Hockey East 2020-2021

[Chuck Murray]

To be honest, I’m not “sitting in my basement” cowering in fear. Just the opposite, I’ve been out being involved with the game, to include significant travel. Am I happy about that? Nope. Am I doing absolutely everything possible to minimize my risk? Yep. Do I think it makes sense to be playing a sport that every expert on virology, epidemiology, and infectious diseases (except USA. Hockey’s apparently) says is riskier to play than any other indoor sport? No, I don’t.

And, if Michael Osterholm is right and the U.K. variant becomes the dominant strain in the next month AND, that causes daily case counts in some states to be higher than they were back in November will I continue to do what I’m doing? Probably not. Unless of course I can get the vaccine.

Serious question: do you rely on so-called "experts" to manage each & every aspect of your life?

'Cuz it sure seems that way.

Next question: how do you determine which so-called "experts" are qualified?

Shouldn't your own personal life experiences (living x years on Earth) count for something?

You're obviously free to do as you choose; you do seem overly trusting of folks you don't know ...

P.S. - if you choose to respond, please keep it brief and concise. Thanks in advance.

[jjmc85]

One of the big advantages UMass Athletics had was only athletes were on campus in the fall. That changed in February. Now all Athletics are going on a minimum two week pause due to rising cases on campus. Oh well. At least they were smart enough to play every week over the winter.

https://twitter.com/umassathletics/s...129700866?s=21

[J.D.]

"The end is near"--zlax somewhere

UMass has met the requirements to be in NCAAs. If they have any injuries right now, this break isn't necessary a bad thing for them.

[Drew S.]

I don’t think things look great in the immediate term. We could be in a world of hurt in March and April but if we can speed up vaccinations things should quickly improve once summer comes if there aren’t any variants that are vaccine resistant. For UMA to take this step there has to be something really concerning they have picked up on.

[J.D.]

Huh? They had an on campus uptick. Seems similar to BUs recent pause and that lasted less than a week. Cases are dropping in MA in general.

If "variant" is gonna be the next buzz word we use as a reason to not get on with life, God help us all. There's only so much you can do.

[brassbonanza]

I don’t think things look great in the immediate term. We could be in a world of hurt in March and April but if we can speed up vaccinations things should quickly improve once summer comes if there aren’t any variants that are vaccine resistant. For UMA to take this step there has to be something really concerning they have picked up on.

The biggest concern appears to be multiple large off campus frat parties last weekend and a subsequent uptick in cases. Seems linked much more to obviously stupid behavior than random community spread. This measure appears a (the correct) attempt to blunt random community spread as a result of the existing uptick as well as a preventative measure from further frat parties.

[DNAEagle]

Viruses mutate continually, that is how they stay alive. Through genomic analysis they can track them backwards, which is why the label them south african variant etc. Most mutations don'r always fundamentally alter the genetic sequence but sometimes they do. The hope is that these mutations will not reduce the effectiveness of the current vaccines. Remember it wasn't that long ago that virologists said a 50 % effectiveness rate would be a success. We now have two that are over 90 %, a tremendous step forward in such a short time. The MMR vacine took four years to develop. There are over 460,000 people in the US alone who just can't get on with it, they can't live their lives, they are dead. Mask up, stay apart and get the vaccine when your turn comes, if not for you then for your friends and family.

[leswp1]

Viruses mutate continually, that is how they stay alive. Through genomic analysis they can track them backwards, which is why the label them south african variant etc. Most mutations don'r always fundamentally alter the genetic sequence but sometimes they do. The hope is that these mutations will not reduce the effectiveness of the current vaccines. Remember it wasn't that long ago that virologists said a 50 % effectiveness rate would be a success. We now have two that are over 90 %, a tremendous step forward in such a short time. The MMR vacine took four years to develop. There are over 460,000 people in the US alone who just can't get on with it, they can't live their lives, they are dead. Mask up, stay apart and get the vaccine when your turn comes, if not for you then for your friends and family.

This.
The Astra-Zeneca vaccine is not effective against the S. African variant. Boo! The positive- the Moderna and Pfizer supposedly can be modified in about 6 weeks time so possibly a boost with new variants included.

[J.D.]

There are over 460,000 people in the US alone who just can't get on with it, they can't live their lives, they are dead. Mask up, stay apart and get the vaccine when your turn comes, if not for you then for your friends and family.

Is anyone here saying not to get the vaccine or that people should stop wearing a mask? We all know people have died from it. The total doesn't need to be regurgitated constantly. Unless you want to stop everything until nobody can ever die from COVID again or until the government hunts everyone down to make sure they are vaccinate. That's not plausible.

[DNAEagle]

Variant is not a "buzzword", is an altered copy of the virus. Take it to the extreme if you like go out and live your life, just don't infect the people around you

[J.D.]

And here we go with the variant talk. First it was let's wait for the vaccine. Now it's well we have to consider the East Boston variant. The goalposts will forever be moving. We're coming up on a year now. And yes, I know dead people can't get on with their lives.

[NCAA watcher]

Though these vaccines seem to be effective on preventing severe impact of hospitalization and/or death. J&J -- after 28 days -- was 100% effective against hospitalizations.

The [J&J] vaccine was 72% protective in the United States, 66% protective in South America, and 57% protective in South Africa.

But the vaccine was shown to be 85% protective against severe disease, with no differences across countries (eight) or regions (three) in the study, nor across age groups among trial participants. And there were no hospitalizations or deaths in the vaccine arm of the trial after the 28-day period in which immunity developed.

https://www.statnews.com/2021/02/02/...hnson-johnson/


Sounds like AstraZeneca may have the same overall theme.

Still, Dr. Madhi and University of Oxford scientists who developed the vaccine with AstraZeneca said that, based on the results from other vaccine trials, they were optimistic that their shot would provide protection from severe Covid-19. AstraZeneca and its partners have committed to producing some three billion doses this year, enough to immunize 1.5 billion people and far more than any other manufacturer. More than one billion doses are due to go to low- and middle-income countries.

“This study confirms that the pandemic coronavirus will find ways to continue to spread in vaccinated populations, as expected,” said Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, in the news release on the trial results. “But, taken with the promising results from other studies in South Africa using a similar viral vector, vaccines may continue to ease the toll on health care systems by preventing severe disease.”

While it won't stop the spread and potentially further mutation, reducing Covid to the flu equivalent would be a large step toward normalization.

[J.D.]

Variant is not a "buzzword", is an altered copy of the virus. Take it to the extreme if you like go out and live your life, just don't infect the people around you

Take it to the extreme? By doing what exactly? Living? I'm not going around licking everything in sight.

[DNAEagle]

Thanks, I am sure your friends and family will appreciate your restraint.

[HockeyRef]

This.
The Astra-Zeneca vaccine is not effective against the S. African variant. Boo! The positive- the Moderna and Pfizer supposedly can be modified in about 6 weeks time so possibly a boost with new variants included.

Good news! As that's about the time when teachers in nh will be eligible to be vaccinated...