Poll

81 votes were received.
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Where do you find yourself at this stage of the Pandemic?

	Back to the way things were before
	Still full precautions
	Relaxed some precautions
	Never changed a thing
	Answer below

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Where do you find yourself at this stage of the Pandemic?

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Ways to improve web conference image and sound quality. [forums.macresource.com]

between option 1 and 2.

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Hurts like a bastid...

.....the constant street fairs have begun again and was packed on Saturday.....seems most have gone back to 'the way it was'......many are not wearing masks on public transit though it is still required....

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Still masking for shopping trips and while waiting in the doctors’ offices but back to normal otherwise.

only cause some of my clients have, relaxed a bit,
but still masked in stores full of the unknown.

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!#$@@$#!

proofraed by OwEn the c@t.



Nobody remembers their first download, but everyone remembers their 1st LP.

still masking. not paying as much attention to social distancing. not fanatical about hand washing.

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If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama

I"m using surgical masks most of the time instead of N95. If I were to use public transportation (bus, train, airplane), N95 all the way.

I've been vaxxed, boosted, and had a very, very mild case of Covid in January. And I'll probably get my second booster in the not-too-distant future. I had to wear a mask indoors and outdoors for 5 weeks in Japan. I'm done with masks for now. If another strain pops up that requires it, I'll go back to masks. Otherwise, not really taking any other precautions.

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PeterW
Still masking for shopping trips and while waiting in the doctors’ offices but back to normal otherwise.

Ditto.

Dave

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Welcome to Dave's BBQ!

Many have eaten here....

Few have died

I would LOVE to resume RV travel but, I am not DYING to so, I’m still basically “isolating in place”. I limit my time out and, wear a mask the few times I do go out. I am “fully vaccinated and have one booster. I’ll get a second booster this week. SOOOO many people are careless / ignorant so, I’m hyper vigilant.

Completely back to normal. Both the K12 School and University no longer require masks and other than the hospital in town no one else does either. Masking is at less than 5% I would say around here.

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C(-)ris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Throwback Thursday Signature:

Always masked out of the house.

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“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in."

its over here. back to normal. Still see peeps with them on, but rare. No distancing.

as far as I'm aware, masks only in hospitals (had to go in recently) and maybe public transportation? No idea, haven't used public transportation in 38 years.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

We still mask in public. I’m less stringent on hand washing because the virus is not as transmittable via that vector.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

Masked indoors. Wash my hands because I think it's been keeping colds and flu at bay as well as covid. Thank god that whole wiping off your groceries thing is dead.

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Masked depending on social distancing. If a store or place has only a few customers and I can mostly stay away from them, I'll forego the mask, if I go to a Costco or Meijer, automatic mask. My Physical Therapy place still requres masks. Outdoors, maskless.

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The arts are not luxuries but assets that give way more than they cost.
--Ronald Tucker on YouTube

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.
--Frank Zappa

I find it interesting that the pandemic has "ended" early in a year that has an important event this coming November while other parts of the world are still shutting down and otherwise dealing with it...

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...more music...

Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.

Between 2 and 3. Still mask up indoors.

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Eli Weisel

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

"I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham 1981

"Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise" - Barry Goldwater

Still maskedup as I always was, everywhere, no slacking there.

I don't sanitize my hands as I did though, so slacking there.

Still social distancing as before.

Still not socializing much at all.

Still washing my hands frequently.

So, very little change, and none for the foreseeable future.

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I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

DP,

Not sure where you're getting your info from but the pandemic hasn't "ended" yet. We're slowly moving to the next normal with reduced restrictions and such but that is vastly different than the pandemic ending.

Robert

Between 2 and 3. Still not eating in restaurants. Wearing masks at baseball games (dugouts are truly disgusting - kids spitting and yelling in each other's faces). However, we are going unmasked outside with friends that have been cautious. We have had some family over without masks.

We are cautious and waiting to see what BA.2 will do.

This is no longer a "pandemic". This is now endemic. This is NEVER going away. Covid and it's variants are a permanent part of the human condition now.

I am not wearing a mask for the rest of my life.
I wear it at work (a school) because it's required indoors still.
I wear it in high people-density indoor spaces like grocery stores.
I wear it around people who choose to mask in indoor spaces to respect theirs space and their choices.
If we have a "flare up" of cases in my area, I will revert to wearing the mask more often.
I will wear it in any business that requests that I wear it.
I will keep up to date on my vaccinations/boosters.

