It’s certainly been an interesting summer, with so many familiar activities - from theater and music in the Berkshires to fun at Six Flags to hometown concerts and area car shows - not to mention family gatherings - all put on hold by the safety precautions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Everything - from a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy to a visit with your physician or specialist has been transformed, takes longer, and involves some form of personal protective equipment.
Our family’s summer’s entertainment has consisted of swims in my mother’s pool, an occasional takeout meal from a favorite restaurant (I still won’t eat out, even on a patio) one game of mini golf at a very uncrowded course, and one stop for soft ice cream - where we could unmask and eat far away from other patrons. Both my 20-year-old son and my 64-year-old husband were due to graduate from local community colleges in May. Out of necessity those graduations have become virtual for this year, the in-person part postponed until next year.
My son’s virtual ceremony was a bit underwhelming (though he did get a nice box of college logo swag); my husband’s is due to take place after we go to press.
After waiting 30 years to go back to finish his degree, and spending five years taking night and summer courses, I hope his virtual ceremony is a bit more, well, ceremonious.
But perhaps I’m asking too much from a year where nothing is - or will be - the norm. For example, when my son recently started dating a very nice girl (something parents usually rejoice over) we agreed he had to mask up and social distance in the house - and if he visited my mother - until we could all get COVID-19 tests. Even with a negative result for him, her and us, we’re still cautious. We distance a bit, I disinfect surfaces in our home religiously every day, and I open the windows whenever possible to change the air in the house. As Maggie Eboso, Infection Prevention and Control coordinator for Mercy Medical Center and one of the experts I consulted for this month’s feature story on staying healthy and safe this fall said to me, you can’t be too careful right now.
Without a reliable form of treatment, or a protective vaccine, being careful and thinking out of the box seem to be the best protections against COVID-19 as we all move back indoors this fall. To help, this month’s Prime has additional advice from several experts - including Laurie Cassidy, executive director of the West Springfield Senior Center, and alternative medicine columnist Jonathan Evans - to help us all make the best of the coming months.
May you all stay healthy and well, and as always, thanks for reading.
Debbie Gardner
debbieg@thereminder.com
