Colorado State University is requiring COVID-19 boosters for the spring semester, according to an email sent today by University President Joyce McConnell.

Due to “persistently high numbers of hospitalizations and ICU usage” in Larimer County and the omicron variant, on-campus students and employees must receive a booster shot for the spring semester.

Vaccine exemptions will continue to be honored in the coming semester, and those who have not shared their vaccination records with CSU will still be required to do saliva screenings for COVID-19.

More information about COVID-19 cases, vaccinations and tests is available on the CSU COVID-19 Dashboard website and the Larimer County website. 

Reach Jordan Mahaffey at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @_MahaffeyJordan.

Black Pumas redefine funk’s past, present, future at Masonic

Eran Kohen Behar/Staff

Since the self-titled debut album prompted a Best New Artist Grammy nomination in 2019, the sui generis duo of singer-songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist-producer Adrien Quesada has taken the world by storm. With a timbre delving into the waters of the psychedelic and funky, Black Pumas have fast-tracked a steady residence in the soundscape of tomorrow. Even with their flair for the dramatics with harmonies and instrumentals of epic proportion, their Dec. 15 concert at the Masonic had the intimacy of a backyard art show attended by friends and defined by familiarity.

No moment made this atmosphere more apparent than when Burton physically broke the traditional barrier of artist and audience by jumping directly into the crowd seconds into the first song of the night — a cover of “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” by Bobby “Blue” Bland, featured on the deluxe edition of Black Pumas. In the sultry warmth of fuchsia and scarlet lights, Burton’s stunning tone serenaded the crowd that instantly swarmed around him. His voice has the clarity of plunging into ice-cold water, shocking one’s system with never-ending refrains reminiscent of ’60s and ’70s soul.

Listening to any Black Pumas record makes it obvious that their songs were designed to play live, and their concert only confirms it: Any aspect of the night that could be made interactive was. Following Burton’s conducting, the audience became a physical symphony as he taught it how to sing along with the xylophone of “Know You Better.” “Sway with me,” he shouted into the mic, the crowd eagerly obeying.

It was in this song that Burton took a moment to highlight the two backup singers, Angela Miller and Lauren Cervantes. Over the audience’s humming, the two sang their introductions with charisma and swagger, uplifting each other’s strong voices. As the songs continued, each band member had their moment to shine, making it known that they could each carry a solo show. It is with that scope of pure talent that made the Black Pumas show truly transcendent in both recording and concert.

The band was at their best at the end of “Know You Better” as the three vocalists overlaid belts, practically competing but ultimately blending into what can only be described as beautiful destruction. Each member turned to face one another as they deconstructed the once-soft romantic ballad into hard rock. Strobe lights illuminated the Black Pumas emblem hanging over the stage as chaos was rendered divine.

As flashing white lights transitioned into captivating red, purple and blue, “Black Moon Rising,” one of the band’s more popular songs, resonated through the venue. Capturing the cinematics of Black Pumas’ sound with Burton’s incredible range resounding from the speakers, synthesized violin smoldered under the syncopated and bluesy stylings of Quesada. Though most of his work through the night functioned as part of the band’s instrumentation, his few moments in the spotlight were evidence of a fact already known — the man can play. Each time he stepped forward for his captivating solos, the crowd erupted into cheers, hanging on to every pluck and strum.

Before the band exited the stage, the hypnotic guitar intro of “Colors” sent the crowd into a frenzy. In that moment, it felt as if the whole world knew every word, the audience singing as Technicolor lights illuminated the faces of every band and crowd member. As the song came to an end, a demand for an encore led to the playing of an unreleased song. Blue in tone and in hue, Burton’s magnetic vocals and the stage’s lights brought the energy from “Colors” to a melancholic state.

With a final cry of “It feels like live music,” Burton entered the audience once again, exiting through the front doors and into what the future holds. And if Black Pumas have anything to say about the future, it will certainly be funky, magnificent and something completely new.

Contact Afton Okwu at aokwu@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

World leaders, climate scientists and activists recently gathered in Glasgow for the COP26 Conference to show solidarity in preventing and strategizing against climate change. The United States, for the first time since the Trump Administration, has a chance to restore itself as a leader in preventing climate change. The Trump Administration, despite lowering our emissions domestically, failed to become a global leader on this issue. We withdrew from the Paris Climate Accords, and the administration continually painted climate change as a non-issue.

