@@@ Covid week of 7/6

[noodleoo]

Starting a @ covid thread for the week!

I took the kids to the zoo yesterday.  Apparently since it rained most of the long weekend, *everyone* decided to go to the zoo.  It is the most crowded I have seen it (even before covid).  There was also a summer camp field trip there with 3 school buses full of kids (and this is a pretty small zoo).  It was outside, but my covid anxiety kicked in and H and I decided to keep our family masked even though it ws outside.  All precautions are gone, almost no one else was masked, and it was shoulder to shoulder crowded in some places.  We still had a decent time, but I hate being so anxious and feeling like I'm the only one.

I made the mistake of telling my sister about it who has been less worried about covid than me the entire pandemic and also had kids 12+, so her entire family is vaccinated.  She didn't understand why I was anxious and made me feel so bad about it.  Gems included "oh yeah, I forgot little kids can't be vaxxed yet" and "why are you worried about your kids getting covid?  Kids don't get that sick".  Sigh, another reminder that we live in different worlds.  

[hocus2]

The return to semi-normal has been jarring for me. We were very cautious leading up to camp which made me feel crazy. We missed out on somethings because I wasn't taking my unvaccinated kids to them right before camp. Since my kids are in the camp bubble now I feel a bit more at ease. There is a some regional variation but right now where I am cases are very low so I am trying to set aside my concerns and enjoy what might be more of a pause then the end of COVID regulations.

noodleoo,you should do what you makes you comfortable -- masking hurts no one and if it works for you then go for it. You can also try to mitigate crowds by going to places very early or going to places that still have some capacity limits.

[pugz]

it's hard. When it's just me out and about I feel pretty ok not wearing my mask. Adult vaccine rate is high here in my county. However we are on the state line with Missouri, where hospitals are now running out of ventilators again. Camps come from all over the metro area, MO and KS sides. So we are trying to avoid places where people take camp field trips which is...a challenge. My kids are fine still wearing masks. My 4 year old is the only kid wearing a mask at her camp this week.

My brother and his family (5 kids) are all un vaccinated and not willing to get vaccinated because of Big Pharma or some other nonsense. They supposedly had COVID in March of 2020 but that was eons ago. They are going to CO to visit other family first (family that is vaccinated) before coming here. At one point my parents talked about having them take over the counter tests when they arrive here. I need to see if they still plan to do that. It would make me feel a bit better about our kids playing together.

[Velar Fricative]

Both of my kids are in summer daycamp as of today (DD2 started on Thursday, but DD1's first day is today). I want them to have such a fun summer and I am trying to keep myself optimistic for the time being even when Delta concerns me at times.

I know my sister will understand, but we were discussing me and my kids visiting her and my nephew in MI around Labor Day. They came to NY for Easter so I'd want to go out there next. Except, I thought MI was a lot more vaccinated than it actually is, and I somehow forgot that her DH is unvaccinated and believes all of the covid and vaccine conspiracy theories. There's no way we could stick to just being outdoors with them the entire time so I will suggest we meet halfway (her DH definitely wouldn't come - they may be getting a divorce at some point anyway per what my sister has mentioned to me). And obviously a lot could change by September anyway. Sigh. I guess a fully refundable hotel stay may be the way to go for now.

[noodleoo]

pugz, I'm generally ok if it was just me since I'm vaccinated. I don't know why I'm so scared of my kids getting covid. I know even if they get it, they will likely be fine, but I just *really* don't want them to get it. Especially since I'm still hoping (crosses fingers vigorously) that they will be eligible for the vaccine in the fall, which is just a few more months away. UGH, it is interesting how my anxiety has gone up and down over the pandemic. I feel more anxious now that I did when we were pretty much locked down at home.

[onthemove]

I know I don't post here often, and I have never been in a @ randoms, but I am jumping in this week.

I had DS 3 weeks ago. We were always going to drive to New England, about 8.5 hours away (just driving time) in August for 2 weeks. This never bothered me. Turns out DH has to take a Mon-Fri work trip the last week in July. So right after DS was born I booked one way tickets for DD (3 years old), DS, and I for that week so I didn't have to be alone with the kids for the week,(and I could travel in a quarter of the time) and then DH will drive up at the end of the week. We will all drive home together.

