Next Phase of Pandemic Navel Gazing

[olivermoss]

The estimate for when the general population in my area will get vaccinated is 'between July and Fall'. By Fall they mean 'October or November', because if they meant September they would have said September. And yes, that is taking the J&J vaccine into account.

So, the next ... fucking hell .... several months is going to be me still stuck while others start to return to normal life. We don't yet know how Oregon is going to stratify the 'general population', the initial plan was scuttled.

Transmission rates will lower as key vectors gets vaccinated. The strain on hospitals will decrease. Things will get safer. Also, it's possible I've had Covid and am immune because the times I tried to get a test I could not get one. So I've got 5 or 7 months of not being vaccinated (but maybe immune already) and things will slowly get less dangerous. That is a hell of a mental burden. Up until now, it's all been very clear cut. But the lines will start to fuzz and I'll be surrounded more and more with people living their lives.

It's bad enough that I know some people in healthcare who, since they are constantly doing risky shit anyway due to work, have totally stopped caring about the pandemic and just stand close and hug people and do whatever they feel their need for their mental health. They act sort of confused and laugh when other people still take this seriously. Also my therapist has been taking out of town group vacays to handle pandemic stress this whole time and doesn't get why I wont just travel myself.

None of this is meant as an explanation to justify either doing things or not doing things. Just sort of going over the whole situation and going 'well, fuck'.

It could be worse, the initial Oregon plan would have definitely had me at the very end of the line and it looks like they are re-working that based on public reaction.

I've been focused on May-June as the range for restarting my life, seeing July-Fall just ... goddammit.

Comments

[mistressofmuses]

It's a big question mark in Colorado. The state has been handling things really well for the most part, but we're very in the middle in terms of vaccination rates. (And CO has way too damn many anti-vaxxers.) Initial estimates for me were May-June-ish, taking into account that I'm in a public-facing job, but not an "essential" worker. But now it seems like it's likely to be that soon.

I'm already struggling with how many people aren't taking it seriously. Coworkers talking about parties on the weekends, and how they just "need to live their lives" again. People going out of town, happy to travel out of state because they miss family and friends and "need a break." All the coworkers who come into the office and say "Oh, I don't mind if you want to take your mask off, it's just us!"

I get the burnout, I do. But I've gotten to the point where I'm struggling not to be ANGRY when people are talking about the things they're going and doing, and I know it's going to be months and months more.

I'm sorry you're in the same boat, and that I'm kind of preaching to the choir.

[olivermoss]

I get the burnout, but the more people make exceptions to escape it the worse things get. <- Super obvious statement I know. That's why I don't post more about Covid, anyone who'd read it knows this shit. Other people taking it lightly makes it worse for those who take it seriously in so many ways.

I still can't go out most hours due to tourists and they are the main thing driving Covid cases in our state. I went into lockdown about a month before most people because I was taking this seriously and had just traveled. But right now my life staying this way past Halloween is just unimaginable.

[mistressofmuses]

Exactly. Colorado has been hit hard by people from out of state visiting, too. (The number of out of state license plates we saw over the lockdown period...) I KNOW people are burned out, but people deciding that *they* get to be the exception, and it's okay for them to take risks (and pass those risks on to others) because they just *really want to*... Like I said, it's hard for me to not get ANGRY about it.

I'm with you. The idea that the most responsible people (those of us taking it seriously, being careful, isolating) are frequently suffering the most, because we are giving up our happiness to protect ourselves and others, but not being granted the same... It's deeply upsetting.

[olivermoss]

It's really upsetting and there is pretty much nothing that can be done about it. I live alone and have no bubble so these people tramping all over the situation, even taking advantage for cheap airfare are really causing me a lot more stress.

[highlyeccentric]

I'm sorry :(