The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

What's up? I heard that in the US you don't even need to wear masks anymore if you have been vaccinated, so jealous here. I hope things go back to normal over the next few months. So far I have been only teaching on zoom which is horrible and all the best restaurants are closed. In my case, I am not very worried about catching the virus again since I tested positive almost a year ago and immunity appears to be long-lasting.

So, how is life normalizing for the users here?

Just starting to change: my wife and I got our second doses last week, a lot of the people I know and would spend time with are either vaccinated or between their first and second, and the state has eased restrictions.

It's kind of surreal to think that we're effectively good to just live our lives now, although that's sort of misleading if a lot of people (and more businesses) still can't or won't. But it does feel like the tide has turned and it won't surprise me if things feel shockingly normal in just a month or two.

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

All I know is if things return to "normal" then the system is more broke than we realized.

But it will be nice to see an end to my nose acne.

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

I wish I could type-muffled like my mask makes me sound when talking. I don't think anyone has heard me clearly while I'm out in public for a year now. mfffftttttt.......

I was reading a post on social media from a guy who was happy just to hug his stepdad for the first time in over a year.

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

The first dose of the vaccine tomorrow. A friend got his on Monday and his arm's hurting now. Hopefully no side effects for me!

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

From what I can tell a sore arm near the injection is basically inevitable, but if that's all you get that'd be pretty great.

I got my first dose yesterday, no serious side effects. We are still in lockdown until at least June 2 here in Ontario Canada. Movie theatres are still closed ☹️

Here in Lithuania cinemas are already opened, though masks are still required. I plan to go to see "A Quiet Place- Part 2" and "Cruella" on Sunday 30th of May.

Yeah, but his entire arm hurts a lot and he can't even lift it. Another friend's dad experienced vertigo, but the friend had no side effects at all, not even slight pain.

By the way, what vaccines were you guys vaccinated with? Pfizer here.

I ended up passing out for 14 hrs after I got the shot

Both Moderna here, which I've heard (anecdotally) generally has the worst side effects.

My response was mild: felt crappy/fatigured/feverish late that night and most of the next day, but never awful. Arm sore but could still use it. Wife had basically no response at all.

Passed up a perfectly plausible pun post with antidotally. So very disappointing.

https://media1.tenor.com/images/e0df...efd2/tenor.gif


I feel like my current avatar makes this even more obnoxious than how I mean it. Not sure that's a good thing.

Got my first Moderna last Monday. On Thursday my neck and shoulder hurt so bad I thought I'd have to go home from work, but I made it through the day and week.

Massachusetts is slowly easing restrictions but it's still far from normal here.

What difference do you think should stay?

The only thing I can think of that makes some sense is an early shopping hour on some days for the elderly.

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

I think the idea of throwing on a mask if you know you've got the flu or something is probably a perfectly sensible thing to do in normal times, too. It's already common in other parts of the world.

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

Mask mandates ended a few weeks back here in Alabama. Not that too many were following it here in the SE area. I was relieved to see lines at the hospital when the vaccines first became available. That has slowed to a trickle now, though, and I believe it's become limited to the JJ shot as there hasn't been much demand lately. Or for what is in demand, people aren't going in for their second shot and/or cancelling appointments. At this point I might see 1 in 8 wearing a mask.

*edit*
I was nearly tackled entering Best Buy the other day as I was still trying to get my mask sorted in hand. They're pretty strict still on entering with masks on. Medical offices, of course, still require. Not much else that I can see. Restaurants are back to full capacity, assuming there are customers enough for it and that there's staff enough to support the load.

Personally, I'd be ok if people used masks more often even after this is settled. For sure in more populated areas. Rural is arguable, but still. Have you ever been to a southern Walmart?! *shivers*

I hear what you're saying but I think anyone with the flu shouldn't even go out around people. I was thinking more along the lines of any continued guidelines.

I had my second Moderna vaccine shot today. No side effects from the first shot other than a sore spot on my arm for a few days.

Re: The End of Covid and Return to Normal Life
 

I haven't seen much change since the new mask recommendations. Everywhere I've been, the old rules are still being enforced. In school we still have to wear them, but nearly everyone is back in person, which is great. Today they actually had a vaccination clinic in the middle school parking lot.

I got Pfizer a few weeks ago and I had a sore arm from the first dose and a small fever from the second. I'm fine now though, and in one more week I'll be fully immune!