But, I am not wearing this thing the rest of my life.
We need to stop thinking there is an "end" to COVID-19. There isn't. We either learn to live with it, or, we permanently alter the social structure of our society.

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

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Eureka, CA

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Paul F.
This is no longer a "pandemic". This is now endemic. This is NEVER going away. Covid and it's variants are a permanent part of the human condition now.

I am not wearing a mask for the rest of my life.
I wear it at work (a school) because it's required indoors still.
I wear it in high people-density indoor spaces like grocery stores.
I wear it around people who choose to mask in indoor spaces to respect theirs space and their choices.
If we have a "flare up" of cases in my area, I will revert to wearing the mask more often.
I will wear it in any business that requests that I wear it.
I will keep up to date on my vaccinations/boosters.

But, I am not wearing this thing the rest of my life.
We need to stop thinking there is an "end" to COVID-19. There isn't. We either learn to live with it, or, we permanently alter the social structure of our society.

The increase in production of Pfizer’s Paxlovid plus vaccinations should blunt hospitalizations and deaths. The Paxlovid antiviral is supposed to work on future variants from my understanding.

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Ways to improve web conference image and sound quality. [forums.macresource.com]

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pRICE cUBE

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Paul F.
This is no longer a "pandemic". This is now endemic. This is NEVER going away. Covid and it's variants are a permanent part of the human condition now.

I am not wearing a mask for the rest of my life.
I wear it at work (a school) because it's required indoors still.
I wear it in high people-density indoor spaces like grocery stores.
I wear it around people who choose to mask in indoor spaces to respect theirs space and their choices.
If we have a "flare up" of cases in my area, I will revert to wearing the mask more often.
I will wear it in any business that requests that I wear it.
I will keep up to date on my vaccinations/boosters.

But, I am not wearing this thing the rest of my life.
We need to stop thinking there is an "end" to COVID-19. There isn't. We either learn to live with it, or, we permanently alter the social structure of our society.

The increase in production of Pfizer’s Paxlovid plus vaccinations should blunt hospitalizations and deaths. The Paxlovid antiviral is supposed to work on future variants from my understanding.

I wholeheartedly support this... it's treating the endemic disease, not a "feel good" measure "until the pandemic is over".

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Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

--
Eureka, CA

This really seems like a "whats the weather where you are" kind of question.

No answer is the same.

And it might be 3º and snowing in Michigan, and 75º and sunny in San Diego.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2022 11:28AM by jdc.

Looks like everyone is going to need to do an individual risk assessment on how to proceed. Hope you all fare well in the next few months.

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Ways to improve web conference image and sound quality. [forums.macresource.com]

Between 2 and 3.

I don’t mask in my mom's house anymore, although I have allergies and stuff that often makes me think I MIGHT be sick, and then I do. No masks outside as we were initially doing. N95 indoors in any public place or in a vehicle with anyone other than my other half. He is high risk as an ER nurse, and I am high risk for many reasons for a bad outcome, though we are boosted. Paxlovid availability does make me more relaxed.

We went to a concert on Friday, in N95s, but man, a ton of people were packed in like sardines and almost none were masked. We are not eating in restaurants, but have had meals in a few trusted friend's houses (we know they are boosted - in several cases, we vaccinated them!).

I'm really surprised this poll didn't have the option "vote to move to other side" as we did with All Covid discussion goes here megathread... not that I think that was right, but maybe a step the forum mods could take to normalize reality. (That is, I'm glad that not every covid discussion gets pushed into the politics side, and that maybe it's time to stop pinning that megathread.)

Whether you think the pandemic is over, has gone endemic, or is ongoing, its time to stop treating the situation like its occurrence was a matter of political dispute.

Edited for clarify so I don't get "ended" :-D

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g=



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2022 03:15PM by gabester.

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Robert M
DP,

Not sure where you're getting your info from but the pandemic hasn't "ended" yet. We're slowly moving to the next normal with reduced restrictions and such but that is vastly different than the pandemic ending.

Robert

DP didn’t mean the pandemic has literally ended, since he quoted “ended.”

Dennis,

I know he used quotes. Doesn't matter. What you're saying isn't how his post came across to me.

