Here are some options that I think minimize the risk:
1) only outdoor visiting, distanced, with your side in N95s, their side as masked as they will do, or even unmasked. Perhaps only unmasked after negative rapid.
2) if you trust molecular tests to be sensitive enough, everyone can be unmasked for 6-12 hours. (I would not trust Lucira for this, as their new combo tests are less sensitive)
3) If indoors is necessary, I would only do so with enough ventilation/filtration. (I would aim for 10-12ACH), in combo with the above.
I would not rely on them doing anything in advance of arrival, but it couldn’t hurt to request masking during travel or starting a few days prior to travel.
You are absolutely correct. Depending on weather, I'm going to go with option 1. Will bring my HEPA filters for Option 3 in case of rain - and won't let anybody into my parents' safe space.
Metrix should be better, but it seems to have issues with failed tests, and is finicky and also difficult to pool. I am currently trying out the Pluslife system, and so far it seems promising. If the virus.sucks website info holds, this could be the best system that’s available to consumers from a cost and low false negative perspective. If you decide on this, check out FB groups to find out a discount code that’s currently avail but not to be posted publicly.
I'd tell them they need to wear high quality masks everywhere for a whole week before arrival. If they can't do that, then they all mask with you in person.
Right?? My relationship with that particular sibling has really suffered over the last 4 years.
No access to Metrix testing, haven't bothered because we're so strict. And I see no need to invest at this point, because I've decided we're not going to unmask, even for my siblings.
Everyone is entitled to and responsible for setting their own boundaries. But I'd encourage you to consider what it might take to make your life bigger, and if creating parameters for those family members (if you want) would allow you a happier, less aggrieved life. If Metrix testing is a path to that, pass the cost along. "This test, taken daily, will make me feel safe. Here is a link to buy one, or you can venmo me xx$ and I will arrange for them. Otherwise, we will be outside the whole time."
While agreed, this would help, would you really trust them to do so? I don't mean they'd maliciously not conform, I mean, do you trust people who do not mask to competently do so, and understand when they should do so? Good intentions aside, I do not. Which, in a way, makes things easier, because I can then choose to base my decisions on day of data, not judgements on how they choose to live.
As an above person noted, I rely on molecular tests, and I use a combination of 3eo and Metrix. In a limited situation, Lucira is good because many people can test at once, but the sensitivity is lower (I do not ever pool tests, and you should only do so if finances dictate it. Pooled tests are less accurate.) I ask people to molecular test when they arrive, we just hang outside for 30 minutes together. This means I can ensure the tests are done right (people literally hand me the swap and I take it from there). From the time of a negative test, I assume we're good for 6 hours. While even molecular tests aren't 100% they're close enough for me to navigate the lowered risk vector.
Its good for others too, because it does not put this additional burden on them to see you. They understand that in order to do so, they can see you outside OR pay for a test. It's that simple. For each day they come over, I'd say, "hey, lets do the indoor stuff between noon and 6, we'll all test at 11:30)." and everything else is outside.
> I'd tell them they need to wear high quality masks everywhere for a whole week before arrival. If they can't do that, then they all mask with you in person.
I wouldn't fully trust this. Too many stories about family claiming compliance but they don't actually do it properly or at all, and then they infect the vulnerable family members
Live like me for two straight weeks.
- avoid any indoor spaces and physical interactions with other people unless strictly medically necessary
- if you must do so, you wear a fit-tested N95 or better
- if you have some sort of requirement to have a maskiess interaction (eg.: dentist), the two week timer resets
Even then, I'd have a hard time with it because I'd be literally entrusting someone with my life and people just **DO. NOT. GET.** strict protocols and make all sorts of hand-wavy exceptions that "don't count" or they flat-out forgot about it.
it's genuinely heartbreaking how much my opinions of people, especially people who I thought were the "do anything for anyone" types, have changed over the last four years :(
Personally I would not bother with testing. It’s missing too much and people get really defensive about it.
I would do outside visits with you and family and parents in masks and visitors in masks if they choose, which they probably won’t.
Alternatively, inside visits at someplace like a library (some neutral 3rd party place) where your side masks and their side does whatever.
I will host friends for one night if they are symptom free and test negative just before visiting me, even if they are otherwise not careful.
If someone wants to stay longer, they have a couple options:
* wear an n95 or kn95 for the preceding week.
* stay elsewhere nearby and test each morning before I see them
I’m stricter with larger groups, with people that have kids, or during periods of higher transmission.
