Author Topic: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?  (Read 19459 times)

Shwaa

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Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« on: January 13, 2021, 07:11:46 PM »
I know there was a lot of ppl who avoided holiday gatherings with family, even family that was relatively local to them.  I am just curious if you are still holding out on seeing them? Or has the new year eased your views on spending time with them?

I haven't seen my family (only about an hour away from me) since September.  I feel badly but just not sure what to do, as I do go out for groceries, Dr appts etc.  My 75 year old mom is over there too and I would rather wait until she is vaccinated at least.

Just wondering how others are handling this currently...

Morning Glory

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2021, 07:18:54 PM »
I haven't seen my mom and stepdad since August, or any other out of state relatives. It's been rough. We did go to see my brother and SIL who live closer. They are both lower risk and all adults wore masks.  We opted out of hosting my other SILs brood for Christmas because it would have been a large gathering with too many exposure risks.

MudPuppy

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2021, 07:23:28 PM »
Still avoiding unless I can sit in the yard while they sit on their porch.

Zikoris

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2021, 07:47:49 PM »
I go with whatever other people are comfortable with, since for me personally, I don't really care if I get COVID one way or another. The vast majority of our circle haven't wanted to do things in person for the last couple of months, which is fine - we don't normally socialize a ton in the winter, regardless, because usually for us socializing is something we do outdoors, and it is shitty outside here right now.

So I suppose I haven't been avoiding people on purpose, it's just happened coincidentally.

Just Joe

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2021, 07:51:00 PM »
Still avoiding. We did Xmas gift drop offs in the family garages. Short and outdoors. Part of the family gathered as normal. No sickness among them but still we don't want the risk of giving or getting COVID.

3500+ deaths per day? Still taking COVID seriously.

Adventine

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2021, 07:52:54 PM »
Yes. I have several elderly and immunocompromised family members. The most face to face contact we've had are a couple of socially distanced drop offs to exchange Christmas gifts.

We keep in touch through the internet: chats, calls, food gifts "just because."

The way I see it, we're making the sacrifices now, so that we get the chance to see them in person for many more years in the future.

Metalcat

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2021, 07:54:04 PM »
Not sure what an arbitrary date on the calendar has to do with anything...


deborah

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2021, 08:05:16 PM »
I’m in Australia. We probably have more stringent regulations than you. But they’ve kept us relatively safe.

The state where I live has had no cases for about 190 days. Some of my family are in a hotspot (there have been about 70 cases in a city of over 4 million people), so I can’t see them at the moment and they’re in lockdown. Some of my family is in a state where there have been no cases for about 170 days. I’d need to fly to see them and quarantine for 14 days so I can’t see them either.

We live close to the border with another state and some of the places I shop at are a mile away, over the border. There’s been no cases there, but there have been some cases in the state (it’s bigger than Texas). I can go and shop there.

However, soon I need to see my parents who are in their 90s to sort out some problems they’ve got. There haven’t been any cases in their state for a few weeks, but I can’t get a border permit and visit them if I go shopping across the border. And when I do go to see them, I’ll need to wear a mask most of the time. I’ll also need to load down an app to my phone, so that every time I visit somewhere in that state, I can record that I’ve been there for contact tracing (this is the same in every state but there’s a different app in each state)

TheContinentalOp

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2021, 08:24:48 PM »
I already survived COVID. Spent three nights at my elderly parents' house over Xmas.

Pigeon

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2021, 08:29:05 PM »
The virus is spreading by leaps and bounds. Apparently it doesn’t care that it’s a new year. Yes, I am avoiding family and friends.

Sid Hoffman

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2021, 08:42:40 PM »
I saw some family around Christmas, but I've still been pretty minimal in contact, both in group size (just 2 parents on one side, 4 family members on the in-law side) and frequency, generally seeing my parents maybe once a week or less and my in-laws barely even once a month. My only child lives out of state and I likely won't see him until I've had the vaccine at a minimum, and I will hope that he gets the vaccine too but he's young and feels invincible so I've already accepted that most likely he won't bother, since he hates doctor visits anyway.

