[BostonCard]

I agree that a coordinated response makes much more sense than an arbitrary local restriction.  But maybe the problem is that too many other locations are too deferential to college and professional sports and that maybe it should have all been shut down until the spring.  Scott Morrow (the county health commissioner in San Mateo, who pointedly decided not to join the rest of the Bay Area in imposing a local stay at home order) noted how ridiculous it was to impose restrictions on a lot of conduct, but to exempt sports.

https://www.smchealth.org/health-officer...-statement


[*]

That the State considers pro sports a critical infrastructure (essential) activity undermines this whole rubric in my mind. Pro sports is very nice to have and is probably a pleasant distraction. It is not essential. (Granted, I could be very wrong on this point. Maybe keeping millions of people home watching sports on TV without mixing households is exactly what we should do more of. Of course, if folks stay home watching TV and gather with other households, it could be much worse.)

Also, there is a universe in which Stanford athletics says "while we disagree with restrictions on athletics because we believe we can do it safely, we respect the decision of the Santa Clara health commissioner and will temporarily halt further athletic activities until the order is lifted."

So, yes, we have a situation where the unintended consequence of the restrictions is to increase the risk.  However, you can't hang all of it on the County.  The State, the NCAA, the Pac-12, and Stanford are all complicit.

BC

[BostonCard]

I agree that a coordinated response makes much more sense than an arbitrary local restriction.  But maybe the problem is that too many other locations are too deferential to college and professional sports and that maybe it should have all been shut down until the spring.  Scott Morrow (the county health commissioner in San Mateo, who pointedly decided not to join the rest of the Bay Area in imposing a local stay at home order) noted how ridiculous it was to impose restrictions on a lot of conduct, but to exempt sports.

https://www.smchealth.org/health-officer...-statement


[*]

That the State considers pro sports a critical infrastructure (essential) activity undermines this whole rubric in my mind. Pro sports is very nice to have and is probably a pleasant distraction. It is not essential. (Granted, I could be very wrong on this point. Maybe keeping millions of people home watching sports on TV without mixing households is exactly what we should do more of. Of course, if folks stay home watching TV and gather with other households, it could be much worse.)

Also, there is a universe in which Stanford athletics says "while we disagree with restrictions on athletics because we believe we can do it safely, we respect the decision of the Santa Clara health commissioner and will temporarily halt further athletic activities until the order is lifted."

So, yes, we have a situation where the unintended consequence of the restrictions is to increase the risk.  However, you can't hang all of it on the County.  The State, the NCAA, the Pac-12, and Stanford are all complicit.

BC