Yep! There is. In fact, in September, an article was published in Pediatrics showing that other infectious disease rates dropped in children due to widespread social distancing efforts. You can find that here: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/4/e2020006460
Interestingly, this paper pointed out that while rates of contagious diseases declined notably, rates of UTIs did not--and UTIs are not typically contagious or acquired through contagious means. This proves a useful gut-check of whether the decline is due to contagion control efforts.
In the SNL cold open, a maskless Jim Carrey and Alec Baldwin, both ~60 years old, stood right next to each other arm in arm. I don't expect you to know exactly what protocols SNL is following, but even if testing right before the show I can't imagine this is particularly wise given testing error rates and rising covid rates in NYC. Is there a way they could be doing this that's legitimately safe?
There is. They could be getting tested and then isolating completely from others until they have gotten two negative tests a week apart, and then after that continuing to isolate while living together in a secret SNL village that has no contacts with anyone from the outside world.
I have my doubts that they are doing this; however, this is the idealized "safe" circumstance. There are degrees of safety that can be achieved.
I understand from firsthand accounts that the film industry is actually being quite responsible with how it handles COVID-19 testing and control as it has reopened in New York. People on sets are being tested with a high regularity, and I'm talking about crew as well as cast here. There is an understanding that total isolation is not possible, but that they can do their best to try to detect and trace any infections that do occur and continue to operate as long as tests keep coming back negative. This is an expensive way to operate but it is also the only way to operate. That does offer some mitigation of the risk. It does not mitigate it completely, however. Presumably the onscreen talent and the crew have been counseled as to the risks they are potentially taking on.
I've been wondering if social distancing would result in reduced spread of other diseases, like flu. Is there any evidence of that?
Yep! There is. In fact, in September, an article was published in Pediatrics showing that other infectious disease rates dropped in children due to widespread social distancing efforts. You can find that here: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/4/e2020006460
Interestingly, this paper pointed out that while rates of contagious diseases declined notably, rates of UTIs did not--and UTIs are not typically contagious or acquired through contagious means. This proves a useful gut-check of whether the decline is due to contagion control efforts.
There have been other studies as well. This article synthesizes some WHO data and a paper from the New York area showing similar trends: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01538-8
In the SNL cold open, a maskless Jim Carrey and Alec Baldwin, both ~60 years old, stood right next to each other arm in arm. I don't expect you to know exactly what protocols SNL is following, but even if testing right before the show I can't imagine this is particularly wise given testing error rates and rising covid rates in NYC. Is there a way they could be doing this that's legitimately safe?
There is. They could be getting tested and then isolating completely from others until they have gotten two negative tests a week apart, and then after that continuing to isolate while living together in a secret SNL village that has no contacts with anyone from the outside world.
I have my doubts that they are doing this; however, this is the idealized "safe" circumstance. There are degrees of safety that can be achieved.
I understand from firsthand accounts that the film industry is actually being quite responsible with how it handles COVID-19 testing and control as it has reopened in New York. People on sets are being tested with a high regularity, and I'm talking about crew as well as cast here. There is an understanding that total isolation is not possible, but that they can do their best to try to detect and trace any infections that do occur and continue to operate as long as tests keep coming back negative. This is an expensive way to operate but it is also the only way to operate. That does offer some mitigation of the risk. It does not mitigate it completely, however. Presumably the onscreen talent and the crew have been counseled as to the risks they are potentially taking on.