My wife and I made our weekly grocery &c outing on Sunday, each carrying an emergency mask, but not wearing it into any of the three stores we shopped.
Everyone I saw in the first (Wegman’s grocery) store wore a mask, but not a single person even seemed to notice that we did not, except the checkout girl. She politely asked if I would like someone to bring me a mask. I shook my head, and said “I’ve been vaccinated since March.” She replied “Oh, great! Me too!” And the rest of the transaction (though she was masked) was normal.
In Costco, which had announced the previous Friday its abandonment of mask requirements, almost everyone still wore one. But the dire mask requirement sign at the entrance was gone (as it was at Wegman’s), and the turnstile person at the entrance seemed to smile beneath her mask as we wished her a good day. Again, no one wearing a mask paid any attention to the fact that we weren’t. But one maskless woman who passed us remarked to her maskless daughter “I see they got the memo.”
In two chance conversations, we discovered that masked people were completely unaware of the news that the mandate was gone. They both were enormously relieved, even jubilant. It will be interesting to see what things look like next weekend.
One of the things I missed the most through all of this was the ability have an encounter with a stranger of whatever type, and end it with a smile evoking a smile in response. Aside from the turnstile lady, the “got the memo” mom was the first such encounter I’ve had with a stranger in many months. (We had such encounters when visiting relatives in Tennessee many months ago – they either had no mask “mandates” or ignored any in place, no matter where we went).
Just that one thing – the ability to smile at another human being, and receive a smile in return – is precious beyond what I would ever have thought. The soulless Lefties who would try to put this genie back in the bottle demonstrate a hatred for basic humanity that is chilling.
“In two chance conversations, we discovered that masked people were completely unaware of the news that the mandate was gone.”
I don’t know what the rules are. I think our state mandate got lifted yesterday but I don’t know and all the stores I went to today still had signs telling people to wear masks. Will be nice not to have to wear a mask and it will be even better when the people who work at the stores I shop wont be forced to wear them too.
Around here (Arizona) there’s never been a mask mandate, aside from a couple of cities. What we do have is store mask mandates. I’m seeing plenty of people ignoring those, though in around the same numbers as a month ago.
Costco, as of a week ago, was the only store I was in that was even trying to enforce their mask policy.
As for California, I see it’s not going to lift its mask mandate until June 15th (if then). Yet another thing that makes me glad I left California a long time ago.
There’s a wonderful phrase in the Australian film Strictly Ballroom, which notes that “A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.”
I refuse to let my life be guided by FUD, and have gotten pretty good at spotting when people are trying to use it on me. That may be part of why I turned off the TV set about a dozen years ago, and frankly I don’t miss it.
Luckily, here in Texas the mask mandate was never entirely enforced. My own view is that there are well-paid and pensioned individuals in law enforcement for that sort of thing; it’s not my job. The County judge chimed in at the beginning that his job was to enforce codified law, not off-the-cuff mandates (my words), and so mask compliance never went above 85%-ish as best I could tell. I only ever wore a mask when required to patronize a business, and I tended towards the stores that were reasonable.
I and all of my staff have already had it, with the usual 99.7% survival rate, so what’s the point of a mask other than theatre? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against masks per se. I do think the Japanese had it right, where if you had the sniffles you masked up to keep your snot to yourself. I would, on the rare occasion, wear a mask when I had a bug even though it wasn’t generally culturally accepted, because it is a good practice in the right circumstances. Masks are not, and never have been, a panacea perfect for all occasions. But they do keep doctor drool out of patients, and they can help slow the spread of the sniffles when it’s going around.
Having a well-exercised immune system is also important, and that’s what I rely on to get me through.
Up to a few months ago, less than half the people I encountered on my daily 5 mile walks on the local trail were wearing masks. Last week, I walked the trail after a 2 week absence, nearly 3/4 of the people were wearing masks. Two were double masked with face shields!! This is after the CDC announcement and there has always been an exemption for outdoors. Silicon Valley people make me sick!!!
The Walgreens where we get our meds has taken down its “please wear a face covering” signs, and while all the employees are masked (probably a store/chain requirement) about half the customers (including me) were not.
Drug stores hereabouts (SW of Atlanta) were among the first to require customers to mask up, so having that requirment dropped seems like a big deal.
Mrs. McG works for the government, and her office has decided that vaccinated employees needn’t mask up in the office. Apparently employees that don’t wear masks will be asked for documentation, which I don’t think is kosher.
We followed the guidelines strictly in late March and through April 2020. When I saw the effort to cancel Easter in April 2020, the game became obvious and I quit playing for the most part. We held our daughters wedding in our backyard in May 2020 with over 40 guests. No one even caught a cold.
I do carry a mask and wear it when the store owner/manager requires it. I could refuse, but most often they are just trying to stay out of trouble with the Democrat controlled local government. Now with Texas governor, slow to react as he is, overruling the local leaders; I just keep the mask in the pocket. I never met a Karen in real life. They wouldn’t like arguing with me about science.