So short version - I've seriously reduced the number and frequency of family visits but not cut off family entirely.

kanga1622

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2021, 09:04:08 PM »
We saw MIL for about 10 minutes as she dropped off Christmas gifts for our kids in the garage. A few hours later we were notified that DH had been exposed (but not close contact) at work. I expect that will be the last time we see any family until all 4 of my immediate family have been vaccinated. And we didn’t even truly intend to see her, DH was taking out the dog when she stopped by.

I could never live with myself if we had taken this virus to one of the family members and they ended up sick or dead. So I will be as cautious as I possibly can until the vaccine distribution is such that the transmission rate is very low.

Taran Wanderer

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2021, 09:19:19 PM »
Yes. And this is how we avoided giving it to them when Covid burned through our house.

I also thought I didn’t care if I got it. After spending the past six days in a state of steady post-Covid mental fog and headache, and the previous 6 days in bed in physical agony, I sincerely wish I hadn’t gotten it.

Dicey

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2021, 09:50:41 PM »
I haven't seen any family members outside my immediate household since March. I live in CA, where the pandemic is raging. Why should I decide see them now? I really don't understand this question.

Sailor Sam

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2021, 10:02:02 PM »
Yes, I’m still avoiding my family. I’m an essential worker, and I’ve been out and about since March. I couldn’t live with the consequences of bringing COVID to my elderly dad and aunt. I don’t really get the question.

Adventine

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #15 on: January 13, 2021, 10:09:07 PM »
I haven't seen any family members outside my immediate household since March. I live in CA, where the pandemic is raging. Why should I decide see them now? I really don't understand this question.

It could be any number of reasons, like pandemic fatigue, missing family, boredom, guilt, frustration.

Unfortunately, the virus doesn't care that it's already 2021.

ixtap

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #16 on: January 13, 2021, 10:11:27 PM »
I am not avoiding family because of COVID. I am keeping family safe due to COVID. Plenty of family that I am avoiding because I can't stand the non stop non sense they insist on spouting regarding national politics and the particular evils of anyone and anything who is to the left of OANN.

You can tell the difference by how often I call to chat, even if I don't see either.

Dollar Slice

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2021, 10:29:13 PM »
This is the highest number of cases and deaths the US has had during the whole pandemic, plus the new more-contagious UK variant is starting to spread here, so I can't even imagine letting up on precautions now. My parents and I were seeing each other once a month or so (in a bubble where we didn't see anyone else) from June-Oct when numbers were pretty low here, but in November/December we only saw each other after isolating and testing negative. Now I think we will wait for vaccinations before seeing each other again. My parents are getting their first doses this week.

If I've learned anything in the past year, it's that I can't trust anyone on this planet to care enough to keep me safe except myself. People are selfish assholes. I have multiple high risk medical conditions plus multiple undiagnosed and potentially serious conditions that have cropped up recently, and I do not under any circumstances want COVID. This has not stopped numerous people from casually endangering me, because apparently a lot of people are fucking sociopaths who don't care if they spread a deadly disease.

Mrs. Healthywealth

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2021, 10:30:45 PM »
It was impossible not to see my family, and then we gave them Covid. We were lucky that we all survived, but we are all still recovering over a month later. If we could have avoided seeing them we would’ve, but we cohabitate.

Now is the best time to keep family members safe and avoid contact. Vaccines are being given out to elderly, so let’s get this done.

Tass

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2021, 10:50:11 PM »
I haven't seen any of my family members in over a year now. My youngest sibling is nine years old. It sucks. But the pandemic situation is worse than it was at Christmas, not better. Now is not the time to reverse course.

I just got my first vaccine dose today. I would consider flying to see them after I get the second, but I will likely wait for my partner and dad to get it as well.

Dicey

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #20 on: January 13, 2021, 11:09:57 PM »
It was impossible not to see my family, and then we gave them Covid. We were lucky that we all survived, but we are all still recovering over a month later. If we could have avoided seeing them we would’ve, but we cohabitate.

Now is the best time to keep family members safe and avoid contact. Vaccines are being given out to elderly, so let’s get this done.
In retrospect, do you think it was really impossible not to see your family?

Mr. Green

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #21 on: January 13, 2021, 11:22:57 PM »
With cases where they're at, you are statistically more likely to get COVID now than at any time before. And if you're unlucky enough to live in an area where hospitals are overwhelmed there is additional risk for a worse outcome there as well. We haven't seen family since the beginning of July and I don't see that changing any time soon.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #22 on: January 13, 2021, 11:52:40 PM »
Not anymore, but I didn't see family in person between mid June and late October.