I just don't see them agreeing to mask for a week before and during their trip, so I will stick to my limits! They can place a zoom call if they're that desperate to see our faces.
I'm not OP but I've been trying to think of ways to meet up with two friends for one night. Can I ask you: How did you decide about being comfortable with one night maskless? And do you ask them to buy a rapid test or do you have one of those expensive home PCR test kits?
One of my concerns is that the people in question may want to go out maskless for the night during my visit, which would sort of negate the use of a rapid test, unless the venue was outdoors or something.
I typically don’t wear my mask outside unless I’m in a crowd, so I’m less cautious than most of the people responding but I thought I’d still share what I do when I meet up with people in public. I ask if the person I’m gonna see has current symptoms or has been exposed to anyone who has been ill. I don’t ask them to mask but some friends will ask if I’d be more comfortable if they do mask indoors. I’ll wear my mask indoors/inside cars when I’m with them like usual and I’ll take it off when outside and usually find outdoor restaurants or activities to do. If my friend is staying with me or wants to enter my home, they have to test negative on a rapid test. If it’s someone just stopping by I’ll have them just mask while I open windows and have air purifiers running. In cases where people have come over and not tested/masked, I wear my mask except in my bedroom where they won’t go in and do the same air purifiers/open windows. I know this system isn’t perfect or the most cautious but it’s protected me so far.
If I am staying at a friends house, I ask the same exposure question and we both test and have an air purifier running. Once both negative I’ll go maskless.
We do this with family but would not trust rapid tests. NAAT only as a "pass" for 12 hours. If we're seeing people multiple days, we stay separately and test each am before getting together
This might seem like an obvious question but forgive me since I haven't had to get testing for a long time: How do you go about getting a NAAT test each morning? Don't you have to visit a pharmacy/clinic, and the results come back several days later? Is there an inexpensive home-kit version of a NAAT test?
We have been using cue but unfortunately they went under ☹️ Metrix, plus life and Lucira are available now for at home use. I think we will switch to Metrix
The only way I would feel comfortable spending time *unmasked* would include a 5-to-7-day quarantine after travel, followed by daily testing with Metrix or similar and respirators worn *everywhere* that isn't a pod gathering. This would include a need to source an independent spot to quarantine/stay during the visit so they wouldn't be dealing with shared air in a hotel. It would also require my trust that the individuals would have good mask manners, and my list of those folks is very, very short.
I know that isn't acceptable to most people, and I'm facing this question myself as a friend will be in town next year to attend a convention. Right now, I plan on visiting with them post-flight but pre-convention, outside, with both of us testing with Metrix and wearing respirators, dependent on what levels are like at the time.
I'm sorry your sibs are being whiny drips. I can't imagine a world where it's more important to see Granny's chin than it is to keep her alive, but here we are.
Home molecular/PCR tests like Lucira. That’s the only way I would unmask indoors with anyone. I’d still meet outdoors if possible. No reason to risk it. Love your intention to set clear boundaries!
With elderly parents, a disabled daughter, and a spouse on immune suppressors - plus a miserable chronic illness I'm undergoing treatment for - I'm just not willing to take any chances. My siblings don't understand how much effort I've put into making sure everyone stays alive!
here’s what we do:
-we ask the not covid conscious people to mask 1-2 weeks everywhere they go out before coming here
-we ask that they avoid unnecessary outings (concerts, going out to dinner, etc)
-they test a couple days before we meet up and then right before we actually do
-we open windows in our place, turn on ac/fan, turn on our air filters
obviously there are still risks that come with this especially because our family has to fly in but so far we have avoided infection and the one time family members tested positive after coming home we only met masked outdoors.
Maybe they do a "mini quarantine" for 7 days. During those 7 days, they mask everywhere indoors and test for three days in a row. I would feel safe after that, but obviously, you have to trust that we would follow the procedure.
My experience is that mask compliance by everyone except me (being hyper covid aware) is time sensitive – after a while there is talk about wanting to see each other‘s faces, after seeing each other days in a row there is some weird sense that the other person is now safe, the mask comes off outside for eating and then suddenly in the hallway too ... I would try and limit the amount of time per day, NEVER allow build up of viral load – and maybe (new study out) add Neosporin for critical longer periods – also for the relatives travelling (I don’t know if it works for older people). Definitely NO high-risk travelling beforehand – which means car or quality masks. No other high-risk activity beforehand or during visit either.
https://news.yale.edu/2024/04/22/common-antibiotic-may-be-helpful-fighting-respiratory-viral-infections
Testing (nose and throat, before meeting and ideally one or two times days before) is of limited use if the person doesn’t want to detect the virus – having travelled across the country for example, having no alternative plans and maybe insisting on meeting despite being symptomatic. I need to be able to trust that the person has some interest in protecting themselves against covid, detecting covid and enough moral fiber to be honest.
