Coronavirus

[Rommie]

We were bound to get to this point eventually, it was just such a surprise to come this early, well before the elusive herd immunity.

I think that's really the crux of the issue. Like, in New England it's pretty save to bet that we are going to hit herd immunity (75%+ of adults vaccinated now, 12 and up also increasing at a great rate). Yet here it's really common to still see masked people out and about when well distanced from others, especially with kids. I mean, outside in summer, you do you. But it does seem pretty shitty to just declare "the pandemic is over May 29!" and I'll be curious around here how indoor mask rules will continue- everyone is emphasizing now that private businesses can still institute whatever rules they want, of course, and I suspect around Boston you'll need a mask in your pocket for some time in the future (I don't think the grocery store we frequent is planning to lift their mask mandate for example).

Also, good news, yesterday was our two weeks post second vaccination date, so we had other fully vaccinated friends over for a party! Our first one at the new house- I forgot how much I love entertaining, and how much more we want to do of it! Finally got to meet a friend's new boyfriend (not even new, just we haven't seen her in months), welcome a new person who moved from Amsterdam in January but I haven't been able to see yet, all that nice stuff. And the best part was finally giving hugs to friends when they left- that simple act of touch being special aside, we were all laughing at just how weird it was to do after worrying so long.

Other funny one I noticed is the grocery store aisles now have the "one way" markings removed, not like anyone used them. But shopping for the party I went to grab iced tea, and instinctively took a circuitous route back to F who had the grocery cart and was confused why I didn't just turn around and come back to him. Old habits die hard!

[pumpkinpi]

Also, good news, yesterday was our two weeks post second vaccination date, so we had other fully vaccinated friends over for a party! Our first one at the new house- I forgot how much I love entertaining, and how much more we want to do of it! Finally got to meet a friend's new boyfriend (not even new, just we haven't seen her in months), welcome a new person who moved from Amsterdam in January but I haven't been able to see yet, all that nice stuff. And the best part was finally giving hugs to friends when they left- that simple act of touch being special aside, we were all laughing at just how weird it was to do after worrying so long.

That's so exciting. I love stories of people finally getting back together!

My closest friends in the area are actually at work and in my neighborhood, so I've seen them all to some extent throughout the pandemic. My really close friends are spread out around the country, and it would have been a year or longer without seeing them so I've not really missed out on seeing them specifically during the pandemic. For us the main things we are anticipating are feeling comfortable to dine inside again, and playdates with the kids where we don't have to rely on nice weather that allows them to be outside. I think we'll just have to stick it out through the summer with outside playdates unless the vaccine is approved for kids under 12 before the fall. But man, as soon as it's safe, the kids are having playdates EVERY weekend! I'm sick of being entertainment for them them all day every Saturday and Sunday.

It's funny, one thing I've really missed are meetings with my planetarium colleagues across the country, and even the world. I have missed 3-4 conferences I would have had with them in person. And there is always a lot of hugging. I hope we're comfortable doing that when we meet in person again--potentially in November.

I do have one reunion coming up that I've really been looking forward to. I'm going to see my dad, sis, and her family in Maryland in June. That will be a bittersweet trip.

[Rommie]

I've definitely been thinking about what my first conference will be too. I didn't attend any my last year of my PhD because of the timing, and now spent the first two years of my postdoc not going to any, which is definitely not ideal. Networking aside, there's just not as many to attend on topics I'm interested in and have definitely started to notice gaps in my knowledge on some topics that I research but probably wouldn't be there if I could just go to conferences and hear what others are working on! (Meanwhile, my supervisor who clearly already knows his stuff and has his network says he'd gotten to the point where he'd fly to Europe just for one day of a conference and fly home, and hope he doesn't have to do that again. Which, fair if you're a tenured Ivy League professor, but pretty sure that's an entirely different extreme.)

I think it's not likely to happen in the fall because these things take time to organize and it's still all up in the air, but I hope the American Astronomical Society will be in person in January (so definitely will go if that happens), and a big meeting on the agenda for Pittsburgh in March. Hell if I'd pass up a meeting in my hometown like that even if there was no pandemic!

