This past week has been rather remarkable. It has felt like that fateful week last March in reverse.
Each day this week the Covid situation seemed to change for the better to the point that we can now see down the road to the far end of that Covid cloud off in the distance.
It has certainly helped that the weather has warmed up but even more so, more and more people have completed their vaccination regimen.
Among the personal milestones I’ve had this week ….
- Enjoyed an outdoor going away party for my neighbor with food and drink and 15 unmasked and fully vaccinated guests
- Had friends around our dinner table for the first time in a year – twice this week.
- On daily walks most of the folks I pass are now comfortable without their masks when outside.
- We ate inside a restaurant (Dunn Gaherins) for the first time in a year.
- Today I’m volunteering for an event at the Hyde Bandstand, part of Newton’s Family Fun Day Event. Better yet the Hyde has scheduled a whole summer’s worth of events there.
So where are you at on your personal Covid path. Are you seeing this new world yet or not yet comfortable coming out into the world a bit. Are those around you all vaccinated yet? What are you comfortable doing today that you weren’t a month or two ago?
Fully vaccinated with the 2-week effectiveness period completed. I’ll still wear masks in public and/or with lots of people around. Still, it will be awhile before I’m truly comfortable. socializing and being in large groups of people. And the “new normal”, whatever that is, is yet to be determined. So much has changed that will not return.
One “veil” I think we should make permanent in Newton… masks for restaurant food preparers.
It’s going to be a while before I go for walks without a mask, because I learned last year how much more bearable pollen season is when I’m not breathing in plant ejecta! I will likely leave my mask off when I’m indoors with a couple of other vaccinated people, but still wear it in the grocery store.
I won’t go into stores or on the T without a mask. I won’t dine indoors, and since I always prefer to dine al fresco, I expect to patronize a lot of restaurants.
I expect to carry a mask when I walk, but will remain distanced, even stepping into the street if someone is walking by masked. If space doesn’t allow, I will pull up the mask until they pass. If I am passing someone on the sidewalk who, like me, is unmasked, I wont mask but will acknowledge them with a wave vs a hello. It doesn’t matter to me if they are unmasked because they thumb their noses at masks or are fully vaccinated as I see the risks as miniscule.
Ran this morning….sans mask and only with a Speedo.
As for the rest will go by each situation. I will say this though…
Frequent hand washing and not putting hands near face (nose and mouth) is no joke! Not a cold or even a sniffle since Winter ‘19. Humanity is filthy and germy, and will continue the hands/face thing.
Ready to ditch the mask though… c’mon CDC! July?
I’m good with no mask but I’d definitely support a ban on running-in-Speedo’s ;-)
I hugged my mother last weekend and visited with family indoors for the first time in 15 months! Sitting in my cousin’s living room and sharing a bottle of wine might have been the most fun I’ve had in a year. I think I’d forgotten what it was like to laugh with people.
It’s going to be a long time before I’m comfortable in big crowds though, with or without a mask. No movies, concerts, or baseball games in my immediate future.
@Matt Lai – That reminds me of another local Upper Falls institution – 70+ year old John-the-bare-chested-runner.
John’s an ex-marathoner and on 20 degree mornings in February we regularly see John stripped to the waist, running with his long gait though the neighborhood, sometimes in the snow.
Jerry: thanks for the reminder about John who often joined our breakfast group at the Depot. We refer to him as the Naked Runner! He’s a humble sweet guy! But I haven’t been to the Depot since mid-March 2020. I am torn, since I miss our buddies there and Henry and Kim, but I won’t sit inside and can no longer be tempted by Henry’s corn muffins for real health reasons. I fear Covid has changed my routine for a long long time.
FYI for others … The Depot (Chestnut and Oak St) reopened last week. Sallee’s breakfast club may not reconstitute itself for awhile but in the meantime you can still pick up sandwiches and pastries from Henry and Kim.
I’m so happy to learn that the bare-chested runner has a name! I used to see him years ago driving my daughter to Gymboree. I called him The Toughest Man in Newton, as he would, as Jerry said, run in just shorts (and sometimes gloves) in the dead of winter.
I will greatly envy you for picking up those muffins and sandwiches at the Depot Coffee Shoppe. They are made with love by the two most hard working people I have ever met: Henry and Kim La, former “Overseas Chinese” refugees from Vietnam who were “boat people.” They are the epitome of the American Dream come true. While you’re buying your delicious muffins, don’t forget to ask Henry to tell you the tales of life as a coffee farmer in Vietnam and his boat journey to America.
Just came back from my first foray out of state since the pandemic started, for a family wedding. Guests were mostly unmasked, although we followed protocol when required. We dined in a restaurant for the first time in over year. Our youngest gets her first dose this week.
I think the light at the end of the tunnel is not a mirage.
My family is in a little bit of a limbo situation as the adults are vaccinated but not the kids. So our behavior hasn’t really changed that much as a family. But I’m definitely fully comfortable with outdoor socialization and I did go to the Natick Mall for the first time in forever. Masked of course. Looking forward to later this year when kids 2-11 can get vaxed.
I will continue wearing a double mask in all enclosed areas outside of our house, use hand sanitizers and wash hands frequently and adhere to established social distancing guidelines. I will also avoid crowded venues, masked or not. The only “outside the box” thing I did was return to the Newton Y for 4 times a week lap swimming the minute the facility opened several months back. I felt completely safe being there because they had stringent rules and separation policies in place which they enforced to the letter. I realized there was still the possibility of picking up the virus, but weighed this remote possibility against the obvious and proven benefits of lap swimming which I’ve found to be the most effective way of controlling my Parkinson’s.
I agree – I think the Y has been doing a very good job, too, Bob. But I will say that if they lift the mask rules there (if Baker removes the indoor mask mandate) I’ll probably cancel my family’s membership so I hope they keep it until kids are vaxed!
Prudence and nuance are qualities difficult to internalize. Bringing risks into sight and balancing them appropriately within a cultural and social setting is tricky. For those of us who have co-morbidities or are immuno-suppressed, the risks are different from those who are otherwise not so challenged. I used to think my co-airline travelers who were wearing masks (pre-Covid) were either paranoid or unfortunately had a cancer diagnosis. I sympathized, but didn’t empathize. I am much less judgmental now and realize that we all need to do what is right for each of us. However, I still harbor mental hostility to those who exhibit vaccine hesitancy when I am so convinced by the preponderance of the data on saving lives.
Starting tomorrow….no more masks for kids playing youth sports. Hooray!
I just sat this in the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce newsletter.
Gov. Charlie Baker announced this morning that ALL restrictions on businesses, including capacity limits, will be lifted on May 29.
The state will also rescind face covering orders on May 29 at the same time and follow the CDC rules.
The state of emergency will end June 15.
This soccer referee is very, very pleased that the boys and girls playing soccer games will not have to wear masks anymore, especially as it was getting uncomfortable for them with the warmer weather.
The Superintendent sent email this afternoon saying that existing NPS policies remain in effect while they study CDC and state guidelines. I hope they make an exception for outdoor mask wearing for sports (which the state says can end immediately). The weather’s simply too hot this week.