I personally feel like it is INSANE. Covid is spreading faster and faster in some states. I feel like it is best to take more precautions rather than open things up to a third? fourth? fifth? wave. In other news the tornado scare is not over here. And the thunderstorms will be back tomorrow.
Someone sent me a hand dispenser that says “Say your prayers and wash your hands because Jesus and germs are EVERYWHERE! I wash my hands numerous times a day and I don’t even go anywhere. But I touch groceries and such.
Also, it’s time for walk up vaccines. So everyone needs to calm down. Some of us wanted to see how the vaccines work. And another subset of us wanted to wait for walk ups because we have the crazy and cannot keep commitments. We are going to get the vaccine but we are not going anywhere. Pray for India. It’s getting really bad there. And the dumb cunt who says to Jenny and Sumit to “enjoy the flu” go fuck yourself. Today Biden told all the pharmacies to take walk ups. I am excited by that but I feel like the pharmacists are busy filling the billions of over prescriptions that doctors pump out…
Stay safe my friends…
I think it’s too early to open up. I don’t think things should open until more are vaccinated, and until there is a drastic slow down in cases. As long as it is still running rampant, opening up just spreads it worse. Things sound horrible in India. Yes, we need to pray for India.
I’m so sick of people where I live berating people for wearing masks and comparing it to the flu. I don’t know anyone who has died from the flu (not saying you can’t), but I know multiple who have died from Covid and some with horrible issues from having Covid, including my mother. Both her primary and a specialist have diagnosed her with Parkinson’s & COPD and both say it is from her having Covid. I was a bit skeptical of Covid causing both, but looked it up and it can. She is miserable.
Oh, I am still cleaning my groceries and anything else I buy before I put things away at home. I am kind of a germaphobe anyway, and the thought of people coughing, sneezing, not washing in the bathroom, etc then handling my groceries grosses me out.
I am so sorry about your mother’s health issues. In the 2019/2020 season about 20,000 Americans died from the flu but that doesn’t even come close to the numbers that have died from COVID. I’m with you on people berating folks who wear masks. Until people realize that this is not like the flu and is not going away easily we all will remain at risk. I do feel a bit safer now that I’m vaccinated but people need to wise up.
I am so sorry about your mom’s health. Covid and it’s long-term effects may not be known for years. I know I am a long-hauler, as are my daughters (ages 19) and they have other health issues. One is extremely and I mean EXTREMELY OCD, germaphobe, washes hands till bleed, we sanitize groceries. We all had mild Covid in Dec, but the girls & I suffer from extreme migraines and fibro, which have been severely exacerbated by COVID. Best wishes to all. BTW we are all FINALLY fully vaccinated, due to our various health.
We are all fully vaccinated now….me, hubby, kids, their girlfriends, their girlfriends’ families, my mother, and like DMFischr said above, I feel a little bit safer, but still wearing masks, cleaning hands constantly & cleaning groceries/supplies. My mother got very sick after her 2nd shot. She said she felt like she was dying. She had fever, headache, aches, could barely raise her head, then stomach issues hit. Her Drs said her reaction was due to her having had Covid.
I don’t know if I will ever feel completely safe after what we are seeing in India, after all the variants and mutations. I will continue to vaccinate in the future. I just feel it is the lesser of the evils between vaccine side effects and Covid.
I had someone the other day, on the phone, pretty much go off. She started in about Covid and how yes it’s real but she just doesn’t know about it, that the numbers are lies, that the politicians and drug companies are behind everything. She thinks it’s no worse than the flu. She said she was sick of the damn masks, don’t like wearing one, she can’t breathe in one and she needs her air. I couldn’t open my mouth. She kept talking over me. It was a very one sided conversation and then she said, “we will just have to agree to disagree.” That’s not really how that’s supposed to work…..one side spewing their beliefs, not allowing the other side to speak, then shutting down the conversation. She thinks Fox News is the gospel though.
Masks- I will say when I’m being active it can feel like I’m not getting air. But wearing mask at my last Dr appointment, which included wait time, I was curious about my O2 level. In healthy people it should be 96% to 98%, mine is always 98%. Since I have asthma, it’s taken every time. No mask, ~98% every time for at least 10 years. With the mask at my latest appt. was ALSO 98% O2. So you are still getting air.
My problem has been wearing masks + glasses. Another parent showed me the trick of making sure the very top of the mask is under the bottom of your glasses. Just the very top–too much overlap & my glasses fog again. It’s worked better than my other fixes.
Last night the BBC news was telling us that certain European countries will be open this summer for holidays. Europe is behind us in the vaccination scheme and I am worried that we will face yet another lockdown in the autumn. I can’t fucking believe it. We are almost “there” and they are allowing the Sheeple to holiday! I wish everyone would just stay put until this virus is truly under control. Just look at poor India. What sort of people are we if a holiday takes priority over millions of lives?
