If everyone behaved like me in March we would’ve beaten this thing like so many other countries. I stand by that reaction now more than ever. It’s been proven beyond any measure of doubt that I was dead on correct. All we had to do was not compromise during that window. Other countries did it.

That’s exactly why I’ve said what I’ve said and behaved how I’ve behaved.

It’s logical that EVERYBODY be more cautious so people Like them can return to normalcy someday. It’s CONTAGIOUS. I understand that I have to sacrifice because I understand that my poor behavior puts them at greater risk.

Yes because boomers are so well know for putting others first.

I haven’t made a single social visit once since this broke. I do have friends and loved ones that I’ve put on hold this entire time without exception. Not one in person visit. I don’t do anything unless it’s mandatory for my survival.

That’s the sacrifice that we needed. Universally. I did my part but I still have to live in the valley of death because of others greed, selfishness, and stupidity.

Karen has MS, is confined to bed, has difficulty breathing, can do nothing for herself and because of the breathing I've been advised by a doctor when she was in hospital earlier this year (at the height of the outbreak - colour me **** scared) that if she did contract it they could not risk putting her on a ventilator, in the same way as, when she was going for an operation to have her gall bladder removed, there were literally weeks of consultations to see if it was safe to put her under. The terrifying pronouncement: if we anaestethise her she may not come back out of it" is something you never want to hear.

So would she just die then? No answer. Luckily she got out okay, but now I have to be extra-extra careful, to the extent that the only real remaining member of my family I would want to see has agreed it would be too dangerous to take the risk to come up at Christmas.
How do you assess the risk? Anyone can get it, and just because they may be in a lower risk category medically (young, no underlying conditions etc) doesn't by any means imply they're safe and you can just go ahead in the knowledge they won't get it. That's really specious reasoning to me. If there's ANY chance - particularly with the vaccines now being rolled out, so it's not like this will go on forever - then surely the safe and sane thing to do is err on the side of caution and stay away?

There’s other people who aren’t in your family that have compromised immune systems and other co-morbidities.

It’s contagious.

Honest to god TH it’s such bull**** that you have to live with all that fear just because how ****ing inconsiderate and selfish people are.

We knew everything we needed to know to stop this thing. ****ing VIETNAM did it.

Yup. Exactly. My contention, starting about mid-March, was that if everyone behaved themselves by masking, distancing and staying inside that we could beat this thing and celebrate a happy 4th of July here in the US. Most people that I said this to thought that I was cRaZy to think that it would actually last that long and that I was being paranoid for thinking that. It appears that I've been, unfortunately, equally conservative on other matters when it comes to this pandemic and people's reactions to it.

Did you try showing them the definition of contagious?

Okay, Karen.

:D Almost had to - but I think there was the thought, at first, that a mask for a while will do the magic trick after a few weeks or something ... then we had the GOP cult discovering, in April, that it hit "certain" folks harder and many people's attitudes changed drastically afterwards (because, you know, they need a "leader" to follow).

Good job you found the joke.


I mean, good for you. I did my part too. But I went into the pandemic knowing and expecting people to be greedy, selfish, and stupid. I think it's on you if you didn't.

The family members I am visiting are keeping up with strict mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing, believe in science and vaccinations, etc. I assess the risk by knowing there is one, but trusting that we are all intelligent enough to minimize the spread and willing to accept the risk in order to have what limited time together we can. We've gotten together twice in the last 9 months. We've met outdoors, all worn masks, and stayed distanced from one another. No hugging, no potlucks. We are all tested regularly and isolate/quarantine as needed. It's pretty simple. The trick is to think about it for a second.

Virus: "Hey! They look like a reasonable and responsible family, I'll think I'll skip them..."