Covid exposure

[overthemoon]

My husband went golfing yesterday and then had lunch inside with 6 other people. No one was masked at any time.This morning we find out that one of the golfers has tested positive for Covid. My husband is vaccinated and boosted, but that doesn't seem to keep you from getting Covid anymore. Now, I am worried about getting it from him if he gets it. I have moved into one of our spare bedrooms and will be wearing a mask in my own home for the next 5 days. I know that hardly anyone still wears a mask or avoids indoor social situations, but it seems like such a small thing to do to avoid all this inconvenience. At first I was really angry at him for putting himself in those circumstances, but maybe it's just me. Is the thinking now that you just go about your life and if you get Covid, oh well? I am vaccinated and boosted, as well, so I am not afraid of getting terribly ill, it's just that at this time of the year with so much to do for school, I can't afford to have to quarantine. Thoughts?

 

[PEPteach]

My thoughts

I'm sorry there was an exposure. I know that's frustrating and anxiety-inducing. And you're right, the beginning of the school year would be a stressful time to get it.

My thoughts are that I did what I can do (got vaccinated and boosted) but now I need to live my life. Lots of people are getting it regardless of vaccination status. Most cases are "mild" in the sense of not requiring hospitalization. This is long-term and I'm not willing or able to drastically limit social interaction for years.

That being said, I'm more cautious at certain times, like right before and after traveling or if I'm seeing someone that might be compromised in some way. I also am more vigilant about not seeing somebody if I'm not feeling well and also test if I notice anything out of the ordinary.

If it were me, I'd try to not be angry with him. He truly could get sick anywhere and the alternative is never leaving the house.

 

[PoohBear]

Did the person play golf knowing he had Covid or tested positive after? Honestly I have been very very careful, vaccinated & double boosted, wear a mask indoors but even I don’t wear one outdoors anymore. I probably would have requested lunch be outdoors and especially in summer that seems a reasonable thing to ask of others.

Covid is going to be with us indefinitely and at this point everyone needs to assess their own risk, assume that you’re likely to cross paths with someone who has Covid (knowingly or not) and take your own precautions.

I hope neither of you get it.

 

[brooks56]

Covid

It seems like most of us will get it sooner or later. I am vaccinated, but not boosted, since I got tinnitus after the 2nd Moderna shot. My husband ,and I, who is vaccinated and one booster, have gone on about our lives including traveling to Florida, Savanna, Hilton Head, Gatlinburg, Atlantic Beach NC, and several family reunions and church suppers. We may get it any day, but since we are older we want to travel before we're not able to travel very well

I wouldn't be angry with my husband. I have sat beside people at a meeting who had Covid and never came down with it. Of course, everyone's immunity is different.

 

[cruxian]

For much of last school year, we'd find out whenever we were near a kid who came down with COVID. It would make me nervous, especially at first. I began to notice that many of the kids didn't seem noticeably sick prior to diagnosis and figured that most everyone who leaves their house has probably come into frequent contact with those with COVID and the only difference was that I found out about it and others didn't.
So far, I have not to my knowledge come down with COVID despite being in school in close quarters and being frequently exposed.
In terms of being irritated with your husband, I wouldn't. I'm sure you're understandably frustrated and probably slightly worried about having to quarantine. The beginning of the year isn't ideal but I've come to learn that everything goes on without me and if it happened, it happened.
I feel differently about activities outside my home now than I did at the beginning of the pandemic. It seems the severity of COVID is less than it was initially (and/or more people are vaccinated and doctors are better at treating it). I definitely don't want to get sick but even I can't go for the foreseeable future without being around others.
I hope you and your DH avoid getting sick.

 

[NJ Teacher]

It is difficult…

I am one of the fortunate ones who so far, has avoided Covid. I do mask in places like stores and other public places, and I recently wore a mask for 2 hours in the movies. I am fully vaccinated and boosted, but as you said, you can get sick even having been through all that.

My personal take on this is you can’t live in isolation and with the variants, Covid does not seem to be going away any time soon, if ever. I have been out to eat unmasked indoors and I do go to my gym. They do temperature checks on entering, but who knows how effective that is? I have kept my travel to a minimum, but am planning a trip to NC in September by car. One of my guests for Thanksgiving just told me she and her husband are seeing Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden the day before Thanksgiving. Am I happy about that with cases on the uptick in NYC? No, but people cannot be expected to live in a bubble.

I am sorry your husband was exposed, and hope both you and he continue to test negative. Wishing you the best.

