Corona Virus Pandemic Preparedness

[labblab]

Dear Joan, I had intended to write here earlier in the hope of getting an update on Josh. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here, but also hoping that maybe the delay has given him enough time to be recovering! Please let us know when you have a chance to write more, OK?

Huge hugs coming your way,
Marianne

[Joan2517]

Sorry for not writing sooner. Josh couldn't get the Monoclonal Antibody Treatment because he wasn't enough kilograms or something like that. Jess was furious (they had already been admitted to the hospital and everything). But he's back in school today. They all came down with it except for Alex so far. Josh had the most symptoms, but Jess and Sigi said it was just like having a bad cold. Thank God they had all been vaccinated! I just hope he doesn't come down with any of the long haul symptoms.

[Squirt's Mom]

Good grief....you would think someone like Josh would qualify simply because of the high risk. I am SO GLAD that he is recovering as well as he is and pray that continues for them all.

[Joan2517]

Yes, that surprised me too, Leslie. But he seems to be over it. The funny thing is that the bladder issues he's been having since the summer disappeared when he got the virus! Weird....

[Squirt's Mom]

That is interesting! Seems this virus can hit the kidneys but most folk suffer damage instead of improvement. But I say don't look a gift horse in the mouth! LOL

[Budsters Mom]

Well, let's see… CA is trending down from a very large, terrifying surge. Schools were impacted greatly. Subs were virtually nonexistent, which left administrators scrambling to cover classrooms and programs. I have been off on Covid leave for the last 10 days. Will be returning to work tomorrow. I came down with cold symptoms, which could also be Covid symptoms. I have had multiple tests, including antigen and PCR tests, which of all came back negative. So, it looks like I actually had a cold. Symptoms are resolving themselves. There was a time not long ago, before Covid, that we worked through colds. Those days are gone! So it looks like I have escaped Covid once again. Still don't know how?!

Indoor mask mandates for those vaccinated will be lifted on February 15, tomorrow. All unvaccinated need to still wear their masks while indoors. Here's the catch, that's pretty much everyone, except children under five. This is on the honor system, which never works! Those vaccinated or not, will go unmasked if they choose to. No one will be checking, no one will be asking. So it goes.

As far as the schools, CA is continuing it's mask mandates/Covid protocols until at least February 28th. At that time it will be revisited depending on case numbers, hospitalizations/etc. As much as wearing a mask is challenging for me, it does help me feel a little safer when everyone is masked. Getting coughed and sneezed on in the classroom, is a certainty. Masks do curtail that to some degree. I will be continuing to wear my mask regardless of protocol changes for the forseeable future. With the students unmasked, I will probably wear a shield also while working closely in small groups.

I totally understand that people are sick of Covid. I definitely am! It's been almost 2 years since California shut down and life as we know it changed forever. It looks like it's here to stay and I realize that we all have to find a way to live with it, as safely as possible. That means following the science and changing protocols as variants emerge. So I will have to adapt to unmasked people close to me and I'm not feeling really comfortable with that for now.

I hope that all are well and everyone is coping the best they can. Stay safe!

[labblab]

Kathy, thanks so much for your update! I’m so glad to hear that apparently your cold is really a cold (how crazy does that sound, but here we are!). I think the experience for many of us nationwide is mirroring what you’re describing out there. Many mask mandates are easing, and right where I am, I’m noticing far fewer employees wearing masks inside the stores and offices where they work. Interestingly, many customers (like me!) are still wearing their masks, but not so many workers. I guess that makes sense. It’s far less uncomfortable for me to don a mask for the few minutes I’m inside the building than it is for a worker to be wearing a mask for hours on end. But it definitely is a change that I’m trying to get used to. Personally, I really don’t mind wearing a mask on my errands, so I’m guessing it’ll still be quite a while before I give up that feeling of security.

Ironically, my next step towards normalcy is probably gonna be to go and get my shingles vaccination. Hubby and I got the first version several years ago, but we need to step up for the new vaccine. It fell to a much lower priority in my mind during the pandemic, and I didn’t want to interfere with my COVID series of vaxes by inserting the two shingles jabs, as well. But now I think it would be a good time to head on in. You can tell how boring my life remains at the moment when yet another vaccination is my big news! But as I keep saying, right now “boring” is not such a bad thing ;-).

Take care, Kathy, and stay safe.