At this point, my husband and I are just going to keep protecting ourselves. We are both vaccinated. We also have 3 kids and grandchildren, and they think they are invincible, so they talk with us by phone, social media or outside our gate. My husband’s health is not that great, so he must be protected. When we feel comfortable about the decline in the virus, then we will drop our gaurd. Until then, mask and social distant for us. I even keep my gates locked with a sign to leave the deliveries outside the gate. We are both retired and will go back to work…or not.
I don’t get the reopening when we are SO close. Not everyone’s had the opportunity to be vaccinated yet, and a lot of people only have their first shot.
I live in a tourist town and see people running around without masks everywhere, especially older folks. I will still be taking precautions for a long time. People are crazy to have such blind faith in the vaccine when there are new variants every other day. But it seems the US will be business as usual this summer. Sigh.
I may never give up my mask in crowded places, indoors and out.
If Covid continues to spread like it is the possibility for a variant that is resistant to this vaccine to developed. The mask less don’t care.
We all know who to blame.
This is why many of us sent our kids
to private college pep schools,
I’m so sick of the idiots. Beyond any understanding. Wish we could herd them up and turn them loose together without their masks. Population control.
No offense to the hard headed. lol
Not apologizing TT
I would never expect an apology from pep school parents.
Personally, now that we have the vaccine… which I am going to take soon. Really. Ugh. Stop pressuring me. I think everyone should do whatever the fuck they feel comfortable with. I am choosing to try not to die. Everyone else has their own decisions to make. I have someone in my family who was completely mentally and physically disabled by a “routine childhood vaccine” she age 30 ish? Maybe 40 now and lays in bed all day watching Disney movies, has been on a decades of drugs can barely walk. So excuse me if I give this vaccine a bit more time.
Wow, TT. That’s totally understandable, and although I’ve been advocating like hell for people to get vaccines now that it’s easier (because, simply and factually, it’s either enough people get vaccinated or enough people have to get covid before we ever reach herd immunity, so our personal choices do affect others), it’s always been with the caveat of “unless there’s a medical reason, documented by a doctor, not “Dr. Social Media”. But I had not thought about (and now I definitely will), people who may know people (in their families or otherwise) who have had truly debilitating reactions to vaccines (of any kind). Unfortunately that is going to happen (always has) with any kind of medicine or vaccine, to a small percentage of people- but I can totally see how knowing someone directly who this has happened to introduces a level of post traumatic fear that is real. I get that.
I’m going to do it. My sister (mother of the child/adult affected) and my brother have already taken it. It’s not a HUGE concern for me. I only mention it because I understand vaccine hesitancy and that some may have valid reasons to be hesitant even if they don’t have medical reasons to be.
If anyone is in NJ long after this mess I will likely be the old lady still wearing her mask. I’m immuno compromised and I hate leaving my house. I leave for my grands and that’s about it. In the last year of being able to just stay home because so much has been canceled and wearing a mask when I do venture out for the grands stuff I have actually been healthier than I have been in 2 decades so guess what folks…leave me alone I’m wearing my mask and likely will still avoid going out after all this is over, get over it! It’s my life and I may wear a mask, plus I got some really cute ones. I do long for schools to be able to fully reopen, my guess is the 22-23 school year before this mess is truly behind us. I consult for schools in 14 state and 4 other countries, keeping track of who is doing what and trying to advise them on schedules and attendance and grading, yeah I’m over that part but not enough to want to rush to reopen.
Even after two doses and three weeks gone by know that i wear a mask for you and everyone else on earth.
Thank you TD. I’m vaccinated but I’ve been getting a yearly flu shot for over 30 years . I can still get a light case but I stay healthier than most during flu season.
I will use my mask for the rest of my life in crowded places.
In Connecticut 50% of adults are fully vaccinated. 69% of adults have had at least one shot. The state is going to fully open May 20th.
Maine is fully opening as of that date too. I’d been going to a blues festival in Maine in mid-July for the last couple of years before COVID. It was cancelled last year but it’s fully on for this July. I have a ticket, transferred from 2020 to 2021, but l won’t be going. Not ready to fly cross country yet. Sadly.
People still think its not that serious and even if they get sick it will be minor. Maybe so. But there are plenty of cases of relatively young healthy people who had really adverse reactions. Add to those who refuse to get the vaccine for one reason or another and we may have a problem. As my grandmother used to say, hard head, soft butt. I dont think covid is through kicking our butts yet.
I don’t know anyone personally who has lost their life due to COVID but I have friends or family members who have lost family members. My friends who have had it have been lucky but they all say this disease is so much worst than the flu. And some of them have long term health issues due to being infected. The randomness of the disease is what is so scary. I think wearing a mask just shows that I care about other people. I would be upset if I caught the disease and then infected someone else.
I remember around April 2020, a certain politician [who shall remain nameless] said it was time for the country to reopen. I was floored.
