2021 Bike Week More Normal
 

The City Council met on Monday and voted to allow a more normal Bike Week with some restrictions and a reduced number of vendors.

From the Laconia Sun:

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...b1a8fdc4a.html

Held at Jericho Lake/Mountain State Park ..... http://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/st...ain-state-park ..... in Berlin NH, for the second year in a row, the 2021 Jericho atv festival scheduled for July 31 and August 1, 2021 has been CANCELLED due to corona virus pandemic.

http://www.androscogginvalleychamber...o-atv-festival .... July 31 - August 1 atv festival cancelled

So, with this two day atv festival in Berlin at a state park cancelled for the second year, the bike week in Laconia should take a long look at their proposed 9-day long event. Is it really worth holding it in Laconia and catching the respiratory breathing problem and the risk to be spreading it? For now, bike week ... www.laconiamcweek.com ... is tentatively scheduled to run from Saturday June 12 to Sunday June 20, 2021 in Laconia NH at Weirs Beach on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Think of both events as "peaceful protests" and all of a sudden everyone will feel great about them being held.

Recall what happened with the spread after the August 7-17, 2020 Sturgis, South Dakota, motorcycle rally:

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6947e1.htm ...... Covid-19 Outbreak Associated with 10-day Motorcycle Rally in a Neighboring

State - Minnesota, August-September 2020
.............

From this November 20, 2020 Center for Disease Control weekly report:

"What is already known about this topic?

Gatherings present an opportunity for rapid spread of Covid-19."
.............

So, maybe bike week-2021 can get moved back to first week in December ..... usually a very slow week at the Weirs ..... that first week in December .... a good time to hold bike week-2021! ..... and, just for the weekend! .... :D:D .... hut-hut-hut!

We are not out of the woods just yet. Rates are already climbing (again) in NH.

I don't think a "normal" motor cycle week is a good idea just yet. You can't wish COVID out of existance. And the longer it drags on the more it hurts the economy as well as lives.

Note that no vaccines are approved for kids under age 16 yet and that might not happen until FALL !!

https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/...affeb60bc.html

But but but
People are sick and tired of lockdown and want to visit their grandkids.
But, people want to be marked down as someone who does not care.
How about the mental illness the lockdown is causing.
Other have been waiting 380 days for the privilege the serve breakfast sandwiches. Who cares if the numbers are going up again. We need the bikers.

You forgot the impact of poor schooling and socialization skills for children.

Getting back to normal too soon will just drag this on longer. Potentially a lot longer. The risk right now is new strains. The J&J vaccine is the only one tested on the newer strains and prevented hospitalization 100%. The earlier vaccines were not tested on new strains. The real danger is to put the fire out before the new strains can take hold and mutate faster than the vaccines can keep up. And it might be too late already. It's not time to party right now.

I'll give up breakfast out (which we absolutely live for) and motor cycle week (which is fun to watch) for a closer to normal summer any day. Don't F up my summer for motor cycle week. PLEASE !!! That's what's going through my head.

Good news is we should know a lot more by Motorcycle week and hopefully the powers that be make the right, DIFFICULT, choices based on the current data of that time.

The past few weeks have shown a tremendous upturn in new infections, especially spring breakers in the southern states. Bike week has its share of that population.

I love motorcycles and have even raced at the track during bike week one year. This year, by the middle of April, I will have ridden road bikes, dirt bikes, ATVs and hopefully an electric motorcycle, so my opinion is definitely not anti-bikes.

But I think if the decision to hold the event were to be made today, I would suggest a postponement. We have made too much progress to be a part of making it worse.

Patience.

As unpopular as this may be... There comes a point in time where you have to cut off the arm to save the patient. IMHO, we are at this tipping point economically now. We have to come to grips with acceptable losses. This virus is going nowhere soon, and mutating fast. There are now vaccines, but currently science has no idea how long the vaccine protects you or to what level. They do know that the vaccines do protect you from the most severe symptoms... However the vaccines do not give you immunity and will most likely require ongoing doses.

