Omicron anecdata?

[Ali in OR]

So in the high school where I work we had a total of 9 cases this week (2 are students of mine). During the Delta surge, my county averaged between 25-30 cases per day for weeks.  We're over 320 cases per day the last few days--never been that high. And we're a mask-wearing, well-vaccinated county and this is just starting. I wore a new N95 each day, have each stored in it's own little paper bag, and will reuse the Monday mask Monday, etc., for a few weeks.

[Tree Frog]

Has anyone else found that this variant, like some of the other variants, seems to affect some family members, but not others? DD was positive first, but had not been feeling well. She took 2 RAT tests that were negative before testing positive with a rapid test. We'd all been around her (2 of us even looking down at her throat unmasked because it hurt) and 3 of our group travelling in a small car with windows closed for a couple of hours with her. Only one of the car riders tested positive via PCR, but his rapid tests were negative. Those of us who tested negative via PCR and rapid tests are still negative, despite hanging out, eating dinner at the same table, hugging. Why did only 2 out of 6 of us get it? It continues to seem very strange to me.

(With each positive, that person quarantined away from everyone else immediately. Symptoms weren't much more than a cold and ds's symptoms were completely cleared when he received his positive PCR test.) 

[heartlikealion]

2 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

Has anyone else found that this variant, like some of the other variants, seems to affect some family members, but not others? DD was positive first, but had not been feeling well. She took 2 RAT tests that were negative before testing positive with a rapid test. We'd all been around her (2 of us even looking down at her throat unmasked because it hurt) and 3 of our group travelling in a small car with windows closed for a couple of hours with her. Only one of the car riders tested positive via PCR, but his rapid tests were negative. Those of us who tested negative via PCR and rapid tests are still negative, despite hanging out, eating dinner at the same table, hugging. Why did only 2 out of 6 of us get it? It continues to seem very strange to me.

(With each positive, that person quarantined away from everyone else immediately. Symptoms weren't much more than a cold and ds's symptoms were completely cleared when he received his positive PCR test.) 

Don’t know. Immune system?? Random luck? I am continuing to take my K+D vitamins hoping that helps a little lol 

[Catwoman]

3 hours ago, Junie said:

Thank you! We're all pretty much back to our normal health.  I'm still feeling some fatigue and brain fog, but those are actually very common for me.  

 

 

I’m so glad to hear you are feeling better!!!

[KSera]

4 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

Has anyone else found that this variant, like some of the other variants, seems to affect some family members, but not others? DD was positive first, but had not been feeling well. She took 2 RAT tests that were negative before testing positive with a rapid test. We'd all been around her (2 of us even looking down at her throat unmasked because it hurt) and 3 of our group travelling in a small car with windows closed for a couple of hours with her. Only one of the car riders tested positive via PCR, but his rapid tests were negative. Those of us who tested negative via PCR and rapid tests are still negative, despite hanging out, eating dinner at the same table, hugging. Why did only 2 out of 6 of us get it? It continues to seem very strange to me.

(With each positive, that person quarantined away from everyone else immediately. Symptoms weren't much more than a cold and ds's symptoms were completely cleared when he received his positive PCR test.) 

I've seen the household attack rate from omicron reported at 31%, so that would make sense. On the other hand, there also seem to be a lot of families and gatherings where every single person gets infected. I'm thinking like other variants, some people are responsible for a lot more spread than others?

[Catwoman]

46 minutes ago, Danae said:

I know.  It’s just that my baby is sick and I’m not supposed to go in his room? I check to make sure both kids are breathing anytime I wake up in the middle of the night when they’re not sick.

