How are you all dealing with coronavirus and the restrictions... #2

But still a part of the population.

Masks are just recommended in most places except medical facilities where still required. Yet as I mentioned before how does the virus “know” to avoid medical places but hang out at the library instead?



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I wonder too. I think they still don’t know.

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I read a pretty thorough article a while back:

Angela Rasmussen on Covid-19: ‘This origins discussion is the worst thing about Twitter’ | Coronavirus | The Guardian

Most of our older population are being given their 5th shot now, I think thereafter it’ll be offered to over 50s but not otherwise healthy under 50s. Not sure yet if I’ll go for it.

In the last few weeks several of seemingly immune people I know finally caught it, all fine and just mild. How it’s taken them two and a half years I’m not sure. It’s a very perplexing virus.

Hard to fathom 50 is considered “old” now….Initially it was 75 and older here. Then they kept lowering the age and now it’s 18 and up for initial series.

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And in Germany, we have new restrictions since yesterday. Will it ever end?

To be honest I didn't even know about them until I was on a train yesterday and they announced at every stop that FFP2 masks are now required on the train. And I got a message from the corona app that 2 vaccinations is no longer considered a full vaccination without a booster. And I do scroll through a German news site daily but hadn't read about these new restrictions before 🤔

I can't help but wonder if this is still really necessary and how long they want to keep this up.

@BreakForTheLight I am sorry the restrictions are getting tighter. I think experts are worried as we move into Flu season that people could get more cases as they stay indoors more. I am not an expert but I am taking precautions wearing masks just to make sure. I hope it does not get any worse but I notice there was an uptick in cases in Germany in late September according to this site Germany COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer

@BreakForTheLight - Wow. That is confusing. I haven't heard much about countries that loosened things up over the past months deciding to tighten them up again. Interesting that it is happening there when we are finally free here. The government still recommends masking on crowded public transit, but it is not required and they do not stipulate what mask you need to use.

I went to the pharmacy, supermarket and to get take-out for lunch and did not use a mask. My husband used one indoors, which is his choice, obviously. I'd say only about 10% of the people we saw were wearing masks. I had one in my pocket, though, in case a situation warranted it.

Personally, the mask mandates have been rough on me. I never breathe well because I have severe respiratory allergies that are only somewhat controlled by medications. I am not a candidate for allergy shots. I live with constant congestion and masking added to that feeling that I can't breathe.



Edited to add: I read in an article that the German government wants to implement stricter measures because the country is heading into winter. Here we are going in the other direction, towards summer, where people can spend more time outside.

In March 2020, I was a teacher in an afterschool program. Suddenly, we got word from our boss we were shutting down....I didn't even get to say good-bye, and hug, the children I care for everyday. I missed them so much, had dreams about them. A year and a half later, my boss started the after school program back up, without telling me. He had all the staff back, except me. He used covid as a way of firing me, when I did nothing wrong. I still cry for those children, I cared for, everyday.

True, cases are on the rise and we are going into the colder months. But the current variant still seems to be fairly mild. I don't mind the face masks that much, it's more the fact that this seems like a never ending story. And I'm praying my upcoming concerts don't get cancelled. Obviously I want to go and enjoy myself, but also for the artists and everyone else in the music/event industry. They've had a very rough few years and now almost everyone is already struggling to pay for groceries.... we don't need more restrictions taking away income from people

I’m struggling to understand why Germany is doing this (reintroducing restrictions) and know there was unrest previously, I’m wondering if there’ll be more to come.

No restrictions here at all for some time, yes cases are rising but they will with schools back. Hospital admissions is the main thing to watch I believe.

I’m sure I’ll get it again at some point. But to me at this point (very different to pre vaccine and worse variants) it’s not something to worry unduly.

Sorry to hear you had a rough time with masks @rechu, it must be a relief to not always be wearing one. I went through the mask in the pocket stage too!

Thanks. @Discombobulated - Yeah with vaccines and treatments, it is a very different situation when compared to 2020. I agree that hospitalizations are more relevant. Our hospitalizations have not been so low since June of 2020.

Some people with allergies have said that masking seemed to help them somewhat because it meant they breathed in fewer allergens. Unfortunately, I didn't seem to get any benefit from that. My body is just too reactive, I guess, so that even small amounts of exposure cause a major allergic reaction.

I also have allergies and the masks seem to give me some relief on windy days with all that crap blowing around. Also in 2020 I didn’t even get a cold with the masks and social distancing. It’s not just Covid but flu season is here now so I’m still masking up indoors. I’m supposed to get the Omicron booster this week. I’m getting Moderna again as not comfortable mixing and matching like they say.

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I have not gotten sick since this all started either, which is nice. I would love for it to have helped with my allergies, but no such luck.


My husband is going to the office a few days a week and has decided to keep masking since they deal with the public and their offices are pretty poorly ventilated. In cases like that I would mask too. I would on crowded public transit as well, although I don't take that much. When I lived in the capital, I took the metro a lot and the trains were usually pretty full.

With the possibility of further restrictions in Germany and the updated rules about 2 shots no longer being a full vaccination, I got my booster today. The new omnicron one. So far so good, no side effects but it's only been an hour I got Pfizer again this time.

Masks are not even required on public transit here now. Except for a few masked people it looks like 2019. I feel like I’m getting mixed messages since they say cases are down but flu season and holidays are coming so another surge is expected. Some say it’s over and others say it’s never going to be over, meaning eradicated. And I’m referring to the “experts”.

I got my Omicron or bivalent vaccine yesterday. Nothing except a sore arm which I get from any shot, Covid or not. Also a bit fatigued and got a headache but that could have been for other reasons, such as the stress of the whole experience of going down there. Since I’m not comfortable mixing vaccines I got Moderna like before.

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If I did not have the vaccine I do not think I would have survived covid.

Thank goodness for the vaccine! My dad said the same as you Dewed.

Ugh, I've either got a cold or covid, of course I've run out of self tests and I don't feel like going to the doctor for a test when I don't feel that bad. Just ordered some new tests from Amazon so I'll know tomorrow.... or at least I'll know if it's positive, I guess if it's negative you still can't be sure if it's correct.

Seems as if covid-19 is at bay. At bay( I will be always surprised by the brain that puts this expression in my mind without even thinking-after so many time without using English language and neither being sure about it being right ). Well, as I was telling, covid-19 is at bay.

How are you all dealing? On my part, I never was afraid of having covid. I know it’s not easy since I remain far away from any kind of socialisation.

So good to see you Azul yes this all feels like a lifetime ago. There is no mention of covid here now although it’s still around it’s no longer regarded as an emergency. We have the economic and social after effects however.

This too shall pass ❤️

When I had covid? I had a really bad sore throat, white tongue, mild body aches.

Yes the covid panic is gone, but I feel I'm still dealing with the consequences :/

My two places for socialising were at work and at gigs. Gigs were cancelled for 2 years and we all worked from home. Now gigs are happening again but I still haven't seen most of my gig friends in years. My fave. band was supposed to be reuniting for a tour in april 2020, which obviously got cancelled. I think they have given up for good now and I'll never see them again

And we CAN work from the office again but a) no one wants to (including me) and b) it seems that "window" of getting to know colleagues naturally in person is gone, now it kind of feels forced. Other colleagues - who are more social than me - have said the same thing so with my awkwardness, I don't stand a chance

The new thread is here: How are you all dealing with coronavirus and the restrictions... #3