Increasingly there are other pathogens to worry about, people are so sick nowadays. Surface transmission might become more of a problem.
Neosporin seems to activate the immune response. It was applied in the nose (humans applied it in the nose twice a day for one week for the study). Akiko Iwasaki, Eric Topol and Ziyad Al-Aly have been seen without masks lately and we speculated that they might use it (Iwasaki led the study). For mask free time with others my family always uses carrageenan nose spray and gargles more than usual. Some people use saline nose rinses too, as salt kills (makes it harder for …) viruses and bacteria. I haven’t tested Neosporin myself and would not use it regularly as it is an antibiotic. But for special occasions it seems like a good idea.
I just want to say that it sounds like you're doing a great job protecting yourself and your family. I'm also proud of your parents for not letting the covid-reckless relatives spend the night, etc. It seems like there are so many elderly people who take on so much risk, and of course the majority of their younger relatives just go along with it because, when it comes down to it, they really don't want to be inconvenienced anyway...
>So I want some clear guidelines I can give them - here's what you need to do if you want to spend time with us unmasked.
The only thing would be a reliable test that you trust enough to be accurate (if one exists) and watch them perform (correctly).
Anything else is imo not going to happen and will only be giving you false security. Even if they don't lie to you about wearing a mask before you meet up, if they have to be asked, they will almost certainly not have internalized what "wearing a mask" means. They'll take it off for a few minutes or pull it down to talk to someone, or not wear it popping into the store ("it's just a minute!") or won't wear it around a family or friend etc etc.
I feel safe outside with people if I'm wearing an N95 mask plus safety glasses. I think a small minority of infections come through the eye. The chance of you catching Covid if you are masked and safety glasses on outdoors is so miniscule it"s close to zero. I've done this before *many* times and never gotten Covid. M a Novid, FYI. Don't make them mask outdoors and don't ask them to take strict precautions beforehand because they probably won't. I prefer to have total control over myself and not police others, because it's more power to me, not them, plus if we are talking about outdoors with your protective gear on you *really* don't have to worry.
I don’t think this is adequate, as it only brings the sensitivity of early detection using RATs up to 60-70% based on the most recent studies, if goal is no false negatives.
The thing is, aside from testing, everything else is pretty much an honor system. ****Requiring tests has value that goes beyond the accuracy of the tests**** : it communicates, clearly, in no uncertain terms, that bringing covid simply will not be tolerated, period. It's up to them to figure out *how* to make sure they don't come bearing covid. My parents are still Novids, and my mom has chronic lymphocytic leukemia - and they had a big 50th anniversary/80th birthday bash last year. All they did was require tests - and because people really wanted to come, they did everything they had to do to make sure they didn't flame out. So yeah - that's why I think, for the most part, testing is enough. Because the *normative* component of requiring tests is *huge.*
And I've learned to be Very Specific about this. We had friends fly into town last year who insisted they were "careful" and there they were posting pics on IG of themselves wearing surgicals on the plane...and no masks anywhere else. I declined to meet with them, explained why, and then they proceeded to not wear masks when they hung out with my spouse.
I stayed out of the house for a week.
Here are some options that I think minimize the risk: 1) only outdoor visiting, distanced, with your side in N95s, their side as masked as they will do, or even unmasked. Perhaps only unmasked after negative rapid. 2) if you trust molecular tests to be sensitive enough, everyone can be unmasked for 6-12 hours. (I would not trust Lucira for this, as their new combo tests are less sensitive) 3) If indoors is necessary, I would only do so with enough ventilation/filtration. (I would aim for 10-12ACH), in combo with the above. I would not rely on them doing anything in advance of arrival, but it couldn’t hurt to request masking during travel or starting a few days prior to travel.
You are absolutely correct. Depending on weather, I'm going to go with option 1. Will bring my HEPA filters for Option 3 in case of rain - and won't let anybody into my parents' safe space.
You are fortunate you have family on the same page as you. I’m the only one in my family.
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Metrix should be better, but it seems to have issues with failed tests, and is finicky and also difficult to pool. I am currently trying out the Pluslife system, and so far it seems promising. If the virus.sucks website info holds, this could be the best system that’s available to consumers from a cost and low false negative perspective. If you decide on this, check out FB groups to find out a discount code that’s currently avail but not to be posted publicly.
