I met people in real life

[jack]

I met up with some people from work. Outside, on parker's piece, distanced from each other. It was a very normal geek conversation. But I think it was the first time I'd met people purely socially other than close family since March. And the first time I'd used my bike lights. And the first time I'd taken my wallet out since not long after that, except for one delivery.

And... it felt completely normal, not at all like a massive shift. But even so it was a notable milestone. If the situation continued to get better, the next large benchmark would be hugging someone outside my household, but I don't know when.

I'm still quite unsure what I actually think is safe. I think meeting up with people outside is probably basically ok, although still better to do less often than more often. And wearing masks would be better if there's any room for doubt but is basically ok to go without. I'm avoiding shops because I can, although I would shop in person (with mask) if I needed to. I think crowded pub gardens are probably not ok, but quiet pub gardens are probably ok. I think wearing a mask on quiet pavements where you never need to go within 2m of people is probably not necessary but useful for encouraging mask-wearing as a norm. But I'm not sure about any of that -- what do other people think?

Comments

[mtbc]

It at least accords with my own intuition. I'm glad you got to do that.

[redbird]

I'm wearing masks any time I go anywhere (but not always in our yard), partly to set a good example and partly because even in my quiet residential neighborhood it's not predictable, whether, when, or where other people will come along.

Masks are required on public transit, and compliance is pretty high--and the exceptions I've seen, on my few bus trips, were people with their masks pulled down, not anyone making a point about not wearing one. Other than that, I have been in a total of shops only a few times since mid-March -- a few drugstore trips for things they wouldn't deliver or I couldn't wait for, plus an ice cream shop that actually had another customer, and a patisserie that didn't, plus my doctor's office. I have seen a few unmasked people on the sidewalk, none in the shops, and people are, I think reasonably, doing without masks while sitting in their front yards.

Massachusetts has been requiring masks enough longer than a lot of places that I keep being surprised and/or thinking "about time" when I see that places I thought were being careful are about to start requiring masks (e.g. Montreal and the London Tube).

I've been out just enough that it doesn't feel like a huge shift to do so. But, because I'm in the US, when I was on the bus to adrian_turtle's a couple of days ago, I was seeing/looking for COVID-related changes (tables set up for curbside pickup, signs about masks on the bus) and Black Lives Matter signs).

[ewt]

I'm still generally trying to keep distance when meeting people outdoors. I've not been wearing a mask outside, but tend to carry one just in case I have to go inside. I ordered some with wire in the nose to prevent my glasses fogging up and they are not here yet, which is annoying.

Pub gardens -- to me this would depend how much breeze there is. Some of them are pretty sheltered, and that plus parasols could be a bit dodgy even if it's quiet.

[doseybat]

Yay people!

I try not to do many risky things, but also try to do things to help self feel better - do not have strict rules for what is "risky".

[green_knight]

I find that even mostly quiet pavements will sprout people coming off a bus, stepping out of their houses, crossing the road, cycling quietly from behind so I don't notice them, etc.

I wear a mask when I leave the house including on my bike. I leave the house most days for my daily constitutional in the park (where I have to dodge a lot of people at times, not close up, but it takes awareness). I shop very rarely (twice as a shop, and the rest of the time to pick up prescriptions. These days, I can get pickup slots, and thanks to the car, I can pick up a lot of stuff at once).

Given what we know about transmission, distanced outdoor meetings between mask bearers are probably low risk, any indoor space is not, and indoor spaces with aircon that push air around a lot are probably the worst. I think I'd consider widening our bubble if we had nearby friends (so no-one has to travel on public transport) who are introverted and risk-aware.

Sadly, our neighbourhood is badly hit; plus a couple of weeks ago 500 people decided to have a big street party, and today I saw about 50 people hanging out together on the green, singing and laughing and dancing and using the outdoor gym at the same time, so we'll probably have quite a few cases for some time.