Fortunately the Covid situation here has eased significantly.

seattlecyclone

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #23 on: January 14, 2021, 12:50:44 AM »
Yes of course I'm avoiding family outside my immediate household. Why would I pick the time that the virus prevalence is at its highest levels to hop on a plane to visit and potentially kill them? That seems rather dumb, to put it mildly.

Imma

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #24 on: January 14, 2021, 12:55:42 AM »
I still avoid family, but my family is meeting up without me all the time. They know what Covid can do, we've had a death in our family, but they feel like they can't go on not seeing each other. I don't get it.

shuffler

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #25 on: January 14, 2021, 02:53:39 AM »
Other than my spouse, I've seen no friends or family since March. I won't see anyone until both parties are vaccinated.

Cranky

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #26 on: January 14, 2021, 04:45:29 AM »
We are in the gradual process of merging our household with other family members in another state.

We spent a month over the holidays at the “new house” together (we moved a first round of stuff up there.)

We all stayed home pretty strictly for 10 days ahead of time. 3 of the adults had Covid tests. We made the 9 hour drive with only 1 stop. While there, we went to the grocery store once/week.

I guess there was some level of increased risk involved, but it seemed very minor.

Dh and I are the people at risk if we get it, and we felt comfortable doing this.

OTOH, I haven’t seen my dd who lives locally since the beginning of December, but she got her first dose of vaccine last week.

Fomerly known as something

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #27 on: January 14, 2021, 05:18:37 AM »
I have regularly seen my parents since the beginning even though I’m an essential worker.  I leave the decision up to them and they are comfortable with it. We basically are a pod but all of us do go outside the home for either work or volunteering, my parents spend 2 mornings a week working at local food banks.  All of us follow social distancing rules and wear masks when doing these activities.  We all, as of yesterday morning, have received our first dose of the vaccine.

I’ve been quarantined by work for 14 days due to exposure, that is the only time I didn’t specifically see them so far.  I also get tested on a semi regular basis.  (Work has criteria based on various factors but not time).  It’s been 6 days since my last negative test, there was a week in October when I was tested 3 times.

On the other hand, my sister lives out of state and we have not seen her or my BIL since the beginning.

ETA:  I have tons of extended family in the area, I’ve not seen them since the beginning and no big family get together which usually are a semi regular event.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2021, 05:20:12 AM by Fomerly known as something »

jrhampt

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #28 on: January 14, 2021, 05:46:24 AM »
Yes.  I have seen no out of state relatives for over a year.  In state relatives are 80+ years old, so we have seen them only outdoors, masked, for brief periods of time roughly once a week during the past year.  One is on his way to being fully vaccinated so that may change things.

jehovasfitness23

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #29 on: January 14, 2021, 05:55:42 AM »
Yes. There have been a handful of times where they will come over mask on entire time with windows open but that is rare and usually 1-3 people that don't live in the house.

To note, the handful of times have been since March.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2021, 06:00:19 AM by jehovasfitness23 »

jehovasfitness23

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #30 on: January 14, 2021, 05:58:52 AM »
I haven't seen any of my family members in over a year now. My youngest sibling is nine years old. It sucks. But the pandemic situation is worse than it was at Christmas, not better. Now is not the time to reverse course.

I just got my first vaccine dose today. I would consider flying to see them after I get the second, but I will likely wait for my partner and dad to get it as well.

Aren't we still unsure if those with the vax can still spread it?

chemistk

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #31 on: January 14, 2021, 05:59:05 AM »
To the OP - generally you aren't going to get people on here to admit to being nonchalant about the virus, so most responses you'll end up seeing will be some flavor of "absolutely not" to "we do, but with x,y,or z precaution". Of course, that's not going to be inclusive of all responses, but there's going to be a bit of an echo chamber.

Me? We see my in-laws regularly. Covid burned through their house a couple months ago, and while they're generally skeptical/blasé about the seriousness of the pandemic they were kind enough to inform us well ahead of time that there was suspected or confirmed cases. We avoided them during those periods, but otherwise my in-laws are in their mid 50's and very healthy.

