Social distancing after 7 months into covid

[lizzywednesday]

We're OK with doctors' and dentists' visits - DD had both her annual cardiologist visit and rescheduled 6-month dental visit in early September; I had my optometrist exam a week later; both of us got our flu shots in mid-September; and I took her to see her pediatrician on Tuesday so we could talk about next steps for her behavior) for things that we don't think can be done via telehealth - there's telehealth through our insurance for DH & me and we've used it with DD's pediatrician during the most restrictive stay-at-home orders.

We are OK with grocery shopping occasionally, but mostly do curbside pickup. We do a lot of ordering online.

We are OK with socializing outdoors, with masks, with or without distance. (We've gone over it with DD that the procedure is masks on for closer-than-6-feet-apart contact.) We've hosted a handful of in-person Girl Scout troop meetings, but have been very clear about masks being mandatory for all in-person meetings, both for our comfort level and because that's the word from Council.

We do not allow anyone who doesn't live here inside if we can help it. We had a BIG exception in late June when we had our A/C replaced (had workmen inside) but DD, DH, and I all cleared out and I cleaned like crazy when DD and I came home, but we haven't had anyone in since.

DD is not allowed indoors at friends' houses or at the in-laws'. She comes back home to use the restroom if she's playing with her neighborhood friends.

It'll be a while before we're comfortable with hair salons, and since wax irritates my skin, I'm left hand-plucking my brows. (But I did get a handheld depillatory tool for my chin & upper-lip - my mom ordered it for me.)

[twowhat?]

We are pretty risk-averse though we do have some risk factors in the family including asthma, and DH and DD1 have leaky heart valves (DD1's is the one I'm more concerned about...the cardiologist spent a solid 20 min with the sonogram before finally shutting it off to discuss). They most certainly don't need ANY inflammation anywhere near their hearts!

We have been OK with doctors/dentist visits, as they are as safe as you can get with all the screening and extra PPE requirements. We're good with grocery and Costco - I'm the only one that does these errands because I am good about not touching my face and can get done quickly. I'm also usually able to get these done during non-busy times. We're OK with quick errands, like to the hardware store if we need something. Masks 100% of the time for any of this.

We do not eat out. Not even outside. We are fine with doing takeout.

No salons, haircuts, or non-essential shopping.

The only outside household mingling we have done is with grandparents for the girls' birthday (indoor, masked, limited time, candles blown out with a hairdryer and cake sent home with everyone to eat), and a couple of playdates outdoors only with only 1 friend who is also distance learning, socially distanced, also limited in time.

We are considering letting our kids trick or treat with 2 friends, masked, with me following with hand sanitizer and directing them away from any crowded porches, for trick-or-treating, and limiting the time if I feel the streets are too crowded to enjoy it and be able to distance. I'd also have a stash of candy they can immediately dive into, so no touching the ToT candy for a couple of days.

We are struggling with what to do for Thanksgiving...considering seeing if the grandparents would agree to a 2-week quarantine (no eating out, no seeing friends...only grocery store, masked, or doctor's appts, masked) prior to Thanksgiving in order for us to be able to get together indoors without masks. None of our grandparents are eating out, and my parents have done short visits with a couple of friends, masked, for things like a quick chat and dropping off/exchanging cooking. But I would want to put the rules clearly out there...I dunno. It's hard. Neighbors are having extended family over, friends over, spending time indoors (no masks) etc. And we are the weird ones whose grandparents arrive with masks on!

[basil]

We have no risk factors. My main goal with social distancing is to 1) get kids back in full time school and 2) be able to see my parents/family without fear of hurting them

-Kids are in hybrid school
-We have a nanny who is herself pretty good with social distance and just hangs out with her fiancé
-Kids are in outdoor masked sports (soccer and baseball) though that is ending in the next 2 weeks
-We go on errands masked and sometimes take the kids (grocery store, Costco, Joann, ski store, etc.)
-We do not go to gyms, or eat out either inside or outside (mainly cause sitting in our house, eating take-out, and drinking our cheap Costco wine sounds better than paying more and being outside)
-We have done a handful of outdoor masked playdates for our kids. Most people around here are pretty conscientious including kids so it's not that hard. Have gotten rejected for a few more.
-My mom comes to our house to help with distance learning 1x/week. She only does grocery/CVS masked, no other social contact. My dad works from home. I wear a mask around her whenever I overlap with her at my house. We've had a handful of outside dinners with them, and we got together for some time over the summer when cases were really low and tested beforehand.
-DH and I work in healthcare and depending on schedules and such, have weeks where we see more or less patients at close contact or known COVID-19 patients. We wear maximum PPE (N95 and face shield) for all encounters.

