Should I (and will you) visit parents/family for Thanksgiving?

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Socialist recommendations
Good grief. They aren’t Socialist recommendations, they’re public health recommendations. The fact that some people are politicizing this disease is one of the obstacles to getting past it. Much of the suffering our county is enduring is self-inflicted.

Anyway, enjoy your Thanksgiving and sing your heart out.
 
These days, it is getting more possible to do rapid tests. So with the right timing for testing and isolation, it’s possible to do this safely. I’ve seen people talking about doing this with their college students who are returning home soon. Maybe talk to your doctor?

But if your mom is still nervous, you probably shouldn’t.
 
I am immune compromised and will not live my life in fear, I have faith in the Lord above. I will be hosting about 12 people 2 are local widowed elderly people I met at the grocery store separately and got to talking to them and they are so lonely. Locked down in senior housing, Senior center closed and no family near. People are social creatures, and need contact.

We were told if we would only need to wear mask and lock down for a couple of weeks back in March. Where I live, I would say 99.5% did so, and the covid still came. Then you look at FL Their numbers are lower then NY, NJ and MA and they don’t have mandatory mask or stay at home orders. And those waiting on the vaccine, they are saying it will only be 80-94% effective. But still don’t know for sure what the Covid-19 is all about.

My brother contracted Covid (had fever, didn’t want to each much and slept 18 hours a day )in June, fully recovered 6 days without any problems and not even hospitalized (Overweight Diabetic, with a blood disease age 64). Fast forward, in October, his blood disease went out of control, went to Hospital and got tested for Covid (Hospital Procedure) came back positive, but he had no Symptoms. His wife asked if it could be the Antibodies from his previous Covid. The Drs were like could be, not sure. Just keep an eye on him, no quarantine or anything. Spent the night for the blood disease and went home the next day. Never got any symptoms, and his wife and son never came down with it either time.

Sorry for the book, but I see so many lonely elderly people, and if I can make someone a little less lonely I will do it.
 
These days, it is getting more possible to do rapid tests.
I work in a hospital lab, and my department does the COVID testing.

We limit rapid tests to individuals who are being admitted into the hospital/who are having surgery.

We don’t have enough tests or manpower to to rapid testing on everyone. Most people get the “overnight” test that is sent off to Madison (WI).
 
I work in a hospital lab, and my department does the COVID testing.

We limit rapid tests to individuals who are being admitted into the hospital/who are having surgery.

We don’t have enough tests or manpower to to rapid testing on everyone. Most people get the “overnight” test that is sent off to Madison (WI).
That is good to know–but I suspect accessibility probably varies by area.

The big college in our area is encouraging all the kids to do rapid tests before they go home to Thanksgiving.
 
AdamP88; I am in Ireland too although I would not recognise it from your post. We are in a far better situation here than anywhere in Europe and indeed anywhere in the world . Because we went into a strict lockdown t the very start and again at the start of a second wave a few weeks ago. That is saving lives and saving health . Of course folk are weary of it but the alternative is more sickness and many more deaths.
There is and has been no inconsistency in the govt advice; it has been and is totally dedicated to suppressing covid and keeping us safe. So it adapts to the changing situation .People ARE dying. Every day But not in the numbers they were before lockdown . It is not fear but caring. Because of the care and precautions sure the hospitals are not overwhelmed. That is what the lockdown was imposed for. Ireland has done and is doing a wonderful work here. We all just need to hang on and stay the course. NB I am in total lockdown all year as my immune system is down. Not been face to face with a person more than five times in all that while. Sure it is not easy. But at ne arly 80 I would rather stay clear of covid and be alone than catch it. And that is not fear. Life is precious. So is health. This will only end if we stay firm. And I am telling folk to do the same; it is wise to stay clear and use what ways we can to “meet”. Are you on boards, ie by the way? PS glad to read so much caring and wisdom here
 
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There is and has been no inconsistency in the govt advice; it has been and is totally dedicated to suppressing covid and keeping us safe.
This isn’t true at all. The government basically let people in nursing homes die in the first lockdown and still haven’t addressed all the issues in that regard. Schools are open and I know for a fact that the health authorities are being very lax about testing in schools as they have decided that they will remain open no matter what.
People ARE dying.
But not in numbers large enough to justify this lockdown. People will also die from delayed cancer diagnosis and treatment and from delayed treatment for other medical issues as the country’s medical system is basically closed for anything except covid.
Not been face to face with a person more than five times in all that while. Sure it is not easy. But at ne arly 80 I would rather stay clear of covid and be alone than catch it.
That’s your choice. It’s not something that should be imposed on the majority who are at very low risk from this disease.
It is not fear but caring.
It’s not caring. It’s not caring when thousands of businesses are closed and hundreds of thousands of jobs are gone. The cost to people’s lives and health of that isn’t being factored in.
This will only end if we stay firm.
It’s not going to end because lockdowns will simply become a fact of life. The virus isn’t going to disappear if we lockdown. People should meet physically and this nonsense should be stopped. Not all medical experts agree with the lockdown. But the government’s team happens to agree with it.

I’m simply not obeying the advice anymore. I visited my parents and went kayaking yesterday. If I can I’ll go abroad as soon as possible to visit my wife’s family.

For the record, the Irish government did nothing to improve bed capacity in hospitals over the summer, and then started blaming the population when numbers began to rise in September. That just encouraged people to start blaming each other for the spread. It’s a farce and at this stage nothing will change my opinion on that.
 