Given our returning chance to lead, many hoped we would implore the world’s number one polluter, China, to lower their excessive emissions. Unfortunately, China made no meaningful commitments to change its emissions. But China must do its part to make significant progress against climate change.

Little Action From China

China is inarguably the world’s number one polluter, polluting more than the entire developed world combined. The U.S. accounts for 11% of global emissions, while China shoulders responsibility for 27% — more than double what the U.S. emits. Given this massive disparity, the U.S. and other global powerhouses should push for China to decarbonize now. However, our leaders would rather make efforts to only decarbonize locally while making little effort to decarbonize globally.

President Xi Jinping of China opted not to attend COP26. Instead, he sent a letter expressing concern over the climate issue, but his letter was as empty and insincere as his seat at the conference. The letter said a lot without saying much. In the letter, President Xi said China’s plans to address the crisis “will be rolled out, coupled with supporting measures.” But for years now, China’s climate plan has been vague, unclear and insufficient. China says it plans to max out its emissions into 2030, with no attempt to lower them until after that.

At the conference, China also committed to no longer financing the construction of coal power plants, which the country has done despite its carbon intensity. But China has tripled its emissions in the last three decades, and they still plan on growing their emissions. This demonstrates the opposite of commitment to tackling climate change.

But we know that the climate crisis isn’t knocking at the door — it’s breaking that door down.

China’s Role in Climate Change

Although China is on the other side of the world, the U.S. has felt the effects of its disproportionate emissions. In particular, Utah has experienced many damaging effects of climate change. We have seen an increase in droughts and wildfires, and a rise of three degrees Fahrenheit in average temperatures. Utahns’ health has suffered due to these increased temperatures. While Utah and the U.S. have made their own contributions to climate change, the effects of China’s excessive emissions undoubtedly play a role in global warming.

Given China’s false promises and commitments, we must ask how we can hold them accountable. A significant source of Chinese emissions comes from manufacturing, with the Chinese industrial sector alone comprising 24.1% of global emissions. Given this, many would say, “stop buying Chinese goods,” but that’s easier said than done.

The massive disparity between Chinese imports to the U.S. and U.S. exports to China demonstrates that we depend on China for much of our consumer goods. This disparity exists because China can produce goods at a much lower price than the U.S., translating to consumers wanting Chinese products more. Even I sometimes purchase Chinese goods over domestically-produced ones because of the price.

Carbon Embargos as a Solution

We have tried tariffs in the past, but those have only hurt consumers and haven’t sufficiently affected consumption patterns. Instead, we need a carbon embargo. The U.S. has made massive efforts to make our production process less carbon-intensive, while China hasn’t. This decarbonization has been part of why U.S. goods are more expensive, and as such, China should pay for that difference.

A carbon embargo would place a fee on goods imported to the U.S. based on the emissions involved in manufacturing that good. The difference between this and a tariff is that the fee is paid by China, not consumers, making the price of manufacturing goods go up in such a carbon-intensive way. In addition, given China’s dependence on the U.S. as a trading partner, they won’t stop trading with us.

One nation acting alone cannot solve climate change. As the Climate Leadership Council puts it, “A well-designed system of border carbon adjustments will enhance the competitiveness of American-based firms that are more energy-efficient than their foreign competitors, while preventing carbon leakage and free-riding by other nations.” China must start decarbonizing now — not later.

i.linnabary@dailyutahchronicle.com

@ian_linnabary

The post Linnabary: China’s Emissions Are Out of Control appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Greenhouse located on the roof of the Science and Research 2 building is used for a variety of ecological studies conducted by students and faculty. | Kathryn Lenihan/The Cougar

The greenhouse on the roof of the Science and Research 2 building has been a space for students and faculty to conduct various experiments on ecological topics ranging from soil microbes to invasive plant species.

Although the greenhouse was renovated in 2016, it has been around for a while, according to associate professor Kerri Crawford. Before that, experiments had to be conducted at the UH Coastal Center or on a smaller scale in the labs.

Crawford’s research focus is currently on how native plant species may adapt in response to other plants that invade the ecosystems. If a native plant coexists with an invasive plant over several generations, specific traits and genetic codes may develop. These genetics can then be explored by scientists to help prevent further spread of the invaders.

Crawford said the greenhouse allows her research team to conduct controlled experiments that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. A recent experiment involving over 2,000 plants, all with very precise watering requirements, was made possible through the controlled greenhouse conditions.

