Because half the country was in lockdown, and the other half pretended that there was no pandemic, with more than half of the latter not even believing that there was a pandemic. Seriously, having some 30% of the population believing that the pandemic is just a conspiracy, while the state government is trying to enforce a lockdown, is not going to end well.
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It still makes sense to avoid crowded spaces and mask up, at least in certain situations. And while we have vaccines, one of the treatments is not going to work anymore (antibody treatment) against the emerging variants.
There isnāt much surveillance of variants going on anymore, and tracking of cases isnāt going on much anymore, either. People arenāt testing, arenāt abiding by CDC recommended guidelines for ending isolation after an infection, etc. (Note ā Iām not saying ALL, but many arenāt.) Only a small majority have gotten the bivalent booster.
And this is just covid. There is also flu and RSV out there. Not many have gotten the flu shot. There is no RSV shot. While it is not dangerous above a certain age, it starts becoming dangerous again after age 65.
All the talk of holiday travel, families gathering, parties, with no mitigation measures ever mentioned, does not bode well for the coming weeks. But itās more important to āget back to normal,ā whatever that means. People have suffered enough! They want to ālive their lives āfully.āā
I donāt remember how that ānormalā ever included the effects of long covid, though. That is swept under the rug by everyone, including the CDC. If hospitals are swamped by sick children? Oh, well. Both just collateral damage in the all-important pursuit of totally ānormalā life.
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People are exposed to germs as part of life. That is how we, and particularly children, acquire immunity from those germs. Every doctor I know understood that when masking and lockdowns ended, people who had avoided the usual and natural exposure to germs for the last 2 years would suddenly be exposed and sickness rates would skyrocket temporarily. That was bound to happen regardless of the date precautions ended-at such time, mass exposure to flu, RSV, and all the other germs out there is inevitable. No one can live their entire lives in a sterile environment.
The elderly and medically fragile have always been at greater risk from flu, etc. This is not novel.
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Isnāt this a global problem as well? You canāt successfully fight a global pandemic with highly incompatible strategies and/or methodologies all over the globe.
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Exactly. In the absence of both domestic and international travel restrictions, covid spread was inevitable. Short of forcibly quarantining the entire NYC and SF regions, where the outbreaks first occurred in the US, the remaining states were destined to be exposed. There have been some studies done on how the transmission vectors worked based on the type of covid strain. At least initially, about 1/3 of the covid in Texas was from the SF based strain and 2/3 from NY.
Itās not swept under the rug. Itās just something we have to deal with and researchers are working on it. We also have to deal with all the effects Covid gives anyone from blood clots that can affect any part of health for up to 6 months post getting it - even mild cases (according to my son).
But none of that is going away just like common colds and flus arenāt. Itās a new normal.
H and I are at the stage of our life where we want to keep exposing our body to bugs in order to keep our immune system up. I got a cold from school. He didnāt catch it at all from me. Our Puerto Rico kids got a bug from flying here. (Tested negative twice for Covid as did I from school.) I caught a little of what they brought, but hardly worth complaining about. H didnāt catch that one either. H had the worst Covid effects of the two of us back in June when we caught it from Amtrak. Iām wondering if his āworseā gave him better immunity against these other two.
Regardless, we want to keep our immune systems working at this point since weāre not getting any younger. We think thatās our best option moving forward. We only mask if asked to now. We got a flu shot this year, but not the most recent Covid booster since we had Covid in June.
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I donāt want it to be my new normal, so Iām continuing to mask in indoor spaces, avoid crowded places, and not dine with anyone but H if indoors (and thatās in our home). I got my flu shot and bivalent covid vaccine.
To each their ownā¦
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I agree. I have no problem with those who continue to mask or distance. I tend to give a wider berth to those wearing masks in order to keep any germs I might have from them.
We all have to pick our path forward with Covid, just as we do with any other contagious illness out there. Health issues we might already have and things we want to do factor in the choices each of us make.
I wish you all the best.
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My son is flying tonight to come to his grandmotherās funeral Sat. He just called to say he had a meeting across the table from a woman who tested positive this morning. This is bad timing since we wonāt know for sure by Sat.
He wonders 1) if he should fly at all and 2) if, after a negative test and with a mask, he can still go to the funeral (he is a reader). It is in a church with 100 people expected, many of them elderly.