Robert

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pRICE cUBE
Looks like everyone is going to need to do an individual risk assessment on how to proceed. Hope you all fare well in the next few months.

yeah. If I dropped you off here today, you wouldn't even know it existed

Movies -- seen them all
eat out -- plenty
concerts -- 3 in week
hawaii -- went, masking enforced everywhere except outside. totally fine.
Disneyland -- went on new years, going again in a week for a milestone b-day
high school -- none
shopping/grocery/target/mall/apple store -- none

And the wife works in public health. n95 mask fitter. C tester. we are vax + boosted... she seems Ok with all of the numbers... at least locally.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2022 12:05AM by jdc.

I almost always wear a mask when inside (but never outside).

I'm one of the few still wearing masks here. I'm not super paranoid about it, but I use the KF94 style masks which I find very comfortable so it's no big deal to wear them.

So not at all "back to normal" in terms of masking, but close to 100% back to normal in terms of where I go.

I'm just pissed off and frustrated that primers to reload ammo are very hard to find and expensive when you do.

There are an estimated 5-7 million more gun owners who purchased in 2021, and not sure how many in 2020, I believe more. No idea how many quit shooting, so don't have a clue on total number active out there.

Anyway, lots of competition between the manufacturers and what few percentage-wise make it into the wholesale/retail components market for those who reload.

Most who compete regularly reload their own, or if you are really good, you sometimes have sponsorships. I'm good, but my mobility issues preclude me from competing in pistol/rifle shoot and scoot games for the time being. Need a few surgeries, then we will all see.

I'm not talking criminals, or for the most part, dangerous yahoos. Conscientious responsible owners and sports enthusiasts who obey the laws, and keep their stuff locked up when not in use. Great people who love to coach new owners and those new to competition. It pisses me off when I hear the phrase "truck gun" If you aren't carrying it, lock it up.

I bring this up because, for me its a hobby and a passion that brings me great joy. I share it with others and it is a big part of my minimal current social life. It's no different than if one of you were a fine woodworker and couldn't consistantly get quality exotic hardwood for your projects, or good gourmet herbs and spices for your beloved cooking creations, and small gatherings with friends and family. Getting the transmission rebuilt in my partner's truck was a huge nightmare. They couldn't source parts easily, and stuff trickled in from all across the country. It's a Mountaineer/Explorer/Ranger platform. They are EVERYWHERE!

Anyway, Staying safe, and pissed off at those who aren't serious anymore. Lost immediate family members, and one close call from a Covidiot BIL. I'm sure the Ivermectin he was illegally dosed with saved his life My partner still cries all the time at missing her mom. It was 15 months ago. We got a Pendleton picnic blanket at Costco yesterday, and it made her cry. Both our moms loved Pendleton textile products going back to before we were born.

I do think when we have several prescription treatment options a GP can phone in to the pharmacy when someone tests Pos at home will make a HUGE difference. Especially if they have underlying conditions . Then we will be in influenza territory if only those idiot holdouts will finally come around and get vaccinated.

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********************************************
“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand.” Seneca the Younger

The police have no duty to respond. See Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 545 U.S. 748 (2005) or Warren v. District of Columbia[1] (444 A.2d. 1, D.C. Ct. of Ap. 1981)

Judge Lee wrote that “we cannot jettison our constitutional rights, even if the goal behind a law is laudable." 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2022 05:40PM by Racer X.

Still in NJ. ( bah dah boom!)

But seriously, I’ve backed off my mask a little but am back to wearing it again indoors and expect I’ll be going back to it as before as our numbers here seem to be starting to rise again. 30 new cases in town and one new death this week. I’m trying to figure out when to get my second booster - now, soon or wait till the fall or numbers happen to really go up.

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JoeM

Still in NJ. ( bah dah boom!)

But seriously, I’ve backed off my mask a little but am back to wearing it again indoors and expect I’ll be going back to it as before as our numbers here seem to be starting to rise again. 30 new cases in town and one new death this week. I’m trying to figure out when to get my second booster - now, soon or wait till the fall or numbers happen to really go up.

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JoeM

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JoeM
Still in NJ. ( bah dah boom!)

But seriously, I’ve backed off my mask a little but am back to wearing it again indoors and expect I’ll be going back to it as before as our numbers here seem to be starting to rise again. 30 new cases in town and one new death this week. I’m trying to figure out when to get my second booster - now, soon or wait till the fall or numbers happen to really go up.