“We were interested in how the amount of water a plant receives influenced plant-microbe interactions,” Crawford said. “We found that if soils are wetter, then microbes can disrupt coexistence among plant species — which may be a problem in areas that receive more precipitation with climate change.”

Post-Baccalaureate research fellow Jakob Joachin is running their first independent experiment on these plant-microbe relationships in different ecological contexts, such as how water availability influences the interactions between typically-pathogenic fungi and grassland plants.

Joachin joined the Crawford lab in Spring 2018 when they were a sophomore in an evolutionary biology class.

Joachin went from being unsure of what research looked like or if they could do it to being funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Post-Baccalaureate Students program and planning to attend graduate school for applied restoration research.

“After my first summer of field work (where I was chasing grasshoppers and fighting off mosquitoes), I was completely hooked,” Joachin said. “Falling in love with the day-to-day tasks of ecological research, I eventually found myself asking new questions about the work and ‘thinking like a scientist.’”

Biology senior Amber Ooi has also found working in the greenhouse to be fulfilling. Ooi joined this past summer under the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, during which she worked with another student to test whether the presence of plants helps to prevent droughts from causing stress on soil microbial communities.

“We utilized the SR2 rooftop greenhouse to maintain the 180 plants (at) a constant temperature as Houston summers tend to get really hot,” Ooi said. “I learned a lot this summer about the inquiry process behind research and by making a lot of mistakes.”

Ooi hopes to publish a paper over this research in the next year and further her interests in conservation ecology in the future.

Ooi recommends undergraduate students join the student organization Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science if they are interested in research, as well as to take classes such as ecology, conservation and plant physiology if they wish to pursue ecological research specifically.

“​​Even if there aren’t currently openings for research assistants, people are usually happy to chat about their research,” Crawford said. “Through their research experiences, some students realize they want to go to graduate school for an MS or PhD.”

news@thedailycougar.com

—
“Roof greenhouse is on-campus space for ecological studies” was originally posted on The Cougar

Malcolm Alexander served 38 years in prison for a rape he didn’t commit. The wrongful conviction was based on a bad identification procedure. After nearly four decades, Malcolm saw his mother, sister and son face-to-face again. He lost so many years of his freedom but was eventually able to win the fight to regain it. Many other wrongfully convicted people, however, never win that fight.

Our justice system has limited resources and legal barriers that make it difficult to overturn a wrongful conviction. We need to change our justice system to stop wrongful incarceration and give wrongfully incarcerated individuals a path to freedom.

Few Opportunities to Right Many Wrongs

An estimated 2-10% of incarcerated people are wrongfully convicted, which equates to between 46,000 and 230,000 people behind bars for crimes they didn’t commit. Our justice system, like every justice system in the world, gives wrong verdicts sometimes. But problems arise when the wrongfully convicted find it next to impossible to overturn their convictions.

To get out of prison, the wrongfully convicted must present new evidence that could exonerate them or prove that an aspect of their original trial was unfair enough to warrant a new one. On the surface, those seem like fair standards. However, several institutional barriers and laws make that process more difficult than it sounds. For example, some states don’t recognize flawed science used to obtain an original conviction as new evidence. False or misleading evidence contributes to 24% of wrongful convictions nationally, but proving that evidence is flawed doesn’t always guarantee a new trial.

Limited DNA access laws also create barriers for the wrongfully convicted. All 50 states have some kind of law allowing prisoners to access the DNA in their own case files. But in some states, a defendant who pled guilty loses that access.

These barriers, among many more, make it incredibly difficult for a wrongfully convicted person to overcome on their own. Innocent people behind bars often need good lawyers and a support network dedicated to helping them. However, that support typically comes from outside groups like the Innocence Project to help them navigate the appeal process and the laws that keep them imprisoned.

The Consequences of Wrongful Convictions

The thousands of people wrongfully convicted suffer the consequences of these decisions. Not only do they lose years or even decades of their lives, but also experience mental health problems as severe as depression and suicidal thoughts.

The consequences extend beyond the wrongfully convicted themselves. When innocent people go to jail, real criminals walk free. This denies families justice and allows perpetrators to continue committing crimes. In 1984, Jennifer Thompson identified the wrong man, Ronald Cotton, as her rapist in a police lineup and he went to jail for the crime. Her actual rapist went on to rape multiple other women, committing over 20 crimes following Thompson’s rape.

