One year into pandemic, have you maintained high level hygenic habits to avoid c19?

[Demovictory9]

I am not.talking about just wearing masks. I am referring to all the hand washing, wiping.cabinet, leaving stuff outside, squirting bleach, avoiding door handles, wiping steering wheel, etc..

If you slacked off.
Why?
Bored with it all...
Never caught c19?
Caught c19 and it wasnt.so.bad for me
Been vaxxed

43 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Still vigilent at same high level for past year
	26 (60%)
	Slacked off a bit
	12 (28%)
	Slacked off a lot
	2 (5%)
	Was never very vigilent
	3 (7%)
	Other
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[happybird]

1. I've always been a near-compulsive hand washer

and door handle avoider, so my routine didn’t change much with covid. I have stopped wiping down groceries, so picked the 2nd option.

ETA: Got an appointment for my 2nd vax on Tuesday!

[Demovictory9]

2. I recall, leaving store, getting in.car and slathering on the purell

Slacked off on some of those habits

[happybird]

29. I almost ruined my debit card with sanitizer, lol!

The chip started to look rusty along the edges, so I stopped sanitizing it late last Spring.

Jeez, it’s hard to believe it’s been a year! It somehow feels like both way more and way less than that.

[Hortensis]

33. Mostly conscientious hand washer rather than near compulsive,

but pretty much the same. I've always avoided touching public doors, just wash longer, and have sanitizer in both our vehicles and my purse. I stopped leaving groceries that didn't need to be refrigerated on the porch a day or two a looong time ago.

Now being vaccinated, the other day I bought a couple of $.50 bags at Trader Joe's as a gesture toward returning to reusable bags, though unfortunately not yet with the variants raging. They're in my basement pantry while the virus particles perish.

[MissB]

3. I mask and sanitize my hands

I avoid public door handles. I never sterilize my house or my car. I stay 6’ away and DH and I barely see anyone.

I still do the same things. I’ve been fully vaccinated.

[bottomofthehill]

4. Still masking and hand washing

But in the “Following the science” mode, we know more about Covid now. Wiping everything down with Clorox wipes, letting packages sit in the garage, wiping the steering wheel....nope following CDC Guidance.

[Freddie]

20. Agree

Now that we know it’s spread airborne and not on surfaces, I still religiously wear a mask, don’t eat in restaurants, etc., but I don’t wash off cans and packages from the grocery store anymore.

[bottomofthehill]

31. Have eaten in (actually outside ) at a restaurant one time

Since last March, celebrated my wife’s birthday outdoors in Old Town Alexandria VA. Like you said, limiting airborne exposure.

My wife and I were just talking about food insecurity and how frightening it has to be. This time last year we were looking for meats of any type, chicken, turkey, beef, pork whatever, fruits, frozen or fresh, vegetables frozen or fresh. We are comfortable, two working adults (for a lot of my life, I worked 2 jobs) with grown children, but the fear of not being able to find food was startling to us. We could afford to eat what we want but could not find it. Suddenly things like sausage and hotdogs with long expiration dates were a Score!

As things have grown closer to normal, we have started to up our donations to the Central Union Mission, Martha’s Table, House of Ruth, SOME and other hunger organizations.

We hope we never feel like that again and hope to help others where we can.

[Iggo]

5. Still going strong.

If I don’t follow the guidelines, I can’t bitch about people who aren’t. 😂😂😂

[JT45242]

6. The biggest threat is airborne so

Since we don't leave the house. Get curbside to go from grocery and restaurants while masked. We are not as vigilant because we know it's not touch contamination that we have to worry about.

The crazy washing the groceries and leaving nonperishable groceries on the car for 36 hours are gone. But we'll be a long time before we eat in restaurants in person or around more than one family unmasked even though we are vaccinated because our 14 year old can't be vaccinated for a while yet.

[Demovictory9]

7. So its not "slacking off" but eliminating habits that are useless

[meadowlander]

10. Yeah, the same for me.

I wash my hands a lot more often and wear masks inside if I can't social distance but I don't compulsively wear masks whenever I'm outside. I don't worry about getting food delivered or cleaning it off.

The only thing I would otherwise be doing but don't because I think it's too risky is going lap swimming.

I can't get vaccinated for another two months but at least there's no community transmission where I live at the moment.

[Ocelot II]

17. Same here.

I've ventured out to a grocery store since I've been vaccinated but got in and out as quickly as I could even though everyone was masked. Otherwise I'm still ordering most things for delivery and wearing a mask in public places (though not if I'm on a walk outside all by myself), and washing my hands a lot - though not so much on account of covid, since surfaces have been determined not to be much of a problem (I stopped fanatically washing groceries and Amazon deliveries last summer), but because of other things you can get from surfaces. I haven't gotten sick at all, not even a cold, for over a year. For the foreseeable future I will continue to stay out of restaurants and other places where there are a lot of people sitting around indoors without masks.