In May 2021, I feel it’s OK if certain states reopen. It all depends on where the virus levels and the vaccines levels are.
our work demanded we come back to the office full time, well to be honest , we were essential to the state operations, so we never really left, but we were allowed to be remote for a staggered work week during the last 15 months. Personally, I think it is too soon, not everyone wants to take the vaccine, and that is their option. The virus is not contained by any means. I just wish there was some level of standardization, where we could all be assured we were operating… I understand business has to open in order to survive, but to put people out in the community and workplace that are vulnerable just is not right.
Lindsay, I agree with a lot you said. Yes it is a persons choice to not vaccinate, unless I know you are vaccinated you won’t be in my home or any gathering held on my property, forever. The ignorance of these people make me sick and that ignorance might be contagious.
I don’t quite understand my anger but I am so sick of fools.!
Well calling them fools certainly helps.
Yes, it’s too early but on the other hand, I think there has to come a time when people are just going to do what they want and they don’t care about the consequences. Many states are having increases again. Why? Because people either think a) covid was a hoax; b) the vaccines contain chips or some other BS and c) they are invincible. Well, I’ll be wearing a mask forever because I have never gone an entire year without a cold and/or flu and I did this past year which means MASKS WORK. And I still wipe down my groceries and clean my own house. It’s the best exercise I’m telling you.
I’m also going to wear masks forever. Not only didn’t I get sick, I feel like my allergies were better, and as someone with resting bitch face it was nice not to have to force smiles all the time.
As for reopening I think it’s too early, covid wise, but people can’t do another summer. Governments will fall, violently. So, that danger probably outweighs the other.
We’re lucky they found vaccines so quickly. We don’t have enough patience, empathy, and trust for a real long-term crisis.
My mother was allergic to everything and her doctor encouraged her to wear masks. This was over 20 years ago. So I believe that the mask helps with allergies.
The great state of Texas is open, and we’re doing fine. Some places require masks, and some don’t. I even went to a festival last week, and I and most others didn’t even have a mask on.
Please people, stop living in fear.
Masking up and keeping distance protects others, not ourselves. You say we live in fear, I say we live with empathy.
That’s a really nice way to put it Nina.
Wearing a mask and social distancing protects YOU as well. Have you not read all the comments by people who said they didn’t get a cold all winter for the first time in their lives? This nonsense about masks being some magical thing that only works one way, is just that. Nonsense. The mask filters the air you breathe in as well as the air you breathe out when worn correctly.
Tamera, I’m not saying it doesn’t protect me — I’m saying I’m way more concerned for spreading it to others than I am about getting sick myself. Distancing and mask wearing, and vaccines benefit everyone. We’ve got to protect each other instead of calling each other “scared.”
Thank you Sarah and MzBossy!
I love this Nina ❤❤
I too live in Texas – Dallas suburb.
From my observation, it’s split 50/50 who wears a mask and who doesn’t.
I’m reasonably young, 51 – and I do live …. not in fear, but precaution.
The warmer weather, I’m outside with my dogs along the lake – no mask, grocery store – mask on.
Doubtful me wearing a mask in public will change anytime soon – some of us are single/widowed/live alone – no close family….our choices are that much more limited in personal protection.
The mask is being weaponized , without understanding the reasons behind….the need of some.
Fear makes us put on seatbelts, cross streets in crosswalks, not pass stopped school buses, adhere to railroad warnings, traffic lights, traffic laws, and wanting the people who serve us to wash their hands. Do people who practice safety not live in fear that something will happen to their loved ones if any of these practices are violated? Are people living in fear when they lock their doors or put in security systems? Don’t we all live in fear of being broke or homeless? Fear is a part of everyone’s life everyday. Just because I don’t want to catch a potentially deadly disease or suffer long term effects of it does not make me a coward. Neither does wanting to not give a disease to someone else. It makes me compassionate and considerate toward others. We would be pass this if others thought the same way.Unfortunately to many people who can’t stand their own company keeps this thing going.
Well said.
Yes well said indywom
fear doesn’t make me do any/most of the things you note…common sense does, tho
Texas is not an example that represents this nation.
I do not live in fear,
I live in knowledge.
I live in Chicago, where the numbers are going up, deaths are going down (thank god) and we are reopening and are looking to open fully by July. I think just like last year, everyone will get comfortable and get lazy and the numbers will increase again. However, I don’t think things will shut down anymore, I think it will have to get outrageously bad before they shut down again. I think the politicians are thinking that we have to open up and if people are going to be stupid, let them. I now think that this will be a thinning of the herd, which is devastating. I’m not sure why we didn’t get strict like in Australia. But most have made this political and their freedom’s are being violated. I do understand why people are concerned about getting the vaccine, I get it, but what is worse? If the country wants to open up, fine. If people don’t want to get the vaccine, (I begrudgingly) say fine but please respect my decision as well. I do think masks and social distancing should be mandated and kept in place. I however, will still be wearing my mask, social distancing, washing my hands and limiting my activities, which sucks but as a cancer patient, I have to do what is best for me. My nephew who wants to visit with us when we go to New Jersey doesn’t want to get the shot, that’s fine, but you won’t be seeing us then. I respect your decision, please respect mine. I don’t think the ones who don’t want to get the shot understand that they could possibly transmit it to someone else (loved one) and that it could kill them. It seems to be a disconnect for them. I think Covid is here to stay and we have to learn how to live with it. What perplexes me is how every 10 to 15 years we have to get the MMR (Mumps, Measles, Rubella) vaccine, we have to wear seat belts when we drive, we have speed limits, drinking and driving is against the law, all of these things to protect us and keep others alive, yet this is a problem. Whatever happened to help your fellow man? Please be well everyone! Please be safe! P.S. I just wanted to note, that I have been catching myself when I see the number of deaths due to Covid, that those are not numbers, those are human beings who have left us too soon and have left a lot of broken hearts.