Thompson openly shares how difficult Cotton’s wrongful conviction has been for her. She went from being a victim and survivor of a crime to someone partially responsible for hurting someone else. Victims of crimes involving wrongful convictions often feel guilt, fear and depression.

Justice-Minded Reforms

Wrongful convictions hurt innocent people convicted of crimes, their families, victims and families of victims. To combat this, we need clear national standards for laws that minimize wrongful convictions and create accessible pathways to freedom for the wrongfully convicted.

The Innocence Project recommends changing laws about new evidence to include now-debunked science, as well as amending DNA access laws to be the same for everyone, regardless of their plea. They also recommend changes to laws surrounding jailhouse testimonies and requiring all police interviews to be recorded.

Most importantly, our justice system should work more to give convicted criminals the resources to fight for their freedom within the system. Innocent people in jail shouldn’t need assistance from outside organizations. Lawyers should be made available to convicts to answer questions about the appeal process. Appellate courts that handle wrongful conviction appeals also need to develop a more open-minded culture when it comes to the frequency of wrongful convictions. Overall, we need to be more justice-minded than conviction-minded. A closed stamp on a case file means nothing if the supposedly guilty person is innocent.

Our justice system is designed to hold people accountable for causing harm. Until we create laws and policies to minimize wrongful convictions and help innocent convicts, we will continue to see unjust outcomes not only for the wrongly convicted but for victims as well.

k.cushman@dailyutahchronicle.com

@cushman_kcellen

The post Cushman: Wrongful Convictions Make a Justice System Unjust appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Roughly three months have passed since I wrote an article previewing the Atlanta Falcons’ season. The Falcons now find themselves with a 7-8 record, and I find myself revisiting my early predictions. With a quarter of the season remaining and the playoff race intensifying, I will once again examine the  highlights and lowlights as well as what can be expected from the Falcons in the waning weeks of their season. 

The good news

Before the start of the season, I predicted that the Falcons would finish with a record of 8-9. After finishing last season 4-12, the Falcons have already surpassed their win total from last year. In addition, their only losses this year have been to teams with equal or better records than them, two of which were one possession games. 

Two of the brightest spots on Atlanta’s roster have been veteran running back Cordarelle Patterson and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts. I had high hopes for Pitts going into the season, and despite difficult circumstances, Pitts has met and surpassed all expectations. 

Pitts is third among all tight ends in receiving yards (949), third in yards per reception (14.8) and sixth in total receptions (64). In addition to Pitts’ stellar play, Patterson has also been one of the most exciting offensive playmakers in the league this season, acting as a dual threat in Atlanta’s rushing and passing games. Patterson is second in receiving yards by a running back (523), third in receiving TDs by a running back (5) and fifth in receptions by a running back (49), not to mention he’s also tallied 579 rushing yards and six rushing TDs on only 140 attempts. 

Though the Falcons face an uphill battle — and have the lowest chance of making the playoffs among the six other NFC contenders at 1.2% according to ESPN’s Football Power Index — they find themselves in the hunt for playoff contention. With two games remaining, the Falcons’ destiny rests largely in their control.

If the Falcons manage to win out to end the season, they have a high probability of a playoff berth at 9-8. 

The Falcons play the Buffalo Bills (9-6) and New Orleans Saints (7-8), respectively, to close out the season. With the exception of the Bills, the Falcons’ remaining schedule not only consists of teams with .500 or worse records, but also one of the six teams they vie with for a remaining playoff spot in the NFC. Should the Falcons win out, they would immediately edge out the 49ers and Saints for a remaining playoff spot. 

In addition to Atlanta’s opponents, the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7), Washington Football Team (6-9) and Minnesota Vikings (7-8) look to secure one of the two remaining playoff spots in the NFC. With Washington and Philadelphia squaring off one more time before the end of the season, a single loss for either team would put the Falcons ahead of them.

In other words, the Falcons have a chance, despite struggling on both sides of the ball and facing stiff competition against a division rival and a tough Bills team. If they manage to win out, they have a shot at making the playoffs.

The bad news

Despite hovering near the bottom tier of NFC playoff contenders and remaining in the hunt for the six or seven seed, the Falcons are by no means a playoff-ready team. Not only are they not playoff-ready, but the Falcons have statistically fared worse than they did last season — a season which resulted in the firing of the head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators and the third-worst record in the league at 4-12. 

