My husband & I are both in our 70's, with bronchiectasis & other health issues. Five years after diagnosis & 3 years after stopping antibiotic treatment I am still cautious - to a point.

By nature I am a very social person, always very active in whatever community I find myself in at the moment. During treatment and during pre-vaccine Covid, I was totally isolated unless masked. Even with my kids and grands, anyone with a cough or sniffle, or a hint of one, stayed away. Then Covid, and all social & volunteer activities ended, even family visits indoors. It was devastating to my mental and emotional health.

I began to wonder how to stay safe, and studied how viruses pass between people, and how to limit risk. I talked to my primary provider. I talked to my kids and husband. We gradually & carefully widened our circle, still mostly outdoors or masked when indoors. Then we & most of the people we know, got vaccinated. We learned a lot more about how Covid is passed. And it applies to most viruses. Risk is a combination of quantity of viral particles, proximity & time. The higher the density of particles (think close spaces), the closer you are to people (think sitting side by side through a play) and the longer you are near, the higher the risk.

Now, we assess the risk of each situation. We are fully vaccinated - Covid, flu, pneumonia & shingles. We gather socially outdoors with large groups, indoors with small groups. If we want to be at an event (kids' school concert, birthday party, etc) we wear a mask. If our "littles" are not feeling well, we still see them - fully masked and with lots of hand and surface washing. Little boys need their cuddles! (Note not if fever, vomiting or rash!) In stores we usually wear a mask if there are a lot of people (Christmas shopping at the mall, Walmart on a weekend) or it is a small shop (storefront, low ceilings) or we will be there for some time (major trip to Costco or supermarket.) We have been eating indoors in restaurants for over a year - if the tables are spaced out & we know they observe good sanitation practices.

I understand that how we live might not be the answer for everyone, but to be permanently isolated would my worst nightmare. My ID doc told me in early days of treatment to "assess the risks and live your life" so that is the philosophy we follow.
Sue

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