I’m not comparing one to the other. I know how serious Covid is. My point is this is the world we live in. We have these multiple viruses around us and each individual chooses how they want to live and what makes them feel safe. I am one person and only one data point, but I was not nearly as sick with Omicron as the current cold virus I have.
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@blossom - I completely agree with you and if you were my friend I would respect how you are living your life. I have a wonderful friend that only wants to get together outdoors for walks and then get takeout to eat outside. I love this friend and that’s what we have been doing the past two years and will continue to do.
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From what I have read, the risk level of getting (and transmitting) COVID-19 based on prior status is approximately ranked as follows (I = infection, V = vaccination):
I+V < 3V < 2V < 1V or I < none
The recency of the most recent I or V event matters somewhat.
However, even the strongest immune response of I+V is not enough to completely prevent future infections in some people. Some reports are saying that BA.2, BA.4, BA.5 variants have R0 of 12 to 15. This means that herd immunity requires 92-95% protection from infection – which seems unlikely even for a population where 100% is at I+V or 3V status (and we know that many people have I/V status with greater risk of infection) that takes no additional precautions (e.g. masking, social distancing, and other measures that lots people are tired of).
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There are definitely second cases happening for some people despite the fact that news reports are still calling it rare. Son and his girlfriend had it (likely Omicron 1) in very late December. She contracted it in MD, brought it unknowingly to CA where he contracted it right before the start of winter quarter at college. They then stopped having to PCR test for 90 days because it will still show on tests when you aren’t actively infectious. Two weeks after they had to start testing again in April, she had it again (she works at a Starbucks on campus, is exposed constantly) and he got it a day or two after that. Both now finally negative again on rapid tests. Fortunately fairly mild for both of them both times. I am hearing of other kids at colleges getting it a second time, so I think Omicron 1 doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get the new subvariant.
I picked it up myself at a conference in Chicago where I mainly masked but the people around me didn’t. I’ll continue to mask at indoor events for the most part, but at the moment since I’ve just recovered from it, I’m a little less vigilant. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever go grocery shopping again without a mask. It doesn’t bother me a bit, and I’ve gotten sick way less often than I did before COVID.
One place I’m going back to requiring masks for my kids and others is driving in cars during carpooling. There’s so much of it being passed around the schools, and we accidentally spread it as part of a birthday party for my youngest (elementary age) the other day. Party was an outdoors event (mini golf), but a few of us agreed to drive all the kids to/from because it was a bit far. Unbeknownst to us (and discovered later that night), one of the kids was infectious. Three days later there were 3 additional girls testing positive. I’m positive it was the car ride that was the issue, so we are back to masks on, windows down during any carpooling. Are the kids okay? Sure. But some did get pretty sick, and I do worry about the long term effects we know nothing about yet. Plus it meant we almost didn’t have enough players for a key soccer tournament this weekend. And if my kid had gotten it (lucky she did not, but we’ve kept making her mask indoors), she could have passed it on to her sister who might have had to miss her AP tests this week. So I’m still really trying to avoid everybody getting it. We just calculate risks situation by situation based on how risky it is vs. how important it is, and we try to minimize the chances of getting it by doing the simple things.
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Prior to 2 years ago, I could often have a conversation with someone about a given issue and our views would be so different that I would want to ask him/her, what planet do you live on? But that was on that given issue and our day to day lives were very similar. Over the past 2 years, I talk with different people and its day to day lives that beg the planet question. Interesting that we are still there. Making no statements about being right or wrong. Just interesting that in terms of day to day lives, there are still significant differences across the country.
Yes, lots of competing data. I’m not in the medical field or open to discussing if you can get it twice or not. Honestly, I’d be guessing at best.
Once we decided after two years to open up, we haven’t looked back. I know that many people have decided differently and I respect all of their choices.
I had a mask on N95 when I contracted Covid (from my Dad driving him to the hospital). It was a medical grade mask and I drove with the windows open in the Winter. I did wear them for 2.5 years. And our family wears them in some venues. IF it makes someone more comfortable we’d like mask, and I give more room to people wearing masks in stores. We all think, if we’re going to get it, we’re going to get it. But I know that some rely on them for protection.
I’m happy to be back to the new normal. I don’t want to mask any longer. I’d prefer to just not go somewhere. But, I’m open to other people I know and love making their own rules and us following those rules so they feel safer.
