I am a bit panicked. My middle schooler just went to hybrid learning a few weeks ago. I rather liked the 2 days a week of him going and the 2 days home. The high school was still completely remote. The governor just announced that all schools will be required to go back full time April 5th. The schools are all scrambling to figure out how to accomplish this. The high school is a charter school and is a bit far away. We used to have carpooling for it but that's a no with covid still so transportation is going to be a headache to figure out. The original intent was for the 17 year old to be able to drive himself but he was not able to get a license since they are not doing road tests. My head hurts just contemplating all of it.

It seems like some things are just moving too fast considering only 10% of the population is vaccinated. I will get my first vaccine tomorrow and am not terribly worried about myself or my family getting sick. I am more worried about the logistics of everything.

I think it has made me contemplate and plan for retirement. I don't want to go back to 1000% mode, either. I don't want to fly to Vegas every week. I do not want a certain location my job makes me go to reopen. I'm liking this version. I didn't think I'd ever be in this place. I don't know if it has increased my inclination toward depression? It has been so nice to introvert for a year. I'm generally much more extroverted.

But, my father died from Covid so I'm also so unbearably angry at the timing of, yet thankful for, the vaccine. This past year just brings a lot to unpack.

It feels strange to think of life going back to the way it was and it feels strange to have apprehension about that happening. When I was getting my 1st vaccine, it was a crowded, busy afternoon. I looked at my DH and said there are too many people here, I'm feeling very uncomfortable. I made it a practice of going out when the stores would be less crowded. Also, I realize you cannot live in fear of a Covid variant or another virus like this. But have we been told everything? Sometimes you just wonder 🤔

Aww, Jterri, I am sure you are not!

I just had to rush renewal of my passport for our supposed Bonaire trip. I enlisted my DDs, the selfie queens. I like my pic! Then again I also like my DL and my work ID pics. People say I am photogenic, which I always take to mean "huh... your picture looks better than you do."

FWIW, I just got word that my employer is offering vaccines to those of us 50+, and now I feel a little nervous about doing it.

Adverse reaction is a possibility, tho slim I know, but I think another factor is I'm also concerned they may want me to go back in again and I don't feel at all safe about that yet.

Carol, is it one and done or one of the other vaccines. Ours are 4 weeks apart, and then 2 weeks of waiting after that. So you get 6 weeks to acclimate, LOL.

Our state is vaxing anyone 55+ as of March 1.

It's the 2 dose shot, but I did not see which one on the website. I go on Monday.

This isn’t even on my radar. By the time my family and I get vaccinated, everyone else will be living their best lives. We are at the very bottom of the totem pole when it comes to eligibility. We may not even be able to attend our oldest’s college graduation across the country in May. That is the *only* thing I care about right now. It is very difficult to be on social media right now where virtually everyone I know has either had their first dose or has an appointment for one.

My ”post-Covid” world won’t look much different. Dh won’t be going back to the office nor will he be travelling internationally any time soon so he will still be home. By the time we are vaccinated, it will be summer so my kids won’t be going back to school. My youngest daughter will be driving by the end of summer so no more carpools to school. I guess things will be different, but we wouldn’t be returning to our pre-Covid life anyway. We will only have one kid left at home so things had already been winding down/changing as a result of my teenagers growing up and leaving.

Sorry, 4kids. I bet it will change; things seem to be accelerating. If not, vote those bums out, please?! I can imagine how important graduation would be!

I didn’t address in my last comment, but I’m pretty much an introvert. Other people sap my energy. And I hate to shop. I am really going to miss being able to stay in my cocoon. I not longer have an excuse. However, I am tickled pink that my cookbook club is going to resume our monthly luncheons in April!!! Ambivalent? Who me?

I heard a commentator say on the radio today, that it isn't going to be a sudden light switch moment for our country as we eye a future of vaccinated residents. More like a dimmer switch.

Loved that analogy.

Two weeks after I got my second shot, I went to the post office. It's the first time in nearly a year that I've been inside a business, other than doctor visits. It felt great!

I've been retired for some time, but when I was working, I did a lot of stuff remotely, so doing volunteer work remotely was no big change for me. However, I do miss hugging grandkids and celebrating milestone birthdays.

I had a chance to get the Pfizer vaccine tomorrow, but I cancelled and have opted to wait for the J & J- for the one and done. Being in a State that didn't completely shut down the whole year, only the first few months did we stay home. I am looking forward for things to get back to normal, as in not having to make appts to get in some places for our business, where we used to just walk right in, and not seeing big X's on chairs where you have to social distance, and masks, of course. How freeing that time will be to don those dang masks! Right now, it's June 1st for us.