NYC now has walkup vaccines! I hope your area gets them very soon. I agree, way too early, not enough people vaccinated. We’re setting ourselves up for worse things and it’s really hard to watch happen (especially for those of us who gave up the last year of our lives distancing to try to help this crazy-train stay on track.)
I’m just waiting for the poop to hit the fan again in Vegas since we’re soon to be completely reopened. I’ve been fully vaccinated since February 20th but I still wear a mask, even when I’m outdoors walking my dog. I hope you’re able to get your vaccine soon, Tamara.
I don’t work these days, my husband does. In very public, crowded spaces. He informed me a few days ago he’s about to forgo the mask. Neither of us has been vaccinated yet. I have to make his appt because I’m the mommy and I haven’t made my own because I have a condition that gives me some reservations about it and since I’m not working I don’t feel rushed. I’m waiting to hear from a doctor what my best course of action is.
So, I say, why not? Answer: it’s been a year and that’s long enough. Well, ok then! I feel it’s because we live in trump country and most people that aren’t transplants think it’s all a big hoax. So he’s the fool walking around coworkers wearing a mask because his shrew of a wife keeps his balls in a glass on the bedside table. God help us all.
In other words, too soon, but in fact this state never truly closed. I lost some people dear to me during all this as so many did. What a damn shame.
I don’t get the whole choosing a side thing over this. Not even a pandemic, huh? Fake news, amirite? Yesterday I saw it called a face burka. JFC.
My best friend who has serious health issues caught COVID from her husband who got it from a co-worker.She stayed home and did all the right things. Her husband who has to work took all the precautions but his co-workers didn’t and gave it to everyone in the office who then brought it home to spouses. They are both fully recovered but it took a while and both ended up in the hospital at some point. So you stand your ground.
Don’t know anyone close to me who has died of Covid. However, I do have a neighbor who’s 64 year old sister died of it after complications shut down her organs. Another is a teacher friend who thinks she caught it from a student, but she recovered after being very sick. Then I can’t help but think of the 500,000 plus Americans who have died. I can’t deny that this pandemic is real and can be serious for a lot of people and for our communities. I am thankfully fully vaccinated and I will continue to wear a mask in public and hope that others do the same. Do the best you can to follow the public health guidelines so we can get back to at least a new normal. I personally do not believe that faith can keep us healthy, but our God given intelligence can.
I’m a retired teacher who still lives near one of the schools I taught in. Three teachers died in my district very early on. And yet they kept the schools open. The kids all have to wear masks, as do all employees.
NOW WE HAVE IDIOT PARENTS suing the school district for “violating the children’s right not to wear masks”.
Look, I am a a borderline anti vaxer (and yes I am going to get the vaccine when I can do it as a walk up because of my anxiety). I feel like US kids are WAY THE FUCK overvacinated. But these idiots suing get their kids shot up with eleventy billion vaccines with no question. But masks during a pandemic is a bridge to far? WTF?
Yea that sounds like litigious idiots.
I thought it was just me! I am not ready for everything to open up and I’m fully vaccinated. I feel like we’re in such a hurry to get back to normal we’re not learning from our mistakes. And we’re not paying attention to what’s happening around the world.
Yes I feel it is way too soon to reopen. I hate this pandemic lifestyle yet believe we might not be over the hurdle. I wash my hands and wear my mask & have even been vaccinated & as much as I would like to see this end as soon as possible we still have a long way to go. Hope I am wrong & we are back to normal sooner rather than later but I honestly don’t believe it’s time. Almost 15 months in no church no beach no bookstores no movie theaters no art museums which I miss TREMENDOUSLY but it doesn’t feel safe yet. Not to me anyway.
When the time is right we can go by the book while the movies being made and one day watch in on the silver screen. Not today, nor tomorrow. When the time is right I’ll save you an aisle seat.
Our movie theaters opened recently and a friend and l assessed the risks and decided to go. We bought advance tickets online with assigned seats. We went to a 4pm matinee. They had blocked off every other row and the available seats were staggered. There were fewer than 10 people in the audience and all were wearing masks. We felt very safe. It was a glorious, very-much-missed experience.
So jealous. I rarely actually got around to going to movies until that year I got movie passes for Christmas. I miss eating 10,000 bad calories of popcorn with all the butter and a giant, refillable Co-cola.
