The Holiday Covid round up

[Loa]

Hi everyone!
It's supposed to be a happy time of year for most people, but this year is a sucky, sucky, sucky one.
How is it where you are? Are you in lockdown, having some freedom? Is the sun shining?

Let us know!

[bright rabbit 1]

Still in Tier 2 here for Northamptonshire, not sunny but raining (no snow on Christmas Day asked Alexa if it would snow).

Angry finding out that secondary school students will have the vaccine before my parents can have it.

I’m not going out because my big toes have got to heal some more.

[Barnacle_lady]

Here in The Netherlands we are in lockdown until the 19th of January. We are free to go out for a walk and that's practically it because everything else is closed. You can only get groceries and pet food.
We are also restricted on how many people to receive at home. 2 and with Christmas 3.
No fireworks on New Years Eve.

As for the weather, nothing special to expect. It's rainy, cold but no snow. We haven't had a white Christmas in a decade.

[SnorkMaiden]

Here in The Netherlands we are in lockdown until the 19th of January. We are free to go out for a walk and that's practically it because everything else is closed. You can only get groceries and pet food.
We are also restricted on how many people to receive at home. 2 and with Christmas 3.
No fireworks on New Years Eve.

As for the weather, nothing special to expect. It's rainy, cold but no snow. We haven't had a white Christmas in a decade.

*waves* Hey neighbour!

Here in Brussels, we're all very much used to the restrictions by now. The rules are quite strict, compared to other European countries, but overall, most people stick to them. Non-essential shops were allowed to re-open a few weeks ago, but mostly, I'm staying away from all shops, unless I really need to buy something I can't get online.

The weather is mostly rainy and grey, with some sunnier days. We definitely don't expect to have snow over Christmas - it's at least 10 degrees too warm, for a start.

I'm sad not to be able to celebrate Christmas with my mum in Germany, but the risk is simply too big. At least neither she nor I will have to celebrate alone, and that's something I'm very grateful for. Many people aren't so lucky.

[Artemesia's Garden]

We just got some new notices where a lot more people are suddenly under the most severe restrictions due to a new strain of the virus. It doesn't affect us but my sister is affected and therefore my neice and parents will not be able to have a meal together at Christmas. We are really missing our friends and cultural life, but we have a lot to be thankful for in our small household.

[Taffeta]

I thought kids weren't allowed the vaccine atm? There's been a lot of talk about mass school testing here but not vaccines.

On the good side:
Vaccine rollout has begun and our area was one of the first (albeit most of the sites in the wider county, probably because the health trust really hate doing anything for the borough. Still, there it is).
Cases in my ward and the neighbouring ward are fairly low atm.
We're managing.

On the bad side:
Sister not able to come home for Christmas which is the first time since she was born that we won't spend the holidays as a family and that HURTS.
New variant strain in the South East doubtlessly about to go mad across the whole country because of all the selfish people piling on trains to go North before the curfew deadline.
COVID still here and causing mayhem.
Countries are shutting borders to the UK - which I don't mind because honestly people here need those rules to not go abroad on holiday in a pandemic, apparently - but there's some concern about trade and supplies getting in and out. Besides most of these countries almost certainly already have this strain as it's been around since October, they just haven't found it yet - and shutting trade borders is about as useful as shutting off transit from China in February when it was already raging round Italy. We know it's already been found in some of these countries, so all it's going to do is disrupt an already disrupted trade situation. Merry Christmas.

My parents are both over 70 and Mum is shielding so they should be highish on the vaccine list, but even our neighbour, Dad's friend, hasn't heard anything yet and he's in the age category currently being vaccinated. :/ It's going to be a long process.

But I think the only thing to do is be thankful for the small mercies. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. It's been a really hard year and it's taken its toll and still is, because there's no end in sight for the hundreds of families like mine where the risk is especially high :/

[Aflame]

in teir 4 where we are in the UK we can't have any body over or travel we are only allowed to get food, go to the doctors or for exercise  all non essential shops are shut , hopefully will get my vaccine feb/mar next year

[True]

-Stumbles in from the US-
Yeah everyone here cant decide if its real or fake yet, our most recent "shut down" is a joke as with all previous shut downs, only really affects restaurant workers, most of my friends are out of work with very little compensation. But for the most part, our lives are hardly different, though some people make it seem like were horribly oppresed because about the only constant is that its now required to wear masks everywhere (a lot still dont though). I work overnight in a grocery store, so my job has not been affected, and luckily I can keep my distance from most pedestrians. I don't believe this will be gone for a long time in the US at least, because when an official order does come out, most people get angry and refuse to listen to it, AND those orders usually are like throwing a thimble of water on an inferno, just the barest of minimum to appear like they're doing something. I have little pride in my country anymore.

The pharmacy at my store will be part of the first wave of vaccinations, they sent us all emails saying they are trying to get all employees in on the second wave, because of "essential worker" status. But depending on how much they decide to charge for it, I may not be able to get it anyway, but I'm putting money away just in case.

I have not seen my grandparents in almost a year. My grandpa was in early stages of Alzheimer's last year, and I've been told, he really only has a few hours out of the day where he is "lucid" and remembers everyone's names now. I miss doing stuff with my family, and going out at night with my friends, but I understand this wont go away until all of us learn how to social distance, lol my hope in the rest of this country is low.

[Ponyfan]

My family and I are usually by ourselves at Christmas.  I can't remember the last time we had any other family members at our house for Christmas.  We have always been the ones that have to make the trip to their house to be together. 

That being said I feel so bad for everyone that will be separated from their loved ones this year. 

Our businesses are at 50% capacity.  Masks are required everywhere except houses of worship or while eating and drinking.  Travel is strongly discouraged but there is no official rules stopping people from doing so.


Ponyfan

[SunPony]

It's a gray day here in Ohio, USA, as it often is during winter.  It can get a bit depressing... As far as holiday covid restrictions, I'm not really sure what the actual rules are because I err on the side of caution, but I know lots of cultural institutions like the zoo and museums are still open here.  Drive-through Christmas light displays have been very popular!  My parents, sister and her boyfriend, and myself will be meeting outdoors, masked and contactless, for a winter walk and gift exchange.  My sister and I are both still working outside our homes some so we are the risk factors...

[LadyAmalthea]

I don't think we have any real physical restrictions here...we can still go to stores and stuff...my son is still in school 5 days a week (the only school in the area doing this; most are virtual half the time) and is in therapy 4 days/week. But both my family and my husband's are cancelling Christmas celebrations this year voluntarily. My parents dropped by yesterday to bring gifts for the kids and some cookies. I honestly didn't want them to come, as we were exposed to the virus 2 weeks ago, and I suspect that my husband actually contracted it. We just talked in the driveway with masks, much like we did last May when everything was locked down and I brought my mom flowers for Mother's Day. It was kind of depressing, but really, I'm okay with the not doing Christmas. Holiday time has been a bit melancholy for me since I was 12 years old, anyway; I don't expect much from it anymore. My husband, on the other hand, is downright depressed about all of it. He just lost someone close to him very suddenly (not Coronavirus), and the cancellation of his family's events is really getting to him. I wish it wasn't such a bummer for him; I'm actually kind of welcoming the opportunity to make Christmas here at home magical for my 3 little kids, without the pressure of having to please others and rush off somewhere on Christmas day.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

It feels the same to me...we never visited family for Christmas on the day, and I avoided the Christmas party last year so no changes there. Still working, people still piling in to get Christmas shopping done.
I am trying to meet with a 'net friend next month and I really hope restrictions don't get tight to the point where we can't do anything, but I want this to be over...can we all just wear our masks yet??

[BlackCurtains]

Florida has remained a mess throughout the whole thing. Cases are at 1.2 million with almost 60,000 deaths.

Most counties have a mask mandate but there are still people who aren't wearing them. I was in line at Wal-Mart pharmacy to pick up my meds and this girl was standing off to the side without a mask on. She tried to go ahead of me and I had to say, hey get in line like everybody else. I think she thought she was exempt from everything

Businesses can operate at 50% capacity but outdoor dining is considered "safer" and restaurants can cram as many people in as they want as long as it's open air. Being Florida, well there are a lot of those.

Schools are operating as usual but parents can opt to continue virtual learning if they want. As far as I know, there is NOT a mask mandate for children in school. Manatee county wanted to implement one and the parents went nuts, crying their kid can't wear a mask all day.

Gov. DeSantis has been very quiet, no longer giving press conferences. He's a major Trump guy, so, I don't know if he's hiding because of that or what.


As far as me personally, two of my mother's cousins died from covid within a week of each other. They were elderly, but still.

Every year it's just my parents and my sister for xmas. We haven't had people over in... probably two decades. My sister and I are doing the cooking this year. I'm going to bring my cat and spend the night xmas eve.

The weather is below normal. It actually got down to 47F one night. Usually that doesn't happen until Jan/Feb. It's been raining a lot and another front is coming which will bring more rain and they're saying even colder temps. Like mid-30s. I only have so many long pants but it's the wrong season to buy winter outfits. You want a bikini though, you can find those for the tourists.

[banditpony]

It's a gray day here in Ohio, USA, as it often is during winter.  It can get a bit depressing... As far as holiday covid restrictions, I'm not really sure what the actual rules are because I err on the side of caution, but I know lots of cultural institutions like the zoo and museums are still open here.

Ohio is a mess. State government won't do anything anymore because of the political pushback. So there are county-wide and city-wide advisories in place of that.. They got placed when the hospital situations started getting dicey. 
This is for my county ---

“Residents should only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs such as seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up food or receiving deliveries.”

But, obviously despite that, there is no teeth to it, and people are gonna keep on carrying on. If there is any restrictions on businesses, those are out the window too. Target was packed today.

I am fine with the holidays being different. Holidays sometimes got messed up when I was a kid since my mom worked in at a hospital. There were always good memories despite any wonkiness... Gotta focus on what is good, I guess.

I'm pretty stoked about staying home with the small family unit. It makes certain things a lot stressful. Silver linings~

We talked about maybe my kiddo opening presents at my mom's house though. I feel pretty on the fence about it. I cut out halloween, and I cut out thanksgiving... My mom takes things pretty seriously, as she works with at risk people... eh, I dunno.

[starrynights]

We're all in lockdown here, only venturing out equipped with sanitizer and a mask to work and go to the store.
Luckily the whole family and dearest friends will be here for Christmas, because we all live together in what's becoming some kinda commune.
I....try not to think about what is all going on around me. It's not good for my health....so I've just stopped thinking.