All-Star Covid-19 / Varsity Response

[catlady]

Sorry for such a huge pic, but to clarify the GWCC temporary hospital location. It is located in Building A in one of the three exhibit halls within Building A. There are currently NO events planned in Building A for January and February on their schedule <click here>. Their event schedule states that Cheersport Nationals will take place in Buildings B and C. This temporary hospital is NOT A WALK UP FACILITY, patients have to be approved and they enter through a specific entrance that goes directly into the exhibit hall where it is contained. I would imagine, although not sure, they would block off the Building A walkway to Building B to prevent people from aimlessly walking around in Building A.

What would deter me, is if the surrounding county hospitals (Henry, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Fayette, Butts, Jasper, Newton) don't calm down quickly from the holiday's. @quietmom posted the GA Coordinating Center Map for Patient Distribution and they have done a fabulous job at keeping the hospitals usually bouncing within the Normal, Busy, and occasionally, Overcrowding status. With the holiday's hospital traffic has gone up substantially as it always does, and many surrounding hospitals are in the Overcrowded to Severe category. That effects care, and to me, needs to get back down so our hospitals, staff and supplies are not overwhelmed. I would imagine the hospitals will probably start calming down in a week as they usual do, and the reason they said the temp hospital would remain open through January, but the maps are worth watching IMO. Accidents/health emergencies happen and time matters.

 

[Lisa Seye]

To see which hospitals are full (from NPR) Is Your Hospital Overwhelmed With COVID-19 Patients? Find Out With This Tool : Shots - Health News : NPR

Sorry for such a huge pic, but to clarify the GWCC temporary hospital location. It is located in Building A in one of the three exhibit halls within Building A. There are currently NO events planned in Building A for January and February on their schedule <click here>. Their event schedule states that Cheersport Nationals will take place in Buildings B and C. This temporary hospital is NOT A WALK UP FACILITY, patients have to be approved and they enter through a specific entrance that goes directly into the exhibit hall where it is contained. I would imagine, although not sure, they would block off the Building A walkway to Building B to prevent people from aimlessly walking around in Building A.

What would deter me, is if the surrounding county hospitals (Henry, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Fayette, Butts, Jasper, Newton) don't calm down quickly from the holiday's. @quietmom posted the GA Coordinating Center Map for Patient Distribution and they have done a fabulous job at keeping the hospitals usually bouncing within the Normal, Busy, and occasionally, Overcrowding status. With the holiday's hospital traffic has gone up substantially as it always does, and many surrounding hospitals are in the Overcrowded to Severe category. That effects care, and to me, needs to get back down so our hospitals, staff and supplies are not overwhelmed. I would imagine the hospitals will probably start calming down in a week as they usual do, and the reason they said the temp hospital would remain open through January, but the maps are worth watching IMO. Accidents/health emergencies happen and time matters.

 

[luv2cheer92]

To see which hospitals are full (from NPR) Is Your Hospital Overwhelmed With COVID-19 Patients? Find Out With This Tool : Shots - Health News : NPR

This tool is good, but doesn't show everything. For example, the hospital I work at it shows that our adult inpatient beds are 61% full. While that is true, it is mostly because we have a fairly large chunk of beds that are not being used right now because we don't have the staff to cover them. Of the available staffed beds, we're pretty darn near 100% full at all times. It's not at all unusual for people to sit in the ER for hours, or even overnight just waiting for a bed to open up.

 

[Lisa Seye]

This tool is good, but doesn't show everything. For example, the hospital I work at it shows that our adult inpatient beds are 61% full. While that is true, it is mostly because we have a fairly large chunk of beds that are not being used right now because we don't have the staff to cover them. Of the available staffed beds, we're pretty darn near 100% full at all times. It's not at all unusual for people to sit in the ER for hours, or even overnight just waiting for a bed to open up.

Yep. Our local hospital is at 100% and there are no beds within 400 miles, at last check anyway. The health care system is at a breaking point :(

 

[quietmom]

Sorry for such a huge pic, but to clarify the GWCC temporary hospital location. It is located in Building A in one of the three exhibit halls within Building A. There are currently NO events planned in Building A for January and February on their schedule <click here>. Their event schedule states that Cheersport Nationals will take place in Buildings B and C. This temporary hospital is NOT A WALK UP FACILITY, patients have to be approved and they enter through a specific entrance that goes directly into the exhibit hall where it is contained. I would imagine, although not sure, they would block off the Building A walkway to Building B to prevent people from aimlessly walking around in Building A.

