Bret Devereaux

Once again I can't help but feeling like we're looking at policy failure arising out of a failure to understand people and to communicate effectively with the public - the core strengths of the humanities we've been under-funding for decades.

So all in all, I am disappointed that substandard vaccination rates means that I'll have to lecture where I can't see my student's smiles (because of the masks). That is a tiny disappointment compared to the people who are going to lose loved ones.

I have a healthy immune system, so I can get my vaccine and be extremely safe from COVID, even delta. But quite a lot of people are immuno-compromised and won't be as safe. But I think new masking rules are going to be very hard to enforce.

Anyway, we should do vaccine mandates. For students, for workers, for everyone. The time for asking politely was May and June. Make it free (it is) and then require it (and make employers give paid time off to go get it). Then we can all get back to normal.

(Of course please note I am not any kind of medical professional, these are just my off-the-cuff thoughts. I am a Roman history professional and if you want to vaccinate yourself against Romans I suggest a robust tradition of horse archery)

What about a Roman phalanx?

I don't know if this is just meant to be a funny poke, but for the sake of clarity in a frequent misperception: the phalanx is Greek, the legion is Roman.

Well thank you professor. My mistake. I thought a phalanx was when a group of Roman soldiers advanced holding their shields over their heads to protect themselves from arrows & spears. My last year in school was 1968 so I guess my memory of Roman history isn't very sharp anymore.