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Omicron: The New Variant
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Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of wtg
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Here's my state's current mask mandate:

https://dph.illinois.gov/covid...on-requirements.html

tl;dr version: Pretty much across the board indoor masking required, except when actively eating or drinking in a restaurant or bar (you can imagine how that's working out). Doesn't matter whether you're vaccinated or not.

Encourged but not required.... masking in crowded outdoor settings.

Probably some of the most restrictive that I've seen.

As far as what I actually see in the stores....compliance is 90+ percent. Very few who flat out don't wear a mask, but occasionally you see someone whose mask covers their mouth but not nose. Or who wears it on the chin.

I occasionally see employees in small shops where there isn't a steady stream of customers take their masks off when there are only employees in the store, and put them on when someone comes in. That kind of defeats the purpose, as the virus can hang in the air.

Like SK, haven't been to a restaurant since the pandemic started. Kept masking no matter what the masking guidelines were (and they were loosened to the point that vaccinated people - on the honor system- didn't have to wear masks indoors).

Not a theater, concert, or moviegoer. Grocery shop during senior or off hours. Don't have anything else I need to shop for in person; we order what we need online. A few medical appointments here and there.

No family or large social gatherings. Not churchgoers. No public transportation. No travel - there's no place I need or want to go.

Occasionally a couple of friends have stopped by to chat for a while, none of us masked, but that was months ago during the summer/early fall when community transmission was super low. We still kept our distance, even outside.

With delta, people get sick within 3 or 4 days post-exposure. If I know someone who has had a large family gathering recently, I avoid seeing them for a week or so just to be safe.

This probably sounds incredibly restrictive to most people, but in many respects it's not much different than our lifestyle pre-pandemic. Between Mr wtg's health issues and my mom's dementia, we had developed a pretty solitary homebody lifestyle and it agrees with us.

Shrug


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We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training



 
Posts: 37793 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
(self-titled) semi-posting lurker
Minor Deity
Picture of ShiroKuro
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by jodi:
And here we are taking three airplanes from three big airports to get back from New Jersey after visiting my Dad…


I envy you. I really want to go see my Mum, but just can't bring myself to risk the flight and the risk of bringing her something!

I am also scheduled to be a guest speaker at a different uni in February, when it was planned, we figured it could happen in person.

Now I'm not so sure....


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My piano recordings at Box.Net: https://app.box.com/s/j4rgyhn72uvluemg1m6u

 
Posts: 18329 | Location: not in Japan any more | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of QuirtEvans
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by wtg:
Here's my state's current mask mandate:

https://dph.illinois.gov/covid...on-requirements.html

tl;dr version: Pretty much across the board indoor masking required, except when actively eating or drinking in a restaurant or bar (you can imagine how that's working out). Doesn't matter whether you're vaccinated or not.

Encourged but not required.... masking in crowded outdoor settings.

Probably some of the most restrictive that I've seen.

As far as what I actually see in the stores....compliance is 90+ percent. Very few who flat out don't wear a mask, but occasionally you see someone whose mask covers their mouth but not nose. Or who wears it on the chin.

I occasionally see employees in small shops where there isn't a steady stream of customers take their masks off when there are only employees in the store, and put them on when someone comes in. That kind of defeats the purpose, as the virus can hang in the air.

Like SK, haven't been to a restaurant since the pandemic started. Kept masking no matter what the masking guidelines were (and they were loosened to the point that vaccinated people - on the honor system- didn't have to wear masks indoors).

Not a theater, concert, or moviegoer. Grocery shop during senior or off hours. Don't have anything else I need to shop for in person; we order what we need online. A few medical appointments here and there.

No family or large social gatherings. Not churchgoers. No public transportation. No travel - there's no place I need or want to go.

Occasionally a couple of friends have stopped by to chat for a while, none of us masked, but that was months ago during the summer/early fall when community transmission was super low. We still kept our distance, even outside.

With delta, people get sick within 3 or 4 days post-exposure. If I know someone who has had a large family gathering recently, I avoid seeing them for a week or so just to be safe.

This probably sounds incredibly restrictive to most people, but in many respects it's not much different than our lifestyle pre-pandemic. Between Mr wtg's health issues and my mom's dementia, we had developed a pretty solitary homebody lifestyle and it agrees with us.

Shrug


Mary Anna and I do more things in normal times, but these are not normal times. So our day-to-day lives are not all that different from yours.
 
Posts: 45725 | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Minor Deity
Picture of Axtremus
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I am out attending a conference in a state where the Governor appears unsupportive of masking. A few of the attendees are infectious disease specialists. That subgroup is the one most consistent with masking. I talked to one of them about masking and indeed he cited Omicron as one reason to step up with masking. I figure I should follow their lead. Shrug


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www.PianoRecital.org -- my piano recordings -- China Tune album

 
Posts: 12682 | Registered: 01 December 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of CHAS
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Have been to three or four restaurants since this started.
Waitstaff was masked. Took my mask off to eat. Had lunch at an outdoor restaurant three days ago.
We have not been to concerts or gatherings. Skipped the local outdoor tamale festival Saturday.

