I just got my second shot. I don’t expect my routine to change. For that to happen, we need to stop with the masks. If you don’t like wearing fishnet stockings to protect you against hypothermia, wearing two layers won’t help you either. If you wear one alone in your car… just stay home.
I’m not expecting I’ll be eligible for a shot until at least April. That said, my H, parents and in-laws will all be fully-vaccinated within the month, so we will finally feel comfortable visiting and eating indoors with them. Looking forward to having my D20 home from school as well as my parents at our house for Passover.
Once I am vaccinated, I’d like to go up and visit D20 in Boston, and will probably feel comfortable dining indoors at restaurants.
We really want to travel, but until our younger daughter (age 15) is eligible for a vaccine, I wouldn’t be comfortable flying, but long-term, that’s probably the change I’m most looking forward to.
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I’m a little less nervous now that my mom, H and I have received vaccines. Sadly our kids won’t get theirs for a long while. When they’re not around, H and I may dine outdoors at a restaurant. I may get a haircut — finally. (D gave me a slight trim in September, otherwise nothing for over a year.). Importantly, I will see my MDs in person next month and have a mammogram scheduled for September (I had been deferring it).
I don’t plan to fly as most flights are >5 hours and I don’t know if I could tolerate wearing a mask that long.
I don’t plan on in person dining at restaurants but may spend more unmasked time indoors with other extended family members who have been vaccinated.
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For me the primary value will be that I won’t make others nervous to be around me once I’m vaccinated. My daughter is getting married on May 1. It is going to be a very small wedding anyway, but the fact that the parents and grandparents of the couple will be vaccinated will contribute to peace of mind for the couple.
I’m in the medium zone of cautious, I guess. I do what the current state regulations allow. I wear a mask in public and socially distance; we had Thanksgiving with guests but outside. I eat indoors at restaurants and follow the rules. I get my hair done; appointments, temp checks, distanced, and everyone is wearing a mask. The places I go have observed the capacity and distancing rules of the state of New Jersey. I’m not inclined to be a part of large gatherings, even if they were allowed, and I’m not keen on flying. But I also can no longer stand just staying in my house all the time.
Telling people they have to live as if we are still in April 2020 after they have gotten the vaccine will ensure that a lot of people just won’t get the vaccine.
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@NJSue my understanding is that it is still unknown whether, once vaccinated we can still transmit COVID. Hoping for good news on that front at some point.
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Even if you can still transmit Covid, if you are hanging indoors unmasked with those who are vaccinated. the likelihood to transmit will probably be very little to other vaccinated people. Also , I dont think the vaccines will make Covid go away, but isnt the goal then to keep people from dying and getting severe covid. Before Covid came along we had large gatherings and did not worry about the Flu,(which I KNOW if not Covid today), but isnt likely that the future will be that Covid will require annual vaccines and will be similar to the Flu. ? So yes, once I am vaccinated I will still be cautious and wear my mask in public , but around other vaccinated people, or family /friends, I am going to be less cautious.
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I was referring to a post that mentioned being around unvaccinated people after being vaccinated oneself.
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My husband got his second dose last Friday. I’m not expecting to be able to get one for months, maybe not until the fall when I turn 65. The only change to his life is that he now goes grocery shopping. (We don’t need to go often as we get a CSA that delivers vegetables, eggs and cheese every other week.)
I’ve been telling potential clients I am only taking exterior jobs like decks or unoccupied houses until I get the vaccine. I’ve been enjoying the excuse to turn down projects I don’t want to do.
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I realize that they don’t know yet about vaccinated people being carriers. But at least my daughter won’t worry that she might infect her older relatives if we are all vaccinated. It’s better than nothing.
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I have a question, something I’ve been struggling with.
My husband and I have not been vaccinated and probably won’t be for awhile. His parents are receiving their 2nd doses today.
A couple of weeks ago my husband was talking to his dad. Told him that even after they had been vaccinated, that my husband and I wouldn’t be. My husband said that they don’t know how the vaccine works as of yet and if it stops a vaccinated person from transmitting the virus. My husband suggested that his parents spend time with his brother and wife who have been vaccinated.
