Table Talk 2021
Remember the blue publication that arrived in your mailbox more than ten years ago? With the advent of our web site, we no longer publish Table Talk. More information about the La Jolla & Beach Unit 526 can be found on the website than we could ever include in a one page newsletter, like Table Talk.
Back to online bridge
Matthew Kidd
The La Jolla unit board has decided to discontinue face to face bridge. Please play in the U539 hosted online unit game at 1 pm (open game, early for limited games). Starting in September, the La Jolla unit plans to host our own online games on our Sundays, complete with concurrent limited games. The experience should be similar for regular unit game players even if the title of the 1 pm event is different.
Regrettably, the misinformed and stupid have snatched defeat from the jaws of scientific victory. Concerns about and actual adverse outcomes from the Delta coronavirus strain have worsened since the joint U526 and U539 survey in June. Breakthrough cases are happening, at least one has been reported at both the Redwood and Soledad Clubs. The good news is that the vaccines have worked very well. Breakthrough coronavirus cases have seldom resulted in hospitalization, let alone death. But the demographics of our group put us at greater risk. Sadly, Kathy Byrne reported on the death of her bridge partner Joe Morello this month from coronavirus despite him being vaccinated.
It didn't have to be this way, but here we are.
I worked in two biotech startups. I did bioinformatics similar to that necessary to develop the mRNA vaccines. Speaking as a scientist, the mRNA vaccines are a great advance, a simple, safe, and precise approach to vaccination, the culmination of four decades of marvelous biotechnology advances since the advent of DNA sequencing and the discovery of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The science behind the mRNA vaccines is way more interesting than the aggregate of all the lies and misinformation spread about them.
Vaccination rates are high in California among the 65+ year-old age group. As of August 21, the CDC COVID-19 Data Track website indicates that 78% are fully vaccinated and 97% have received at least one dose. But only 66% of Californians 18+ years-old are fully vaccinated, and nationally the full vaccination rate is only 62%.
We used to ask some to die for the country. Now we only ask you to live for the country. Get vaccinated. Get your family members vaccinated. This is no time for nonsense.
The La Jolla unit resumed face to face bridge on August 8th, one month later than originally stated in the D22 Connection. The San Diego unit will resume face to face bridge September 5th or later. Check the San Diego unit website for updates.
Resumption of face to face bridge
The August 8th game was free! We had eight tables. Welcome back.
All players must present proof of vaccination at their first visit or in advance by e-mailing a clear photo of their vaccination card to Bill Grant at wbgran
yahoo.com. Note: cut-and-paste may not work for Bill’s e-mail address due to automated e-mail address harvesting prevention measures. Even you have presented your vaccination card at the Soledad Club you still must present it once at a unit game. The Soledad Club and La Jolla unit are separate entities.
Due to city of San Diego restrictions, there will be no hospitality until further notice. However, players are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks.
Based on the results of the combined La Jolla and San Diego survey, we will space tables slightly further apart and keep windows and some doors open for good ventilation.