We rented out a local movie theater for my toddlers birthday 2 weeks ago. Husby and I are vaccinated, we just had our zoo, our neighbors who we “pod” with, my brother in law and 2 nephews. My toddler had never been to the movies so to walk in and smell the popcorn, watch him in awe at his favorite movie being played on the big screen…it was priceless. We all wore masks except for eating, I brought sanitizer and Lysol spray (even though the theater did an excellent job sanitizing themselves). It was our first outing in over a year. Massachusetts has done really well with following the science and adhering to CDC guidelines. I was happy to support a local business (it wasn’t a chain) and our family was happy to be out safely. I’ll never understand why it’s so
hard to wear a mask and adhere to safety but as I’ve learned over the last few years, common sense isn’t so common.
I am so glad to hear folks feel the same way I do. I think it is too soon. I think if the pandemic had not been politicized and if we had a comprehensive national plan, we might not have this “go for broke” and “don’t tread on me” demand from some folks. I got my 2nd dose today!
People started flocking to Florida because of our open status at Spring Break and when school lets out it will be even worse with families coming here to play and then returning to their own states to spread the contagion. This Floridian has not been in my child’s home since Nov. of 2019 and she lives one hour away with my grandkids in Orlando.
I am so sad. We just got past our 2 week post second vaccination and were going to start going back to in-person church. They announced that they are going to mask optional now, so I guess we’ll keep worshiping from home.
We can’t be so afraid of dying that we stop living!
Fear isn’t a factor in this equation. Nature dictates we must adapt or die. In this case it we don’t adapt we will continue to allow earth’s most vulnerable to perish.
PA wants 70 % vaccinated to re-open. I have many people hating me. As an RN I feel the need to tell people to wear their damn masks the correct way. I think alot of people wear them but under your nose doesn’t cut it. I don’t want to hear your freaking excuses pull the damn thing up. I volunteer and several are older woman with medical conditions that aren’t getting the vaccine. I had to do another lecture the other day. I have been doing things even before the vaccine. I have been swimming since they re-opened Mainly because it helped my sanity. Going out to eat outside. Always wearing a mask until in the water or at the table and using sanitizer. I think it’s possible to open as long as people don’t let their guard down.
Agree with you, JKW about wearing the masks properly. Even though I work for a college (and most colleges are still virtual, but the president at ours has always viewed us as “essential workers” (it’s a community college with many students who have no computer), so we have not had the luxury like many of “working remotely”. I had an obnoxious student in my office today (from Africa, where the disease is rampaging so you’d think he would be somewhat sensitized, but I guess an a-hole is an a-hole is an a-hole)- he completely refused to pull his mask up over his nose. I’m vaccinated, but there’s still that small percentage of a chance that it doesn’t cover, and this arrogant jerk was giving me a hard time about pulling his mask up. Our offices are not large either.
I finally stood up, told him that while I don’t mind that it’s my tax dollars paying for him to live and go to college in this country (which I would normally NEVER say, but I was SO PISSED OFF), I said I’ll be DAMNED if you’re going to disrespect me, all the others who work here who are putting their lives on the line to be here (in person) for YOU, and disrespect the privilege you you have of living and going to college in this country by refusing to pull your damn mask up. I literally backed him out of my office (which I know he did not expect, because my “energy” is usually a very “gentle and caring” type). And, even though I know I went too far, maybe this idiot will think the next time he tries to pull that big dick energy on someone again, and refuse to wear his mask over his nose…
That’s great Kat. It’s such an easy thing for people to do. Ok, then you will get this. After I gave my big lecture..again. The one older woman, with medical problems, didn’t pull it up. I know she was doing it out of spite. I was so pissed off so I went over and grabbed it and snapped it over her nose then walked away. If looks could have killed. I realized later that it was rude and in her face (literally ). But she did keep it up !
WOW. If you had touched my mask I would have beaten the shit out of you. And I am an older woman.
I am probably older than you. Wear your mask correctly and I won’t have to put it where it should be.
And your ability to read her mind is faulty. She may have been trying to take a breath like this older woman has to do when she is socially distanced on a grocery aisle. But I still have enough breath to clock you in the face. .
Seriously, if anyone had the nerve to touch my mask I would beat the living shit out of them and end up in jail with no mask. This makes me think I need to keep a spare in my pocket in case I go to jail.
No, it wasn’t faulty. She does it constantly. She wasn’t socially distancing and I am tired of telling her every damn wk the same thing.
👍. Every situation is different, and those of us who are out there working with hundreds and thousands of people because we do not have the luxury not to (or, as in my case, retired but driven to get out there and do something to help people), who have been putting our lives on the line during this pandemic (especially you, as a nurse), know when someone is being a jerk and endangering our lives. And we also know the people and situations we’re dealing with. For me yesterday, if the guy had pulled his mask up even after the third request, I wouldn’t have done what I did. If the woman you’re dealing with didn’t do this all the time (and most of us in these professions are trained to read situations), you wouldn’t have done what you did.