While Atlanta has relied more heavily on offense to win them games in recent years, often winning their games in “shootout” fashion, the offense has taken a massive step backwards this season. Atlanta’s offense has been significantly worse this year compared to last. The Falcons rank 25th in average points per game (18.5), 31st in average rushing yards per game (86.2), 16th in average passing yards per game (223.3) and 25th in average total yards per game (309.4). In comparison to last season, the Falcons average 6.0 fewer points per game, 4.7 fewer rushing yards per game, 47.4 fewer passing yards per game, and 52.0 fewer total yards per game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons are once again performing in the bottom tier of all NFL teams. Atlanta ranks 28th in average points allowed per game (26.7), 22nd in average rushing yards allowed per game (120.9), 23rd in average passing yards allowed per game (244.0) and 24th in average total yards allowed per game (364.9). Compared to last season, the Falcons defense this year has allowed an average of 1.3 more points per game and 12.3 more rushing yards per game. However, the team has improved in passing and total yards allowed per game, with an average of 46.1 fewer passing yards and 33.9 fewer total yards allowed per game. 

While the latter statistics suggest defensive improvements, the Falcons still rank in the bottom tier of all NFL teams in either category. In conjunction with a lackluster offense — averaging over eight more points allowed than scored, more than 55 more yards allowed than gained and a turnover differential of -5 — it seems almost miraculous that the Falcons have already surpassed their win total from last season. 

Safe prediction revisited

I predicted that the Falcons would end up at 8-9 before the season started. More than three months later and with four games left to play, I stand by my original prediction. While I still believe the Falcons will end up at 8-9, they are trending upwards and in my opinion are more likely to end up 9-8 than 7-10. At 9-8, the Falcons would have a decent shot at a playoff berth, but I just don’t see them edging out the talented and desperate Buffalo Bills team. I am hopeful that the Falcons will sneak their way into the playoffs, but in terms of my unbiased prediction, I predict that they will come up a bit short.

Bold prediction revisited

After predicting that Matt Ryan would be replaced as starting quarterback (QB) by the likes of either Josh Rosen or Feleipe Franks, I can safely say that I was off on this one. While Rosen and Franks have each taken a few snaps this season at QB, neither has contended for Ryan’s job as starter. Rosen completed two of his 11 passing attempts for a total of 19 yards and two interceptions, while Franks threw an interception on his only passing attempt of the season and added six rushing yards on three rushes. While my prediction was incorrect, it was based primarily on my feeling that Ryan would not return to his former glory and would instead take a big step back in production. 

Ryan has indeed looked less sharp than last season and much of his career, putting him on track to just barely surpass 4,000 passing yards: a mark that if he misses would be his first time since 2010. His quarterback rating is also a career worst at 49.2 (18th), and his TD-INT ratio on the season is 17-11. In short, while Ryan ranks somewhere around the mid-tier of QBs this season, statistically, this has been one of the worst seasons of his career. At age 36, there is no indication that things will improve for Ryan going forward, and in the name of his legacy and the future of the Atlanta Falcons, I predict that Ryan will retire from the NFL at the end of this season. 

Ryan’s legacy has already been carved out as the best QB in Falcons history, with more than double the passing yards and TDs of Streve Bartkowski at number two, and nearly 100 more games played than any other QB in team history. He will long be remembered as Matty Ice, but I think at the end of the season, it will be time for him to put his career on ice as well.   

Falcons QB Matt Ryan throws the ball in a game against the Washington Football Team earlier in the 2021 season. (Wikimedia Commons/All-Pro Reels)

The post Falcons eye first playoff appearance since 2017 appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Photo Essay: Football 2021

Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

It was a landmark football season for the Golden Bears, whose fans came roaring back after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the disjointed 2020 season to be played behind closed doors in empty stadiums. This season could not have been more different: Week in and week out, the Berkeley faithful showed support and passion, exploding in applause after each touchdown and providing the backdrop for the marching band, cheerleaders and University of California Rally Committee. While marked by a mediocre 5-7 record, the Golden Bears were victorious when it counted, collecting wins against rivals Stanford and USC, much to the delight of Cal fans in attendance who stormed the field with gleeful exuberance on both occasions. These moments and more were documented by The Daily Californian photographers, who found inspiration in both the moments of glory on the field and the moments of intimacy on the sidelines and in the crowd. 