What would deter me, is if the surrounding county hospitals (Henry, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Fayette, Butts, Jasper, Newton) don't calm down quickly from the holiday's. @quietmom posted the GA Coordinating Center Map for Patient Distribution and they have done a fabulous job at keeping the hospitals usually bouncing within the Normal, Busy, and occasionally, Overcrowding status. With the holiday's hospital traffic has gone up substantially as it always does, and many surrounding hospitals are in the Overcrowded to Severe category. That effects care, and to me, needs to get back down so our hospitals, staff and supplies are not overwhelmed. I would imagine the hospitals will probably start calming down in a week as they usual do, and the reason they said the temp hospital would remain open through January, but the maps are worth watching IMO. Accidents/health emergencies happen and time matters.

To my knowledge, the GWCC has different building parts. However, they are all connected to the same ventilation system. That is what concerns me the most. There is no zero pressure changes between the buildings. I could never be comfortable with myself or my child not wearing a mask or entering the same campus as the COVID hospital even if it is just mild or moderate cases that do not require a ventilator even if they are far apart. That is just me thou. There is also going to be increased ambulance traffic there around the building. I am not as concerned about Cheersport as I am about Spirit of Hope and the Volleyball tournament. I also am not 100% sure if the parents of the athletes from out of state know the situation here.

I do not think this has been properly communicated to gyms and parents from out of state from Varsity. And I think that is irresponsible. I am concerned about people coming here from out of state and creating more spread that will go back with them to their states. Georgia is not in good shape right now. There is a real risk of getting COVID when going out to eat and in the hotels right now.

I agree with you. Cases are bad here in GA. The hospitals are very crowded (way more so than normal cold/flu seasons). I just do not think it is a wise decision to have lots of athletes come here from out of state right now. I wish Varsity would look at this realistically and go virtual for the Spirit of Hope competition. Hopefully, it will get better and Cheersport will be possible. But at the very least, do the parents a favor, give them proper information about the reality of the situation, and give them time to cancel travel arrangements.

I am just very skeptical and jaded by Varsity. If you can't trust them to do right with sex offenders, how can you trust them to do the right thing in a pandemic?

 

[123jump4!]

To my knowledge, the GWCC has different building parts. However, they are all connected to the same ventilation system. That is what concerns me the most. There is no zero pressure changes between the buildings. I could never be comfortable with myself or my child not wearing a mask or entering the same campus as the COVID hospital even if it is just mild or moderate cases that do not require a ventilator even if they are far apart. That is just me thou. There is also going to be increased ambulance traffic there around the building. I am not as concerned about Cheersport as I am about Spirit of Hope and the Volleyball tournament. I also am not 100% sure if the parents of the athletes from out of state know the situation here.

I do not think this has been properly communicated to gyms and parents from out of state from Varsity. And I think that is irresponsible. I am concerned about people coming here from out of state and creating more spread that will go back with them to their states. Georgia is not in good shape right now. There is a real risk of getting COVID when going out to eat and in the hotels right now.

I agree with you. Cases are bad here in GA. The hospitals are very crowded (way more so than normal cold/flu seasons). I just do not think it is a wise decision to have lots of athletes come here from out of state right now. I wish Varsity would look at this realistically and go virtual for the Spirit of Hope competition. Hopefully, it will get better and Cheersport will be possible. But at the very least, do the parents a favor, give them proper information about the reality of the situation, and give them time to cancel travel arrangements.

I am just very skeptical and jaded by Varsity. If you can't trust them to do right with sex offenders, how can you trust them to do the right thing in a pandemic?

Do you have a source for your claim about the ventilation system?

I felt like BUTBT was run very safely & I was hoping SOH can be too. But any gatherings are risky right now, especially with the new, more contagious strain. The new strain also seems to affect kids more. It’s probably only a matter of time before it’s widespread here, like in the UK. :( It’s a race between that & the vaccine.

 

[FamousxMindset]

Im with you on being responsible and listening to trusted medical professionals. Also fully support that if a business or state doesn’t enforce policy to where you feel safe you should enforce your own.

Telling people to “get over their desire to want normalcy” is a bit insensitive and unrealistic. Also, depressing.

Without that “Individualism” we wouldn’t have progressed to where we are today. It’s conformity and the unwillingness to challenge each other that oppresses the greatest ideas. If I read what you posted correctly you think Personal Liberty is why we are in the state we are in?!

I mean, I’ve looked at the data and I’ve got to be honest there aren’t many any other countries (Locked down or not) that are doing drastically better than us. (Again, that aren’t substantially smaller and surrounded by a body of water) Antarctica just got Covid... who left THAT fridge door open?

I was referring to the elevated sense of self, so much so that we are putting others at risk. It's selfish no matter what words we use to define the concept is still there. Our medical professionals told us what we needed to, and so many made the decision to put their wants before the health of society. I have an issue with that.