Gotta say, after the arrogance and supreme belligerence of that guy yesterday, while he was 3 ft. from my face, I gotta say I “get you”. Knowing how deadly covid can be, for someone to refuse to pull up their mask after several polite requests, especially when you’re in situations like we have to be with people due to our JOBS, it’s the equivalent of someone threatening your life. Actually, it’s not the equivalent- they ARE threatening our lives. So all bets are off.
Yay Kat!!!!!!! 👏👏👏
Thanks so much, Mel!
Love it! You’re very brave. Need more ppl like you!
We’re in a county next to Sacramento, weve been fairly open for months now, able to ear inside at some places. Our numbers are still good. I do feel bad for businesses that had to permanently close their doors and there are many out there. Hubby had the vaccine, I’m half way there. We both managed to work the year and never get covid, gave blood, went camping, just lived our lives as best we could. Both of my inlaws had it 96, and 83 years old and survived without going to the hospital. I think my take away from this is that I need to continue staying healthy, going to the gym, fairly eat right, because I don’t want to live locked up anymore. Before we left TX, it was fully open, their numbers didn’t really change. I always go outside without a mask, unless I’m near people, like the CDC recommends. I’m not going to live in fear.
I will bet you stay on the sidewalks when you walk. Why: Because you don’t wish to be hit by a car. Is that living in fear? If you have a security system at your home, are you living in fear? Or if you put your seat belt when you drive, are you living in fear? So we all live in fear. It is what keeps us alive. But just remember all it takes is one infected person to infect you or someone you love. Dying is just one thing but imagine the impact of long term heart and breathing issues. There are millions of people living with those consequences through no fault of their own because people don’t want to live in fear. Just saying.
Yep! There are worse things than death. People have had limbs amputated from clots from this, I have a neighbor still struggling to breath and on oxygen 6 mos out from when she had Covid. It’s left my mother w/Parkinson’s & COPD (she is miserable).
A combo post. What I shouldn’t say and mask stuff.
What I shouldn’t say “Fuck all you motherfucking babies who want your fucking MTV. WELCOME to the world many of us live in. It’s called LOW INCOME. I haven’t been to see a movie since 2016. I haven’t had a “real vacation” since 2005. The last time I ate at a fancy restaurant was on my birthday in 2018. And it’s FINE. Lots of people live that way. It’s true that good health is more important than any material thing. After having chronic pain for 13 years (shingles for 6!), I am grateful and feel blessed for every good day and every wonderful person in my life.”
We are lucky we aren’t getting bombed or dodging IEDs. There is food on our shelves. We are AT WAR with a fucking virus. Toughen up. For wartime, we have it pretty good.
I am talking to YOU, Ramona Singer. I hope your MTV lands on your elitist head or gives you COVID. Again. Or once. You are such a liar, who knows what you say is true. Does COVID give you poopy pants? Oh, never mind, you had poppy pants before. I bet Mario thanks God every morning he wakes up without skid marks on his sheets!
One more thing … I look better with a mask. So I will wear them forever!!!!! Bwahahahahaha!
Does Ramona read? Lol. Love your raw honesty.
If elected officials of BOTH parties would use the real, actual tracking data (that does exist) to make policy decisions, instead of using the “sledgehammer” approach of either opening up too much, or too little, along party lines, not using actual tracking data (because they can’t be bothered with the real job of analyzing data to see precisely what things should stay closed and what could open), we’d all be better off. But this thing is still so political it makes me sick. Reopening should be done with precision, and “surgically”- using actual data. If places are proven (based on tracking data) to be COVID hotspots, by all means close them (like bars where masks are taken off). In outdoor settings, not so much. We need to use some science (remember that?) and some g-d common sense, but it’s completely political, not science and policy driven.
People also need to understand that there’s a violation of the “public good” component to the decisions they make to continue to delay or not get the vaccine. When diseases are transmittable (as covid is), your “personal choice” not to get the vaccine (especially if you won’t wear a mask anywhere people can get infected by your germs) affects me and mine. And, as vaccines become easier to get, vaccine resistance (unless people have medical reasons documented by a doctor, not the internet”) prevents the ability of this nation to ever reach a point where life can get back to normal. And guess what, the rest of the nation isn’t going to wait forever and stay isolated and hidden in our homes due to those who have a million excuses – the train has left the station. Sorry, but “my body, my choice” is great and I respect that IF it doesn’t AFFECT me, but not when it comes to communicable diseases.You’d better be willing to wear a mask as long as covid is around then (and realize it will STAY around if not enough people are willing to get the vaccine), because where your “body” can transmit a disease to “my body” because you refused or dragged your feet in getting a very well researched and tested vaccine, is where your “personal rights” end. Period.
