[chrisk]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Elex_Michaelson/status/1331652384695623680?s=20[/tweet]

Is shutting down outdoor dining overkill?  I think opponents of the lockdowns are right to be frustrated given the lack of transparency into the decision-making.  Note I am not reflexively anti-restrictions.  If there is a good rationale for limiting certain activities based on data, we should definitely limit them.  And if the LA County health commissioner showed that limiting outdoor dining (or for Lex, limiting alcohol sales) is necessary because of spread through this mechanism, then by all means limit them.

BC

But the LA County Health Director made no such showing.  Indeed, it was admitted that they did not have scientific backing.  As for banning post  5PM sales of alcohol (not just in restaurants,but in liquor stores- please.  That is an absurdity.

The problem, BC,  is the more that these restrictions appear arbitrary the less people will abide by them. 

 Look at the numbers in LA County by demographics and it’s pretty clear the spread is not emanating from outdoor restaurants. 

  Frankly it’s not that I care that much about shutting the restaurants down ( except for the substantial harm it does to the people who work there). It’s that it appears arbitrary. If you have the data to support the move -  then show it. If you do not have such data – then why are you making the move. 

 The county approach also has been somewhat “interesting“. The difference between Santa Clara county and San Mateo County has been quite telling. As I indicated a while ago - until very recently there was a period where I could drive about a mile to cross the county line and eat indoors in Menlo Park. Couldn’t do that in Palo Alto you could only eat outdoors. Please tell me how that makes any sense.

Wouldn't you say that LA is implementing actions they can enforce? What other enforceable actions do they have in their toolkit? They might be able to do more with masks and social distancing but there is not much low hanging fruit there. The most effective would be quarantining people in their homes and hotels, but they haven't really shown the capacity or will to do that.

[chrisk]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Elex_Michaelson/status/1331652384695623680?s=20[/tweet]

Is shutting down outdoor dining overkill?  I think opponents of the lockdowns are right to be frustrated given the lack of transparency into the decision-making.  Note I am not reflexively anti-restrictions.  If there is a good rationale for limiting certain activities based on data, we should definitely limit them.  And if the LA County health commissioner showed that limiting outdoor dining (or for Lex, limiting alcohol sales) is necessary because of spread through this mechanism, then by all means limit them.

BC

But the LA County Health Director made no such showing.  Indeed, it was admitted that they did not have scientific backing.  As for banning post  5PM sales of alcohol (not just in restaurants,but in liquor stores- please.  That is an absurdity.

The problem, BC,  is the more that these restrictions appear arbitrary the less people will abide by them. 

 Look at the numbers in LA County by demographics and it’s pretty clear the spread is not emanating from outdoor restaurants. 

  Frankly it’s not that I care that much about shutting the restaurants down ( except for the substantial harm it does to the people who work there). It’s that it appears arbitrary. If you have the data to support the move -  then show it. If you do not have such data – then why are you making the move. 

 The county approach also has been somewhat “interesting“. The difference between Santa Clara county and San Mateo County has been quite telling. As I indicated a while ago - until very recently there was a period where I could drive about a mile to cross the county line and eat indoors in Menlo Park. Couldn’t do that in Palo Alto you could only eat outdoors. Please tell me how that makes any sense.

Wouldn't you say that LA is implementing actions they can enforce? What other enforceable actions do they have in their toolkit? They might be able to do more with masks and social distancing but there is not much low hanging fruit there. The most effective would be quarantining people in their homes and hotels, but they haven't really shown the capacity or will to do that.