Vent post. Proper.
I'm really tired of the Party-Like-It's-2019 mentality.
OK, I know we need to get on with our lives; I'm all for it, in fact. The world has changed a little, however. I get nobody likes wearing masks, and truthfully, I know some 2-3 layers of jersey cotton isn't gonna really stop a virus from spreading.
At the same time, some measure of social distancing and
proper mask wearing also seems to pay off. It keeps us mindful, aware... perhaps to the point of a relatively decent level of personal safety, which I measure as being not-likely to get sick even passing through a crowded grocery store.
For me, this has worked just fine. I worked during most of the first year of Covid in a service-industry job, and I've successfully navigated the world since with just a little common sense and my 3-layer anti-microbial cotton masks.
Starting around Thanksgiving last year, some family had a near-common holiday event where their Tribe (local members of a Burning Man community) got together for a 3-day camp out on the property where they (the family) live. Everybody was supposed to be testing. It was thought out and a largely agreed upon approach.
Which failed.
Every body caught
The Vid.
The Lady and I do not participate in these events. We have, at times been known to poke around briefly, say hi to folk we know, etc. But not this time. However, her Parents were there at the main house. They were not participating in the party as the campsite is out in the woods a bit, but on the last day, every one came back in and was hanging around outside the house.
My role and involvement was picking up the in-laws to drive to The City for their flight the next day.
We didn't get notified until a day or two later that everybody from the party was popping positive.
Fortunately, neither I nor the in-laws were exposed.
So far this past few months, I know too many people that are getting sick. In fact, our local Fam from that Thanksgiving Party caught it again almost 6 mos to the day after the first round.
The In-Laws came back for some medical care and they caught it during their travel here from Mexico (where they retired to). Some other family on The Lady's side came to vist, also... Yup, them too: sick!
The Lady decided we had to still have a get-together with the whole group. Masks... pre-plated food, distancing. I said no, but got overruled.
It was fine... nobody else got sick, but it is still the principle of this whole situation.
Yesterday, The Lady had lunch (for the second time) with a friend of hers who had moved to the MidWest. She came back to visit her community out here (another Burning Man Tribe). After their lunch, The Lady comes back home, we are going about our days work, perhaps an hour had passed and she gets a text:
Her friend popped Positive for Covy.
For me, I'm vaccinated and boosted. The Lady is not. As a service industry guy, it was important to have the protection. She is more interested in NovaVax which just got approved, finally, but likely won't be available for a little bit still.
Regardless, we now have to play the Isolate-Game. She can test as early as tomorrow, though Thursday would likely yield a more accurate response. Even then, she still should play it safe through Friday to make certain. I, too, need to wait and see what happens to her as my fate will likely be tied to her outcome.
All of this because pretty much every person I know is done with masking and keeping some measure of safe distance between themselves and other people. Folk are traveling again and not wearing masks. It's party night at the Bar every night. Here in CA, the latest news from last week had our positivity rate nearing record high during the whole of the Pandemic thus far.
And...
It's a party... Party like it's 2019.