I am incredibly relieved tonight. My family and I were playing a game when I got a text from my relative I thought would be most likely to not do well with Covid (age, weight, other co-morbidities). She had to get a test for it today due to potential symptoms. I feared the worst because H shares her FB posts with me and they are very anti-vax.
But, in her text she told me she is vaxxed and was wearing a mask (at work).
That changes everything and my mind is far more at ease.
I know when sheâd post the misinformation on FB medical lad would always patiently explain the real facts. The two of them have always gotten along very well in life - sheâs seen him grow up and become a doctor. She knows heâs super intelligent.
I donât know if he swayed her, others in her life convinced her, work mandates got to her, or whatever. I also donât care. Iâm just relieved that the real her got vaxxed even if the FB didnât seem in favor of it last I knew.
Iâm still hoping for the best for her (perhaps a negative test result?).
Happy your relative is vaxxed and ok.
There is a difference between being anti vax and anti mandates. I donât know anyone who is anti vaccine but I know several people opposed to mandates.
She was pretty clearly anti-vax, posting a lot of misinformation that medical lad went through correcting. Iâm sure that went along with anti-mandate, but somewhere along the line she changed her mind (enough) about the vax to give it a try even if she never posted about that. Iâm so glad she did!
Itâs too soon to determine whether families can gather for Christmas; 90% vaccination rate might be needed: Live COVID updates
I have to say that wild horses will not deter me from seeing my family this year. We were good last year and stayed apart while almost everyone I know IRL got together despite any pleas to stay home.
I really think this is a terrible statement to all of us who played by the rules, stayed home, wore masks and got vaccinated. Everyone going to our gathering will be vaccinated.
Those who arenât will still be gathering, just as they have been since this pandemic started.
The Nisqually Tribe had a property with cabins and RVs that those with COVID-19 could voluntarily go to in order to quarantine.
However, anti-vaccine activists started spreading false rumors on social media about whether it was a concentration camp for the unvaccinated, leading to threats to burn it down and such. So the Tribe had to evacuate the property and move the people with COVID-19 into local hotels.
My family is 100% fully vaccinated with the exception of a 3.5 year old child. We will certainly be getting together for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year, my 85 y/o MIL declined to do ANYTHING with anyone. She was terrified of Covid and essentially became a lonely hermit. After her Moderna vaccines, she is all in on seeing family, which makes us all happy. Looking forward to the holidays this year.
Weâre getting together soon, for Thanksgiving, and for Christmas. Then weâre traveling for Feb.
Thatâs Plan A. In the meantime Iâll watch cases and data, along with contemplating the booster. There are times weâve had to switch to Plan B. Heck, for our Anniversary trip this past summer we were on Plan E by the end (none of the changes actually due to Covid though).
Wouldnât it depend on if your family is vaccinated and whether there are particularly medically vulnerable people among those gathering? Also, how risky the school and social situations of younger children are in terms of risk of carrying the virus home to any medically vulnerable people.
If there is concern despite vaccination, outdoor gatherings are obviously much less risky, though they may only be attractive in warmer areas.
If you are in an area where community spread is high, even vaccinated people are more likely to have a breakthrough infection. But obviously if everyone in the party is vaccinated you are much better off than if there are holdouts.
I suspect that most people will not abstain from holiday parties this year. I probably wonât because everyone I know is vaccinated. But it might depend on what changes occur or what developments take place in the next few months.
We have at least 2 unvaxxed on one side of the family. Problem is, they host the Christmas eve soiree. One of them will be required to be vaccinated by them, so weâll see.
Other side has at least 4 unvaccinated folks. Will be avoiding them. Maybe visit the folks who are vaccinated, but no family get-together.
Thatâs Christmas. Thanksgiving, just us and the kids, maybe my mom----all of us are vaccinated, so no sweat.
Similar to MADad, we have one family member (sister in law) who is not vaccinated - she is also the house that always hosts both Thanksgiving and Christmas (easier because that is the town my mom lives in and donât worry, I do Easter).
I dread this dilemma again. I think at least one of my kids - possibly two would not attend if she is not vaccinated. I wonât pass up Christmas with them to go to her home without them.
She will be hurt and upset. Just. Doesnât. Get. It.
Itâs pretty rude to be the person who hosts the holidays and not get vaccinated. Sheâs making everyone choose and setting up arguments and hurt feelings and thatâs not fair.
Well, to me it isnât really at all about the holidays. Itâs just about being around people or caring for yourself in general. Someone who is largely anti-vax (her - she is a wonderful person otherwise!) isnât going to change her tune just to get the family together for Christmas.
Unless all those who have been vaccinated also isolate all the time, there is still a risk of them having covid and even passing it on.
My sister has covid. Sheâs vaccinated and very careful, but she does teach. She doesnât think she got it at school because no one else there was positive last week. Anyone can get it and pass it on, sometimes without knowing it.
I think it is a risk worth taking to celebrate with family but others may not want to take that risk.
If she is âvery carefulâ, then teaching in an indoor classroom may be one of her higher risk activities. A student may have an asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic case and never think that they need to get tested while filling the classroom air with virus over an hour.
However, a vaccinated person is:
less likely to get infected in the first place
less likely to have a bad case if they do get infected
likely to be contagious for a shorter period if they do get infected
Anyone thought about getting an early Holiday gift for those unvaxed who are hosting? What if you gave them a rapid test to do the 3 days before the event? (seems to be the industry standard). Three days is still enough to defrost your own turkey if need be. And if it turns out their test is negative, they you have an extra turkey and all the potential leftovers!
Clearly this works better if youâre just a drive away. But even with 3 daysâ notice you could cancel travel plans.
Unfortunately I think this just wades a big mine field for those who have CHOSE at this point to be unvaccinated. You have to want to be unvaccinated and itâs the hill you are committed to dying on. Literally.
I just donât think that any part of reason is effective at this point in the pandemic
