.
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