I've been knowingly exposed to Covid twice. On both occasions, I didn't get sick and tested negative. Most recently, my college son's roommate tested positive, and I brought my son home to quarantine so he wasn't isolated at school. He's had a tough time during this pandemic. He and I both took tests... he was positive, and I was negative, and we quarantined per the guidelines. After I brought him back to school, I tested again and, again, was negative. I'm so grateful that I could support my son during this difficult time.

For those who haven't hugged their family members in the past year, I'm so sorry and hope you get the chance to do so soon. I've been lucky, but I'm sure as he!! not using it to downgrade the impact this virus has had on others. There but for the grace of... if you know the rest, you know the rest.

I will get vaccinated when I'm qualified. And then, I suppose I'll have to start wearing a bra and lipstick again. I also live in the Chicago area, and I've really become accustomed to easy traffic. It's improved my time management because I've not been able to use "traffic" as an excuse for being late during the pandemic.

I'm with Annie's "You mean I'm going to have to get dressed again?" My day to day outfits of jeans and a T shirt hasn't changed in this past year but I've been wearing sports bras which are OK if you're not really going anywhere. When we officially start dressing to go out I'm going to have to start wearing my real bras - and I definitely need to buy some new ones which is my least favorite thing to buy.

We don't have many social obligations that I would classify as a true obligation. DH put in long work hours and we managed to keep our free time more or less reserved for family and dear friends. It was more hectic when the kids were young and we had the endless round of school and sport activities but that diminished as they went off to college.

This has been a very quiet year but we still had our adult kids over and chatted with our neighbors. This is a small over 55 community and most of the neighbors have been cautious and our area in general has been very compliant with the safety recommendations. I walk most days with my mask-wearing girlfriends and when the last one gets vaccinated and the weather warms up we plan on getting together for lunch to celebrate. It will also be easier to travel to visit our family and friends who live on the other side of the state and I'm looking forward to going to the gym to use the pool too.

Mtn, I think you can still extend things a bit, should you choose. Just because you are fully vaccinated and gone through the waiting period, you still need to proceed with caution.

So.....IMHO you can still pick and choose what you want to engage in under the excuse of Covid.

4kids, I feel for the teens and young adults who are missing all the milestone events.

I think we all feel similar in that we are in a strange zone and heading to what we don't know. We got our last shot ten days ago and, one day after getting it, I had a nasty reaction. I was sipping coffee I had just brewed when, all of a sudden, my face felt like it was on fire so much so that I ran in the shower and put cold water on my body and face. My arms were on fire too. I, then, ran to get my phone and call urgent care which is nearby. I took pics of my face and ears were a deep red and showed it to them and said you have to go to the hospital. As I was getting ready I was looking for Benedryl and had none. Got online and one was over in a jig with Benedryl. I took two and waited and she said it's fading a bit so I stayed home as she's a nurse and I had no problem with my throat but had lost all my energy so I stayed in bed mostly. The headache left yesterday. I'm better now, looking forward to seeing all my friends and family who have had the two shots. I feel so much more relaxed now that we are close to the safe zone.

Oh goodness, Yaya, what a scare. We should all keep Benadryl on hand i guess. Interesting to know you had no reaction to shot 1? Hope you are all better.

Yaya, thank you for sharing your side affect. I think the more we know, the more prepared we can be. I am so glad you are doing better and are fully vaccinated.

I got my first Moderna on February 26. I had a bit of a sore arm and that was it....until 9 days later when a rash appeared in the area of the injection. It has progressively gotten bigger during the past few days. My doctor told me they are seeing this more and more. She suggested I take a antihistamine a day before and morning of my second dose.

Also, although I have had both shingle vaccinations (I also had shingles 22 years ago), I was diagnosed with shingles on the opposite arm of the injection five days after I got my first dose. I went on an anti viral and basically had no pain and the one spot of rash is about gone (knocking wood as hard as I can.) The doctor is now thinking it was a side affect of the vaccination and not shingles.

I am looking forward to my second dose even with the side affects!

I lost a lot of people last year. Could not grieve with family members in person. So for me, the end of the pandemic means time for in-person visits and sharing of losses.

Going crazy right now trying to pick up a whole host of projects that have been on hold. I don't like that I won't have the pandemic as my excuse much longer . . . I have already given a lot of thought about how to pare down before the pandemic. I already wanted to cocoon, I loved my sabbatical but I can't afford to keep it up. I won't be able to retire for eight years, so I'm going to have to adjust to a hectic life again and not lovin' that at all.

The other day, I was out more than usual. I went to the floral/nursery shop and bought a couple new houseplants, then repotted them in the yard. Went for a walk. Had a few other errands. I can’t even remember what exactly, but I ended up being in and out for several hours. I was EXHAUSTED by dinner. I commented to a friend that many of us are going to have to work on our post-pandemic stamina. Just for “normal” days that were no big deal a year ago.