The US accounts for 23 percent of the COVID cases yet we make up a 4.2 of the world's population so I can say

With a population of 1.43 billion people, compared with about 329 million in the United States, China has a population that's more than four times the size of the U.S. population. China had a total of 87k cases, America has 20 million cases. The US accounts for 23 percent of the COVID cases yet we make up a 4.2 of the world's population so I can say with confidence that America has not handled this well by any stretch of the imagination.

This failure came from the top.

Your personal liberties will have no value when the health system is overwhelmed. While so much was unknown at the beginning, there was also solid information that was provided and ignored by state and federal officials. So no, at the end of the day when it's a matter of public health your personal liberties of graduation parties, gender reveals, and or wing night they don't hold precedence over someone's life. Honestly, that angle is the reason why we are where we are.

Also we are 9 months into a pandemic, I do not care to be sensitive, 'realistic ' or motivational at this point.

 

[quietmom]

Do you have a source for your claim about the ventilation system?

I felt like BUTBT was run very safely & I was hoping SOH can be too. But any gatherings are risky right now, especially with the new, more contagious strain. The new strain also seems to affect kids more. It’s probably only a matter of time before it’s widespread here, like in the UK. :( It’s a race between that & the vaccine.

The hospital was not running or ordered for BUTBT. Cases were not as high either.

 

[123jump4!]

The hospital was not running or ordered for BUTBT. Cases were not as high either.

Where did you read about the ventilation system please? I’m just curious to find out if that part is correct. I don’t disagree with you on the other stuff.

 

[quietmom]

Do you have a source for your claim about the ventilation system?

I felt like BUTBT was run very safely & I was hoping SOH can be too. But any gatherings are risky right now, especially with the new, more contagious strain. The new strain also seems to affect kids more. It’s probably only a matter of time before it’s widespread here, like in the UK. :( It’s a race between that & the vaccine.

I am trying to find sources.

They are talking about the upgrades to their central units here. This is pretty much all I can find. It appears they are pretty centralized. I do not think there are any negative pressure areas. And for COVID patients in the hospital, they are requiring negative pressure rooms to reduce infection risks. SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class journal research

I do wonder how they are able to manage this from an infection risk standpoint while having major events at the same location at the same time.
Georgia World Congress Center Authority
Georgia World Congress Center Authority Sees Utility Costs Slashed by 43% | ashrae.org

 

[luv2cheer92]

I think perception plays a role here, too. Having a non-essential sporting event happening in the same convention center where there could potentially be patients just doesn't sit right with me. Forget the different buildings, the different parking areas, that they won't see each other, etc. That doesn't make one bit of a difference to the optics of it all to me.

 

[quietmom]

Where did you read about the ventilation system please? I’m just curious to find out if that part is correct. I don’t disagree with you on the other stuff.

Getting Back to Business - Georgia World Congress Center Authority

What assurances do I have regarding air quality in your facility (HVAC)?

Air handling and circulation is continually monitored by GWCC HVAC Technicians to ensure optimum and safe airflow. HVAC systems in public space, meeting rooms, ballrooms, auditoriums and exhibit halls has a Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV) of 8 for filtration. Additionally, the GWCC is working with 3rd party contractors for continuing air quality studies to ensure quality air.



There is nothing there indicating that there are separate AC systems or negative pressure for the covid unit. That concerns me if there are going to be athletes not wearing masks.

 

[quietmom]

I think perception plays a role here, too. Having a non-essential sporting event happening in the same convention center where there could potentially be patients just doesn't sit right with me. Forget the different buildings, the different parking areas, that they won't see each other, etc. That doesn't make one bit of a difference to the optics of it all to me.

Personally, I think the GWCC should be paid $$$ from the state to cancel the events so the employees can be paid. And the events should be held at other locations. But I am not in charge.

 

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

Getting Back to Business - Georgia World Congress Center Authority

What assurances do I have regarding air quality in your facility (HVAC)?

Air handling and circulation is continually monitored by GWCC HVAC Technicians to ensure optimum and safe airflow. HVAC systems in public space, meeting rooms, ballrooms, auditoriums and exhibit halls has a Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV) of 8 for filtration. Additionally, the GWCC is working with 3rd party contractors for continuing air quality studies to ensure quality air.



There is nothing there indicating that there are separate AC systems or negative pressure for the covid unit. That concerns me if there are going to be athletes not wearing masks.

I also spent some time reading this page of FAQs. There's a LOT of GWCC saying it's other people's responsibility. Not a lot of questions actually being answered.

 

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

Personally, I think the GWCC should be paid $$$ from the state to cancel the events so the employees can be paid. And the events should be held at other locations. But I am not in charge.

The event should be virtual. Our numbers are far worse than it was a month ago when WSF was moved to virtual. It just blows my mind that Varsity is sitting around and willing to take a risk with people's lives.