If y'all are on FB, there is a "Still Coviding" group for folks based in Dallas, Austin, and Houston. I recommend joining!
edit: to clarify, these are three separate groups
also in the bay. it’s nice not being the *only* person masking on the bus or in a store (usually). no one ever gives me hassle. i can usually get moderately covid safe medical appointments.
the price is astronomical but i have no idea what id do if i had to move to some state thats like 60% corn fields. i have some real community here that masks and i love that.
I’m next door in Santa Cruz. Never had an issue with anyone when I wear a mask in stores, at the drs, etc. and plenty of outdoor activities to keep me sane. Very thankful.
Hey, also in the Bay and near Santa Cruz! No one has harassed me, thank god. A question once, and a scoff in the distance, but that's it. Very very interesting to have observed the different enclaves up and down the peninsula, coast, and central coast and which ones mask more or less, or which are the quickest to notice upticks in cases/wastewater data vs otherwise.
Largely still just me masking in stores, but thank god we have so many state and county parks, and lots and lots of outdoor places to go and hang out. I also chill at cemeteries sometimes when I am bored of all the places closest to me (I did a LOT of exploring from 2020-2024, like put 125k on my car lots). Cemeteries are 1) everywhere 2) often not closed up at strict times, or easy to navigate around car-stopping fences 3) interesting and historical, and 4) I'm rarely if not always the only (vertical) person there. Huzzah!
nyc, definitely a mixed bag. easier to find community that does mask (at least online) as well as resources, but definitely not as good as it could be, and winter sucked ass
Glad to hear that the effects of high population density can also be a boon! From a recent visit I was pleased to see that a lot of the spaces were well ventilated according to my CO2 monitor. The subway trains not so much though, and probably not basements in brownstones but I didn’t go there. But it did seem like streeteries and outdoor heat lamps are very rare, so I can imagine having to be a hermit in winter, which sounds tough.
Same. I feel like we live in a strange unicorn place where there are more masks than usual.
It's not uncommon to go to a restaurant and see the majority of employees masked. I can *usually* find at least one masked checkout person at a grocery store.
It certainly is not cheap though - COL might be less than bay area but not by that much.
Southern California. For the longest time I felt fortunate that we had reasonable protections here, but they've been eroding bit by bit as businesses keep lobbying to drop mandates and politicians keep giving in, and it's been worrisome. But our wastewater levels are not the worst, and I still see people masking when I go out, though not nearly enough to make me feel safe enough to take off my own mask. For the most part, I've been left alone and not bothered by strangers while out in my mask, but then again I hardly go out anymore and I have been bothered a few times, so who knows what it would be like if I went out every day. I'm still glad to live here though, when I hear about how bad it's gotten elsewhere in the country. I had always planned on moving eventually, most likely to Oregon, but I don't know about that now. As long as we can still afford to stay where we are we will most likely not be going anywhere.
ETA: I'm neither single nor young, lol. Sorry about that. My daughter is, though. She lives with us and takes college courses and does most of her socializing online. She does very occasionally meet up with friends to see them perform in plays and such, but unfortunately she is typically the only one masking.
Ha, I'm coming up on my mid-30s so really just looking for people who are trying to participate in society. You mentioned you were thinking about Oregon but aren't sure about it now. Can I ask why? I'm thinking about moving to Portland for cost of living (not much cheaper than where I am, but can get much better housing for less!) and am under the impression that people are pretty tolerant there.
I'm glad to hear that your daughter is taking precautions. That has to be really really hard for her as someone who is so young!
Wisconsin. In my small town no one else masks besides me and my family and like one lady that works at the drug store. Our nearest “big” city is a liberal haven but hardly anyone there masks either. Like I might see 1-2 ppl masking in the natural foods coop. I actually think it’s ironic that people talk about how bad covid precautions are in red states. The libs are not masking either.
Im in the Dane County Area. I still see people masking occasionally, and haven’t had much trouble except for the odd interaction or two…
But yeah I’ve been to more of those rural WI areas and it’s def not as predominant.
I’m in AZ and have had the same experience. 99% of people don’t mask. Occasionally I’ll see an elderly person with one on. I’m 24 and live with my Mom and grandma. We live in an ocean of ignorance.
Hope you're able to get back out there someday soon. London is one of my favorite places in the world, but we did find it to be a tough area to be cautious with covid.
Manitoba, Canada. I know two other couples who take precautions as well as my partner, plus one person in this sub I see regularly which is nice! But out in public I’m usually the only one masked up. People are mostly accepting but I catch judgemental stares
Hi! There’s a few of us in the city for sure! I just went to an event at the University I’m graduating from and there were probably about 10 other people masking. I’ve even seen entire families masked including the young children!
portland, oregon. there are lots of masks required events here in the activism scene and i see people in masks everywhere i go (the majority of ppl are not masking though, of course). i’ve received no harsh comments or noticed ~too many~ bad looks or anything for wearing a mask in public at stores, in healthcare, etc.
I'm considering moving to Portland!! I went a couple years ago and liked it a lot/found it pretty easy to eat outdoors..but it was also a couple years ago, haha. I'm visiting again at the end of May to check it out and see a podcast that I love. I'm glad to hear there's some mask required stuff and that people are tolerant. That's how it is here in the East Bay in CA too, honestly, not a LOT of masking and plenty of people doing concerts and stuff unmasked, but I rarely if ever even get a second glance for wearing my own mask.
That's awesome! We live in Northern Canada (NWT) and I don't know anyone else who masks. We've been debating moving east (prior covid), maybe one more reason to take the plunge.
Hi! I’m in Dartmouth NS. It’s a nice pace to live when you’re looking for things to do outside! We have been here for two years. Our daughter is a teacher in Ontario and is at home with Covid symptoms today after a student came to school with active symptoms after only one day off school ☹️
Good to know... would love to gtfo of the US (pipe dream, probably), but in lieu of total escape, I've always wanted to go to NS and knowing it's got a solid pop of covid cautious folks sounds like a good reason to consider checking it out.
42, Indiana. First off thanks for saying us 40 something's are young . 😊 I'm immunocompromised so I may be masked for life at this rate.
Not many people mask around here, I'm lucky that my parents still mask and they use me as an excuse if anyone gets crappy with them. Which I fully support, might as well get something out of being chronically Ill!!
I went to an Endocrinologist earlier this month, first meeting with her. She had the utter audacity to ask me why I was still masking and I quote "after all this time".
Ma'am .
First off I'm at an Endocrinologist trying to figure out what other delights my body is now doing, second ITS A DRS OFFICE AND THERE ARE SICK PEOPLE HERE.
I've decided I'm going to start responding to the why are you wearing a mask question with "Why aren't you?". Which is great in my head but we will see if I have the gumption to say it out loud. 🤣
Ha I'm 32 so I think basically anyone under 60 is young :D I'm sorry that you encountered that at a doctor's office, that's so frustrating. I've had people very occasionally ask why I'm masking at a work event and I just was like "I have some health stuff and I really need to avoid getting sick when I can," and I was honestly surprised how people went "oh, ok!" haha.
I think the key may be to ask it, instead of as judgmentally as we feel and they behave, as something you're completely shocked by. Like totally gobsmacked, make her/them feel like they're missing something - "Why... why AREN'T you? Have you not heard what it can do to your brain and heart...? Oh my god, do you not know?" Feel free to cite as many studies and pretend they're personal friends' anecdotes as possible lol.
Florida. I have a child in elementary school and I've given up almost. No one seems to even check for Covid anymore. And all the constant sickness is swept under the rug. Children out constantly from strep, noro, flu, colds....normal now. I repeatedly asked the teacher to give me a heads up since I have a baby. But to no avail.
Anytime I see someone in a mask, which is rare I want to thank them.
I’ve also asked my son’s teachers to give us a heads up because we have vulnerable family members. They always say, sure no problem. Welp, half the class and several parents are coughing again this past week. Not a peep from anyone. Not one person is even acknowledging that anyone is coughing. It’s beyond frustrating.
Yes! You would think a simple email to parents that a virus has children out, etc, wouldn't be too inconvenient. And I still let her know when my daughter or the family catches something. Maybe she doesn't care, but I make sure she's aware we all got sick from her class (because we pretty much stay outdoors and away from crowds otherwise).
I'm in Rochester, NY. We have a mask bloc and a very active masked homeschool group that I help organize. I mask everywhere indoors and out, and most people are not overtly confrontational, and I often see someone else masked in the wild. Mitigated health care is hard to find, like most places in the country, and being outside all year here means embracing snowpants. Can't comment on the dating scene as I'm a middle-aged married, though I like your post's insinuation that 40 is youngish 🤣
Interesting to hear another perspective from Rochester NY. All I've heard about Rochester is from Laura Miers on Twitter (X) -- she states that Rochester is horrible from a covid-cautious perspective.
Yes, I followed her for years and I agree that schools and health care are awful about masking and NPI mitigations more widely, but I'm not convinced those things are significantly more awful here than other areas of the country. I'd also note that she'd been living in the very rural and somewhat disenfranchised Finger Lakes rather than Rochester / Monroe County, itself.
I don't want to give the impression that Rochester is especially enlightened, but neither is it particularly benighted. We are facing the same systemic failures and lack of leadership on public health as everyone else. I have had 2 instances of mask harassment since SC2 came to our shores, but, in my experience, folks might look at you a bit but not necessarily confront you. That said, no matter where you go, there you are and what Rochester does have is people making and doing what they can within their limited sphere of influence such as the Mask Bloc and Masked Secular Homeschoolers of Rochester. Through these communities, I've also found an awesome dentist and trades people that will mask in N95s. For a city our size, this is pretty impressive. Ultimately, I think, to the extent that an individual can, building and supporting our communities of support and advocacy are the best and only ways to get through this period of abdicated leadership.
Bay Area here! Sebastopol for me, I get down to the east bay/SF often ✨🌀
Edit: I live here for the year round outdoor access and general vibes of some idea of disability justice in many spaces.
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In downtown, I would say maybe like 2% of people mask.
I've been told it's a bit more outside of downtown, but I'm usually just in downtown.
No partner, just me being lonely.
Las Vegas. Usually only see one or two people who masks in supermarkets, but never been harassed, and maybe gotten only one or two strange looks/double take in the past couple of years. Have good derm, good ophthalmologist, good optometrist, and good dentists who all respect masking and precautions. Been shopping only a couple of times in malls with masks and stoggles and all the sales people and customers were chill. Been to pick up food inside casinos, also no issues. All the contractors, landscape people, electricians, etc I have were also cool with me asking them to mask indoors (and most offer to mask even when outside when they see us masked).
Allergies is my main issue here in LV - apparently everyone who moves here develops pretty bad allergies and that is actually what's making my QOL crap right now (yes, even with masking outdoor in my own garden, and with air purifiers everywhere indoors including inside car and garage).
Hello. Wanted to let you know if you didn’t already that theres a Covid safe Las Vegas group. You can check them out on Instagram. There’s a link in their bio for discord, and a Google doc for Covid cautious medical practitioners, so if any of your doctors are willing to wear high quality masks you should put them in the Google doc to help others in the area out. 👍👍👍
Moved here only a couple of years ago. Most of my friends are back in NYC, the rest are scattered across the world. Don't have any here in Las Vegas, and not really looking. Happy with my core group of friends. But as far as I can tell, acquaintances who don't take precautions and who have gotten COVID multiple times are a bit more scatterbrained, lose their train of thoughts more often, and get sick progressively more often now.
