February Covid: it’s still a thing

[dulcemariamar]

Feb 1, 2023 12:05:21 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

wanderingback, For a concert I would absolutely go only if I could "afford" to get COVID. For example, we went on a cruise purposely more than 2 weeks before XMas so that if we got it Xmas wouldn't be ruined. We knew we could stay home and quarantine if we got it. And we did. So...

As for masking...I'm kind of doing the same thing. 2 weeks before my vacation I masked like crazy because I didn't want to catch COVID and have to cancel.

Right now I'm a little more whatever about masks because...it's Feb and nothing happens in Feb. LOL

Basically--I pick and choose when I am cautious now depending on what's going on. Masking and avoiding crowds is not an all or nothing decision.

I do the same for our trips

[pixy0stix]

Hey all, no @ in the thread pls.

[dulcemariamar]

Feb 1, 2023 12:20:37 GMT -5 tacokick said:

We mask indoors and in crowded situations. We don’t eat at restaurants. When my husband goes into work he reserves a work room and eats alone (or outside when it’s warm). I truly don’t care what other people do or think so I’m fine with us masking. I’m not going to a big conference this year because there are no options for food besides a cafeteria that will not allow you to take food out.

We do socialize with people at home(s) unmasked but luckily everyone we know has some sense and tests before hand and we improve air flow and ventilation or are outdoors.

Personally, I am concerned for other people and that is the big reason why I mask in public. It really seems like the bare minimum to do for people who are at risk and want to work and live their lives. I’m not interested in being part of the reason people have to hide out forever. I find that the more people see people wearing a mask and taking things seriously the more they mask themselves and are thoughtful of others

I never expect or wish that people would mask but I just don’t understand why we couldn’t take up the habit to mask when we are sick. If that means that between 2-4 weeks out of the year that you have to wear a mask to keep the germs to yourself, I think most everyone can do that

[dulcemariamar]

Feb 1, 2023 12:32:22 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

We are still extremely careful. I'm chronically ill, on immune suppressants. I'm not really afraid of dying of it anymore, which is what everyone loves assuring me won't happen. I simply don't want any more autoimmune diseases or significant issues. I don't want to be any more sick or incapacitated long term than I already am.
We don't eat inside and I don't go anywhere indoors unmasked.

We have an international trip at the end of the month that was supposed to happen in 2020 and I'm excited for the trip but honestly terrified. We flew once last spring and I n95 masked the entire time, no breaks. I will not be able to do that 15 hours to Japan.

I also have chronic health issues so I was always more afraid of Long Covid because I know how it feels to deal with big health issues and the impact it has with actually living your life.

I got Covid once and I thought I was going to have issues with my heart and lungs. I didn’t. I got psoriasis and hair loss. So it is really a mix bag for what can appear

[tacokick]

Feb 1, 2023 12:33:37 GMT -5 sillygoosegirl said:

Feb 1, 2023 12:20:37 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Personally, I am concerned for other people and that is the big reason why I mask in public. It really seems like the bare minimum to do for people who are at risk and want to work and live their lives. I’m not interested in being part of the reason people have to hide out forever. I find that the more people see people wearing a mask and taking things seriously the more they mask themselves and are thoughtful of others

Yeah, I think this is what bothers me most too. I was shocked when the CDC guidelines came out about only masking around at-risk people that suddenly 90% of folks too off their mask in public places. At risk people still need groceries, y'all. They still need to ride the bus. I don't know who the at risk people at the grocery store are, but I'm sure they exist. If you have a small private gathering and nobody is at risk, I really don't judge. But in public spaces, especially places providing essential services, it seems like a reasonable assumption that you don't know other people's risk factors. And almost nobody seems to gives a crap. That's so sad to me. COVID has really ruined my faith in people.

Exactly! It’s been disturbing to see.

I miss our previous way of life too but I don’t value my ability to go out unmasked over someone else’s health. There are a lot harder things to deal with in life than masking in a grocery store or choosing take out over someone serving me a meal.

[dulcemariamar]

.

