Covid Changed Our Neighborhood Dynamics...

[CardsFan]

If it says mask required on the front door I put on my mask shoved into my pocket. If it doesn't say mask required I leave the mask in my pocket. If it says mask required unless vacc'ed, I leave the mask in my pocket. Just read the sign on the door.

I still see people with masks on in their own cars, driving down the road alone.

Mask on mask off, day by day and which county or city you are in. Always carry a mask shoved into your pocket.

Pretty much the same here. I do what I need to, but no more.

A far as the neighborhood, things are pretty much back to normal. Most, if not all, are vaxxed, and we had resumed pool activities (now closed for the season). Group gatherings are happening inside and out. Had a fire pit gathering last night.

 

[RobbieB]

Last night we (wife, SIL & me) drove to Sacramento for dinner with my nephew and partner. Canon, really cool place, lot's of innovative food.

Mask required when not seated at table. Good thing I had my mask shoved in my pocket -

 

[EastWest Gal]

I follow CDC guidelines. Mask indoors or in crowds when transmission rate is substantial and above. So I didn’t use a mask in late June. I do now. Transmission rate has been high for awhile. Another criteria is a positivity rate of >5%. We were briefly down to 1% in PA. Now it is 10%. And locally our county has jumped from 10 to 15% in one week. I haven’t been to the gym in weeks.

 

[EastWest Gal]

No masks, no worries. Everyone in our neighborhood knows that life is a risk and living in continuous fear of a disease with a 99+% survival rate is not a way to experience it. Just returned from a neighborhood party and had a great time.

Your number is inaccurate. Survival rate is 97-99%, lower in the higher ages. Much lower if you are immunosuppressed. And survival is not the whole story. Covid survivors often have kidney, heart, and lung damage, which are likely to be permanent. Some develop insulin dependent diabetes as a result of Covid Vaccination substantially reduces the risks of a bad outcome.

The difference between your number and the CDC’s number is about one percent. One percent of roughly 40 million people is 400,000 people.

We wear seatbelts when we are in a car. No big deal. We wear masks when we can when indoors. No big deal.

Our neighborhood overall has become less social, but is slowly opening up after vaccination.

 

[braumeister]

If it says mask required on the front door I put on my mask shoved into my pocket. If it doesn't say mask required I leave the mask in my pocket. If it says mask required unless vacc'ed, I leave the mask in my pocket. Just read the sign on the door.

Exactly what we (and almost all our friends) have done since being vaccinated.

But yeah, I'm still amazed at how many people I still see driving alone (or walking outdoors with nobody around) with a mask on. It's clear that some folks just don't understand, as can be seen by all who wear a mask just covering their mouth, not their nose.

 

[Dtail]

If it says mask required on the front door I put on my mask shoved into my pocket. If it doesn't say mask required I leave the mask in my pocket. If it says mask required unless vacc'ed, I leave the mask in my pocket. Just read the sign on the door.

I still see people with masks on in their own cars, driving down the road alone.

Mask on mask off, day by day and which county or city you are in. Always carry a mask shoved into your pocket.

Except I would guess that many folks who don't wear a mask indoors, are not getting vaccinated either.
So that type of sign, I am not sure really works.

 

[Badger]

Except I would guess that many folks who don't wear a mask indoors, are not getting vaccinated either.
So that type of sign, I am not sure really works.

+1 If they are not concerned enough to get vaccinated when they are able then I don't see them paying attention to a sign to wear a mask. Who is going to question them, ask for proof of vaccination, and prevent them from entering the store/restaurant/bar/etc.



Cheers!

 

[ivinsfan]

Except I would guess that many folks who don't wear a mask indoors, are not getting vaccinated either.
So that type of sign, I am not sure really works.

And you say this why? In my case you'd be wrong. I'm like Robbie and go by the store and circumstances.