The good news though is it does look like seminars will be happening at universities this fall again, so I will be hopefully able to travel and see people for those! Looks like my alma mater in Ohio will be inviting me end of September (I'll let you locals know if it's a public thing), then just had a chat this morning with someone famous in my field in California, and got excited because he said he'd be sure to check the colloquium schedule this fall and put me on it so we can catch up and collaborate on some stuff. I really hope that one happens!

[pumpkinpi]

On the other hand, I still may be compromised because of my medication, so if I am worried I would catch something while inside, I should wear a mask even if I don't have to.

Last week there was a news report that people in immunsuppressants may be recommended to get an antibody test, and a third shot if their levels are low. That made me nervous, but I am glad I got a chance to talk to my doctor today. He says they are not seeing any evidence that fully vaccinated people on Remicade and Humira are getting covid any worse than the general population is. He doesn't recommend getting an antibody test, he said they (their practice/profession) don't even know what they would recommend from the results. I asked about my specific case--at my work we still can't enforce masks even for kids under 12. So I could be around unvaccinated, unmaksed people carrying covid at any time. He doesn't see that I am at any higher risk for severe disease than any other vaccinated person in the building (that is, very low risk.)

I think I am going to keep wearing masks when we have public visitors, but I may start going unmasked when I am in the building with just other staff. I have a higher level of trust that they are vaccinated. And I think I'll still wear my mask when I'm in public with my kids, until they are vaccinated and allowed to be mask free!

[Rommie]

Well this is nuts. I think I mentioned here that we were contemplating our honeymoon in August to Hawaii. And it looks like that's maybe not going to happen, because there's no rental cars at all to be had! I know a lot of the rental car companies sold off their inventory for the pandemic, and apparently now it's just impossible to buy new ones. Pretty wild to think that your visiting a destination could hinge on something so easy to do pre-pandemic, but we weren't planning to just hang out at the hotel or beach all day, so what's a gal to do?

More imminently, however, we are flying to Iceland tomorrow! So curious how international travel will go in this time, and to see how life is there- they're averaging one case a day in the last week, and 40% of the population has one shot, so wow it's gonna be weird to just go into restaurants and bars like normal people...

[Rommie]

We got the first reopening plans from Harvard this week. Mainly things relating to students- they're all required to be vaccinated, so with that dorms will be at normal capacity, all sports are back, and all classes will be in person (with a carefully worded statement about how online sucks, basically). Which they were pointing out basically can be done, because you can require all students to be vaccinated/ quarantine when they arrive if they aren't yet from abroad, so unless things tick upwards in Massachusetts at this point we might as well start the fall normally. (My personal favorite is they will finally reopen the libraries this fall too- I miss working in one, and Harvard has amazing libraries!)

The interesting one to me was apparently there was a meeting about this I wasn't aware of, and they can't require non-students to get vaccinated but did do an anonymous straw poll to see what percent of people were vaccinated. Astonishingly 97% of people of 700+ on the call were fully or partially, which is fantastic news and frankly makes makes so happy I ended up in a work community where that's the case. The alternative seems so stressful.

No guidance yet on things like masks (which now you just have to wear inside at all times unless you're in an office by yourself, but of course once the building is at full capacity we are not having our own offices any more)- I am betting good money that they're going to wait a month or two there to see how things go since the mandate is dropping this weekend in MA. I can't see the point though if we anecdotally know we are well above herd immunity (you can voluntarily send in your info, but apparently only half of the people have). Likewise, I hope we can figure something out for visitors for the fall- I know I got my job I have now because of a successful visit a few years ago, and online seminars are just not the same, so I hope students can get back to having that opportunity again ASAP.

[pumpkinpi]

Wow. That's so different from the University of Minnesota. I just spent all day inside unmasked with a bunch of people I've never met before! They were all University scientists/employees. We are allowed to be inside university buildings unmasked if we are fully vaccinated. No questions asked, though. I was slightly nervous, but I had a level of trust as they are all research scientists, and they wouldn't be around each other unmasked if they didn't trust each other. I will get a test after I get back, though!

[Thumper]

Well this is nuts. I think I mentioned here that we were contemplating our honeymoon in August to Hawaii. And it looks like that's maybe not going to happen, because there's no rental cars at all to be had! I know a lot of the rental car companies sold off their inventory for the pandemic, and apparently now it's just impossible to buy new ones. Pretty wild to think that your visiting a destination could hinge on something so easy to do pre-pandemic, but we weren't planning to just hang out at the hotel or beach all day, so what's a gal to do?

