Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston: hotel, elementary school, salary)

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by timberline742

There is truly a huge diversity of responses. I look forward to the sociological papers in in few years looking back at the breakdowns of the demographics of those responses. (I hypothesize its mostly hardcore introverts and/or those with robust biological families that are with a$$ets that are on the shut down interacting extreme.)

I, personally, have a bit of a mindset that hey, I have to go to work every day, but bleep a life where I get to go to work but heeeeeyyy no fun is allowed for years.

Everyone, as always, does their own cost benefit equations internally. That's only natural.

Most people can't stay home. More won't. If I don't work I can't live. I have no slush fund. No family money. No patrons.

If anyone delved into history they'd realize that war, famine, plague... never ever stopped people from dating, having children, living, socializing. It looked different for a blip, but that is all.

At this point I'm not really sure what finances have to do with someone's fear level of covid. Many people have had to go to work all throughout this. They perhaps had to get over the fear but doesn't mean the fear wasn't ever there. Some people have not returned to the office because they're not allowed to. I fall into this category. My dept is about 100 people and we're still remote. I work at a university and there are other depts who have to be on campus. My dept doesn't have a need to be on campus so it makes sense to keep us home to help stop the spread. This doesnt mean that I'm afraid to go out other places.

Perhaps other people who have to go to the office don't go many other places.

Again I think it's ok to be worried about something like Omnicrom or getting sick (no one wants to get sick) but not leaving the house over it or freaking out everytime numbers and data are released is a different story.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by msRB311

At this point I'm not really sure what finances have to do with someone's fear level of covid. Many people have had to go to work all throughout this.

So you do “get” what finances have to do with it. I’m financially independent. My wife works remotely. I could choose to stay in my house and have everything delivered. We were mostly doing that during the peak before the vaccines showed up. Money buys choices. Generally, only white collar people have the ability to work remotely. Most of the country doesn’t have that choice.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

Headline:
"First Omicron variant case detected in Mass., state says"
The Boston Globe
1 hour ago

Well, it was coming, wasn't it.

More likely it has been here for awhile.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by robr2

Contract nurses are also paying a fortune for housing. Living at a hotel gets expensive.

There are lots of places in the country paying that kind of money that don’t have Boston prices and the Boston housing shortage. There are also lots of RNs who take contract jobs within driving distance. Or even contract at the same hospital.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Looking at the New York Times stuff, it shows MGH with zero ICU beds. Same for New England Baptist. It’s not dire in metro Boston. The ICUs overall in metro Boston are 84% occupied. They chart hospitalization based on age and 75+ is the dominant age group so no surprise there. My guess is it’s mostly people without boosters who are well beyond 6 months since they were vaccinated.

The infection rate is high enough around here that I don’t understand why there aren’t local mask ordinances. There’s no effort at all to knock down the transmission rate.

At least 2 of my nearby towns where I shop (Lexington & Winchester) do have mask mandates in effect. Burlington & Woburn do not, but I still see a majority (including myself) wearing masks indoors.

But I hear what you're saying re: infection rate. Our workplace (to which I fortunately don't need to go, more than once a week) is reporting its highest number of people impacted since the beginning of the pandemic (either direct or close contacts).

[Amontillado]

I went to a store in Medford a couple of weeks ago, and I was a little surprised that they said "Please wear a mask in the store; we'll give you one if you need it." But apparently it's a city law.

It is hard to get out of the mindset that says "I survived lockdown and I've got my vaccinations, so now I'm going to act like everything is back to normal".

[robr2]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

There are lots of places in the country paying that kind of money that don’t have Boston prices and the Boston housing shortage. There are also lots of RNs who take contract jobs within driving distance. Or even contract at the same hospital.

You are correct. I guess I was influenced by an article I read a couple of years ago regarding contract nurses who travelled. One lived in GA and went to California on 4 week contracts. She earned enough to live a pretty good lifestyle working 4 weeks and then taking 4 weeks off.

[rach5]

Dramatic increases of covid in MA schools. https://www.necn.com/news/coronaviru...weeks/2628121/

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by robr2

You are correct. I guess I was influenced by an article I read a couple of years ago regarding contract nurses who travelled. One lived in GA and went to California on 4 week contracts. She earned enough to live a pretty good lifestyle working 4 weeks and then taking 4 weeks off.

Didn't we have someone here on this forum a couple of months ago who was set to be a contract nurse in the Worcester area? I think we did.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Amontillado

I went to a store in Medford a couple of weeks ago, and I was a little surprised that they said "Please wear a mask in the store; we'll give you one if you need it." But apparently it's a city law.

It is hard to get out of the mindset that says "I survived lockdown and I've got my vaccinations, so now I'm going to act like everything is back to normal".

I've struggled with the lack of consistency across the region in general. We're in Boston where the mask when you're inside is the law (true in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, etc.), so I'm used to it at the grocery store, restaurants, on transit, etc. It's not a big deal since it's more or less been this way since March 2020 with the exception of the brief maskless blip over the summer. But when I visit family/friends on the South Coast or in RI, the rules are completely different. Masks aren't needed anywhere.

We were in Portland (ME) last weekend where it's up to businesses. Many had the "Masks Required" signs and many had no restrictions at all. Some had "Masks recommended even if you are fully vaccinated" which left it up to customers (I didn't see a single mask in these places). Vermont has largely been the same (though I think Burlington just reinstated a mandate) with most places not requiring them, but some still doing it. We've gotten in the habit of just having a mask with us everywhere.

The bizarre thing locally is the consistency of adhering to the mandate. There are several stores nearby where owners and staff don't wear them at all, nor do many of the customers. The mandate seems almost silly in the smaller bars and restaurants that are allowed to be seated at 100% capacity (or even standing room only). In several cases, the masks seem to disappear when people walk through the door. Most people seem to be good about wearing their masks, but I haven't seen staff anywhere enforcing the mandates for people who ignore them. If I was a manager, I can't imagine demanding that my low-wage staff continue to try and make customers enforce it. We're nearly two years in, staffing shortages are a huge issue, and there's a pretty good chance that a $15/hr employee who tells an adult to put a mask on and get out is going to get an earful about "FrEeDoms!! RIgHts!! sHeEpLe!! etc." Not exactly worth it.