Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Medford, Woburn: salon, how much, neighborhood)

[NewfieMama]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I'm curious what specific data suggested that the vaccine was not a good choice for you.

I got into the specific reasoning in my subsequent posts.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by mdovell

So I have a interview in about a week and a half and they STILL want it on zoom? Really? I've had some in person ones even without a mask but I thought we were past zoom interviews if you can drive there. Anyone else experience this? I'm fully vaccinated and I'm sure the interview is. I'm not offended but I would generally think most would be doing things in person. Now I have to go back to the laptop, adjust the lighting, camera, audio and act like the past four months didn't happen.

Many offices are still not back in-person or are requiring masks indoors. I suspect most would prefer to do a Zoom interview than drive into the office if they don't have to, or conduct an interview with masks on.



I anticipate hiring a new staff member in the fall, and that will probably be conducted through Zoom even then.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Many offices are still not back in-person or are requiring masks indoors. I suspect most would prefer to do a Zoom interview than drive into the office if they don't have to, or conduct an interview with masks on.



I anticipate hiring a new staff member in the fall, and that will probably be conducted through Zoom even then.

I have been interviewing with some Cambridge-based pharma and biotechs, it's all been via cloud-based meeting software like Teams. I preferred it from the job-seeker's end - didn't have to drive all the way into Cambridge, and I was probably a little less nervous. I'll be starting soon and am told that vaccinated employees can be in the office, lab folks obviously have to be there a good deal and are requested to be vaccinated, but at this point most people are still working remotely. Hiring mgr said they'll eventually return to regular office-based work, but not yet.

[Taffee72]

Several people were fired from my work last week. Since they're not in the office, presumably it was done over Zoom or phone call.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by mdovell

So I have a interview in about a week and a half and they STILL want it on zoom? Really?

Yes, this is the norm now and something I see becoming a permanent change. My clients are generally planning to reduce WFH and a return to the office with some flexibility. However, things like non essential travel and in person interviews will be permanently curtailed. It's just more efficient to conduct interviews remotely. Perhaps for final rounds or executive level positions the process will be in person. However, get ready to put your best foot forward on Zoom if you want a new job.

[msRB311]

I'd say having an interview on zoom is something that should have been done a long time ago. I think the first few interviews are on the phone or online pre pandemic but I'm sure some places make people come in for all. Such a pain especially if you are trying to take time off from a job you already have.

[bostonguy1960]

Long post:

I always have a mask with me, as I ride the subway and trolley and occasional bus rather regularly. And I seem to be seeing more and more people on my Braintree branch of the red line not wearing a mask, but they're still in a very small minority. Yes, it bothers me when I see that on the T! I'm fully vaxxed, but let's just follow subway protocol a bit longer for everyone's sake. Would unmasked riders bother most of you at this point, maybe even enough to say something to them?

My barber in the South End yesterday did not require masks in his small shop, but I wore one anyway out of respect to him, the other barber and a patron already there.

At Purefections, a chocolate boutique in Quincy Center the other day, the owner had no signage on her front door and told me she's no longer enforcing masks.

At Star Market on Mt. Auburn St. in Cambridge last week, it seemed all shoppers wore masks. I noticed a young male cashier without one, but it seemed most or all employees wore them.

Are Uber and Lyft drivers still enforcing them? I believe it's not only state law, but still Uber and Lyft's mandate for drivers and passengers. But on the Uber driver's forum I often read, some drivers in certain parts of the country are no longer enforcing it unless the passengers already have masks on when the driver arrives. Plus, each party can give a bad rating for violating mask laws. I haven't driven Uber since April 2020, and I'll see how I feel about masks when I return sometimes over the next few months. I'll drive sans mask if Uber allows it by then -- and maybe leave a window or two partly open especially if I have a few passengers crammed in. Not sure if the current UberX category of a maximum of three passengers will eventually be restored to the normal four passengers But...will UberPool and Lyft Line sharing options ever return? Will any of you ever share a ride again in an UberPool?

...

Anybody noticing people reverting back to shaking hands? I saw that a few weeks ago in the subway, when an older couple had a surprise encounter with an old colleague, and the colleague shook their hands when he left. Weird to see.
I did see an arm bump between two young guys last week at a subway station; I assume that's still the preferred method in most situations.

[msRB311]

I actually shook someone's hand the other day. Oops. I feel like it's been made pretty clear though that covid is transmitted through droplets coming out of someone's mouth/nose. I think much of the cleaning and sanitizing that they did on subways and buildings early on probably did nothing but I guess it made people feel better. It's probably best not to shake hands but I guess you could get covid just by speaking to someone face to face. Maybe I got norovirus through the hand shake.

I thought wearing masks on the T was mandatory ? I'd definitely wear one. I'm not sure I'd be bothered by others not wearing them but it seems dumb of them. They're putting themselves at risk. I also would move if an unmasked person stood or sat near me.

[yesmaybe]

They've managed to get past 4.5 million.

[charolastra00]

I shook someone's hand the other day and immediately went home and made my partner practice with me because I was so sloppy. To the best of my memory, the last time I shook someone's hand was December of 2019 and boy, did it show. It was just instinct - the person reached out his hand and my lizard brain took over. He was fully vaxed and also shared that he got sick back in March 2020 and ended up hospitalized for two weeks despite being in his mid-30s with no preexisting conditions. I think he feels pretty safe at this point and I was just extra cautious not to touch my face.


The place I had scheduled a nose piercing right at the beginning of the pandemic has finally reopened their bookings for under-the-mask-but-not-in-the-mouth piercings. I'll be doing that tomorrow (and with a big promotion underway, happy to normalize from senior management during a year when I've noticed colleagues trying to hide their home-dyed pink and purple hair!).