Ignorance

Last Friday nighty, I changed my mind at the last minute and decided NOT to go to the Surfer Blood show at The Earl.  It would have been my first live-music show since February 2020, seventeen months ago.  Given Georgia's low vaccination rate, even though I'm fully vaccinated, it didn't feel wise to crowd into the small club and share breath with all the other patrons.  Plus, what with the humidity and all, the heat index that day was like 105 degrees, and I don't have that much faith in The Earl's air conditioning system versus the body heat of the crowd.

Since that show, The Earl announced that they will require facemasks for all patrons attending shows there, at least for the foreseeable future.  Little Five Point's Star Community Bar has announced the same policy. Midtown's Center Stage is not only requiring masks, but also will admit only clear (transparent) handbags to reduce contact points during screening.  Also, no cash transactions are allowed - bars, merchandise, etc. are card only. The Old Fourth Ward's City Winery requires facemasks and either proof of vaccination or a negative test result within the last 72 hours.

Musician and author Michelle Zauner recently announced that she will require the same protocols (masks AND proof of vaccination or negative test results) for everyone attending Japanese Breakfast shows. Unfortunately, this announcement only came out AFTER her July 24 show at Atlanta's Masquerade.

Today, New York City has announced that it will require proof of covid vaccination for ALL indoor performances, including live music, as well as all indoor dining and movie theaters.

Texas and Florida, two Republican-governed states that have aggressively resisted covid restrictions, mask mandates, and vaccination requirements, now account for one third of all new covid infections in the United States.  The vast preponderance of the newly infested are unvaccinated. Just yesterday, Florida broke its own record for the most infections in one day since the pandemic began.  

Doing a heck of a job there, Ronnie.