Others will suffer and die when folk act as you do.

THE ENEMY
IS NOT THE GOVT BUT THE VIRUS!

Where is our Faith in all this ? Not a word in any of the posts. Just wilful breaking of safeguards, that endanger others mightily.

Oh and please stop negating the ability of us old ones to understand and cope with this!1 I am nearly 80 and have been through a lot and this isolation is needful and that is thus as ti should be, We will endure and survive. Rather than die of covid 19

One point ; you are so hellbent on blaming the govt for everything and refusing to see that they are not to blam eof rthe virus and ignoring all I said. OK if that only affects you but it is irresponsible in the extreme whoch is why numbers are now rtising agin. And why there will be more restrictions - which folk like you will ignore all over again.

The govt cannot create new hospitals as our Irish trained nurses and doctors are leaving their country as soo as they qualify. We have barely enough staff even now. Not their fault. It takes 6 specially trained nurses ( atop their standard training) to staff ONE ICU bed. That extra training takes six months.

You are suffering from Irelandisland delusions! Refusing to look at countries where the govts did nothing to stem the flow. I have family in Canada and the situation there is shocking now because nothing was done.

I feel so sorry for you; and for all you come in contact with. Tears flowing here.

The govt has done well and us and is doing well; handicapped by those who act as you are doing Which is why numbers now are increasing again .

You fit the pattern also that those who speak as you do trivialise this virus. We lost a loved one, young and strong and and healthy, in the early days so we are not deluded…Please take care out there - and stay away from people please! They call those who are acting as you are " super speaders"

Closing this contact now: I am very ill and in pain and probably m,y life is nearing its end anyways. But I am so disappointed in folk like you and ask again as this is a Catholic forum. How do you equate this with your faith?

Signing out. Oh I know you from boards.ie! Many of you there butt thankfully many good and responsible folk too. Please pause to pray before replying . I will not see it anyways!.
 
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I’m not blaming the government for everything. But what exactly was done to improve the hospital situation over the summer? We had six months to train/employ new nurses. The government lied to get people to work but some staff still haven’t been paid for their services. The Baltic States and Sweden aren’t doing the lockdown but they’re not doing much worse than us.

You’ve clearly bought the government line that this is necessary but you didn’t address the fact that every day this goes on is destroying people’s lives.

I’m sorry you lost someone but statistically you’re
very unlikely to die from the virus if you’re below a certain age. My wife and siblings all had it and they’re fine now.
 
Well, if I had any ideas about stopping by my extended in-laws’ for Thanksgiving, brother-in-law just caught the COVID and they’re all in quarantine so that’s right out the window.
 
But what exactly was done to improve the hospital situation over the summer? We had six months to train/employ new nurses
This is a really GOOD QUESTION! Thank you for asking it! I have not heard this brought up, but I’m definitely on board with what you are asking!

I work in a hospital lab that is dangerously short-staffed. We are at least 2-3 people short in our Microbiology Department, and it is brutal and scary.

The hospital did hire our 2 students as lab aides, which is helpful–and not helpful. After all, they are students and need help. And they didn’t start working until a few weeks ago, and that coincides with the onset of the “Return of the COVID Outbreak!” If only aides could have been hired during the summer when COVID slowed down just a little.

And I keep wondering why on earth the Self-Appointed Inspection Agencies (e.g., CAP, which stands for College of American Pathologists) is STILL sending us Proficiency Exams and Samples, and STILL planning on running inspections during this pandemic!!! Several times now, our Proficiency Exams have sat on a shelf and been totally ignored until past the deadline–not because we are “not proficient” but because no one has the TIME to do the stupid thing! Why not at least reduce the test specimens down to “1” sample with a Positive and Negative?" Or cancel proficiency testing entirely until the pandemic has subsided?

I can’t imagine a military setting where, in the middle of a fierce battle with all hands on deck and all weapons in use–the commanding officer announces that an inspection in full dress uniforms will be conducted in the afternoon, and the inspection will include markmanship testing to make sure that everyone is up to snuff.

That’s how I see these silly inspection agencies–do they not have a clue?! Our department is a mess–boxes of COVID testing supplies everywhere–although we ran out of the rapid testing kids last Friday and are waiting for a shipment of several hundred boxes, which will have to be stacked somewhere in the already overcrowded mess.

I just worked a weekend, and it was actually pretty decent for me. My co-worker, who was the “float” (not working a bench) was constantly running COVID- tests, and had little time for all the other duties she was supposed to do. So I and the other bench tech had to help her out with a lot of her work, and thankfully we had a student aide, but we had to help her, too.

No one has any time for things that can wait until a more opportune time. Not enough staff.

Again, thanks for asking this question–it’s very appropriate.
 
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My partner and I aren’t traveling for Thanksgiving, but have made cautious plans to do so for Christmas. In my area at least, we’ve now got two mobile morgues in the city to help deal with overflow. COVID isn’t a laughing matter, and neither of us want it; even more, we don’t want to accidently bring it to her aging parents.
 
We usually host Thanksgiving. Not sure if we are or not this year…, I haven’t heard a single confirmation.
Schools are open and I know for a fact that the health authorities are being very lax about testing in schools as they have decided that they will remain open no matter what.
Not sure where you’re at, but this is not the case here. Most schools in our area (if they aren’t distance learning already) are going distance from Thanksgiving to early mid-January.
 
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