Do it after 5-6 months. I am looking at a 3rd booster in July. Underlying respiratory issues.

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********************************************
“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand.” Seneca the Younger

The police have no duty to respond. See Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 545 U.S. 748 (2005) or Warren v. District of Columbia[1] (444 A.2d. 1, D.C. Ct. of Ap. 1981)

Judge Lee wrote that “we cannot jettison our constitutional rights, even if the goal behind a law is laudable." 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

[www.youtube.com]

Quote
Racer X

Quote
JoeM
Still in NJ. ( bah dah boom!)

But seriously, I’ve backed off my mask a little but am back to wearing it again indoors and expect I’ll be going back to it as before as our numbers here seem to be starting to rise again. 30 new cases in town and one new death this week. I’m trying to figure out when to get my second booster - now, soon or wait till the fall or numbers happen to really go up.

Do it after 5-6 months. I am looking at a 3rd booster in July. Underlying respiratory issues.

Thanks, that would make it April or May then. I just got a text yesterday from my primary care doc letting me know I can get the booster in their office now.

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JoeM

Been back to normal since around September. Even in doctors offices there are no masks requirements. Concerts, parties, restaurants, shopping.... Been normal for at least 6 months. Hospitals don't even have "Covid" wards anymore, just infectious disease rooms where patients are kept with the door closed. like pre COVID

Florida

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jdc

shopping/grocery/target/mall/apple store -- none

And the wife works in public health. n95 mask fitter. C tester. we are vax + boosted... she seems Ok with all of the numbers... at least locally.

This is an interesting point that I've found throughout the whole pandemic. Our friends who are physicians or RNs have been less "hyper-vigilant" than many of our non-healthcare-related friends. I've taken cues from the health folks, and that's made some amusingly weird scenarios when we have gathered over the last couple of years. the health folks were ok with social situations and the others were not.

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Hurts like a bastid...

Wife and I are cautious, and try to protect ourselves for the sake of her father, who has a compromised immune system, but we also recognize our mental health is struggling too. As each wave has ebbed we relaxed a little to eat out, go to shows etc, then crawl back to our cave for a few weeks as the next wave ebbs. Our community is now to the point where about 70% have had COVID of some flavor, 60% are vaccinated. The only local hospital has been coping Ok. So we’re at the “ we can’t hide forever” stage.

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**************************************
MacResource User Map: [www.zeemaps.com]#

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mrbigstuff

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jdc

shopping/grocery/target/mall/apple store -- none

And the wife works in public health. n95 mask fitter. C tester. we are vax + boosted... she seems Ok with all of the numbers... at least locally.

This is an interesting point that I've found throughout the whole pandemic. Our friends who are physicians or RNs have been less "hyper-vigilant" than many of our non-healthcare-related friends. I've taken cues from the health folks, and that's made some amusingly weird scenarios when we have gathered over the last couple of years. the health folks were ok with social situations and the others were not.

My best friend is an infectious disease physician and my other half is an ER nurse(I work in infusion pharmacy). We are all quite cautious and haven’t gotten infected. I usually take my friend's cues.

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RecipeForDisaster

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mrbigstuff
...This is an interesting point that I've found throughout the whole pandemic. Our friends who are physicians or RNs have been less "hyper-vigilant" than many of our non-healthcare-related friends. I've taken cues from the health folks, and that's made some amusingly weird scenarios when we have gathered over the last couple of years. the health folks were ok with social situations and the others were not.

My best friend is an infectious disease physician and my other half is an ER nurse(I work in infusion pharmacy). We are all quite cautious and haven’t gotten infected. I usually take my friend's cues.

It has been my experience that while there are some incredibly smart and worldly nurses and technicians, many RNs and technicians are as ignorant and unfairly prejudiced as any random person off the bus.

...And while I've had some amazingly smart and talented doctors, I've also met a lot of doctors who were just plain insensible jerks who shouldn't have qualified for a GED, let alone med school. (One of whom nearly killed me fairly recently, so I may be a bit prejudiced, myself.)

...Even the best physicians/nurses/technicians aren't up on every latest bit of medical news/practice.

So, while I might ask for pandemic advice from a good doctor or nurse, I probably wouldn't take my queues from their behavior without taking a lot of other factors into consideration.