[bcafe]

We are living our lives with masking. We don't shop much anyway or DH and I will grocery shop by ourselves or we do grocery pick up. I hate malls so that is never an issue. We have eaten out and prefer patios (in non-COVID times as well), but we follow the rules and mask up when not seated. The kids are in school full time in person and are doing great. The schools mandate masks and social distancing, even recess is masked. The kids have never complained. Both boys play soccer and DD plays tennis. We can't stop our lives for this especially since DH and myself are still working outside the home.

[meggie t]

We have found that our area has been good about following rules/precautions. We have basically resumed all things that are "allowed" and follow the guidelines and are fine with that. We have a close group of friends that we have hosted and vice versa both indoors and outdoors. We all feel and act somewhat similarly about things so feel comfortable. There is one friend that still isn't comfortable indoors and that's fine. She comes when we meet outside but not when we are inside - no big deal. Two of these friends have their children doing fully remote, while the others are in school full time. Again, no one thinks any differently about anyone. I can't imagine anyone being offended if one didn't want to attend something. Times have changed.

[carolinamama]

We are likely on the moderate side for many on this board but still considered a bit extreme for our area. Lots of anti-maskers as time goes on. Our kids are all at home in virtual learning for the first semester. Planning to send DS2 and DD in full time for the spring. Our kids are playing sports - soccer for DSs and gymnastics for DD (she wears a mask most of the time but she is a big outlier). DH goes into the office most days. We shop as necessary - once or twice a week - with a mask. If a kid wants to tag along, I take them but most of the time I'm on my own in stores. We do mostly takeout but will eat on a restaurant patio. No indoor playdates - kids hang out with friends outdoors. I did leave a playground this morning with DD when it became crowded but it was mainly that we didn't have our masks with us (they were in the car) as it was empty when we arrived.

ETA - we have definitely turned down indoor crowded social invites and felt uncomfortable in situations where we have left. The biggest issue feels like my kids - playdates are expected to run as they have in the past and we prefer the kids stay outdoors. It's hard to host especially DD's friends who want to play indoors. DSs have left neighborhood hangouts because the group moved indoors. I don't know the answer but it has caused some stress in my life lately.

[lizzywednesday]

We are pretty risk-averse though we do have some risk factors in the family including asthma, and DH and DD1 have leaky heart valves (DD1's is the one I'm more concerned about...the cardiologist spent a solid 20 min with the sonogram before finally shutting it off to discuss). They most certainly don't need ANY inflammation anywhere near their hearts!...

I think part of the reason we've been fairly cautious (aside from DH's germ-phobia) has to do with DD's heart - we met with her cardiologist in September for her (rescheduled) annual checkup, and the Journal of the American Heart Association echoed his report that the evidence does not currently point to an increased risk of COVID complications in patients with congenital heart disease/defect.

While I was reassured by his confidence and the evidence he could report based on patients cared for at CHOP, I remain concerned that there are things we haven't seen yet because of school closures, families' isolation, and other exposure-reduction strategies that were implemented early in the pandemic and persist across our respective states.

However, the evidence of clotting in major organ systems in autopsied deceased COVID patients scares the cr@p out of me, so ... I'm struggling with balancing that fear with the ability to work through risk in a rational, scientifically-based way.

[essnce629]

Los Angeles here where everything is still pretty shut down, no schools in person, etc.

I'm fine with small group interactions outside with masks. I went with DS2 yesterday to the park to meet with another mom and 3 of DS2's friends from elementary school to play basketball, baseball, and just run around (all wearing masks). It was our first time at the park and it was uncomfortably packed, with large groups of people not wearing masks and playing soccer and basketball all very close. There was very little green space for the kids to play at all! It basically looked like a normal pre-Covid day at the park. I think next time we'll look for a less crowded park.

DS1 had hung out with school friends a few times in small groups outside, but twice lately he's broken our rule with a different group of friends and ended up inside without masks for hours. I wasn't happy about that at all.

There is no indoor dining here and I wouldn't be comfortable with it anyways. DH and I ate outside at a restaurant for the first time on our Ojai trip and are doing another date night tonight to eat at a restaurant with a dedicated outdoor patio space. I really have no desire to eat on the sidewalk or in a parking lot, I'd rather just get takeout at that point.

Our zoo just started doing drive-in movies last weekend and we went last Sunday and will go again tomorrow night. Something fun and different.

We've done all dentist and eye doctor appointments and I still need to schedule physicals. My mom and I go grocery shopping together and I go to Target once a month. That's the only indoor stuff we do, although I'll let DS1 go back to rock climbing as soon as the climbing gym opens back up. They had great precautions in place when they reopened for 4 weeks back in June.

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[ellies mom]

We shop as needed and eat out occasionally. I will very occasionally hang out with my co-workers since we are basically our own quaranteam. I did travel for work last week. We mostly wear our masks and stay away from people.


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[pinkmomagain]

From a family/social perspective, outdoor stuff only...with social distancing and masks too when it feels appropriate. But these small gatherings don't happen often. I have not been in anyone's home, nor have I had visitors in my house (just service people when needed for a repair/service call --- with masks and social distancing).