We only use it for 5th and 6th grades, but I am usually happy with it. Every now and then I scratch my head a little when the lesson is on some point of speaking/writing that my kids with city accents would never fumble over. Easy lesson day those days!
They announced a few weeks ago that most of the local theaters/music/orchestra hall, etc. are doing the āmust show vac/test and must still wear masksā even though itās not required most places here! Promptly want on line and bought tickets for a concert, a play, and an orchestra/dance combo. I am so excited! Itās been so long since Iāve been to anything like that. I wish a few restaurants would do so as well - we only eat outside, and the weather is unlikely to cooperate much longer. But oh - Iām going to a concert next week! 
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One of our favorites!
ONE guy had his mask down on his chin before curtain. He reluctantly pulled it up over his mouth only 
at the recorded announcement.
Creative director did the welcome. Giddy. āYouāre the first live audience weāve had in 18 months!ā (Theyāve recorded/streamed a few things. For free. Patrons have kept them afloat.)
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Add it to the list of places to try next time we are downtown for something. We used to go to church in midtown, but moved pre-covid to the lovely church we attend now where no one believes in wearing masks and a friend told me weāre āmaybe the only people I know who havenāt had covidā.
I digress. Iām glad you were able to enjoy the first play back! Thatās amazing and wonderful.
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It really was! Honestly, itās pretty much the first place I feel like Iāve been to in over a year where they said āhereās what to expect when you get hereā, I felt like that was believable, and then it actually matched expectations! And 99% of the people just going with it without acting like itās some big deal.
Iām so tired of either knowing up front Iām not going to feel good about it, or thinking I am and then itās not as billed.
The play was excellent. Alley is top notch. And if anyoneās ever in Houston in December, they always do a top notch version of a Christmas Carol. (Thatās been the first ārealā play each of our kids has attended.)
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@vedder32 ^^^
ETA: For boosters, FDA met on 9/17 and they expedited all the other steps in the process to start giving boosters on 9/24, so hopefully this will go as smoothly.
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Tonight I went with a friend and her daughter to a candlelight tour of Fort Nisqually - a living history museum. Theyāve been doing these tours for decades, but had to miss 2020. It was so much fun! The actors (volunteers) were not masked, but the patrons were. It was fine (except for my glasses fogging up) and everyone was just so happy to have events like this again!
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When would the first doses be administered assuming that meeting takes place as planned?
Just did an ETA.
I assume this follows the same path as boosters.
FDA advisory meets, FDA issues decision, CDC advisory meets, CDC issues decision.
Could be as quick as a week!
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OMG! This is amazing news. You just made my weekend. I truly canāt thank you enough for posting this and letting me know. It would take a borderline catastrophe for kids 5-11 to not be getting shots by 11/10 at the latest.
This board is really amazing. In 24 hours I had an answer to a vaccine question on a Disney board.
You are the best!!
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If this link does not work I can copy it as text
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A while back we had a discussion about what āminor inconvenienceā (ie, not death and health impacts) from the pandemic was the one you disliked the most.
Iāve been thinking back over the past 18 months and Iām pretty sure my answer is the toilet paper / paper towel crunch in March-April 2020. I have been in emergencies where groceries were hard to come by for a few days or a week or so, but I NEVER want to be in another situation where I couldnāt guarantee Iād find basic necessities for months on end. I get anxiety just thinking about it.
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People constantly moaning about not having toilet papā¦
Oh wait!! 
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You can always grab some leaves from your yard or a park.
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Advice please: DS14 came home from school yesterday saying he has a sore throat, and he still has it today. No other symptoms except obvious stuffy nose. He already takes allergy meds so thereās not a whole lot OTC meds I can give him. In normal times this wouldnāt even ping on my radar but now I have no idea what to do re: school on Mon. Do I get a covid test? Is an OTC test ok (we have one)? Do I have to wait a certain # of days before testing? I read all of the info from his school and also our other kidsā school, and nothing says anything about when your kid has a mild symptom. Of course, there is nobody available to answer my Q b/c itās the weekend. Iām hoping he just gets better or that itās just the change in the weather (marked change in weather, which I suspect). School has been 100% masked up but of course there is lunch time etc. I do have access to a 24 hr nurse advice line but I hesitate to call them b/c it seems like a waste of a call; I know they will say āmonitor at home.ā My one question is about the timing of testing.
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When I called the after hours line at our dr, they advised a timeline for testing so it could be worth a call. I think I would do a rapid test and monitor symptoms. Of course if he is sick when Monday rolls around, keep him home but if he is better by then and the rapid is negative, I would send.
Iād do a rapid test.
for what itās worth, here is the MA flowchart for individuals with symptoms. They do the rapid test, and if negative the recommendation depends on the symptoms. Sore throat and nasal congestion are not the more defining symptoms. Testing is recommended 3-5 days after exposure; if someone is experiencing symptoms, the test should pick it up if it is covid.
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Wow, detailed flowchart! Overall, itās got some good thinking put into it.
Except maybe the part where theyāre sending vaccinated kids that are vomiting back to class if thatās their only symptom? Am I reading that right? Or is there a separate non-Covid protocol that falls under? 
Here is some detailed advice about timing: