Coronavirus How The NFL Is Staying Safe

Football is back! 

With coronavirus cases still at all-time highs in the United States, the NFL has had two weekends of relative coronavirus-free games. That is almost miraculous. No regular season games have been cancelled due to coronavirus outbreaks. Preseason was cancelled which is probably one of the reasons for an unusual number of upsets in week 1. 

Most stadiums did not allow any fans in weeks 1 or 2 of the NFL. One of the few that did, Kansas City, did have an outbreak in a group of 10 fans. However, due to contact tracing and separating fans into 10 person blocks throughout the stadium, the group was easily isolated.  

While surprising, the low numbers were not due to a miracle, but rather human determination and willpower. Sports leagues have proven sports can be played safely. Before the NFL started up again, the UFC had been having fights almost weekly going back to April. A few fights were cancelled due to a fighter or a person in their camp testing positive. No matter how big the fight, the UFC has been diligent about not allowing fights to continue if there is any risk of coronavirus infection.  That stringent approach has kept the UFC fighters, camps, and their families safe.  

The key that has been proven to work is a rigorous testing regimen. In an article on 9/8 from the NFL, it said of 44000 test of 8000 personnel in August, 8 people tested positive. Those 8 were immediately quarantined and no one else was infected. 

According to Pantherswire (the Carolina Panthers' website) no cases of covid had been reported prior to  week 2's games. This is really amazing considering half of the NFL teams and support staff were traveling around the country staying in hotels, taking planes, buses, etc.  

The entertainment industry has reported a few isolated cases, but not many. Why, testing, social distancing, and the use of PPEs.  Every person on set is tested relentlessly. I had to take three covid tests over three days before I was allowed on set this week to film for one day.  

If the major sports leagues and the entertainment industry are whole heartedly buying into widespread testing, wearing PPEs, and social distancing to keep infections at bay, I really don't know why anyone would argue against using these methods in our daily lives. 

Bring on the sports! 

Take care and be safe. 

Posts Tuesday

Coronavirus Religious Gatherings

Early on during the coronavirus, one of the most controversial issues was the banning of church gatherings. Most churches and congregations have abided by the social distancing rules and limits on large gatherings of people. 

I remember watching on Easter Andrea Bocelli singing in an empty cathedral and on the empty streets of Milan during the coronavirus' peak in Italy and how stirring it was - both his singing and the sight of the deserted streets.

Some pastors like Tony Spell in Louisiana have defied the coronavirus orders and have been arrested or fined for holding large church services. 

That being said, I recently went to my first church gathering since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States six months ago. Up to now, our local church had been live streaming the services (except when LA for a couple of weeks allowed them to resume). I am proud to say that my son is on the video ministry team and helped make the streaming of those services possible.

I went to the in-person service because my son had completed his religious education training and was to be confirmed in the Catholic church. This is very big step in a Catholic individual's commitment to their faith. The act of being confirmed has to be done in person and a candidate's entire family usually comes to celebrate the occasion.

I am happy to say that my church abided by all the coronavirus restrictions through careful and thoughtful preparation to keep everyone safe including the priest who is in his early 80's meaning that he was considered high risk of dying if he contracted the illness.

The service was held outside on the church patio beneath a large magnolia tree. The candidate was allowed to bring three guests. Each row  of chairs was separated from the row on either side by 6 feet. Also, there was only one family per row on either side of the aisle. And rather than having all of the confirmation candidates for the church participate in one ceremony as in the past, they were scheduled in 4 different time slots.

When we arrived, our temperatures were checked, we had to sign a paper stating that we did not have any flu-like symptoms, and sanitizer was set out on the registration tables. 

The rest of the service was typical until it came time to wishing your neighbors peace and taking communion. 

At our church, people usually shake hands when giving each other the sign or blessing of peace. Due to coronavirus, there were lots of peace symbols flashed to our neighbors prompting many smiles.

Then came communion. We had to follow a specific path and let the pastor place the bread in your hand. Then a person walked 6 feet away, dropped their mask, ate it, put the mask back on, and then returned to their seat. Wine was not shared. No way to get around coronavirus on that one.

In the end, it was a beautiful ceremony. It was also a lot shorter than previous ceremonies due to the smaller group of candidates, limited family members, and lack of singing. Also family members throughout California were able to watch the ceremony.

Events large and small can be accomplished during our new coronavirus era with proper planning and care.

Take care and be safe.

Posts Tuesdays 

Coronavirus Free Weekend

Coronavirus Free Labor Day Weekend

 

Wildfires, heatwave, and a blockbuster movie release dominated local news. It was almost like a regular California Labor Day weekend. Coronavirus, BLM, and politics still dominated the news, but these other stories actually broke into the front pages of the major news outlets.

 

We checked into a hotel in San Diego for one night to escape the 114 degree South Pasadena heat last weekend. It was only 91 (a 25 degree difference). Everyone wore masks at the hotel. There were barriers between hotel staff and guests. All the restaurants at the hotel were closed. But along the Waterfront people rented kayaks and paddleboards. People fished. People bbq'd. People didn't act scared. They didn't appear resentful that they were wearing masks.

 

Being a fisherman, I had to check the San Diego fishing reports while I was there. Every sportfishing boat was booked that weekend. Not only that weekend, but filling up throughout the week. I had noticed that when I went on my fishing trip out of Santa Barbara a week ago - every trip was booked solid. And like on the Santa Barabara boat, the one in San Diego you had to wear a mask and sign a waiver that you were coronavirus symptom free before boarding. (Yes, I did go fishing in San Diego too - I couldn't help myself.)

 

Life seemed normal. And when life is normal you can talk about the heat wave; you can talk about California wildfires; you can talk about the new big movie release even if it is a streamer; and you can go fishing.

 

If the coronavirus epidemic has taught us one thing, it's that humans are resilient and adaptable.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesdays (and some Saturdays)

Coronavirus Mulan $30 Why Now

The biggest movie watching news this weekend is undoubtedly Mulan being released to Disney+ subscribers for $30. This is on top of Disney+'s monthly membership fee. At first I was surprised by the price. I mean Netflix is releasing new content monthly with similarly budgeted movies like 6 Underground $150 million and The Irish Man $159 and they did not charge subscribers extra to watch them. (Mulan's budget is $200 million.) 

Perhaps I am not comparing apples to apples here. Mulan was supposed to be a box office smash hit, while Netflix movies are supposed to be streaming hits. This means Mulan had the potential to earn Disney a lot more money as a one-off project. Estimates ticket sales were a billion dollars worldwide. Netflix is fighting for long term subscribers and has to pump out consistent quality content to keep them.

 

So why did Disney decide to bite the proverbial bullet and post Mulan to its streaming service with a $30 price tag?

 

I have Disney+ since it is free for 6 months as part of my cell phone promotion. I enjoyed watching The Mandalorian. I also watched one classic movie. But that has been it. I have not watched Disney+ since the series ended because there is nothing new to watch. Once I watch Hamilton, my plan is to cancel my subscription and then renew it once the new season of Mandalorian arrives for one month.

 

So content issues is one reason Mulan was put on its streaming service.

 

My other two theories have to do with the Oscars and staying relevant. 

 

There has been a growing discussion regarding where streaming services' movies fit in awards season. Historically, only movies in theaters are qualified to earn an Oscar. What happens when the theaters have been closed for half a year and perhaps for the rest of the year? Do you base you Oscar candidates only on the movies shown in the first three months of the year? Or do you include movies like Hamilton, Mulan, and Tom Hank's Greyhound that were supposed to be released in theaters but went the streaming route? Or do you include all movies now - made for tv, made for cable, made for streaming, and made for theater?  Perhaps by charging pay per view rates for Mulan, Disney can argue that the $30 fee alone differentiates it enough to be considered a "real" movie worthy of Oscar contention.

 

I know people who have already paid for Mulan. I know people who have scoffed at the price. Will Disney make $1 billion? I doubt it. But people are talking about the movie. They are talking about the price. They are talking about the amazing special effects. They are talking about political issues surrounding the movie. And best of all for Disney, it is keeping the studio relevant at a time when its cruise line is shut down and many of its theme parks are still closed. And being relevant can be priceless.

 

As a final thought: what would have happened if Disney had pushed Mulan to 2021 and tensions between the US and Chinese governments continue(d) to rise. The movie might not never be released.

 

One thing is sure, the mouse knows what it is doing and no one is moving its cheese.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Saturdays and Tuesdays

Coronavirus Super Spreader - The Flute

"The flute is a coronavirus super sprayer," said my friend who is a classical musician.

 I was taken aback by her statement. I had never thought about how orchestras would be affected by coronavirus. According to sciencemag.org, studies they cited stated that wind instruments can indeed carry the Covid-19 virus, but not as much as would be released by singing. And yes, they did list the flute as the most effective sprayer.

 

By the end of March, all live concerts in Los Angeles and for most of the country went silent. Musicians super famous and not so famous took to Zoom, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Instragram Live, etc. to perform for the public to keep themselves relevant and to promote themselves.

However, those social media platforms are not useful for a larger groups of musicians coming together to create music like the 100-member Los Angeles Philharmonic. First, groups of over 25 people are banned in Los Angeles. Second, the amount of space you would need to place everyone 6-feet apart would take an entire football field. Finally, the sound quality would be horrible.

 

Some techniques to mitigate the risks include covering the ends of the instrument, ensuring good ventilation in performance areas, and having musicians point their instruments away from the audience and fellow musicians.

 

My friend is encouraged by string musicians who are now working singly or up to quartet size at restaurants and weddings. She does not know of any wind musicians performing live yet.

 

In June, I was heartened by seeing a quartet perform on the patio of an outdoor restaurant. I made a mental note that the trombone player was not wearing a mask since he had to blow into his horn. He faced the diners while he played, but the band was a good 20 feet from the audience and it was an outdoor show. Still, did I mention super sprayers?

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Tuesdays and Saturdays

 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/it-safe-strike-band-time-coronavirus