We also see my parents, but they live out of state. When they come, they stay in our place and don't really leave so essentially self-quarantining. They're also mid-50's and relatively healthy. They're even more skeptical of the nature of the pandemic and early on we decided that for my, my wife's, and ours kids' mental health, we would continue to see both sets of our parents.

I understand this is not a popular approach, that some may be seriously abhorred by our willingness to see our parents, but I'm just laying the cards out in all honesty and won't argue with anyone or try to do mental gymnastics to justify our actions as 'acceptable'.

John Galt incarnate!

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #32 on: January 14, 2021, 06:02:53 AM »
I know there was a lot of ppl who avoided holiday gatherings with family, even family that was relatively local to them.  I am just curious if you are still holding out on seeing them? Or has the new year eased your views on spending time with them?

I haven't seen my family (only about an hour away from me) since September.  I feel badly but just not sure what to do, as I do go out for groceries, Dr appts etc.  My 75 year old mom is over there too and I would rather wait until she is vaccinated at least.

Just wondering how others are handling this currently...

I would like to visit my sister.

I don't want to drive to her home and back, a distance of ~500 miles.

I'd take a train which I like a lot but I'm not going to  because I don't want to mix with the public in train stations or on the train.

So my visit remains  on hold.

Laserjet3051

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #33 on: January 14, 2021, 06:10:00 AM »
No. Never stopped spending time with family to begin with so i cant admit to still be avoiding family. Over xmas we travelled via air to visit a large swath of our extended family. While my diabetic aged MIL took gravely ill during the visit, not a single other family member, including my nuclear family developed any illness. One family member decided to get covid tested on 3 successive days during the festivities with results of negative, positive, then negative.

jehovasfitness23

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #34 on: January 14, 2021, 06:14:59 AM »
No. Never stopped spending time with family to begin with so i cant admit to still be avoiding family. Over xmas we travelled via air to visit a large swath of our extended family. While my diabetic aged MIL took gravely ill during the visit, not a single other family member, including my nuclear family developed any illness. One family member decided to get covid tested on 3 successive days during the festivities with results of negative, positive, then negative.

Guessing those were the rapid tests then? They from last I checked had a 30% false negative result

Playing with Fire UK

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #35 on: January 14, 2021, 07:20:07 AM »
This is the highest number of cases and deaths the US has had during the whole pandemic, plus the new more-contagious UK variant is starting to spread here, so I can't even imagine letting up on precautions now. My parents and I were seeing each other once a month or so (in a bubble where we didn't see anyone else) from June-Oct when numbers were pretty low here, but in November/December we only saw each other after isolating and testing negative. Now I think we will wait for vaccinations before seeing each other again. My parents are getting their first doses this week. ...

In the UK our daily deaths are up 50% in a week and we are running out of space in some morgues. Hospitals are full to bursting with Covid patients, overflowing into hotels and rationing oxygen. I can't say how much is definitely due to the new variant; but it isn't good.

asauer

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #36 on: January 14, 2021, 07:23:15 AM »
We quarantined for 2 weeks so that we could see my parents over Christmas which was amazing.  I had not hugged my dad in 6 months.  Both are high risk.  We haven't seen my in-laws since last March except over FaceTime.  We were willing to quarantine but they felt uncomfortable, which I understand.  I'm really upset because my office just announced that people at my level have to return to the office 3 days per week starting Feb 1 so that takes away any ability to quarantine.  I want this shit to be over so I can hug my peeps again.

OtherJen

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #37 on: January 14, 2021, 07:23:25 AM »
Generally yes. My parents and in-laws are all elderly, my dad has cancer, and my MIL has some significant health issues.

We did visit briefly with my parents on Christmas while everyone was fully masked, with no physical contact. We visited the in-laws last summer when local case numbers and transmission rates were low and we'd all been isolating.

OtherJen

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #38 on: January 14, 2021, 07:24:25 AM »
This is the highest number of cases and deaths the US has had during the whole pandemic, plus the new more-contagious UK variant is starting to spread here, so I can't even imagine letting up on precautions now. My parents and I were seeing each other once a month or so (in a bubble where we didn't see anyone else) from June-Oct when numbers were pretty low here, but in November/December we only saw each other after isolating and testing negative. Now I think we will wait for vaccinations before seeing each other again. My parents are getting their first doses this week. ...