So if no matter what you do, the virus can still infect you.... its time to get back to normal and let the chips fall where they may. If you are afraid of the virus, or don't want to get the vaccine for whatever reason, mask up and act accordingly.

Bike Week as well as any other event should continue normally....

Woodsy

I agree with you Woodsy, I believe we're seeing it now, people are out and about tired of being cooped up and shut in. If you thought the lake was busy last summer wait until this year. With vacation rentals already full and all the boats sold last year it's going up a notch if that's even possible.

We rode "Bike Week" last year and look forward to it being back to June this year.

Let the chips fall where they may? Staying away from events like this does not mean you will not get it. Someone could catch it and bring it home to you. That is why they are called super spreaders. They don’t just spread among those attending the event, but everyone who associates with those who do.

I have a friend whose husband works at a Lowe’s. He wears a mask. Masks are required in the store. He does not even work with customers. Got Covid. Brought it home to my friend who, in turn, gave it to her mother. They had all been vaccinated. My friend ended up in the hospital getting that infusion.

There is no such thing as normal until the pandemic is declared to be over. That is like sayin the Mount can push through the ice to all its ports so let’s not wait until ice out is declared.

I couldn't disagree more, you almost sound suicidal. Just don't take me or my family and friends with you.
I do however agree that "You can't fix stupid."

There will be no normal as we knew it before covid. It's here to stay, and vaccinations will most likely be a yearly thing, like the flu. We've got to come to terms with that and live within what we're each comfortable with, without judgment of each other, unless you're uber crazy like a nephew and his wife who still put packages and mail in the trunk of the car for 3 days.

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Percent
 

I think right now NH has given vaccine shots to over 54% of the population. Hard to tell 1st or both shots but a good measure of progress. This is on par with most of the other New England States.

If you look at the charts that show serious illness or even death - the curve is steep for those older and with underlying conditions. The young - exponentially lower as I'm sure everyone has seen. Strange how we don't really know why this particular virus is so hard on older people (even talking about in their 50's) that are even in perfect shape.

Anyway, perhaps by the time Bike Week rolls around, that percent vaccinated population will jump to over 75% only leaving those at very, very low risk of serious health issues.

Some day (Hopefully soon) we will get to a point where deaths are nil given the vaccine of those at risk and infections (especially with young people) is not viewed as a concern.

Or not...

The problem is, if you open up too soon, it could do MORE ECONOMIC HARM LONG TERM.

If the new “norm” is you might die if you mingle, then things will gradually get worse and worse.

Yeah, you might see a bubble of the “who cares, I want to have fun now” folks having a good time, but if people are still dropping dead it won’t last.. Entrainment venues (any large gathering places) will go bankrupt over time. Grocery stores will go bankrupt, folks will shop on line instead. Restaurants will go bankrupt. Because if things are moderately bad some will go, some will be cautious and stay home. That won’t be enough to keep a lot of businesses a float.

Nobody knows the perfect balance. Everyone knows there are costs to keeping things restricted. But folks that want to be more conservative are not worried about just the death rates, but the economy too !!!

Just because you say and act like it’s over won’t magically fix the economy or save it.

Confidence that it’s safe for everyone to go out again is an important ingredient to getting back to a healthy economy. I think if we can get to the recommended targets and ease things gradually we can be in good shape by summer and great shape by fall. Open too soon we could be spiking again next fall and another shutdown winter.

The progress of vaccinations in NH can be tracked here: https://www.nh.gov/covid19/dashboard/vaccination.htm

As of Thursday's data, the % of the state's total population (~1.35 million) who had received at least 1st shot was 34. "Complete" vaccination (both shots or one of the J&J not clear) was at 17.2%. Rates of vaccination have been ramping up steadily.

[Edit: when I posted this late morning, I had the two percentages reversed. Above numbers are now correct as shown on the link.]

