bluebird
New Member
It's insane that some people in the U.S. refuse to wear masks -- they are simply idiots, period (I don't mean those who can't for health reasons, I mean those who disbelieve the medical experts regarding the efficacy of masks to prevent the spread of Covid, those who feel it's infringing on their personal freedoms, and those who view it as a political statement. Although I do think that people who can't wear masks for medical reasons should stay home as much as possible -- for them, as for the idiots who simply refuse to wear masks for completely invalid and asinine reasons, getting Covid would be infinitely more uncomfortable and painful, as would having to wear a ventilator). It is, in large part, because of those idiots that the U.S. is in its current dire circumstance regarding the virus.
As for me, my work opened up again in mid-June, though I only have to go in once a week, and the rest of the time I'm still working from home (and I honestly am able to get much more work done at home). All customers are supposed to wear masks at all times, and most do, but for those who don't I have no qualms about enforcing the mask wearing. When I go to work, I put on my mask and gloves before leaving my car, and don't remove the mask until I am back in my car at the end of the day (I change my gloves once or twice during the day, depending on how much I've had to touch stuff, and remove and toss out the last pair in the parking lot just before entering my car). I will not take off my mask outside my home, so that means I don't eat or drink anything during my 7 to 8 hour workday. I leave my office as little as possible, so as not to have to be anywhere near customers.
I still barely leave my house -- work once a week, doctors appointments when necessary, grocery shopping for me and my Mom when necessary (about once every four to five weeks; between her stuff and mine, unloading her stuff at her house, etc., each trip takes about 5 hours, but allows me to minimize the number of trips to the store and thus the number of people to whom I may be exposed), a couple of necessary trips to the bank, the very occasional visit to my sister's house (outside, distanced, and I wear a mask) maybe 4 visits since this all started.
That's it. No clothes shopping or other non-grocery shopping. No restaurants. No trips to the thrift shop, which I did twice a week pre-corona, and which I love doing. I am basically just in my house as much as possible. I know this isolation is somewhat easier for me than it is for many people, because I've essentially been self-isolating anyway since my husband died, though not to this extent, so while it's still a big change, it's not AS big a lifestyle change for me as it is for many. Nonetheless, it is what everyone in the U.S. should be doing, to the extent that they can (I know people are in different situations, and with the horrible lack of government support via social programs in this country, as well as the tragedy of so many being so poor and working crap jobs which they would lose if they didn't show up for work, etc., not everyone can isolate to the same degree).
So many other countries are handling this pandemic so much better than the U.S. -- medically, socially, politically, and in terms of providing assistance to their citizens. Because of that, and because I am American, I am mostly only commenting on the U.S. response, and on my personal situation.
But the fact is that this IS the way life is now, at least for the foreseeable future. If a viable vaccine is produced and distributed, if certain members of the U.S. government remove their heads from their posteriors, if those people living in the U.S. who are stupid enough to not wear masks and distance start doing so, then maybe things will change. I hope they do.
As for me, my work opened up again in mid-June, though I only have to go in once a week, and the rest of the time I'm still working from home (and I honestly am able to get much more work done at home). All customers are supposed to wear masks at all times, and most do, but for those who don't I have no qualms about enforcing the mask wearing. When I go to work, I put on my mask and gloves before leaving my car, and don't remove the mask until I am back in my car at the end of the day (I change my gloves once or twice during the day, depending on how much I've had to touch stuff, and remove and toss out the last pair in the parking lot just before entering my car). I will not take off my mask outside my home, so that means I don't eat or drink anything during my 7 to 8 hour workday. I leave my office as little as possible, so as not to have to be anywhere near customers.
I still barely leave my house -- work once a week, doctors appointments when necessary, grocery shopping for me and my Mom when necessary (about once every four to five weeks; between her stuff and mine, unloading her stuff at her house, etc., each trip takes about 5 hours, but allows me to minimize the number of trips to the store and thus the number of people to whom I may be exposed), a couple of necessary trips to the bank, the very occasional visit to my sister's house (outside, distanced, and I wear a mask) maybe 4 visits since this all started.
That's it. No clothes shopping or other non-grocery shopping. No restaurants. No trips to the thrift shop, which I did twice a week pre-corona, and which I love doing. I am basically just in my house as much as possible. I know this isolation is somewhat easier for me than it is for many people, because I've essentially been self-isolating anyway since my husband died, though not to this extent, so while it's still a big change, it's not AS big a lifestyle change for me as it is for many. Nonetheless, it is what everyone in the U.S. should be doing, to the extent that they can (I know people are in different situations, and with the horrible lack of government support via social programs in this country, as well as the tragedy of so many being so poor and working crap jobs which they would lose if they didn't show up for work, etc., not everyone can isolate to the same degree).
So many other countries are handling this pandemic so much better than the U.S. -- medically, socially, politically, and in terms of providing assistance to their citizens. Because of that, and because I am American, I am mostly only commenting on the U.S. response, and on my personal situation.
But the fact is that this IS the way life is now, at least for the foreseeable future. If a viable vaccine is produced and distributed, if certain members of the U.S. government remove their heads from their posteriors, if those people living in the U.S. who are stupid enough to not wear masks and distance start doing so, then maybe things will change. I hope they do.
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