Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Cambridge, New Bedford: buying, luxury, live)

[msRB311]

I actually did deny a few people who tried to shake my hand last summer. One guy I could tell thought I was an ass but I haven't even seen him since. The other person was a woman who I haven't seen since either. She was apologetic saying omg I'm so embarrassed I forgot etc. I felt bad saying no and all these occasions were outside at the beach or on a walk but I was kind of like why would these people be ok with shaking my hand right now? Some forgot or just didn't think everyone they came in contact with could have covid.

This past winter we were at a hockey game and we saw my dad shake someone's hand. I thought my mother was going to have a heart attack.

I feel bad for anyone who was dating or was attempting to date through all of this.

[BostonMike7]

I haven't shaken a hand in a year or so. Fist bumps have been the new thing, and i've done quite a bit.

I've noticed more and more are going maskless. I myself have done this as well. I don't even keep one in my car anymore, but i haven't been going into too many indoor places lately anyway. Just quick in and out to grab something in a store (like a Dunks mobile order) and out.

Spent the day in NH doing a track event and it was pretty much mask-free. Was outdoors mostly. I did ride in a car with a stranger (instructor) which would be my first non-family car ride in over a year, but we were doing over 100MPH with the windows down so plenty of air exchange

[OutdoorLover]

Masks are definitely waning here in Newburyport since the rule change of May 29th. Seeing someone wearing one isn't unusual, but they're clearly in the minority. I have still been wearing one indoors in public, but I was twice vaccinated by the end of April, and it's a question of when, not if, I drop mine too (excepting those place where it's still required).

[Amontillado]

Last week I'd say 75% of people in the Woburn Market Basket had masks on. This week, maybe 25%. And you can see the marks on the floor where the adhesive arrows used to be, reminding us to go up one aisle and down the next.

I do look forward to not seeing masks dropped every few hundred feet along the sidewalk!

[msRB311]

I went to stop and shop yesterday and walked in without a mask on. The first few people I saw had on masks...but then as i walked through i saw less of that. The people working at the salon wore them along with people working at stores and restaurants. I think with the hot weather this week people will be more likely to ditch them.

[BostonMike7]

My office is still retaining them for the time being.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

Last week I'd say 75% of people in the Woburn Market Basket had masks on. This week, maybe 25%. And you can see the marks on the floor where the adhesive arrows used to be, reminding us to go up one aisle and down the next.

I do look forward to not seeing masks dropped every few hundred feet along the sidewalk!

You would think that with a heightened sense of awareness of germs during a pandemic that people would not throw used PPE all over the ground.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

My office is still retaining them for the time being.

Same here. But our company just sent out a self-attestation form (i.e. have you been vaccinated or not) for us to turn in. I'm guessing that based on that, we'll move to following the CDC guidelines and vaxxed will be allowed to ditch their masks.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

Last week I'd say 75% of people in the Woburn Market Basket had masks on. This week, maybe 25%. And you can see the marks on the floor where the adhesive arrows used to be, reminding us to go up one aisle and down the next.

I do look forward to not seeing masks dropped every few hundred feet along the sidewalk!

In the past week I've been to the Wegman's in Medford and the Wegman's in Natick, and in both, about 85-90% of shoppers were wearing masks in spite of the big signs at the entrance stating that masks were no longer required for vaccinated individuals and that it was on the honor system. I'm going again today, so we'll see how much has changed in a short span of time.

In my neighborhood and around downtown it's definitely in the ballpark of 20% or fewer wearing masks outside. Compliance on the T has been good (from what I've seen), and I'm always carrying a mask on me as I ride it a bunch. People in the airports, planes, and on airport transit were great about masks. And even though airlines are doing food/beverage service again, people were good about throwing the masks on after eating/drinking. With millions of people flying every day, the occasional nuts caught on film hitting flight attendants or going on rants are extreme outliers.

I just got back (Yesterday) from a quick trip to Florida to see some family and once you're outside of the airport, it's almost impossible to tell there is/was a pandemic. I saw a couple of older grocery store employees with masks, but that was about it. Though one of my favorite South Florida breweries still required masks inside which was surprising (and godspeed to the staff that has to enforce it in "free" Florida).

[id77]

Originally Posted by lrfox

In the past week I've been to the Wegman's in Medford and the Wegman's in Natick, and in both, about 85-90% of shoppers were wearing masks in spite of the big signs at the entrance stating that masks were no longer required for vaccinated individuals and that it was on the honor system. I'm going again today, so we'll see how much has changed in a short span of time.

In my neighborhood and around downtown it's definitely in the ballpark of 20% or fewer wearing masks outside. Compliance on the T has been good (from what I've seen), and I'm always carrying a mask on me as I ride it a bunch. People in the airports, planes, and on airport transit were great about masks. And even though airlines are doing food/beverage service again, people were good about throwing the masks on after eating/drinking. With millions of people flying every day, the occasional nuts caught on film hitting flight attendants or going on rants are extreme outliers.

I just got back (Yesterday) from a quick trip to Florida to see some family and once you're outside of the airport, it's almost impossible to tell there is/was a pandemic. I saw a couple of older grocery store employees with masks, but that was about it. Though one of my favorite South Florida breweries still required masks inside which was surprising (and godspeed to the staff that has to enforce it in "free" Florida).

I kind of feel like Boston didn't quite experience the same pandemic as everywhere else. Whereas there were lines of people waiting outside grocery stores well into this year, that never happened with any regularity in Boston. The only places I see with regular lines are random retail shops (Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Apple). Why those places have lines every day is still a mystery I've yet to crack.

Dare I even say that, aside from more masks and takeout dining, things never really stopped feeling normal in Boston -- just quieter.

This heat wave isn't helping. I'm not excited to pop on a mask when it's 95 outside. I'm still keeping one handy, and there's been a few times I've donned it on Newbury due to the crowds, almost none of whom are wearing masks. The irony on that of course is most of the people in those crowds are from suburbs where you see mask rates that are much higher.

There's still 1-2 fast casual places mandating masks for entry, but by and large if you're vaccinated it seems the restrictions have come off.