More imminently, however, we are flying to Iceland tomorrow! So curious how international travel will go in this time, and to see how life is there- they're averaging one case a day in the last week, and 40% of the population has one shot, so wow it's gonna be weird to just go into restaurants and bars like normal people...

I heard people were renting U-Hauls in place of missing rent a cars...

[Rommie]

Wow. That's so different from the University of Minnesota. I just spent all day inside unmasked with a bunch of people I've never met before! They were all University scientists/employees. We are allowed to be inside university buildings unmasked if we are fully vaccinated. No questions asked, though. I was slightly nervous, but I had a level of trust as they are all research scientists, and they wouldn't be around each other unmasked if they didn't trust each other. I will get a test after I get back, though!

So! Harvard has now mandated that if you are employed here, you are not allowed to work from campus after July 15 if you are not fully vaccinated (with of course a few reasons you can be exempt). I think that's a good solution- you can't fire people because of their not getting it, but that doesn't mean you have the right to come to campus.

But yeah the buildings are still super strict, though it sounds like now that they've realized 90%+ of people are vaccinated they'll be loosening up faster. Also, just a ton of gatherings for work happening in our courtyard now- met my supervisor down there yesterday while he was wrapping up with a student, and there was another group meeting with half a dozen people happening a few tables down from us. No masks. People are definitely in the halls and chatting more now, but everyone still wears masks because we have to.

Minor victory this past week, they also lifted the requirement that I had to answer questions on an app every day I came in to state I was in good health etc. Husband was like wait, you were still doing that?! And, yes, people do all sorts of BS things for work sometimes, doesn't mean I'm not happy to let that one go.

[Rommie]

So, Iceland! I'll post more elsewhere, but that really was the best trip we could have done right now if the goal was "hooray we're vaccinated!" because they have zero cases in the country. Did the test right after where they check your passport (my first back of the nose covid test- eh, worth the rest of the trip), then rental car/ check in at hotel and nap, then in about 6 hours we got a text that our tests were negative so we were free to roam. And, wow... we didn't expect how much we would relish the normal! It was very windy and rainy so our sightseeing in Reykjavik became mainly hopping from cozy bar to nice brewery, which were all pretty full and no one was masked (you saw maybe 1/20 people wearing one on the street in Reykjavik, and no one at all once we left it- still required on public transit though), then enjoyed an amazing breakfast buffet the next morning at the hotel where it was all self service... stuff like that. I totally forgot how much I enjoy a good breakfast buffet.

We kept masks in our pockets the first day, and then once to get in line to get tested to come back to the USA (requirement still for travelers), but after that just didn't bother using one because it so clearly didn't matter. Quite civilized.

[Ikyoto]

We're fully stabbed up, so what's our big event? Going to the mall to get a watch fixed.

[lady_*nix]

Oh, mood...

Two weeks after my second dose I went to Supercuts and got an actual haircut for the first time in over a year. It was like finally seeing Jerico after wandering in the desert for 40 years.

[Ikyoto]

Oh, mood...

Two weeks after my second dose I went to Supercuts and got an actual haircut for the first time in over a year. It was like finally seeing Jerico after wandering in the desert for 40 years.

Still on my sand covered mind.

[geonuc]

I played a golf tournament yesterday near the small town of La Pine, just south of Bend. It's a more conservative area and I suspect a hotbed of anti-vaxxers. Almost no covid restrictions at all - only the obligatory posting on the door that said you had to wear a mask if you're not vaccinated (that's pretty much the rule in Oregon now). I saw not a single mask the entire time. Handshakes are back, too. I was a bit uncomfortable with that but went along.

[pumpkinpi]

I went to a colleague/friend's wedding this weekend. BANG! Back into the real world. It was about 100 guests, and almost none were masked. I have to believe that my friend and her husband have a level of trust with all of their guests not to require masks. I do know that all the people I was sitting with are fully vaccinated. (Well, except MrPi. He was only 11 days past his 2nd dose. But close enough, right? I'm sure the 14 days timeframe includes a buffer.)

