The Rodeo is back

Gonna be interesting to see how different it is, if it’s different at all.

And this year, after a one-year hiatus, the rodeo again will be focused on preventing the spread of COVID-19, the virus that abruptly brought the rodeo to a halt nearly two years ago. Masks will be required on public transit to the rodeo’s grounds, where an abundance of hand-washing and sanitizing stations will be positioned throughout. Many concession stands will only accept credit or debit cards instead of cash, and air-filtration systems have been updated to maximize the fresh air flowing inside NRG Stadium and NRG Center.

As the record-breaking omicron surge subsides, rodeo organizers encourage people to follow health and safety guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends that people stay up-to-date on vaccinations and take precaution such as wearing masks in areas of high transmission. People who are feeling ill are encouraged to stay home. More than 100 people a day continue to die of COVID-19 in Texas, with most of those fatalities among the unvaccinated, figures show.

Still, with the pandemic approaching the two-year mark and nearly 64 percent of Texans age 5 and older vaccinated, health experts agree that it’s time for people to return to large events such as the rodeo.

“We are going to have to live with COVID for a while, and I believe that people should be able to establish a new ‘normal’ and enjoy their lives,” said Dr. M. Kristen Peek, interim dean of the school of public and population health at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. “The Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show is an important part of Houston that people go and enjoy — just do it safely.”

After reviewing the rodeo’s eight-page document containing its COVID health protocols, Peek said the added precautions “look appropriate.” She said she is looking forward to attending the rodeo with her family.

“We will definitely be masked,” she said.

[…]

Now, 66 percent of Harris County is vaccinated with at least the primary series of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, according to Harris County Public Health. The recent wave likely boosted natural immunity, and the community is equipped to handle the event without a major risk, said Dr. Paul Klotman, president and CEO of Baylor College of Medicine.

“The rodeo is in a big venue, so there’s a lot of ventilation and a big space,” he said. “Relative to other gatherings, this one ought to be safer than others. And if you look at some of the (recent) football games, there haven’t been a lot of big outbreaks.”

Klotman and other experts added a word of caution: the pandemic is not over. Vulnerable populations, such as immunocompromised people, still face a heightened risk of severe illness if infected.

“I wouldn’t be going if I lived with somebody who is going through cancer chemotherapy,” stressed Dr. James McDeavitt, executive vice president and dean of clinical affairs at Baylor.

See here for some background. I’m mostly okay with this, especially for the outdoor parts of the rodeo. We don’t currently have any plans to go to the fairgrounds, but we’re all vaxxed and boosted, we don’t have any immunocompromised people in our daily lives, and the risk being outdoors is fairly low. Honestly, taking the train to and from the event, which is the only way to go for me, feels a lot more risky just because the trains are always super full during Rodeo times. I’d feel more apprehensive about attending indoor events and the concerts, but if we did we’d be wearing our KN-95s, so it’s no more risky than some other things we’ve been doing. I don’t expect this to become a vector for infection, but by all means exercise as much caution as you want. Don’t go if you don’t feel good about it.

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