I wore a mask in every queue at Universal in September I will have no problem doing it in the crowds of President’s week. My KN95s are packed.
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And if on an occasion we choose to do Y it doesn’t mean that we will continue to always do Y. We can still choose not to do Y in the future.
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So…some expectation setting. Based on a couple different sources I’m listening to regarding the timing/availability of therapeutics…
These are going to be game changers for those high risk. But. They need to be taken as soon after symptom onset as possible. So, if you know anyone high risk, make certain they are discussing it with their primary doctor ahead of time (what their risk level is, how they will be prioritized, what steps they will need to take). Please don’t assume the doctor will be able to figure it out quickly on the fly. There are hoops to jump through, so at least make sure the risk assessment part is settled before it happens so can skip straight to the procurement steps. (Yeah, this is obviously going to further widen the gap in health care disparities.)
Availability for the high risk should be much better around September and forward, so that should give them some degree of risk relief.
But it’s unlikely availability is going to be high enough for those of general risk levels to have the therapeutics be easily accessible.
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Speaking of masks, I finally found good N95 masks that fit my fat face. They are the 3M Aura masks which I think someone here has mentioned before. I got a box of 20 for $25 at OfficeDepot using a 20% off coupon on their website. They are a little difficult to put on, but the large comfy foamy nose piece is awesome.
https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/7006752/3M-Aura-9205PH-20-DC-Particulate/
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Where do you hear rumblings of this change?
It will be a million times easier to have DH masking if it’s required. 
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I think FL is a little behind (in cases) from the NE? The NE is rapidly falling in cases and mask mandates are being dropped.
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We’ll be there the same time. Given my kids’ reaction to our (NJ) governor’s plan to let districts decide about masks in March, we’ll be masked inside the entire trip, required or no. Let someone say something.
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Funnily enough, DH is 100% ok masking leading up to the trip so that we get to take it.
I will wear mine because I ain’t got no time for that business again. 
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We have those same conversations. We spend our “risk budget” on in-person schooling and DD7’s activities (tennis, ice skating, theater, and gymnastics). We get a lot of … “If you are doing those activities, why won’t you do a playdate? They are about the same risk.” Yes, but risk is additive. That said, we plan to increase our risk budget after DS4 is vaccinated.
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Here are two examples from this week. One of the former and one of the latter. Schools in our area are now mask optional.
Example 1: Yesterday DD7’s friend said to her “I’m not going to wear my mask at school, but I know you like to be careful so I will bring a mask and wear it when I play with you.”
Example 2: Today a friend of ours relayed that a non-masked 7 year old said at school to a masked 7 year old … “Take off your mask or I am going to punch you in the face.”
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What a nice friend in Example 1. Kudos to those parents to teach the kid to care for others. Too much of Example 2, probably more with adults than kids. One thing to disagree and do your own thing re: masks, but to have an issue with someone else wearing one and bully, inexcusable.
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Amazing news. And your DD got her shot like a champ!
Our kids are pretty close in age. We have a DS4 and DD2 that we’re hopeful get their shots in the coming weeks. DS4 is turning 5 shortly but if the latest meetings scheduled for the <5 result in approving a shot, the <5 shot will be available to him first (and we will line up for whatever shot, whatever day, whatever time, he can first qualify for as he’s our kiddo with the risk factor we’ve been so careful about protecting).
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I hope they keep the mandate for awhile too. We are also going President’s week (from MA) and it is so much easier to when it’s required, my kids are pretty good about it when I hand them a mask but still. Not to mention feels safer when everyone is masking indoors.
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Oh man. My little ones won’t stop wearing their masks. Even when I tell them it’s ok to take them off; they’ve learned to hide behind them and prefer it.
Whomp whomp.
But at least this means they don’t complain when I ask them to wear them. So there is that if you want to call it an upside.
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Our county health director had the best news of the whole pandemic (for me) in her update to the county council today:
The health dept has placed their order for Pfizer <5 vaccines. The approval is expected to come on Feb 18th, and if all goes to plan their order will arrive 2/21 and by 2/22 they will be able to get shots in arms!!!
I could literally sing (and am starting to have some hope of getting on a Disney cruise- rescheduled 3x now since the initial booking for April 2021- this year…)
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ACIP still hasn’t scheduled a meeting yet, though. I think that’s a required step? I’m not sure if CDC director can skip them or not.
ETA: I checked the process on the prior age groups. For the 12-15s, they skipped VRBPRC but not ACIP. I don’t think skipping ACIP is an option. Not 100% sure though.
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I don’t know exactly what can or can’t be done here, but I do know that our County Health Department director has relayed similar info for other vaccine rollouts (boosters, 5-11 and I imagine for other age ranges before I was paying attention).
When it was the 5-11 vaccine was rolling out she was communicating ahead of both the VRPAC and ACIP meetings that they were anticipating that by Nov 4th they would have their allocation of doses with approval to give. The approvals came a day ahead of what she and her team had expected so they were able to start actually giving them Nov 3rd- but not until they got the doses to the local sites which wasn’t until after 12pm.
Both for 5-11 and now for <5 she’s mentioned the state ordering from the federal government (ahead of approvals but ready to send the moment approvals come in) & then the county needing to be ready to get their allocation of doses from the state to then divy up to local health department clinics. She said specifically for for the first week for <5 they get 23K doses and that will ramp up over time with them placing an order every week.
Obviously none of what they are planning can go ahead without whatever approvals are needed, but according to what she’s been communicated they are expecting the approvals to be done by Feb 18th to be able to get them the doses by Feb 21st so they can distribute to the clinics ahead of the Feb 22nd planned first day.
My guess is that if the ACIP needs to meet, that their plan is to fit in a meeting on or abouts Feb 16-17. The other option being that they don’t actually need to convene and that the CDC can go ahead and issue approval without them having met. (I know that the FDA doesn’t need the VRBPAC to meet to issue, as you highlighted they didn’t have them meet ahead of the 12-15 approvals, but no idea if it’s the same for the CDC and ACIP, but I’ll be tuning in next week for sure to find out!)
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Yep, that all makes sense. I’m really surprised an ACIP meeting hasn’t been set, unless like you said, it’s not required.
I know some VRBPAC members got in a snit they got skipped on 12-15s, so not sure how much that sort of thing plays into it.
While any delay is frustrating, the transparency of the meetings being held in the open is probably important to get as much medical buy-in as possible to counter any vaccine concerns. The committee members ask good questions that doctors will want to hear discussed.
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I agree, even if the powers that be already know that the data warrants approval and expect to be able to give it without much hullaballoo, the meetings allow the data to be shared, discussed in a public format. So I am all on board with them holding meetings. But yes, I’m so curious to find out exactly if the ACIP meeting is required and if so, when they will actually meet.
I will say that when I listened to the bits that I could for both the VRBPAC and ACIP meetings for the 5-11, the VRBPAC seemed a lot more conflicted by their decision (even though they almost unanimously voted to approve it) but several doctors only voting so that it could be available to those kids that needed it but coming out to say not every kid would need a vaccine. Then the ACIP was fully embracing of the 5-11 vaccine, couldn’t approve it fast enough, and at least one doctor voicing that the vaccine needed to be made available all the way down to 6 months as quickly as the process would allow.
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