I know how you feel. I am the ultimate helicopter mom when my ds doesn’t feel well, and I would be extra worried if I couldn’t go into his room to check on him!  😞 

[Sneezyone]

7 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Don’t know. Immune system?? Random luck? I am continuing to take my K+D vitamins hoping that helps a little lol 

Even in our circle it was so weird. We're all, at least, double vaxxed. DD and DH tested pos by PCR. But the rest of us (my sister via PCR, bestie, myself and DS) never tested positive. DH never had any symptoms either but DD was laying on his chest and breathing in his face while ill. DS, Bestie and I are not huggy like they are so maybe that helped? We did wear KN95s tho too, not cloth.

[Danae]

52 minutes ago, freesia said:

When dh had breakthrough Delta, I wore a Kn95 and went in to take his temp, give him food, meds, etc.  

Yep.  And also yelling “still alive in there?” when I have no reason to go in.

The 15 year old is doing it too.  It’s the universe’s little joke that the two of us with the most anxiety are on the outside.  If positions were reversed the 13 y.o. would be going about his day not worried in the least.

[freesia]

Just now, Danae said:

Yep.  And also yelling “still alive in there?” when I have no reason to go in.

The 15 year old is doing it too.  It’s the universe’s little joke that the two of us with the most anxiety are on the outside.  If positions were reversed the 13 y.o. would be going about his day not worried in the least.

After awhile, I’d open the door and sit on the bottom steps(we have another level higher than our bedroom) and chat with him. Oh, I also ran an air purifier with the UV setting on between the bed and the door. 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

16 staff in the ER I’m most familiar with are out with Covid. Several are very sick and have been in and out of the ER as patients needing fluid and 2 are hospitalized.

The scary part is that the hospital boosted everyone eligible in early December, so it’s likely that all 16 were boosted as most got their first vaccines a year ago.  As the numbers are exploding here, even in the triple vaxxed popularion, the assumption is that it’s Omnicron. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Mrs Tiggywinkle

[Kassia]

@Mrs Tiggywinkle that's awful!  😞 

[Danae]

54 minutes ago, freesia said:

After awhile, I’d open the door and sit on the bottom steps(we have another level higher than our bedroom) and chat with him. Oh, I also ran an air purifier with the UV setting on between the bed and the door. 

Thank you for that.  I’ve got his window cracked and a fan in the hall pointed at his door to manage airflow, but I just ordered an air purifier for curbside pickup.  

[Ditto]

1 hour ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

16 staff in the ER I’m most familiar with are out with Covid. Several are very sick and have been in and out of the ER as patients needing fluid and 2 are hospitalized.

The scary part is that the hospital boosted everyone eligible in early December, so it’s likely that all 16 were boosted as most got their first vaccines a year ago.  As the numbers are exploding here, even in the triple vaxxed popularion, the assumption is that it’s Omnicron. 

This bloody frightening as hell.    I am thinking of you and so hope they all recover.

[Ausmumof3]

2 hours ago, wilrunner said:

Has anyone else found that this variant, like some of the other variants, seems to affect some family members, but not others? DD was positive first, but had not been feeling well. She took 2 RAT tests that were negative before testing positive with a rapid test. We'd all been around her (2 of us even looking down at her throat unmasked because it hurt) and 3 of our group travelling in a small car with windows closed for a couple of hours with her. Only one of the car riders tested positive via PCR, but his rapid tests were negative. Those of us who tested negative via PCR and rapid tests are still negative, despite hanging out, eating dinner at the same table, hugging. Why did only 2 out of 6 of us get it? It continues to seem very strange to me.

(With each positive, that person quarantined away from everyone else immediately. Symptoms weren't much more than a cold and ds's symptoms were completely cleared when he received his positive PCR test.) 

We knew a family that did Christmas Day together and one kid and his wife tested positive the next day but no one else got it. Someone from a family members church attended with it and no one else caught it.

[alisoncooks]

My parents (70 & 64) tested positive today.  Dad was 3rd dose/boosted right before Christmas; mom was right after. So far they’re just experiencing cold-like symptoms. 

[teachermom2834]

My dh started to feel sick New Years night. Had a sore throat and has had congestion/sore throat and headaches but been just mildly uncomfortable. Got into urgent care on Wednesday and had a negative rapid test. They sent off the PCR. He got a call tonight with results but he missed the call and when he tried to call back he just got a voicemail and they never called him back. 
 

I have been thinking it was not covid because the rapid was negative and because no one else is sick and given how contagious it is supposed to be I would have thought someone of all we gathered with would have had some kind of symptoms. But it was a real human who called him tonight when he missed the call. My experience tells me when it comes to test results they don’t usually have a real human call unless the result is positive. So that is curious. But by now he is a week out from onset of his symptoms anyways. 🤷🏼‍♀️ He’ll try to call again tomorrow.

[mommyoffive]

Massachusetts schools are using dogs to detect Covid-19 - CNN

[ktgrok]

10 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

I looked at them and just was nervous about fit based on reviews and customer images. And all the product images look photoshopped lol 

do you have a link of a recommended site? I’ll look back through the thread, too. The ones in my Amazon cart I’m not sure are legit (so many counterfeit ones!). These are the ones I was originally going to order dd: 40 Pack Cartoon Bunny Pattern KF94_Mask Kids Disposable Mask 4-Ply Layer Disposable Face Masks Holiday Kids Mask https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09D3X4B99/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_1NJD0KQ1D1J7JA5AY96B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

They don’t have to be cute but may make getting her to wear them easier! Peer pressure — her classmates don’t mask.  

The Bluna brand is the one we preferred for the smallest kid in the house, but they are out of stock. So might be get what you can. 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

My dh started to feel sick New Years night. Had a sore throat and has had congestion/sore throat and headaches but been just mildly uncomfortable. Got into urgent care on Wednesday and had a negative rapid test. They sent off the PCR. He got a call tonight with results but he missed the call and when he tried to call back he just got a voicemail and they never called him back. 
 

I have been thinking it was not covid because the rapid was negative and because no one else is sick and given how contagious it is supposed to be I would have thought someone of all we gathered with would have had some kind of symptoms. But it was a real human who called him tonight when he missed the call. My experience tells me when it comes to test results they don’t usually have a real human call unless the result is positive. So that is curious. But by now he is a week out from onset of his symptoms anyways. 🤷🏼‍♀️ He’ll try to call again tomorrow.

When I did a test at CVS a real human called me, even though it was negative. 

[ktgrok]

10 hours ago, Danae said:

He’s isolating in his bedroom.  I’m moderately freaking out.  I’m guessing he’s not going to agree to a video baby monitor or other surveillance system, so he’s just going to have to deal with me texting or yelling down the hall “still alive?” every so often.  

I did the same when DS22 had it, lol. I'd text, "still alive?" and he'd text back, "no." Sigh. 

9 hours ago, Spryte said:

That would drive me crazy. 

Does he have a phone? Can you FaceTime? Pass silly notes under the door and on his trays of food? Do you have an Amazon Show you could put in his room and drop in in him that way? Zoom and watch TV together? 

 

I would sneak into the hall where I dropped off his food/supplies and put up funny signs about zombies and plague doctors and such when he was sleeping for him to find later. I think he was amused. 

[heartlikealion]

12 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

The Bluna brand is the one we preferred for the smallest kid in the house, but they are out of stock. So might be get what you can. 

Yes I noticed that tonight! I ordered the posh ones for dd (behealthyusa.net) and I have some for myself that just got shipped from bonafidemasks.com. BFM sent out a note to customers that the demand has gone up so they have extended their hours. 

Edited January 9, 2022 by heartlikealion
Added second url

[MercyA]

We currently have three people at my little church with pneumonia. Two of them are in their 30's to 40's. Another congregant died of pneumonia a month or two ago. Only in one out of the four cases has anyone mentioned the word "COVID."

I can't. 😞 

[Ottakee]

18 hours ago, Danae said:

He’s isolating in his bedroom.  I’m moderately freaking out.  I’m guessing he’s not going to agree to a video baby monitor or other surveillance system, so he’s just going to have to deal with me texting or yelling down the hall “still alive?” every so often.  

Would he agree to an oximeter and give you numbers updates every few hours?

[Danae]

2 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

Would he agree to an oximeter and give you numbers updates every few hours?

He’s got one.  My posts in this thread are more in the mood of poking fun at myself than looking for help with a real problem.  Some part of my brain is a broken Schrödinger’s cat experiment.  I’m pretty sure everyone’s dead if they’re out of my sight.

[Pam in CT]

@Sneezyone , I'm so glad to hear your dad a) got vaxxed; b) got MCAB; and c) is recuperating.

 

re mostly-mild symptoms followed by sudden downturn crash at ~10 day mark

On 1/7/2022 at 1:25 PM, Spryte said:

Question: are you all seeing that omicron (or, if not omicron, whatever the current circulating strain is) has a different course of illness?

Early on and into last fall, I heard over and over about people with mild illness who took a turn for the worse around Day 10 -14 and suddenly were hospitalized. I’m hearing now that more people are mildly ill and just get better (yay!). I’m not hearing about cases suddenly tanking around Day 10-14, or that that is the day to watch.

So, is the hive seeing illness that just steadily improves, and not the sudden downturn at the later date?

The (vaxxed) 27 year old high school friend of my daughter's I mentioned upthread did crash at somewhere around the ~10 day mark (and was thus ineligible for MCAB when she was admitted to the hospital).  She *did* have breathing trouble and her oxygen did dip (but not below ~90, so not as badly as lots of people with earlier variants), and she never needed a ventilator. 

She's the only person I know who had that big crash.  She's in NYC where they're testing for strain type and so knows for sure it's Omicron.  She's still weak and exhausted but seems, slowly, to be mending.

On 1/7/2022 at 2:24 PM, vonfirmath said:

I think the lack of the downturn is a function of omicron not doing stuff in the lungs.

Hopefully that's it.

 

19 hours ago, wilrunner said:

Has anyone else found that this variant, like some of the other variants, seems to affect some family members, but not others? ..

A (fully vaxxed and boosted) family we're close to here: mom (bit younger than me) and one of the still-launching age kids in the household over the holidays got it; dad and two other still-launching age kids did not. COVID kid had mild flu-like case; mom got pretty dang sick a(though never hospitalized) and is still slogging 3 weeks later. She is (was) in great shape and regularly runs half marathons, le sigh.  I don't think they know for sure it's Omicron but my region was among the first to be overwhelmed with it so the odds are it was.

 

19 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

16 staff in the ER I’m most familiar with are out with Covid. Several are very sick and have been in and out of the ER as patients needing fluid and 2 are hospitalized.

The scary part is that the hospital boosted everyone eligible in early December, so it’s likely that all 16 were boosted as most got their first vaccines a year ago.  As the numbers are exploding here, even in the triple vaxxed popularion, the assumption is that it’s Omnicron. 

Holy sh!t. That is... terrifying.

 

 

11 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Massachusetts schools are using dogs to detect Covid-19 - CNN

I have seen several bits about this over the last year, the first on Rachel Maddow a very long time ago. It sounds actually very promising.

Dogs really are a divine gift.

[mommyoffive]

The pandemic is changing. Will omicron bring a 'new normal' for COVID-19? (msn.com)

 

 

COVID: new 'Deltacron' coronavirus variant discovered in Cyprus (msn.com)

[ktgrok]

My son's friend in the UK is a brand new nurse - just got licensed/certified/whatever it is. And is now the ONLY nurse on a wing with 25 patients. And is very overwhelmed. 

[cintinative]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

My son's friend in the UK is a brand new nurse - just got licensed/certified/whatever it is. And is now the ONLY nurse on a wing with 25 patients. And is very overwhelmed. 

I know so many stories that are similar to this, but most people I know have their heads in the sand and continue to go on as if nothing is amiss.

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

My son's friend in the UK is a brand new nurse - just got licensed/certified/whatever it is. And is now the ONLY nurse on a wing with 25 patients. And is very overwhelmed. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-59902220
“The Armed Forces have sent 200 personnel into NHS hospitals across London to plug staff shortages.

The Ministry of Defence will provide 40 defence medics and 160 general duty personnel for the next three weeks.

… Pressure on London hospitals has increased over the past month, with 4,000 patients currently in hospital with Covid compared with 1,100 in early December.

The Royal College of Nursing's director for England, Patricia Marquis, said the deployment showed the government could not deny there was a "staffing crisis" in the NHS.

"The prime minister and others can no longer be dismissive of questions about the ability of NHS staff to deliver safe care," she said.

Across the UK, about 1,800 armed forces personnel are supporting the NHS response to the pandemic.”

[melmichigan]

Something was triggered somewhere because my husbands company (electrical grid) suddenly brought back a mask mandate and require KN95's that they are supplying with strict indoor protocols. 👏  Now if they can only keep it through this surge.

Edited January 9, 2022 by melmichigan

[bolt.]

I just emailed to cancel my church obligations. Until omicron passes, I'll be doing online church and not teaching sunday school. It's hard disappointing others and leaving them in the lurch -- but our provincial numbers are just too high to be going to church gatherings. I wish they would cancel church altogether. Some of our people are unvaccinated just trucking along like, "Jesus loves me, so germs won't hurt me" -- I hate it.

Edited January 9, 2022 by bolt.

[cintinative]

5 minutes ago, bolt. said:

I just emailed to cancel my church obligations. Until omicron passes, I'll be doing online church and not teaching sunday school. It's hard disappointing others and leaving them in the lurch -- but our provincial numbers are just too high to be going to church gatherings. I wish they would cancel church altogether. Some of our people are unvaccinated just trucking along like, "Jesus loves me, so germs won't hurt me" -- I hate it.

I am so sorry. I have really struggling with this as well. The last time our hospital numbers were this high we weren't meeting. I don't understand why it's different this time other than that before no one could be vaccinated. It's as if there is only concern for those in the church (and not even them, since there very little masking) and that people are not looking at the impacts to the HCW and general community.  I have been quite angry about it today.

[heartlikealion]

Went to Mass today wearing a heavy duty mask someone gave me. Most of the people I saw at church were not masked. Saw a few surgical masks, hanging below the nose, and a few cloth masks. 
 

Oy!! 

[PinkTulip]

My congregation went to online only starting today, and I’m so glad. 

[Danae]

1 minute ago, PinkTulip said:

My congregation went to online only starting today, and I’m so glad. 

We’re back online only starting next week.  Didn’t make the call early enough for today.

[Halftime Hope]

49 minutes ago, bolt. said:

I just emailed to cancel my church obligations. Until omicron passes, I'll be doing online church and not teaching sunday school. It's hard disappointing others and leaving them in the lurch -- but our provincial numbers are just too high to be going to church gatherings. I wish they would cancel church altogether. Some of our people are unvaccinated just trucking along like, "Jesus loves me, so germs won't hurt me" -- I hate it.

I'm so sorry to hear this. My religious community is taking it pretty seriously, but I understand it is not that way for many.  

[Frances]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-59902220
“The Armed Forces have sent 200 personnel into NHS hospitals across London to plug staff shortages.

The Ministry of Defence will provide 40 defence medics and 160 general duty personnel for the next three weeks.

… Pressure on London hospitals has increased over the past month, with 4,000 patients currently in hospital with Covid compared with 1,100 in early December.

The Royal College of Nursing's director for England, Patricia Marquis, said the deployment showed the government could not deny there was a "staffing crisis" in the NHS.

"The prime minister and others can no longer be dismissive of questions about the ability of NHS staff to deliver safe care," she said.

Across the UK, about 1,800 armed forces personnel are supporting the NHS response to the pandemic.”

National guard are being sent back into hospitals in my state, after having been removed only recently when the Delta surge subsided. These are primarily non-medical, support staff.

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, bolt. said:

I just emailed to cancel my church obligations. Until omicron passes, I'll be doing online church and not teaching sunday school. It's hard disappointing others and leaving them in the lurch -- but our provincial numbers are just too high to be going to church gatherings. I wish they would cancel church altogether. Some of our people are unvaccinated just trucking along like, "Jesus loves me, so germs won't hurt me" -- I hate it.

Yup. I HATE that even though we have a congregation that is excellent about masking, where masking and vaccination are pushed from the pulpit (with masking being required), etc...I still don't feel comfortable going right now. DD4 isn't vaccinated and won't be until she turns 5, which really impacts us. 

I did decide, after much thought, to allow DD11 to go to her OWL class at church tonight. It is a group of about 10 kids and 3 adults. They they are masked when indoors, no exceptions, and I know the adults are vaccinated. They space the kids out 6ft, but it is indoors due to the private nature of the discussions - they actually allow no one else in the whole building during these classes. DD11 will wear a KF94 mask, and is double vaccinated recently, and is over the top with regard to hand sanitizer, refusing to touch anything she can avoid touching, staying 6 ft away, etc. I still am ambivalent with a 36% positivity rate in our county, but the nature of the classes is you really can't miss any without it effecting group dynamics, etc. It is her ONLY fun thing, and she's dealing with a lot of anxiety due to the pandemic. 

1 hour ago, heartlikealion said:

Went to Mass today wearing a heavy duty mask someone gave me. Most of the people I saw at church were not masked. Saw a few surgical masks, hanging below the nose, and a few cloth masks. 
 

Oy!! 

Ok, in that scenario, gotta stay I would not be going until things change. 

[KSera]

58 minutes ago, Danae said:

We’re back online only starting next week.  Didn’t make the call early enough for today.

I think ours should do so, but they haven't. We were online-only for about 9 months at the beginning, and have been masks-required the whole time except a very brief time last Summer, but we haven't personally been back yet at all. I thought I would feel okay after my booster, but then omicron. What makes me frustrated is that everyone wears masks except for those speaking or singing up front--the very people that most need their masks on. I think they are trying to do the right thing, but don't understand that just having 6 feet of space isn't going to stop those aerosols. I honestly think they would have everyone masked up if they understood it to be a risk.

[TravelingChris]

On 1/8/2022 at 12:57 PM, wilrunner said:

Has anyone else found that this variant, like some of the other variants, seems to affect some family members, but not others? DD was positive first, but had not been feeling well. She took 2 RAT tests that were negative before testing positive with a rapid test. We'd all been around her (2 of us even looking down at her throat unmasked because it hurt) and 3 of our group travelling in a small car with windows closed for a couple of hours with her. Only one of the car riders tested positive via PCR, but his rapid tests were negative. Those of us who tested negative via PCR and rapid tests are still negative, despite hanging out, eating dinner at the same table, hugging. Why did only 2 out of 6 of us get it? It continues to seem very strange to me.

(With each positive, that person quarantined away from everyone else immediately. Symptoms weren't much more than a cold and ds's symptoms were completely cleared when he received his positive PCR test.) 

It's genetics/   I have a gene, HLAB27,  that gave me Ankolysing Spondylosis.  But it is a protectact against flu. And apparently also against COVID.  And it is not the only protectant gene either.  There are also people who have particularly bad genes for COVID too.

Oh and my immune system is too strong (lots of autoimmune diseases like the above one mentioned) but still get protection from the flu.  (And I always also get the vaccine but the years when the vaccine was a bad miss- I still didn't get the flu)> 

[KSera]

I can’t remember which thread we were discussing hospitalization with/for, but I saw this article this morning that seemed relevant to that discussion:

Is a patient hospitalized ‘with’ covid or ‘for’ covid? It can be hard to tell.

“Unfortunately, there are no nationally accepted methods for disaggregating the “with” and “for” groups — and doing so, as we found when we looked at our own patients, is more difficult than it may first seem.”

It’s written by doctors and scientists at UCSF and discusses some of the statistical difficulties. 

[vonfirmath]

41 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

It's genetics/   I have a gene, HLAB27,  that gave me Ankolysing Spondylosis.  But it is a protectact against flu. And apparently also against COVID.  And it is not the only protectant gene either.  There are also people who have particularly bad genes for COVID too.

Oh and my immune system is too strong (lots of autoimmune diseases like the above one mentioned) but still get protection from the flu.  (And I always also get the vaccine but the years when the vaccine was a bad miss- I still didn't get the flu)> 

I don't know if I have a gene or not but I know I didn't get the flu during all the years I didn't get the vaccine and now that I do get the vaccine, I still have not gotten the flu.

 

ETA Which makes me wonder if the vaccine is doing anything or not.

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by vonfirmath

[Pam in CT]

Our synagogue  was entirely online March 2020-March 2021, then began doing some outdoor services in our nicely paved courtyard.  We only only opened for any IRL indoor activities in June, with mandatory masking and no indoor food (we used tents and heaters for a few food-related events in the courtyard so long as the weather held).  We continued with those protocols straight through to mid-December; then went back to online only through end-January, at which point we'll re-assess.

I only ever attended indoor services for high holidays in September, and I was so twitchy and uncomfortable I ended up standing in the doorway ushering for all four (many hourslong) services.  I did go to IRL Torah study and a few smaller-gathering social events between June-Dec, but we did that in the courtyard whenever weather permitted.

It was *really* discouraging to have to make the decision to go "backwards" in terms of protocol but the BoD decision was unanimous and everyone I've spoken to has been in favor of the decision. Attendance at IRL services was dwindling sharply throughout December anyways.

Edited January 9, 2022 by Pam in CT
omitted word

[heartlikealion]

4 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Yup. I HATE that even though we have a congregation that is excellent about masking, where masking and vaccination are pushed from the pulpit (with masking being required), etc...I still don't feel comfortable going right now. DD4 isn't vaccinated and won't be until she turns 5, which really impacts us. 

I did decide, after much thought, to allow DD11 to go to her OWL class at church tonight. It is a group of about 10 kids and 3 adults. They they are masked when indoors, no exceptions, and I know the adults are vaccinated. They space the kids out 6ft, but it is indoors due to the private nature of the discussions - they actually allow no one else in the whole building during these classes. DD11 will wear a KF94 mask, and is double vaccinated recently, and is over the top with regard to hand sanitizer, refusing to touch anything she can avoid touching, staying 6 ft away, etc. I still am ambivalent with a 36% positivity rate in our county, but the nature of the classes is you really can't miss any without it effecting group dynamics, etc. It is her ONLY fun thing, and she's dealing with a lot of anxiety due to the pandemic. 

Ok, in that scenario, gotta stay I would not be going until things change. 

I called the diocese last week and asked if there were any plans to lift the face-to-face obligation. Secretary said bishop was out of town and that *might* be discussed at upcoming meeting but currently no change. I explained my concern with the optional masks etc. I called a local parish too and they said it’s always been and probably always will be masks optional (encouraged but optional). 

I think it’s kind of stupid we still have an obligation to attend face-to-face. I tried to go Wed night but didn’t get the memo that parish had canceled and their Wed time online didn’t match the bulletin I got today. Seriously people let’s get it together. 

