https://youtu.be/K-1nBynUEZ0

The pandemic outlook in the near future is grim.

This is in spite of the "happy talk" about getting back to "normal" by our political class.

Sigh.

St Louis County
Missouri county's order reinstating mask mandate amid delta surge met with challenges
The new health order is set to go into effect on Monday.
ABC News

""The citizens of St. Louis and St. Louis County are not subjects -- they are free people," he said. "As their Attorney General I'll be filing suit Monday to stop this insanity."
A real piece of .... work he is.

I wore a mask to the Doc's Wednesday, and to the supermarket twice since.
Did not wear one when kayaking alone on the lake.

The New York Phil is playing Vail. Pictures show a packed audience in the open air. Will skip that this year.
The local theater company has moved their production of SHOUT outdoors with spaced chairs. We are going with caution tomorrow night.

Enjoy!

I’m vaccinated. I guess I will keep masking while in indoor spaces with others. Sigh.

My figure drawing group just (finally) resumed and the artists are allowed to attend without masks.

That is, as long as they've had both shots (but there's no way to check).

I hope they don't take the privilege away - or worse, discontinue the group again.

Although we are both fully vaccinated, we have never stopped masking while out, so we will continue that. Sigh.

The current CDC Director recently gave guidance: a) unmask if you've had the 2 (or 1) shots and b) don't get tested for COVID if you've been exposed to someone with it or (incredibly) if you have COVID symptoms.

Now this.

Y'all can believe and/or trust in our government officials about COVID if you'd like.

Myself, I'm tired of their BS.

Next to nobody still wears masks anymore here in Montana. State has taken away health departments ability to quarantine, and as I understand it, they are scrambling, trying to figure out how to deal with stuff with no guidance. Fall will be “interesting”. I have not been wearing a mask at the grocery store, but think I should start again.

The virus itself started out exceptionally challenging and then did what viruses do, mutating into a new form. It's easier to catch and affecting younger people. Science is moving faster than ever but still lags behind the virus' rapidly changing characteristics.

Plus there are vaccines now out in the real world, and we're figuring out how well or poorly they protect people.

Trying to do public health in the US these days is next to impossible and the CDC is trying its best to navigate the very choppy waters. How do you come up with any kind of cohesive national policy when some states are putting laws in place that prevent a governor from issuing a mask mandate while others take more conservative approaches that protect people?

Politics has invaded science and even everyday life. It's insanity. But it's the world we live in. None of this is going to change anytime soon, and not being a windmill tilter at heart....

Mr wtg and I have decided to keep our approach simple and based on our risk and risk tolerance. We got vaccinated, continue to wear our masks in public, and socially distance as much as possible. We kind of got out of the restaurant habit a few years ago so haven't missed going out to eat. And we'll keep up to date with the science with respect to possible booster shots. There's nothing else we can do to protect ourselves.

It may not work for everyone, but we're comfortable with our approach.