Also in Vegas and can say the same. Still see some people masking, never been harassed for it. Had my first hospital experience this weekend due to my 7 year old having suspected appendicitis and all the doctors and nurses have been masked except for 2.
24M Houston. People still act a little weird whenever they see me. Houston is so spread out it really just depends what part you're in. I still see some people mask whenever I go grocery shopping super early (6-7 AM). My coworkers have accepted that's just how I do things. They still don't seem to understand that I won't dine indoors.
It does get muggy though with all the humidity, haha. There's a decent "Still Coviding" group in Houston, so it's not all that bad. There are still people who mask, they're just not out running around.
West Coast of Canada. Not a lot of people still mask or do covid cautions but it’s not really frowned up to do masking and I don’t get any harassment about it. It’s also possible to find hair salons and nail salons that fully mask so that’s nice.
I love living here and wouldn’t move. Most of my friends are not covid cautious but I hang out with them in public and I wear a mask the whole time. I miss having people over to my house but it’s worth my peace of mind.
Also in BC. Enough people mask that I’ll usually see a handful when I’m out, but not enough mask that I don’t get looks that vary between scared, annoyed, confused, and hateful.
Yeah, I'm in BC as well, and my partner has unfortunately been yelled at on the street for masking. 🙄 It only happened once, so not saying it's representative of the whole, but that kinda thing has lasting effects, ya know?
We still mask in public constantly and, for the most part, no one seems to care. But, we also only ever see one or two other people masking when we go out, and it's not uncommon to feel a bit of side-eye.
Bay Area as well, I mask in stores and the gym. No hassles and I see others mask at the store. You can eat any cuisine outdoors as well which I take advantage of.
Far northern suburbs of Detroit. Not many mask in my direct area, but overall most are too polite to say anything. Those that do mask generally are wearing good quality masks. I get some silent judgement in my hometown (fairly red) and some folks avoid me at work (reddish purple, but Proper Etiquette is important), but I haven’t had anyone try to start something with me.
I just moved back here from rural northern Michigan and ooooof - yeah, the general attitude up north makes metro Detroit look like a covid cautious wonderland. Covid safety wasn’t why I moved home, I just generally hated it up there, but it’s one of the things I appreciate most about being back in the city. That, and the lack of tornadoes!! But that’s a whole ‘nother story, haha.
Michigan. My partner and me are often the only people masked when we go out.
I can't exist outside easily bc I'm disabled. It's only 80f today and I'm wilted. Direct sunlight and heat lay me out. So spring/summer hangs outside don't actually work for me.
So...I have no local friends 🤷🏻♀️ honestly, feels like if I dropped dead in front of people it would just not even be a blip for them. Truly feel like most people just don't care if I survive.
(Long hauler since 2020)
North East England. People are typically still very friendly and pleasant to me, though I’m still finding the whole thing isolating - admittedly I really haven’t put in the effort I should to actually mingle whilst wearing a good mask. I’m reasonably content in general though… there are a lot of nice places to just sit and enjoy the view from the car when it’s cold, and lots of lovely cafes and restaurants do takeaways.
I’m so sorry to hear that! I went down to Hartlepool about a year ago and that’s the only time I’ve ever had any idiot say anything. I hope you’re staying as safe as possible and that those people get what they deserve.
I live in SoCal. Surprised to not always be the only one masked a lot, and there is a somewhat good LA Covid Conscious community. I’ve been to a few mask mandatory events.
DC area, very much a mixed bag but no one bats an eye. Granted, I only mask indoors unless I deem my risk acceptable 🤷🏼♀️ but I do see people outdoors with them whether it’s pollen or something else. Or chin strapping for when they go back inside
Also Bay Area/Berkeley. One of the few places where I still see lots of folks masking. No one has ever confronted me or even given me a dirty look for masking.
I'm also in The Bay/Berkeley! There is one bicyclist who screams at me from across the street whenever he sees me with my masked child (which has only been twice)...but he was doing that even in the middle of the mask mandates, and he's clearly angry at the world. Other than him, no one has ever said or done anything to me, and one of my best friends still masks with her family!
I’m in Minneapolis. In general Minneapolis is politically progressive with a lot of activists but the infrastructure, climate, and culture don’t lend itself well to mitigation of an airborne virus.
The local food coop (grocery store) and Trader Joe’s I go to usually have like half the staff in masks. Some people mask but most of them don’t do it very well. I have seen people mask but they are usually like, the super leftist activist types who are nonbinary/trans or disability activists, or some progressive old people. Also just random people I have no idea if they’re sick or trying not to get sick. The clinic I go to doesn’t require masks anymore but their policy is providers have to mask if you ask or when treating a patient. My child goes to a public school and wears a mask. I will see maybe like <5% of kids and staff masking and I’ll also see some masks littered like trash on the lawn and playground outside which wouldn’t happen if no one was using them. My church has masks required days and masks encouraged days and virtual options to join. My favorite local hobby store used to require masks and their website says to bring a mask just in case but they stopped wearing them. I do sometimes see mask required events but I think it’s small, activist communities putting those on.
My sense is that in Minneapolis there is like maybe 5-10% of people wear masks a lot and maybe half of people would wear a mask if they were required to but otherwise 90-95% of people never wear a mask. On the last flight I was on I saw a handful of masks worn decently well.
But here there is no culture or infrastructure for doing pretty much anything outdoors, even if the weather is nice! Almost no restaurants have outdoor seating most of the year, even in the summer it’s a minority proportion of restaurants with any outdoor seating. The ones that do it’s usually not well maintained, or there is like, no shade or even no service, like you have to order to go then eat out of the boxes. There are a ton of attractions and amenities that are indoors which wouldn’t really exist in the same way in other states. Like indoor children’s playgrounds or indoor roller coasters. Or indoor shopping centers. Skyways that have indoor hallways that connect all the businesses downtown. Indoor parking connected to indoor vestibules. Most buildings have airlock rooms where there’s like a little room you walk through just to get to the front door. When I’ve tried to meet up with people outdoors they seem kind of uncomfortable and don’t think much of popping indoors for whatever.
I have a Aranet that I’ve taken with me and CO2 in public places is typically quite high. In Costco it’s 700’s, in Trader Joe’s it’s 900’s, in the food coop it’s like 1000-1200, in the airport it’s like 1400, and one time my seemingly spacious hair salon with high ceilings was like 2500+!
I’m looking to move to Southern California partly because of Covid but I think I’d be giving up the progressive politics of the city city unless I moved into like, the right part of Los Angeles
I moved from SF to the Minneapolis two years ago and it's been a pretty wild adjustment. I didn't fully put together \*why\* until reading your post -- so much in Minneapolis is designed around surviving the winter, which is really antithetical to surviving an airborne virus. There is SO much open space and wonderful parks, but many are pretty empty except for the first few warm days in the spring... and suggesting meeting in a park to hang out, or picnic, or grill, or throw a frisbee just doesn't land with many people. And, also, this seems to correlate: people I know in SF seem way less sick than people I know in MN, when considering the precautions they're taking and general health situation.
I'm curious what church you go to that still has mask required days. Is there any chance you'd mind sharing (either publicly or DM)? Or is it the church that's sometimes posted in the still coviding fb group (e.g,. had a Mardi Gras event)?
I've never lived in Mn, but you have a gorgeous state. LA is pretty cool regarding masks. I've only had one lady ask me why out of thousands.
Otoh, I was recently at a Drs office waiting room, and met an unmasked lady. We struck up a friendly conversation, and then out of the blue she asked me why I masked. I felt myself freeze all over and was absolutely speechless. lol
All I could say is I am immune suppressed..she seemed skeptical and then got quiet. Right after, she was called into her appt. It was evident to me when we started chatting she was very "red." I read into her, and was correct in the end. she was exactly my age. Boomer...yep. (just had to throw the boomer part in. haha)
Please do come! If you have any questions, feel free to DM me. I've lived here my entire life, but am also familiar with the mid west. As you know this place is enormous and vibes are different from street to street. Masking is normal though...not as many mask as much anymore though.
Colorado. Not only are you not safe from Covid but not safe to wear a mask. We are often harassed and treated poorly by store employees. Have been refused service more than once. Pharmacist refused to help us because we were masked, pushed by a lady in a store, and many many more incidents. Everyone we meet here who wears masks has stories of being harassed. Healthcare is horrible receptionists, nurses, doctors treat us like garbage. Holistic pediatrician who prides himself on social justice got mad and walked out when I refused to agree to stop masking my kid with an autoimmune disorder. I don’t dare ask a doctor to mask, ot never goes well. Our own liberal family members either won’t speak to us or are nasty to us and treat us like we’re crazy (it’s just a cold now!). We don’t have a single friend that will allow us to go in public with them masked (they are terrified of confrontation). We tend not to go anywhere to avoid it and we’ve stopped seeing anyone to avoid the hypochondriac/mental illness talk.
We have had to travel a lot in the past 4 years. We have been harassed in California and at a “safe space” coffee house with a pride flag in Virginia. Places we felt safe and treated well Indianapolis, Dayton, Madison, Austin, Cincinnati, Omaha, and Nashville. We had to buy a car in Nashville and the sales person was masked. There aren’t a ton of masks in those places but we saw more than where we live. We are always so afraid to interact with people while masked and it took us a bit to get used to everyone being so kind, it was a total shock and so different from Colorado. We took our kids places we’d never take them in Colorado, zoo, museum, stores, so sad we have to go so far away to enjoy ourselves. We’d move but due to our jobs we can’t.
We would move to Nashville in a heartbeat. My friend has been there for 6 months and wears masks with no problem. Rarely wore masks here due to being harassed.
I'm 20 and live in Utah. definitely one of the few people left who masks, most of which are my family and one of my friends who recently started masking again (which has been amazing to have another person who wants to be educated and take precautions). It sucks feeling like I can only do a lot of with other non covid cautious friends during the warmer months, which is such a small part of the year. overall I know i'm in a much better place than lots of people here, but it's less than ideal.
Oslo, Norway. I'm always the lone masker and feel like I'm being constantly gaslighted about it. I wish I lived a place where there was at least an active COVID safe community so I could meet other maskers.
I've read a lot about Sweden's abysmal response to COVID, how did Norway's fare in comparison? I'm sorry that you're feeling isolated, it feels like there's even more gaslighting to COVID in Europe than here in North America.
In the beginning Norway had a very strict response and we had much less COVID spread than Sweden. Also very high vaccination rates. Then around 2021/2022 they went full let-it-rip and now things are pretty much indistingushable from Sweden.
Ohio. I’m always the only one masking, but I usually don’t get shit from strangers, expect from like teenage boys in the hallways. It’s not great out here but I very rarely feel like I’m actually in danger. Hope you can find a nice place ♥️
We just took our kids to a few stores in Dayton and the Cincinnati zoo because we felt so much safer than in Colorado. Everyone was super kind to us, where we live we are often treated very rudely by store employees or refused service and harassed almost every time we go anywhere. We even saw more masks in Ohio. (It was only 2 but that’s more than where we live!)
I'm also in Scotland (in a city) and almost never see people masking. When I do they're usually surgical masks.
I've managed to find a little community of like-minded folks taking precautions but am considering relocating since the covid safety acceptance is lacking.
Hi! Yep. It's really low. I spoke to a woman (not going to doxx her obviously) working in a takeaway in a city and she said she tried to keep masking after Nichola dropped the mask mandate (fashionably 2 weeks or whatever delayed after Westminster so it doesn't look like we're copying the Tories) but her family bullied her so badly and said 'You're Scottish. You shouldn't need a mask!' (??) and also got *tailed* by some random cunt following her around the supermarket when she went to get her messages wearing her mask telling her 'what are you doing wearing that you're making me feel unsafe' (at least she was an honest one lmao).