State Charts
 

I would think anyone that got a J&J (1 shot) = fully vaccinated but hard to say how they craft these things.

Agreed, things should continue to pick up speed - and the more J&J used with only 1 shot needed the faster it will go.

Per the chart - Total Dose #1 in 7 days = 46,000 >> this implies another 400,000 more people getting at least 1 does by June 1st. I think the population of NH is 1.4M - I suppose that number grows in the summer.

460,000 have at least 1 does + 233,000 fully vaccinated + another 400,000 with at least 1 shot by June 1st... Maybe a normal summer

Bike Week 2021
 

Bike Week to be discussed at last nights City Council meeting. The Laconia Sun contacted many councilors in advance of the meeting to solicit their opinions.

Councilor Bruce Cheney said he is confident that allowing the nine-day event much like normal will not post a health risk either to city residents or visitors.

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...2ff2626ff.html

The thing is that gatherings like the motorcycle rally present an opportunity for rapid spread of COVID-19.

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6947e1.htm ..... Sturgis, South Dakota motorcycle rally, September 2020

Local politicians basically believe what they want to believe and do what is good for their politics without doing much research and just make a fast decision.

There's a solution to this... those that are afraid should stay home and away.

It should be a normal Bike Week.... It is time to move on. When Bike Week rolls around on 12-June, there will ZERO State restrictions in place....

If you are afraid of Covid, then don't go! Its that simple.

Woodsy

Bike week
 

Ok, Woodsy, it may look that simple, but it is not that simple. Bike Week brings a lot of bikers to a relatively small area (Weirs Beach), and then a lot more people attend Bike Week as spectators (not bikers), and who's to say that at some point the COVID virus isn't passed from one to another. So, then, each of these groups return to their usual places of living, mingle with their usual friends, and if one of these people is infected there is a strong possibility that this infection could be passed to others who didn't attend Bike Week. In other words, not going to Bike Week is not guaranteed assurance that you are not going to be exposed to COVID. From having attended Bike Week in the past as a spectator, and from looking at pictures of Bike Week in the past, it doesn't appear to me that social distancing is part of anybody's plan when they attend Bike Week. I fully recognize the HUGE economic impact Bike Week has on the local (and wider) area, but I also recognize that an outbreak of COVID could have terrible consequences in the other direction.

I read an article that liberals had a higher rate of mental issues than those that weren't liberals. Knowing that liberals are primarily controlling the news media and academia do you believe this might be an issue getting the facts out?

I read somewhere that it’s very rare to see a motorcycle parked outside a psychiatrist’s office. Lol


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HA ha ha, so true, so very true.

I also read somewhere that it is very rare to see a professional psychiatrist ride a Harley with skull tattoos all over his body.

We're getting to the point where vaccines are readily available and hospitalizations are dwindling. I'm a pretty cautious dude, but I think there's a point where the switch has to flip. I don't know when that should be, but Bike Week is still, what, it weeks away.

CDC releases new outdoor mask guidance today...maybe that will change things.

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CampGuy....

If you are so scared... don't go! The vaccines do nothing to prevent someone from catching Covid, they just minimize the symptoms. Covid is NEVER going away. Time to get on with life!

Woodsy

Correction to Woodsy
 

With a COVID vaccine (ie Pfizer) 95% do not get COVID at all. In the clinical trials, 5% did get COVID but it was not serious COVID. The vaccine is highly protective against infection and against the vaccinated person from passing the virus on.

icg56.....

You might want to recheck your references....

With all of the vaccines you CAN still catch Covid

With the Pfizer or Moderna 2 shot vaccine there is a 95% chance you will have ZERO symptoms and not even know you are sick. There is a 5% chance of mild to moderate sickness. There is an almost 0% percent chance of death or hospitalization. (But it can happen)

The numbers are very different with the J&J.. 65% chance of no symptoms, 35% of mild to moderate symptoms. Very similar in deaths & hospitalizations.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...ugh-cases.html

https://thehill.com/changing-america...-people-are-no

Obviously as more mutant strains appear the numbers may be much lower... hence the idea of booster shots floating around.