I feel like for where the wedding was in terms of vaccination rate, it's pretty unlikely that unmasked, unvaccinated people would have and spread the disease. And I personally feel safe. It really has switched to a time of personal responsibility. Those who choose not to be vaccinated nor wear masks, if you get sick, that's on you. It's a very different attitude I have compared to just a couple weeks ago.

MrPi was pretty freaked out. He hasn't been around people en masse, masked or unmasked, like I have at work. But he said it was a good entry point for him.

[Rommie]

Yeah, I went out with a friend for cocktails a week or two ago, and it was her first time out after being fully vaxxed. When we sat down she said "this is so weird!" and the hostess, who has clearly heard this many times, reassured her "it's just like riding a bicycle!" So that's my advice to Mr. Pi.

Just ordered wedding invites myself, as we can definitely do this thing in August. I highly doubt we will hit 100 people though, just because we will be lucky if the immediate Dutch family can enter the country! They bought refundable tickets, but of course no one else wants to risk it and I don't blame them.

The funny thing though is how we might get one or two people attending for sorta the reverse reason- I have my friend from grad school who's Italian and working in the USA, and they're really hoping to return to Italy this August before the semester starts for the first time in two years (he teaches), but the visas are all backed up. So hey happy to provide a good alternative for those folks I'd say.

[Ikyoto]

Yeah, I went out with a friend for cocktails a week or two ago, and it was her first time out after being fully vaxxed. When we sat down she said "this is so weird!" and the hostess, who has clearly heard this many times, reassured her "it's just like riding a bicycle!" So that's my advice to Mr. Pi.

Just ordered wedding invites myself, as we can definitely do this thing in August. I highly doubt we will hit 100 people though, just because we will be lucky if the immediate Dutch family can enter the country! They bought refundable tickets, but of course no one else wants to risk it and I don't blame them.

The funny thing though is how we might get one or two people attending for sorta the reverse reason- I have my friend from grad school who's Italian and working in the USA, and they're really hoping to return to Italy this August before the semester starts for the first time in two years (he teaches), but the visas are all backed up. So hey happy to provide a good alternative for those folks I'd say.

You're still too young to do most of this crap.

Besides, why would he want to ride a bike?

[Ikyoto]

As of today, several area hospital reported a HUGE drop in covid patients! Seems the science is winning.

[Rommie]

Just got word of my first in person workshop!

There's a women in science workshop being held in September in Wellesley. Which is a half hour drive from me and sounds super exotic right now. Never been to one of those things, but figure I may as well go and network because I keep bitching about how I don't.

[Ikyoto]

Just got word of my first in person workshop!

There's a women in science workshop being held in September in Wellesley. Which is a half hour drive from me and sounds super exotic right now. Never been to one of those things, but figure I may as well go and network because I keep bitching about how I don't.

A whole half hour away? Do you need someone to hold your hand?

[Rommie]

My friends told me I'm not allowed to not have a bachelorette even if I've been legally married almost two years, so we did it this weekend. And it was so much fun! Actually went dancing at the end of it (gasp) which I definitely have not done in a really long time, and my sister flew on the plane for the first time in 16 months to attend, and all that. Amazing how normal it was, except for the part where unfortunately many of the bars everyone knows have shut down. Though geez, after recovery yesterday, I may never drink again...

So, we are doing the wedding reception thing next month, rescheduled from last year, and can I tell you the most stressful part about planning a wedding is for me? Right now, while Americans may enter Europe, there is no such allowance to fully vaccinated Europeans to enter the USA, as a holdover from the situation in March 2020. What this means is right now none of F's fully vaccinated family can enter for this wedding. What's insane about the situation is right now they could fly to Colombia which has a stupid high covid rate, stay there two weeks, and then fly to the USA- madness! But realistically they are not huge travelers and if they can't come from their home country, they just won't, which fair. Madness!

We are applying for an exemption on humanitarian grounds for his parents at least, but it's not clear if it will be granted (doesn't seem like a good argument to be made for his sister and her family right now, as she wouldn't come without them and the two kids aren't vaccinated). And I just feel so bad about it, because already none of his friends can make it, and the aunts and uncles who were interested are probably not at this rate either. I know there's nothing to be done other than what we are doing, and this is what it's like for many families over the years once the travel ban got in place to other nations... but it's still awful.