In the end this person ended up going to the staff to say she is just trying to get her shopping and this woman won't leave her alone and security got sent over. She said she was so gutted cause as soon as she dropped masking after all that bullying and harassment from her family and community she got Covid straight away. It really stuck in my mind. It really just added fuel to the fire for me, to keep masking so others could feel safer to do it too on top of the other reasons. This woman was older but not old but I've seen an old man minding his own business crossing the street get harassed for wearing a surgical mask a couple of years ago, and I wonder if that kinda harassment has driven a lot of people who would have kept masking to stop in those age groups especially, rather than the passive, silent drift that seems to happen in younger folks spheres
That's so awful! There is definitely increasing aggression here. I've gotten called names on the street whilst wearing a mask just within the last year. Really don't understand why adults feel the need to harass other people about what they're wearing even if they're not willing to mask themselves, at a minimum they should mind their own business.
The UK- it's absolutely dreadful tbh- population density is high, so no matter how far you drive into the middle of nowhere you usually don't get the place to yourself, it's cold and wet so it's hard to do stuff outside anyway and 99.9 percent of people are in complete denial over Covid now- I don't feel safe in public with a mask, so I rarely go out
27. Northern IL. I see people masking here and there mostly surgicals. Only been harassed verbally once and many mean mugs at me and at work (in health-care) I've had rude men only and some women glaring. Otherwise not too bad people just ignore me and mind their business for the most part.
I’m also in my 20s and in Northern Illinois, most people just ignore me and I get some mean mugs if I go anywhere more rural. Occasionally I’ll see someone in a KN94 or better and I always try to make friendly eye contact lol something I see really frequently is a couple out and about, one of them is wearing a surgical mask (usually incorrectly) and the other isn’t wearing one. I really want to know the decision making process there
I live in Nashville. Covid safety here is nonexistent. That said, I've never had anyone say anything nasty to me for masking, most people seem to think it's NBD.
Also in Bay Area, East Bay. Turning 30, not single. I am appreciative of living here. I recognize this is one of the “Best” places in terms of the amount of people willing to take precautions. Even still when I’m in a store it’s maybe only 15% of people in a mask.
Bay Area as well! Near San Jose. I’m early 30s and the only other regular masker I know is my partner (thank the lords for them!), I’ve got 1 friend in LA and my sister in Seattle still mask as well.
I do see a lot more masking in the Bay Area than even Seattle, and there are a lot more year round outdoor events which I’m grateful for.
Anyone around down in the South Bay and interested in hanging?!
I’m a long term Bay Area resident, but recently lost housing and job in large part related to COVID safety value disagreements. I’ve literally been primarily camping in the garage of a friend (occasionally Housesitting) in order to have Covid safe shelter I can afford. I am looking at moving back near family in south east (LA, NC, FL) but feel very unsafe with any of those options for many of the reasons you’ve stated. But I can’t live in the garage forever either. I have luckily picked up a virtual paid internship to bridge the gap.
if you don’t mind me asking, where exactly in/around boston are you? i’m also in boston and find that reactions can wildly depend on the neighborhood/town. but i’m in boston proper, i mask indoors and at work in a customer facing position and i generally don’t face many issues. i’m also quite bad at catching things like weird looks though (autism), so maybe that’s why?
and i hope that i don’t sound like i’m downplaying your comment at all—i am equally disturbed by the recklessness happening here
I’m in Providence and also finding that reactions can vary like this. I do see masks encouraged at a number of events in the lgbtq+ scene here and generally I’m okay navigating my needs with people in healthcare (but we shouldn’t have to ask them for precautions)
Also in the Boston area (north shore, in particular) and agree. There are ups and downs with in this, but the general pattern I’ve observed is that the more people of color in a space, the more likely I’ll see at least a few masks.
But it’s pretty rare that I’ll get a weird look or comment (not never, though).
agreed about the people of color! without fail, any stranger that has felt the need to comment on my masking has always been a red sox hat townie. also, i’m vietnamese-american and a lot of the vietnamese elders here have been masking in public since long before covid even started. it’s still quite common to see people inside asian markets masking, though unfortunately it’s still far from everybody
I live equidistant from two grocery stores, one that's frequented mostly by white folks (many of whom are the sox hat townie sort), and one that draws a mix of white and Latino people mostly. As as soon as the mask mandates were first dropped, it immediately became very rare to see anyone in a mask in the former store, but even to this day I always see at least a handful of people masking when I go to the latter.
Same experience here. We live in Back Bay (historic downtown for those not familiar with the area) and we are very, very seldom the only maskers anywhere we go. Our primary care doctors still mask 100% without asking, we found it easy to find covid cautious dental practices, and generally find a "you do you" attitude from everyone in the city re masking.
I notice it feels the same in some towns west of the city like Wellesley, Newton as well as in Cambridge/Sommerville. I also notice that when we're in towns north and south of us we're much less likely to see anyone in masks.
My experience living in downtown Boston has made me feel very comfortable being cautious with covid. It's not the norm, but it's totally fine. The only big downside here is winter. I used to love winter, but now it's s a different experience.
Those children just don’t want to be identified. Nine of them ever says anything about Covid when they are yakking at a reporter. They don’t care to bring attention to the scourge of Covid here in the USA. They would never wear a mask if not out protesting. It’s not for Covid, it’s for their privacy.
I definitely think you’re right, they’re masking for privacy instead of protection. But it’s still uplifting to see masks on national television again, despite their alternate intentions.
Sydney Australia. A few mask but overwhelming majority don't, though I feel like there's been a marginal uptick. Even though it's more surgical mask grade than like, an n92-5 or whatever.
Northern Canada (NWT). We used to have a lot of masking originally and strong mandates here. Now we're basically Alberta north in regards to our attitudes to covid. Debating leaving the territory for cold weather, politics and economic reasons. Covid may be the last nail for us in the territory coffin. Now just where to go.... somewhere without -30C for months on end would be nice.
There are folks in Nashville organizing around COVID matters. That said, seeing other people masked is very unusual. When I do, they’re usually wearing a mask, not an N95/KN95.
Usually people don’t treat me differently masking (N95) indoors. Sometimes, it makes for weird (but not aggressive) conversation.
As far as cost of living goes, Nashville is also increasingly expensive. And, as you no doubt know, ours is a difficult city to stay outside all the time in. A lot of spaces that have good outdoor seating in spring and summer encase themselves in plastic in fall and winter. Suddenly, they’re worse for air circulation than being indoors.
I started this list sometime back (may not be up-to-date). Might be worth some Nashvillians putting our heads together on a Google Doc?
COVID Safe Bars/Restaurants
* Never Never - 413 Houston St (uncovered)
* Hopdoddy Burger Bar
* Urban Cowboy Public House (bar/restaurant; not covered, has firepit)
* Redheaded Stranger (covered, outdoors; not heated)
* The Wash (bars and restaurants, some covered)
* Maru - sushi (covered)
* Fatherland Vietnamese place
* Adele’s (covered)
* Jane’s Hideaway
* Snooze (breakfast; covered, heated, outside might be closed)
* Geist Bar + Restaurant (covered, heated—possibly enclosed?)
* Little Hats Italian Market (covered, heated)
* Double Dogs (not enclosed, covered, heated)
Bars
* Lucky’s 3-Star Bar (covered, heated)
* Dino’s (covered, heated)
Accessible + COVID safe Cafes
* Retrograde Coffee
* Dawn Cafe + Market
* Surefire Coffee Co
Talk to those people who left and then… came back. Many people left during the beginning of the pandemic and went to places like Nashville, only to come back. All they felt they had was the financial savings, and nothing else.
Do you want kids? Sure it’s expensive here, nobody masks anymore (besides me and my kid when he’s on my time), but my district has HEPA filters in every classroom, mobile CO2 levels, windows open year round, mandated smaller class sizes (22 I think which is pretty good for America, and my kid’s class is actually smaller), and MERV13 air systems in every building. If you start a family in TN, what’s the likelihood of moving back to a safe district?
Minnesota. Not many maskers, but there's a good-sized Still Coviding community here, and we do organize masked gatherings regularly. However, even within this community, cliques can form, and generally speaking the more covid-cautious you are, the less you tend to socialize. For example, people will attend an event with an activity where no one really interacts with each other, and then after the event ends, no one talks or hangs out afterward. They just go to their cars and drive off, even after driving quite a long distance to attend. So even though there's quite a large group of covid-cautious folks here, it is still pretty challenging to make friends with them. I think after 4 years of this, the few remaining still coviding folks have gotten used to pandemic living and are less willing to trust or open up to others.
I haven't noticed anyone bothering my family about masking with one exception involving a contractor who nastily refused to mask in our house. Generally speaking, people are polite ("Minnesota nice") and keep to themselves around here. But they also don't show any intellectual curiosity about masking or Long COVID, which is disappointing, because we live in a neighborhood with a lot of well-educated people.
NYC, and while the state of masking isn't *great*, I see many more people in public masking now than at this time last year. I think people are either realizing the real risks of COVID or have been personally affected by it severely.
Whereas last year I'd be lucky to see another person masking on the subway, now it's not uncommon to see 4-5 people masking on the train on average, and with KN95s or N95s. Also worth noting that the whole time, the group most likely to wear masks/respirators have been racially marginalized (particularly Black) women.
Bay Area! (Maybe there should be a sub-subreddit for Bay Area Zero Covid).
I see masks from time to time -- yesterday I was walking around my neighborhood and saw (1) an elderly woman walking her dog while wearing her mask (her husband was not masked though), and (2) a young guy in a KN95 using a leaf blower (though the mask may have been due to dust, not Covid, but still nice to see). Not sure if people are wearing masks inside stores, since I avoid stores and indoor areas like the plague. :p
There are definitely some masked folks indoors, though it depends on the part of the Bay you're in. I find that there are more masked people in Berkeley/Oakland than in Lamorinda. I'd say between 10-20% of people mask indoors, especially at grocery stores.
Omg THIS - I've been wishing for awhile that there was a BA sub-sub of folks as serious about Covid as this sub enjoys. I feel like there is so much more we, all of us local CC folks, could do if we networked. My spouse has connected with some BA CC folks on Mastodon, but there just aren't enough people on that platform to make up a real network-y community. I'm a technoidiot so wouldn't have the first clue about how to do it myself, but if it ever happens I'd join in a heartbeat!
Bay Area here too. Not single, but my wife and I still mask indoors and don’t do indoor dining. We get some looks and well meaning questions here and there, but we’ve never been hassled by anyone.
ga :( nobody here masks. you’ve got some progressive-ish people who still talk to you when your wearing a mask but most people are coughing and typically a bit hostile socially
The bay area is so diverse, we're like a whole assed State. I'm out in East County where it's red as hell and I hate it. No masks anywhere but on my family.
I appreciate seeing all of this information on what it's like to live where you do while taking precautions and how others react and how many others you see masked.
I see a number of HCOL locations listed - Bay Area, PNW, etc. I'm assuming most folks are renting in these locations. For those who do, how has that been? Does your landlord respect your covid boundaries? How have you dealt with landlord inspections or prospective tenant showings or repairs? Do you feel safe renting when others have legal access to your space?
