Spreads so easily......

[harllee]

To stay safe you have to assume everyone has it. If you make that assumption you will distance.

But what if, like me, you have a tooth abscess and have to have an emergency root canal? No way to social distance or wear a mask at the dentist. I just had to pray I would not catch the virus (and I didn't, thank heavens)

 

[tmm99]

"I wear a mask all the time."

- "Do you wear it over your mouth and nose?"

"Oh, I just wear it over my mouth but not my nose. I feel like I can't breathe when I cover my nose."

- "So you have it over your mouth only?"

"Well, I take the mask down to my chin when I talk, so people can hear me. But I swear, I wear my mask all the time!"

 

[CardsFan]

But what if, like me, you have a tooth abscess and have to have an emergency root canal? No way to social distance or wear a mask at the dentist. I just had to pray I would not catch the virus (and I didn't, thank heavens)

Or the 3 times like me to get melanoma removed. Should I wait? Could be OK? Or not.

Gotta take the chances.

BTW, the office I go to is REALLY good about masks, etc.

 

[tmm99]

I was in Kohl's last week.
And for some reason there was a slowup at the cash register.
We tried waiting a bit to the side hoping that the one line would dwindle in number, but more people got in line.
We walked out.
Being withing a shopping cart of someone makes me nervous.

.

The grocery store that's closest to our house that I used to go to all the time always has a long queue even when the store isn't busy. I avoid the store as I don't want to stand there in one spot with a bunch of people around me. All they have to do is to add more cashiers but they won't.

 

[Montecfo]

But what if, like me, you have a tooth abscess and have to have an emergency root canal? No way to social distance or wear a mask at the dentist. I just had to pray I would not catch the virus (and I didn't, thank heavens)

I think with medical conditions you weigh competing risks.

 

[harllee]

Most of us on this Forum are very lucky--we don't have to go out in public every day. But many people still have to go to a job in public --like my two family members who are school teachers for a district that has gone back to in person classes. My nephew and his wife both caught Covid and they believe they got it teaching at school. If they had better masks maybe they would not have gotten so sick.

 

[Freedom56]

But what if, like me, you have a tooth abscess and have to have an emergency root canal? No way to social distance or wear a mask at the dentist. I just had to pray I would not catch the virus (and I didn't, thank heavens)

I was in your situation on Tuesday this past week. They had to re-treat a root canal treatment that was performed 35 years ago. I was screened for symptoms at two check points before entering the clinic. I could only remove my mask when I was seated in the chair. I had to rinse with hydrogen peroxide for sixty seconds. The assistant had two face masks on plus a face shied. The endodontist wore two masks had limited discussion. The procedure went well and I don't have any symptoms so far. The clinic staff do take the infection protocols seriously. I didn't see anyone wearing chin diapers in the clinic or in the building. The N95 mask protected me from my car to the clinic where there were many without masks and many wearing chin diapers.

 

[GenXguy]

In recent months, I've been wearing a Vogmask, which as a good filter sewn into the mask and seals pretty well, and it also has the elastic strap that you can adjust how tightly it pulls back on the mask with no pressure on your ears. When adjusted more tightly, it seals better. But, the mask is not as easy to breathe through as a typical lightweight single OR double layer cloth mask simply looped around the ears.

Now that I'm about to get my second dose of vaccine, I've been thinking that I should start wearing a cheaper cloth mask that is easier to breathe through since I'll be mostly protected and would like less restriction to my breathing while still protecting others on the off chance I still get infected. And just as I have thought about making this change, experts are telling people they should wear two masks now (or a better quality multiple-layer mask).

 

[Koolau]

I stopped giving blood right now because of too many people coming in being nose-exposers and chin-strappers. Staff weren't any better.

I keep getting desperate texts and messages to donate. I need to call back and explain they need a plan for everyone to be (K)N95'd, staff and donors alike. It is part of the medical establishment and they should have some priority to get them.

Whoa! Really? Our blood centers are very conscientious. They book so as to keep folks properly distanced. They require proper wearing of masks and they do monitor temps and ask all the right questions. I'm saddened to hear of lax enforcement in your area. I agree that you should call and express your concerns. It's to everyone's advantage. Good luck and thanks for caring.

 

[Kwirk]

N95 masks (worn properly) are good but don't forget your eye protection.

 

[garyt]

I'm going to disagree here. It's OK, we can still be friends.

The N95s are stiff and cup shaped. If you expose the nose, you are kind of looking at the cup, and it wants to dig into your lip. It is not comfortable. If you try to wear it as a chin diaper, it digs into your adam's apple (at least for a guy). Not comfortable.

This stiffness is also the downside and where all the professional fitting lessons come into play. Once on the face, you have to properly shape it over the bridge of your nose. This is all in the instructions that come with every certified N95.

I get it. I wore one 8 hours a day before I retired for about 6 months due to construction. I still feel people who seek those out are serious mask wearers and if they had to use a lesser model they'd be likely to wear those correctly too. The people who are wearing masks on their chin or nose exposed are obviously only wearing them because they're mandated. They wouldn't be wearing a mask at all if they didn't have to. They wouldn't search out an N95.

 

[retire-early]

The grocery store that's closest to our house that I used to go to all the time always has a long queue even when the store isn't busy. I avoid the store as I don't want to stand there in one spot with a bunch of people around me. All they have to do is to add more cashiers but they won't.

It is Kohl's method to funnel everyone in one line.
Normally it is fine.
That day there was three registers open, but for some reason they weren't moving. I think it may have something to do with that it was the first
day of Kohl's 30% off if you use their credit card to pay.