[heartlikealion]

What I mean is you can attend a weekday service in place of a weekend service because of Covid but that’s not always convenient. I tried and it backfired lol My closest parish doesn’t offer weekday services. 2-3 priests rotate saying a Sunday Mass at the closest one. I don’t know if that’s a parish rule or diocese rule about weekday services, but it’s the rule at the parish where I’m registered right now. 

Edited January 10, 2022 by heartlikealion

[Jaybee]

4 hours ago, KSera said:

What makes me frustrated is that everyone wears masks except for those speaking or singing up front--the very people that most need their masks on. I think they are trying to do the right thing, but don't understand that just having 6 feet of space isn't going to stop those aerosols. I honestly think they would have everyone masked up if they understood it to be a risk.

One thing that may be a factor is that for people like me, there is difficulty understanding people with the masks on. My hearing isn't horrible, but certain things do make it a challenge to distinguish sounds, like masks (and like media). 

[heartlikealion]

13 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

One thing that may be a factor is that for people like me, there is difficulty understanding people with the masks on. My hearing isn't horrible, but certain things do make it a challenge to distinguish sounds, like masks (and like media). 

Your issue understanding wouldn’t prevent others from showing up wearing one. Are you asking then to remove it to hear them? If not, I’m not sure I follow. Are you choosing to not mask because of it? 

Dude behind me had a nice voice but not sure having an unmasked person behind me singing makes sense right now! 

[ktgrok]

56 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

What I mean is you can attend a weekday service in place of a weekend service because of Covid but that’s not always convenient. I tried and it backfired lol My closest parish doesn’t offer weekday services. 2-3 priests rotate saying a Sunday Mass at the closest one. I don’t know if that’s a parish rule or diocese rule about weekday services, but it’s the rule at the parish where I’m registered right now. 

Have you read the guidelines from your bishop? I know a lot of them left in a dispensation for fear of becoming ill with Covid, or similar language. They DID ask people to examine their behavior. - if they are willing to go to an indoor restaurant, they can't then claim to be skipping Mass for reasons of Covid. But if one is truly concerned about catching it and avoiding all indoor places, that would be reason to miss Mass as well. I'd look directly at whatever your Bishop has published on the matter. 

[Frances]

1 hour ago, heartlikealion said:

I called the diocese last week and asked if there were any plans to lift the face-to-face obligation. Secretary said bishop was out of town and that *might* be discussed at upcoming meeting but currently no change. I explained my concern with the optional masks etc. I called a local parish too and they said it’s always been and probably always will be masks optional (encouraged but optional). 

I think it’s kind of stupid we still have an obligation to attend face-to-face. I tried to go Wed night but didn’t get the memo that parish had canceled and their Wed time online didn’t match the bulletin I got today. Seriously people let’s get it together. 

I think it can be between you and God. Catholics are allowed to use their own conscience too.

[heartlikealion]

5 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Have you read the guidelines from your bishop? I know a lot of them left in a dispensation for fear of becoming ill with Covid, or similar language. They DID ask people to examine their behavior. - if they are willing to go to an indoor restaurant, they can't then claim to be skipping Mass for reasons of Covid. But if one is truly concerned about catching it and avoiding all indoor places, that would be reason to miss Mass as well. I'd look directly at whatever your Bishop has published on the matter. 

I couldn’t find anything. The website just has a video from 10 mights ago addressing concerns with fetal cells and vaccines. 

Just now, Frances said:

I think it can be between you and God. Catholics are allowed to use their own conscience too.

Yup. I went because I felt my mask was probably enough to keep me safe but I think the church should bend the rules since not everyone is able to easily obtain an efficient mask and you’re sitting in a pew near someone longer than say, I am whizzing by someone in the grocery store. Depending on what service you attend there may or may not be much space between parishioners. 

I am comfortable taking the kids to a movie at a non peak time but I said no to Sing2 over Christmas break. For the most part we’ve been pretty picky about food experiences (mostly avoid dining in situations). 

Trying not to be a hypocrite. I guess I’ll just do my best week to week in deciding how to proceed.