I think, as a teacher, I've just accepted the risk at this point. I don't want Covid again, but I've been a close contact practically every other week the past 6 weeks, and the bivalent booster seems to be holding it off. We won't fully mask again as a school unless all of LA County goes back to indoor masking, and teaching with a mask is really hard (much harder than I would have guessed a year ago) in terms of connection and communication. I have to mask for 10 days every time I get listed as a close contact even if I test negative multiple times due to county regulations (currently masking until the 9th when the latest wears off), but otherwise I'm just rolling the dice. I did have some other nasty little bug (I'm guessing RSV based on symptoms) about a month ago. Otherwise, my overall teacher immunity seems to be building back up again. YMMV, of course; I've moved to a place of acceptance with whatever my friends, colleagues, and students decide to do, but I'm not changing too much else for the moment.

Pix, I think that is pretty much where my friend Maria is as well. She teaches second grade. She will get exposed. She actually hasn’t had it yet, which is amazing because I did in September. I blame that on the fact that the buses dropped the mask mandate- I now mask on the bus and so do a lot of other people. We still need to mask at work when we walk through the hospital, which is a little humorous because the only reason I do so is to go to the cafeteria, where I can take my mask off to eat! I think the little cafeteria near the School of Nursing is a permanent casualty of COVID staffing shortages- it closed September 2021 “temporarily” when we fired all the workers who were not vaccinated and has not reopened.

Dcp- feel better soon.

Sheryl- I am glad the school is so far so good.

I'll be able to get the booster in about a week. They said I needed to wait for 3 months after the bout I had in September. Still annoyed that I socialized in a crowded venue where no one was masked, and it never even crossed my mind until the next morning. Then I knew I was probably screwed, and 5 days later, positive. I blame the wine and late hour. Left the safe outdoor open-air event when they closed at 11 or so and saw many go across the road to the local bar for after-event socialization. Still annoyed with myself for thinking joining in was a good idea. I miss socialization, but really need to do so outside.

I have had more exposures and close contacts than I can count, and am constantly in large unmasked crowds, it's part of the territory with my work unfortunately.

I still don't know how I've dodged catching this thing.

I do think some people are more or less naturally susceptible. In my many decades of life, I have never had the flu, strep throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, or any of that stuff. And I haven't had a flu shot since the 60s. That just made me more annoyed when my vaccinated self did get Covid!

I just had my first unmasked face to face event with coworkers yesterday. It was a potluck. I've had every available COVID shot, so I figure if I do get it it'll be mild. And if yesterday infected me, I should be over it and largely bulletproof (virally speaking) for my plane trip to MI for Christmas.

dcp, I hope you're feeling better.

Timelies all!

Masks are required in my building at work.

I took today off, as I have use-or-lose leave. Did some errands and had a long overdue GYN appointment. whee.

so far as I know, I haven't had it yet, but today I left the office early, as I am headachey and sore throaty. Covid test says "nay" but i don't really trust them anymore.

I brought my laptop home so I can work tomorrow, pretty sure I don't want to go in.

But I hope I'm not sick, because book club is this week and my sister is making the NYT cranberry curd tart. And I'm getting a birthday dinner on Friday with my nieces.

FUCK YEAH GA!!!

FUCK YEAH GA!!!

I second that emotion!

I razor thin portion of Americans think that "I don't even know what a pronoun is!" is disqualifying.

I will take it and fear for our future.