Feeling conflicted today. My husband who has chronic lymphocytic leukemia (being successfully treated) saw his oncologist yesterday. She advised, based on his latest bloodwork, that his immunity is now strong enough for him to go out to dinner. She advised masking up only in crowded venues. I’ve worn a mask everywhere indoors to protect him. We haven’t dined out since the start of the pandemic other than quick meals in airports in our limited travel. I’m uneasy about this guidance. Thoughts?
@cassandra17lina interestingly, my primary care doctor just told me to avoid indoor gatherings including restaurants. I'm asthmatic and 65.
@joycereynoldsward That makes perfect sense to me.
@cassandra17lina @joycereynoldsward
I'd be comfortable outdoors. Indoors depends how much you can distance & how good the ventilation.
Covid is still going around, as are flu and RSV. There are lots of people getting them despite up to date vaccines. They call their PCP, not the oncologist.
He did well last summer, but you don't know how heavy his exposure was. There could be a superspreader at the next table this time, talking loudly over the ambient noise and spreading a lot of droplets.
@cassandra17lina @joycereynoldsward
In addition to how much you worry about him being sick another 17 days, how much of an inconvenience would it be if he was ill with any virus and needed to isolate regardless of how mild it was, and you needed to isolate because he lives with you? The home tests have a very high false negative rate, so a negative test doesn't mean you can go to work.