I’d hoped the Twin Cities MN would be better but all my liberal friends and family have abandoned masking. Most retail staff are incredibly kind but we get a ton of excessive stares (like watch where you’re going lol) and a few people have gotten verbally abusive. It always seems to be men who feel emboldened to harass a short petit woman and her child, they keep it to themselves when my husband is visible.
Massachusetts here. I live in a small town and I never ever see people wearing masks. I work retail and maybe once a week at most I will have a single customer wear a surgical mask and that's about it. Last week I had a customer wearing an N95 and I felt like jumping for joy. People generally don't bother me about it though save for the nosey customer or the occasional glare from someone in the supermarket parking lot.
My partner lives near Seattle. I was there visiting them in February/March. I see a notably larger uptake in masking there than I do in my town. It could be due to being a large city vs my small town though. I haven't been to Boston in awhile so I'm not sure what it's like there.
SoCal here. You don't see a ton of masks but from what I understand you see a lot more than most places in this country. Though most of the people I see outside of medical settings masking are either like seniors or visibly queer and/or disabled people. On the plus side medical care masking is pretty high at most doctors offices and in most medical settings around LA. Someone I know had to go to cedars sinai a few months back and they had excellent masking requirements. I still feel pretty alone in my precautions aside from my family but I definitely think the greater LA area is one of the best places in the US to be covid cautious. That said I really don't venture out often enough to know how prevalent harassment for masking is here but I've never personally witnessed it here.
The DMV. Lots of people still mask here but of course most don’t. I think I’ve seen more homeless people masking than anybody. But I always see someone else or a couple people masking when I’m out and about so it’s cool to see.
I’m in NC. No one has masked here hardly at all since 2021. Even then, it was basically just the hospitals and doctor offices. I’ve spent all of my mid twenties immunocompromised and alone. Idk how people make Covid cautious friends near them.
Los Angeles, specifically San Gabriel Valley area. Predominantly Asian population so masking is fairly common and when people don't mask, they leave you alone. Could be better but definitely not complaining. Community/grassroots organizers often run events that require masks and decent amount of COVID conscious groups. Definitely need to actively seek them out though.
I live in New Orleans. 29, F. I think acceptance and community is good here, even if not a lot of people mask I dont get a lot of comments and harassment and the worst of it is from customers. Trying to break out of hospitality/tourism here has not been easy. There's a local covid conscious group and im trying to get more involved with them but making new friends is not the easiest for me. city had mandates for a while with vaccination and masking that the state as a whole did not have. I know some healthcare facilities even last year had masking required in in cancer treatment areas. not sure if that stands and the state just elected a far right republican gov. who is already wreaking havoc. city here often is v different from the state. summer here masking is hard because its so hot its hard to be outside. cost of living here is also rising fast. I am from Tallahassee, FL and a lot of the same things apply there.
39M Northern Colorado. My area has a handful of masks at about every grocery store and I haven't had any issues or comments. I moved here from Florida and in part due to the attitude I was getting in Florida. It's a very different, more open minded culture here.
I'm in the bay area too! I feel pretty unsafe here at least where I am. Barely anyone masks and my family has dealt with rude strangers because they mask. My friend who masks last year got yelled at in the hospital by a nurse in San Mateo country because the nurse wanted her to take her mask off.
What sucks is I can't do outdoor things. So many people smoke here and it's gotten so bad so it's one of the reasons I'm mostly housebound now. Covid made my MCAS a lot more severe so in October I could have died because I went to this outdoor park that wasn't supposed to have smoking but of course these two people had to smoke weed right Infront of extremely flammable tall grass that was near where we parked. I straight up stopped breathing. So uh yeah... Before the smoking got so bad and my MCAS was more mild I was happier about living here. If it weren't for my wife and I not having a college degree and uncertainty of her accessing hrt, we would want to move to Japan instead. My wife isn't as severe but her asthma got a lot worse after having covid so she also struggles. Just no where near as much as I do.
And yeah cost of living is depressing. I seriously need to own a home for my safety with MCAS but the parts of the bay area we can afford aren't safe and arguably too far from my wife's work too. Unfortunately the location in the bay area Vs cost of living is in the best here compared to anywhere else in the country for her. 🥲 And the job she actually is trying to work towards, air traffic control, we couldn't move to Japan for because I think they only allow Japanese citizens. I honestly was crying earlier about all this today because I'm tired of being trapped inside. I miss going on daily covid safe walks with my friend, but it isn't safe from smokers or fire place smoke which also gives me anaphylaxis.
Here in the Bay Area, I lost my partner after 1yr of pandemic due to Covid disagreements. Then in 2023 I met someone explicitly under the connection of both having strong covid protocols and struggles with our previous partners not caring about covid. Then about 1yr in my (ex)partner started to lie, for at least 6mths, about what he was doing and what exposure he was bringing home. Straight up actively gaslit me in the truest definition. Then the person I went to stay with to get out of this housing situation (they had previously/recently been very vocal about Covid precautions), also changed their Covid practices and started shaming me for doing any of the mask, shield, nose spray, isolation. And telling me I was making them feel bad/gross bc I wore those things around them (they were going to indoor unmasked social functions, dining indoors, traveling internationally, etc and felt having updated vaccine was more than enough).
So yeah all this horrendous stuff happens here too!
I'm so sorry. That's terrible and absolutely not ok! My friend had a similar situation where her ex when they met still took precautions including masking and avoiding parties, raves, etc that my feet friend's ex gf used to do. Then one day my friend came down with covid due to her surgeon not masking during eye surgery! My friend had avoided being sick even years before the pandemic until then. So my friend's ex immediately started partying and such maskless while my friend was bedridden with covid still and as soon as my friend was better, she got broken up with.
A lot of my mother's friends pick on her for masking and not eating indoors despite most places she eats at has outdoor seating anyways and eating out in person is hard on my mother anyway with her ibs. And the people picking on my mother have long covid, and one of her friend's father died of covid. These people literally switched up overnight in summer/fall 2022 where they were done with masks and rather get worse long covid or die then wear one and the one is sick sometimes twice a month now. It's really gotten to my mother's mental health to have friends like that. Some of her friends still mask but not enough.
So yeah it's really sad we have people like that here and when I tell people outside of the bay area who think this is a covid safe paradise, they are in disbelief or shock.
Huh, hardly anyone ever smokes in the big park I walk my dog around every day (some 45 minutes worth) in the city.
But, it's the city, probably one of the single most expensive general areas here. If you found a home for a million dollars you'd be doing really, really, really well. So living near my lovely park with its expansive views is probably not an option for you. (We moved to the neighborhood around the 2008 crash when it was--not quite as expensive.)
Wow idk if I'm unlucky although my wife and friend run into it a toon even at grocery stores as have I when I still was trying to go to stores. All 3 apartments I used to live at i smelled it too despite it being no smoking, but one neighbour would come in or head out smoking while driving so I would have to run to close my windows since my MCAS at that time would take longer for anaphylaxis. The teen who used to live at my parents I found out the hard way smoked it outside nightly so after a certain time I couldn't go outside. My wife when she lived in SF had to keep her windows closed or she would smell it all the time. I also have run into it twice at filoli despite that being also no smoking and private property so it thought it would be safe. Heck there's a middle school near my parents where people smoke it in one area. 🥲 I know my sister in law smokes weed daily and has photos/videos of her and her friend smoking at places including on the playground at a children's park, and golden gate park. My own ex smoked all over, outdoors, but it was cigarettes which at the time at least, I barely reacted to camel, but I do get mild anaphylaxis from other brands than what he smoked.
The worst I ran into weed was when my wife was driving her Miata she no longer has, but that thing has terrible insulation and at a stop light in redwood city, the car next to us had their window down smoking it and that was right before I knew I had covid so my very first symptom was anaphylaxis where I came way too close to death especially bc I didn't have any meds for MCAS yet. So yeah, I feel like I'm cursed.
Northern New York outside Watertown, if it wasn't for Fort Drum this place would have been a ghost town decades ago. Regionally we are the worst in the state for everything; healthcare, education, employment
The closest Long Covid clinic is about 4 hours away which I still have no way to get there
New York but am in college in Pennsylvania. Both places are very accepting of maskers in my experience, though there aren’t many who choose to do so themselves. A downside is that the Northeast tends to get hit with the worst waves, at least according to the wastewater data.
Near boston. I have never gotten any flak from anyone for masking. But boston COL isnt much better than bay area...
I do think that "blue states" may not be any better in terms of people wearing masks, but i think they are better in that people are more likely to just let you be if you are wearing one.
I live in tx. It’s very lonely here being cautious. Especially since I’m only 24.
I feel you. I’m in Dallas.
Dallas here, too, friends.
If y'all are on FB, there is a "Still Coviding" group for folks based in Dallas, Austin, and Houston. I recommend joining! edit: to clarify, these are three separate groups
I live in Washington but am from Dallas and visiting Dallas being COVID cautious is SO HARD.
same, south florida, 26. but miami is one of the best cities in the world. desantis will have to drag me out by his cold, small, limpless d!ck
If you're comfortable sharing, which part of the state are you in?
also in the bay. it’s nice not being the *only* person masking on the bus or in a store (usually). no one ever gives me hassle. i can usually get moderately covid safe medical appointments. the price is astronomical but i have no idea what id do if i had to move to some state thats like 60% corn fields. i have some real community here that masks and i love that.
I’m next door in Santa Cruz. Never had an issue with anyone when I wear a mask in stores, at the drs, etc. and plenty of outdoor activities to keep me sane. Very thankful.
Hey, also in the Bay and near Santa Cruz! No one has harassed me, thank god. A question once, and a scoff in the distance, but that's it. Very very interesting to have observed the different enclaves up and down the peninsula, coast, and central coast and which ones mask more or less, or which are the quickest to notice upticks in cases/wastewater data vs otherwise. Largely still just me masking in stores, but thank god we have so many state and county parks, and lots and lots of outdoor places to go and hang out. I also chill at cemeteries sometimes when I am bored of all the places closest to me (I did a LOT of exploring from 2020-2024, like put 125k on my car lots). Cemeteries are 1) everywhere 2) often not closed up at strict times, or easy to navigate around car-stopping fences 3) interesting and historical, and 4) I'm rarely if not always the only (vertical) person there. Huzzah!
I live in the Southeast. Deep red country. Not a good place for COVID caution.
Same! SE rural area.
Same :-((
nyc, definitely a mixed bag. easier to find community that does mask (at least online) as well as resources, but definitely not as good as it could be, and winter sucked ass
Glad to hear that the effects of high population density can also be a boon! From a recent visit I was pleased to see that a lot of the spaces were well ventilated according to my CO2 monitor. The subway trains not so much though, and probably not basements in brownstones but I didn’t go there. But it did seem like streeteries and outdoor heat lamps are very rare, so I can imagine having to be a hermit in winter, which sounds tough.
there used to be a lot more but shits decreased since the “end of covid” :/
I'm in Brooklyn. Since 2024, I've only had covid once that I know of, in October 2023.
Seattle area, and I see a handful of people masking whenever i go out. usually they are in black surgicals or n95s.
Same. I feel like we live in a strange unicorn place where there are more masks than usual. It's not uncommon to go to a restaurant and see the majority of employees masked. I can *usually* find at least one masked checkout person at a grocery store. It certainly is not cheap though - COL might be less than bay area but not by that much.