Here’s what pisses me off. Trump downplayed this virus and THAT is what caused it to spread so widely and violently. That is what I believe. Too many people worshipped him and he had no idea what the hell was going on. Had the entire country SHUT DOWN, nobody flying in or out, everyone quarantined for at least 2 weeks, things would not have gotten so bad. But no, the idiot had to get up there every day with hate in his heart (and BTW, the Dems these days have the same hate in their hearts and this hate HAS GOT TO STOP) and made the covid updates his own private platform and didn’t take it seriously, so half the country did not either and that is complete BS. I cringed listening to him take it so lightly. It was mortifying. Meanwhile, fast forward a year and almost a half and here we are still with people not taking it seriously. I have to agree with those who say if you can’t wear a mask, I can’t be around you. Honestly, and I’ve said this a million times…. this whole experience showed people’s intelligence. And no, we are not living in fear and we are not sheeple. We are using our heads and our common sense.
Uh…he closed our borders when Fauxi told him not to. He shut our country down for what was supposed to be 2 weeks and he is 100% responsible for these vaccines that people beg for, receive and then continue to act as if they aren’t vaccinated. Remember CNN recently told us FEAR sells. And it does. And it has. We are dealing with a virus that is 99.703% survivable. I think the real questions should be how it got here and who was working with live viruses even after it was banned. And who funded it.
We’d be so lucky to have Trump back in office!
If your vaccinated and the vaccine works why do you need a mask and social distancing?
I personally won’t be taking the vaccine until and unless long term studies deem it safe. Remember it is not FDA approved…only authorized for emergency use. Everyone that gets the jab is the lab rat.
People need to start looking into the deaths and severe effects related to these vaccines. MSM won’t tell you about those because it’s not the FEAR they want to sell you.
JRich,
I’m with you except for the part about the vaccine. 🙂
I believe your dear leader got the vaccine while telling you not to. Then, once people found out he went on FOX and told everyone to take it. And yet, y’all are not taking it. Don’t you find that a bit odd?
Oh, I received mine as soon as it was available.
Amen to that!! I just want to scream lately, at the top of my lungs. WTF is wrong with you people!!!! (this probably should go on the “say what you’ve never said out loud” thread). I know that I’ve had the recurring thought lately that the dumbing down of America is truly complete. We can’t link here but if we could, I would be linking every day to “real science” articles (like the kind Americans used to believe before we became illiterate and insane) to try to dispute the people who believe the “social media, self-professed scientists”.
We’ve been open down here in South Florida since May 18, 2020 and we haven’t looked back.
We mask up religiously and still my husband and I both got COVID in January 2021. I had it worse than he did even though I have zero underlying conditions. I’m 55 and he’s 65.
We are both fully vaccinated.
Is it too soon? Not for us but if it is too soon for you than that is the only thing that is the only thing that matters.
Unfortunately we cannot stay in quarantine and earn a living.
Oh I think it is totally great that you guys are back open. It’s not too soon for you. But it is still too soon for me. I’m not vaccinated. Yet. I will be soon. And eventually I am coming down there for whatever your best dish is and you are paying! LOL.
ONE DAY. ONE DAY I will be able to travel again. But sadly that day will be once Banjo passes. We are going to be be here for a while (I hope). But then I am coming there and ordering LVP Rose just to hear the waiter tell me they are sorry, but they do not sell swill. LOL.
it’s great to have goals 🙂
Gigi the virus spread quickly because we didn’t shut our borders down sooner like Australia and New Zealand did.I clearly remember the uproar when President Trump shut the borders from Europe because I had friends in France trying to get back from their vacation before the borders shut down – and President Trump was so vilified for that decision could you imagine how impossible it would’ve been for him to close down the borders sooner especially from China where we had people landing from daily at LAX? Relax ladies this is not a pro-Trump post this is my observations as a registered Democrat Californian. The blame lies with ALL the politicians for the decision not to close our borders as soon as Covid was unleashed upon us – Democrat Independent Republican Socialist. They ALL failed us the American people who they are supposed to represent. They were too busy playing their power play games with American lives instead of collectively coming together & doing the right thing. I know I was naive after all these are the elected officials who want us to do as they say but not as they do. Example: I had Covid hair for a year and Pelosi got caught on tape getting her hair done!!! I’m sure that wasn’t the first time either it was just the first time she got caught. I pray our elected officials make better decisions under President Biden but I highly doubt it.
I lost my rose colored glasses during COVID.
PS – even though I hate it I wear my mask. 2 actually the medical one & a cloth one on top. I don’t want the vaccine but I am due for my 2nd shot in 2 weeks I’m getting it out of respect for my elderly parents.
TT I’ve read your site for a long time.’I apologize if my comment is too long it’s my first.
Jaycene, It was a great first comment! Hopefully the first of many more. Welcome to the madness!
Great, super-intelligent, balanced and truthful comment. It’s time all of us as Americans start evaluating the facts, and remove the politics from those facts, instead of jumping into our little camps and towing the party line on every issue. You did that beautifully.
I do think it is a bit regional.