 

[Scuba]

+1 If they are not concerned enough to get vaccinated when they are able then I don't see them paying attention to a sign to wear a mask. Who is going to question them, ask for proof of vaccination, and prevent them from entering the store/restaurant/bar/etc.



Cheers!

Well, where I live, you can’t enter an indoor restaurant or bar or gym without showing proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within the last 72 hours. Venue staff has to ask for the proof.

 

[Markola]

Also, well-intentioned people do forget, so we have to allow for that. I have forgotten to put it on and take it off myself. And the patchwork of rules is confusing. And then there is a certain large “news” channel that puts out press releases bragging about how 90%+ of their employees are now vaccinated, while spreading vaccine and mask misinformation to their viewers in their opinion shows. No wonder the ICUs are filled again.

 

[pacergal]

Our neighborhood actually started being more sociable, more folks out walking dogs and prior to the start of in person learning this year, out playing with kids, actually interacting with neighbors! sometimes sitting in driveways, visiting.
I met more folks than ever. All safely distanced, and masked if not.
Friendly, no matter what.

 

[ModestNestEgg]

My neighborhood has never been particularly sociable. It's in a smaller town that you would think would be more sociable, but it isn't. I am sociable with a few people but I guess I am not with more because I don't feel like I totally fit into the area, and people are more standoffish than other places I have lived. That is both one of the best and one of the worst things about living here (good that they aren't too far up in everybody's business but bad because they don't seem particularly friendly).

But as far as Covid? I don't think it has really changed it much, and I think people in my immediate area have been too far on the laissez faire side of taking even minimal precautions so that could have something to do with it.

 

[Freedom56]

If I go to a party where I need to "show papers" to get in, it sounds like a party/group of people I want to avoid.

The first party (back in May) had over 60 people attending plus catering staff, DJ, and live band. The hosts were acting responsibly. The subsequent gatherings followed the lead of the first big gathering and limited invitations to those that were vaccinated.

 

[Dtail]

And you say this why? In my case you'd be wrong. I'm like Robbie and go by the store and circumstances.

Using a large sample of folks that I know and their store behavior along with knowing they aren't vaccinated.

 

[retire-early]

But yeah, I'm still amazed at how many people I still see driving alone (or walking outdoors with nobody around) with a mask on.

If I have a mask on while driving alone or otherwise, it is because I wear the N95 masks with the over the head loops.
Instead of taking them on and off between indoor places where I will be, I leave the mask on.
It is less of a hassle.

.

 

[audreyh1]

But yeah, I'm still amazed at how many people I still see driving alone (or walking outdoors with nobody around) with a mask on. It's clear that some folks just don't understand, as can be seen by all who wear a mask just covering their mouth, not their nose.

If I am driving between multiple stores I often leave my mask on because I don’t likely handling it frequently. Once heading home I take it off.

 

[mpeirce]

The only folks I know who aren’t vaccinated have natural immunity after recovering from Covid.

 

[Gremlin]

If I am driving between multiple stores I often leave my mask on because I don’t likely handling it frequently. Once heading home I take it off.

Thank you! If I have a mask on alone in the car it’s because I wear one at work for 10 hours straight in a hospital, dealing with sick patients, and often forget I have one on. It is NOT because I’m ignorant of how COVID spreads.

 

[RobbieB]

I leave mine stuffed in my pocket at all times I'm not wearing it. When I arrive I read the sign on the door and behave as instructed. Once outside I stuff the mask back into my pocket.

It's a double layer 50-50 cotton/poly T-shirt material mask and scrunches easily. Easy to install and remove too. I hate these things.

 

[tmm99]

My mask is K95, but I use a loop extension that goes over my ponytail and then I put a baseball cap on, so it's a pain to take my mask off. So I don't take it off unless I'm done with all my shopping, or if the next store is far. My DH simply forgets to take his mask off at times.

So those who are amazed or amused by people who are wearing their masks in their cars while driving alone, I would like to say that they are wearing their masks not because they think they could catch COVID while driving alone with no mask on.