[tacokick]

Feb 1, 2023 13:02:10 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

Feb 1, 2023 12:20:37 GMT -5 tacokick said:

We mask indoors and in crowded situations. We don’t eat at restaurants. When my husband goes into work he reserves a work room and eats alone (or outside when it’s warm). I truly don’t care what other people do or think so I’m fine with us masking. I’m not going to a big conference this year because there are no options for food besides a cafeteria that will not allow you to take food out.

We do socialize with people at home(s) unmasked but luckily everyone we know has some sense and tests before hand and we improve air flow and ventilation or are outdoors.

Personally, I am concerned for other people and that is the big reason why I mask in public. It really seems like the bare minimum to do for people who are at risk and want to work and live their lives. I’m not interested in being part of the reason people have to hide out forever. I find that the more people see people wearing a mask and taking things seriously the more they mask themselves and are thoughtful of others

I never expect or wish that people would mask but I just don’t understand why we couldn’t take up the habit to mask when we are sick. If that means that between 2-4 weeks out of the year that you have to wear a mask to keep the germs to yourself, I think most everyone can do that

Part of the problem is that often people are spreading Covid and don’t know they have it. Wearing a mask when in public indoors helps in these situations.

If you are truly sick, contagious and know it, you should be home unless seeking medical care not out and about living your every day life but masked.

[plutosmoon]

I'm mostly not masking and am basically back to pre pandemic level of activity. I mask if it's super crowded or I hear a lot of sniffling and coughing, or I'm meeting with someone who asks. If I flew, I'd probably mask on a plane. I don't know what the hell is in the N95s/surgical, but I've yet to find one that doesn't give me hives on my lips, so I have to wear cloth under the N95 or surgical and even that doesn't always prevent the awful hive situation. I know it's a selfish reason, but it's part of why I'm hardly masking.

My dad's recent diagnosis and my pending genetic testing has made me very aware of all the experiences I want to have and how little quality time I could have remaining. I'm certain it's an additional factor in my current desire to get back to as much activity as possible.

[fumbalina]

I am no longer masking regularly. I currently have COVID for the second time. When I got it the first time, I was fairly isolated and masking constantly (and vaccinated). I know it would be ideal to mask regularly, but I choose to interact with people by seeing their faces. I know many with hearing loss to a degree, and while there are clear masks, they are still difficult to lip-read through.

I do not feel that the pandemic is over, but I also think it will be years or decades at this point. If it had been handled better at the beginning, it would be more likely to be endemic, but at this point, I don't see this happening.

[lilypad1126]

I’ve pretty much dropped all mask wearing. I will wear one in crowded places (airports, indoor stadiums) if I have something coming up that I want to stay healthy for. Or if im sick (cold/flu/recovering from covid/etc) bc it’s so easy to do. The one and only time I got covid was after a large work conference and I either got it from someone there or at the airport on the way home.

But we don’t have extraordinary health risks in our family. If I know im going to being seeing elderly relatives, I’ll take extra precautions. Or if im going to see friends who I know are extra cautious I’ll be cautious ahead of time. I also live in Texas where it’s a fucking free for all, so it’s hard. Some days I really feel like I don’t even know what the right thing to do is.

[mpm]

Feb 1, 2023 13:02:10 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I never expect or wish that people would mask but I just don’t understand why we couldn’t take up the habit to mask when we are sick. If that means that between 2-4 weeks out of the year that you have to wear a mask to keep the germs to yourself, I think most everyone can do that

I don’t understand how we went from trying to prevent covid spread to encouraging it. Workplaces are telling people to keep coming in despite testing positive. My boss was told to come to jury duty despite testing positive. Why did we fail to embrace a “stay home when you’re sick” policy everywhere?

[Velar Fricative]

Feb 1, 2023 12:36:43 GMT -5 mofongo said:

The one thing that I still feel differently about is not wanting ANY illness. Before covid I didn’t really care if my friend had a raging cold or some other virus, I’d hang out, but now if someone is sick I stay away. My groups of friends/coworkers are conscientious about this, thankfully we all feel the same.