 — Theo Wyss-Flamm, photo editor

Dec. 4, 2021, versus USC (Nick Quinlan/Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Dec. 4, 2021, versus USC (Nick Quinlan/Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Vanessa Lim/Senior Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Vanessa Lim/Senior Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Nov. 20, 2021, versus Stanford (Lisi Ludwig/Senior Staff)

Sept. 18, 2021, versus Sacramento State (Anthony Angel Pérez/Senior Staff)

Nov. 27, 2021, versus UCLA (Antonio Martin/Staff)

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Antonio Martin/Staff)

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Antonio Martin/Staff)

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Dec. 4, 2021, versus USC (Nick Quinlan/Staff)

Nov. 27, 2021, versus UCLA (Kyle Garcia Takata/Staff)

Dec. 4, 2021, versus USC (Nick Quinlan/Staff)

Oct. 30, 2021, versus Oregon State (Can Jozef Saul/Staff)

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Oct. 23, 2021, versus Colorado State (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)

Oct. 2, 2021, versus Washington State (Lisi Ludwig/Senior Staff)

Nov. 27, 2021, versus UCLA (Antonio Martin/Staff)

Oct. 2, 2021, versus Washington State (Lisi Ludwig/Senior Staff)

Oct. 30, 2021, versus Oregon State (Eran Kohen Behar/Staff)

The Daily Californian

Emory University will shift from modified yellow to an orange operating status effective immediately, according to a Dec. 28 email announcement from Executive Director for COVID-19 Response and Recovery Amir St. Clair. 

Emory University will shift to an orange operating status effective Dec. 28. Photo courtesy of Emory University

This follows Emory’s announcement earlier today that spring classes will operate in an online format for the first three weeks of the semester.

Under the new operating condition, all non-essential events and gatherings must be postponed or moved to a virtual setting. Non-academic gatherings will have a maximum capacity of 25 individuals. 

All students returning to campus must complete an attestation form indicating that they received a negative PCR test 48 hours or a negative antigen test, including at-home tests, 24 hours before arrival to campus. The University does not require any asymptomatic COVID-19 testing beyond the initial test. 

“Students who return to campus before in-person classes resume should prepare for a greatly reduced on-campus experience with limited activities, few co-curricular events, modified grab-and-go dining, and new changes to isolation and quarantine protocols,” St. Clair wrote. 

Indoor dining is also prohibited, with main dining halls switching to a grab-and-go model, the email stated. Dining is scheduled to return to normal conditions on Jan. 31.

Masks will continue to be required indoors and are “strongly encouraged” when outside in groups. 

Emory Conference Center Hotel will remain an isolation location for symptomatic or high-risk on-campus students. Positive students with mild or no symptoms will follow new “isolate-in-place” protocols. In accordance with the recently updated Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the isolation period will be reduced to five days for asymptomatic individuals.  

The post Emory reverts to orange operating status, requires negative COVID-19 for move-in appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Juana Garcia/The Cougar

The omicron variant should absolutely be taken seriously right now. Being very contagious and with the horrific symptoms of long COVID-19, people should not ignore this new coronavirus variant. 

The omicron variant has proven to be more contagious than the standard COVID-19 infection. It is also possible that people who are vaccinated will still get it. Considering that the University, like many other colleges, is still planning on having in-person classes in the spring, with no vaccination or mask mandate, this is concerning. 

After the holiday season cases could go up, so students should wear a mask, a KN95 if possible, and try to social distance when they can. It is unfortunate that students will have to take their safety into their own hands if there are no social distancing mandates or online class settings.

Thankfully, the COVID-19 vaccine prevents severe symptoms, death and hospitalization, so vaccinated people are likely to be better off with an omicron infection than unvaccinated people. However, hospitals are still strained right now due to a lack of beds and staff. 

Because many healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19, this contributes to the staffing shortages. To remedy this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened isolation rules so now people can go to work after five to seven days of isolation instead of ten. This is worrying as the main motivation is to get workers back instead of to prevent spread. 

The fact that the CDC cut the isolation period for COVID-19 shows how dire this situation is. Hospitals don’t have the staff to treat patients right now and while vaccinated people are more likely to have mild cases, unvaccinated people and immunocompromised people are more likely to end up in hospitals. 

People need to be careful because hospitals will struggle, and with a lack of staff and beds, hospitals may have to ration care which will lead to some people not getting the treatment they need because the majority of resources will go to COVID-19 patients. 