 

[Tiamat]

I've accepted that this is life, and I am living my life as normal. I will put a mask on if forced, but it's not voluntary. I had Covid (or at least tested positive, no symptoms) in March, my husband and I did absolutely nothing different, and he didn't get it. I'e had multiple exposures since.

It's life now, and life is for living, not for fear.

 

[Summerwillcom]

I am sorry your husband was exposed.

If we had both agreed to be careful, I would be irritated with him too!
I made a pact with a small group of family and friends when Covid 1st came out because we didn't know much about it and did not want to expose my elderly dad.
At that point, I'd have been irked if someone ate in a restaurant and did not remove themselves from our social events for a week at least. (We all were good though about telling if we had slipped up.)
Since then, we spent time in the hospital with Covid patients in just a few rooms down from us. The rules of the hospital were to wear a mask in the hall and when hospital personnel entered.
There is no way you can wear an N-95 for 12 hours a day when the patient is hard of hearing to begin with and it would have been cruel for him not to have been able to talk and hear responses.
After that experience, my dad passed away there, I changed my thinking.
I think Covid is going to be with us. I think we should be cautious, but need to continue with life. This summer, I have visited with friends and family who have flown up here to visit. Life is short and I don't want to miss out on seeing people I love ever again.
Each person needs to assess their own situation and do what is right for them. I do not go to large gatherings or fly myself anymore. However, I figure having company who has flown is not real safe, but who knows? It may be the last chance some of us get to see each other.

 

[1956BD]

I still stay home most of the time

as I have chronic health issues. When I do go out I wear a mask. I think you are wise to try to prevent getting Covid from your husband. I hope you both stay well. Good luck!

 

[bGracie]

I think it's makes sense for a person who has health risks already to take extra precautions and for those visiting them to take precautions, but I believe most of those people realize the rest of society must continue functioning.

It also seems very likely that most people are exposed to covid without even knowing it. When a friend comes down with it and lets you know, that's considerate, but there could be total strangers in the grocery store who have it, and you would never know. One can't really live life avoiding people who have covid because there's no way to know who has it.

 

[sped91]

So far we've been lucky and no one in our house has gotten Covid. My 20 year old DS was exposed this summer at work. We made him isolate in his room for 5 days and then do a Covid test. He was negative so we let him out. We delivered his meals to a table right outside his door and he was allowed to come out if no one else was home. His room is in the basement and he doesn't share a bathroom so it wasn't a big deal for him to isolate.

I haven't been wearing a mask at all and I think it's just a matter of time before I get Covid. Just hoping when I do I can keep from spreading to the rest of my family.

 

[Cinderella00]

Covid

I'm over taking major Covid precautions. I don't wear a mask unless I have to, like at the dr office. I have been in large, indoor groups. We haven't masked at school in over a year.

My DH is in a nursing home, in a memory care unit. About 3 weeks ago, Covid hit the nursing home. 8 out of 14 of the residents in his pod tested positive. I was allowed to continue to visit, which I did for hours at a time. Indoors. None of the residents with Covid wore masks (you just can't keep a mask on someone with dementia - they don't understand and pull them off). Staff did what they could to keep some distance between residents, but again - dementia.

All 8 residents had very, very mild symptoms. Only 1 felt bad enough to stay in bed a day or two. If I didn't know who had covid from the signs on their doors I would have never been able to pick out who was sick. DH was one of the few who didn't test positive. None of the nurses or aides ever tested positive.

All that to say, I think what's going around now is super mild and I think it's here to stay.

 

[anna]

It's a small inconvenience to check ventilation and filtration in a room and wear a mask. I would be upset if my dh was careless and not taking the time to put on a kn95. Long covid is no joke and the monthly death rate from Covid is upwards of 2,000. Once you catch it, your immune system is weaker and it will be easier to catch it again. I would quarantine.

 

[linda2671]

We’re vaxed and boosted

We’re just kind of going on with our lives. DD who is disabled and won’t wear a mask got Covid, and stayed home with us for a week while her group home got over Covid. None of us caught it from her, including my 91 year old MIL. I was a little concerned when I had jury duty and was stuck all day with 11 others in a tiny room with no windows, but that’s been a week and a half, and so far so good. I feel like we’ve done the best we can and now need to get back to the business of living.

 

[MKat]

I'm sorry, but I have to respond to the poster that said "life is for living, not for fear."

Those are fighting words. JUST STOP IT! Yes, life is for living... which is exactly why many people are still choosing some precautions. Some people have something important coming up they don't want to risk missing so they're being extra careful. Some people have high risk or people in their family that are high risk and something that would be a blip for others might be very serious for them. Some people don't want to risk having to quarantine again because yes, life is for living.

Mandates are over but people have the choice to be careful WITHOUT being accused of being cowardly.