YES. I just go over bronchitis, which was likely spurred from my cold the week prior. I am now a raging lunatic baby when I'm sick. I can never make fun of DH and his mancolds again. 

I had forgotten how much being sick with ANYTHING just sucks, because in nearly three years before this cold/bronchitis, I had one bout of covid and...that's it. I worked from home for 8 days total in January between my cold and then my bronchitis. In 2019, I would have gone to work during probably 6 of those days. I work alone in an office and yet I just didn't feel right going in, plus cancelled social plans because that would have felt weird too even if I would have still gone if it were 2019. And I totally tell friends now we need to cancel plans if any of them are sick with anything. 

[Velar Fricative]

Feb 1, 2023 13:25:48 GMT -5 mpm said:

Feb 1, 2023 13:02:10 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I never expect or wish that people would mask but I just don’t understand why we couldn’t take up the habit to mask when we are sick. If that means that between 2-4 weeks out of the year that you have to wear a mask to keep the germs to yourself, I think most everyone can do that

I don’t understand how we went from trying to prevent covid spread to encouraging it. Workplaces are telling people to keep coming in despite testing positive. My boss was told to come to jury duty despite testing positive. Why did we fail to embrace a “stay home when you’re sick” policy everywhere?

Because capitalism, baby! I remember the days when I thought covid might actually change sick leave policies in workplaces for good. lolsob

My job is still strict with people staying home when sick, but we have good sick leave policies. However, I had to shut down one site for a day recently because we didn't have enough workers to keep the building open, and when they reopened a visitor came in mad that they were closed the day before because they couldn't believe staff didn't come in and work anyway. 

[rubytue]

Feb 1, 2023 11:52:44 GMT -5 mpm said:

My dad got cancer from a HPV infection he contracted before I was even born and personally seeing such a devastating long-term effect of another initially “mild” viral infection is really guiding our actions right now. We probably aren’t going to fully know the long-term effects of covid in our lifetime,

This is one of my big fears. I’ve had one cancer associate with EBV (but not proven to be caused by). And then I ended up with an HPV pre-cancer due to viral reactivation that had me seeing a different oncologist for 2 years. Oh, and let’s not forget shingles, which is a viral reactivation. 

[jeaniebueller]

We are pretty much back to usual, except more cautious about being home when we are sick than we were pre pandemic. We aren't masking except in situations where we must (doctor's offices) or if any of us have a cold (obvs if we had covid or something worse, we wouldn't leave the house). We have been dining out, I have gone to a few concerts (was just at one on Sunday). We all had covid last year, plus are all vaxxed and boosted. I have been working in person since June 2020.

[tiramisu]

I still mask for parts of my job (going into any healthcare setting), but not in my primary office. I'm able to not be around too many people most of the time. I have done some indoor dining, but not much. Have to admit, I'm inconsistent about masking at the grocery stores these days. I need to put more "just in case" masks in my car. I've finally gone back to grocery shopping in person instead of getting delivery. When I had a sinus infection in December, I cancelled everything until I could test 4 days after onset of symptoms and then kept testing and masking until I was better (which required antibiotics). I still don't want to spread things to anyone. The hardest calculus has been dating and trying to figure out what I do and don't feel comfortable with there. I was asked out to the movies tomorrow and even though I can wear a mask the whole time, I'm not sure I feel comfortable sitting in a theater. But I would go to a play or musical performance and be masked. Or some sporting events, honestly, even though last time I went to one I felt pretty nervous half the time.

[icedcoffee]

Feb 1, 2023 12:36:43 GMT -5 mofongo said:

After being very cautious for a long time, we are back to normal. This is also based on what my H and other friends are seeing at work. I am also at a huge hospital, and can judge by what’s going on there.

We both had it in May of 2022, we both did ok with it, and then got the bivalent booster when it was available.

The one thing that I still feel differently about is not wanting ANY illness. Before covid I didn’t really care if my friend had a raging cold or some other virus, I’d hang out, but now if someone is sick I stay away. My groups of friends/coworkers are conscientious about this, thankfully we all feel the same.