Have an urge to go to the coast and eat seafood for a few weeks. A local pond/small lake was nice to walk around. It has a few palmettos. Made me want to go to the coast more than ever.
Got tickets to the Tucson Jazz Festival in January a few months ago. May go to the outdoor events and skip the indoor events.


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Several people have eaten my cooking and survived.

 
Posts: 25677 | Location: Still living at 9000 feet in the High Rockies of Colorado | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
(self-titled) semi-posting lurker
Minor Deity
Picture of ShiroKuro
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Axtremus:
I am out attending a conference in a state where the Governor appears unsupportive of masking. A few of the attendees are infectious disease specialists. That subgroup is the one most consistent with masking. I talked to one of them about masking and indeed he cited Omicron as one reason to step up with masking. I figure I should follow their lead. Shrug


What kind of masks are they wearing?


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My piano recordings at Box.Net: https://app.box.com/s/j4rgyhn72uvluemg1m6u

 
Posts: 18329 | Location: not in Japan any more | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Minor Deity
Picture of Axtremus
posted Hide Post
Disposable surgical mask. Nothing fancy.


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www.PianoRecital.org -- my piano recordings -- China Tune album

 
Posts: 12682 | Registered: 01 December 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
(self-titled) semi-posting lurker
Minor Deity
Picture of ShiroKuro
posted Hide Post
Hmm, I've been wearing a KN95 (or is it KN94? I forget)

I'm surprised experts haven't upgraded their masks yet.


--------------------------------
My piano recordings at Box.Net: https://app.box.com/s/j4rgyhn72uvluemg1m6u

 
Posts: 18329 | Location: not in Japan any more | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
czarina
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of piqué
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N95s are available now from Amazon. I wore one today, for the first time since the pandemic started. They fit more securely around all the planes of your face, and the elastic goes around your neck and head instead of around your ears. These are NIOSH approved and made by 3M.

I believe they work better at preventing you getting covid than the kn95s.


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fear is the thief of dreams

 
Posts: 21305 | Registered: 18 May 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of CHAS
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by piqué:
N95s are available now from Amazon. I wore one today, for the first time since the pandemic started. They fit more securely around all the planes of your face, and the elastic goes around your neck and head instead of around your ears. These are NIOSH approved and made by 3M.

I believe they work better at preventing you getting covid than the kn95s.


Thanks
3M masks may be gone. Ordered another brand.


--------------------------------
Several people have eaten my cooking and survived.

 
Posts: 25677 | Location: Still living at 9000 feet in the High Rockies of Colorado | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of wtg
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Lots of fakes out there. Have heard of fake 3M.

Beware third party sellers on Amazon.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/1...ounterfeit-fake.html

https://www.projectn95.org/

Ear loops vs loops behind head.

Heard these are good

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M...322#product-overview


--------------------------------
We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training



 
Posts: 37793 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Beatification Candidate
Picture of rontuner
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Fit is important - glasses wearers know right away if the nose wire isn't strong enough!

My understanding leads me to believe that N95s are really only for situations where you are knowingly going to be interacting with a Covid positive person - and requires proper fitting to assure that the wearer is breathing through the mask, not around it. And yes, we have been on public transportation and do go out to eat on "off hours" at larger places - we stay away from crowded places indoors.

I've found it easy to order from primodental.com - dentists' supply company. They have a selection of mask options and I opt for level 3 surgical style masks and swap them out every 8-10 hours of use.

I like both the fog-free options. General public doesn't really need the fluidshield option, but that's the best fog resistant option with a thin foam strip for the nose area.


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Visit me on the Web!
www.ronkoval.com

 
Posts: 7546 | Location: chicagoland | Registered: 21 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of wtg
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ron...which of these have you been using?

https://primodentalproducts.com/collections/masks


--------------------------------
We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training



 
Posts: 37793 | Location: Somewhere in the middle | Registered: 19 January 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of QuirtEvans
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N95 in theory should be the same as KN95 ... 95% filtration, it's just that one is certified and the other isn't.

I think that's the difference.
 
Posts: 45725 | Registered: 20 April 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Has Achieved Nirvana
Picture of Daniel
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by wtg:
The Winter Plan:

quote:
This plan includes:

Boosters for All Adults

Vaccinations to Protect Our Kids and Keep Our Schools Open

Expanding Free At-Home Testing for Americans

Stronger Public Health Protocols for Safe International Travel

Protections in Workplaces to Keep Our Economy Open

Rapid Response Teams to Help Battle Rising Cases

Supplying Treatment Pills to Help Prevent Hospitalizations and Death

Continued Commitment to Global Vaccination Efforts

Steps to Ensure We Are Prepared for All Scenarios


https://www.whitehouse.gov/bri...ovid-19-this-winter/


"Steps to Ensure We Are Prepared for All Scenarios"

I would have dismissed this kind of gibberish if I were an elementary school kid let alone an adult in his mid '50's.
 
Posts: 24654 | Registered: 31 March 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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