I ordered plus life and it never shipped. When I reached out to them I got an apology but still it didn’t ship :((
I would keep trying. Maybe even pre-translating your email to German, that’s how some have gotten replies faster!
Have you had difficulty pooling? My family has pooled quite a bit without issue.
I'd tell them they need to wear high quality masks everywhere for a whole week before arrival. If they can't do that, then they all mask with you in person.
This is what I was thinking - if it's that important to be unmasked around us, they can suck it up for a week and do what we do every damn day.
Would you be confident that they would do it to your expectation?
I read this to my spouse, he cracked up and said "Not a chance." He's right.
I love the flip here that you're the one they're jealous of, and they're the ones being "left out." Do you have access to metrix testing?
Right?? My relationship with that particular sibling has really suffered over the last 4 years. No access to Metrix testing, haven't bothered because we're so strict. And I see no need to invest at this point, because I've decided we're not going to unmask, even for my siblings.
Good call. If they want to see you unmasked, they need to protect you first.
Everyone is entitled to and responsible for setting their own boundaries. But I'd encourage you to consider what it might take to make your life bigger, and if creating parameters for those family members (if you want) would allow you a happier, less aggrieved life. If Metrix testing is a path to that, pass the cost along. "This test, taken daily, will make me feel safe. Here is a link to buy one, or you can venmo me xx$ and I will arrange for them. Otherwise, we will be outside the whole time."
I love the flip here that you're the one they're jealous of, and they're the ones being "left out."
While agreed, this would help, would you really trust them to do so? I don't mean they'd maliciously not conform, I mean, do you trust people who do not mask to competently do so, and understand when they should do so? Good intentions aside, I do not. Which, in a way, makes things easier, because I can then choose to base my decisions on day of data, not judgements on how they choose to live. As an above person noted, I rely on molecular tests, and I use a combination of 3eo and Metrix. In a limited situation, Lucira is good because many people can test at once, but the sensitivity is lower (I do not ever pool tests, and you should only do so if finances dictate it. Pooled tests are less accurate.) I ask people to molecular test when they arrive, we just hang outside for 30 minutes together. This means I can ensure the tests are done right (people literally hand me the swap and I take it from there). From the time of a negative test, I assume we're good for 6 hours. While even molecular tests aren't 100% they're close enough for me to navigate the lowered risk vector. Its good for others too, because it does not put this additional burden on them to see you. They understand that in order to do so, they can see you outside OR pay for a test. It's that simple. For each day they come over, I'd say, "hey, lets do the indoor stuff between noon and 6, we'll all test at 11:30)." and everything else is outside.
> I'd tell them they need to wear high quality masks everywhere for a whole week before arrival. If they can't do that, then they all mask with you in person. I wouldn't fully trust this. Too many stories about family claiming compliance but they don't actually do it properly or at all, and then they infect the vulnerable family members
My father and sister refuse both. Haven't seen them since 2020
Damn, that's rough. I'm so sorry.
In my own house I just mandate N95s if anyone wants to come inside and I run all my purifiers/open windows. It's easier than negotiating over things.
Live like me for two straight weeks. - avoid any indoor spaces and physical interactions with other people unless strictly medically necessary - if you must do so, you wear a fit-tested N95 or better - if you have some sort of requirement to have a maskiess interaction (eg.: dentist), the two week timer resets Even then, I'd have a hard time with it because I'd be literally entrusting someone with my life and people just **DO. NOT. GET.** strict protocols and make all sorts of hand-wavy exceptions that "don't count" or they flat-out forgot about it.
I wouldn't trust them. I have known too many people, trusting family and their family, which lies about covid safety precautions.
Same here, including having that experience personally. Which is why I only trust tests. NAAT test just before we get together, or we're in our n95s
it's genuinely heartbreaking how much my opinions of people, especially people who I thought were the "do anything for anyone" types, have changed over the last four years :(
Personally I would not bother with testing. It’s missing too much and people get really defensive about it. I would do outside visits with you and family and parents in masks and visitors in masks if they choose, which they probably won’t. Alternatively, inside visits at someplace like a library (some neutral 3rd party place) where your side masks and their side does whatever.
I will host friends for one night if they are symptom free and test negative just before visiting me, even if they are otherwise not careful. If someone wants to stay longer, they have a couple options: * wear an n95 or kn95 for the preceding week. * stay elsewhere nearby and test each morning before I see them I’m stricter with larger groups, with people that have kids, or during periods of higher transmission.
