Mask Mandate

[ZMAN3]

Hofstra has instituted a Mask Mandate for all indoor sports. I'm not about to sit at a sporting event with a mask on for 2+ hours. Regrettably I'll be getting a refund for my 4 seats. Anyone interested in purchasing them for the season at a discount(great seats - second row almost center court) please contact me. I'll wait about a week before returning them.

[Polito]

Z!!! So good to hear from you, was wondering how you are holding up coming into a new dawn of HU hoops - any initial thoughts from your wealth of historical perspective??

Yeah all this is just wild, crazy times, and seems like continued challenging times ahead - def understand your position, some frustrating elements in play all around, on all sides - but I would have interest in possibly grabbing them, we can private message if you like… feel free to send me a message if they are still avail and $.

[ZMAN3]

Definitely available - will reach out to you. Very optimistic about team. Thank heavens we'll play man to man - hated the zone (not bad as a changeup). Could have really used Kante and the non-conf schedule, although exciting, could be a death march (especially for a new coach and essentially new team. Will be watching through Flo-Sports.

[triplec2195]

I'm not looking to play the Devil's advocate here but to each their own. I've had to go on flights for that long wearing a mask and getting bored out of my ass so to spend a few hours wearing a mask to be entertained I don't think is all that awful. God knows we go into stores and into medical facilities for long periods of time and are mandated to wear masks. My grand-kids go to school for 8 hours a day wearing their masks. I'm sure nobody likes to wear masks but I believe it's a deterrent to this disease. I went down to Disney for 8 days in Florida when they had lifted their mask restrictions and came back with Covid and was also vaccinated so there has to be some merit to this. Just stating the flip side of this coin that's all.

[Jojogunne]

With any luck, the local Covid positivity rate will decline over the next couple of months as more people get vaccinated and mask mandates will be lifted. If Covid positivity does not decline, mask-wearing will be the least of our concerns. Stay safe, everyone!

[HofstraMathew]

With any luck, the local Covid positivity rate will decline over the next couple of months as more people get vaccinated and mask mandates will be lifted. If Covid positivity does not decline, mask-wearing will be the least of our concerns. Stay safe, everyone!

That is the frustrating thing that I feel; what exactly are the parameters that would remove a mask mandate? Is it cases per capita, hospitalizations per capita, percent positive, percent vaccinated, some combination of all of these. I understand things change but there just doesn't seem to be any end to mask mandates. Remember Nassau county is one of the highest vaccinated counties in the entire country so I don't think we can really blame this on people not getting the vaccine.

[cactus]

With any luck, the local Covid positivity rate will decline over the next couple of months as more people get vaccinated and mask mandates will be lifted. If Covid positivity does not decline, mask-wearing will be the least of our concerns. Stay safe, everyone!

That is the frustrating thing that I feel; what exactly are the parameters that would remove a mask mandate? Is it cases per capita, hospitalizations per capita, percent positive, percent vaccinated, some combination of all of these. I understand things change but there just doesn't seem to be any end to mask mandates. Remember Nassau county is one of the highest vaccinated counties in the entire country so I don't think we can really blame this on people not getting the vaccine.

you have to get to close to zero risk of hospital strain related to case overload - what you are seeing in texas and florida currently (source: nursing facility infection control preventionist)

btw my kids wear masks all day through camp in the summer and now at school and they say they don't even realize they are wearing one anymore.

[joeg1]

Wearing masks is an act that doesn’t just offer protection to the mask-wearer, it helps to protect other people around you. Fully vaccinated people may unwittingly spread the Delta variant to unvaccinated people whom they come into contact with, not realizing that they are carrying and spreading the virus. Wearing a mask helps to limit this type of spread, which may help to control the pandemic.

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[joeg1]

Boston Celtics and Michigan State Spartans basketball require masks at games. Additionally, LA Dodgers require masks at their outdoor games. You can, however, see the Jets without a mask at Metlife.

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[ZMAN3]

The only masks that work are the N95 - even that Putz Fauci says the droplets are too small for the cloth masks and the "gators" (although stylish) do nothing. I watch all the Dodger games and 90+ % of fans ARE NOT WEARING MASKS. I'm not flying anywhere so that's not an issue (even though airplanes have the best air filter systems). I'm vaccinated and knock on wood very healthy - will not wear a mask anywhere. Don't bother telling me I'm not educated on the subject - that's all I watch now. Enjoy the games - I'll be watching from the comfort of my home.
PS-Will reach out to you Polito

[HofstraMathew]

With any luck, the local Covid positivity rate will decline over the next couple of months as more people get vaccinated and mask mandates will be lifted. If Covid positivity does not decline, mask-wearing will be the least of our concerns. Stay safe, everyone!