[pumpkinpi]

I am SO SICK of all the parents of unvaxxed kids who are being so careless. The latest example is a doozy. A kid on Buster's soccer team tested positive on Tuesday. Their team went to Kansas last weekend for an indoor futsal tournament in Kansas. MrPi and Buster were the only people on the team and anywhere along the drive from MN wearing masks. This is a U12 team, and we all know who is alread 12 and who is vaccinated. Most kids aren't yet. What kills me is the boy's father is a pediatrician.

If I had to bet, I'd say Buster doesn't have it. He has had his first shot* and is diligent about mask wearing. But if he gets covid, I'll be so pissed. The only way he and MrPi could have protected themselves more is to have chosen not to go to the tournament.

*Did I tell you how we did that? We heard about a place that wasn't checking birth certificates so MrPi took him there, lied about his birthday, and got the shot. The pharmacist found out by looking up his immunization record, and was not happy. He said he'd have to file a report. So we'll wait until he's 12 on Sept 2 to get the second shot. But this is exactly why we took our chances in the first place. We knew going to the tournament would put him at risk.

[Rommie]

Ah, you didn't say about Buster! I could definitely see why you'd make that decision, but also why the pharmacist would get mad about it (I'm sure it's one of those things where if he doesn't file, he might lose his job). Partial beats none, and I can see why you made that decision, and hope nothing comes of his exposure.

I can definitely get why it'd be so frustrating to have kids this summer. Around here the rule is usually "if you're not vaccinated, wear a mask" and in effect that means a lot of kids inside still wearing them and their parents in solidarity for the most part. But then yesterday we stopped by an arcade because the weather was crappy, and no joke there were hundreds of kids running around, maybe one or two with masks. And it was like ok, there were enough people that even in New Hampshire statistically one of those kids probably had it. Does no one care any more about them?

On the wedding front, humanitarian exemptions have been applied for for the Dutch parents and sister, and now we wait. The one optimistic note was last week Biden said they'd announce something in the next several days, so fingers double crossed they open the border by August 7 and we don't have to deal with this mess! Of course with our luck they'll say August 15 or some such, but in that case we are hoping we can just get an early approval... it just sucks that the most stressful part about the wedding is truly the part I cannot control.

Final crazy note, honeymoon is... Ecuador. Because it turns out all the stuff we want to do is remote and outside cities, those remote places like the Galapagos are fully vaccinated (part for tourism, part because who wants a pandemic in those super remote communities), and it is stupid cheap right now. The funny thing is also we actually wanted to do a far more conventional honeymoon, to Hawaii, but we literally could not get a rental car months out so had to scrap the idea. Isn't it wild that that's the sort of thing this all hinges on lately? (Plus I learned Ecuador is actually far closer than Hawaii- just 5 hours from Atlanta or so- so if I'm wearing masks on a long flight, that sounds like the way to do it.) I know a lot of people must think we're nuts for it, but I dunno, I feel like if you're vaccinated and keeping distance and doing a million tests, well, might as well give a chance to the other diseases from mosquitoes or whatever to get us.

[geonuc]

I watched a video recently about how the pandemic has screwed up international commerce and manufacturing in ways you might not expect. Started off with the rental car situation but then dove deeper into the ramifications of things like computer chips and shipping containers. Very interesting, and convinced me that we (the world) will not be back to normal, whatever that will be, for some years. I'd post a link but I totally forgot where I saw the video.

[pumpkinpi]

So the requirement to wear masks inside the museum is great for staff working with museum visitors, but not great for staff working in the office. Even though there are no distancing requirements, with the new mask guidelines we are constrained on locations where we can eat lunch. We can't eat in our cubes. One recommendation is to eat in your car.

Another hitch in this back to work thing is that a lot of our meetings are still virtual because not everyone's back in the office. So if everyone is at the same meeting but in their own cubes, it's a real racket.

So those two things combined are sending me back home for half days. Either work till lunch and come home, or go in after lunch. It will depend on what's better for my meeting schedule.

My neighbor also works at the U, although completely in an office setting. Yesterday was his first day back. He and his staff are saying.....if we have to wear masks and keep doing all our meetings over zoom, why bother coming in?