Cozumel COVID-19 updates

[deepsea21]

So here's a COVID/DOCTOR story for all. I had my annual physical today (after being postponed for months due to COVID) with my General Practitioner who is in his early 60's and is the head of Hampton Roads based Sentara Healthcare's satellite GP office in Virginia Beach. We went through the regular banter and my issues that bother me from time to time but he assures me it just a part of getting older. Then we got to a brief discussion of travel and such. As it turns out, he was scheduled to be on a flight to Hawaii to see a family member 2 weeks from now (My Dr. is of Philippine ancestry and while he's lived his life in the states his parents still live in the Philippines and he has other family living in the Hawaiian islands) and he mentioned that he cancelled it due to the quarantine measures Hawaii has put in place for those flying from the mainland that requires all to quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival. I told him I had visited Hawaii earlier this year in February to visit friends and there was NO WAY I would get on a plane right now. He looked at me like I had 3 heads and said if you wear a mask, wash your hands, don't touch your face and practice 6' of social distancing when you are able that I have very little to worry about. He then asked me when the last time I visited a restaurant was and I told him back in March. He went on to say that he goes to restaurants all the time and is not concerned at all given the social distancing that is being enforced and the steps restaurant owners are taking. He then asked, "What would it take for you to return to a normal life and going out and traveling?" I responded "VACCINE!". He responded, "What if there is no reliable vaccine as even the flu vaccine is about 50% effective?". I responded that I'll wait for better treatments for those who are sick with COVID. He asked, "What if there are no better treatments... what are you going to do?". I said at that point I guess we all have our own decisions to make. I told him it took a great deal for me to even walk into his offices because this is where sick people come and he said you're safer here than about anywhere else. The bottom line is my Dr. sees people every day and I got the impression that he sees my level of paranoia to be obsessive and it is affecting how I live my life. Well, hell YES how I live my life has changed and I am obsessive about this. I told him I'll be the last American to catch this bug. However, at the same time I see his willingness to do whatever and go wherever while wearing masks and abiding by best practices as best he can equally crazy. So what did I learn from all of this today? Maybe my wife and I can strap on masks and make our annual trip back to Coz come December. I'm going to have to think about it quite a bit but if my Dr. was willing to get on a plane, shouldn't I be willing as well? Tough call for me still.

 

[BRT]

So here's a COVID/DOCTOR story for all. I had my annual physical today (after being postponed for months due to COVID) with my General Practitioner who is in his early 60's and is the head of Hampton Roads based Sentara Healthcare's satellite GP office in Virginia Beach. We went through the regular banter and my issues that bother me from time to time but he assures me it just a part of getting older. Then we got to a brief discussion of travel and such. As it turns out, he was scheduled to be on a flight to Hawaii to see a family member 2 weeks from now (My Dr. is of Philippine ancestry and while he's lived his life in the states his parents still live in the Philippines and he has other family living in the Hawaiian islands) and he mentioned that he cancelled it due to the quarantine measures Hawaii has put in place for those flying from the mainland that requires all to quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival. I told him I had visited Hawaii earlier this year in February to visit friends and there was NO WAY I would get on a plane right now. He looked at me like I had 3 heads and said if you wear a mask, wash your hands, don't touch your face and practice 6' of social distancing when you are able that I have very little to worry about. He then asked me when the last time I visited a restaurant was and I told him back in March. He went on to say that he goes to restaurants all the time and is not concerned at all given the social distancing that is being enforced and the steps restaurant owners are taking. He then asked, "What would it take for you to return to a normal life and going out and traveling?" I responded "VACCINE!". He responded, "What if there is no reliable vaccine as even the flu vaccine is about 50% effective?". I responded that I'll wait for better treatments for those who are sick with COVID. He asked, "What if there are no better treatments... what are you going to do?". I said at that point I guess we all have our own decisions to make. I told him it took a great deal for me to even walk into his offices because this is where sick people come and he said you're safer here than about anywhere else. The bottom line is my Dr. sees people every day and I got the impression that he sees my level of paranoia to be obsessive and it is affecting how I live my life. Well, hell YES how I live my life has changed and I am obsessive about this. I told him I'll be the last American to catch this bug. However, at the same time I see his willingness to do whatever and go wherever while wearing masks and abiding by best practices as best he can equally crazy. So what did I learn from all of this today? Maybe my wife and I can strap on masks and make our annual trip back to Coz come December. I'm going to have to think about it quite a bit but if my Dr. was willing to get on a plane, shouldn't I be willing as well? Tough call for me still.

Some of us have pretty much continued our lives through the whole thing. We went to Mexico the first week of June. Never been there in the summer before. Everything I do has some risk of death or disability. I try to manage that but there are no sure things.

 

[DandyDon]

Some of us have pretty much continued our lives through the whole thing.

I encounter those on every supply outing. I get upset with the non-maskers I encounter at the grocery and Walmart, have to ask some employees to mask-up before I will approach their registers, and had to deal with an unmasked postal clerk in my small farm town the other day.

