Thumbs up, thumbs down

Thumbs down to another lawsuit over mask mandates in public schools. “We are not advocating that masks be banned,” said Brian Festa, founder of the Ridgefieldbased Connecticut Freedom Alliance, which is part of the suit against the state Department of Education. “We want parental choice, leaving it up to the individual.” The obvious problem here is that masks protect everyone, not just the wearer. The coronavirus pandemic is not over, and only by taking precautions can we keep the damage to a minimum. That includes wearing masks indoors, in places like schools. This suit needs to go nowhere.

Thumbs up, tentatively, to Connecticut’s ongoing jobs recovery. According to newly released figures, September’s job gains in the state were estimated at 17,000, and August’s increase was revised up to 21,900 gains. Connecticut has so far recovered about 60 percent of jobs lost during the pandemic-related declines of March and April. However, the situation remains dire. State economists estimate the unemployment rate is around 12 to 13 percent, down from about 15 percent last month but still far higher than the official rate, which experts say misses some important factors. By any measure, the state economy continues to suffer from the pandemic.

Thumbs down to Halloween uncertainty. Official guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend avoiding traditional trick-or-treating and especially staying away from indoor parties or haunted houses. Some towns and cities, though, rather than urging residents to avoid trick-or-treating altogether, are asking people to use their judgment. That leaves parents in a tough spot. While going house to house is an outdoor activity that doesn’t require close contact, and therefore could be considered safe by some, no one wants to take unnecessary risks. But it’s hard to judge whether it would be riskier than in-person school, for instance. As the weather gets colder, these questions will only increase.

Thumbs down to higher rates reported in relapses, drug overdoses and people seeking treatment for substance abuse this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which experts believe is linked to the increased numbers. “Even persons with relatively healthy mental outlooks have been challenged by loneliness, anxiety, depression and a disconnect from their everyday support systems, whether that is work, family or friends,” said Alan Mathis, CEO of LifeBridge Community Services. And the problem could be worse than it looks. Experts said more people dying of overdoses means there are more who are overdosing and not dying and as well as more who are using.