So something disturbing happened yesterday. First, I found out that the manager of my building plus one of the maintenance men have not been vaccinated. There's a staff of five, and I'm not sure what the vax status of the others is. Three of them had COVID about a week ago. One was still really sick, last I heard. Two of them hosted a holiday gathering last week. They were among the people who had COVID and now supposedly were testing negative, so they're probably safe. But still, building management should be required to get vaxxed.
But that's not the disturbing thing!
I posted about this on Facebook and had several people scold me for attending the Christmas party. First was Clarissa, who I already know is way more cautious about things like that -- lots of things -- than I am. I don't think she shops in stores, for instance, or at least very very rarely. She and her husband like going out for drives, but when they pass a place where a lot of people bike or run -- not necessarily at that moment but in general -- they roll up their windows. So not an unexpected reaction from her.
Second was a high-school friend who's pretty happy-go-lucky and never judgmental. He said he and his wife have been staying home ever since his brother died ... of COVID! I didn't even realize his brother had died of COVID, so that gave me an opportunity to PM him my condolences. And his choice is understandable.
Third was a childhood friend, a homebody and self-described introvert, who goes out occasionally to the theater as long as she's sure everyone in the place is vaxxed. Fine.
But then came Beth, a high school friend. Beth is on an oxygen tank for a lung problem and lives with a 90-something mom who I think is also on oxygen. So sure, extra reason for caution. But she goes, "Katy, how could you do this? How could you put your friends at risk? Don't you read the headlines in your own paper?"
So what was infuriating besides her scoly tone was that the second-to-last time I attended a gathering was in late November at a brewery and I SAT NEXT TO BETH. WHO WAS THERE. BY HER OWN CHOICE. I told her I didn't really need a harsh scolding when many of the gatherings I've been to, not including the ones in my building, have been Beth's and my mutual friends, and at least sometimes she herself had been there. I named a couple of other occasions. Eventually she apologized.
I understand that if you want to be as cautious as possible, avoiding indoor gatherings is smart. And maybe people who do go are shortsighted. I can't really argue with the cautious people's reasoning. (Except to say that if I never left my apartment and saw other people I'd have a health problem of a different kind.)
But gatherings are extremely common here. My 79-yo stepmother is hosting a party and has a 98-yo husband. She's the last person you'd ever call reckless or careless. My union held a holiday gathering in a brewery a week ago (I didn't go, though not really because of COVID) and presumably all the attendees read the headlines because they are writers and editors (and photographers, designers, etc.) at the paper. I went to another thing on assignment for work a week ago in a brewery and chatted from two feet away with the cute mayor of Minneapolis. Granted, we were wearing masks and you had to show a vax card to get in, but still. I'm guessing he keeps up with the news.
The other thing is, all the people who scolded me live in houses and are married -- conditions that make it easier to avoid other people. The exception is Beth, who's not married, but she lives with her mom and sees other family members all the time.
Please share your thoughts candidly but please don't scold me or you'll have to scold thousands of other people.
