I think my county is worse last time I checked, too 
certainly we have like half the vaccination rate lol.
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You know whatās funny? The data absolutely does not prove this but I actually feel less anxious about doing things after we move than I do now, because at least in New Orleans outdoor is an option while here it is less so. That is completely illogical but here we are.
(I mean, I wouldnāt eat indoors in either location, but here that means I donāt eat out at all, and there it means I can at least sit outside on SOME days.)
I dunno. Iām still terrified of long covid. Maybe thatās dumb and I should just accept itās a possibility and stop trying so hard to not get it.
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I wish I could tell if Iām not afraid of covid anymore, or Iām just really, really tired.
But yea the risk-reward factor is the main thing Iāve been using. For me, the reward of better mental and physical health outweighs the risks of skating in a mall. Not positive the risk of indoor dining outweighs the reward? I wouldnāt do it if SSOās parents hadnāt wanted to invite us for our anniversary, and we didnāt let them come to the wedding a year ago (because the county was under strict gathering restrictions at the time).
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Yes, the risk-reward factor is exactly what Iām talking about. Iām swimming at the pool to exercise over the winter because I need it. Things that matter less to me like seeing movies, I take a pass on. And so on.
Given how widespread omicron is, I figured the probability of NOT getting it sometime in January was zero. Especially since I flew after Christmas. Given that itās February and Iām still here, Iām even less worried.
If you want to go, go, and have a great time.
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I donāt know either - Iāve been far less cautious than you this pandemic despite similarly high or higher risk factors, but Iām also watching a friend who has long-covid deal with very serious health issues with no real solutions for it, and I lost an uncle to covid. But you know, life carries risks but it isnāt meant to not live. I figure skate, ffs - a super dangerous sport where I wear no protective equipment. I travel to countries that have level 4 state department warnings alone. I have risks of long-term complications from heaps of illnesses.
I genuinely donāt know. I know that being constantly afraid of other humans and going outside is NOT great either. Anxiety sucks.
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Yeah, even before omicron I would dine indoors (vax passports) or swim because those matter. I wouldnāt see a movie or an indoor live show because those donāt matter to me.
The anniversary dinner with your in laws sounds like itās a hard decision because the benefits arenāt clear and it isnāt part of your normal math. Personally Iād either say yes or say yes to celebrating with them in a different fancy way. But Iām not you and you arenāt me. And your math is harder too because it involves things like the benefits of family relationships where itās hard to calculate how this event impacts those.
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I think I reached the point where I was more afraid of what continued isolation could do to my mental health.
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^^ Same, but mostly with exercise/skating. Positive moods = Better Physical Health outcomes, we have the data on that.
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I think weāre going to dinner. We chose a restaurant that has outdoor covered dining with heaters, and weāre getting there right as they open. Hope weāre not like āoh crap, that was how we got sickā in two weeks 
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It really, really does and Iām sorry youāre grappling with it too.
I am not mentally ready to do indoor dining yet. I have eaten indoors exactly twice since February 2020 and they were both in that magical couple of months where we had been vaccinated, but delta hadnāt hit yet. Iām healthy and donāt have any risk factors regarding covid, but I donāt think my anxiety would let me dine inside yet. I am still continuing to rock climb indoors, but my gym has a vaccination AND mask requirement, so that helps bend my brain around the risk factors. I donāt want covid if I can help it.
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Right there with you, my friend 
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Actually, Iām not really struggling with it with regards to covid, this is more a general empathy. But I think youāre making a good risk calculus with rock climbing vs doing other things that cause you anxiety.
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Yāall, amazing news!
Covid is over in Iowa!
We cannot continue to suspend duly enacted laws and treat COVID-19 as a public health emergency indefinitely. After two years, itās no longer feasible or necessary.
I wonder if someone told the hospitals it wasnāt necessaryā¦
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Iām sorry - weāre so at the other end of the spectrum over here! Weāve had a mask mandate indoors for all but 2 weeks of the whole pandemic. They just extended the mask mandate for in schools āindefinitelyā
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I agree with risk-reward factor. I went to the goth club, which was crowded, because that was good for my mental health and worth some risk. I did not drink while there because I didnāt want to get covid because I just HAD to take off my mask to chug some mediocre alcohol.
I got on a plane and went to New Orleans - absolutely worth the risk. Eating in a restaurant? Meh. I kinda miss it but I donāt want THAT to be the way I get covid. That to me is not worth it. Ditto for unnecessary shopping, or going to the gym (though that last oneās starting to wear on me; I cancelled my membership tho so itās a moot point.)
ETA: it helps my mental health knowing that for me thereās a light at the end of the tunnel, sorta? In a little over a month I will be somewhere where outdoor activity is a hell of a lot more possible and even enjoyable. And I feel fine about outdoor stuff as long as it is not packed body to body. Which, TBH, I wasnāt a fan of in the Before either 
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This seems like a good way to do it.
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2 weeks after I got the first dose last March I resumed my life despite being 67 and having asthma and HBP. I go to restaurants at least twice a week, movies, friends and my meetup groups. I am surprised that I havenāt caught it. I have 2 friends in nursing homes that I visit weekly.
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I think about 10 days ago MI had around 17,000 cases per day. Today itās like 4900! Hopefully there isnāt a new worse variant waiting in the wingsā¦
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Gut check.
My aunt just came from Florida. Sheās triple vaxxed and has no symptoms but isnāt quarantining or masking up or getting tested.
My initial reaction was to immediately say no to going to visit the family home with my unvaccinated 3 year old.
Am I overreacting? Is asymptomatic spread overblown?
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