[conspire] CABAL in the time of Cholera^W SARS-CoV-2: March event cancelled

[Rick Moen]

I wrote:

> My adding extra precautionary measures before, during, and after a CABAL
> meeting -- which I strongly considered -- can take us only so far [...]

Specifically, I envisioned (a) me going around with a strong cleanser
wiping down surfaces, doorknobs, sinks, toilets, faucets, and a lot more
repeatedly (before, during, and after the meeting), (b) keeping an eye
on all attendees all the time to make sure there aren't otherwise
predictable bouts of stupidity and to make sure people maintain 2 metre
'social distancing', (c) insist on doing all washing/drying of all
cooking utensils and pots/pans, all flatware, all plates, and all
glasses personally, and (d) make sure everyone knew in advance that, if
in any high-risk group, they should stay home.

That all sounded unusually exhausting as an additional burden on me -- but
then I read the West Menlo Park weather report (rain), and realised that
2 metre 'social distancing' just became impossible.  Thus cancellation.


Relevant to that, Dr. Scott Morrow, San Mateo County's Health Officer,
issued today a new and bracing legal order effective from Sunday (an
hour from now) through (for now) April 6th:

1.  All gatherings of 50 or more persons are prohibited.  Period.[1]

2.  Gatherings of 10 or more (e.g., CABAL meetings) are permitted
_only_ if the host (in this case, me) mitigates risks as follows:

(a) Make sure the space permits 2 metre social distancing.
(b) Provide hand-cleaning materials/facilities.
(c) Alert attendees at least 24 hours prior that there's a health
    risk and that older adults and persons with health complications
    are at particular risk and shouldn't attend.
(d) Host must fully clean surfaces properly before, during, and after
    the event.

https://cmo.smcgov.org/sites/cmo.smcgov.org/files/HO%20c19-2b.pdf
https://cmo.smcgov.org/sites/cmo.smcgov.org/files/Mass%20Gathering%20Order%20Amended%20FINAL.pdf

So, pretty much what I was already thinking when I planned for and
ultimately decided to cancel the CABAL event -- with the difference that 
Dr. Morrow's order has real legal teeth behind it:  Failure to comply 
is a misdemeanour, a crime.


If you don't yet get it, this is bloody damned serious.

(As of today, there are 32 clinically diagnosed COVID-19 cases in this
county, but the larger worry is a probably massively larger number of
undiagnosed cases.)


[1] Except carve-outs for airports & similar transit halls, commercial
office space, hotels, places of worship being used for religious
services, grocery stores, shopping malls & other retail shops, and
hospitals & other medical facilities.