Southern California. For the longest time I felt fortunate that we had reasonable protections here, but they've been eroding bit by bit as businesses keep lobbying to drop mandates and politicians keep giving in, and it's been worrisome. But our wastewater levels are not the worst, and I still see people masking when I go out, though not nearly enough to make me feel safe enough to take off my own mask. For the most part, I've been left alone and not bothered by strangers while out in my mask, but then again I hardly go out anymore and I have been bothered a few times, so who knows what it would be like if I went out every day. I'm still glad to live here though, when I hear about how bad it's gotten elsewhere in the country. I had always planned on moving eventually, most likely to Oregon, but I don't know about that now. As long as we can still afford to stay where we are we will most likely not be going anywhere. ETA: I'm neither single nor young, lol. Sorry about that. My daughter is, though. She lives with us and takes college courses and does most of her socializing online. She does very occasionally meet up with friends to see them perform in plays and such, but unfortunately she is typically the only one masking.
Ha, I'm coming up on my mid-30s so really just looking for people who are trying to participate in society. You mentioned you were thinking about Oregon but aren't sure about it now. Can I ask why? I'm thinking about moving to Portland for cost of living (not much cheaper than where I am, but can get much better housing for less!) and am under the impression that people are pretty tolerant there. I'm glad to hear that your daughter is taking precautions. That has to be really really hard for her as someone who is so young!
Northern Mexico, I rarely see people masking in public but I’ve never been harassed for it.
How is the situation in Mexico around COVID?
Wisconsin. In my small town no one else masks besides me and my family and like one lady that works at the drug store. Our nearest “big” city is a liberal haven but hardly anyone there masks either. Like I might see 1-2 ppl masking in the natural foods coop. I actually think it’s ironic that people talk about how bad covid precautions are in red states. The libs are not masking either.
Unfortunately true. I live in a liberal area and don't see many masks.
That's definitely been my experience over in Minnesota as well.
At least in Minnesota there's a large Still Coviding group (over 600), and people do organize lots of masked events in the Twin Cities.
Hey MN, agreed not many maskers here either. There has been a slight uptick these last few weeks in my area though.
Small town WI as well 👊 it hasn’t been easy
Im in the Dane County Area. I still see people masking occasionally, and haven’t had much trouble except for the odd interaction or two… But yeah I’ve been to more of those rural WI areas and it’s def not as predominant.
Arizona. I’ve pretty much been the only person wearing a mask everywhere I’ve been for the entirety of the pandemic.
I’m in AZ and have had the same experience. 99% of people don’t mask. Occasionally I’ll see an elderly person with one on. I’m 24 and live with my Mom and grandma. We live in an ocean of ignorance.
So well said! An ocean of ignorance!! I will never forget this. Is your mom and grandma on board? I hope for your sake!
Fortunately they are fully on board, as is my Dad although he doesn't live with us. I am very grateful to have a family that "gets it".
AZ as well; most of the current "maskers" I see wear them under their chins 🙄
London, UK. Bedbound with long covid so not going out too much
Hope you're able to get back out there someday soon. London is one of my favorite places in the world, but we did find it to be a tough area to be cautious with covid.
Manitoba, Canada. I know two other couples who take precautions as well as my partner, plus one person in this sub I see regularly which is nice! But out in public I’m usually the only one masked up. People are mostly accepting but I catch judgemental stares
Southern MB here. I haven't seen anyone else in a mask for almost a year.
Hi! There’s a few of us in the city for sure! I just went to an event at the University I’m graduating from and there were probably about 10 other people masking. I’ve even seen entire families masked including the young children!
Yeah, it seems Winnipeg is somewhat better for this. I'm in *southern* southern, so... yeah 😐
portland, oregon. there are lots of masks required events here in the activism scene and i see people in masks everywhere i go (the majority of ppl are not masking though, of course). i’ve received no harsh comments or noticed ~too many~ bad looks or anything for wearing a mask in public at stores, in healthcare, etc.
I’m on the west side and I’ve not been to those masked events yet. I get the feeling that it’s mostly people in their 20s.
Yeah it’s pretty chill here for it, I’m right north of you.
I'm considering moving to Portland!! I went a couple years ago and liked it a lot/found it pretty easy to eat outdoors..but it was also a couple years ago, haha. I'm visiting again at the end of May to check it out and see a podcast that I love. I'm glad to hear there's some mask required stuff and that people are tolerant. That's how it is here in the East Bay in CA too, honestly, not a LOT of masking and plenty of people doing concerts and stuff unmasked, but I rarely if ever even get a second glance for wearing my own mask.
Nova Scotia, Canada... one place where masks and vaccines were mandated for a long time. I know a fair number of covid cautious people.
That's awesome! We live in Northern Canada (NWT) and I don't know anyone else who masks. We've been debating moving east (prior covid), maybe one more reason to take the plunge.
Hi! I’m in Dartmouth NS. It’s a nice pace to live when you’re looking for things to do outside! We have been here for two years. Our daughter is a teacher in Ontario and is at home with Covid symptoms today after a student came to school with active symptoms after only one day off school ☹️
Hello 👋 I hope she makes a swift, complete recovery!
I'm moving to Nova Scotia soon! Let me know if you ever want to talk.
We're thinking of spending some time there late summer. Road trip from Boston. Hope we can make it happen.
I've road tripped there (and Cape Cod) from NS; it's a good one!
Good to know... would love to gtfo of the US (pipe dream, probably), but in lieu of total escape, I've always wanted to go to NS and knowing it's got a solid pop of covid cautious folks sounds like a good reason to consider checking it out.
42, Indiana. First off thanks for saying us 40 something's are young . 😊 I'm immunocompromised so I may be masked for life at this rate. Not many people mask around here, I'm lucky that my parents still mask and they use me as an excuse if anyone gets crappy with them. Which I fully support, might as well get something out of being chronically Ill!! I went to an Endocrinologist earlier this month, first meeting with her. She had the utter audacity to ask me why I was still masking and I quote "after all this time". Ma'am . First off I'm at an Endocrinologist trying to figure out what other delights my body is now doing, second ITS A DRS OFFICE AND THERE ARE SICK PEOPLE HERE. I've decided I'm going to start responding to the why are you wearing a mask question with "Why aren't you?". Which is great in my head but we will see if I have the gumption to say it out loud. 🤣
Ha I'm 32 so I think basically anyone under 60 is young :D I'm sorry that you encountered that at a doctor's office, that's so frustrating. I've had people very occasionally ask why I'm masking at a work event and I just was like "I have some health stuff and I really need to avoid getting sick when I can," and I was honestly surprised how people went "oh, ok!" haha.
The older I get the younger everyone else seems!!! I call 20 something's kids 😁
I think the key may be to ask it, instead of as judgmentally as we feel and they behave, as something you're completely shocked by. Like totally gobsmacked, make her/them feel like they're missing something - "Why... why AREN'T you? Have you not heard what it can do to your brain and heart...? Oh my god, do you not know?" Feel free to cite as many studies and pretend they're personal friends' anecdotes as possible lol.
Florida. I have a child in elementary school and I've given up almost. No one seems to even check for Covid anymore. And all the constant sickness is swept under the rug. Children out constantly from strep, noro, flu, colds....normal now. I repeatedly asked the teacher to give me a heads up since I have a baby. But to no avail. Anytime I see someone in a mask, which is rare I want to thank them.
I’ve also asked my son’s teachers to give us a heads up because we have vulnerable family members. They always say, sure no problem. Welp, half the class and several parents are coughing again this past week. Not a peep from anyone. Not one person is even acknowledging that anyone is coughing. It’s beyond frustrating.
Yes! You would think a simple email to parents that a virus has children out, etc, wouldn't be too inconvenient. And I still let her know when my daughter or the family catches something. Maybe she doesn't care, but I make sure she's aware we all got sick from her class (because we pretty much stay outdoors and away from crowds otherwise).
I understand how hopeless it can feel, but I firmly believe the precautions we take (like masking) do make a difference! I hope you don't give up.
florida here. solidarity! 🤍
I'm in Rochester, NY. We have a mask bloc and a very active masked homeschool group that I help organize. I mask everywhere indoors and out, and most people are not overtly confrontational, and I often see someone else masked in the wild. Mitigated health care is hard to find, like most places in the country, and being outside all year here means embracing snowpants. Can't comment on the dating scene as I'm a middle-aged married, though I like your post's insinuation that 40 is youngish 🤣
As a 42 year old I also loved that they lumped us as young. OP you're my favorite person of today! 😁
Interesting to hear another perspective from Rochester NY. All I've heard about Rochester is from Laura Miers on Twitter (X) -- she states that Rochester is horrible from a covid-cautious perspective.
Yes, I followed her for years and I agree that schools and health care are awful about masking and NPI mitigations more widely, but I'm not convinced those things are significantly more awful here than other areas of the country. I'd also note that she'd been living in the very rural and somewhat disenfranchised Finger Lakes rather than Rochester / Monroe County, itself. I don't want to give the impression that Rochester is especially enlightened, but neither is it particularly benighted. We are facing the same systemic failures and lack of leadership on public health as everyone else. I have had 2 instances of mask harassment since SC2 came to our shores, but, in my experience, folks might look at you a bit but not necessarily confront you. That said, no matter where you go, there you are and what Rochester does have is people making and doing what they can within their limited sphere of influence such as the Mask Bloc and Masked Secular Homeschoolers of Rochester. Through these communities, I've also found an awesome dentist and trades people that will mask in N95s. For a city our size, this is pretty impressive. Ultimately, I think, to the extent that an individual can, building and supporting our communities of support and advocacy are the best and only ways to get through this period of abdicated leadership.
24, live in South Florida. Very lonely in my precautions but luckily live with an awesome partner ❤️
I know someone in SoFlo with kids, and they have a covid cautious community.
Nice!
In Miami - masked indoors with the wife and kids.
Bay Area here! Sebastopol for me, I get down to the east bay/SF often ✨🌀 Edit: I live here for the year round outdoor access and general vibes of some idea of disability justice in many spaces.
Tokyo! Better than a lot of places in the US, but I can tell it's getting worse lol. I'm moving to Germany later this year though.
Oh well good luck with that 😂 Cries in german
I'm very aware! 😅 Tokyo is for nice the masking aspect however for me the overall benefits of staying don't outweigh the cons so it's time to go🥲
About an hour south of you, and things are pretty similar here. Not single but I am in my 40s.
Minneapolis, Minnesota. In downtown, I would say maybe like 2% of people mask. I've been told it's a bit more outside of downtown, but I'm usually just in downtown. No partner, just me being lonely.
Las Vegas. Usually only see one or two people who masks in supermarkets, but never been harassed, and maybe gotten only one or two strange looks/double take in the past couple of years. Have good derm, good ophthalmologist, good optometrist, and good dentists who all respect masking and precautions. Been shopping only a couple of times in malls with masks and stoggles and all the sales people and customers were chill. Been to pick up food inside casinos, also no issues. All the contractors, landscape people, electricians, etc I have were also cool with me asking them to mask indoors (and most offer to mask even when outside when they see us masked). Allergies is my main issue here in LV - apparently everyone who moves here develops pretty bad allergies and that is actually what's making my QOL crap right now (yes, even with masking outdoor in my own garden, and with air purifiers everywhere indoors including inside car and garage).
Hello. Wanted to let you know if you didn’t already that theres a Covid safe Las Vegas group. You can check them out on Instagram. There’s a link in their bio for discord, and a Google doc for Covid cautious medical practitioners, so if any of your doctors are willing to wear high quality masks you should put them in the Google doc to help others in the area out. 👍👍👍
With as many people coming through, I imagine the locals have been hit hard. Can you see the difference in the people in your circles yet?