[brooklynite]

22. We go out for dinner every Friday that the weather permits...

...we'll sit outside until both our vaccinations are baked in.

[demmiblue]

8. Wearing a mask, washing my hands and social distancing have been pretty much all I have done...

since after the first several months of the pandemic. Thank goddess I ditched the bleach and went back to vinegar as a cleaning product.

Why? Because the other things you mention really aren't necessary in terms of COVID-19.

[RKP5637]

9. I've now had both shots and "Still vigilant at same high level for past year." I'm really not

planning on an early death or horrible sickness when it's all pretty much preventable and frankly pretty easy to do.

[cinematicdiversions]

11. Still wear the mask indoors in public places

But since I got vaccinated everything else is back to pre-covid levels

[intrepidity]

12. At first I thought I have slacked off a lot

But upon reflection, the only area I've relaxed is the surface-fomite paranoia.

Many other behaviors have now become such ingrained habits, that I barely think about them. Like carrying a small container of hand sanitizer in my pocket at all times, and applying it frequently when I'm out.

Plus masking. Not giving that one up ever, I think. A full year without a cold or flu means it's not just for Covid prevention to me anymore. The pandemic will have normalized masking permanently, I believe.

[Kaleva]

13. Is no longer doing things that have been determined ineffective considered slacking?

I no longer disinfect high touch items in the house daily and kitchen and bathroom counters every few days. Nor do I use the sanitize modes on my washing machine and dryer when washing and drying hand towels, dish clothes, dish towels, bath towels, underwear and socks.

I still wear a mask when out and about and use the hand sanitizer, that I keep in the car, after leaving an establishment and getting back into the car.

Washing my hands vigorously when water and soap are available for about 20 seconds is a habit I picked up when I was a foster parent years ago and I still do that.

I'm not a social person and my social habits didn't change a bit from before the pandemic, during it and now.

One area where I could consider to have slacked off on is I no longer strive to be at a store when it first opens in the morning. I wanted to be there when very few others were as I figured it would reduce my changes of being infected.

[Demovictory9]

34. maybe I should have worded the poll directly.. not used the phrase "slack off"

your mention of getting to stores early --- lol --- I remember the need to get to stores early to be able to buy the one pack of toilet paper - max allowed by the store.. seems like a hundred years ago.

[Kaleva]

37. I was already well stocked before anyone heard of COVID19

when the TP shortage hit and none could be found, my wife and I were okay because I kept on hand 36-48 rolls so I didn't need to buy any. My stock of TP dwindled but I was able to restock when supplies returned.

I'd go to the store to replace what other stock items I could so in case things got really bad, my wife and I could shelter in place for 45 days or more.

[Amishman]

14. Definitely slacked off

Seeing family a lot more. No masks when with anyone who watches our son (he's just a squirt and can't keep a mask on or sit still in general). I figure if they have it, our boy will get it, and spread it to us.

Very burned out on this. I suspect once I have both shots it will be hard to bring myself to do any of it.

[womanofthehills]

15. No - I totally slacked off because studies show no need to

I just make sure I wash my hands when I come home from being out and don’t eat snacks in my car if my hands aren’t clean. I’m lucky to live out in the country during this time. Our zip code has only had one person who tested positive in the last 3 months and our whole county has zero to 2 or 3 cases daily - more days with zeros than not. Our NM gov got on the pandemic early so maybe that’s why all the small towns barely have any cases. Albuquerque schools just opened, but our town schools have been open for months.


“Coronavirus does not appear to spread through surfaces such as door handles or light switches, research has suggested. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, said ‘the surface issue has essentially gone away’. She added that any virus left on surfaces was not usually strong enough to make people ill.”

[Pobeka]

16. Nearly all protocols are based on the old (original) variant, so we haven't really changed.

That being said -- masking in public < 6' (or downwind), yep.

No gathering with anyone who's had known contact with another covid positive indvidual, yep.

As far as sanitizing -- late last fall we switched to wiping quickly with alcohol soaked paper towel for items we can -- the point at the time, being to reduce the possible viral load, not make it 100% sanitized.

Still wash hands when out, and returning from grocery shopping or handling items in a store.

Only 1/2 vaxxed, next shot due next week!

We are ready to travel by car to visit others who are fully vaxxed, and spend the night.

[dawg day]

18. I've slacked off some-- but...

Usually I get 3-4 colds a year-- bad ones.

None this year. Not a sniffle (well, allergic sniffles, yes).

So I decided the minor inconvenience is worth it.

I no longer sanitize my groceries or wear latex gloves to use the ATM, but I do keep wipes available to wipe things other people have touched, like the PIN pad on the ATM.

[Maru Kitteh]

19. I no longer worry much about surfaces as it is not evidence-based and

I have been fully vaccinated since Feb.