In the UK our daily deaths are up 50% in a week and we are running out of space in some morgues. Hospitals are full to bursting with Covid patients, overflowing into hotels and rationing oxygen. I can't say how much is definitely due to the new variant; but it isn't good.

I'm so sorry. We were in that situation here last April, and it was very scary. Please stay safe.

GuitarStv

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #39 on: January 14, 2021, 07:39:16 AM »
My son's school was shut down three weeks before Christmas because of a covid outbreak . . . and my wife and I are both working 100% from home for now.  So, since we all effectively quarantined for 3 weeks before Christmas we went and visited my mom (who lives on her own) over the holidays.

Other than that though, we haven't really seen any family.

Raenia

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #40 on: January 14, 2021, 09:06:58 AM »
It was impossible not to see my family, and then we gave them Covid. We were lucky that we all survived, but we are all still recovering over a month later. If we could have avoided seeing them we would’ve, but we cohabitate.

Now is the best time to keep family members safe and avoid contact. Vaccines are being given out to elderly, so let’s get this done.
In retrospect, do you think it was really impossible not to see your family?

That sounds unnecessarily harsh - did you miss the bolded?  I would consider it nigh-impossible to avoid seeing people who live in the same house.

Yes, I am still avoiding all family and friends.  We saw my MIL in person after a 7-day quarantine during the holidays, but no visits since then.  Why would we stop protecting them now, when case counts are still rising and we're more exposed than ever thanks to DH being required to return to in-person work?
« Last Edit: January 14, 2021, 09:08:42 AM by Raenia »

SwordGuy

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #41 on: January 14, 2021, 09:20:39 AM »
HELL YES we're avoiding family and friends.

The epidemic is in full swing.   The US is getting a million new cases every 4 to 5 days.   Over 4100 US deaths yesterday.
We'll hit 24 MILLION cases and 400,000 deaths in a few days.

Hospitals are either filling up or overflowing.  Some locations are just telling medics not to bother to bring in folks already in bad shape, leave them to die where they are.

Some are putting their patients in the gift shops because they need the room.

I'll wager quite a few of them are stacking the corpses in refrigerated trucks because the funeral homes are full.   If they aren't in your area, they may well be soon.

AND it didn't have to be this way.  Based on deaths per million population, we have done 51.5 times worse than South Korea and 237.2 times worse than New Zealand.    Instead of 393,000 deaths we could have had less than two thousand if we had done as well as New Zealand or less than 7500 if we had matched South Korea's response.   And we could have if Trump and other Republicans hadn't screwed our response up so much.

We've had a 2.74% death rate so far, based on deaths / (deaths + recovered) cases.    That's way worse than the flu.

The Lowes in my area still has a 50% mask compliance rate.    I see people not wearing masks or not wearing them properly everywhere I have to go.  It's maddening.



Mrs. Healthywealth

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #42 on: January 14, 2021, 09:30:36 AM »
It was impossible not to see my family, and then we gave them Covid. We were lucky that we all survived, but we are all still recovering over a month later. If we could have avoided seeing them we would’ve, but we cohabitate.

Now is the best time to keep family members safe and avoid contact. Vaccines are being given out to elderly, so let’s get this done.
In retrospect, do you think it was really impossible not to see your family?

That sounds unnecessarily harsh - did you miss the bolded?  I would consider it nigh-impossible to avoid seeing people who live in the same house.

Yes, in retrospect still really think it was impossible since we live together. Rather than give the details to justify (More for privacy reasons), I’ll leave it as there truly was no other option;  even in the home we kept a distance, but there are kids that love to run around. You do what you can, but it doesn’t always work out as planned. Just grateful to be alive and have my family safe. The most at risk have started first rounds of vaccines yay!

jehovasfitness23

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #43 on: January 14, 2021, 09:35:45 AM »

The Lowes in my area still has a 50% mask compliance rate.    I see people not wearing masks or not wearing them properly everywhere I have to go.  It's maddening.

that's quite stunning but not sure why I"m shocked still.

does lowes not have a mask policy or just no enforced? We sure have become one selfish disgusting culture.

Dicey

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #44 on: January 14, 2021, 09:37:21 AM »
It was impossible not to see my family, and then we gave them Covid. We were lucky that we all survived, but we are all still recovering over a month later. If we could have avoided seeing them we would’ve, but we cohabitate.