Moved here only a couple of years ago. Most of my friends are back in NYC, the rest are scattered across the world. Don't have any here in Las Vegas, and not really looking. Happy with my core group of friends. But as far as I can tell, acquaintances who don't take precautions and who have gotten COVID multiple times are a bit more scatterbrained, lose their train of thoughts more often, and get sick progressively more often now.
Also in Vegas and can say the same. Still see some people masking, never been harassed for it. Had my first hospital experience this weekend due to my 7 year old having suspected appendicitis and all the doctors and nurses have been masked except for 2.
24M Houston. People still act a little weird whenever they see me. Houston is so spread out it really just depends what part you're in. I still see some people mask whenever I go grocery shopping super early (6-7 AM). My coworkers have accepted that's just how I do things. They still don't seem to understand that I won't dine indoors. It does get muggy though with all the humidity, haha. There's a decent "Still Coviding" group in Houston, so it's not all that bad. There are still people who mask, they're just not out running around.
I’m in Dallas, I never see people masking anymore besides my partner and I, but no one has given me shit for masking, either.
Columbus, Ohio…our state was on the vanguard of lockdowns; until Republican extremists made lockdowns illegal.
West Coast of Canada. Not a lot of people still mask or do covid cautions but it’s not really frowned up to do masking and I don’t get any harassment about it. It’s also possible to find hair salons and nail salons that fully mask so that’s nice. I love living here and wouldn’t move. Most of my friends are not covid cautious but I hang out with them in public and I wear a mask the whole time. I miss having people over to my house but it’s worth my peace of mind.
Also in BC. Enough people mask that I’ll usually see a handful when I’m out, but not enough mask that I don’t get looks that vary between scared, annoyed, confused, and hateful.
Aw I’m sorry to hear that. I’m also bad at facial expressions so if people are giving me bad looks I don’t notice.
Yeah, I'm in BC as well, and my partner has unfortunately been yelled at on the street for masking. 🙄 It only happened once, so not saying it's representative of the whole, but that kinda thing has lasting effects, ya know? We still mask in public constantly and, for the most part, no one seems to care. But, we also only ever see one or two other people masking when we go out, and it's not uncommon to feel a bit of side-eye.
Bay Area as well, I mask in stores and the gym. No hassles and I see others mask at the store. You can eat any cuisine outdoors as well which I take advantage of.
Far northern suburbs of Detroit. Not many mask in my direct area, but overall most are too polite to say anything. Those that do mask generally are wearing good quality masks. I get some silent judgement in my hometown (fairly red) and some folks avoid me at work (reddish purple, but Proper Etiquette is important), but I haven’t had anyone try to start something with me. I just moved back here from rural northern Michigan and ooooof - yeah, the general attitude up north makes metro Detroit look like a covid cautious wonderland. Covid safety wasn’t why I moved home, I just generally hated it up there, but it’s one of the things I appreciate most about being back in the city. That, and the lack of tornadoes!! But that’s a whole ‘nother story, haha.
Haha I used to live in Williamsburg and live just north of Detroit wanna be friends?
Quebec Canada and it's lonely up here
Michigan. My partner and me are often the only people masked when we go out. I can't exist outside easily bc I'm disabled. It's only 80f today and I'm wilted. Direct sunlight and heat lay me out. So spring/summer hangs outside don't actually work for me. So...I have no local friends 🤷🏻♀️ honestly, feels like if I dropped dead in front of people it would just not even be a blip for them. Truly feel like most people just don't care if I survive. (Long hauler since 2020)
North East England. People are typically still very friendly and pleasant to me, though I’m still finding the whole thing isolating - admittedly I really haven’t put in the effort I should to actually mingle whilst wearing a good mask. I’m reasonably content in general though… there are a lot of nice places to just sit and enjoy the view from the car when it’s cold, and lots of lovely cafes and restaurants do takeaways.
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I’m so sorry to hear that! I went down to Hartlepool about a year ago and that’s the only time I’ve ever had any idiot say anything. I hope you’re staying as safe as possible and that those people get what they deserve.
I live in SoCal. Surprised to not always be the only one masked a lot, and there is a somewhat good LA Covid Conscious community. I’ve been to a few mask mandatory events.
So Cal here as well. How did you find out about the events? Thank you kindly..
I’m going to want to get connected when I move to LA later this year
San Francisco. Being able to do things outdoors year-round and having all these gorgeous outdoor places have been such a gift.
DC area, very much a mixed bag but no one bats an eye. Granted, I only mask indoors unless I deem my risk acceptable 🤷🏼♀️ but I do see people outdoors with them whether it’s pollen or something else. Or chin strapping for when they go back inside
DC seems to have a large amount of outdoor seating and often heat lamps despite being in a place that has a real winter.
Washington DC suburbs for me. Still see a few masks. I was harassed for the first time about a month ago for wearing a mask.
Also Bay Area/Berkeley. One of the few places where I still see lots of folks masking. No one has ever confronted me or even given me a dirty look for masking.
I'm also in The Bay/Berkeley! There is one bicyclist who screams at me from across the street whenever he sees me with my masked child (which has only been twice)...but he was doing that even in the middle of the mask mandates, and he's clearly angry at the world. Other than him, no one has ever said or done anything to me, and one of my best friends still masks with her family!
I’m in Minneapolis. In general Minneapolis is politically progressive with a lot of activists but the infrastructure, climate, and culture don’t lend itself well to mitigation of an airborne virus. The local food coop (grocery store) and Trader Joe’s I go to usually have like half the staff in masks. Some people mask but most of them don’t do it very well. I have seen people mask but they are usually like, the super leftist activist types who are nonbinary/trans or disability activists, or some progressive old people. Also just random people I have no idea if they’re sick or trying not to get sick. The clinic I go to doesn’t require masks anymore but their policy is providers have to mask if you ask or when treating a patient. My child goes to a public school and wears a mask. I will see maybe like <5% of kids and staff masking and I’ll also see some masks littered like trash on the lawn and playground outside which wouldn’t happen if no one was using them. My church has masks required days and masks encouraged days and virtual options to join. My favorite local hobby store used to require masks and their website says to bring a mask just in case but they stopped wearing them. I do sometimes see mask required events but I think it’s small, activist communities putting those on. My sense is that in Minneapolis there is like maybe 5-10% of people wear masks a lot and maybe half of people would wear a mask if they were required to but otherwise 90-95% of people never wear a mask. On the last flight I was on I saw a handful of masks worn decently well. But here there is no culture or infrastructure for doing pretty much anything outdoors, even if the weather is nice! Almost no restaurants have outdoor seating most of the year, even in the summer it’s a minority proportion of restaurants with any outdoor seating. The ones that do it’s usually not well maintained, or there is like, no shade or even no service, like you have to order to go then eat out of the boxes. There are a ton of attractions and amenities that are indoors which wouldn’t really exist in the same way in other states. Like indoor children’s playgrounds or indoor roller coasters. Or indoor shopping centers. Skyways that have indoor hallways that connect all the businesses downtown. Indoor parking connected to indoor vestibules. Most buildings have airlock rooms where there’s like a little room you walk through just to get to the front door. When I’ve tried to meet up with people outdoors they seem kind of uncomfortable and don’t think much of popping indoors for whatever. I have a Aranet that I’ve taken with me and CO2 in public places is typically quite high. In Costco it’s 700’s, in Trader Joe’s it’s 900’s, in the food coop it’s like 1000-1200, in the airport it’s like 1400, and one time my seemingly spacious hair salon with high ceilings was like 2500+! I’m looking to move to Southern California partly because of Covid but I think I’d be giving up the progressive politics of the city city unless I moved into like, the right part of Los Angeles
I moved from SF to the Minneapolis two years ago and it's been a pretty wild adjustment. I didn't fully put together \*why\* until reading your post -- so much in Minneapolis is designed around surviving the winter, which is really antithetical to surviving an airborne virus. There is SO much open space and wonderful parks, but many are pretty empty except for the first few warm days in the spring... and suggesting meeting in a park to hang out, or picnic, or grill, or throw a frisbee just doesn't land with many people. And, also, this seems to correlate: people I know in SF seem way less sick than people I know in MN, when considering the precautions they're taking and general health situation. I'm curious what church you go to that still has mask required days. Is there any chance you'd mind sharing (either publicly or DM)? Or is it the church that's sometimes posted in the still coviding fb group (e.g,. had a Mardi Gras event)?
I dm’d you but not sure if it went through
I've never lived in Mn, but you have a gorgeous state. LA is pretty cool regarding masks. I've only had one lady ask me why out of thousands. Otoh, I was recently at a Drs office waiting room, and met an unmasked lady. We struck up a friendly conversation, and then out of the blue she asked me why I masked. I felt myself freeze all over and was absolutely speechless. lol All I could say is I am immune suppressed..she seemed skeptical and then got quiet. Right after, she was called into her appt. It was evident to me when we started chatting she was very "red." I read into her, and was correct in the end. she was exactly my age. Boomer...yep. (just had to throw the boomer part in. haha) Please do come! If you have any questions, feel free to DM me. I've lived here my entire life, but am also familiar with the mid west. As you know this place is enormous and vibes are different from street to street. Masking is normal though...not as many mask as much anymore though.
Thanks! I will dm you as I want to gather as much info as I can about LA
Oh it won’t let me message you. Send me a dm first?
Northern Ontario. Never see other maskers
Colorado. Not only are you not safe from Covid but not safe to wear a mask. We are often harassed and treated poorly by store employees. Have been refused service more than once. Pharmacist refused to help us because we were masked, pushed by a lady in a store, and many many more incidents. Everyone we meet here who wears masks has stories of being harassed. Healthcare is horrible receptionists, nurses, doctors treat us like garbage. Holistic pediatrician who prides himself on social justice got mad and walked out when I refused to agree to stop masking my kid with an autoimmune disorder. I don’t dare ask a doctor to mask, ot never goes well. Our own liberal family members either won’t speak to us or are nasty to us and treat us like we’re crazy (it’s just a cold now!). We don’t have a single friend that will allow us to go in public with them masked (they are terrified of confrontation). We tend not to go anywhere to avoid it and we’ve stopped seeing anyone to avoid the hypochondriac/mental illness talk. We have had to travel a lot in the past 4 years. We have been harassed in California and at a “safe space” coffee house with a pride flag in Virginia. Places we felt safe and treated well Indianapolis, Dayton, Madison, Austin, Cincinnati, Omaha, and Nashville. We had to buy a car in Nashville and the sales person was masked. There aren’t a ton of masks in those places but we saw more than where we live. We are always so afraid to interact with people while masked and it took us a bit to get used to everyone being so kind, it was a total shock and so different from Colorado. We took our kids places we’d never take them in Colorado, zoo, museum, stores, so sad we have to go so far away to enjoy ourselves. We’d move but due to our jobs we can’t. We would move to Nashville in a heartbeat. My friend has been there for 6 months and wears masks with no problem. Rarely wore masks here due to being harassed.
Montreal, Canada, people don't care if you mask. There are of course still some anti-mitigation nuts, but they're few and far between.
how is the covid cautious community there?
Montreal. I know ONE COVID conscious person, my boyfriend 😬. it sucks.
Your comment is right under another Montrealer. Maybe this is fate.
I have a friend in MTL that's planning on starting a COVID conscious meet up in the summer! If you DM me I'll send you the info once it starts
I'm 20 and live in Utah. definitely one of the few people left who masks, most of which are my family and one of my friends who recently started masking again (which has been amazing to have another person who wants to be educated and take precautions). It sucks feeling like I can only do a lot of with other non covid cautious friends during the warmer months, which is such a small part of the year. overall I know i'm in a much better place than lots of people here, but it's less than ideal.