Things I can’t wait to do include hugging friends, having my dad over or taking him out to lunch or dinner, having normal holidays, and traveling. I think it’s going to take a while to feel comfortable in a crowded restaurant or mall. Or, say, a theater or concert indoors. I think psychologically it just may just feel at least odd, if not a bit scary, even after most people are vaccinated. I feel like we’re all going to have some degree of PTSD.

I found out today that I am able to visit my mother inside her apartment in assisted living next week. This will be my first time seeing the apartment as she moved there in June last year. It will be a nice change from yelling at her through a window open a few inches. We have close family friends we have not seen since Jan 2020. They are dear friends, but not at all careful about masks etc. Once we are all fully vaccinated we will plan a visit...they are about 2 hours away. My older son is especially close with them and he will be thrilled!

Our Gov has said that small gatherings if everyone in the group has been vaccinated will be OK. Yay!! Can't wait.

Once we're fully vaccinated, I hope to be able to eat out at restaurants again too. We never went often before, but it's one thing I've missed since this whole thing started.

Our AG is threatening to sue the city of Austin for wanting to keep the mask mandate in effect for now.

It’s mind-boggling.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/i-will-sue-you-texas-ag-ken-paxton-gives-city-of-austin-deadline-to-rescind-mask-mandate/

Jinx, you forgot to add “Our attorney general who is under indictment for fraud and is being investigated by the FBI.”

Good point, Jana. He’s just gross.

I used to go to El Arroyo a lot when I lived in Austin - I liked their outdoor seating.

I can imagine that people in Texas will not wear masks unless mandated, as Texans resent being told what to do in the first place. We'll see how this turns out. I expect there will be large crowds on South Padre Island this year for Spring Break, if that is still a thing this year.

I guess my sister in Austin will start going into her office soon, but at least she and her husband have been fully vaccinated. He's 15 years older than she is, and she's old than I am and therefore could retire but won't, and they got their vaccinations fairly early, partly because my BIL is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. My sister has been worried about him because he has a tendency to wander off these days, and he would not remember what precautions were necessary.

I've made a bunch of very fashionable masks that soon won't need to be worn. I made a couple for my sister for her last birthday as well.

After hearing that Independence Day (family parties) could be a reachable goal I felt much more hopeful. And a little excited.

(Sad that that thread was pulled. )

Me too! Something about 4th of July just conjured up wonderful summer evenings. In Maine, we can see the local fireworks in both directions from our oceanfront perch in our adirondack chairs around the firepit. We write a wish on a paper lantern, light it and watch it go.

I booked (another) vacation this morning. My Bonaire trip I moved till next spring because their double-testing protocol was too risky, and they don't care if you are vax, either.

We are going to Belize for 10 days in mid May, half of our time on the ocean and half time in the jungle. No testing if you are vaccinated, 96 hrs window for a rapid test if you are not. For our return, the hotel in Belize will test us!

Now I just have to hope the airline does not cancel the flights like they did for Bonaire. Twice.

Arggh.

Now I have to see if the rooms are still avail for the Christmas trip my DH wants to go on.

Are you opting for any of the tree house accommodations? Some of them are quite luxurious. DS and his GF were in Belize a few years ago and spent a few nights in a tree house. He loved it - except he couldn't get cell phone reception in the jungle and he had a few active cases that he needed to monitor.

Alas, no, Maire. I have heard of them. Since we had to move our trip from early April to mid May after the debacle with all the flight cancellations, we are going at an especially warm time of year. Also, many of the best areas for snorkelling have unpleasant beaches (seaweed, sea lice !, rocky sand, etc) and so you can't count on jumping in the ocean to cool down. For that reason, the kids really wanted a villa w a private pool. So that drove my search. Using that criteria, I came across a place in the jungle (an area I didn't even plan to go to) and that reshaped our trip so I could add it in. We are staying at the place that Francis Ford Coppola owns. He now has several properties, which I didn't know.

I have been to the Belizean jungle, years and years ago. A GF and i went to a "spa" there. It was hilarious.

Saw this today and it made me laugh:

hahahah... that rings a little too true for me.

Nothing a wax can't fix, LOL!

My family members have been heavily involved in Covid research and public health, so I’ve have had a front seat.

What worries me are the variants that are/may make vaccines less efficacious because of opening up indoor dining, gatherings or eliminating mask mandates prematurely.

I’m resigned that some people don’t accept scientific facts, or learn from others, but apparently some people need to p*** against the electric fence over and over again.