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Me too! I still avoid pretty much anything I don’t like and go ahead with those things I enjoy.
We also “consider the crowd” we’re with if we can. If it’s a crowd I know won’t be vaccinated nor care if they have an active case and still go out and about, we skip. If it’s a crowd where we know people do care and wouldn’t knowingly spread something, we’ll go. Obviously, that only works with people/places we know.
But otherwise we go to movies and pick times where we’ll have the theater practically to ourselves - which introvert us would do anyway, Covid or not.
We enjoy time with our son and GF who work in the hospital and encounter Covid a lot.
We flew. We went on a train trip and will soon be on another. We eat in sometimes and out others. I shop in person almost always mask-less around home.
But a baby shower has no appeal to me whatsoever, so no, I wouldn’t go.
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Totally. I think people just have to decide what their comfort is with various risks and live their lives accordingly (obviously other than like you describe above – if you have it you take precautions not to harm other people). I’m not at all judging you or others in that respect. I only replied to your comment in particular because it seemed to allude to a question about whether or not you can get it twice. The answer is definitively yes. May not happen often, but it’s definitely happening. But my point about that isn’t to pass judgement on whether or not that’s worrisome for you or anyone else. Your approach makes sense to me. I’ll be more relaxed personally re: my kids once they get through all the key end-of-the-year stuff like AP exams.
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My dad is visiting. We walk each day. His 3rd day here - he said we walked to far - and he got the chills.
Next day my wife tested him - positive. Had a 2nd home test and today at the clinic. Getting him some meds.
He goes nowhere out at home. We didn’t go anywhere but Costco since he was here and he was masked with a KN. And it was only the day b4 and it takes longer to show symptoms.
We don’t know but are guessing the airport or airplane.
He’s boosted fully (too early for the 4th) - you just don’t know. He’s gone two plus years safe.
No matter how hard you can try it can happen - but you just have to do what works for you.
You can have no risk (stay home). Some risk (go outside) or higher risk (inside with mask) or full-on risk - no mask.
Hopefully, ta 83, the vaccination will help him. So far, he’s fine - almost like allergies - and i’m getting him one of the drugs that reduce hospitalization 90%.
But it’s really a personal call - and you no matter how hard you try, you just don’t know - it just creeps up on you.
I wear a cloth mask when I go to Costco especially during busy time. That place is a zoo, best time to go is in the morning.
There are numerous studies that cloth masks do not do much of anything at all. You might as well go without. If you are going to mask you should at least get one that might actually do something. IMHO
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Hope your father continues to feel good.
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My mother has been super careful in the last 2 years, literally not seeing any of her friends. Recently she has started playing mahjong with friends again. I don’t have the heart to tell her not to do it because she is happier seeing her friends. She is fully boosted and her friends are also very careful. I am just hoping luck is on her side.
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@Htas you wrote “ My Dad was in Boston too. I’m going to message you.”
Her parent is in Washington State…not Boston.
@oldfort - I hope your mother stays well. My parents are back to playing bridge inside and I do worry about them, but they also want to live their lives and are happy seeing friends again
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Yes, I realized that after writing and responded accordingly. Thanks.
It’s very tough with older family members. I was really worried about my Dad celebrating New Years indoors the massive during Omnicron surge. But he has said he wanted to live his life. He did get Covid and nearly died. But he made his own decision and doesn’t regret it.
I live in Southern California. I would go to an indoor baby shower or party. I had Covid early in 2021, and I am vaccinated and boosted. I go anywhere I want, maskless unless required. Hospitals here require masks and proof of vaccination. One visitor per day. Case counts are up here but hospitalizations are still low.
Your experience is what we worry about with 94 year old FIL and our upcoming train trip. I wish Covid had continued to decline instead of picking back up. We have our second boosters. FIL just got his today (trip is still over 2 weeks away).
We could hold back and wait, but at 94, will he have another chance to go? We’re at his place as I type. H is talking with him about the trip and FIL is really looking forward to it.
We’re going. Hopefully none of us will have regrets.
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Cloth masks alone provide little self-protection. They may offer some protection to others against your exhalings, but if people around are not putting on masks themselves, then it is obvious that they do not care.
For self-protection, better to use an N95 / KN95 / KF94 type mask, or at least a surgical type mask (a well fitting cloth mask over the surgical type mask may help close any gaps on the sides).
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