Has Covid isolation made you feel differently about the groups you belong to?


swilkinson

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I went to a lunch today sponsored by the Stroke Recovery group I have belonged to  since 2006. There was not a lot of conversation as we were avoiding the main talking points that have been in the news. It was as if we had forgotten that we were friends. It was pleasant but not like it was before. Future meetings are to be planned but it depends on the spread of the latest Covid variant in our local area. That is because the stroke survivors particularly still feel vulnerable.

 

Does anybody else feel as if we are still in limbo?

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  • swilkinson changed the title to Has Covid isolation made you feel differently about the groups you belong to?

Very much still in Limbo. Any group that includes people who are extra vulnerable has been slow to resume. e.g. my Red Hat ladies are only meeting outside at the moment and most things they would normally do are still on hold. I went to an afternoon concert on Saturday and 50% of the audience were still wearing masks. The warm up comedian made a few jabs about it, and quite a few people took them off. I was not impressed by that, but it's a personal choice for your own and other safety

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Limbo does rather describe the situation. Nobody likes it but most of us prefer it to the alternative. Valeries annual Christmas family photogaph was  abandoned last year since one son has refused to get vaccinated and put a kybosh on the occasion. Personally my speech recovery has gone backwards with the absence of people to chat with on my daily walks. Having the odd shouted conversation across a street has been a poor substitute.

 

Yesterday our leader eased off many social gathering restrictions, this is probably a bit early but very welcome, the country is missing out badly on overseas visitors using our tourist facilities and that has a roll on effect on every other industry.

 

I look forward to a bit more freedom over our approaching winter.

 

Deigh

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Fingers crossed that winter doesn't lead to too many cases, although the reality we are seeing from the northern hemisphere is that with everyone inside it is inevitable. We are also being warned to watch out for a nasty influenza season this year as so many people were not exposed to it last year, due to Covid restrictions we didn't get our usual immune system boosting exposure (i.e. natural vaccination) Seasonal Flu jabs will be available soon 🙂 and we'll probably need to get another Covid jab too.  I'm amazed how many here have not bothered to get their third shot yet 😞

 

They've been doing the fuel reduction burns around here for the last week and the air is full of smoke so everyone local is coughing and sneezing but it does mean I'm even more of a leper once I go into the city.

 

Hang in there everyone

Heather

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One Auckland based friend has caught covid and there have been a few local scares but nothing on the doorstep. I expect our Doctor will be telling us about flu shots shortly. Everyone is expecting flu to be serious this year but I hope they are wrong. Our summer is hanging on and we are still having very warm sunny days even though it is autumn. I'm still in shorts and short sleeved shirts and enjoying it although the nights are getting coolish.

Deigh

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I now know many people who have had Covid. Including most of my gym instructors and hospital physios.  Weather here has turned cold in the last couple of days. I'm back in winter clothes although have resisted the urge to turn heaters on so far.

 

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I went to a lunch for the WAGS stroke group today and spoke to a couple we hadn't seen for two years. She has an autoimmune disorder and he can't drive so can only come if she drives him there. It made me aware that going out into mixed groups is problematic for some people. I have been out and about for a while now and forget other people can't always do what I do.

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Just had two notifications of close contacts from friends who were at the lunch last week but I was at the opposite end of the table to both so no need to isolate. One of my friends had a visit from his daughter who stayed overnight and tested positive two days after so he is isolating for a week. I guess it is now up to the individual to make that decision.

 

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On 4/1/2022 at 2:16 PM, heathber said:

Weather here has turned cold in the last couple of days. I'm back in winter clothes although have resisted the urge to turn heaters on so far.

I'd be very interested in what temperature you call 'cold'. According to our local weather reports your temp is about 30C. Here we are having cool nights but the sun is still shining brightly all days and putting us in the region of 25C. This is comfortable!

Deigh

 

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Hi Deigh, 25 is comfortable, 12 - 15 is not. 30C sounds like Sydney temp, Not surprised if that is the only one you hear in NZ. But I'm in Regional Victoria about the same latitude as Napier, but much further from the sea and on the edge of the great dividing range, so up a few hills. Just far enough from Melbourne that you can't rely on the Melbourne forecast.

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Today is sunny, yesterday it was heavy rain again. My son has been trying to clean my driveway because it is slippery with drowned ?leaves etc. He's afraid I'll have a fall. Just a few days of sunshine would dry it out but it's not happening that way. He goes back to Broken Hill tomorrow so it will probably be sunny next week. I've neglected so much through Covid and he tries to do a few of my minor repairs etc while he is here.

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Had a Lion's Club meeting last night and discussed our Changeover and the members decided to make it informal, a pity really as it is usually an event to look forward to. I think we've lost heart a bit through two years of relative isolation so that may work against us with Lions dinners becoming a chore not a pleasure. I've been involved with Lions since 1984 when Ray joined do have many happy memories of those special nights.

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WA really has been different to the rest of the world.

 

We've only been wearing masks since beginning of March.

 

As Deigh said about his walks, shouting to people across the road, it's different. 

 

I travel along our foreshore footpath all the time. Used to smile at people who were walking or riding bikes etc.  Mask wearing has kind of taken friendliness away. You can see smiles, or hear a soft 'morning' with masks.

 

Can't sit next to friends in church. 

 

Both of these things, simple as they are, have really changed the radiation of happiness. 

 

💚👑

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I went through that for months so it is good to be out of masks again. But the memories of isolation, mask wearing etc does linger on. Making people feel nervous maybe and thinking that we might have to go back to that again. You are right about how hard it is not to be able to be close to people. Anyway we survived it and I know you will too.

 

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  • 9 months later...

Just had another read of all the entries and comments. My speech is getting worse despite the removal of mask wearing. Seems like everyone has got so used to isolation that it hs become normal behaviour. Looking forward to the odd community activities like fairs and markets coming back into stream again.

Deigh

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I'm trying to be more social.  Got all the shots and went maskless at the Stroke club.  Attempting to swim at one that offers swimming and be social at another branch with exercise.  The weather here just hasn't been good enough for me to walk outside here.  Snow and now bitter cold.  The pool was nice to view out at the snow inside this pool.  Workout was a tad more tolerable.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’m one of the few who still wears a mask in the supermarket and in lifts. But I don’t worry about it in the office on the days I’m there. Our office is still pretty empty as we have gone to hybrid working so most of us only do 1 or 2 days a week in the office.

 

Other than that I’m back to most of my old activities. Although it looks like N95 masks are going to be normal for hospital physiotherapy visits for a long time yet.

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