This also has come into play at work. My office has 10 people in cubes, so if someone has a cold, they either work from home as they can, and/or we all mask for a week or two. This is assuming neg covid/flu test.

Yes.  If there's one thing I have learned from all of this it's to stay home when your sick. I was raised in an "unless you are dying you go to school/work" household and now I am the opposite. We are much stricter about staying home and abiding to the 24 hours after any symptom rule. And ya know what?  It turns out that if you rest you get better more quickly!!  [Insert the more you know GIF]

[StrawberryBlondie]

Feb 1, 2023 12:05:21 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

As for masking...I'm kind of doing the same thing. 2 weeks before my vacation I masked like crazy because I didn't want to catch COVID and have to cancel.

Right now I'm a little more whatever about masks because...it's Feb and nothing happens in Feb. LOL

Basically--I pick and choose when I am cautious now depending on what's going on. Masking and avoiding crowds is not an all or nothing decision.

This is the tactic we've moved into and I feel pretty good about it. We masked basically everywhere the 2 weeks before vacation and do so (and will continue to do so) before important things, but in daily life it just kind of depends. For example, Target at 10 am on a Tuesday - probably not. Costco at 10 am on a Saturday - almost undoubtedly.

And of course if I feel like I have any symptoms whatsoever and have to go out I'll for sure mask up.

[Poeticxpassion]

When the public health emergency is declared over, my food stamps will drop significantly. My household was getting about $650 a month. Now, it will drop to $230.

[rubytue]

((( Poeticxpassion,)))

[tacokick]

Poeticxpassion I’m so sorry! That is a massive change for the worse.

So many people will suffer for no reason beyond ableism and greed.

[macmars45]

wanderingback I still wear my mask when I run errands. For me wearing a mask is like wearing shoes; NBD. I don't go to concerts. I haven't missed seeing movies in theaters. I rarely go out to eat/coffee shop to hang out and usually pick off peak hours and/or when cases are low. I haven't traveled by plane since 2019. On the other hand, I don't mask where I work because out of 400ish people in the building maybe 5 mask wear a mask. Maybe 5 people in the entire building get an office so... it doesn't seem like it'll make any difference.

I still worry about long covid. I already have two life long disabilities. A third might break me. Honestly the whole reason I'm not so paralyzed with medical fear over covid is my lexapro. Best decision I've made for my own mental health was to start taking it.

[devonpow]

Feb 1, 2023 10:48:02 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

People who have been and continue to be cautious, what are your thoughts about how you’re handling Covid long term?

I still wear my mask everywhere, haven’t gone without it since 2020. Haven’t done much indoor dining, only when cases were low.

I saw that usher is performing in Cegas and I’ve never been to Vegas, never had a huge desire to go, but thought it’d be a fun nostalgic thing to do with my best friend. But then I was like wait, do I really want to/feel comfortable going to Vegas in a large stadium venue and then probably going out too? Am I avoiding these things forever?

I have flown once last year, and twice in 2021. Admittedly all times in upgraded sears so I wasn’t smooshed next to people and obviously had my n95 on the whole time, but am wondering how I’ll feel about ongoing travel regularly?

Just wondering how other people are feeling now that many many many people seem to be acting like the pandemic is over.

I’m on immunosuppressives so need to be more cautious. I go to concerts and fly/travel etc, but I wear a quality mask during things like this, and I feel ok with that. I’m selective about eating out - it’s much more rare these days but I do eat out occasionally. I try to pick things that are very important (birthdays etc). Obviously a special occasion doesn’t protect you from Covid but I’m in the “I need to live life while also being smart” stage and I feel I need to balance these things a bit. I’m often the only one in a mask at meetings or events etc, but I barely notice that anymore.

[pixy0stix]

I don't understand how we found money for SNAP and other initiatives for this long, and now it's just going to go away. I'm fairly certain whatever we're not funding isn't going to be missed since I haven't heard anything about it for 2 years.

