How has Coronavirus impacted your life and your lifestyle?

[Swanky]

Hi!
To help keep from veering off topic or towards politics, here’s a reminder of the topic of the thread:

“Being this is a fashion driven forum, I am curious as to how this has impacted your lifestyle. Are you still buying purses, shoes or any high-end luxury items? How have you prepared and how do you plan to pass the next year of your life?”

There's other threads to discuss variants, deaths, etc... and as always we don't allow politics on tPF

 

[hylia]

For me it has really proven that my nature of work can be done remotely 100%. Been working from home since March 2020, and the team’s productivity has not been hampered down at all. Of course, this is due to our company’s long-existing policy of being able to work remotely whenever we want (this was in place way before covid era), so we are all technologically-equipped to get everything done without having to go to the office (leveraging Gsuite platforms, digital signatures for approvals, etcetc), plus the upper management truly respects the culture of not disturbing anyone after office hours and during weekends unless it’s do-or-die urgent situations.

so much so that working from home is now our permanent office policy lol. Just need to come in if required. Totally saves cost cos no need to spend on gas, parking, lunch, tolls (but the savings from these went to online shopping spree instead lol)

 

[Yoshi1296]

I'm in the higher education work field (not currently working to finish school) but my friends and colleagues in the field are all completely burnt out with the constant switching back and forth between in-person and online. Most prefer to remain online, but surprisingly most college students want to be in person. This makes the senior administrations happy to return to in-person...but they all get to stay home while the mid level and low level staff and faculty have to come in. Faculty is especially scared since they tend to be much older...I mean some faculty are in their 70s and 80s. Totally unsafe for them to be working in person in this climate, even with vaccines.

 

[hermes_lemming]

This is so bonkers. I now have a third air filter in my home. Why? Old building, shared heating vent and the family nextdoor has covid. The husband has it bad. The wife told me when I offered some extra tomatoes.

I try to quell the fear by just buying more masks. It's next level. Different brands depending on activity. One for walking the pup, during non traffic hours. One for hospital and pharmacy visits. One of errands.

And the grocery store shelves are starting to empty. One of my coworkers tested positive and no one can figure out how he caught it. He is basically a hermit. Keeps to himself. No pet no fam. Just does daily walks solo dolo. Sigh.

It's 2020 all over

 

[GhstDreamer]

I'm in the higher education work field (not currently working to finish school) but my friends and colleagues in the field are all completely burnt out with the constant switching back and forth between in-person and online. Most prefer to remain online, but surprisingly most college students want to be in person. This makes the senior administrations happy to return to in-person...but they all get to stay home while the mid level and low level staff and faculty have to come in. Faculty is especially scared since they tend to be much older...I mean some faculty are in their 70s and 80s. Totally unsafe for them to be working in person in this climate, even with vaccines.

Our government had a lovely idea that they will now allow retired teachers to sub more days than pre-covid so to relieve some of the staffing issues. As if! Most of the retired educators are in their 70's! They don't even want to go back for 1 day! The professional association took a survey and out of the 1500+ retired teachers, only 40 something said they would be willing to sub. That is the whole province. So stupid.

 

[Izzy_w]

This is so bonkers. I now have a third air filter in my home. Why? Old building, shared heating vent and the family nextdoor has covid. The husband has it bad. The wife told me when I offered some extra tomatoes.

I try to quell the fear by just buying more masks. It's next level. Different brands depending on activity. One for walking the pup, during non traffic hours. One for hospital and pharmacy visits. One of errands.

And the grocery store shelves are starting to empty. One of my coworkers tested positive and no one can figure out how he caught it. He is basically a hermit. Keeps to himself. No pet no fam. Just does daily walks solo dolo. Sigh.

It's 2020 all over

It's what Dr. Fauci said, "Omicron will find just about everybody." Even vaccinated and boosted people will be infected, but will fare better. I am vaxxed and boosted but still caught it a few weeks before Christmas, along with my parents. We were all asymptomatic, thankfully! However, I know everyone will react differently.

 

[Sunshine mama]

Ugh, our building has 11 staff out. That doesn't sound like a lot, but we're a VERY small building. RTI team is pulled to be subs, gym is canceled. At what point does admin finally decide to require masks again? At what point do we temporarily shut down for a few days or at least until we have enough subs to cover?

We have record case numbers in our state and we don't even require masks in the building. It's ridiculous. I wear a mask all day, every day, but how much good will that do when they're dropping like flies all around me?

I know what you mean!!!
We don't have mask requirements either, and the positivity cases are going off the chart.
A church I watch online has no mask requirement and all the congregants are seated like sardines with no masks! The pastor in a passing statement indicated his belief that masks don't work!!!!!
I was totally flabbergasted and I no longer trust his judgment.

 

[hermes_lemming]

It's what Dr. Fauci said, "Omicron will find just about everybody." Even vaccinated and boosted people will be infected, but will fare better. I am vaxxed and boosted but still caught it a few weeks before Christmas, along with my parents. We were all asymptomatic, thankfully! However, I know everyone will react differently.

I caught covid twice in 2020. Second time as a long hauler for 5 months. I was not asymptomatic. So no ty. I like being awake, being able to use my brain, not have my face smell up and pus over. I also like having use of my shoulders and limbs. Having energy to do things. You see where I'm going with this.

Glad you're asymptomatic tho. I'm immune compromised and seeing omnicron knock friends, fam and coworkers off their butts.

I'm looking forward to my 4th shot and will take whatever subsequent shot required. If this means I mask up like some other countries, so be it.

 

[Sunshine mama]

It's what Dr. Fauci said, "Omicron will find just about everybody." Even vaccinated and boosted people will be infected, but will fare better. I am vaxxed and boosted but still caught it a few weeks before Christmas, along with my parents. We were all asymptomatic, thankfully! However, I know everyone will react differently.

I'm glad you and your family were asymptomatic! That's the power of the vaccine!

 

[Izzy_w]

I caught covid twice in 2020. Second time as a long hauler for 5 months. I was not asymptomatic. So no ty. I like being awake, being able to use my brain, not have my face smell up and pus over. I also like having use of my shoulders and limbs. Having energy to do things. You see where I'm going with this.

Glad you're asymptomatic tho. I'm immune compromised and seeing omnicron knock friends, fam and coworkers off their butts.

I'm looking forward to my 4th shot and will take whatever subsequent shot required. If this means I mask up like some other countries, so be it.

You do you. I have a friend who is not immune compromised or has any health issues, is fully vaxxed and boosted, and still went to the hospital for a week when he caught COVID in late November with an oxygen tube down his throat. Nevertheless, he made a recovery and is still going about his business and habits. He owns and operates several convenience stores, so yeah, he works a lot with the public and can't work from home. So everyone has a different POV and I don't challenge why.

 

[hermes_lemming]

You do you. I have a friend who is not immune compromised or has any health issues, is fully vaxxed and boosted, and still went to the hospital for a week when he caught COVID in late November with an oxygen tube down his throat. Nevertheless, he made a recovery and is still going about his business and habits. He owns and operates several convenience stores, so yeah, he works a lot with the public and can't work from home. So everyone has a different POV and I don't challenge why.

Yea I've discussed my experience quite a bit on this thread. Glad your friend and yourself are unscathed. I'm currently watching my team members being taken out one by one. My boss has been a long hauler after catching it mid oct. Just so we're clear, not everyone I know has the luxury to wfh. And yes they're all fully vaxxed and boosted. It's required at my work. And no, they're not immune compromised. All relatively young and healthy.

It's unfortunate we're witnessing apparently two opportunities outcomes of the same disease but it is what it is. Continue staying healthy.

 

[DesigningStyle]

I had Covid last year...I still do not have my sense of smell back 100%. I cannot smell vinegar, dog poo, natural gas (I know this since there was a gas leak in my neighborhood the other day and my sister smelled it in the air!), and other random smells. Some are back, but not all. So frustrating.

 

[pixiejenna]

I had Covid last year...I still do not have my sense of smell back 100%. I cannot smell vinegar, dog poo, natural gas (I know this since there was a gas leak in my neighborhood the other day and my sister smelled it in the air!), and other random smells. Some are back, but not all. So frustrating.

My coworker also had covid in late 2020 and she still has no sense of smell or taste more than a year later.☹

 

[Winiebean]

This is so bonkers. I now have a third air filter in my home. Why? Old building, shared heating vent and the family nextdoor has covid. The husband has it bad. The wife told me when I offered some extra tomatoes.

I try to quell the fear by just buying more masks. It's next level. Different brands depending on activity. One for walking the pup, during non traffic hours. One for hospital and pharmacy visits. One of errands.

And the grocery store shelves are starting to empty. One of my coworkers tested positive and no one can figure out how he caught it. He is basically a hermit. Keeps to himself. No pet no fam. Just does daily walks solo dolo. Sigh.

It's 2020 all over

say 2022 out loud, 2020 too

 

[BigPurseSue]

This is so bonkers. I now have a third air filter in my home. Why? Old building, shared heating vent and the family nextdoor has covid. The husband has it bad. The wife told me when I offered some extra tomatoes.

I try to quell the fear by just buying more masks. It's next level. Different brands depending on activity. One for walking the pup, during non traffic hours. One for hospital and pharmacy visits. One of errands.

And the grocery store shelves are starting to empty. One of my coworkers tested positive and no one can figure out how he caught it. He is basically a hermit. Keeps to himself. No pet no fam. Just does daily walks solo dolo. Sigh.

It's 2020 all over

I'm sorry, HL. You must be so frustrated. And terrified. But then we all are.

I broke out my last saved N95 respirator mask yesterday. Several envious people asked me where I found it because they're sold out everywhere. I was embarrassed to admit I had a stock of them leftover from woodworking projects years ago, and fished them out of the garage at the start of the pandemic.

I ordered packs of both KN95 and N95 masks from projectN95.org. Shipping was absolutely atrocious ($20+ !!!). And I'll be lucky to receive them by the end of the month since they're so backed up with orders. But none of the drug stores around here have them, and Amazon is full of complaints about fraudulent masks.

 

[doni]

In Germany you can get antígen tested for free, and also home test kits are pretty cheap to buy (less than 2$ at the drugstore). We get self-tested all the time. If you meet people for diner, if someone you know was positive… Kids at school, people at offices… get tested everyday. You are now required to have had the 3rd booster of the vaccine to do most stuff (restaurants, gym, museums, cinema…), and twice-vaccinated to enter shops and the like. Masks (surgical or FFP2, no fabric masks allowed) are compulsive everywhere inside and in commercial areas outside.

Still, numbers are skyrocketing. I know now more people that have or have had Covid than not. In my home country incidence is over 2200 (!) with almos 200k daily cases (for a population of 40 million). And many people who test positive at home don’t report.

At this point I believe we are all getting it.

I also believe that Omicron is a much milder variant and that as many scientists say, it signals the beginning of the end. Yes, choosing to be optimistic.