Throughout 2020, we attended 4 weddings, held a party on July 4th, vacationed without a mask in Florida in September, held a bridal shower at the house for 30 people, Thanksgiving had another 30 people over, and about 2 dozen for Christmas. Oh, and a few bookclub events at the house and several more the wife attended. She’s a nurse that actually took care of a few Covid patients. Neither her, I, or any of our various guests ever caught Covid.
That’s not to diminish the seriousness of the disease. We know people who did catch it, and several of them still have lingering health effects that may never go away. I went to one funeral of a Covid victim (an octogenarian). You don’t want to get the disease.
Some could call us reckless and lucky. I’d agree with some luck, but we were hardly reckless. We’ve been taking vitamin D supplements even before Covid. After social events, I’d take a Zinc lozenge. If I was around anyone that showed illness; I’d take Zinc and vitamin C supplements.
In short, the basics worked well as the science did suggest. I never got a covid test. However, I gave blood twice (I do plasma, so I can’t go as often, but I help so many more) and that was tested for antibodies. Results were negative. Now I’m vaccinated. Yet I’m fine with things not quickly returning to normal. I rather enjoy working from home.
I was exposed to a known COVID-positive patient some months ago but she had no symptoms and the nurses didn’t seem concerned about how close together (less than six feet for most of it) they left us for the few hours in question. I got tested repeatedly over the next couple of weeks, all negative.
Literally everyone in the building was masked of course, but people actually working with COVID patients seemed already to know before the media reported it, that patients with no symptoms were very low-risk to spread the disease, and that six-foot social distancing was more than actually required.
And that’s the odd thing, I understand how it is possible that an asymptomatic patient could be contagious, but it isn’t very probable. The mechanism that allow for highly contagious patients have literally not materialized in asymptomatic patients.
Your comment reminded me that all that events I described were mask optional. For those that felt they were high risk or were comforted by wearing a mask; they were available. We did have thermometers, but they weren’t really used. We took reasonable precaution yet did not over-respond to a fear.
On the other hand, I see today that anti-vaxxer Pelosi doesn’t trust the vaccinated Representatives and will require them to still wear a mask despite not having a risk to themselves or others. The party of Science! doesn’t seem to understand the science.
NC just follows CDC since we have a Dem gov and Rep legislature. So when I went shopping all the store signs were down (but the aisle directionals and social distancing signs were still in place). Despite relaizing that masks accomplish nothing, I left mine on as my vaccination is only a week old. My wife is unvaccinated and immune compromized. Duke Cencer Center is in full mask mode, of course.
My wife and I made our weekly grocery &c outing on Sunday, each carrying an emergency mask, but not wearing it into any of the three stores we shopped.
Everyone I saw in the first (Wegman’s grocery) store wore a mask, but not a single person even seemed to notice that we did not, except the checkout girl. She politely asked if I would like someone to bring me a mask. I shook my head, and said “I’ve been vaccinated since March.” She replied “Oh, great! Me too!” And the rest of the transaction (though she was masked) was normal.
In Costco, which had announced the previous Friday its abandonment of mask requirements, almost everyone still wore one. But the dire mask requirement sign at the entrance was gone (as it was at Wegman’s), and the turnstile person at the entrance seemed to smile beneath her mask as we wished her a good day. Again, no one wearing a mask paid any attention to the fact that we weren’t. But one maskless woman who passed us remarked to her maskless daughter “I see they got the memo.”
In two chance conversations, we discovered that masked people were completely unaware of the news that the mandate was gone. They both were enormously relieved, even jubilant. It will be interesting to see what things look like next weekend.
One of the things I missed the most through all of this was the ability have an encounter with a stranger of whatever type, and end it with a smile evoking a smile in response. Aside from the turnstile lady, the “got the memo” mom was the first such encounter I’ve had with a stranger in many months. (We had such encounters when visiting relatives in Tennessee many months ago – they either had no mask “mandates” or ignored any in place, no matter where we went).
Just that one thing – the ability to smile at another human being, and receive a smile in return – is precious beyond what I would ever have thought. The soulless Lefties who would try to put this genie back in the bottle demonstrate a hatred for basic humanity that is chilling.
“In two chance conversations, we discovered that masked people were completely unaware of the news that the mandate was gone.”
I don’t know what the rules are. I think our state mandate got lifted yesterday but I don’t know and all the stores I went to today still had signs telling people to wear masks. Will be nice not to have to wear a mask and it will be even better when the people who work at the stores I shop wont be forced to wear them too.
Around here (Arizona) there’s never been a mask mandate, aside from a couple of cities. What we do have is store mask mandates. I’m seeing plenty of people ignoring those, though in around the same numbers as a month ago.
Costco, as of a week ago, was the only store I was in that was even trying to enforce their mask policy.
As for California, I see it’s not going to lift its mask mandate until June 15th (if then). Yet another thing that makes me glad I left California a long time ago.
There’s a wonderful phrase in the Australian film Strictly Ballroom, which notes that “A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.”
