Covid-19 - Moving past the pandemic

[MN-Skeptic]

It seems like our stories are scattered throughout the various Covid threads, so I thought I would start a thread just for talking about the normal stuff you are able to do and look forward to doing now that vaccinations are getting out there.

What I'm really excited about is that ALL seven of us siblings (ages 53-74) with our spouses will be getting together in August. The last time we were all together was 1993. A dear cousin with her husband will be joining us too. I just counted... if my nephews and nieces, etc. can make it, we could conceivable be 33 people! As long as we don't discuss politics, it'll be great!

[Whatever4]

Very much looking forward to FINALLY visiting Verbalobe and Listeme. Listy is getting her J&J shot Tuesday, Verbie’s done with the twofer.

In the Before Times, we used to stay at the AirBnB above the local coffeehouse, more than a dozen times. The owner (Jean) sold the building and started a public library, funded in part by building 2 AirBnB units on the second floor. So Verbie went in the other day to donate some books. Jean didn’t recognize him as he was appropriately masked. He said “I’m Verbalobe, Whatever4’s friend.” According to reports, she “lit up like a thing that lights up” and excitedly have him a tour of the library and the AirBnBs, saying “And this is where W4 and W5 will be staying.”

Gotta love small towns.

[Lani]

Two weeks after my son gets his 2nd vax, he's coming for a visit. If all goes right, he'll here for Memorial Weekday.

[Foggy]

“And this is where W4 and W5 will be staying.”

OMG, what happened to W2?

[Estiveo]

“And this is where W4 and W5 will be staying.”

OMG, what happened to W2?

Working his way up to WD40.

[sugar magnolia]

“And this is where W4 and W5 will be staying.”

OMG, what happened to W2?

Working his way up to WD40.

It's the Covid spread?
My waistline is spreading like a bad rumor.

[Lani]

Well, after moving past the pandemic for me, today we have the UK variant (more dangerous) and the CA variant (very transmissible) here. Everything is on hold.

[Whatever4]

“And this is where W4 and W5 will be staying.”

OMG, what happened to W2?

He got a haircut and he’s a new man.

[LM K]

Traveling to Monterey, CA to spread some of my Dad's cremains. My mom, sister, bil, and I will travel in Sept. All 4 of us are vaccinated!!

[Lani]

Not moving past.

Today's new infections are the highest here to date. And once again during this current outbreak, about 1/3rd are 18 or younger. Most of the people became ill from community spread, which is now throughout the island. Initially it was all about travel - all but 2 of those cases were locals who traveled.

We are quickly moving towards dropping down a tier, ie more restrictions.

So far 4 fully vaccinated people have tested positive. 2 are asymptomatic, 2 have minor symptoms. Free testing is available, and yesterday almost 400 people showed up for it.

Also yesterday, a child 5yo or younger passed away due to Covid. The parents were vaccinated and pretested negative before flying in. Their child became ill a few hours after landing and was taken to a hospital. The doctor who reported the loss said the hospital has treated a number of children and teens with pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome. I'm tired of people saying that most children have a mild illness. OK, "most" is true, but no one should underestimate what can happen.

[Foggy]

Traveling to Monterey, CA to spread some of my Dad's cremains. My mom, sister, bil, and I will travel in Sept. All 4 of us are vaccinated!!

Why Monterey? (I was born there, lo these many moons ago)

[LM K]

Traveling to Monterey, CA to spread some of my Dad's cremains. My mom, sister, bil, and I will travel in Sept. All 4 of us are vaccinated!!

Why Monterey? (I was born there, lo these many moons ago)

My parents started their married life in Monterey. I was born in Carmel because that's where the hospital was located. Lori was born in Monterey (because she was in a hurry and Mom gave birth in 10 mins after contractions started ). We moved to OR when I was 4, so they lived in Monterey for the first 7 years of their married life. When I was in grad school, Mom and Dad moved back to Monterey. Eventually the cost of living became too high so they moved to god awful Reno, NV.

Dad passed on Dec 7. Losing a loved one during the pandemic was horrible. Thankfully we were able to keep Dad home so we could be with him during his dying process. We were blessed.

Mom and Dad asked that we commingle their ashes after her death and then Lori and I will spread their cremains in Monterey. So, we're spreading some of Dad's cremains in Sept.

My eldest niece was born in Monterey when Lori was 19. Lori's husband was serving in Germany and she couldn't move to Germany until my niece was 3 months old. Lori and my newborn niece lived with my parents during that time.

Sept will be very sweet. It will be hard and so sad, but Monterey holds so many special memories for my parents.

*For anyone who hasn't visited Monterey. Add it to your bucket list. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a world class aquarium and research center.

**This answer the is much longer than intended!

[LM K]

People are ready to have sex again: Condom sales are surging

Condom sales have been in a slump during the pandemic as people sheltered at home and put their sex life on hold. But now, as more Americans are getting vaccinated and Covid-19 safety restrictions are loosening, condom makers are no longer having trouble getting their sales up.

Male condom sales in the United States increased 23.4% to $37 million during the four weeks ending April 18 compared with the same stretch a year ago, according to the latest figures from IRI, a market research firm that tracks point-of-sale data at big box retailers, grocery stores, drug stores and other retail channels. That's after a 4.4% drop in all of 2020, according to IRI.

Reckitt Benckiser (RBGLY), the maker of Durex condoms, said Wednesday that Durex logged a double digit percentage sales increase during the company's latest quarter compared with the same quarter last year. Durex sales grew last year, despite a "challenging first half of the year," and sales were flat in 2019.

The company does not break out specific figures for Durex, but it attributed recent growth to relaxed social distancing rules.

The company was seeing "improvements for Durex in markets where social restrictions are being eased," CEO Laxman Narasimhan told analysts Wednesday.

[Lani]

Cases continue to rise daily here, breaking previous records everyday. Saturday & Sunday there is mass free testing. Two walk-in locations for asymptomatic people, and four drive-in places for people who have any symptoms of any kind or have been a close contact.

People are pulling their kids out of school.

Saw my doctor today. She pulled her kids out after learning that their school has an outbreak. She learned it from her patients, not the school. Although the kids returned to remote classes, the school said their absence was "unapproved." The school picked the wrong person when they challenged her! She wants a shut down now and hoped that I had inside information. I don't. All I know is it's being considered, and I agreed that we shouldn't wait until things get worse. We only had minimal community spread in the past year, but now it's almost all community spread. We know it's a crisis, but the peeps in charge are reluctant to take strong action. <sigh> Humans....

So since this topic is about post-pandemic, I'll post elsewhere for the time being.