.

 

[JoeWras]

Whoa! Really? Our blood centers are very conscientious. They book so as to keep folks properly distanced. They require proper wearing of masks and they do monitor temps and ask all the right questions. I'm saddened to hear of lax enforcement in your area. I agree that you should call and express your concerns. It's to everyone's advantage. Good luck and thanks for caring.

Oh we get the questions and temperature stuff. Temperature has always been procedure. It's just all the glitches I see. And then the unmasked snack area. Look, when you give platelets, it is a 2 Hour exposure. I'm not going to be comfortable until they tighten it up.

 

[Gumby]

Oh we get the questions and temperature stuff. Temperature has always been procedure. It's just all the glitches I see. And then the unmasked snack area. Look, when you give platelets, it is a 2 Hour exposure. I'm not going to be comfortable until they tighten it up.

Today, I told the nice lady from the Red Cross that I would not be donating again until I get vaccinated. I am a regular donor (70+ pints so far), but I don't think spending an hour in a typically poorly ventilated room with other people is a smart thing to do right now.

 

[JoeWras]

Today, I told the nice lady from the Red Cross that I would not be donating again until I get vaccinated. I am a regular donor (70+ pints so far), but I don't think spending an hour in a typically poorly ventilated room with other people is a smart thing to do right now.

Amen.

 

[Popeye]

But what if, like me, you have a tooth abscess and have to have an emergency root canal? No way to social distance or wear a mask at the dentist. I just had to pray I would not catch the virus (and I didn't, thank heavens)

No emergency for me, but an old crown is coming loose. I can move it with my tongue. I keep watching the case loads in my state and county which are falling. I’m hoping it stays put long enough for the curves to drop back down some more. I googled temporary crown cement tonight lol! Might just be a DIY job for a few weeks.

 

[Ronstar]

I told DW several times to quit her exercise class. She didn't see a reason to quit. Her comment - "But it's only 6 of us and we stay 10' apart". She quit during the holidays but she is now back to Mon, Wed, Fri at her class.

Exercise instructor texted last Thurs that her husband tested positive for Covid, so she was going for testing along with 2 daughters.

She canceled exercise class Fri, but later texted that her and the 2 girls were negative.

Interesting to see what tomorrow brings. My guess is that class is back on and DW goes.

 

[braumeister]

No emergency for me, but an old crown is coming loose. I can move it with my tongue. I keep watching the case loads in my state and county which are falling. I’m hoping it stays put long enough for the curves to drop back down some more. I googled temporary crown cement tonight lol! Might just be a DIY job for a few weeks.

My dentist told me many years ago to always take a small tube of denture adhesive (Fixodent, Poligrip, etc.) on vacation just in case a crown comes loose. I had to actually use it once and it worked surprisingly well until I got back home for a real repair.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Ref donating blood and platelets I agree that my location is nto doing a great job. Unmask in the lobby for tongue temperature (because guns dont exist??) laborious paperwork. Lock you in a tiny room with an employee to do extensive hisotry. Then put your in a chair touchign distance to the next person donation. SO all those chairs and employees. And then unmask to snack. Took like 90 minutes to donate a bag. Never again during a pandemic. i see why blood supplies are low

 

[garyt]

I told DW several times to quit her exercise class. She didn't see a reason to quit. Her comment - "But it's only 6 of us and we stay 10' apart". She quit during the holidays but she is now back to Mon, Wed, Fri at her class.

Exercise instructor texted last Thurs that her husband tested positive for Covid, so she was going for testing along with 2 daughters.

She canceled exercise class Fri, but later texted that her and the 2 girls were negative.

Interesting to see what tomorrow brings. My guess is that class is back on and DW goes.

One negative test is not enough. I tested negative 3 times before testing positive. If I were your wife I'd wait at least a week before going back.

 

[braumeister]

How could anyone possibly expect the spouse of an infected person to remain uninfected?

 

[REWahoo]

How could anyone possibly expect the spouse of an infected person to remain uninfected?

It is possible.

DD#2 and her two teenage children stayed in the same house with our Covid positive son-in-law for 10 days and never became infected. Yes, they were never in the same room together during this time. The kids were tested twice and DD#2 had three separate tests over a two week period - all negative.

 

[braumeister]

OK, it's possible, but I still think it shouldn't be expected.

 

[Librarian]

It IS hard to understand!

How could anyone possibly expect the spouse of an infected person to remain uninfected?

But I know QUITE a few people who their spouse got it but they did not. All but one have never contracted COVID since either.

There are some theories that some people have better immune systems than others. My mother was an RN and DH & I are teachers. We all spent the weekend together, even in the same hotel room. Left him Sunday. He had symptoms beginning Monday, though waited until the following Sunday to be tested. If he truly had symptoms Monday HOW could we possibly not have contracted it from him??!! My mother says our years of building our immune systems in our careers probably helped. Who knows?

I will say, we have been SUPER careful since that close encounter. We all had negative tests prior to the trip--learned the false sense of security of that.

DH & I do not eat in restaurants at all (but we do take out to help our fav places). We work. That's it.

Travel is our love so this is tough--keep booking & rescheduling trips...UGH

 

[garyt]

How could anyone possibly expect the spouse of an infected person to remain uninfected?

It happened to us. I had the virus, tested negative 3 times so we weren't isolating at all from each other. Finally tested positive . My wife tested negative once and never went back. She has had the antibody test and no antibodies. It seems almost impossible but...