How do you Covid?

Wash hands often. Very often. Usually for a minute, often times longer. I find it quite relaxing, washing hands. I enjoy washing dishes too. It's for me, a time of calming meditation and reflectiveness.

Wear a mask. When at home I do this when someone stops by. We then stay several feet apart and talk. They are also wearing a mask.

Groceries are now bought online and delivered. They are set down outside the apartment door.

Occasional food delivery through GrubHub. Placed outside the apartment door.

With both grocery and meal and even meds delivery, the person knocks on my door or rings bell, I shout Thank you. They do the same and are on their way. I wait a couple of minutes before retrieving the item/s.

Welcome to life in New York City as we try to continue existing.

At this stage of the game, it has become strangely enough, normal.

Due to a couple of health issues, I might be extra cautious.

I'm still hiding out in my bunker.

For the most part, we stay in (I already worked from home so that was no change) unless we need to buy food, either from a restaurant or the market. We exercise outside, and RP has been to NYC a few times to see family. I went to LI to see my folks a few weeks ago. Mask worn pretty much 100% of the time except to eat.

I pretty much follow the public health guidelines. I am working from home. But I go out every day. I wear a mask when I am indoors or around people. I keep distance when out side.

I have been eating outdoors at restaurants. I have eaten inside a restaurant now that they are open. I recently went on a socially distant first date (we walked 6 feet apart). We laughed when we had to take our masks off to drink coffee.

I recently traveled to visit extend family. I consider family as part of a covid bubble (I don't take any precautions when I am with family). This bubble doesn't include my elderly parents.

I am following the public health information fairly regularly. If hospitalization rates start going up in Massachusetts I will reconsider my actions. But for now I am taking a moderate approach to the pandemic.

Im really amazed at how the GOP and Dems have politicized this pandemic. The GOP wants it to appear that its over and isnt dangerous.
The Dems are apparently cautious to an extreme.
The fact that the deth rate has seemed to plateau , even with the infection rate climbing , is because weve got a lot more knowledge on handling the sickness in ICUs, ( eg using oxygen rather thanforced intubation with ventilators has knocked the death rate down.). Also, some new and repurposed meds have shown some successes.


However, Id like to see where the death rate is going to be in a few weeks as the late June and July 4 cluster **** expresses itself.

Simple things like masking and distancing and handwashing and sanitizing seems to have been taken seriously by more people. So the idiots who play covid roulette are becoming infected and its up to others to try to keep from being infected in the first place.

Nothing much has changed for me since the early days. I'm still wearing a mask in shopping settings, hand washing, sanitizing, and distancing. I haven't extended the bubble at all. I'm still shopping for my folks (in their 90's) and for some older neighbours. I visit with them outdoors.

I've shared a few well distanced beers or coffees with friends outside as well, but take my own chair and supplies.

I managed a cribbage game outside too, lol. I know their habits well, and felt safe enough as we both wore gloves and masks and unless pegging, were more than 2 metres apart. It just occurred to me to switch to pen and paper score keeping.

No indoor dining here yet but I wouldn't be considering that at all at this point. We've done the take out or delivery thing a few times, with masks etc, as a given. No travel, and no crowds, even with masks. We're staying close to home.

As background my wife and I ceased living in cities in 2008, we could no longer stand the masses, the filth and the oppression of doing so. Plus this pandemic was always coming .... We have lived in two countries since, both in über rural situations. Our present home/walled compound is 35km return from the nearest shop.

Myself I have health issues which includes my being immune suppressed via medication. My wife is a Dr of Psychology and works entirely from home anyway. Our son is a Dr (as is our daughter) and he works with some of the leading epidemiologists who advise governments.

* No one comes into the house
* We wash our hands and use alcohol wipe (70%) many, many times a day
* Personally I do not leave the house and have not done so since March
* My wife only leaves to walk the dog in the fields next to us. She does this in PPE (face mask + face shield + moisture impervious gloves + hair covering)
* We have all our food delivered - All packaging then wiped down with alcohol wipe before the food comes into house; completed by my wife in PPE
* We have all our prescription drugs delivered - same as the food
* Amazon deliver ... of course. They leave anything at the gate. Wiped down/PPE

We then also tend to leave things for 24hrs in an office room we do not use, before using whatever it is

If people haven't noticed, one simply cannot trust a word the media or politicians are saying, nor most of the reported views of 'experts'. One second COVID doesn't get spread like that .. The next second, "Oh it might". Then the next second ... Well, it does spread like that.

Wave 1, wave 2 and so forth ..... Nothing has changed except a few more people are being careful. We still have no inoculation or vaccination or immunity in the herd.

There are now reports of it spreading to animals, they appear to be mildly effected but of course are still carriers .... We are yet to see if it spreads from us to them, them to us.

98% of the 'information' given out is crass, rehashed, populist verbiage. As for the conspiracy theories

If people do not do all they can to avoid infection by virus with self care, isolation and PPE, then it is becoming more likely they will catch it not less. This is because those most likely to be infected, ergo poorer socio economic groups, are now blatantly mixing ..... it a self fulfilling prophecy.

They say we need a good war on a regular basis to 'flush out the drains' ... Maybe COVID will achieve that.

I am writing this from Mexico... yes I hopped on a plane and travelled to another country. While here I visit people I care about but other than that I stay in an apartment in a small town and working remotely.

Am I taking a risk? Yes.
Is it worth it to me? Absolutely
Will I take steps to reduce the risk to others? Sure.

When I get home (actually I wouldn't mind if they stopped all travel and kept me here) I will self quarantine and get tested.

For me, losing a year of life and not seeing people I care about is too much. I am one of the people who doesn't see the point to a long life if you don't live it.

Mass Travel Order now in effect...

we were going to travell a bit into the Northumberland last week and the Canadian Coast Guard was very polite but firm about what would happen if we crossed the time line and into Canadia.

Cant wait for this to be in the RVM