At least in our area, we are still have higher daily new cases than any other time in the pandemic, even though we’re halfway back down from the omicrom peak. With Omicrom being so transmissible, I would still not be dining inside for a few more weeks.
With a vaccine maybe on the horizon for Pipsqueak finally, we are starting to discuss what life should look like after we’re all vaccinated (where many of you are right now). I think we’re going to set a threshold of daily positive cases (75or 100 per 100K maybe) that would automatically trigger going back into a pod mentality but otherwise will resume normal life activities. We may have two tiers (e.g. under 25/100K is anything goes, 25-75/100K is indoor activities limited to situations where everyone is known to be vaccinated, 75/100K or higher is outdoor only except for our pod of 3-5 people).
Yea, that’s pretty possible here unlike where you are - as it’s above freezing, it’s just raining all the time. Most indoor places are doing it.
@Sunflower I’ve really stopped looking at case numbers, I wonder if I should engage with them to make decisions. I’m really already making the choice to go to the rink most days of the week, which contains lots of strangers with unknown vaccination status, many children under the age of 5, and varying amounts of masks falling down. But I’m wearing my K95 except when drinking water, unlike in a restaurant.
I think I’m not scared of covid anymore? Maybe I should be but frankly since I’ve been vaccinated and the current circulating variant is more (acutely) mild, I feel I’m at about as much risk as I am for the flu most winters or malaria while traveling in parts of the world where it’s common. Yes, the flu and malaria is scary as an immunosuppressed person, but no I don’t completely alter my decisions after taking preventative measures like vaccination and/or mosquito nets.
This is where I’m at 100%. The only other thing that’s a factor is large family events where I will be around elderly relatives. We have a few of those coming up (my grandma’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party, my wedding) in the spring and I will be more cautious for the 2 weeks leading up to those. Otherwise, my choices are really only going to affect me. We already limit eating out for financial reasons so it’s not like we’re doing it every other day–more like 1-2x a month. Feels safe and right for us.
Same here–I’m basically around no one at risk or unable to be vaccinated, so while I’m still wearing masks when I got into stores, I’m willing to occasionally risk a dinner out (although on the occasion I’ve done one, I’ve also semi-isolated afterwards…not that I ever went out to dinner multiple times a week anyway, but I’d prefer not to turn myself into a potential spreader if I can avoid it).
Yea, we eat out every few months here in portland (obviously different when traveling and don’t have a kitchen) at most so I haven’t really had to contemplate. What triggered this was SSO’s parents offering to take us out to a restaurant for our one-year anniversary this weekend. Me trying to decide if I say yes and if so, in what way
I wish I could back to pre-pandemic where I barely had to think about being immunosuppressed, just for my annual flu shot and occasionally when visiting other countries with yellow fever* and malaria.
I want to go back 2.5 years and tell myself to have more gratitude for how little being immunosuppressed/having an autoimmune disorder influenced my life back then.
*you can’t receive a yellow fever vaccine as it’s a live vaccine when you’re immunosuppressed
Coming up with thresholds is my attempt to stop having to do complicated risk assessment/negotiate or everything forever
I do think we will also use this thinking with flu/malaria/etc. going forward even if it wasn’t part of my life calculations previously. Like, we have started asking family to get their flu shots each winter and will continue to do so if we’re going to crowd indoors with them during the winter.
My personal risk considerations, which are worth exactly as much as you’re paying for them, is that if I didn’t have an unvaccinable child and I wasn’t immune suppressed, I would pretty much just be living life as normal but with a mask right now. If I was immune suppressed, I would probably personally be waiting another month or two till we get further from the peak of Om n and then go back to life as normal but with a mask.
I am hoping for another lull in cases so I can have some nice restaurant meals before the new baby. Before I move a little more freely, I am looking for a dip in cases and for the Paxloid to be flowing like wine. My kids have already had covid for this quarter at least, so I really only have my own health to worry about and as an asthmatic pregnant lady, I do not 100% trust the booster to keep me out of the hospital.
For the 90 day period following our boosters and covid catching we are following an official policy of yolo (in a place where people mask indoors and are vaxxed to dine, plus a cuba trip). Then we probably will tighten things up due to third trimester/newborn etc. Then maybe yolo again?
lifeisamystery.gif (can someone insert one for me?)
I’m living life normally, but with a mask. Am vaxxed and boostered (but booster in Nov, so ) and our statewide case rate is now back below 50/100k and still declining, high rate of vaccination here, and everyone who was going to get it this round appears to have gotten it.
ETA: In fact, we appear to be below the peak of the little blip of a surge we had last mid Mar - mid May.
I’m in a much smaller town than probably most everyone here. I’ve been living my life just like the old days for quite a while now. I never really went out much and still don’t, but that’s by choice. I’ve eaten inside restaurants with friends and played bingo a few times. I work in sales and we rarely have clients come in masked nor do the employees (all boostered) wear them in the store. I do ask if I go to a home and wear one if they request it. Apparently I’m not very concerned any more, but again… small town.
Florida is such a shitshow we have no clue when we will dine indoors again. We did get ice cream and ate it outside at a local retail/restaurants/park place yesterday though. In the hour we were out there, we saw one other couple wearing masks.
I’ve relaxed quite a lot and have done indoor dining. My doctor had to remind me that I’m high risk but I just don’t feel it with Omicron. If I weren’t in Portland I think I would be more careful, but I think most people going to nice restaurants here are vaccinated.
Right now, I’m doing what I’m comfortable with considering my personal risk. I live in an area where a lot of people seemingly take no precautions at all. I’m tired of limiting my life to protect people who choose not to get vaccinated. For those who would like to be vaccinated but cannot, I don’t think my staying home / not eating out is really going to protect them given how many people around me refuse to mask, vaccinate, etc.
So if you’re not afraid of Covid anymore, and you feel comfortable dining out, dine out.
) and our statewide case rate is now back below 50/100k and still declining, high rate of vaccination here, and everyone who was going to get it this round appears to have gotten it.