even states that are pretty far ahead like Massachusetts, the opening date for 18 and above was less than 6 weeks ago - so even those first in line have just gotten their second shot
I agree that many are vaccine refusers ā¦ the rural area where our cottage is located has the lowest vaccination rate in the state, and I saw a sign for walk in vaccines at the local pharmacy last weekend. But I am thinking about areas like Michiganās Upper Peninsula, where those who may want the vaccine might have a really hard time accessing it. I could be wrong, though.
2 Likes
Looking for some thoughts here ā and no, I wonāt treat them as binding medical advice. Iāve been doing weekly PCR tests for a couple of months through my employer, sent to me at home and returned via FedEx. On June 7, Iāll be two weeks past my second Moderna dose, and I was thinking about stopping the testing since fully vaccinated people with no symptoms arenāt thought to need it. Does anyone here think I should continue, for added reassurance and to catch any rare breakthrough infection? Frequent testing is how those cases among the fully vaccinated members of the Yankees organization were found; seven of the eight who tested positive had no symptoms, and also probably had viral loads small enough that they werenāt infectious, so not catching them really wouldnāt have been a big deal. It might be nice for me to be able to say to people, āNot only am I fully vaccinated, Iām tested every week.ā But it could just be a waste of time. What would you do (or are you doing), with free weekly testing available?
Do you have frequent contact with a particularly medically vulnerable (to COVID-19) person (e.g. one whose medical conditions cause lack of immune response to COVID-19 vaccination, or who cannot get COVID-19 vaccination for medical reasons, and otherwise has increased risk if they do get COVID-19, such that even the small risk of a vaccinated person being a breakthrough infection vector to them is of concern)?
The other thing to note is that the lag time between (a) getting infected and having enough virus to show positive on a test, and (b) getting tested and getting test results means that testing by itself is not sufficient to protect a medically vulnerable person if you are concerned about the (small) risk of a breakthrough infection that you could theoretically bring to them. You would need to avoid high-exposure-risk situations for a week before contact, test about four days after the last high-exposure-risk situation (so that an infection can show up on a test), and wait until results before contact.
1 Like
I donāt really have such a situation. The closest would probably be my mother-in-law, who is fully vaccinated but is in chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. I see her maybe every two weeks or less often, and weāre not right on top of each other when I do see her. Iām also not in a lot of high-exposure-risk situations anyway.
This has been a helpful thought exercise, actually. Thereās very little practical reason for me to keep getting tested. I trust my vaccination and those of others around me, and I donāt take excessive risks in day-to-day life.
1 Like
Iāve been fully vaccinated (Moderna) for about 6wks now, and live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Lately, Iāve taken to going about maskless in places where fully vaccinated people arenāt required to wear a mask, but I feel just a bit conflicted about it. I understand that Va. is one of states with the highest percentage of vaccinated persons, so that may be why Iām seeing just about a 50/50 ratio of masked/unmasked people in public. I stopped automatically wearing a mask in public places because the rise in hot weather makes wearing one really uncomfortable at times, but stillā¦I want to do the right thing. I donāt want to inadvertently put anyone at risk, nor do I want to contract the virus after having been so cautious for over a year. However, Iām just so weary of the pandemic, which seems endless in a way. Information and CDC guidelines seem to change constantly, such that I honestly donāt have much confidence that anyone really knows what to do concerning the wearing of masks. If youāve been fully vaccinated by CDC guidelines, do you still wear a mask?
1 Like
Has it been at least six weeks since vaccines were easy to get by all people in Hampton Roads? I.e. so that unvaccinated people are generally voluntarily unvaccinated?
Only where still required. We trust the vaccines to protect us and prevent transmission. We arenāt concerned about the small risk of contracting the virus/variants and believe that the odds of transmission are slim. Those who cannot be vaccinated and/or are immune compromised should continue to wear masks in public and, when we see masked people, we appropriately distance.
We are no longer concerned about Covid, and our lives have returned to unmasked normal.
4 Likes
No, we donāt unless they are required in which case we would, but we havenāt come across that situation since states we have been in have changed their rules.
I do stay current with Covid news - esp immunity and variant stories - and we are more than willing to go back to masking if necessary. I just donāt see where itās necessary for us now.
Weāre back grocery/other shopping, traveling, eating in restaurants, meeting with people and everything else one could think of as if it were pre-Covid now - except we still have masks at hand if they were needed.
Iām planning on returning to school in the fall too, though H and I are also still mulling finances and figuring out what we want to do when we grow up so anything could change. Covid and some other close quick illnesses/deaths around us have reminded us to Seize the Day while we still can because no one knows what tomorrow will bring. There are still a ton of places we want to go/see.