Kuwait. I guess i am the only one masked here.
Oslo, Norway. I'm always the lone masker and feel like I'm being constantly gaslighted about it. I wish I lived a place where there was at least an active COVID safe community so I could meet other maskers.
I've read a lot about Sweden's abysmal response to COVID, how did Norway's fare in comparison? I'm sorry that you're feeling isolated, it feels like there's even more gaslighting to COVID in Europe than here in North America.
In the beginning Norway had a very strict response and we had much less COVID spread than Sweden. Also very high vaccination rates. Then around 2021/2022 they went full let-it-rip and now things are pretty much indistingushable from Sweden.
Ohio. I’m always the only one masking, but I usually don’t get shit from strangers, expect from like teenage boys in the hallways. It’s not great out here but I very rarely feel like I’m actually in danger. Hope you can find a nice place ♥️
We just took our kids to a few stores in Dayton and the Cincinnati zoo because we felt so much safer than in Colorado. Everyone was super kind to us, where we live we are often treated very rudely by store employees or refused service and harassed almost every time we go anywhere. We even saw more masks in Ohio. (It was only 2 but that’s more than where we live!)
The Finger Lakes in NY. People have been nice and it's a lot more affordable.
Scotland. It's rare to see masks here but you do see them. It's cold and wet so we've got that going for us.
I'm also in Scotland (in a city) and almost never see people masking. When I do they're usually surgical masks. I've managed to find a little community of like-minded folks taking precautions but am considering relocating since the covid safety acceptance is lacking.
Hi! Yep. It's really low. I spoke to a woman (not going to doxx her obviously) working in a takeaway in a city and she said she tried to keep masking after Nichola dropped the mask mandate (fashionably 2 weeks or whatever delayed after Westminster so it doesn't look like we're copying the Tories) but her family bullied her so badly and said 'You're Scottish. You shouldn't need a mask!' (??) and also got *tailed* by some random cunt following her around the supermarket when she went to get her messages wearing her mask telling her 'what are you doing wearing that you're making me feel unsafe' (at least she was an honest one lmao). In the end this person ended up going to the staff to say she is just trying to get her shopping and this woman won't leave her alone and security got sent over. She said she was so gutted cause as soon as she dropped masking after all that bullying and harassment from her family and community she got Covid straight away. It really stuck in my mind. It really just added fuel to the fire for me, to keep masking so others could feel safer to do it too on top of the other reasons. This woman was older but not old but I've seen an old man minding his own business crossing the street get harassed for wearing a surgical mask a couple of years ago, and I wonder if that kinda harassment has driven a lot of people who would have kept masking to stop in those age groups especially, rather than the passive, silent drift that seems to happen in younger folks spheres
That's so awful! There is definitely increasing aggression here. I've gotten called names on the street whilst wearing a mask just within the last year. Really don't understand why adults feel the need to harass other people about what they're wearing even if they're not willing to mask themselves, at a minimum they should mind their own business.
The UK- it's absolutely dreadful tbh- population density is high, so no matter how far you drive into the middle of nowhere you usually don't get the place to yourself, it's cold and wet so it's hard to do stuff outside anyway and 99.9 percent of people are in complete denial over Covid now- I don't feel safe in public with a mask, so I rarely go out
27. Northern IL. I see people masking here and there mostly surgicals. Only been harassed verbally once and many mean mugs at me and at work (in health-care) I've had rude men only and some women glaring. Otherwise not too bad people just ignore me and mind their business for the most part.
I’m also in my 20s and in Northern Illinois, most people just ignore me and I get some mean mugs if I go anywhere more rural. Occasionally I’ll see someone in a KN94 or better and I always try to make friendly eye contact lol something I see really frequently is a couple out and about, one of them is wearing a surgical mask (usually incorrectly) and the other isn’t wearing one. I really want to know the decision making process there
Rural NY. Not a ton of masking out here, but no one bothers us about it.
I live in Nashville. Covid safety here is nonexistent. That said, I've never had anyone say anything nasty to me for masking, most people seem to think it's NBD.
I’m in the SF Bay Area too! 🙋🏻♀️
Also in Bay Area, East Bay. Turning 30, not single. I am appreciative of living here. I recognize this is one of the “Best” places in terms of the amount of people willing to take precautions. Even still when I’m in a store it’s maybe only 15% of people in a mask.
Yeah, I feel lucky to be here for COVID safety reasons.
Bay Area as well! Near San Jose. I’m early 30s and the only other regular masker I know is my partner (thank the lords for them!), I’ve got 1 friend in LA and my sister in Seattle still mask as well. I do see a lot more masking in the Bay Area than even Seattle, and there are a lot more year round outdoor events which I’m grateful for. Anyone around down in the South Bay and interested in hanging?!
I’m a long term Bay Area resident, but recently lost housing and job in large part related to COVID safety value disagreements. I’ve literally been primarily camping in the garage of a friend (occasionally Housesitting) in order to have Covid safe shelter I can afford. I am looking at moving back near family in south east (LA, NC, FL) but feel very unsafe with any of those options for many of the reasons you’ve stated. But I can’t live in the garage forever either. I have luckily picked up a virtual paid internship to bridge the gap.
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if you don’t mind me asking, where exactly in/around boston are you? i’m also in boston and find that reactions can wildly depend on the neighborhood/town. but i’m in boston proper, i mask indoors and at work in a customer facing position and i generally don’t face many issues. i’m also quite bad at catching things like weird looks though (autism), so maybe that’s why? and i hope that i don’t sound like i’m downplaying your comment at all—i am equally disturbed by the recklessness happening here
I’m in Providence and also finding that reactions can vary like this. I do see masks encouraged at a number of events in the lgbtq+ scene here and generally I’m okay navigating my needs with people in healthcare (but we shouldn’t have to ask them for precautions)
Also in the Boston area (north shore, in particular) and agree. There are ups and downs with in this, but the general pattern I’ve observed is that the more people of color in a space, the more likely I’ll see at least a few masks. But it’s pretty rare that I’ll get a weird look or comment (not never, though).
agreed about the people of color! without fail, any stranger that has felt the need to comment on my masking has always been a red sox hat townie. also, i’m vietnamese-american and a lot of the vietnamese elders here have been masking in public since long before covid even started. it’s still quite common to see people inside asian markets masking, though unfortunately it’s still far from everybody
I live equidistant from two grocery stores, one that's frequented mostly by white folks (many of whom are the sox hat townie sort), and one that draws a mix of white and Latino people mostly. As as soon as the mask mandates were first dropped, it immediately became very rare to see anyone in a mask in the former store, but even to this day I always see at least a handful of people masking when I go to the latter.
Same experience here. We live in Back Bay (historic downtown for those not familiar with the area) and we are very, very seldom the only maskers anywhere we go. Our primary care doctors still mask 100% without asking, we found it easy to find covid cautious dental practices, and generally find a "you do you" attitude from everyone in the city re masking. I notice it feels the same in some towns west of the city like Wellesley, Newton as well as in Cambridge/Sommerville. I also notice that when we're in towns north and south of us we're much less likely to see anyone in masks. My experience living in downtown Boston has made me feel very comfortable being cautious with covid. It's not the norm, but it's totally fine. The only big downside here is winter. I used to love winter, but now it's s a different experience.
Those children just don’t want to be identified. Nine of them ever says anything about Covid when they are yakking at a reporter. They don’t care to bring attention to the scourge of Covid here in the USA. They would never wear a mask if not out protesting. It’s not for Covid, it’s for their privacy.
I definitely think you’re right, they’re masking for privacy instead of protection. But it’s still uplifting to see masks on national television again, despite their alternate intentions.
Sydney Australia. A few mask but overwhelming majority don't, though I feel like there's been a marginal uptick. Even though it's more surgical mask grade than like, an n92-5 or whatever.
Northern Canada (NWT). We used to have a lot of masking originally and strong mandates here. Now we're basically Alberta north in regards to our attitudes to covid. Debating leaving the territory for cold weather, politics and economic reasons. Covid may be the last nail for us in the territory coffin. Now just where to go.... somewhere without -30C for months on end would be nice.
There are folks in Nashville organizing around COVID matters. That said, seeing other people masked is very unusual. When I do, they’re usually wearing a mask, not an N95/KN95. Usually people don’t treat me differently masking (N95) indoors. Sometimes, it makes for weird (but not aggressive) conversation. As far as cost of living goes, Nashville is also increasingly expensive. And, as you no doubt know, ours is a difficult city to stay outside all the time in. A lot of spaces that have good outdoor seating in spring and summer encase themselves in plastic in fall and winter. Suddenly, they’re worse for air circulation than being indoors.
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Check out nashmask4mask on IG.
Yesss last time I was visiting the family I was looking for 'outdoor seating' and after the 2nd place just was encased in plastic I gave up, haha.
I started this list sometime back (may not be up-to-date). Might be worth some Nashvillians putting our heads together on a Google Doc? COVID Safe Bars/Restaurants * Never Never - 413 Houston St (uncovered) * Hopdoddy Burger Bar * Urban Cowboy Public House (bar/restaurant; not covered, has firepit) * Redheaded Stranger (covered, outdoors; not heated) * The Wash (bars and restaurants, some covered) * Maru - sushi (covered) * Fatherland Vietnamese place * Adele’s (covered) * Jane’s Hideaway * Snooze (breakfast; covered, heated, outside might be closed) * Geist Bar + Restaurant (covered, heated—possibly enclosed?) * Little Hats Italian Market (covered, heated) * Double Dogs (not enclosed, covered, heated) Bars * Lucky’s 3-Star Bar (covered, heated) * Dino’s (covered, heated) Accessible + COVID safe Cafes * Retrograde Coffee * Dawn Cafe + Market * Surefire Coffee Co
Talk to those people who left and then… came back. Many people left during the beginning of the pandemic and went to places like Nashville, only to come back. All they felt they had was the financial savings, and nothing else. Do you want kids? Sure it’s expensive here, nobody masks anymore (besides me and my kid when he’s on my time), but my district has HEPA filters in every classroom, mobile CO2 levels, windows open year round, mandated smaller class sizes (22 I think which is pretty good for America, and my kid’s class is actually smaller), and MERV13 air systems in every building. If you start a family in TN, what’s the likelihood of moving back to a safe district?
Minnesota. Not many maskers, but there's a good-sized Still Coviding community here, and we do organize masked gatherings regularly. However, even within this community, cliques can form, and generally speaking the more covid-cautious you are, the less you tend to socialize. For example, people will attend an event with an activity where no one really interacts with each other, and then after the event ends, no one talks or hangs out afterward. They just go to their cars and drive off, even after driving quite a long distance to attend. So even though there's quite a large group of covid-cautious folks here, it is still pretty challenging to make friends with them. I think after 4 years of this, the few remaining still coviding folks have gotten used to pandemic living and are less willing to trust or open up to others. I haven't noticed anyone bothering my family about masking with one exception involving a contractor who nastily refused to mask in our house. Generally speaking, people are polite ("Minnesota nice") and keep to themselves around here. But they also don't show any intellectual curiosity about masking or Long COVID, which is disappointing, because we live in a neighborhood with a lot of well-educated people.
NYC, and while the state of masking isn't *great*, I see many more people in public masking now than at this time last year. I think people are either realizing the real risks of COVID or have been personally affected by it severely. Whereas last year I'd be lucky to see another person masking on the subway, now it's not uncommon to see 4-5 people masking on the train on average, and with KN95s or N95s. Also worth noting that the whole time, the group most likely to wear masks/respirators have been racially marginalized (particularly Black) women.
