My niece is flying from Oklahoma with her 9 year old S to visit my parents (her grandparents) in Southern California next week. My parents don’t live near the coast and it will be in the 90 to 100 degree range when they visit. I have not been able to convince my parents that this is not a good idea. Niece and S will stay in my parents house even though there is a guest house they could stay in.
My mom wants the family to get together at her house while my niece is there. That would be 20 people at my parents house where it is too hot to sit outside. I told my mom yesterday that we will not come to visit. I said if she wants to see us we would need to meet somewhere outside, wear masks, be distanced and each family bring their own food and drinks. My mom said she is sad we will not be with the family. I told her that I will be sad if a family member gets her or dad sick!
I am angry at my niece for planning this trip and have let her know I think coming to see your grandparents who are healthy, but in their late 70’s is a bad idea during a pandemic. Niece’s H works for Instacart so he is in and out of grocery stores and delivering groceries to people’s homes. I can’t understand how my family is not getting that this is a problem!
We just returned from Georgia (checking on my in laws). We were pleased with the cleaning measures our hotel took when we visited in July. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the room we wanted this time, so we stayed at a different hotel. My SIL stayed at this hotel for her last visit, and she said it was great. We did not agree, unfortunately. We did not see any cleaning of public spaces at all. In fact, the tables in the lobby area were filthy when we returned with takeout at 2pm. I brought cleaning supplies and cleaned the room, but the carpet had not been vacuumed … there were nail clippings on the carpet! We arrived late, so I made them come vacuum in the morning. This hotel has a high rating on TripAdvisor, so I will post my review. Not too pleased.
And there sure were a lot of folks who ignored the mandatory mask signs, both at the hotel & around town. We were really careful, but we will self quarantine now that we have returned. I really dislike traveling these days.
if someone is outdoors and more than 6 feet from others, is it really necessary to wear masks. ? I tend to not wear one if I am more than 6 feet and outside socializing. Am I the bad one. Glad to hear about the USVI. they were on our list of a possible place in October if they are open to Americans and open. WE would be willing to test before we can came, etc. My husband and I are trying to figure out a week long vacation at the end of October and every time we have an idea, poof, not going to work :(.
We’ve noticed everyone at several outdoor church services wear masks, even when over 6’ apart. When we’re with friends, in the backyard, we’re usually having a glass of wine 6’ apart. Some of them prefer to wear their mask between sips, but most don’t. Take your cue from others.
My personal thought is that if I’m outside but taking a walk or run - so only in the presence of someone I’m passing for literally a couple seconds, no mask (assuming we are 6 ft apart). If I’m in a group of people outside but six feet apart - like standing in line to get ice cream (haha - about the only situation I’ve been in) I wear the mask. If I was at an outdoor party/function with more than just a few people I’d probably wear it. That’s my personal preference. If others weren’t at a group function, I would not be very comfortable.
Last night I was at a park with a group (about 15 I think) and we were all in chairs spread about 10 feet apart. Most wore masks the whole time, but always when out of our seats. We were eating and drinking, so masks did come off for short periods.
We do not take our cues from others. We take our cues from what our state Health Department is recommending.
CT has issued a warning regarding the holiday weekend, asking everyone, including visitors to the state, to be careful and avoid large gatherings.
We are invited to our neighbors annual picnic. It’s usually all their family and friends, and coworkers. This year, it’s neighbors only. It’s completely outdoors. But even with that, there could be a lot of us if even just the adults come (that would be 28 people). So…we will see what’s up…put in an appearance at least.
On the invite they did say that they would understand if folks just dropped by and left with food.
In terms of travel…their families live away from here…and aren’t even invited. The travel would be impossible to do given our quarantine guidelines.
I wear a mask outside with my pregnant D and with my 90+ year old in laws. If I talk outside with a neighbor, I keep a distance greater than 6 feet, but no mask. When we have food trucks in our neighborhood, I wear a mask. I do not wear a mask when I walk in my neighborhood, but I wear one when I walk in public areas where I am passing by people (like city streets, store parking lots).
I also don’t take my cues from others, but from facts and information I have gleaned from all the info on the internet. I don’t wear a mask outside if I am 6 feet from another person and I don’t worry too much about surfaces. Washing hands and staying social distanced - especially indoors is my goal. No big indoor events or big indoor dining. I think the hand sanitizing and “deep cleaning” you read about in schools etc… are mostly theater that give a false sense of security. This is an airborne virus.
While it is an airborne virus, it can be picked up on the hands and transferred to the mucus membranes. Hand washing is an easy way to increase safety, and it protects people from more than just Covid 19. It’s not giving a false sense of security … it’s keeping you safe.
For what it’s worth, the residents of the USVI are Americans :).
My niece, who went home to her mother’s on St. Croix in July after waiting for the restaurant in NYC where she worked as beverage manager until her apartment lease ran out, came back this week after the restaurant management called her to do table service outdoors. She told me that the outbreak was mostly in St. Thomas and they had a pretty tight lockdown on all three islands and the hope is that it will be a distant memory by the time mainlanders start thinking of a warm vacation destination.
My personal feeling is if one is “socializing” with others then all should be wearing a mask, regardless of indoors/outdoors. That just makes sense to me. Just as hand sanitizing after being in a grocery store (other place) where another (others) have touched the stuff I’m getting (groceries, stamps, etc.).
I know we have gotten off topic here, but wanted to add my thoughts. Other than work, where we have to be masked, and seeing my mother, my husband and I don’t really have close contact with others. When visiting my mother’s to help with items at her house, I stay masked, but she doesn’t, so I stay in a different room or far away from her. Yesterday, I had to take her to an appointment and made her wear her mask in the car and while we were gone, which was 3 hours. While she has complained that she has trouble with the mask on due to her asthma, she was fine. Will most likely make her start wearing it when I visit.
My SIL and family are not careful enough to suit us, so we don’t visit with them. We have been with them for an outside visit with my MIL, so told them they had to mask for MIL, when it really was for all of us.
My H really wants to do something special for my 60th birthday next month. He suggested a spot near San Francisco but I’ve declined. It’s not important to me to do something special. We were supposed to be in Italy for my birthday and I’m fine to wait on a nice birthday celebration until the time when we can travel again. I’m also not all that excited to go to a hotel. We just booked a camping trip for later this month to somewhere we haven’t been before.
We are going to watch the post holiday numbers and if not spiking we are going to try the beach condo again for DH birthday. We canceled last time due to post July 4th spike. It is instate and not too far a drive.
My D2 just came back home from the beach closest to us in San Diego. She was there less than 2 hours and multiple groups of people kept trying to set up closer to her than 6 feet. She finally gave up asking people not to be so close and came back home and is heading to D1’s to have a barbecue.
I’ve decided it’s just as well that son is not driving through Oregon and Northern California to meet up with us after all. Even though the major fires are not along I-5, the potential, not to mention the smoke, would be a huge issue.