I am still masking in large crowds and paying attention to trends in my area. I choose not to shake hands. I am LIVING! I have never gone this long in my entire life without being sick. (No covid, no common cold, no bronchitis, no pneumonia, etc.....) Two and a half years of the best health of my life and I am really enjoying it. I am living in freedom to be able to protect my health as I see fit. I am NOT fearful, I am empowered to make the choices that feel right to me. I might use masks as a tool when/if I feel they would be protective for the rest of my life.

 

[overthemoon]

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. It gives me a lot to consider.

 

[Tiamat]

I'm sorry, but I have to respond to the poster that said "life is for living, not for fear."

That was me. I stand by what I said. I AM high risk. My immune system sucks after chemo and general cancer treatment. I choose to not live my life, whatever is left of it, in fear.

Masking, isolating, hiding in corners - not for me. Sorry.

 

[MKat]

Yet so clearly NOT sorry. I respect your right to do as you choose and make your own health decisions. Masks are no longer a mandate. I don't respect you calling the choices others are making "hiding in corners " and fearful.

 

[teachnkids]

I had Covid pretty bad in January. I still suffer from exhaustion, but have resumed normal life. I mask when shopping & flying.

I did attend a work meeting with 300+ people and I was unmasked the whole week. Three of my colleagues who I was in close contact with all week cane down with Covid. Somehow I escaped it!

I’m done giving up my life for Covid! I take precautions when I can. When we go out to eat I request outdoor seating as often as possible.

 

[SusanTeach]

School started for us this past week, and already 3 of our teachers and 2 students have Covid. In 1 week! Thankfully it's all mild cases.

I'm not sure you can totally avoid it at this point, to be honest. If you're worried or have underlying conditions, then definitely mask. I'm just ready to move on. I never got it through all the height of it, and then got it a month ago for the 1st time. I just think this is a more contagious strand.

Thankfully you only quarantine for 5 days and then wear a mask for 5 days. Not nearly as much as before.

 

[kahluablast]

Just with what you gave, I don't know that I would quarantine myself from dh unless I had other reasons.. like an upcoming trip or elderly parents to visit. I might not mouth kiss him..

I agree with living lives fairly normally. That doesn't mean that you put yourself at risk by doing things in large crowds where you are close to strangers for periods of time. However, there is no reason not to shop or eat out. We do need to go on with our lives.

I also think that what Tiamat wrote in her first post was perfectly fine.

It's life now, and life is for living, not for fear.

. She did not say that if you took precautions you were a coward. I don't even see where she intimated that.

 

[anna]

I have no fear. What I have is a healthy respect for a largely unknown virus that has the potential for causing lifelong problems. Once in the human body it can pop up months or years later as a life threatening disease. HPV can evolve into cancer,HIV evolves into AIDS and Polio began as a virus . Scientists are working on a universal vaccine .

I live my life happily and take precautions . This does not make me afraid to live my life.

 

[GraceKrispy]

I hope you and your husband stay healthy!

 

[Violets2]

I hope your DH doesn't come down with it nor you. Were you upset with DH because he went golfing and out to lunch and had an exposure? If his buddy knew he was positive prior to and DH went, I can see why you'd be upset. But if DH just went about doing his thing and his buddy had no idea he was positive, I can't see why you'd be mad at DH.

I haven't had covid, am all boosted, etc. I don't wear a mask anymore unless it's in specific places where I need to. So, yes, we do just go about our daily lives unmasked. But, I'm also now retired so no stress or worry if I do come down with it. We don't even have to contract trace anymore. The guidelines sure have changed now that more has been learned about this changing virus. I know my vaxed colleague was exposed. As long as she wore a mask she was good to continue coming in.

 

[MissESL]

Masks

I am immunocompromised.

I am the only one wearing a mask pretty much everywhere I go. I will take it off to eat, but that’s it. As soon as I’m done eating, it’s back over my nose and mouth.

My friends and colleagues are fine with it. No one questions it, because they know me. I get a few strange looks out in public, but honestly, overall it feels like people know that if you’re still wearing a mask, it’s most likely for a specific reason.

You do what you need to do. You may be glad if it turns out your husband did get it, but we will all hope that’s not the case!

I am learning how to navigate life in a state of “new normal” - which will now always be more limited for me than others due to my health. I’ve had 3 full vaccines plus 2 boosters and my doctors tell me I’m as prepared as I currently can be! It’s not easy, but I’m finding ways to enjoys things I used to do with new measures in place. Hopefully, we can all progress to that point as we continue to learn how to treat, prevent, and deal with Covid globally.