i get it! but also a lot of people dont seem to be following the news judging by the number of unmasked faces i see out in the world? so… idk.
the thing that is annoying me is this recent trend of people complaining about others being too cautious. it honestly makes me feel crazy because with all of this happening, how is that even number 100 on the list of things to be concerned about?
I had pretty much stopped following the news months ago. I only started again because we had upcoming travel again! So put me in that camp. I’d mentally decided I was tired and I was vaccinated and couldn’t be arsed to follow all the stats.
Okay…I mean I’m glad we got this but like…the UK has had free at-home testing since summer 2020. Denmark has had free testing since fall 2020. Germany has super cheap tests. Like…
this is too little, too late?
My sister says the hospital where she works just sent people around with huge boxes of N95s, which they are now to wear in all patient care areas. While this sounds like a workforce management thing (can’t have them all getting sick at once, even if it’s “mild,”) it spooked her enough that we are now considering postponing my family’s trip and/or reducing the size of the dinner somewhat (so far only from 20 people to 17, but that would eliminate 2 households).
I think this is when have a serious conversation with your partner about cancelling. Your physical and mental health is more important. His family is going to have a terrible reaction but…that was probably going to happen at some point during the trip anyway right?
If you do decide to go, I hope it’s much better than expected.
So many hugs Marcela. I am not in the same health boat as you are in, but I went into full panic earlier today. Now I’m marginally calmer, but have another migraine.
same here. i was scanning news and staying off twitter but only started paying attention again bc of omicron. now look at me, i am a shambles 
I think many years of living in China and having much of our asset base tied up in real estate there while my SO was working for a grey-listed nonprofit on a dodgy visa has basically prepared me for this kind of “well, you never know when everything might go to hell so just be prudent and do the best you can and let the chips fall where they may” kind of mental state.
Is it healthy? Not sure. But it’s all I’ve got at this point.
I still can’t get my head around it being worse or even the same as the early 2020 pandemic. Not gonna stockpile food since I figure no one is taking it seriously here anymore.
My boss is keeping her kid home from daycare now for a bit. I don’t know. Do I?
University is staying open, mandatory booster. Probably will avoid my dad’s house then because he has autoimmune stuff but it’s gonna be hard for him not to see his grandson and the only child he isn’t estranged from.
We will not do indoor things for a while, like aquarium. Will avoid those who have travelled til a 5 day negative PCR.
We have exposure to unmasked strangers in the hallways here but we mask up. 🤷
This is the same as the university I work at (so far). I’m hoping more people get the low-key approval to wfh in Jan because I’m not looking forward to being that close to anyone.
This definitely isn’t like being back to last spring. We know so much more about it. We know so much more about how to treat it. We have medication‘s to treat it. We have better treatment protocols. We know when to employ certain interventions. It really truly is a different world clinically from what it was last year.
I guess I just meant in terms of ICUs getting overwhelmed again, which I think people are worried about?
So hoping that vaccines and boosters prevent that.
If it helps, i will still be going to work in person in a grocery store. I don’t plan on quitting. I wear a KN95 but do take it off to eat and drink on breaks.
I know I am not in the same position as most of you but just throwing that out in case a “i will not maximally change my behavior” is useful to anyone.
A serious conversation was had with my ILs and it looks like something has put the fear of God into them. There was no argument over moving to virtual mass and the concern over it being cold at the outdoor restaurant was understood. Husband has reassured me that I can back out at any time and we head back to the hotel if we feel unsafe.
I am doing better now. Still worried, but hopefully I’m just overreacting.
I’m largely at the point where I just want to be very cautious so I can guarantee I’ll have a Christmas with family, and after that we’ll likely go back to what we were comfortable with before. 
Globally, a lot of people panicking have not accessed boosters yet. If I could pull my kid out of daycare for 2-3 weeks and know for sure I’d be boosted at the end, I would. But I’m currently sitting on an end of February appointment. I’m not keeping him out of school that long, and we probably will get omicron in the mean time (or faster boosters)
Our state premier just mandated boosters for about 75% of the work force.
WA - Western Australia in this case
This article was very helpful, thank you!
That article just left me with the same questions thanks to two caveats they mentioned:
-received j&J and a half-dose of moderna rather than 3 shots of mRNA
-immunosuppressed but not immunocompromised
Love this for me lol
Yeah you’re in an informational black hole. Worse even than parents of young kids. I’m sorry.