That is the frustrating thing that I feel; what exactly are the parameters that would remove a mask mandate? Is it cases per capita, hospitalizations per capita, percent positive, percent vaccinated, some combination of all of these. I understand things change but there just doesn't seem to be any end to mask mandates. Remember Nassau county is one of the highest vaccinated counties in the entire country so I don't think we can really blame this on people not getting the vaccine.

you have to get to close to zero risk of hospital strain related to case overload - what you are seeing in texas and florida currently (source: nursing facility infection control preventionist)

btw my kids wear masks all day through camp in the summer and now at school and they say they don't even realize they are wearing one anymore.

I agree with you and you don't need to be in the medical field to understand it is all about preventing hospital overload and has been since March 2020. What I have never seen an answer to is how many covid hospitalizations can Long Island hospitals handle without being overloaded? How close are we to this? In my opinion the community needs to know this. We have data on how many are hospitalized on Long Island and how many are in the ICU. But we have no understanding of is this an ok number, a low number or a high number.

Then from a Hofstra standpoint if there goal is to reduce covid hospitalizations is a mask mandate for fans really the best measure? In my opinion it isn't. If they mandated everyone 12 and over needs to be vaccinated to go in (fans, players, staff, coaches, refs, etc.) then that would prevent exponentially more covid hospitalizations then having people wear masks (which most will be an improper mask or wearing them improper). Now if you said lets do both that could make sense too. The best tool by far in the covid fighting tool belt is vaccinations and in my opinion anything that doesn't start with that doesn't seem to be following the science.

[Jojogunne]

Vaccinations for spectators at indoor athletic events could well be in the offing.

FYI, Hofstra has a website devoted to all things Covid:

https://www.hofstra.edu/together-again/

"As we continue to plan for a return to normal campus operations and given the wide availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the University has decided to require all members of the on-campus community, including students, faculty and employees, to be vaccinated for the fall semester."

Quotation from:

https://www.hofstra.edu/together-again/vaccination.html

I don't see how this policy could not extend to "outsiders" attending indoor events (athletics, recitals, lectures, commencements, etc.) -- anything that is open to the public -- as long as the local Covid positivity rate remains high.

[EvanJ]

I went down to Disney for 8 days in Florida when they had lifted their mask restrictions and came back with Covid and was also vaccinated so there has to be some merit to this. Just stating the flip side of this coin that's all.

I would expect Disney to be dangerous because you could spend hours on line with strangers with COVID including children who are ineligible.

I agree with you and you don't need to be in the medical field to understand it is all about preventing hospital overload and has been since March 2020. What I have never seen an answer to is how many covid hospitalizations can Long Island hospitals handle without being overloaded? How close are we to this? In my opinion the community needs to know this. We have data on how many are hospitalized on Long Island and how many are in the ICU. But we have no understanding of is this an ok number, a low number or a high number.

We shouldn't think about an amount of hospitalizations as being okay. Everybody should try to avoid getting COVID even if there is hospital space.

I don't know if it's fair to say anybody benefited from other people getting COVID, but my family has been lucky in multiple ways.

[HofstraMathew]

I agree with you and you don't need to be in the medical field to understand it is all about preventing hospital overload and has been since March 2020. What I have never seen an answer to is how many covid hospitalizations can Long Island hospitals handle without being overloaded? How close are we to this? In my opinion the community needs to know this. We have data on how many are hospitalized on Long Island and how many are in the ICU. But we have no understanding of is this an ok number, a low number or a high number.

We shouldn't think about an amount of hospitalizations as being okay. Everybody should try to avoid getting COVID even if there is hospital space.

I don't know if it's fair to say anybody benefited from other people getting COVID, but my family has been lucky in multiple ways.

Unfortunely the reality of the situation is there will always be people hospitalized for Covid. The goal as a community should be to minimize this to a manageable level. The goal on an individual level should be to minimize there own risk which by being vaccinated and making other personal health decisions can reduce this to a miniscule level for the majority of people. (these vaccines are highly effective. If you want to understand more of the science and how effective they are I suggest following Chise (username sailorrooscout)on twitter. https://twitter.com/sailorrooscout She is a scientist at Moderna that worked on the vaccine development. None of her posts have ever had a political side or even hint at that to them.) If someone on an individual level doesn't want to take easy steps to reduce their own risk then I am not going to lose any sleep or alter my behavior to help them out. I will alter my behavior to help my community as a whole prevent the hospitals from being overloaded which would cause people who did make the correct decisions to be effected negatively. You may take a different approach and I would have no issue with whatever you want to choose to do on your own personal level.

To bring this back to the original topic about Hofstra requiring masks. While this isn't something I would require if I was in charge at Hofstra; I will be attending the basketball games and will follow all procedures that Hofstra requires. Just the same as I do at any business that I choose to solicit.

[HofstraPride1]

I went down to Disney for 8 days in Florida when they had lifted their mask restrictions and came back with Covid and was also vaccinated so there has to be some merit to this. Just stating the flip side of this coin that's all.

I would expect Disney to be dangerous because you could spend hours on line with strangers with COVID including children who are ineligible.

