Kids ages 12 to 19 are leading other age groups in Florida in the rate at which they test positive for COVID-19 — a sobering data point that comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) fights tooth and nail against school mask mandates.
Some of that positivity rate may be the result of observational bias (only people who get tested are the ones with symptoms, for the most part), but that would be true of other age groups as well. It does suggest (for better or worse, mostly worse) that infections may start declining by winter simply because the state will have run out of locals to infect.
For an excellent summary of the Republican leadership response, read this link from today’s NYT:
What surprises me is not that Republican leadership is arguing against masks, but they are taking active actions to financially penalize others (is this even legal?) from doing so and stating that we should, even as data continues to support wearing masks as part of a best medical practice to fight against the virus. They appear to be proposing and following a nihilistic program? For what end? This far right political belief that Trump tapped into and all too many Republican leaders have supported and defended has taken on a mutating life of its own (while literally killing real people) and still continues to morph even though the consequences have become more and more lethal. Again, I repeat myself, but how can any politician call themselves a Republican. The label is forever stained with deaths and actions that are simply despicable. This is not a political party any longer, but a death cult. Time to wake up.
Yet it still doesn’t matter to some, and they died as a consequence.
Is it normal for school board members to be paid the salary DeSatan is threatening to withhold? Our school district members are all volunteer.
FDA just gave full approval to Pfizer vaccine for ages 16+
Woot.
So one antivaxx talking point falls.
Don’t worry, they have a long list. One less won’t make a difference. Indeed, they likely will have thought up 16 new ones before the end of the day.
My sister still refuses to get vaxxed though she said she would once it was FDA approved. I expected that.
At what age now does someone become eligible for the vaccine? I’d guess it varies from state to state. I have NJ acquaintance who took his 2 teens to CT for vaccination in April.
I literally don’t understand DeSantis and Abbott’s ferociously aggressive stance against mask and vaccine mandates. Is this some form of twisted suthun’ politics, where promoting batshit crazy, stupid and dangerous policies is seen by the white moron redneck base as tough, manly and “no-nonsense”–and of course “owning the libs”, since it’s the opposite of what “libs” are promoting? Or is it about not being man enough to admit having been wrong and reversing course, and instead doubling down on the crazy and reckless because that’s what insecure and shallow assholes do?
Actually, that seems to be their strategy.
Of course, by the time they run out of locals, it’ll be back to winter tourist season again, so they can continue their superspreader status well into next year.
I’m truly curious to know how many of the anti-vaxxers will drop their resistance in light of this. Will it provide them the face-saving cover they need, or will it send them deeper into conspiracy mode? I no longer pretend to have any idea how these people “think.”
I look on in amazement at Republican governors who interfere with the fight against COVID. Where is the morality police? Isn’t it immoral to cause sickness and death in children and immunocompromised people.
I am wondering if part of it is some sort of plot to undermine the legitimacy/credibility of public education, but I cannot quite fathom the benefits of such a strategy to the Republicans/those who believe in private-religious instruction. Sure, a few parents/caretakers may move children to private schools that can enforce or withhold masks and implement other health-relates measures, while some mileage may be gained from arguing that public schools (and their boards) failed at containing the pandemic, but how many people will really believe that the public schools, their teachers, principals and boards are (were, by 2022 election time) primarily responsible for the rapid spread of Covid among teenagers and children rather than the Republican governors and their mates? In other words, such a strategy seems wholly self-defeating: What am I missing? Does anyone have any suggestions whether my point is at all valid?
“De” is for “Death.”
Well, we’ll likely have new variants to contend with by then.
Of course we will, but it’ll all be Biden’s fault. 
All over 12 have been able to get the Pfizer vaccine since April under the an emergency authorization from the FDA.
I always assumed they’d made a calculated decision that to hold onto and hopefully inherit Trump’s supporters, they had to be more Trump than Trump.
Straightforward, I thought. What else fits?
both of course