I was fully vaccinated by about 20 weeks, so DS should have some antibodies, but he will be only 6 weeks old. DD has been back in daycare since last July 4th, wearing a mask at all times, so I am not worried about her wearing a mask in the airport/on the 90 min flight.

I was not really worried about this trip until the Delta/Delta+ stuff started growing literally right after I booked the flight. We have been fairly conservative through all this - daycare and working out of the home, but still wear masks in stores/limited social circle.

Am I being totally reckless with my 6 week old? Our airport is fairly quiet on a Sunday, and we are flying direct to a smaller airport, but the Delta variant it seems like it really doesn't take much contact. On the other hand, 5 days/4 nights with my toddler who has night terrors and has full-on 3 year old attitude and a 6 week old by myself, when I could be with family on a lake seems hard to pass up.

[meganew]

Both my kids started summer camp today! In the email to parents it said everyone had to be masked at all times unless they were swimming, but I showed up to drop them off and all the kids who had masks had them down around their chins and the rest didn't even have them on. I'm honestly not too worried because it's a rec center camp, so they're outside 99% of the time running around the playground or playing kickball, but I do hope they're making them mask inside. I keep reminding myself that our county of 1.6 million has had 25 cases a day for the last two weeks, so I need to breathe and let them have a bit of normalcy.

We are taking a family trip to NYC next weekend since my daughter (6) really wants to visit the Met. We plan on being outside in central park most of the other time, but I'm sure we'll do some indoor dining here and there. I feel like honestly, this is the time to do it- I'm not sure if we'll ever have better numbers than we do right now.

[abs]

I don’t even to know how to feel about kids and Covid anymore. Our governor said schools can’t mandate masks in schools so I assume when school starts next month no kid will be wearing one. I’ve come to the conclusion that just like I will probably get Covid at some point so will my kid.

[SusanBAnthony]

Jul 6, 2021 11:36:02 GMT -5 meganew said:

Both my kids started summer camp today! In the email to parents it said everyone had to be masked at all times unless they were swimming, but I showed up to drop them off and all the kids who had masks had them down around their chins and the rest didn't even have them on. I'm honestly not too worried because it's a rec center camp, so they're outside 99% of the time running around the playground or playing kickball, but I do hope they're making them mask inside. I keep reminding myself that our county of 1.6 million has had 25 cases a day for the last two weeks, so I need to breathe and let them have a bit of normalcy.

We are taking a family trip to NYC next weekend since my daughter (6) really wants to visit the Met. We plan on being outside in central park most of the other time, but I'm sure we'll do some indoor dining here and there. I feel like honestly, this is the time to do it- I'm not sure if we'll ever have better numbers than we do right now.

This has been the case at the two camps I have had interactions with. The official policy is to wear masks, but no one actually is.

[secretagent]

Jul 6, 2021 11:36:02 GMT -5 meganew said:

Both my kids started summer camp today! In the email to parents it said everyone had to be masked at all times unless they were swimming, but I showed up to drop them off and all the kids who had masks had them down around their chins and the rest didn't even have them on. I'm honestly not too worried because it's a rec center camp, so they're outside 99% of the time running around the playground or playing kickball, but I do hope they're making them mask inside. 

Our camp is not masking at all outside, but they do enforce indoors even for the bathroom. They're outside most of the day (really, not just on paper).

[secretagent]

Jul 6, 2021 11:36:02 GMT -5 meganew said:

We are taking a family trip to NYC next weekend since my daughter (6) really wants to visit the Met. We plan on being outside in central park most of the other time, but I'm sure we'll do some indoor dining here and there. I feel like honestly, this is the time to do it- I'm not sure if we'll ever have better numbers than we do right now.

I got distracted and missed the rest of this post.

I 100% agree with the part I bolded. This is here to stay. I'll feel a lot better when my kids are vaxxed, but in general, this is as good as it'll get (in areas like NYC which currently have very low rates).

