But we do have to be careful not to confuse the (far lower) chances of catching Covid of
the general population, vs. the chances if you go to an optimal super-spreader event like
a contra dance (face-to-face, breathing hard, for 3 hours, indoors: the optimal conditions
for passing on the virus.) I think referring folks to the medical experts at the CDSS
event is a great idea, since what is safe for opening up contra is going to be very
different than opening up for nearly everything else. :-( Fervently wishing that were not
the case!!! I miss you all!
Hugs all around!
Becky
On May 9, 2021, at 3:27 PM, Julia Whiteneck via Contra
Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
My intention was simply to clarify the definition of efficacy - I have seen a
perpetuation of misunderstanding of efficacy to be the same as the chances of getting the
virus by the unvaccinated general population when the difference is orders of magnitude.
That is. unvaccinated your chance is 1% of catching the virus in the first place (1000 out
of 100,000) while vaccinated your chances are 95% efficacy or 0.0005% (50 out of
100,000).
I will be the first to admit that I am not on the forefront of having to decide when
dancing starts up so just want the numbers to make sense to those who are doing the
deciding.
From: Ron Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 9, 2021 3:06 PM
To: Julia Whiteneck <juliawhiteneck(a)hotmail.com>
Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>et>;
Woody Lane <woody(a)woodylane.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Re: Question on Gig Requests
Julia,
I appreciate the additions (especially as, myself, a scientist appreciating good
science), however, I'm uncertain your intentions with your reply.
This does not take into account immunocompromised people or those who medically cannot be
vaccinated, or family members of either.
Also, people who get less severe Covid-19 are, by definition, more likely to not know
they have it, and thus, pass it along.
It also doesn't take into account points already brought up - ongoing need for proof
of vaccinated people being non-carriers, and variants in existence and/or that will
continue to mutate until we have global herd immunity.
As stewards of our community, we have an obligation and opportunity to show that
we're serious about our shared values of inclusion and safety for our friends and
loved ones with which we share the joy of dancing.
I really like what Woody's leadership in speaking out in caution on this.
CDSS is having its 4th reentry talk on May 19th. Their previous ones have bee excellent,
and included medical and legal experts. I would encourage everyone to consider this talk -
or similar - as essential resources for us; callers and organizers are stewards for our
community.
Sincerely,
Ron Blechner
On Sun, May 9, 2021, 2:01 PM Julia Whiteneck via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Thank you for thinking about this. Efficacy is NOT efficiency. So, actually, the efficacy
relates to the number of people who would have gotten the disease. So, the 5% is applied
to the people who would have gotten the disease if not vaccinated.
So - of 1000 dancers, 100 might have gotten Covid-19 unvaccinated, but vaccinated, the
expectation is that 5 to 10 of the 1000 dancers will contract Covid-19. What is 100%
though, is that any of those 10 who get the disease will not be hospitalized (symptoms
would not require hospital treatment or intubation) IF they get Covid-19.
From: Woody Lane via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Saturday, May 8, 2021 8:49 PM
To: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Question on Gig Requests
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to thank you all for such insightful comments. The discussion touched a lot of
bases, often from different perspectives. But these comments have been very helpful to me,
and hopefully to everyone. Thanks for spending the time constructing responses.
I'll add one more thing -- something I've been considering (since I spend a lot
of time with numbers. I've also written this for the Trad Callers listserv so some
here may have seen it.) --
The vaccines are 90%-95% effective, with those numbers derived from Phase III Trials each
with fewer than 30,000 adults per treatment. Even if that observed efficacy accurately
described the population, it would mean that 5%-10% of those fully vaccinated folks would
still be vulnerable to the virus. Consider an indoor dance with 100 dancers who were all
vaccinated -- assuming that the organizers found a way of enforcing a vaccinated-only
entry requirement. Those numbers would suggest that the room would still contain 5-10
dancers who were not protected. Now include the existence today of covid variants that are
much more aggressively infectious than the original virus, and more virulent. In a room
where the primary activity specializes in people holding each other close and breathing
into each other's faces. In addition, we really don't know if vaccinated people
can carry the virus and possibly transmit it. Now add to the room a few people who came in
because it's a public event but who are not vaccinated. Sure, masks would help, and so
would good air turnover in the room. But still . .
I really like Ken's suggested approach of "chilling out" -- as in
what's the rush in the face of a deadly, highly contagious respiratory disease that
has political overtones.
Woody
On 5/4/2021 1:37 PM, Woody Lane via Contra Callers wrote:
Hi Everyone,
The pandemic has shut down dances for nearly 15 months, but things may be beginning to
change. I would like your input on this --
I just received my first request to call at a regular community dance. The dance would be
scheduled for September. (The organizers are beginning to schedule for the fall.) This
would be a typical evening indoor dance held in a gym. Pre-covid attendance was 70-100.
The organizers assured me that safety protocols would be followed, etc. I have not
responded yet. (I am fully vaccinated.)
Has anyone else begun receiving invitations to call dances? How far out? What are your
thoughts on this situation? What is your sense of risk and comfort and community
responsibility? I'd really like to get some feedback from this group.
Thanks!
Woody
--
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
http://www.woodylanecaller.com <http://www.woodylanecaller.com/>
cell: 541-556-0054
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