[seeyalater52]

Feb 1, 2023 12:20:37 GMT -5 tacokick said:

We mask indoors and in crowded situations. We don’t eat at restaurants. When my husband goes into work he reserves a work room and eats alone (or outside when it’s warm). I truly don’t care what other people do or think so I’m fine with us masking. I’m not going to a big conference this year because there are no options for food besides a cafeteria that will not allow you to take food out.

We do socialize with people at home(s) unmasked but luckily everyone we know has some sense and tests before hand and we improve air flow and ventilation or are outdoors.

Personally, I am concerned for other people and that is the big reason why I mask in public. It really seems like the bare minimum to do for people who are at risk and want to work and live their lives. I’m not interested in being part of the reason people have to hide out forever. I find that the more people see people wearing a mask and taking things seriously the more they mask themselves and are thoughtful of others

This is basically me. I wear a mask always while in public places indoors, and I feel particularly strongly about this at places where I’m sharing air with employees or other people who need to be there, and double when some number of those people are masked themselves which I see commonly (workers, patients at medical offices, etc.)

I’m not sure what the long term plan is exactly. I’m not ready to make a big pivot yet and I’m concerned both that surveillance is now terrible but also that the “baseline” case rates and hospitalization rates are both SO high - even if the peaks might be lower than the highest peaks, the “valleys” are no longer all that low. I remain concerned about repeated infection and long covid.

That said, mitigation is not all or nothing. Something truly awful happened at work last week and I need to go to Wyoming to take care of this complete shitshow and there’s literally no way I will be able to spend a week there without eating indoors (for essentially the first time since the pandemic began.) I am not thrilled about it. Masking is pretty counterculture there too so there may be other times I need to be indoors unmasked, especially when we are in with legislators. That said, despite the fact that this is a major departure from my usual level of caution, I will still be masking a lot on the trip and while on air travel there, and won’t be routinely changing my covid safety habits more broadly just because of this one large exposure situation. Ditto to the fact that others in my household have higher say to say exposure levels. Despite that we mask when we can and continue to take other precautions. None of us routinely go indoors without masks for leisure or optional activities and I don’t expect that to change in the foreseeable term. Mitigation is layered so that’s what we will try to do as much as we can.

[seeyalater52]

Feb 1, 2023 13:40:20 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Feb 1, 2023 11:52:44 GMT -5 mpm said:

My dad got cancer from a HPV infection he contracted before I was even born and personally seeing such a devastating long-term effect of another initially “mild” viral infection is really guiding our actions right now. We probably aren’t going to fully know the long-term effects of covid in our lifetime,

This is one of my big fears. I’ve had one cancer associate with EBV (but not proven to be caused by). And then I ended up with an HPV pre-cancer due to viral reactivation that had me seeing a different oncologist for 2 years. Oh, and let’s not forget shingles, which is a viral reactivation. 

I have a coworker who lost a leg as a complication of post-viral illness after the flu. Yeah, viruses and repeated endless exposures to them is not something to fuck around with even when we DO know the potential consequences (which, with covid, are still very much still being discovered and so far are not great.)

[seeyalater52]

Feb 1, 2023 10:54:02 GMT -5 noodleoo said:

So I should stock up on Covid tests since they are covered by my insurance right now?

Yes. Coverage mandates for those monthly over the counter rapid tests will end in May when the PHE ends.

That doesn’t mean all insurance will definitely cut off access but we should expect more insurers to either drop coverage entirely or to reduce the number/frequency/process of members obtaining rapid tests through their pharmacy benefits.

[seeyalater52]

Feb 1, 2023 16:41:41 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I don't understand how we found money for SNAP and other initiatives for this long, and now it's just going to go away. I'm fairly certain whatever we're not funding isn't going to be missed since I haven't heard anything about it for 2 years.