 

[ChuckP]

So here's a COVID/DOCTOR story for all. I had my annual physical today (after being postponed for months due to COVID) with my General Practitioner who is in his early 60's and is the head of Hampton Roads based Sentara Healthcare's satellite GP office in Virginia Beach. We went through the regular banter and my issues that bother me from time to time but he assures me it just a part of getting older. Then we got to a brief discussion of travel and such. As it turns out, he was scheduled to be on a flight to Hawaii to see a family member 2 weeks from now (My Dr. is of Philippine ancestry and while he's lived his life in the states his parents still live in the Philippines and he has other family living in the Hawaiian islands) and he mentioned that he cancelled it due to the quarantine measures Hawaii has put in place for those flying from the mainland that requires all to quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival. I told him I had visited Hawaii earlier this year in February to visit friends and there was NO WAY I would get on a plane right now. He looked at me like I had 3 heads and said if you wear a mask, wash your hands, don't touch your face and practice 6' of social distancing when you are able that I have very little to worry about. He then asked me when the last time I visited a restaurant was and I told him back in March. He went on to say that he goes to restaurants all the time and is not concerned at all given the social distancing that is being enforced and the steps restaurant owners are taking. He then asked, "What would it take for you to return to a normal life and going out and traveling?" I responded "VACCINE!". He responded, "What if there is no reliable vaccine as even the flu vaccine is about 50% effective?". I responded that I'll wait for better treatments for those who are sick with COVID. He asked, "What if there are no better treatments... what are you going to do?". I said at that point I guess we all have our own decisions to make. I told him it took a great deal for me to even walk into his offices because this is where sick people come and he said you're safer here than about anywhere else. The bottom line is my Dr. sees people every day and I got the impression that he sees my level of paranoia to be obsessive and it is affecting how I live my life. Well, hell YES how I live my life has changed and I am obsessive about this. I told him I'll be the last American to catch this bug. However, at the same time I see his willingness to do whatever and go wherever while wearing masks and abiding by best practices as best he can equally crazy. So what did I learn from all of this today? Maybe my wife and I can strap on masks and make our annual trip back to Coz come December. I'm going to have to think about it quite a bit but if my Dr. was willing to get on a plane, shouldn't I be willing as well? Tough call for me still.

Book your trip, be aware of things, act in a reasonable manner - get your brain back on level ground, your health will thank you.

 

[ibj40]

I encounter those on every supply outing. I get upset with the non-maskers I encounter at the grocery and Walmart, have to ask some employees to mask-up before I will approach their registers, and had to deal with an unmasked postal clerk in my small farm town the other day.

My Walmart won't allow access without a mask, even though you still see the occasional 4th Amendment assholes with their mask down around their neck.

To avoid check out clerks, we self-check-out at Walmart, so that we can use our reusable bags and avoid contact.

My local post office (city has a population of less than 10,000) requires masks, and every one of the clerks is masked whenever I take something in there (which is on average twice a week).

 

[DandyDon]

My Walmart won't allow access without a mask, even though you still see the occasional 4th Amendment assholes with their mask down around their neck.

To avoid check out clerks, we self-check-out at Walmart, so that we can use our reusable bags and avoid contact.

My local post office (city has a population of less than 10,000) requires masks, and every one of the clerks is masked whenever I take something in there (which is on average twice a week).

I encountered a family of five non-maskers at Walmart the other day. I got verbal, then decided it didn't help. There are plenty of shoppers with noses out and chin masks - irritating. I use self check at Walmart but mostly go there for what I couldn't find at my favorite supermarket which has higher prices but includes better services. I'm shopping mostly for my brother's household of three, they don't care, and boy do they have picky tastes. If I encounter a Walmart or supermarket employee unmasked, I find a manager.

In my farm town of 2,000, so many don't care. I just try to avoid them as much as possible.

 

[flyboy08]

Book your trip, be aware of things, act in a reasonable manner - get your brain back on level ground, your health will thank you.

Add in a dive or two, some home made empanadas from Cerveceria Punta Sur along with some tequila and you’re all set!

 

[bertschb]

..He then asked, "What would it take for you to return to a normal life and going out and traveling?" I responded "VACCINE!". He responded, "What if there is no reliable vaccine as even the flu vaccine is about 50% effective?". I responded that I'll wait for better treatments for those who are sick with COVID. He asked, "What if there are no better treatments... what are you going to do?".

Your doctor sounds like a rational man. I wish more people would ask themselves these same questions your doctor asked you.

 

[Sallygirl]

Opinions, please, on diving equipment and covid. I am a vacation diver who does most of my diving in Cozumel. I have always rented equipment due to convenience. Without carrying dive equipment (except mask, fins and wetsuit) I need not check a bag. I am now considering purchasing dive equipment to avoid using a rental equipment, especially a regulator and mouthpiece that is used by many. Thoughts?

 

[flyboy08]

Opinions, please, on diving equipment and covid. I am a vacation diver who does most of my diving in Cozumel. I have always rented equipment due to convenience. Without carrying dive equipment (except mask, fins and wetsuit) I need not check a bag. I am now considering purchasing dive equipment to avoid using a rental equipment, especially a regulator and mouthpiece that is used by many. Thoughts?

By your own mouth piece and place it on the rental regulator.....but regs really dont cost all that much for piece of mind either and there is nothing like "your own" equipment.