I refuse to let my life be guided by FUD, and have gotten pretty good at spotting when people are trying to use it on me. That may be part of why I turned off the TV set about a dozen years ago, and frankly I don’t miss it.
Luckily, here in Texas the mask mandate was never entirely enforced. My own view is that there are well-paid and pensioned individuals in law enforcement for that sort of thing; it’s not my job. The County judge chimed in at the beginning that his job was to enforce codified law, not off-the-cuff mandates (my words), and so mask compliance never went above 85%-ish as best I could tell. I only ever wore a mask when required to patronize a business, and I tended towards the stores that were reasonable.
I and all of my staff have already had it, with the usual 99.7% survival rate, so what’s the point of a mask other than theatre? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against masks per se. I do think the Japanese had it right, where if you had the sniffles you masked up to keep your snot to yourself. I would, on the rare occasion, wear a mask when I had a bug even though it wasn’t generally culturally accepted, because it is a good practice in the right circumstances. Masks are not, and never have been, a panacea perfect for all occasions. But they do keep doctor drool out of patients, and they can help slow the spread of the sniffles when it’s going around.
Having a well-exercised immune system is also important, and that’s what I rely on to get me through.
Up to a few months ago, less than half the people I encountered on my daily 5 mile walks on the local trail were wearing masks. Last week, I walked the trail after a 2 week absence, nearly 3/4 of the people were wearing masks. Two were double masked with face shields!! This is after the CDC announcement and there has always been an exemption for outdoors. Silicon Valley people make me sick!!!
The Walgreens where we get our meds has taken down its “please wear a face covering” signs, and while all the employees are masked (probably a store/chain requirement) about half the customers (including me) were not.
Drug stores hereabouts (SW of Atlanta) were among the first to require customers to mask up, so having that requirment dropped seems like a big deal.
Mrs. McG works for the government, and her office has decided that vaccinated employees needn’t mask up in the office. Apparently employees that don’t wear masks will be asked for documentation, which I don’t think is kosher.
We followed the guidelines strictly in late March and through April 2020. When I saw the effort to cancel Easter in April 2020, the game became obvious and I quit playing for the most part. We held our daughters wedding in our backyard in May 2020 with over 40 guests. No one even caught a cold.
I do carry a mask and wear it when the store owner/manager requires it. I could refuse, but most often they are just trying to stay out of trouble with the Democrat controlled local government. Now with Texas governor, slow to react as he is, overruling the local leaders; I just keep the mask in the pocket. I never met a Karen in real life. They wouldn’t like arguing with me about science.
Throughout 2020, we attended 4 weddings, held a party on July 4th, vacationed without a mask in Florida in September, held a bridal shower at the house for 30 people, Thanksgiving had another 30 people over, and about 2 dozen for Christmas. Oh, and a few bookclub events at the house and several more the wife attended. She’s a nurse that actually took care of a few Covid patients. Neither her, I, or any of our various guests ever caught Covid.
That’s not to diminish the seriousness of the disease. We know people who did catch it, and several of them still have lingering health effects that may never go away. I went to one funeral of a Covid victim (an octogenarian). You don’t want to get the disease.
Some could call us reckless and lucky. I’d agree with some luck, but we were hardly reckless. We’ve been taking vitamin D supplements even before Covid. After social events, I’d take a Zinc lozenge. If I was around anyone that showed illness; I’d take Zinc and vitamin C supplements.
In short, the basics worked well as the science did suggest. I never got a covid test. However, I gave blood twice (I do plasma, so I can’t go as often, but I help so many more) and that was tested for antibodies. Results were negative. Now I’m vaccinated. Yet I’m fine with things not quickly returning to normal. I rather enjoy working from home.
I was exposed to a known COVID-positive patient some months ago but she had no symptoms and the nurses didn’t seem concerned about how close together (less than six feet for most of it) they left us for the few hours in question. I got tested repeatedly over the next couple of weeks, all negative.
Literally everyone in the building was masked of course, but people actually working with COVID patients seemed already to know before the media reported it, that patients with no symptoms were very low-risk to spread the disease, and that six-foot social distancing was more than actually required.
And that’s the odd thing, I understand how it is possible that an asymptomatic patient could be contagious, but it isn’t very probable. The mechanism that allow for highly contagious patients have literally not materialized in asymptomatic patients.
Your comment reminded me that all that events I described were mask optional. For those that felt they were high risk or were comforted by wearing a mask; they were available. We did have thermometers, but they weren’t really used. We took reasonable precaution yet did not over-respond to a fear.
On the other hand, I see today that anti-vaxxer Pelosi doesn’t trust the vaccinated Representatives and will require them to still wear a mask despite not having a risk to themselves or others. The party of Science! doesn’t seem to understand the science.
NC just follows CDC since we have a Dem gov and Rep legislature. So when I went shopping all the store signs were down (but the aisle directionals and social distancing signs were still in place). Despite relaizing that masks accomplish nothing, I left mine on as my vaccination is only a week old. My wife is unvaccinated and immune compromized. Duke Cencer Center is in full mask mode, of course.