Community Chat

[PickyPicky3]

It's been three weeks since my second vaccine. I'm at the top of the at-risk charts, and my father, two of his siblings and a cousin all died of the flu (pre-pandemic) with similar medical profiles. I've taken this past year very seriously.

Returning to instore shopping does not have to be an all-or-none proposition. So far I've gone to the pharmacy and picked up Chinese takeout. I won't go into busy supermarkets or big box stores.

I am yearning to choose my own meats and produce. So tired of getting super family sized chicken thighs with a use-by date the next day or overly ripe tomatoes. So I'm thinking about going into a small market (Aldi or Lidl) for perishables and continuing to use curbside pickup for everything else.

My area has a Covid positivity rate of almost 7% and lots of UK variant.

For those of you who have been completely quarantined and are fully vaccinated, how are you making your "coming out" decisions?

[SilleeMee]

The positivity rate in my area is close to 6% and it has been rising in the last few weeks.  My state had the first case of the UK variant so that means we have had quite a few more since it was first discovered here.  State officials recently reported 30% of the cases here are the UK and California variant types... both very contagious.

I'll be picking up my food curbside for a while. 

[scatcat]

I don't have advice for you but your post bought a tear to my eye. I hope you can start doing the small things we took for granted before the pandemic. 

I am happy you are fully vaccinated.  Like you, I am looking forward to better, normal days 💕

[suzyQ3]

This is such an individual decision. My husband and I, although seniors, have no underlying issues that would make us more vulnerable than just our age.

We are both immunized. We aren't going out just to go out, but I am now shopping for groceries. Like you, I've pretty much had it with delivery. Masks are still mandated in stores, and everyone seems to comply.

If you really are eager to go grocery shopping, what about going at a time when there aren't crowds? Wear one or two masks and sanitize well.

However, if you're going to become extremely worried, then it might not be worth it just yet.

[Linmo]

@PickyPicky3 Do you live near a Trader Joe's?  At least in our area, they limit the number of people that can be in the store at one time.  I stop there at night twice a week since I don't want to wait in line.  I only get a few things and am in and out in less than 10 minutes.  They also don't allow customers to bag their own items.  I feel very safe shopping there.

[gidgetgh]

While I have used Instacart delivery maybe 10 times in the last year, I usually shop in person.

To do my grocery shopping, I go very early.  A few times, when they open at 7.  But usually more like 8 or 8:30. Quick in and out.  I also go to Target early. Not THAT early but early. Get what I need and leave.

Yesterday and again today, I really went wild and went to a spring open house at a nearby gift shop.  Wore my mask of course and while there were other customers, it wasn't wall to wall.  I wouldn't have stayed if it were crowded.  

While I have not eaten in a restaurant in over a year and don't feel comfortable doing that yet, I am giving thought to going to the mall next week, early morning, won't be busy, to get some exercise, walk the mall and see what stores made it and which didn't.  

I am fully vaccinated.

[Still Raining]

I am at risk and vaccined, but still live by the rule of keeping well away from unvaccinated and/or unmasked people.

So the only thing new is seeing a few people I know well, which is wonderful.

Would not dream of entering a store or restaurant.  Maybe by the end of the year.

[deepwaterdotter]

I have developed a great relationship with the staff at my local grocery who pick and load my order.  They are careful to choose exactly what I list, and even include handwritten notes to thank me and wish me a good day.  Initially I was worried that I would not approve of their choices of meat and produce, but my explicit notes proved to result in quality ingredients.  I tend to buy the same items every week, so my order has probably become easy to gather. 

I am in no hurry to return to in-person grocery shopping.  But I do look forward to fresh Wisconsin eggs and produce purchased at a local farmstand this summer.

[Abrowneyegirl]

Please do not bring on stress it is not good for your health.

Wear your mask and wash your hands and do not touch your face when out an about.

I am also I high risk and still, I am not to get the vac. as they feel it will only put me at greater risk for long-term side effects.   But I still go out and about almost daily.

[On It]

Congratulations on being fully vaccinated! My husband and I waited until we passed the three week mark after our second shot before going out. We are going to the drive thru window for take out which we had not done for a year. Our first outing to the grocery was before our governor removed the mask mandate and felt safer than I expected. It was so nice to select our own meat and produce. Since I am also at high risk, I am hesitant to go into a public space now that masks are no longer required by our state, so their use is difficult to enforce. The variants are a different, unknown risk. We will double mask for drive thru and curbside pickup. I think caution needs to be exercised next week since many in our city traveled for Spring Break. I have learned to watch the hospitalization numbers as well as the positive tests. If both start rising, we will stay home.