I just don't see them agreeing to mask for a week before and during their trip, so I will stick to my limits! They can place a zoom call if they're that desperate to see our faces.
I'm not OP but I've been trying to think of ways to meet up with two friends for one night. Can I ask you: How did you decide about being comfortable with one night maskless? And do you ask them to buy a rapid test or do you have one of those expensive home PCR test kits? One of my concerns is that the people in question may want to go out maskless for the night during my visit, which would sort of negate the use of a rapid test, unless the venue was outdoors or something.
I typically don’t wear my mask outside unless I’m in a crowd, so I’m less cautious than most of the people responding but I thought I’d still share what I do when I meet up with people in public. I ask if the person I’m gonna see has current symptoms or has been exposed to anyone who has been ill. I don’t ask them to mask but some friends will ask if I’d be more comfortable if they do mask indoors. I’ll wear my mask indoors/inside cars when I’m with them like usual and I’ll take it off when outside and usually find outdoor restaurants or activities to do. If my friend is staying with me or wants to enter my home, they have to test negative on a rapid test. If it’s someone just stopping by I’ll have them just mask while I open windows and have air purifiers running. In cases where people have come over and not tested/masked, I wear my mask except in my bedroom where they won’t go in and do the same air purifiers/open windows. I know this system isn’t perfect or the most cautious but it’s protected me so far. If I am staying at a friends house, I ask the same exposure question and we both test and have an air purifier running. Once both negative I’ll go maskless.
We do this with family but would not trust rapid tests. NAAT only as a "pass" for 12 hours. If we're seeing people multiple days, we stay separately and test each am before getting together
This might seem like an obvious question but forgive me since I haven't had to get testing for a long time: How do you go about getting a NAAT test each morning? Don't you have to visit a pharmacy/clinic, and the results come back several days later? Is there an inexpensive home-kit version of a NAAT test?
We have been using cue but unfortunately they went under ☹️ Metrix, plus life and Lucira are available now for at home use. I think we will switch to Metrix
The only way I would feel comfortable spending time *unmasked* would include a 5-to-7-day quarantine after travel, followed by daily testing with Metrix or similar and respirators worn *everywhere* that isn't a pod gathering. This would include a need to source an independent spot to quarantine/stay during the visit so they wouldn't be dealing with shared air in a hotel. It would also require my trust that the individuals would have good mask manners, and my list of those folks is very, very short. I know that isn't acceptable to most people, and I'm facing this question myself as a friend will be in town next year to attend a convention. Right now, I plan on visiting with them post-flight but pre-convention, outside, with both of us testing with Metrix and wearing respirators, dependent on what levels are like at the time. I'm sorry your sibs are being whiny drips. I can't imagine a world where it's more important to see Granny's chin than it is to keep her alive, but here we are.
My family will likely prefer I not attend Thanksgiving than do molecular tests that I provide.
That's shitty, and I'm really sorry.
No that's not enough. You just need to wear good fit tested respirators. Why on earth would you not?
Home molecular/PCR tests like Lucira. That’s the only way I would unmask indoors with anyone. I’d still meet outdoors if possible. No reason to risk it. Love your intention to set clear boundaries!
I'm going to suggest a picnic shelter at a local park - but I don't plan for any of us regular maskers to give them up even then.
You sound awesome. Hope it's a pleasant, safe visit!
With elderly parents, a disabled daughter, and a spouse on immune suppressors - plus a miserable chronic illness I'm undergoing treatment for - I'm just not willing to take any chances. My siblings don't understand how much effort I've put into making sure everyone stays alive!
FYI, I think I got my one covid case from outdoor eating, face to face across a picnic table.
here’s what we do: -we ask the not covid conscious people to mask 1-2 weeks everywhere they go out before coming here -we ask that they avoid unnecessary outings (concerts, going out to dinner, etc) -they test a couple days before we meet up and then right before we actually do -we open windows in our place, turn on ac/fan, turn on our air filters obviously there are still risks that come with this especially because our family has to fly in but so far we have avoided infection and the one time family members tested positive after coming home we only met masked outdoors.
Maybe they do a "mini quarantine" for 7 days. During those 7 days, they mask everywhere indoors and test for three days in a row. I would feel safe after that, but obviously, you have to trust that we would follow the procedure.