Vaccinated people may sound like they don’t have to worry as much with only a risk for a mild infection. However, even mild COVID-19 infections can cause long-term symptoms such as shortness of breath or parosmia, which is when smell is distorted.

 Many people who have had COVID-19, even mild cases, will now experience horrible smells and tastes when eating food that they used to enjoy. Some people now have to plug their noses while they eat because food tastes like sewage or garbage to them. 

This can cause people to lose weight as they don’t feel the desire to eat when everything tastes and smells horrible. Taste and scent are a big part of daily life, so losing or changing them can cause someone to feel depressed. 

The bottom line is that the omicron variant should not be taken lightly. Students should wear masks, social distance and avoid going to superspreader events like conventions and concerts, especially if they can’t avoid in-person classes. If students aren’t vaccinated or boosted, they should make a plan to do so. Don’t ignore the seriousness of this new variant. 

Anna Baker is an English senior who can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

—
“Omicron variant should be taken seriously” was originally posted on The Cougar

Damien Sneed’s ‘Joy to the World’ shimmers in Zellerbach Hall

Cal Performances/Courtesy

Christmas has become so deeply tied to its music that any spin on the well-worn classics can be controversial. However, it is the best variations of tone, key and rhythm that make the old songs great. Jazz musician Damien Sneed cemented his name into the Christmas carol canon in his Dec. 3 show “Joy to the World: A Christmas Musical Journey,” a spirited brew of established tradition emboldened by fresh soul. 

After the wide ensemble of musicians took the stage once the lights dimmed, Sneed swaggered onto the stage with wind beneath his wings, allowing a confident air to fill the hall. Just by the cadence of his step, it became immediately apparent that this was no amateur hour. By the first note in “Children Go Where I Send You” — a traditional Black gospel song remastered into a foot-tapping jaunt — the expectation for high expertise was met and surpassed. 

Sneed may have his name on the posters, but he made no attempt to keep the spotlight to himself. By blood or not, the night was a family affair with an indisputable bond between each musician and Sneed. Peppered by shoutouts to his biological family seated among the audience, the night was interlaced with brief stories about Sneed’s connection to everyone playing with him. With a boyish grin possible only from a big brother, Sneed lovingly teased vocalist Markita Knight as he pushed her to belt higher and higher into the stratosphere. Luckily for the onlookers, his mischief was justified by the apparent ease and vitality of her highest notes. 

The audience, too, was welcomed into Sneed’s extended family with open arms. He encouraged the audience to follow the beat of their drum, dancing and singing along if their heart so chose in the cozy introduction to Alicia Peters-Jordan’s rendition of Olita Adam’s “Holy Is the Lamb.” Enlivened by Peters-Jordan’s timbre delicately balancing between bold and tender, the audience rose for her voice and tight harmonies. The homey, relaxed atmosphere carried through the night, with dancing breaks filled by the sway of phone flashlights. 

Backed by the confidence only found in classically trained jazz musicians, the cast’s musical improvisation was not only encouraged but deeply embedded into the structure of the show. “I don’t know what I’m going to sing tonight,” Sneed revealed in the middle of one of his storied lead-ins. “So I may just throw something at you all.” 

Slots were allotted throughout the lineup for lyrical, instrumental or scat singing improv. At the end of an eight-minute performance of “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Sneed improvised a comically extensive run, pausing briefly only to lull the audience into a false sense of security. Had it been anyone other than Sneed, it would’ve seemed obnoxious; yet, paired with the adoring rolled eyes of the other musicians, it was impossible to be anything but charmed.   

In addition to Linny Smith’s effervescent take on the technically challenging “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway, “Joy to the World” was filled to the brim with songs written and performed by Black artists. The night was not only a celebration of the holidays, but also a celebration of Black culture. 

Over the talents of pianist Alfred Rutherford, Sneed sang out the curtain call for each of his singers and musicians, then ran out into the audience to pass the mic off to a cousin he spotted for a brief musical run or two. Finally, he exited through the entrance doors and the band played the audience out. 

Time was warped in Zellerbach Hall while Damien Sneed had a hold of it. Through Sneed’s musicality and showmanship, members of the hall were transported back and forth in era, or held in the present as a 25-minute rendition of a fluttery “Joy to the World” flew by in a joyous blur. With his electric personality and a plethora of deeply talented friends, Sneed brought a new light into the holiday season.

Contact Afton Okwu at aokwu@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian