How were the lockdowns for you?

[Dznypal]

boring and just plain way to long--we were locked down for 3 months--kids missed a whole year of school--virtual being the only thing my DDIL is a teacher and she said it was nuts--
masks also went way to long--at work we just were able to get rid of them

Im surprised we havent heard that the companies that had to make them had to lay off people since now the world doesnt need them like before--I cant even imagine how it must have been for these companies to supply masks for the world--

 

[verleniahall]

Some of you said that you missed a full year of in person school? Didn't everyone go back to regular in the fall of 2020 (no masks) or was that just our rural area?

 

[tvguy]

Some of you said that you missed a full year of in person school? Didn't everyone go back to regular in the fall of 2020 (no masks) or was that just our rural area?

Suburban Sacramento area here. We went with hybrid here starting in January 2021. 100% in person did not resume until Fall 2021. Mask requirement continued until March 2022. That was the earliest the Teachers Union would allow the end of masks.
The mask requirement in Medical Facilities wasn't lifted until May 11th......as in 16 days ago. But they are still recommended.

 

[verleniahall]

Suburban Sacramento area here. We went with hybrid here starting in January 2021. 100% in person did not resume until Fall 2021. Mask requirement continued until March 2022. That was the earliest the Teachers Union would allow the end of masks.
The mask requirement in Medical Facilities wasn't lifted until May 11th......as in 16 days ago. But they are still recommended.

Wow - that's crazy!! I'm sorry you have had to deal with all of that so much longer!!

 

[tvguy]

Wow - that's crazy!! I'm sorry you have had to deal with all of that so much longer!!

Really was no big deal for anyone in my family. My oldest Granddaughter will be 4 next month so masks at her pre-school are just as much a part of the routine as nap time. It is really all she has known.

 

[Dznypal]

places can recommend masks all they want but Im done with them

 

[amylevan]

Some of you said that you missed a full year of in person school? Didn't everyone go back to regular in the fall of 2020 (no masks) or was that just our rural area?

Ah, no. Northeast Pennsylvania here. School was hybrid here from fall of 2020 until spring 2021. Masks required in schools until spring 2022.

 

[bcwife76]

Some of you said that you missed a full year of in person school? Didn't everyone go back to regular in the fall of 2020 (no masks) or was that just our rural area?

Vancouver Canada here, our kids went back to in person learning Sept 2020. Masks were optional that fall I believe?? Became mandatory spring 2021 through March 2022. Other parts of Canada stayed online, went back and forth or did hybrid for the 2020-2021 school year. So glad we never went back to online, 3 months was enough.

 

[Frwinkley]

SW PA 3rd grade teacher here. We went to school in person fall of 2020. Masks and 6ft apart. As a veteran teacher, I've never been so healthy in all of my career. Masks work.

We did give families the option of cyber schooling as well. Families could then choose whatever method worked best for their particular situation. For this reason, we were never accused of "closing school". We were rockstars in the fall of 2020 (parents were thrilled to get their kids out of the house).

Winter of 2021 COVID cases exploded among students and teachers. Parents hated us because kids had to wear masks. Six months prior they couldn't thank us enough.

Schooling was ROUGH March 2020 to the end of that school year. Teachers who were parents with young children at home had an awful time.

 

[tvguy]

SW PA 3rd grade teacher here. We went to school in person fall of 2020. Masks and 6ft apart. As a veteran teacher, I've never been so healthy in all of my career. Masks work.

We did give families the option of cyber schooling as well. Families could then choose whatever method worked best for their particular situation. For this reason, we were never accused of "closing school". We were rockstars in the fall of 2020 (parents were thrilled to get their kids out of the house).

Winter of 2021 COVID cases exploded among students and teachers. Parents hated us because kids had to wear masks. Six months prior they couldn't thank us enough.

Schooling was ROUGH March 2020 to the end of that school year. Teachers who were parents with young children at home had an awful time.

Parents here have the option of keeping their students in the online program to this day. "Asynchronous instruction" as they call it. So many parents opted to keep their kids learning at home they had to hire more teachers just to run those programs.
And the schools in the Foothills here have almost eliminated "Snow Days".....they are now Asynchronous instruction days if the weather is bad.

 

[Beezle2]

All of it - I don't believe any "studies" until I've read the actual study. People throw all kinds of nonsense into posts online, and I'm very skeptical.

Agree. The books I have read that helped me understand zoonotic diseases a bit were Spillover and Breathless. If the people in the field doing the work were actually concerned, I believe we had good reason to be. The potential for other diseases to arise is all around us and isn't going away. Spillover was really so good in tracing what they have found out about AIDS and where it came from.

 

[DisneyHardin]

As a veteran teacher, I've never been so healthy in all of my career. Masks work.

YES, YES, YES - I am right there with you. I was so healthy all during lockdowns and mask wearing!!

Our district did online school from March 2020-March 2021 - when we did go back in 2021 we did an A/B schedule where half the kids came Mon/Tues, everyone did virtual on Wednesday and then the other half of the kids came Thurs/Fri. When we went back in the fall of 2021, we went everyday with a full load of kids, but we masked until spring break of 2022. We still have quite a few kids and teachers who choose to mask every day.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I honestly think it was more than the masks. It was the constant hand sanitizing, too, and knowing not to cough and sneeze in other people’s faces - things that most seem to have largely forgotten about today.

 

[DebbieB]

My office was closed for almost exactly two years. I live alone so it was really lonely at first, couldn’t even see my friends outside work much. After restaurants started opening, I got out more. I used to go out to dinner with my 2 neighbors on Saturdays, that never resumed, they didn’t want to eat out. Work is now on hybrid, 3 days a week in the office. They are pretty loose with it, some days not many are around.

 

[Frwinkley]

I honestly think it was more than the masks. It was the constant hand sanitizing, too, and knowing not to cough and sneeze in other people’s faces - things that most seem to have largely forgotten about today.

You’re right. In addition to mask wearing, students and staff were diligent around hygiene. We also still had kids and teachers wearing masks this winter when they found the need. I’m fairly certain I will be one of those doing the same this winter. I hate being sick, and I’m not just talking about Covid.

 

[disney4us2002]

It seems surreal that this all started 3+ years ago. As a social worker in Child Welfare, we were still required to see families and children in person but I am thrilled that we are not required to be in an office setting five days a week now. We actually get so much more work done virtually and I def enjoy having meetings and trainings using Zoom or Google meet so we don't have to allow time for travel, eating out, etc. The savings on gas, wear & tear on our cars, work clothing, etc. has been terrific. We are in a better financial situation now than we were before the Pandemic.

 

[superme80]

What I learned is we do not take sick days nearly enough. So many people are "forced to work through". If you can get a day or 2 to stay home, you are much better for it.

 

[tvguy]

What I learned is we do not take sick days nearly enough. So many people are "forced to work through". If you can get a day or 2 to stay home, you are much better for it.

See, I have a different view. Until the mandatory "2 weeks off with pay for covid" law went into effect, there were several I knew who were sweating getting covid because they had already used all their sick time, a day or two here and there and would have had to use vacation or time off without pay.
Amazing how many people get zero sick days. In California, sick leave is mandatory, but only three days a year.
But those folks, to be honest, are the ones who in non-pandemic years are already sweating flu season in November because they have been out of sick time for months.

 

[Frwinkley]

Regarding sick days: just imagine trying to operate in person schooling during this period. We had anywhere from 8-12 teachers out at a time in my elementary school. Yes, we have paid sick time, so teachers took that time. But we were still trying to remain open, provide quality instruction to kids, all while being terribly understaffed. Substitutes were (and still are) very hard to come by. The healthy staff members covered each others classes, etc. Very often it simply felt like we were babysitting. Having said all of that, many parents well less than gracious.

 

[DLandgirlie]

I enjoyed the mandatory mask requirement and wish they would keep it for the food industry.
The lockdown time was great. Low traffic for work, cleaner air. Peace and quiet. It was a nice reset. Humans in general are nasty, so it was a nice re-education on important hygiene responsibility.