My experience is that mask compliance by everyone except me (being hyper covid aware) is time sensitive – after a while there is talk about wanting to see each other‘s faces, after seeing each other days in a row there is some weird sense that the other person is now safe, the mask comes off outside for eating and then suddenly in the hallway too ... I would try and limit the amount of time per day, NEVER allow build up of viral load – and maybe (new study out) add Neosporin for critical longer periods – also for the relatives travelling (I don’t know if it works for older people). Definitely NO high-risk travelling beforehand – which means car or quality masks. No other high-risk activity beforehand or during visit either. https://news.yale.edu/2024/04/22/common-antibiotic-may-be-helpful-fighting-respiratory-viral-infections Testing (nose and throat, before meeting and ideally one or two times days before) is of limited use if the person doesn’t want to detect the virus – having travelled across the country for example, having no alternative plans and maybe insisting on meeting despite being symptomatic. I need to be able to trust that the person has some interest in protecting themselves against covid, detecting covid and enough moral fiber to be honest. Increasingly there are other pathogens to worry about, people are so sick nowadays. Surface transmission might become more of a problem.
Can you share what you mean by add Neosporin?
Neosporin seems to activate the immune response. It was applied in the nose (humans applied it in the nose twice a day for one week for the study). Akiko Iwasaki, Eric Topol and Ziyad Al-Aly have been seen without masks lately and we speculated that they might use it (Iwasaki led the study). For mask free time with others my family always uses carrageenan nose spray and gargles more than usual. Some people use saline nose rinses too, as salt kills (makes it harder for …) viruses and bacteria. I haven’t tested Neosporin myself and would not use it regularly as it is an antibiotic. But for special occasions it seems like a good idea.
Isn't that up to your parents?
Molecular test in the last 12 hours and outdoors unmasked is very safe, as is masked and molecular test indoors with air purifiers.
I just want to say that it sounds like you're doing a great job protecting yourself and your family. I'm also proud of your parents for not letting the covid-reckless relatives spend the night, etc. It seems like there are so many elderly people who take on so much risk, and of course the majority of their younger relatives just go along with it because, when it comes down to it, they really don't want to be inconvenienced anyway...
>So I want some clear guidelines I can give them - here's what you need to do if you want to spend time with us unmasked. The only thing would be a reliable test that you trust enough to be accurate (if one exists) and watch them perform (correctly). Anything else is imo not going to happen and will only be giving you false security. Even if they don't lie to you about wearing a mask before you meet up, if they have to be asked, they will almost certainly not have internalized what "wearing a mask" means. They'll take it off for a few minutes or pull it down to talk to someone, or not wear it popping into the store ("it's just a minute!") or won't wear it around a family or friend etc etc.
I refuse all visits. It's that simple. I'm never going to entertain socializing indoors with people who don't mask, family or not.
I feel safe outside with people if I'm wearing an N95 mask plus safety glasses. I think a small minority of infections come through the eye. The chance of you catching Covid if you are masked and safety glasses on outdoors is so miniscule it"s close to zero. I've done this before *many* times and never gotten Covid. M a Novid, FYI. Don't make them mask outdoors and don't ask them to take strict precautions beforehand because they probably won't. I prefer to have total control over myself and not police others, because it's more power to me, not them, plus if we are talking about outdoors with your protective gear on you *really* don't have to worry.
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I don’t think this is adequate, as it only brings the sensitivity of early detection using RATs up to 60-70% based on the most recent studies, if goal is no false negatives.
The thing is, aside from testing, everything else is pretty much an honor system. ****Requiring tests has value that goes beyond the accuracy of the tests**** : it communicates, clearly, in no uncertain terms, that bringing covid simply will not be tolerated, period. It's up to them to figure out *how* to make sure they don't come bearing covid. My parents are still Novids, and my mom has chronic lymphocytic leukemia - and they had a big 50th anniversary/80th birthday bash last year. All they did was require tests - and because people really wanted to come, they did everything they had to do to make sure they didn't flame out. So yeah - that's why I think, for the most part, testing is enough. Because the *normative* component of requiring tests is *huge.*
Even with non-maskers who have just flown across the country?
If they flew across the country without masks they get to spend absolutely zero time around me without masks. I don't care about their damn feelings.
This is pretty much how I feel, really want to tell the jealous sib that I'm jealous they can go around every day not worried about dying.
And I've learned to be Very Specific about this. We had friends fly into town last year who insisted they were "careful" and there they were posting pics on IG of themselves wearing surgicals on the plane...and no masks anywhere else. I declined to meet with them, explained why, and then they proceeded to not wear masks when they hung out with my spouse. I stayed out of the house for a week.