Woodsy

Still deciding
 

Lakeside Avenue will have the regular Bike Week traffic pattern. Other matters are still in play

The council will take up the vendor and beer tent issue at its next meeting on May 10. They are waiting to see what the state does with the expiration of the current restrictions on May 7th.

From the Laconia Sun:

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...5698bb61b.html

Similar story on WMUR:

https://www.wmur.com/article/laconia...-week/36264173

Immunity
 

There are several suggestions among the replies that a C19 vaccine does not make you immune. That you can still catch it, but the symptoms will be invisible or mild. From the medical research that I've reviewed this is not true. The truth matters, because some use false reasoning to refuse the vaccine. A lower vaccination rate will reduce the rate of recovery for the lakes region's economy. Our stores and restaurants need to be busy again. Bike week is a good time for the immunized to celebrate their freedom from the pandemic, with confidence that they won't be part of a super spreader event, like Sturgis was last year.

My understanding is that over 90% of vaccinated people will fight off exposure to the Corona virus and the virus will not establish itself. Without establishment, no spreading to others and of course, no symptoms. Not catching it is different than being asymptomatic. You are not sick. You are immune. You will not test positive.

There is an up to 10% chance that vaccinated people will still catch the virus, but for most, it will be asymptomatic (positive test only) or mild. There are those that will get serious cases or enter the hospital or die, but the numbers are statistically tiny.

We ALL want to get on with our lives. It is true, as Woodsy says, that you can still “catch” the virus while vaccinated and not know it, but it is NOT yet known if you can pass it on to someone else in those circumstances. The supposition is that it is much less likely. And in a largely vaccinated population, the virus can disappear.

At present, it is clear that the large influx from Bike Week, the crowded conditions, etc. is more likely than not to increase infection to the rest of the population than not having Bike Week. And judging from similar recent events, there is little masking in Bike Week visitors. And my guess is that the group will be less likely to have been vaccinated than the general NH population which tends more elderly.

So yes, we ALL want to get on with our lives, but there is little question that as far as Covid, Bike Week is more likely to make things worse for both the Bikers and the rest of the population.

It is not so simple a situation. Perhaps BW with some modification would work. But just telling those “afraid” of Covid to “stay home” is not the answer.

Sure, let’s just continue to keep people isolated. No problems with that, right? Especially for the politicians that have not lost one cent of income while imposing draconian restrictions on the rest of society. On the contrary, there have been significant ramifications caused by these restrictions. The result of short-sighted decisions:

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...ntent=headline

Surrounded by Sand, a Hazard Nonetheless...
 

A huge annual event, celebrated in the middle of a Nevada desert, has been canceled for 2021.

https://www.ksbw.com/article/burning...esert/36279729

New Age Hippies will be enraged! ;)

Almost normal this year
 

The City Council decided Monday night that Bike Week could be almost normal.

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...ced8ea2b4.html

Busy
 

I am currently in Myrtle Beach for Bike Week here. If the crowds here are any indicator of what Laconia will look like, it will be very busy!

I have been going to Myrtle for 10 years, last night was the busiest that I have ever seen it.

That's inaccurate and outdated. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing infections and shedding of the virus. Immunity at this point is up to 6 months because that's as much data as they have to support that. As time goes on, I expect that to be extended.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/l...947-8/fulltext

You might want to recheck your references....

You are both comparing apples and oranges.

The J&J was developed LATER and tested over a wider range of regions and with newer variants.
It was so effective they felt it didn't need a "boost". Where the other vaccines didn't do as well over less variants and smaller trials but better numbers with TWO shots.

Bottom line is, they are all very good and only time will tell how they hold up if (or I should say when) the new variants hit. But it's really hard to compare them unless they were all tested under the same conditions at the same time.

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2021/03/42...ou-should-know