A few days later, my mil calls me. She announces that after they’ve been vaccinated, they are coming to our house for the weekend. I, trying to be the team player said that wasn’t how it works, that we shouldn’t have a weekend visit until after all of us have been vaccinated.
Now, my husband has backtracked on his earlier stance and said that it will be no big deal for his parents to visit. That I’m being too strict with social distancing!
I admit to being very nervous about the pandemic. My husband for the most part is also on board, except where his parents are involved. And where he would have to put his foot down.
I think that what I should do is let my husband deal with his parents because I’ve been feeling bad for trying to reiterate what he told them earlier.
But then again, I’m not that thrilled with entertaining my in laws for the weekend either. 
Anyways, I understand that they is a marriage question more than what would you do after vaccinating. But how would you deal with this somewhat sticky situation where you and your spouse disagree.
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I’m sorry you are in such a tricky situation. Are the in-laws still being careful (distancing, wearing masks) since they’ve been vaccinated? If so, then that would give some comfort. OTOH, if you aren’t comfortable with them coming for a few days (what if you ask them to mask in your home?), then that should be it. Your comfort in your home > than in-law visit, I get that it might be hard for your H to say no, but again wife’s wishes >parents’. IMO of course
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Could you compromise and ask your inlaws to get a negative Covid test before they visit you? Do they live in the same state?
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Negative COVID-19 test and 4+ days of extra careful social distancing before the test and between the test and the visit would be the way to make a test useful.
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We aren’t having overnight guests because both of us haven’t received our vaccines. If my Inlaws wanted to visit, and I really didn’t think it wise, I would lean on my husband to say NO.
Otherwise, would consider going to a hotel myself…if I was that uncomfortable.
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I assume that someone is running studies to see if (or to what extent) fully vaccinated people can transmit covid, but I can’t find anything online. Would be good to know the timing! How long are they expecting people to mask and distance “just in case”?
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I suspect that most people will start behaving more normally after they are vaccinated, regardless of what authorities might say. Most people are not reading studies of vaccine effectiveness. They just know that they’ve got the vaccine and so they are good. Of course, they might wear a mask in public because the law says so, but forget social distancing. My mother and sister (healthcare worker) are now both fully vaccinated so they think they can do anything.
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The vaccine has only been out outside of trials in general population for 2 months! So they only have have 2 months of a larger data set to study the effects FOR 2 months of being vaccinated.
Again, in exchange for having a vaccine so quickly (when they often take years in the making) we don’t have the post vaccine data for duration of effect or transmitting the disease.
I’m willing to keep wearing a mask knowing everyone who Is or will be vaccinated is tons safer - you?!
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Thankfully, h and I are on same page. I like to think that if we were not though that the less cautious one would acquiesce to the more conservative/anxious one.
Only my husband is vaccinated right now. I would NOT feel comfortable having anyone in my house, let alone stay overnight, right now.
Once we are ALL vaccinated (including our teens) then I would be more okay.
But until then, no way would anyone be staying in my house.
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Thanks for all of the great feedback. Appreciate it.
They think they are being extremely careful, I don’t agree. There lies the problem. These are people in their mid 80’s, I wouldn’t know where they could get a Covid test. Would they be offended if we asked them? I think probably, because they have been “extremely cautious”. They would not know how to go about getting a test and will consider it an affront to them.
It’s the in laws, not my mom. It’s the crazy DIL being all nuts about the virus.
I guess I’m bristling at how my mil phrased it. No asking, just we are coming for the weekend once we are vaccinated. I guess I would have like it if they would have asked if we feel comfortable and how could they make us comfortable. But then, family!
And the attitude is that I need to change, not them.
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All the more reason to regain your ground!
A statement such as “I know YOU all are feeling more comfortable now that you are vaccinated, but we don’t feel that yet bc WE have not had the same opportunity. Until we are vaccinated we simply can’t invite anyone over no matter how much we all
Would like to gather. It’s just too soon.”
Period.
People who dismiss others’ health concerns can deal with hurt feelings in my book. Better hurt feelings than possible long term (or worse) health issues for you and your immediate family.
This is not an area where I would give in. No way.
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