I agree with you and you don't need to be in the medical field to understand it is all about preventing hospital overload and has been since March 2020. What I have never seen an answer to is how many covid hospitalizations can Long Island hospitals handle without being overloaded? How close are we to this? In my opinion the community needs to know this. We have data on how many are hospitalized on Long Island and how many are in the ICU. But we have no understanding of is this an ok number, a low number or a high number.

We shouldn't think about an amount of hospitalizations as being okay. Everybody should try to avoid getting COVID even if there is hospital space.

I don't know if it's fair to say anybody benefited from other people getting COVID, but my family has been lucky in multiple ways.

Disney should be OK since outside, but indoors is definitely different ballgame. I personally am glad to wear a mask to watch something I love like a Hofstra sporting event, but everyone is different.

[The Shadow]

It seems like you all have a very simple choice: 1) go to the games with a mask, or, 2) stay at home, and use Flo Sports. Think of all the folks we have lost, or nearly lost in the last few months, what might they advise? If you want to attend at the Mack Arena, just put the mask on! Seems kind of simple to me. I fully respect and understand anyone who chooses either decision. This is really a personal choice that you are all free to make for what your beliefs may be. I, for one, am very happy to have the ability, and the health to have a choice. If there is a need to see a proof of vacination, I will comply. It just is not that big a deal to me. I would rather see the Dutch play at the Mack than use Flo Sports.

[triplec2195]

It seems like you all have a very simple choice: 1) go to the games with a mask, or, 2) stay at home, and use Flo Sports. Think of all the folks we have lost, or nearly lost in the last few months, what might they advise? If you want to attend at the Mack Arena, just put the mask on! Seems kind of simple to me. I fully respect and understand anyone who chooses either decision. This is really a personal choice that you are all free to make for what your beliefs may be. I, for one, am very happy to have the ability, and the health to have a choice. If there is a need to see a proof of vacination, I will comply. It just is not that big a deal to me. I would rather see the Dutch play at the Mack than use Flo Sports.

Well said Shadow and I fully concur. If we weren't passionate about this team would we even spend time posting here?

[joeg1]

There are no sure things, but by previously having covid and by being vaccinated, I don't think my chances of getting sick are very high. Again, I could get a breakthrough case and without knowing it, spread it to others. Wearing a mask reduces the chances of me spreading it to others. Is that a guarantee? Of course not, but it certainly reduces the chances. This is a personal choice. Not trying to villainize anyone. I think the variant is so rampant that short of just avoiding everyone, wearing a mask is a reasonable way to avoid spreading it from your person to others.

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[Cards]

FYI - received a a call today from the ticket office asking about my typical purchase of seasons tix. I asked about seat selection and spacing between fans. Other than keeping the few rows behind the team benches empty, no other decisions have been made. Was also told that the vax vs unvax admittance decision has not been made. So masks are a given, fan spacing is uncertain, and proof of vax (to gain admittance into the Mack) has not been decided.

I told the caller that once decisions have been made and the school has thier ducks in a row, I will make a decision about renewing my tix.

[Polito]

Color me shocked to see this thread turn into everyone's political soapbox to keep on shoving 'unasked for' opinions down the throats of anything that breathes because it's paramount that everyone knows your position is the right one, and everyone else is an idiot - Y A W N

I've got all kinds of informed thoughts on this as I have A) had COVID and fully recovered, B) been flying the country since Jan multiple times a month, and C) have children dealing with all this craziness in the Commack district, but I'll refrain because it's friggin annoying. And no one cares what you or I think. This great country has become exhausting with all the garbage clouding our ability to simply function together on a day to day

Z made a decision and didn't ask for any opinions on it, and I'll wager he doesn't care what you think and isn't coming to your side not matter how much you try to 'make him' (apparently the new totally insane American way of doing things). I see a lot of lip service about his freedom to choose followed up by a bunch of opinionated judgement and desire for forced compliance. The irony is thick lately. This is one of our long-standing 'board brothers', LET IT GO.


Thanks Z, whenever you get around to it is cool, trying to see what I can do this season - my sched is usually nuts and typically negates season tix, but I've wanted to have them for a long time! Even if I can't use all the time, would be nice to have them available and for others...

Anyhoo, I'll keep an eye out.

In the meantime, I agree this season carries some real excitement to it - on one hand I'm pumped to see this tough schedule finally filled with strong teams, on the other there is real risk this team sets itself up for failure.

I do not believe in taking tons of losses to supposedly be ready to run the gauntlet in conference - I rarely see that actually ever play out. There is a balance. Need a tough and exciting schedule while also not losing to every name team - HU needs to find a way to steal one or two of these - THAT can produce enough confidence and seasoning to take the CAA - but if they lose most every game in the OOC, I don't think that benefits at all.

Double-edge sword here. They and we wanted a 'real' schedule, well now we got it. Time for this program to level up a notch!