21 Months in COVID-19 Pandemic
/And the pandemic continues …
Just as the Delta Variant seemed to be waning, the Omicron variant appeared…just starting its sweep of the country now; it’s too early to predict its impact over the next few months as the usual cold weather in much of the country and indoor holiday celebrations provide the ideal conditions for the spread of airborne infections (like COVID-19). It helps that more and more people are getting vaccinated but there are wide disparities in vaccination rates across the country.
Things are different than a year ago –
A year ago we were wondering when we would be able to be vaccinated…now we are have been vaccinated and boosted.
I wear KF94 masks now all the time rather than double masking with cloth masks like I was a year ago.
I am going to the grocery store every week rather than every 3 weeks.
My daughter came for a short visit at Thanksgiving (road trip from Missouri) – last year we settled for talking on the telephone.
My husband observed the Lunar Eclipse with the local amateur astronomy club…rather than just planning on going to some of their sessions. They are still doing virtual meetings.
We did some virtual birding events like we did last year but we also attended a Druid Hill Park (Baltimore) birding walk.
I traveled to Texas (road trip) to visit my family….something I would not have done last November.
Some things are the same:
We are still not eating in restaurants; we do get takeout occasionally…about the same frequency as we did last year.
My husband is attending the virtual AGU meeting.
We both enjoyed the Crane Fiesta from Bosque del Apache for the second year in a row.
From a mental health perspective, I am probably less anxious about COVID-19 than I was a year ago because I am vaccinated and my masks are KF94s…that protect me as well as others. I am frustrated that COVID-19 is still a pandemic. I acknowledge being uncomfortable in crowds….and realize that it could be years before I choose to go to a concert or fly on an airplane or go into a grocery store on a weekend. Maybe it is more than COVID-19 that has caused the feeling; there are so many events in the country that surprise me (not in a positive way) and avoidance, under the umbrella of being COVID-19 vigilant, is my way of coping.
From a physical health perspective, my cancer diagnosis and coming treatment are my priority…the health of my 90s-year-old parents is a close second. I’m anticipating trips to Texas – hoping that there won’t be an emergency trip to Texas before my surgery. My confidence in making road trips safely (from a COVID-19 perspective) is high based on my 3 road trips since being fully vaccinated in April: carrying all food with me, air purifier to run in hotel room, KF94 masking any time I am inside, making most stops at interstate rest stops.
I am anticipating a quiet holiday at home this month…and then a lot of action in the first half of 2022!
