Covid Chronicles. Chapter 93: How we are living during the first year of the pandemic

 

Read chapter 92 here

Photos by Retiring Gjuy

Monday, December 7, 2020

Last Friday the New York Times published an article based on informal interviews with 700 epidemiologists about their personal behavior. Generally, half of the respondents said that they would not change their current behavior and activities until at least 70% of Americans are vaccinated. Well, from what I’ve read, that’s not likely to happen by next summer, at the earliest, which means that the impact of the pandemic will easily spill over into a second year. 

Only 30% indicated that they would make some changes in their behavior after being vaccinated themselves, which leads me to believe that most epidemiologists see a return to normal being tied to a variety of factors. In other words, a vaccine is not necessarily a silver bullet. 

But there is at least one Susie Sunshine in the group. 

A minority of the epidemiologists said that if highly effective vaccines were widely distributed, it would be safe for Americans to begin living more freely this summer: “I am optimistic that the encouraging vaccine results mean we’ll be back on track by or during summer 2021,” said Kelly Strutz, an assistant professor at Michigan State University. 

Headline:  New York Times, 10/29/2023

This paragraph reminds me of articles where reporters interview “many people”, although only 2 or 3 are typically quoted, and then proceed to make broad generalizations as to what all of us think. Such as the example shown here, where ‘many’ translates to three white suburbanites quoted in the article. Granted, the Covid piece doesn’t neatly fit into this category. On the other hand, the reporters — 3 of them are listed in the byline — don’t specify how many epidemiologists comprise the ‘Susie Sunshine’ minority. Moreover, they share just this one illustrative quote. 

To the reporters’ credit, though, they allow another epidemiologist to take down Kelly, in a manner of speaking, two paragraphs later. 

Karin Michels, professor of epidemiology at U.C.L.A., said it would probably be many years until it was safe enough to “return to approximately the lifestyle we had.” She said, “We have to settle to live with the virus.” 

It appears to me that few of those interviewed for this article would disagree with the following statement: It will probably take more than a year for many activities to restart safely, and some may never return to normal. 

Of the 23 activities on the New York Times list, only 3 had a participation rate of more than 50% during the past month. 

1. Went on errands, such as to the grocery store or pharmacy (90%) 
2. Brought in mail without precautions (72%) 
3. Hiked or gather outdoors with friends (62%) 

I found the second item on the list to be a curious inclusion, as it’s an activity that takes seconds to do. OK, maybe a minute or so if your mailbox is at the end of the driveway or in the lobby of your apartment building. In either case, it’s likely that you won’t encounter anyone while doing so. On the other hand, a visit to the grocery store could take up to an hour, depending upon how long the list and/or how often you stop. 

Since mid-March, when restrictions were first out in place, I’ve made at least 100 trips to a grocery store — and that includes Brennan’s Farm Market, where we buy most of our produce. While we stock up on such items as rice, beans, pasta, and certain canned goods in bulk, we still do our menu planning on twice-a-week basis — Monday to Thursday and the weekend — which provides multiple opportunities or trips to the grocery store each week. 

From the start of the pandemic, we meet friends at some agreed-upon location, usually Ron and Margaret. Now that the weather is getting cooler and the days shorter, it’s getting to be more of a challenge. Not to mention that current Dane County Public Health guidelines forbid restaurants from seating people from different households at the same table. From what we’ve heard, Otto’s has a great set-up for cooler weather outdoor dining. 

Welcome to the long, dark winter. 

As for the rest of the list, we can say ‘yes’ to 5 of them, although not necessarily as an activity done during the past 30 days. 

• Saw a doctor for a nonurgent appointment (44%). I was given the option of having Dr. Schmidt conduct by annual physical via Zoom. Obviously, it obviously wouldn’t be a hands-on examination – just a series of questions to determine the general nature of my health. I suspect that she reserved this approach for her healthiest patients, as well as those who are still fearful of venturing out of their homes. I chose an in-person appointment as I wanted to get a flu shot and I had some lingering concerns about my blood pressure medication. Both JoAnna and I have visited our dentist since the start of the pandemic – three times for me, in fact. A June and December cleaning and some additional work, not urgent, done in-between.

• Got a haircut at a salon or barbershop (29%). I experienced a nearly 4-month gap between haircuts – from early February until late May. Ron was out of commission for more than half of that time, recovering from quadruple bypass surgery. By the time of my May appointment –- Ron’s first day back at work – my hair was as long as it’s been since the 1990s, if not before that. Under usual circumstances, I get my hair cut about every other months, which means I’ve been back three times. JoAnna’s first pandemic appointment with Mark, her hairdresser since 1990, also took place in late May. By this time, her gray roots were clearly visible. More of a silver, actually. Which is why she decided not to get her hair colored anymore. She worried that a dirty gray would make her look old. She continues to her hair cut and styled once a month. We are both definitely back to normal in this category. 

• Vacationed overnight within driving distance (22%) You’re already familiar with these road trip – Warren in June and a western swing focused on Montana in September – so there’s no need to offer much in the way of details. I will say, though, that we approached the trip to Warren with some trepidation – at least the driving part of it. The rest stops along Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio toll roads resembled sets out of The Twilight Zone. So few cars in the parking lots, so few people inside the service areas. Lots of semis, though. The September road trip felt almost normal, discounting the reality of having to don a mask every time we stopped somewhere. 

• Ate indoors at a restaurant (12%) Again, previously covered. Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve done this just once in the Madison area, a slightly belated anniversary dinner at Vin Santo, now ‘temporarily’ closed. (I don’t have a good feeling about their reopening.) Otherwise, our two road trips account for the rest of our visits. 

• Attended a church or other religious service (4%) As soon as Governor Evers issued his first stay-at-home order, churches closed their doors to parishioners and streamed their services. In May, some churches scheduled in-person worship, including St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Middleton, but at a much reduced capacity of 25%. JoAnna has regularly attended mass ever since, frequently serving as a lector (readings from the Bible) or commentator (Prayers for the Church). She even attends mass on holy days of obligation, the most recent one on Tuesday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. My first attendance at a church service since the start of the pandemic will take place on Christmas Eve I’ve become one of those once-a-year people. 

A number of the activities on the New York Times list no longer apply to us. 

• Sent children to in-person school or daycare (26%) 
• Sent children on outdoor play dates (26%) 
• Sent children on indoor play dates (4%) 

If the pandemic had occurred in, say, 1995, I think we’d be included among 26%. The Middleton schools chose to go virtual as far as classroom instruction is concerned. Sports have been put on hold and student groups must meet remotely. However, Little Red Preschool, which both Andy and Eddie attended, reopened after being closed for a few weeks this spring. And they operate from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition, we would have had no concerns scheduling outdoor play dates.