Being around new/different people - what would you do?

[UkrainianTracksuit]

While I am down for my transplant check-up, I decided to sign up for a retreat in the same area.

Participants have to show proof of vaccination. That's great, but with the new variants out there, it doesn't mean all that much.

It's bad timing because our current COVID wave is expected to peak in 2 weeks: https://globalnews.ca/news/8986752/ontario-covid-7th-wave/ Just when I will be away and seeing strangers.

I have connected with the people I will be lodging with and they have been boosted. They know I am transplanted and know it's a special case.

My debate is whether or not to stay masked while in the common quarters (a house-cabin thing) or take it off.  I know it is my health that is priority, but I am just tired of being the masked freak. Just the other night, I went to dinner with 3 senior citizens (all 65+) and I was the only one masked.

[iolaire]

Its a hard question.  A few weeks ago we went to two gatherings that were supposed to be outside but ended up inside because of the heat.  We ended up giving up because you can not really be masked while eating and drinking. 

Prior to that I went to a conference in Las Vegas and tried to be really good about masking and using Enovid nasal spray, but still had to unmask at meals and a few happy hours, in those cases I tried to keep my space but I still came home with Covid.

I'm starting to feel that if you are unmasked at any point it means you are unmasked for the entire time.  I also thinking of all those people who walk around carrying their masks in their hands or under their chin.  Or on flights this week were everyone sat around waiting for the flights near others and then put on masks for boarding.

I know that exposure time is important, but I am starting to feel a bit more like if you are going to eat with people do you really want to put the mask back on after a bite?

[SooMK]

This is tough. I consider myself fairly careful but I'm pretty sure my neighbors, who just got over covid, consider themselves careful as well. As this goes on and on and fewer and fewer people are masked, it gets harder to continue wearing a mask. I wear a mask at stores, doctor's offices, etc. But I also see my family and I don't wear masks when I'm with them. I gave up wearing a mask when in a restaurant since it just came off when we sat down. There's a certain hopelessness (not just regarding covid, either), a what's-the-use attitude that I find myself adopting. My husband and I have a fall weekend at a lodge with others in our extended family, sounds similar to you setup, and I know we won't be wearing masks probably anywhere there. And as a complete aside, my least favorite question is: "Do you want me to wear a mask?" Since I'm the only one who could get covid, I guess.

[kristina]

This sounds so difficult that I personally would not know how to go about because I still avoid gatherings and I also avoid meeting with people & also I still avoid going to classical concerts etc., just to be as safe as is possible, mainly because I still feel a bit insecure about it all.
I do hope for the best and hopefully, with all the precautions being observed, you are doing alright and your precautions are good enough? I really don't know, but, there again, on the other hand, you have been in contact with the other people and they seem to be fully vaccinated and they also seem to understand where you are coming from, so hopefully it might turn out alright? I do hope the best for you and I send you my best good-luck-wishes from Kristina.