A Parlour for a Plague

deb, OMG, I laughed out loud. I think my grandmother may have written some of these.

Denks, denks, and double denks.

You are extremely welcome! How are you?

Hey Deb. I just restole it and posted it somewhere else.

I love my spell checker, but it refuses to recognize 'restole'. It's still a word.

It is! Damn spellchecker!

I'm hanging in. Haven't been out of my building in a few months. Stir crazy!! How's by you?

Have you had a vaccination yet?

I had the first of two vaccinations on Tuesday. I'll have the second in April.

I had to go out to get vaccinated. It almost killed me. Too much activity. I couldn't breathe. Of course if I died on my way to getting the shot, then I wouldn't need the shot.

I'm gonna try to be more active in my apt. I have always found breathing to be high on my list of things to do.

You’d have exercise recommended by doctors etc?

Breathing is, indeed, important!

Good Lord.

I was listening to the news on NPR and they were talking about Spring Breakers and others going to Mexican resort locations for vacation.

Planes are jam packed. Once there use of masks are lax, etc.

They were talking to one guy on the beach among the crowds. He was saying he just had to get away from his job for awhile.

His job?

A respiratory therapist.

I just about swallowed my tongue when I heard that.

I would have had the same reaction - at least.

The problem is this young people are going stir crazy. Most colleges are doing away with spring break and instead are giving them so called "wellness" days which are stray days here and there throughout the semester so it isn't enough time to travel. The thing is these stray days end up being instead days they do homework or get extra help.

It is a very long semester without getting that week off. My daughter did end up going to Florida but to visit family. As some classes are virtual she was able to schedule it where she would just miss one class. On her own she planed a vivid test before returning as some of her housemates play spring sports and didn't want to chance anything for them.

I think instead they should require clean tests prior to coming on campus. Although yeah I think it is a bit extreme to be crazy partying with large groups. I do see many still getting their mental breaks while being responsible.

To add she herself had a great basketball season ...her team won their division championship... Being D3 there was no play beyond that this year but they ended on a goid note.

You wouldn’t think a respiratory therapist, who has watched untold numbers suffer and die, would even think about doing something like this

He probably has been vaccinated - my guess.

My brother, a nurse, who had worked with the most ill covid patients finally got some time off. He went on a trip to Vegas - sent me a postcard and said he fully got to use the tickets I won for him. He said he finally felt safe to fly and really needed some time to rest and get away from all this suffering and stress.

I know my brother got his vaccinations and would assume this doctor had as well. I believe (at least in my area of the woods) that all medical workers that wanted to - have been vaccinated. I think these medical people who have seen numbers suffer and die - need this time off more than anyone else.

Does seem ironic though in the way it is written - you would have thought they would include that tidbit of information.

It wasn't something written. They were talking to the guy and this is what he said on the radio "I had to get out of the country" and "I'm a respiratory therapist."

In any event, this just boggles my mind. Especially for a person in any medical profession, and pin pointing someone who has watched ppl struggle to breath and stay alive.

Vaccination or not.

I don't see getting a vaccination as carte blanche to resume "normal" life (nothing about going on Spring Break is normal, IMO)

My belief is getting the vaccination is simply getting us closer to a tipping point with developing herd immunity. Until then it's business as ususal, wearing masks at ALL times when outside the home, going out when necessary, avoiding gatherings of even a few people, and yes, realizing it's not the end of the world if you can't play sports, attend a concert, go to a bar or restaurant.

If your home was infested with cockroaches, and you had it fumigated, would you leave food around uncovered first thing when you moved back in?

No, You'd be even more careful for a while until you made sure everything was dead.

Now is the time for even more vigilence, not less.


How many times do we have to go through the stupidity of "But it's Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring Break, even But I Want to Go Out!!! before it occurs to people this is just prolonging the problem?

If Anne Frank and 2 families could live in an attic for 2 years to stay alive, we can freaking not use any excuse to harm ourselves, or others.

Its different than having bugs in your home that can re-enter. You can get re-infested with bugs especially if you invite them in whereas the whole purpose of the vaccine is to protect yourself from getting this virus again.

If the vaccinations work as they are being stated then yes - if you are vaccinated - why wouldn't you travel? As long as you adhere to all guidelines.

He is unlikely to infect anyone else nor get sick himself. He has probably worked his butt off during this time - knowing the doctors and nurses during this time and how much they have worked I can appreciate them wanting to get away --- as long as they do so safely.

I would give this guy a break and understand that he probably knows better than any of us - what is safe for himself and others.

This is the part Chai is referring to - the actual the transcript -
KAHN (this is the interviewer that went to Mexico) - "I did meet all these - a lot of U.S. health workers vacationing in Cancun. Like Jaime Arratia - he was at this curbside van where you can get a quick COVID test for U.S. travelers. He's a respiratory therapist from Kansas, and he says it's just been such a difficult year, and he just wanted to get out of the U.S.

JAIME ARRATIA: It's just - you can't do anything in life. It's just not normal, so it just sucks (laughter)."

That is all that is referred to this man - He was not on a crowded beach (as Chai alluded to) - he was actually at a van to take a covid test. There is no where in here that he is being irresponsible not wearing a mask, hanging among a large group, partying - or so forth. But then that would not make good news.

The alternative to is let this highly specialized people to burn out. I think too many people forget the mental toll on people - I would give this guy a break - knowing the toll this has taken on my brother who knows how many will end up with PTSD especially if we criticize them on top of it for taking a break.

Comparing to the Holocaust is just a bit of a stretch (people really love to do compare a horrible time in the world's history) Anne Frank had no option - other than highly likely death if she left. Whereas if someone is vaccinated and does things still such as wearing a mask and following distancing rules , he is not highly likely to cause the death of himself or people around him.

In your words "Anne Frank and 2 families could live in an attic for 2 years to stay alive, " -- Well lets not drive cars, smoke cigarettes, go for a swim in the ocean, eat food (choking is very dangerous)- please add in anything you do in everyday life - because we all know there is a chance we could harm ourselves or others. So we can freaking not use any excuse to harm ourselves, or others.

I think common sense should prevail. A bunch of kids going on spring break is a bit stupid right now. A doctor that is vaccinated that knows all the medical issues surrounding covid that knows best how to protect himself and others - that probably needs the mental break - common sense there is little risk and probably a better risk to all of us if we need his care later on that he has had a chance to decompress.

Tell me then why was this reporter going to Cancun? If it is so dangerous to fly and be in crowds why the h*ll is she there to report it?

https://www.wbur.org/npr/980075536/air-travel-is-opening-up-again-but-that-doesnt-mean-the-pandemic-is-over

Jesus wept!

An immediate issue that comes to mind to deter one from travelling and partying is that the virus has shown the ability to mutate quickly and that newer strains appear to be even more serious. I don’t know that anyone is able to think themselves safe. And, if you are going on short breaks you may be asymptotic when you return, but contagious

I’m not sure what you guys are doing about quarantining when returning from travel?


Ah just read your full post. I understand the desperate need to get away.

I’m a needle phobe! So NOT looking forward to the needle bit, but very much wanting the vaccine otherwise.

Mind you, we have been very fortunate in this pandemic compared with you people and Europe. Benefits of being an island.

We are having to send vaccines and health staff to Papua New Guinea now....sadly they are suddenly in terrible trouble with covid. It could be horrific for them because of the lack of health infrastructure

Is it not the case that the vaccine only protects the person vaccinated? They can still harbour and potentially pass on the virus? That is why you continue to take precautions I thought.

I actually don’t know. Good question