I tend toward the extra cautious. He cites CDC guidance to just wear a mask until symptomatic or positive. I am also concerned he could get stranded in his hotel, unable to fly home. Thoughts?
When was he exposed to the woman across the table? Is he fully vaccinated? I tend toward less cautious while still being practical; I would say with a mask and regular testing he should be fine (assuming he is fully vaccinated). Have him buy a bunch of tests and then, test before he flies & morning & evening after that until after the funeral. Honestly there is so much COVID around any one of us could have been exposed any time this week. Almost no one knows where they get COVID anymore, unless itās from a family member. He probably wonāt get it, and if heās vaccinated and masked and testing heās unlikely to pass it on even if he does. If itās meaningful for him to attend his grandmotherās funeral Iād say heās fine to come.
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Thanks. He is flying after testing and wearing a mask. We will take it from there. He will get a PCR test tomorrow which wonāt be useful since he was only exposed yesterday, but results take 48 hours so he wants to do it. He will test am and pm. He can go to back of church versus reading if need be.
I disagree on the idea that any of us could have been exposed at any time this week. I have been caring for a 95 year old (who just died), have some serious health issues and does my 30 year old kid. We are still super careful. mask everywhere, and havenāt gotten COVID yet.
I am honestly used to daily visits in a facility for elderly folks and am just getting used to the idea that I wonāt be bringing illness or death to a vulnerable person.
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With all due respect, any visitor or employee of the assisted living could have exposed you, as well as any resident who was infected by a visitor or staff person. Being exposed does not mean getting infected, it simply means there is so much COVID around these days that any one of us COULD be exposed any day of the week without realizing it (unless we have been alone in our own home all week of course). Given that you arenāt around a bunch of co-workers all day with unknown exposures as many of us are, minimize shopping and mask everywhere I agree you are certainly less likely to be exposed than the average person. But unless you donāt ever see another human being we all risk being exposed to someone with COVID at any time. In any case, I still think itās highly likely your son will be fine & it sounds like there is a plan in place to minimize infecting others if he does get it - but hopefully he stays healthy!!
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I donāt agree with your first statement. I have a lot of confidence in K95ās. And all staff and visitors were masked. I agree that COVID seems to be everywhere and noone seems worried. I was just making the point that caregivers who enter facilities tend to still be accustomed to being super careful.
Not debating, just explaining why we may have different perceptions of the situation. Not posting again on this- we are all set.
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Oh no! Iām sorry you have this extra worry at such a difficult time.
If heās negative and asymptomatic, he can mask with a good quality mask and proceed as planned. I would have him not hug or be eating with elderly family members or those who are at added risk.
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Thank you @momofboiler. I agree! The main thing we are unsure about is his reading , and we are inclined to substitute someone since he would have to take off his mask. Weāll see!
Presumably, you mean in a small enclosed room? With or without good (N95/KN95/KF94) masks?
Risk level may also differ depending on his vaccination history (number of doses and how recent the most recent dose was) and infection history (if any, and how recent and likely variant).
If he had at least three vaccine doses and a recent (3 months or less) infection, then his risk of getting and carrying the virus to the event is lower than if he had only two or one vaccine doses with the last one a year ago.
Using an antigen test just before going to the event can help find if he is contagiously infected at that time.
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@ucbalumnus I was hoping you would comment. Yes, smallish room without masks, for an extended time. My son had a bivalent booster a month ago, I believe, so that is good timing for that. He is doing antigen tests am and pm.
We were mainly concerned about the elderly folks at the service and reception. He has KN95ās.
Of course other grandkids are flying (and living) without masks, as are my brothers. So they have some likelihood of exposure. My daughter and I are outliers in our caution, still masking, due to health conditions).
I believe he just landed! Thank youā¦
Why would he need to take his mask off? No reason he canāt do the reading and be masked.
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Thatās a thought. One of my kids taught a college class, masked, but has always projected well. This is a big church. I could ask about a microphone.
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So heās staying at a hotel and not with you? Thatās good!
The accuracy of the antigen tests isnāt so great.
His recent bivalent vaccine is good.
Iām glad he will be wearing an N95, and also donāt understand why he has to take it off to read.
Will there be reception/food afterwards? Would he unmask then?
And of course one variable no one will know ahead of time is just what will the masking situation be in the church? If the elderly are unmasked, then I would assume they donāt care very much about being infected.