@poetsheart , like you, what holds me back from not wearing a mask is others. I trust my vaccine for myself and generally feel safe. BUT, for me, itās such a simple thing I can do at this point in the COVID scenario (vaccines still in process for even those that want them) to make others in public indoor places comfortable. Iām not worried about outside masking - donāt really plan to be anywhere where itās crowded.
But I also have to admit that Iāve had a few times in stores where a good # of people are NOT masked that I wondered if I stood out and was being pegged at someone not vaccinated.
Yesterday I was at At Home a very large warehouse type store that was sparse with customers. I did have a mask on my face but pulled down until I was around others. That was the first place I did not fully wear a mask inside and I felt comfortable doing so.
2 Likes
I assume those still wearing masks arenāt vaccinatedā¦ and it doesnāt bug me at all. Their choice.
For that matter Iām ok if they are vaccinated and still choose to wear masks.
I canāt understand being bothered by anyone wearing a mask unless it were a robbery situation!
If anyplace other than a bank were to say masks forbidden (political statement at this point), then Iād go elsewhere, because I think folks should feel free to do what they feel comfortable doing.
3 Likes
You should NOT assume that people still wearing masks arenāt vaccinated.
I shouldnāt judge you for not wearing a mask or think that you donāt care about others because you arenāt. And vice versa you shouldnāt assume that someone with a mask is unvaccinated.
1 Like
FWIW - I see assuming vs judging as two different things.
2 Likes
Agree that mask use is a poor way to guess whether someone is vaccinated. Both mask use and getting vaccinated have become politicized, so that there are likely substantial numbers of āunvaccinated no maskā and āvaccinated maskā people who choose to do so for political reasons. In addition, there are also people who disregard the risks of COVID-19 and choose non vaccination and non mask for that reason, as well as those who are extra-paranoid about COVID-19 (including those who are especially medically vulnerable) and choose to continue wearing masks even after vaccination.
For those who are vaccinated and live in an area where easy vaccine availability for everyone occurred over six weeks ago, the rationale for wearing masks to protect others has mostly gone away, except perhaps in situations where people are more likely to be medically vulnerable (e.g. health care facilities) or where there are children who cannot get vaccinated. For those who are medically vulnerable to COVID-19 (immunocompromised, lung problems, etc.), mask choice can be made primarily on the basis of self-protection (e.g. N95 masks with outlet valves are ok generally, although putting a second mask over the outlet valve may be needed when entering a health care facility or some such).
Good point. However I will say as someone who is vaccinated and still wearing a mask most places indoors my initial reaction was that I was being judged - or put in a certain unsubstantiated spot - for wearing a mask.
I make the assumption because it informs my behavior to social distance around them, respecting their need for continued protection. Not a pejorative at all. I assume anyone wearing a mask is either not vaccinated or, for whatever other reason, feels the need for protection, so I give them space.
5 Likes
If I see employees in the store wearing masks, I wear mine. Most employees are still masked in virtually every place Iāve shopped. I figure the employees have less choice than I do about whether or not to be there, and they will spend more time breathing the storeās air than I will. So I do it to be considerate of them.
2 Likes
While it may be correct to assume that someone wearing a mask when not required is likely to be extra COVID-19-paranoid for whatever reason, it probably does not correlate as well to vaccination status. (But yes, it is polite to give them space, since they may be extra COVID-19-paranoid for good reasons like weak immune response to vaccination.)
I think itās been at least a month since virtually all of Hampton Roads has had relatively easy access to one COVID-19 vaccine or another. The Governor has lifted the mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals per the most recent CDC guidelines, with the exception of healthcare settings. And with only a couple of exceptions, every member of both my immediate and extended family are now fully vaccinated, such that we all felt safe getting together for Motherās Day, and plan to do so again for Fatherās Day. It has been such a sweet feeling, gathering with family without the taint of COVID paranoia.
I do know fully vaccinated individuals who plan on continuing to wear a mask out in public for the foreseeable future. One sited feeling she canāt trust that some non-vaccinated people will keep masking now that the option not to is open for those who are. After all, nobody is checking anybody for the little COVID vaccine cards. Itās all on the honor system. I can fully see where sheās coming from given the astonishing lack of honor so many people have displayed during the past year and a half.
I wonder what conditions have to prevail before the CDC announces that weāve basically achieved herd immunity, and that no one need where a mask or socially distance. Given how much of the global population still canāt access a COVID vaccine for love nor money, it may be a very long time before we can all feel like this virus is behind us.