[Scout'sHonor]

Pulling from the other thread, I was getting a little better with my covid anxiety and doing short indoor errands unmasked and had eaten indoors a few times (just with H). But two weeks ago there was a positive in DD's preschool class and she just got to go back today from quarantine. I'm not going to hunker down again, but I'll probably put my mask back on more, just to avoid another quarantine with a 3 yr old! Worst part was, we're dealing with a bad bug phobia right now, so she didn't want to play much in the yard and was enjoying her kinetic sand until she cut her finger badly Sunday. So much Bluey...

[noodleoo]

onthemove, congrats on the baby! I hope you are doing well. I'm not much help on your question since I had a rough recovery with both my kids, so I was in no shape to travel 6 weeks post partem. But I think other people have so hopefully they will chime in.

[madDawg228]

onthemove - Flying alone with two kids sounds very unpleasant. Like PP mentioned, 6 weeks postpartum is still a time for healing for a lot of people. I haven't flown with my kid yet (he's 11m), but all the logistics of potentially doing it (I've looked into it, but haven't actually done it yet) seems exhausting.

I don't think flying with a 6w baby is too much, as long as you aren't flying somewhere with high elevation (CO, for example). I would ask baby's ped on what they think, if you are worried.

My biggest worry for you would be for YOU flying solo with two kids, and if your DD is a handful and you are still healing it sounds not great. And then adding all potential Covid worries on top of that, AND that flights are fuller and fuller all the time.

[brooklyn]

Jul 6, 2021 11:36:02 GMT -5 meganew said:

We are taking a family trip to NYC.

I think this is a great time to visit the city! NYC - especially Manhattan, have good vax rates and it’s not crazy crowded again yet. Have fun!

[raangoli]

Jul 6, 2021 12:06:19 GMT -5 secretagent said:

Jul 6, 2021 11:36:02 GMT -5 meganew said:

We are taking a family trip to NYC next weekend since my daughter (6) really wants to visit the Met. We plan on being outside in central park most of the other time, but I'm sure we'll do some indoor dining here and there. I feel like honestly, this is the time to do it- I'm not sure if we'll ever have better numbers than we do right now.

I got distracted and missed the rest of this post.

I 100% agree with the part I bolded. This is here to stay. I'll feel a lot better when my kids are vaxxed, but in general, this is as good as it'll get (in areas like NYC which currently have very low rates).

This is the mindset I've found myself in lately. I know that in the NJ/NYC area we're in a good place and maybe the best it will be esp. with everyone else travelling etc. So we've dined outdoors 2x with BB and even brought her to the Cloisters yesterday which is indoors but also has outdoor spaces. And since she is 5 and everything is exciting to her, there was no lingering to look at art, she was (literally at times) running around from piece to piece. (And yes I told her she can't run and she listened.)

But it was so interesting to see just how much she enjoyed doing something "normal". She was so excited to be out. The Met and the Cloisters requires masks at all times, regardless of vax status. So we find ourselves looking for those types of opportunities and enjoying them while we can. 

A group did ask me to take their photo and handed me one of their phones. MH was like "I am surprised you did that" but I had like 3 mini bottles of sanitizer with me so it was OK, lol.

Edit: And while I know 'kids' don't get as sick, we are looking at this from a place of being parents of a preemie who was in the NICU for 5 weeks. It's PTSD for us in a way. A cold requires her to use her nebulizer. We both are concerned about a virus that is known to target the lungs. 

[pugz]

I'm not super worried about my kids getting COVID but moreso the disruption that would bring to our summer plans and then school if they get it and our family has to quarantine. Numbers are still low here at least.

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 6, 2021 12:31:10 GMT -5 brooklyn said:

Jul 6, 2021 11:36:02 GMT -5 meganew said:

We are taking a family trip to NYC.

I think this is a great time to visit the city! NYC - especially Manhattan, have good vax rates and it’s not crazy crowded again yet. Have fun!

This was going to be the summer where we acted like tourists but then I'm like omg this is too hot, so I hope it remains quieter through the fall.