This is where I’m at. Professionally a huge part of my job right now is preparing for the end of Medicaid continuous coverage at the beginning of April. Pandemic’s over now, so I guess fuck all the low income people who had stable health insurance for as long as 3 years after spending a lifetime uninsured or cycling in and out of eligibility constantly. It’s so depressing. 18 million people being dropped is a huge burden on the Medicaid system, on resources to support health insurance enrollment, and of course on individuals who will need to renew their eligibility and possibly navigate either enrolling in new (more expensive) coverage or losing their insurance entirely. Hospitals and other providers will suffer as people lose insurance and can’t find good options to re-enroll. It’s going to be chaos, and for nearly 7 million people they will end up with no affordable insurance options, especially in the 11 states without Medicaid expansion.

More than anything the pandemic state of emergency and related items - food and medical assistance, protections for renters, additional sick time for workers, student loan payment pause - prove that these are all CHOICES we are making. It doesn’t have to be this way. If there was political will to change it we could easily change it. But alas, both feds and states seem all too excited about being able to pull these safety nets out from under people during a time (pandemic or not) of major inflation hitting low and middle income families hardest.

[cari]

Feb 1, 2023 11:49:21 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Feb 1, 2023 10:48:02 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

People who have been and continue to be cautious, what are your thoughts about how you’re handling Covid long term?

I still wear my mask everywhere, haven’t gone without it since 2020. Haven’t done much indoor dining, only when cases were low.

I saw that usher is performing in Cegas and I’ve never been to Vegas, never had a huge desire to go, but thought it’d be a fun nostalgic thing to do with my best friend. But then I was like wait, do I really want to/feel comfortable going to Vegas in a large stadium venue and then probably going out too? Am I avoiding these things forever?

I have flown once last year, and twice in 2021. Admittedly all times in upgraded sears so I wasn’t smooshed next to people and obviously had my n95 on the whole time, but am wondering how I’ll feel about ongoing travel regularly?

Just wondering how other people are feeling now that many many many people seem to be acting like the pandemic is over.

I feel this so much. I’ve just started feeling ok-ish eating indoors. And then only rarely. One of the last mask holdouts in my office and stores. And then…

Well, it was my annual girls-trip on The Rock Boat. A full-ship music charter. I wore an N95 on the flight, and had enough masks to make it through the week. But literally everyone was all back to normal. And, while it wasn’t peer pressure, but more me looking around and thinking “shit, everyone else is moving on and they are fine.” So, the mask came off after my airport Uber (Sunday). But Wednesday I had a scratchy throat and a feeling of post-nasal drip. But, so much plausible deniability because, rock music cruise. Tested negative that night. The next afternoon, chills set in. Still negative rapid. But I called it and went to medical for a PCR, which was positive. I totally feel I ducked around and found out.

I can’t decide what this will do to me. It could be “never taking it off again” or “well, sure enough, I took it off and I didn’t die.” 🤷‍♀️ Time will tell. But I will say that in March 2020, having just finished cancer treatment (for an immune system cancer) I was convinced I would die from Covid. And here we are now, with treatments (amazing!). And I didn’t die. I had 2 nights of misery, but not even norovirus misery. So, what does my future hold?  Not sure. Just knowing that I will enjoy my upcoming Matt Nathenson show without a mask, since I’ll still be in the post-Covid window of highly unlikely. 

This is completely off topic but omg a fellow Matt Nathanson fan! I’m seeing him on Feb and can’t wait. He was incredible when I saw him this past sept.

[timorousbeastie]

I mask any time I am indoors in a public space. No indoor dining, no crowded events. I am finally getting to the point where I’m mostly comfortable with the idea that my crappy lungs wouldn’t kill me thanks to the current treatments, so I’m starting to open up my life a bit more (eg. I’m flying to visit family in a couple weeks and going to a theme park that is a Petri dish for sickness even without COVID), but I still plan on masking indoors indefinitely. I get comments from random anti-mask strangers, but usually telling them I’m following my oncologist’s recommendation shuts them up quickly. I already have multiple chronic illnesses, I don’t need to add more with long COVID. Not to mention not wanting to get anyone who is high risk sick when I’m out in public; both my parents are immunocompromised and haven’t produced any antibodies from any of the 5 shots they’ve received, and I hate how much they’ve had to limit their lives because they can’t rely on people to do the absolute minimum of wearing a mask when sick.