Now is the best time to keep family members safe and avoid contact. Vaccines are being given out to elderly, so let’s get this done.
In retrospect, do you think it was really impossible not to see your family?
That sounds unnecessarily harsh - did you miss the bolded?  I would consider it nigh-impossible to avoid seeing people who live in the same house.
I responded primarily to the dramatic structure of the first sentence. "Cohabitate" is commonly used to refer to partners, not family members. And of course, the bolded wasn't bolded originally. It was confusingly worded. My question was asked politely and my curiosity was genuine.

renata ricotta

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #45 on: January 14, 2021, 09:54:49 AM »
Yes. Too many of my family members still have to go into work (public school teachers where classes are hybrid, transit employees, etc.). And they live in another state that is also quite cold in the winter, so I can't easily just see them outdoors with space between us because if I traveled to them I would need to stay overnight. Facetime and Zoom is working for now. Some of my siblings seem to be totally over COVID precautions and are acting like life is normal with my parents, visiting them whenever they want indoors, which is frustrating. But I can't control them, and God forbid the worst happens, at least I will be dealing only with grief and not also with guilt for giving them something myself. But, it seems like there's a light at the end of the tunnel as 3 of my family members should be up for a vaccination this month.

My boyfriend's parents, on the other hand, live in our mild climate city and have a good-sized yard, so we see them once a week or so outside with masks on.

Playing with Fire UK

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #46 on: January 14, 2021, 09:59:40 AM »
This is the highest number of cases and deaths the US has had during the whole pandemic, plus the new more-contagious UK variant is starting to spread here, so I can't even imagine letting up on precautions now. My parents and I were seeing each other once a month or so (in a bubble where we didn't see anyone else) from June-Oct when numbers were pretty low here, but in November/December we only saw each other after isolating and testing negative. Now I think we will wait for vaccinations before seeing each other again. My parents are getting their first doses this week. ...

In the UK our daily deaths are up 50% in a week and we are running out of space in some morgues. Hospitals are full to bursting with Covid patients, overflowing into hotels and rationing oxygen. I can't say how much is definitely due to the new variant; but it isn't good.

I'm so sorry. We were in that situation here last April, and it was very scary. Please stay safe.

You are very kind, thank you. I mention it to highlight the additional risk that the UK variant brings to other countries that it has or will spread to. We thought we'd seen the worse of it in April last year but this wave is hospitalising and killing more people.

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #47 on: January 14, 2021, 10:02:55 AM »

The Lowes in my area still has a 50% mask compliance rate.    I see people not wearing masks or not wearing them properly everywhere I have to go.  It's maddening.

that's quite stunning but not sure why I"m shocked still.

does lowes not have a mask policy or just no enforced? We sure have become one selfish disgusting culture.

We have a state mask mandate, and loads of people don’t wear masks, at least as I hear from people who do go into stores. (I last went into a grocery store locally in October.) It is maddening, but who is going to tell some potentially armed idiot to wear that mask? I don’t blame the grocery store employees.

seattlecyclone

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #48 on: January 14, 2021, 10:03:24 AM »
I haven't seen any of my family members in over a year now. My youngest sibling is nine years old. It sucks. But the pandemic situation is worse than it was at Christmas, not better. Now is not the time to reverse course.

I just got my first vaccine dose today. I would consider flying to see them after I get the second, but I will likely wait for my partner and dad to get it as well.

Aren't we still unsure if those with the vax can still spread it?

If true, wouldn't that mean we'll never have herd immunity?

jehovasfitness23

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Re: Are you still avoiding family due to Covid?
« Reply #49 on: January 14, 2021, 10:15:43 AM »
I haven't seen any of my family members in over a year now. My youngest sibling is nine years old. It sucks. But the pandemic situation is worse than it was at Christmas, not better. Now is not the time to reverse course.

I just got my first vaccine dose today. I would consider flying to see them after I get the second, but I will likely wait for my partner and dad to get it as well.

Aren't we still unsure if those with the vax can still spread it?

If true, wouldn't that mean we'll never have herd immunity?

Not sure, but if someone has been vaxxed they are highly unlikely to suffer more than mild symptoms which at this point is still very hopeful.