[Velar Fricative]

We were a best case scenario in terms of my kid getting covid (no symptoms, no long-term complications) but because it was an asymptomatic case, I have to remind myself that she had it already and she was fine and if our other daughter caught it, she's just as likely to be fine too. BUT, I also try not to remind myself that DD1 had it because there are still unknowns with the variants and we know reinfections do happen. Plus, while I don't actually believe this to be the case, because she had no symptoms and the rest of us were not infected, there remains the possibility that it was a false positive test (it was PCR, so likely not, but still). As grateful as I was that she was asymptomatic, it doesn't give me any peace of mind that she 10000000% had covid either. And no, we never tested her for antibodies because ultimately I felt like it may not be accurate (and it's probably too late now anyway). It's such a mindfuck.

[Bad Dingo]

DD starts overnight camp next week and I can't wait!! She's really excited too .

The camp is requiring kids who aren't fully vaccinated (2 weeks out from their 2nd shot) to have a negative test and then they will test all the kids on the 3rd day of camp. They are supposedly still going to be cohorting and having kids wear masks inside, but if tests are negative after the 3-day test then I'm fine with them carrying on like normal times and letting the kids have fun and relax.

[abs]

Jul 6, 2021 12:43:14 GMT -5 pugz said:

I'm not super worried about my kids getting COVID but moreso the disruption that would bring to our summer plans and then school if they get it and our family has to quarantine. Numbers are still low here at least.

Do you think your schools will still do any contact tracing or quarantines in the fall? I don’t think ours will. Don’t think Abbott will allow it.

[pugz]

abs so the districts are being incentivized to still follow some COVID protocols like contact tracing/quarantines. They get money to do whatever they want with if they opt in. Part of the relief package I believe. My friend just got a job assisting schools with this program so I'm going to get more info from her. But I would be shocked if masks were still required. I bet they will be optional even for elementary. The school board refuses to talk about it until later in the summer. We go back August 12th though, so would be nice to know soon.

[abs]

pugz, interesting! We start school right after you on the 18th. No communication yet except we know from the last board meeting it will be mask optional across all grades (which it has to be because Abbott) and no social distancing. No word on quarantines but I’m going to assume there won’t be any. Normal sick rules back in play.

I like the incentive program. I think that would entice a lot more families to mask up until vaccines are available for kids.

[Velar Fricative]

I know this is not brand new but every year it still feels so jarring to read about most of the country talking about going back to school in a month or so. Our summer break literally just started lol.

[pugz]

Jul 6, 2021 13:15:06 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I know this is not brand new but every year it still feels so jarring to read about most of the country talking about going back to school in a month or so. Our summer break literally just started lol.

We have been out since May 20th!

[abs]

Jul 6, 2021 13:15:06 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I know this is not brand new but every year it still feels so jarring to read about most of the country talking about going back to school in a month or so. Our summer break literally just started lol.

Ours already feels 9 years long. We got out the last week of May!

[eddy]

Masks went away in a hot ass minute the second our school year was over. We went on a vacation the day after school let out. We came back. My youngest went to his after school program's summer camp and BAM no masks. And these are families who were VERY careful all year. A lot of the kids actually were in online school they were being so careful. But I was surprised at how quickly the switch flipped.

And with the flip of July, I can't start but dreading school starting again. I know it won't be as painful as last year. But man we deserve a longer summer not a shortened one. Our school doesn't start until August 23.

[timorousbeastie]

Jul 6, 2021 11:15:12 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Both of my kids are in summer daycamp as of today (DD2 started on Thursday, but DD1's first day is today). I want them to have such a fun summer and I am trying to keep myself optimistic for the time being even when Delta concerns me at times.

I know my sister will understand, but we were discussing me and my kids visiting her and my nephew in MI around Labor Day. They came to NY for Easter so I'd want to go out there next. Except, I thought MI was a lot more vaccinated than it actually is, and I somehow forgot that her DH is unvaccinated and believes all of the covid and vaccine conspiracy theories. There's no way we could stick to just being outdoors with them the entire time so I will suggest we meet halfway (her DH definitely wouldn't come - they may be getting a divorce at some point anyway per what my sister has mentioned to me). And obviously a lot could change by September anyway. Sigh. I guess a fully refundable hotel stay may be the way to go for now.