In my region, masks are still required indoors, so everyone has to wear a mask. I did see one frail old man wearing a mask in a grocery store, but I could see his mouth through his mask and realized that he had cut out layers from a 3-ply surgical mask and all that was left on his mask was the outer blue layer...

 

[unclemick]

Weird. Indoor stuff and social goups that met indoors largely modified/masked and not back to normal. But over the summer and early fall the neighborhood did a lot of outdoor social distanced parties/takeout/etc. Inter acted more than usual years.

Note because of location we have a significant turnover of med students, resident docs, nurses, techs, etc. So some new faces every year.

Heh heh heh - Boostered so DW has travel plans to escape the coming winter.

 

[JDARNELL]

I haven’t worn a mask in the last 3 months other than a domestic flight. I couldn’t even tell you where my mask is at. My neighborhood has less than 50 homes and most folks are older. I see them out walking going about their business. At our annual HOA meeting probably 35 people showed up. No one with masks.

Probably the place where I see masks the most is at the grocery store. Workers are required to wear them and elderly people tend to have them
On. I don’t see people getting upset either way.

I live close to a tourist area and occasionally visit. It is an interesting mix there. You can tell the people who are visiting from an area with strict mask mandates and they are a little taken back at first. Sometimes you can see the wheels turning. I would think the majority of people don’t put near as much thought and research into the topic as the group here. Everyone seems to be having a great time when they are here.

 

[Winemaker]

I haven’t worn a mask in the last 3 months other than a domestic flight. I couldn’t even tell you where my mask is at. My neighborhood has less than 50 homes and most folks are older. I see them out walking going about their business. At our annual HOA meeting probably 35 people showed up. No one with masks.

Probably the place where I see masks the most is at the grocery store. Workers are required to wear them and elderly people tend to have them
On. I don’t see people getting upset either way.

I live close to a tourist area and occasionally visit. It is an interesting mix there. You can tell the people who are visiting from an area with strict mask mandates and they are a little taken back at first. Sometimes you can see the wheels turning. I would think the majority of people don’t put near as much thought and research into the topic as the group here. Everyone seems to be having a great time when they are here.

In my town, this is my experience, as well. I know where my face covering is though, it has been a neck garter/head wrap. I interchange with about 4 of them.

 

[Andre1969]

I tend to mask up if I know I'm going to be around a lot of people. But, I also make it a point to stay away from large crowds as much as possible. I know a few people who have caught COVID, even after being vaccinated. And, one of my friends got it twice.

He got it the first time back when the outbreak started happening, around March/April of 2020. He said it wasn't that bad, just felt like the flu. He was vaccinated in early 2021. But then, in early August, he got it again, and this time it was so bad he had to go into the hospital. And, he said he's had a lingering after-effect...some kind of nervous tic. About the best way he describes it is Tourette's but without the cussing. I saw it happen to him, once. It was when he was going outside, from a fairly dark room, into bright sunlight, he had to stop suddenly, and gather his composure. At first I thought it was just his eyes adjusting to the light, but he just stood there, doing a few little quick, subtle convulsions, and then it was like he snapped out of it. And after that, he explained it to me.

He didn't have that before COVID: Part Deux, but he does now.

 

[Chuckanut]

In my area the vast majority wear masks inside stores and at other indoor activities other than eating and drinking. Often I will see people wearing masks walking through the neighborhood when there isn't another person within 50 feet. Their choice, and after all, I don't know what their medical situation is. Most of my neighbors are vaccinated, except for those under 12 so other than not spending a great deal of time with them inside, things are pretty normal. Overall things are more like normal, but not yet fully pre-covid normal .

I moved up my date for my booster shot and that is now done. Next up is the flu shot in late October. Flu season in my area is November through March. I think I am doing about as much as I can to keep me and mine safe for the next 6-8 months at least.