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A fight over coronavirus safety at journalists’ gala event
The Washington Post ^ | April 27, 2022 | Dan Diamond

Posted on 04/27/2022 10:51:46 AM PDT by KingofZion

More than 2,000 journalists, celebrities and politicians, including President Biden, are set to descend on the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner this weekend in what is shaping up to be a major test of whether large gatherings can be safely held at this stage of the pandemic.

Organizers say they are committed to holding an event that significantly reduces the risk of coronavirus infections, pointing to vaccine and testing requirements that were strengthened after a dinner hosted by Washington’s Gridiron Club this month was linked to at least 80 infections that sickened Cabinet members, reporters and other guests.

Yet some White House officials and experts worry that those measures are insufficient and that this weekend’s events may become another high-profile superspreader event, said three administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue.

*** The correspondents’ dinner arrives after weeks of debate over whether such events are still too risky as fast-spreading subvariants of omicron, like BA. 2, circle the globe — or if risking coronavirus is just one more hazard of normal life in 2022, given the expanding number of treatments to keep the virus from progressing to severe disease in most people.

The Gridiron Club outbreak “shows what living with covid-19 looks like,” Leana Wen, a Washington Post contributor, wrote this month, saying that cases are inevitable and cheering that party’s return. “Nearly all of us will contract covid-19. Let’s prepare for when we do and resume living our lives in the meantime.”

But at least some individuals are choosing to bow out. Anthony S. Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser, has canceled his plans to attend the dinner, citing his personal risks...

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: covid19; press; whca
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To: KingofZion

More than two years and we’re still pretending the common cold is the bubonic plague.


21 posted on 04/27/2022 11:31:44 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Humans live on 1/4th of what they eat; on the last 3/4ths lives their doctor. --Egyptian Inscription)
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To: KingofZion

Safe and effective.


22 posted on 04/27/2022 11:31:51 AM PDT by nonliberal (Z.)
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To: KingofZion

Ok...I admit to what we are all thinking...


23 posted on 04/27/2022 11:35:02 AM PDT by rrrod (6)
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To: KingofZion
But at least some individuals are choosing to bow out. Anthony S. Fauci, the president’s top medical adviser, has canceled his plans to attend the dinner, citing his personal risks...

I have to ask, why would someone who is a scientist government worker get invited to a correspondents dinner. Oh that's right, he is drunk on media attention and has done multiple interviews with every single correspondent in the world.

24 posted on 04/27/2022 11:38:14 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: KingofZion

The Gridiron event was just stupid as they held it in a basement with no ventilation or windows or fresh air.

Just crack open a window; it helps a lot unless it’s freezing outside.

I live in CA and am enjoying all the new outdoor dining during and post covid.

It’s almost impossible to transmit covid outside or even in a well ventilated area with lots of fresh air—maybe some fans?

I like this line: a tuxedo does not prevent covid.


25 posted on 04/27/2022 11:45:42 AM PDT by olivia3boys
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To: KingofZion

They’ll go there as sociopaths, but return as psychopaths.


26 posted on 04/27/2022 11:47:09 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: KingofZion
Eric Clapton played a concert in Fort Worth last September. Over 12,000 were in attendance, perhaps a few hundred wore masks. There were no reports of new Covid cases from that evening.

Why can't DC achieve the same results with an audience 1/6th of Clapton's?

27 posted on 04/27/2022 11:47:40 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: RatRipper

I like that! And will use it.


28 posted on 04/27/2022 11:47:43 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: Night Hides Not

I saw him in the ATL area during the same tour. Similar size crowd, similar level of mask wearing, no big deal.


29 posted on 04/27/2022 11:49:32 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: Macoozie
My grandson's school was mask-optional at the start of the school year last August. He was the only child that was maskless from the get go.

There have been no reports of his 500 schoolmates contracting Covid, though a few staff members did get it.

Didn't take long for his classmates to ditch their masks.

30 posted on 04/27/2022 11:50:06 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: FreedomPoster
Every venue on that concert tour was selected for not having a mask mandate.

Man, Jimmie Vaughan killed it too. That was a great concert. I "invited" my then 19YO son to go with me. He was blown away, he never realized the vastness of Eric's portfolio.

He gave me a shocked look when I told him that Jimmie was Stevie Ray's older brother.

It was the second time I'd seen Eric in concert. The first was his Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas in 9/2019. I was there for the second day. It started at 4PM, and ended at 15 past midnight. What a night!

31 posted on 04/27/2022 11:55:16 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: markman46

Jen Psaki slept in those false eyelashes


32 posted on 04/27/2022 12:22:30 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: TornadoAlley3

When Congress stops funding Fauci and CoVid Bills the scamdemic will end and not a penny before


33 posted on 04/27/2022 12:30:47 PM PDT by cnsmom
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

“I’m no longer concerned.”

I never was.


34 posted on 04/27/2022 1:03:18 PM PDT by chuckb87
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To: Night Hides Not

Nice on Crossroads!

And yeah, Jimmie was great. BTW, I’ve been watching a lot of concert videos over the last two years, upgraded the TV and audio for it with money saved from concert tickets. The SRV show at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1985 is worth watching. I watched that in the last week.

I last saw EC in about 1983, in nosebleed seats in the back of the old Omni in Atlanta. I had MUCH better seats this time around, and the man still has it.

Love EC and Van the Man even more than I did before because of their Covid stances.


35 posted on 04/27/2022 1:21:30 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: KingofZion

“at least 80 infections that sickened Cabinet members, reporters and other guests. “


Bullshit, Bezos: Prove there were ‘sicknesses’.

Hey: I might adopt that twit handle. /s

I am at the limits of my tolerance for such BS.

True story:

A friend of a friend flew to Hawaii for vacation. While there, she got a head cold. She then tests positive for the virus: Vacation over.

I asked why she decided to get tested for a sniffle. The response from my ‘friend’ was “it was the responsible thing to do.”

I asked if she was jabbed; the answer was affirmative. Boosted as well.

I asked, “Responsible to whom?” & “Over a SNIFFLE???!!!”

You can imagine where the conversation devolved from there.

When I got Omicron mutation - at the height of its scourge, without regard to which variant - I never got tested, didn’t tell anyone and likewise DIDN’T GAS: Everyone who cared already had the shot and everyone else didn’t GAS.

It’s the new common cold; get a grip, people.

Rhetorical question: At this stage, what sort of dumbass goes and takes a test when it’s not required (such as homecare of an elderly, convalescing family member)??? Even nurses aren’t required unless they’re scheduled for a medical procedure.


36 posted on 04/27/2022 2:08:20 PM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
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To: OHPatriot

Speaking of Fauci, I was surprised to learn today that Dr Fauci is the Commencement speaker at the University of Michigan this May. Can’t imagine what he’ll say to the graduates about their future lives and health. Also wonder how much U of M is paying him for this speech.


37 posted on 04/27/2022 6:32:19 PM PDT by WmShirerAdmirer
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To: KingofZion

If people tested positive with this bogus test even if accurate; if they aren’t actually sick then they are the definition of herd immunity and nothing to worry about. Age of the dumb-ass!


38 posted on 04/29/2022 8:51:58 AM PDT by Sheapdog (Chew the meat, spit out the bones - Gulagbound - never submit - but to the King of Kings)
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