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mrbigstuff

Quote
jdc

shopping/grocery/target/mall/apple store -- none

And the wife works in public health. n95 mask fitter. C tester. we are vax + boosted... she seems Ok with all of the numbers... at least locally.

This is an interesting point that I've found throughout the whole pandemic. Our friends who are physicians or RNs have been less "hyper-vigilant" than many of our non-healthcare-related friends. I've taken cues from the health folks, and that's made some amusingly weird scenarios when we have gathered over the last couple of years. the health folks were ok with social situations and the others were not.

Yeah... we *were* hyper-vigilant when things were at their worst. She semi-predicted it would be pretty bad when the first news on rates started to hit.

So we stayed in, did all the correct motions. plenty of precations, shots asap, and all the rest.

but its just over now... there are only a handful of reported cases in our huge county.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

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Tiangou

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RecipeForDisaster

Quote
mrbigstuff
...This is an interesting point that I've found throughout the whole pandemic. Our friends who are physicians or RNs have been less "hyper-vigilant" than many of our non-healthcare-related friends. I've taken cues from the health folks, and that's made some amusingly weird scenarios when we have gathered over the last couple of years. the health folks were ok with social situations and the others were not.

My best friend is an infectious disease physician and my other half is an ER nurse(I work in infusion pharmacy). We are all quite cautious and haven’t gotten infected. I usually take my friend's cues.

It has been my experience that while there are some incredibly smart and worldly nurses and technicians, many RNs and technicians are as ignorant and unfairly prejudiced as any random person off the bus.

...And while I've had some amazingly smart and talented doctors, I've also met a lot of doctors who were just plain insensible jerks who shouldn't have qualified for a GED, let alone med school. (One of whom nearly killed me fairly recently, so I may be a bit prejudiced, myself.)

...Even the best physicians/nurses/technicians aren't up on every latest bit of medical news/practice.

So, while I might ask for pandemic advice from a good doctor or nurse, I probably wouldn't take my queues from their behavior without taking a lot of other factors into consideration.

while I don't doubt your experiences with bad doctors (I've had my share), that was not the case with our friends, RNs at one of the country's biggest hospitals and the Drs work with immigrant communities, so they were far from laissez-faire, but they were not wearing face shields outside, such as our PhD research scientist acquaintance.

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Hurts like a bastid...

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JoeM

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Racer X

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JoeM
Still in NJ. ( bah dah boom!)

But seriously, I’ve backed off my mask a little but am back to wearing it again indoors and expect I’ll be going back to it as before as our numbers here seem to be starting to rise again. 30 new cases in town and one new death this week. I’m trying to figure out when to get my second booster - now, soon or wait till the fall or numbers happen to really go up.

Do it after 5-6 months. I am looking at a 3rd booster in July. Underlying respiratory issues.

Thanks, that would make it April or May then. I just got a text yesterday from my primary care doc letting me know I can get the booster in their office now.

I was just reading minutes ago about people getting their second booster about now, and it was suggested that a 3rd in the fall isn't unlikely.

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********************************************
“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand.” Seneca the Younger

The police have no duty to respond. See Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 545 U.S. 748 (2005) or Warren v. District of Columbia[1] (444 A.2d. 1, D.C. Ct. of Ap. 1981)

Judge Lee wrote that “we cannot jettison our constitutional rights, even if the goal behind a law is laudable." 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

[www.youtube.com]

Quote
Racer X

Quote
JoeM

Quote
Racer X

Quote
JoeM
Still in NJ. ( bah dah boom!)

But seriously, I’ve backed off my mask a little but am back to wearing it again indoors and expect I’ll be going back to it as before as our numbers here seem to be starting to rise again. 30 new cases in town and one new death this week. I’m trying to figure out when to get my second booster - now, soon or wait till the fall or numbers happen to really go up.

Do it after 5-6 months. I am looking at a 3rd booster in July. Underlying respiratory issues.

Thanks, that would make it April or May then. I just got a text yesterday from my primary care doc letting me know I can get the booster in their office now.

I was just reading minutes ago about people getting their second booster about now, and it was suggested that a 3rd in the fall isn't unlikely.

Good to know. I imagine that they’ll be developing a yearly shot, probably combined with the flu vaccine if reports I’ve read come to pass.

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JoeM