Apart from that (variants, needless deaths, anti vaccers, etc), I’ve pretty much reached the point where I frankly don’t care if people think it’s just the flu or are suspicious of Bill Gates, as long as boosters are being developed.

Oh, and I now don’t mind the high taxes and COL where I live because everyone wears their masks.

It’s too soon for studies for this but I am wondering—-could a vaccinated person, who then gets Covid, sustain long term side effects? I’ve been vaccinated but I still don’t want to get it!

Paris may face new Covid-19 lockdown as intensive care fills up - headline today

I may have spoken too soon. If it is happening there, odds are it will happen everywhere eventually. Cripes.

In Belize, just be aware of the Bot fly...

I was so surprised. Yesterday was the first time in almost a year I saw someone heading into the drug store without a mask. I was on my way to my car and saw him, looked him in the eye, pointed at my mask and he just looked at me and smiled and went on in. I hope the store got him a mask.

@mtnrdredux_gw sadly yes. Although I think we are right to be optimistic, I don't think we are out of the woods yet. I want to see what happens the next couple of months. They are predicting we could see a surge of covid cases after spring break(s). But you are right, if it picks up in other countries, chances are it will here. I do wonder about the vaccine situation in Paris though. Hopefully we are doing better with that than others.

“ Paris may face new Covid-19 lockdown as intensive care fills up - headline today”

...and Italy. Cripes is right, except I used another word when I saw the news.

I really wonder if vaccinated people are getting sick?

Keep in mind only a small percentage of our population has been fully vaccinated. More are coming onboard, but it's going to take some time, and there are a significant number of folks saying they have no plans to do so.

And yes, variants could be a game changer...

Per NPR: But even against the variants, the vaccines do prevent a lot of mild and moderate cases, the data gathered so far suggest, and are very effective, health officials say, against preventing severe cases, hospitalizations and deaths

My understanding is the vaccine rollout has been much slower in Europe than here. And Heaven knows we all find the rollout here too slow for our taste.

ETA Slow rollout, higher infection rates for Europe. UK, for example is doing better than Germany now.

Wow, Annie! Around us, that is shocking. Masks are no big deal; we will wear them until the official advice changes.

Those are the variants we have now, we don't know what future variants will be like.

For great info, though not perfectly reduced for a lay audience, Eric Topol's Twitter feed is a good source of info on variants, Covid recovery, global trends, etc.

From Wiki:

Eric Jeffrey Topol (born 1954) is an American cardiologist, scientist, and author. He is the founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute,[1] a professor of Molecular Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute, and a senior consultant at the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California. He is editor-in-chief of Medscape and theheart.org. He has published three bestseller books on the future of medicine.[2] The Creative Destruction of Medicine (2010), The Patient Will See You Now(2015), and Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again(2019). He was also commissioned by the UK 2018–2019 to lead planning for the National Health Service's future workforce, integrating genomics, digital medicine, and artificial intelligence.

In 2016, Topol was awarded a US$207 million grant from the National Institutes of Healthto lead a significant part of the Precision Medicine Initiative (All of Us Research Program), a one million American prospective research program.[3] This is in addition to his role as principal investigator for a US$35 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to promote innovation in medicine and the education and career training of future medical researchers.

https://twitter.com/EricTopol?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Keep in mind that there are some people who cannot wear a mask due to certain medical conditions. That is why I would never say anything to anyone. However, I know there are those who just won't wear them period.

I would love to hear that from a doctor, Tina.

@Zalco/bring back Sophie! that has been said all along??? ETA: Zalco, that really got me thinking. I know I have heard on news reports, etc. that certain people are exempt from face masks. But I hadn't really looked it up or seen anything in writing, so I googled. It sure is food for thought. I'm sure there are some who would say they were exempt just because they don't want to wear a mask. I don't have time to google further but I'm linking an article from California Office of Public Health. I have only heard one person say they cannot wear a mask for medical reasons. That person has some type respiratory problem. The info is on page two in the article. (One thing I did not think of was people with a mental disability. I can see where it would be frightening.) Again, food for thought. And just for the record, I am PRO MASK and wear one on the rare occasions I am out and about.

exempt from mask

I heard a doctor on TV (Gupta?) last summer/fall say the only people who couldn’t wear a mask would be people with severe facial burns. I think it was also mentioned that people with diminished mental capabilities might not be able to wear them successfully.

Family friend is a critical care pulmonologist at a university hospital—-on the front lines. She says masks do not inhibit breathing—-if they did, drs and nurses who wear them all day would be passing out and clearly they are not.

ETA: It’s very distressing to see people in stores, restaurants without masks. They might as well be wearing a sign that says “I don’t care if I give you Covid.” And I’m equally ticked by managers who don’t enforce it—-they’d kick me out immediately if I were barefoot.