[littlemissmartypants]

21. I reduced my vigilance for a short time regarding fomites.

I have since reintroduced it as the occurrence of variants has altered our scientific understanding of the virus. So I'm currently full tilt obsessive about protecting myself, loved ones and the community at large to the best of my ability.

I am a retired health care provider. If you had seen and smelled the nasty, germy things that I have, you might be vigilant too.

My first vaccine appointment is Tuesday. I don't anticipate changing my response based on complete vaccination until at least 60 to 90 days after my last jab. I suspect that I will continue my vigilance past that.

Though I am doing all I can to help stop the spread and possible self infection, I don't trust other people in society to do the same. I don't believe that vaccination rates are anything close to herd immunity and don't think that they will be anytime soon. I am anticipating maintaining my high standards for at least another year.

I have an autoimmune disorder that greatly increases my risk for lymphoma. I don't particularly want to die any time soon. Though that notion is stronger on some days than others.

[ProfessorGAC]

23. Off A Bit

The more that came out about surface transmission being a far more unlikely event that we believed a year ago, cleaning every surface multiple times a day slacked.
I still wash hands, use hand sanitizer (but admittedly less often), and spray desks when I sub in school.
But, am I as diligent as a year ago? No.
Is it very lax & sloppy? Also, no.
And as of Wednesday, I'm at 2 weeks past my 2nd shot.
For me personally, doing what I did a year ago when so much has changed would feel paranoid or compulsive.
I'm not the paranoid or compulsive type.

[MissMillie]

24. Still make a big effort to just

stay away from people.

Hardly ever go anywhere. Don't very often see anyone other than the man I live with.

[CTyankee]

28. that sounds like me. I have a house cleaner every other week and she is masked and gloved.

She has been vaccinated as have hubby and me. I do food shopping every week. Hubby gets out Friday afternoons to have pizza and a beer with his friends. I have been to Boston to its Museum of Fine Arts showing of Monet works of art on loan. We were spaced in the gallery and its rooms are pretty big. I took the train back from Boston, sat in the back with no one next to me.

[tavernier]

25. I hand wash and use hand sanitizer as strictly as before.

But they’ve pretty much ascertained that it is spread by respiratory means. I cloroxed and Lysol sprayed everything until I quickly ran out. I do wipe down grocery cart handles and don’t touch door knobs.

[luvs2sing]

26. All we ever did was..

double mask when we’re around anyone, particularly in stores, social distance, use hand sanitizer as soon as we got in the car, and wash hands as soon as we got home.

We stopped going to stores and got grocery pickup or delivery for one stressful month. It was worthless because so much stuff wasn’t included that we still had to go in the store. So we’ve pretty much always gone to the grocery, but I hate going to the grocery in the best of times, so I have shopping down to a science, with my list coordinated to a map of the store. I’m like Supermarket Sweep in there.

I still use hand sanitizer as soon as I get in the car, before I take off my mask. I’ll probably always do this. I think it’s a good habit. I also wash my hands after I put away groceries. But we never did leave stuff outside or wipe everything down. We’re just too ADD to get that together.

We have continued to see friends and family outdoors, masked, and distanced throughout this time. Our friends are as careful as we are, so we’ve all felt safe, and no one has gotten sick. We’re lucky to have friends who have big yards and patios that made it easy to continue socializing.

Now that we and all our friends are fully vaxxed, we have gotten together with two other couples indoors without masks. I was nervous. The next get-together will be outdoors. I’m glad.

[Demovictory9]

32. I never adopted those habits either..leaving stuff outside

And wiping down.stuff

[spinbaby]

27. I'm not as OCD anymore

A year ago I was wiping down groceries. But the virus is now known to spread primarily through the air, so I’m a lot more relaxed about surfaces. Still sanitizing my hands, though, when I get in the car before removing my mask.

[Mad_Machine76]

30. I never was too obsessive about the wiping, bleach, etc.

I've always been good about washing my hands. Other than maintain those habits and maybe using a little more hand sanitizer. My wife and I never did much more than that and mask-wearing and social distancing. Fortunately, it seems like our precautions, immune systems, or something helped keep us from getting it.

[marmar]

35. I've always been a vigilant hand washer, but I've become a more thorough surface cleaner.

[LisaL]

36. Apparently, it's not easily transmitted through surfaces.

So obsessive cleaning doesn't really make sense under these circumstances.

[dsc]

38. I am vaccinated now

so I don't shower when I get home from work like I have been. I never really did the whole washing of items thing. I am more and more convinced that this is more of an issue of breathing and not surfaces.

[SYFROYH]

39. I don't use santizing wipes on my groceries anymore. Not needed they say.

And I don't sanitize surfaces as much as I used to.

Still wear masks daily and wash hands often.

[hunter]

40. I haven't been sick with anything for more than a year.

I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing even when this pandemic is declared done.

[OhioChick]

41. Still vigilent here....

They don't have refrigerated trucks outside of hospitals for no reason.