Viruses Contracted On Spring Break Don’t Stay On Spring Break
As health professionals and disease experts plead with Americans to avoid the vacation trap, some schools are canceling or shortening their breaks to discourage students from heading to party destinations.
AP:
Spring-Break Partying Falls Victim To COVID-19 Crisis
Goodbye, sunshine. Hello, study sessions. Colleges around the U.S. are scaling back spring break or canceling it entirely to discourage partying that could spread the virus and raise infection rates back on campus. Texas A&M University opted for a three-day weekend instead of a whole week off. The University of Alabama and the University of Wisconsin-Madison also did away with spring break but are giving students a day off later in the semester. (Hollingsworth, Kennedy and Yoganathan, 3/8)
CBS News:
"The Perfect Storm": Doctor Warns Spring Break Could Usher In Another COVID-19 Surge
While the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout has seen milestones in recent weeks as inoculations steadily increase, the pandemic is not over yet. Doctors and public health officials are warning Americans — particularly young adults gearing up for spring break — to slow down and think responsibly. "It's kind of like the perfect storm — you're going to have a mix of alcohol, young kids and a potentially deadly virus that don't all mix well," Dr. Ron Elfenbien said on CBSN Monday. "Kids are going to be kids. They want to go out and party and have a good time and drink and fraternize and associate with each other and be in close proximity with each other. Obviously the problem with that is we are in the middle of a global pandemic." (Elkind, 3/8)
In related news about covid restrictions —
Fox News:
Wyoming Gov. Gordon Lifts Mask Mandate, Rolls Back Coronavirus Restrictions
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announced on Monday that the state would be lifting its state-wide mask mandate as well as some other Covid-19 economic restrictions. The new order lifting restrictions will allow a number of business categories — including bars, restaurants, gyms and movie theaters — to "resume normal operations" on March 16.Gordon, a Republican, cited the "declining number of active COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations" in Wyoming as well as the state’s "significant success" in a vaccine rollout as reasons behind the easing of restrictions. (Keene, 3/8)
CNBC:
Gov. Ned Lamont Defends Easing Covid Restrictions In Connecticut
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Monday defended his plans to ease Covid restrictions in the state starting next week, telling CNBC he believes a decline in new infections and the distribution of vaccines support such a move. “We have the vast majority of our population most at risk has now been vaccinated. That’s 65 and above, and the majority of the people 55 and above,” Lamont said on “Squawk on the Street.” “That’s where all the fatalities, that’s where 98% of the hospitalizations were taking place, so we feel pretty confident that March 19 is a good date that we can continue reopening. (Stankiewicz, 3/8)
CBS News:
Workers Worry For Their Safety As More States Lift Mask Mandates
Leo Carney worries that bigger crowds and maskless diners could endanger workers at the Biloxi, Mississippi, seafood restaurant where he manages the kitchen. Maribel Cornejo, who earns $9.85 an hour as a McDonald's cook in Houston, can't afford to get sick and frets co-workers will become more lax about wearing masks, even though the fast food company requires them. On Wednesday, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas will allow businesses to operate at 100% capacity and is lifting the statewide mask mandate. In response to the governor's decision, industry workers in the state, such as grocery store workers and restaurant workers, plan to gather outside of the State Capitol on Monday at a rally organized by the Texas Service Industry Coalition, a group aimed at organizing restaurant workers and others for better wages and work conditions. (3/8)
The Washington Post:
A Mexican Restaurant In Texas Kept Its Mask Rule. People Threatened To Call ICE On The Staff.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit and restaurant owners faced difficult decisions, the Richards family that owns Picos, a Mexican restaurant in Houston, quickly adapted to continue sharing their Latin cuisine — from selling to-go margarita kits to stationing a mariachi band at the curbside pickup. This week, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said Tuesday that he would rescind the statewide mask mandate while the vast majority of residents remain unvaccinated, the tough choice to enforce public health guidance fell to business owners, and Picos announced it would continue requiring masks. But, after such a challenging year, the reaction to their decision was disheartening, co-owner Monica Richards said: Several people sent hateful messages through social media and called the restaurant, threatening to report staffers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Kornfield, 3/6)
KOB 4 (Albuquerque):
Student Musicians, Music Educators Frustrated Over State Restrictions
As student athletes across the state return to the practice fields, student musicians are still forced to remain on the sidelines. Katie Divett, drum major and senior at Sandia High School, said music activities have been part of her life for years. “I've been doing bands since I was in sixth grade, so middle school. I've done marching band, symphonic band and jazz,” she said. “Sports aren't the only ones with important scholarships this year. We have marching band scholarships, too,” Divett said. (Wang, 3/6)