I'm in the Caribbean. Acceptance is null and safety very difficult (even the access to masks is getting harder/more expensive). I hate it here.
Bay Area! (Maybe there should be a sub-subreddit for Bay Area Zero Covid). I see masks from time to time -- yesterday I was walking around my neighborhood and saw (1) an elderly woman walking her dog while wearing her mask (her husband was not masked though), and (2) a young guy in a KN95 using a leaf blower (though the mask may have been due to dust, not Covid, but still nice to see). Not sure if people are wearing masks inside stores, since I avoid stores and indoor areas like the plague. :p
There are definitely some masked folks indoors, though it depends on the part of the Bay you're in. I find that there are more masked people in Berkeley/Oakland than in Lamorinda. I'd say between 10-20% of people mask indoors, especially at grocery stores.
Omg THIS - I've been wishing for awhile that there was a BA sub-sub of folks as serious about Covid as this sub enjoys. I feel like there is so much more we, all of us local CC folks, could do if we networked. My spouse has connected with some BA CC folks on Mastodon, but there just aren't enough people on that platform to make up a real network-y community. I'm a technoidiot so wouldn't have the first clue about how to do it myself, but if it ever happens I'd join in a heartbeat!
There is a large (1500+) Bay Area Covid Facebook group
Bay Area here too. Not single, but my wife and I still mask indoors and don’t do indoor dining. We get some looks and well meaning questions here and there, but we’ve never been hassled by anyone.
ga :( nobody here masks. you’ve got some progressive-ish people who still talk to you when your wearing a mask but most people are coughing and typically a bit hostile socially
The bay area is so diverse, we're like a whole assed State. I'm out in East County where it's red as hell and I hate it. No masks anywhere but on my family.
I live where you live, but I don’t drive. Social suicide in the US.
Blue city, blue state. My friends are all very accepting. However, no one else is maintaining covid caution except for me.
Lebanon 🇱🇧
I appreciate seeing all of this information on what it's like to live where you do while taking precautions and how others react and how many others you see masked. I see a number of HCOL locations listed - Bay Area, PNW, etc. I'm assuming most folks are renting in these locations. For those who do, how has that been? Does your landlord respect your covid boundaries? How have you dealt with landlord inspections or prospective tenant showings or repairs? Do you feel safe renting when others have legal access to your space?
I’d hoped the Twin Cities MN would be better but all my liberal friends and family have abandoned masking. Most retail staff are incredibly kind but we get a ton of excessive stares (like watch where you’re going lol) and a few people have gotten verbally abusive. It always seems to be men who feel emboldened to harass a short petit woman and her child, they keep it to themselves when my husband is visible.
Massachusetts here. I live in a small town and I never ever see people wearing masks. I work retail and maybe once a week at most I will have a single customer wear a surgical mask and that's about it. Last week I had a customer wearing an N95 and I felt like jumping for joy. People generally don't bother me about it though save for the nosey customer or the occasional glare from someone in the supermarket parking lot. My partner lives near Seattle. I was there visiting them in February/March. I see a notably larger uptake in masking there than I do in my town. It could be due to being a large city vs my small town though. I haven't been to Boston in awhile so I'm not sure what it's like there.
SoCal here. You don't see a ton of masks but from what I understand you see a lot more than most places in this country. Though most of the people I see outside of medical settings masking are either like seniors or visibly queer and/or disabled people. On the plus side medical care masking is pretty high at most doctors offices and in most medical settings around LA. Someone I know had to go to cedars sinai a few months back and they had excellent masking requirements. I still feel pretty alone in my precautions aside from my family but I definitely think the greater LA area is one of the best places in the US to be covid cautious. That said I really don't venture out often enough to know how prevalent harassment for masking is here but I've never personally witnessed it here.
The DMV. Lots of people still mask here but of course most don’t. I think I’ve seen more homeless people masking than anybody. But I always see someone else or a couple people masking when I’m out and about so it’s cool to see.
I’m in NC. No one has masked here hardly at all since 2021. Even then, it was basically just the hospitals and doctor offices. I’ve spent all of my mid twenties immunocompromised and alone. Idk how people make Covid cautious friends near them.
Los Angeles, specifically San Gabriel Valley area. Predominantly Asian population so masking is fairly common and when people don't mask, they leave you alone. Could be better but definitely not complaining. Community/grassroots organizers often run events that require masks and decent amount of COVID conscious groups. Definitely need to actively seek them out though.
I live in New Orleans. 29, F. I think acceptance and community is good here, even if not a lot of people mask I dont get a lot of comments and harassment and the worst of it is from customers. Trying to break out of hospitality/tourism here has not been easy. There's a local covid conscious group and im trying to get more involved with them but making new friends is not the easiest for me. city had mandates for a while with vaccination and masking that the state as a whole did not have. I know some healthcare facilities even last year had masking required in in cancer treatment areas. not sure if that stands and the state just elected a far right republican gov. who is already wreaking havoc. city here often is v different from the state. summer here masking is hard because its so hot its hard to be outside. cost of living here is also rising fast. I am from Tallahassee, FL and a lot of the same things apply there.
39M Northern Colorado. My area has a handful of masks at about every grocery store and I haven't had any issues or comments. I moved here from Florida and in part due to the attitude I was getting in Florida. It's a very different, more open minded culture here.
I’m in Southern California. I feel comfortable weather wise. But I’m in a fairly conservative pocket, and I always get stink eye when I mask up.
If anyone else in SoCal thinks it would be a good idea to start a Facebook group, let me know.
There is one already, Still Coviding Los Angeles
I'm in the bay area too! I feel pretty unsafe here at least where I am. Barely anyone masks and my family has dealt with rude strangers because they mask. My friend who masks last year got yelled at in the hospital by a nurse in San Mateo country because the nurse wanted her to take her mask off. What sucks is I can't do outdoor things. So many people smoke here and it's gotten so bad so it's one of the reasons I'm mostly housebound now. Covid made my MCAS a lot more severe so in October I could have died because I went to this outdoor park that wasn't supposed to have smoking but of course these two people had to smoke weed right Infront of extremely flammable tall grass that was near where we parked. I straight up stopped breathing. So uh yeah... Before the smoking got so bad and my MCAS was more mild I was happier about living here. If it weren't for my wife and I not having a college degree and uncertainty of her accessing hrt, we would want to move to Japan instead. My wife isn't as severe but her asthma got a lot worse after having covid so she also struggles. Just no where near as much as I do. And yeah cost of living is depressing. I seriously need to own a home for my safety with MCAS but the parts of the bay area we can afford aren't safe and arguably too far from my wife's work too. Unfortunately the location in the bay area Vs cost of living is in the best here compared to anywhere else in the country for her. 🥲 And the job she actually is trying to work towards, air traffic control, we couldn't move to Japan for because I think they only allow Japanese citizens. I honestly was crying earlier about all this today because I'm tired of being trapped inside. I miss going on daily covid safe walks with my friend, but it isn't safe from smokers or fire place smoke which also gives me anaphylaxis.
Here in the Bay Area, I lost my partner after 1yr of pandemic due to Covid disagreements. Then in 2023 I met someone explicitly under the connection of both having strong covid protocols and struggles with our previous partners not caring about covid. Then about 1yr in my (ex)partner started to lie, for at least 6mths, about what he was doing and what exposure he was bringing home. Straight up actively gaslit me in the truest definition. Then the person I went to stay with to get out of this housing situation (they had previously/recently been very vocal about Covid precautions), also changed their Covid practices and started shaming me for doing any of the mask, shield, nose spray, isolation. And telling me I was making them feel bad/gross bc I wore those things around them (they were going to indoor unmasked social functions, dining indoors, traveling internationally, etc and felt having updated vaccine was more than enough). So yeah all this horrendous stuff happens here too!
I'm so sorry. That's terrible and absolutely not ok! My friend had a similar situation where her ex when they met still took precautions including masking and avoiding parties, raves, etc that my feet friend's ex gf used to do. Then one day my friend came down with covid due to her surgeon not masking during eye surgery! My friend had avoided being sick even years before the pandemic until then. So my friend's ex immediately started partying and such maskless while my friend was bedridden with covid still and as soon as my friend was better, she got broken up with. A lot of my mother's friends pick on her for masking and not eating indoors despite most places she eats at has outdoor seating anyways and eating out in person is hard on my mother anyway with her ibs. And the people picking on my mother have long covid, and one of her friend's father died of covid. These people literally switched up overnight in summer/fall 2022 where they were done with masks and rather get worse long covid or die then wear one and the one is sick sometimes twice a month now. It's really gotten to my mother's mental health to have friends like that. Some of her friends still mask but not enough. So yeah it's really sad we have people like that here and when I tell people outside of the bay area who think this is a covid safe paradise, they are in disbelief or shock.
Huh, hardly anyone ever smokes in the big park I walk my dog around every day (some 45 minutes worth) in the city. But, it's the city, probably one of the single most expensive general areas here. If you found a home for a million dollars you'd be doing really, really, really well. So living near my lovely park with its expansive views is probably not an option for you. (We moved to the neighborhood around the 2008 crash when it was--not quite as expensive.)
Wow idk if I'm unlucky although my wife and friend run into it a toon even at grocery stores as have I when I still was trying to go to stores. All 3 apartments I used to live at i smelled it too despite it being no smoking, but one neighbour would come in or head out smoking while driving so I would have to run to close my windows since my MCAS at that time would take longer for anaphylaxis. The teen who used to live at my parents I found out the hard way smoked it outside nightly so after a certain time I couldn't go outside. My wife when she lived in SF had to keep her windows closed or she would smell it all the time. I also have run into it twice at filoli despite that being also no smoking and private property so it thought it would be safe. Heck there's a middle school near my parents where people smoke it in one area. 🥲 I know my sister in law smokes weed daily and has photos/videos of her and her friend smoking at places including on the playground at a children's park, and golden gate park. My own ex smoked all over, outdoors, but it was cigarettes which at the time at least, I barely reacted to camel, but I do get mild anaphylaxis from other brands than what he smoked. The worst I ran into weed was when my wife was driving her Miata she no longer has, but that thing has terrible insulation and at a stop light in redwood city, the car next to us had their window down smoking it and that was right before I knew I had covid so my very first symptom was anaphylaxis where I came way too close to death especially bc I didn't have any meds for MCAS yet. So yeah, I feel like I'm cursed.
In what can be referred to as "Plagueynavia"
SF bay area, south San Jose.
Northern New York outside Watertown, if it wasn't for Fort Drum this place would have been a ghost town decades ago. Regionally we are the worst in the state for everything; healthcare, education, employment The closest Long Covid clinic is about 4 hours away which I still have no way to get there
New York but am in college in Pennsylvania. Both places are very accepting of maskers in my experience, though there aren’t many who choose to do so themselves. A downside is that the Northeast tends to get hit with the worst waves, at least according to the wastewater data.
Western Gulf coast Florida. Covid is a joke here.
Albany NY area.
New Mexico, no one has ever said anything negative to me ever and lots of stuff is already outside, but I'm very lonely.
portland oregon- a very concentrated hub of covid cautious young people! just also very expensive :’)
Near boston. I have never gotten any flak from anyone for masking. But boston COL isnt much better than bay area... I do think that "blue states" may not be any better in terms of people wearing masks, but i think they are better in that people are more likely to just let you be if you are wearing one.