The masked minority

[bill_schubert]

Well, we're here now.  Over a year ago I was in an HEB store and there were a couple of Asians who had masks on.  I scoffed.  That was the thing to do at the time.  Scoff.  I'm hip.

Today the percentage of people in that same HEB wearing masks was maybe 5.  I was among them lagging, now, the social norm.  

Apparently masks are no longer needed.  EVERYONE has a vaccine in Texas.  There are no variants that are spreading anywhere in the world.  And the 2nd amendment has been repealed.  

Or maybe not.  I've got a lot of nice masks and baring dinner at the Driskill I'll wear them everywhere.  If I get Covid at the Driskill I'll brag about it anyway so no problem there.

Comments

[susandennis]

we still have a kinda sorta mask requirement-ish. some place require. some don't. no one knows. the governor is still saying we'll go back to normal on june 30. we are so special here.

my limited trips outside the condo show at least half still wearing - at least outside walking around.

they are still required in the public areas of this building.

looking at the ballgame (played here) last night, the fans ere mostly unmasked.

wild and wooly

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I"m still masking up for busy stores, medical appointments, vet appointments, riding on public transportation, especially flying. But, here in my building every neighbor knows who the one person out of the 65 of us who is not vaccinated. We respond according to our level of comfort when engaging him. We are no longer required to wear masks in the public areas of my building, though a couple still do.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you are in a good situation. As am I with only Dana and me.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Yep.

[nick-101.livejournal.com]

I'll still be wearing masks outside because we know there will be anti-vax morons spreading the virus come holiday season plus I work in a hospital. It's still mandated.

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I'm just wearing them inside now. I was never really big on wearing them outside anyway. The concentration was low. Big open places like Costco are pretty safe too. But indoors other than home I wear one. For now. And sure as hell a hospital. Those people are sick!

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

I'm baffled that most of the US seems so unconcerned about the Delta variant. If it's cutting a swathe elsewhere it's only a matter of time. So yay for you continuing to take precautions. (I think you had the Pfizer — at the moment it looks like the vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant has dropped to 88%. Although that doesn't sound that bad, I'm concerned that out of 48 deaths from Delta in the UK, 12 of the people were fully vaccinated — although they didn't say which vaccine they'd had.)

You mentioned the Westminster Dog Show, so I thought you might enjoy these:

https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2021/06/photos-2021-westminster-dog-show/619199/

(Spoilers for winners if you haven't already seen the show.)

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

Exactly what I came here to say, the Delta variant is definitely spreading

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that you are surprised.

Climate change is not caused by people.
The way to combat a rise in gun death is by selling/buying more guns.
The indigenous people were happy to share their food and help us through that first hard winter.
The Alamo was a courageous stand against the overwhelming force attempting to subjugate our newly settled land.
Trump won the election.
Now we have vaccines, the pandemic is over and as long as everyone else gets one I don't have to.

We're a country based on self delusion.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

The thing is that I haven't seen much concern about the Delta variant even among reasonable people. Maybe it's because the US media doesn't report much foreign news? Whatever it is, it will not pass! I'm making it my mission to warn every American I know. Nobody is going to die of the Delta variant on my watch!

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

You are right about the coverage or lack. I'm not overly concerned myself as it has not impacted locally and, yeah, not concerned so much with what happens outside the borders right now regardless of how dumb that sounds or how much impact it will likely have in the future. The potential of a new strain spread has not effected me yet but I'm doing pretty much the same as I did all along.