I’ve not gone any more than I have been since I became fully vaccinated a week ago. Mentally, it is just going to take some time mentally. My state is tracking by county – some are not doing as well. One of our more heavily populated ones will do better, IMHO, when it is mandated that the military get it. But where I recreate and work it is doing better.
I’ve been to grocery stores and local retail – they are mask compliant and I’m seeing fewer maskholes. Although I DID realize that the grocery worker who checked me out the other day was wearing a LACE mask – with holes. I’m still debating turning her in. I think I will b/c it is still bothering me and my elderly parents shop there. We finally stopped doing the delivery – doing the shopping and going out has been good for their mental health I think. The retailers I go to are local and hyper aware and careful.
I have NO problem telling people who aren’t vaccinated that I’m not coming near them. I do have friends and family that I will be seeing once we’re all vaccinated. I’m also planning a trip to see family at the beach. We got a larger suite so if we can’t eat out together, we can get take out and hang in the suite together or go sit on the beach with the dogs.
Since we’re from different states, we’re following CDC guidelines. Dr. Fauci even said he was meeting with his neighbors in each other’s homes, indoors and unmasked, without using social distance. Believe me, I’ve been reading the literature online frequently.
Per the Washington Post’s tracker (I like how they present the data), almost 48% of my state’s population has gotten at least one shot so far. This is around 56% of those eligible. Oregon (and where we are traveling) is around the same. Overall, even though Washington state was one of “ground zero” states for COVID – per capital we’re actually at the bottom in terms of deaths from COVID. (got that chart elsewhere) I’m not planning the in home gatherings until June either – giving it another month.
So all this is to make me feel better. I’ve been uber careful – staying with my folks for companionship and for other reasons (to help them). I think I’m ready to go home permanently, even though that county is worse (I won’t be hanging with my no mask neighbors)
I’ve been wearing N95 masks from Korea (so not ever approved for hospitals.). I put on face cream with SPF the other day (for the first time in a while) and my face started to react to the mask when I went into the grocery store! It felt scratchy and stuffy. Since I’m fully vaccinated – I’m thinking of switching to cloth.
Not living in fear, but still cautious.
So on THE VIEW today, there was a segment where apparently a certain group of people who support the one term, twice impeached former occupant of the white house, are furious with those of us who are hesitant to go back to life as usual. Why do they care? I’m not vaccinated yet (I know, I know I have trouble leaving the house in general, not just during COVID, I’m waiting for the walk-ins to all fully open and then letting the first group go so it won’t be crowded. ) I am not in a rush to stop wearing a mask. South Koreans have been wearing masks forever due mostly to pollution I believe. So they had very little Covid spread there.
I understand being upset with people who refused to wear masks. They put people’s lives in danger. But why are people angry with those of us who are reluctant to “go back to normal” just yet? It makes no sense. What happened to their “my body my choice” argument they are so fond of?
Bingo, Tamara. I just finished watching The View and I thought the same thing as you. If the CDC guidelines have been relaxed but some of us choose to continue to take precautions, why should that matter to the people who objected to taking precautions in the first place.
On a side note, I finally did my taxes today. I used the free on-line tax prep service on the IRS site.
Congrats. It is such a stress reliever, at least for me once I get them done.
I don’t think its unreasonable to reopened with some restrictions, masks moving about indoors, if your state has reach the magical 70 percent herd immunity. There have been a couple of bad exposures in Tennessee and Kentucky at hospitals that because of 80 % vaccinations only resulted in the nurses lying about the vaccine being fired.
Having said that i am young 40s 6 weeks oyt from covid and sleeping 10 hours a night with 2 naps during the day exhausted still, having trouble with conversations because my lungs are weak feeling, and i get dizzy standing too long. Covid is no joke but my neighbor (60+) who was vaccinated and got it was down for a week and has no lingering issues.
Yes, it’s too early to reopen. It’s not time yet. I am a long hauler, just can’t shake the fatigue and panic attacks that I acquired due to Covid. I really was in a fight for my life. I have lost 62 family and close friends. Some days, I’m so depressed. It’s so hard.
I’m in Michigan where our numbers are out of control. I don’t understand why this is being so rushed.
I am so sorry you are still suffering. I hope you get some relief soon.
Tamara: This is not directly related to the reopening question, but I wanted to offer you a silver lining to be found in your personal situation.
Nicotine has long been known to inhibit infection with coronaviruses, and this one is no different. Daily smokers are statistically not presenting with severe disease. Nicotine has been suggested for use in hospitals as a stopgap prophylactic pending the wider distribution of vaccines. The information is readily available online.
Health officials are not recommending that people become nicotine users for predictable reasons, but it may be helpful for your anxiety level to know that your status as a nicotine user places you in a class with effective protection from COVID.
We view tobacco and nicotine through a harsh cultural lens, but should not forget that long before Europeans arrived here, native populations were using tobacco medicinally. Our commercial tobacco may be another variety of plant and more dangerous due to additives, but as with most things, the matter is not black versus white.
I say, claim your blessings where you find them.