But a paper published on Tuesday in The BMJ (formerly The British Medical Journal) argues that the six-foot rule is an oversimplification descended from 19th-century science. Instead of single, fixed distancing rules, the authors propose graded guidelines to better reflect the many factors that determine how dangerous a given setting might be.

What does that mean in practical terms? The general scientific consensus, according to Andrew Joseph, Helen Branswell and Elizabeth Cooney of Stat, is that indoors is riskier than outdoors, large groups are riskier than small groups and prolonged contact is riskier than brief contact. Loud talking, heavy breathing, singing and screaming also raise the risk of viral spread.

Happy Jean is happy.

Sports is big in this country. So big. I live near Boston, sports capital of the world. Athletes using their power to fight racism and injustice. This is a very, very good thing. This man was shot IN THE BACK seven times by police for leaning into his car, and the murderer in Kenosha was allowed to go home for the night before being arrested for MURDER. The police chief praised him for coming (from another state) to save their town’s businesses. I believe that’s why he was there. Wait, no I fucking don’t. He came ready to kill and kill he did and Fox News is also praising him. Am I in an alternate reality here? Is this 1930’s Germany? Ask the Germans how that worked out for them. WTF, America. From what I’ve read about the republican convention, there was nothing about what they plan to do for you or for the country, it was who they hate and fear and how you should hate and fear the same people. Hate and fear as a political agenda. In MY country. Anyway, here’s a bit from The New York Times:

“Professional sports seasons seemed in doubt, as athletes staged walkouts to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was partly paralyzed after a white police officer shot him in Kenosha, Wis., this week.”

Another thing that bothers me though, is rioting. When terrorists and suicide bombers and the like do their thing, does that make us feel bad and want to rectify whatever issue they think they are angry about? I don’t think so. I think it makes us hate them. When peaceful protests turn into burning and looting and smashing, how on earth does that help your cause? It just makes more people angry and convinces more people that you really are dangerous. I’m all for protesting, I’d be out there carrying signs if I was able, but I have to draw the line at deliberate destruction and harm. It serves no useful purpose. That’s just my opinion, I know, but it believe it is a good one.

On a health note, I am feeling much better today and even did a bit of cleaning, but I cannot stand up for more than a few minutes without pain. The rest of me almost feels human again, though, so yay.

Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images