Not sure if this would make you more or less comfortable, depending on where your sister is, but here is a link to see vaccination rates broken down by census tracts. (Red is highly vaccinated, green is low vaccination rates) There definitely is huge variability in vaccination rates depending on where in the state you go (as I’m sure is true everywhere), but yeah, overall MI isn’t doing great in getting people vaccinated. I was impressed that where I live now is a little less than 70% vaccinated, which is much higher than I would have guessed given the high number of Trumpers in the area, but many of the surrounding communities are closer to 50%. (Where I grew up is closer to 80-97% in most of the surrounding areas, which is definitely making me miss that area right now!) And in Detroit or in the rural areas throughout the state, rates aren’t great. Basically, if your sister is in Oakland County or near a university, vaccination rates are probably pretty good. Anywhere else, not so much. Of course, none of that helps with risk of exposure from her DH. 

www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/are-your-neighbors-vaccinated-michigan-map-shows-rates-census-tracts?fbclid=IwAR1ZF8T7kjzjI8t6vTsPs6-Jzb2UsYN5XWqgL_akR6IGNkhoQ-yMcV7z79o

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 6, 2021 14:05:11 GMT -5 timorousbeastie said:

Jul 6, 2021 11:15:12 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Both of my kids are in summer daycamp as of today (DD2 started on Thursday, but DD1's first day is today). I want them to have such a fun summer and I am trying to keep myself optimistic for the time being even when Delta concerns me at times.

I know my sister will understand, but we were discussing me and my kids visiting her and my nephew in MI around Labor Day. They came to NY for Easter so I'd want to go out there next. Except, I thought MI was a lot more vaccinated than it actually is, and I somehow forgot that her DH is unvaccinated and believes all of the covid and vaccine conspiracy theories. There's no way we could stick to just being outdoors with them the entire time so I will suggest we meet halfway (her DH definitely wouldn't come - they may be getting a divorce at some point anyway per what my sister has mentioned to me). And obviously a lot could change by September anyway. Sigh. I guess a fully refundable hotel stay may be the way to go for now.

Not sure if this would make you more or less comfortable, depending on where your sister is, but here is a link to see vaccination rates broken down by census tracts. (Red is highly vaccinated, green is low vaccination rates) There definitely is huge variability in vaccination rates depending on where in the state you go (as I’m sure is true everywhere), but yeah, overall MI isn’t doing great in getting people vaccinated. I was impressed that where I live now is a little less than 70% vaccinated, which is much higher than I would have guessed given the high number of Trumpers in the area, but many of the surrounding communities are closer to 50%. (Where I grew up is closer to 80-97% in most of the surrounding areas, which is definitely making me miss that area right now!) And in Detroit or in the rural areas throughout the state, rates aren’t great. Basically, if your sister is in Oakland County or near a university, vaccination rates are probably pretty good. Anywhere else, not so much. Of course, none of that helps with risk of exposure from her DH. 

www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/are-your-neighbors-vaccinated-michigan-map-shows-rates-census-tracts?fbclid=IwAR1ZF8T7kjzjI8t6vTsPs6-Jzb2UsYN5XWqgL_akR6IGNkhoQ-yMcV7z79o

She's in Macomb County, and her town is yellow but close to lots of red (and some green). Not significantly lower than where I live, but yeah, her DH is the problem. 

[Michelle]

I traveled to Ohio and back over the last week and my daughter was with me. The airports were overwhelmingly packed. Planes were packed. Many restaurants were still closed so there was no social distancing possible in the gate waiting areas. And while the airport rules clearly stated that you needed to wear your mask, people (white people) boldly walked around with no masks in the Cleveland, Nashville, Atlanta and Houston Hobby airports.

It was infuriating.

In my area in Texas I still see some people masked. In Ohio, outside of Akron, it was like there was no such thing as a pandemic.

I would be terrified to have my kid out and about except she got vaccinated on the second day it was available to 12+.