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CoViD-19 and Me

 Recently, I encountered a situation wherein I was exposed to a person who tested positive for CoViD-19 Omicron Variant...the version that is more highly contagious because of an extended incubation time, as well as reduced initial symptoms.  This was on campus at Grand Rapids Community College.  Part of the requirements here were to report to the college, then isolate while awaiting instruction from health officials at the college.

Meanwhile, I was at work in Allegan County while all this was going down.  I was receiving text messages and phone correspondence from GRCC.  Per Allegan County Health Department standards, which my employer followed, I was mandated (still am, TBH) to wear a mask while at work for 10 days after my exposure, but otherwise everything is as normal.

Because I've gotten both initial doses of the vaccine, as well as the booster, GRCC sent me a flow chart based on the Kent County Health Department, the State of Michigan, and the federal CDC.  Per these standards, I was required to get tested 5 days after my exposure.  If negative, I'm still supposed to wear a mask whenever I'm around any other people, I'm not supposed to remove my mask for eating or drinking, and I'm expected to double-mask or wear a well-fitting mask (meaning stuck to the face, which also means I shaved my beard and will have to shave until my waiting period is over).  This is expected to continue for 5 days after my negative test, then I can go back to a single-layer paper mask and grow my beard back out.

I've got conflicting data on what to do.  On the one hand, work and the ACHD say that I can get by with a smaller mask, but for a longer time.  On the other hand, school says I must self-isolate in a small capacity, and I must wear a better/thicker mask for a shorter time.

This is my own personal experience with an issue that's plagued the CoViD-19 response from the get-go:  There's no unified response!  If Trump had done anything to generate a cohesive response, he would have been re-elected.  Instead, he passed the buck to the states.  Here in Michigan, the state legislature hobbled the governor's ability to take any preventative action, which passed the buck on down to local or organizational level stuff.  President Biden tried to make it an organizational thing by putting disease controls under the purview of OSHA, but he got smacked down by Congress and the Supreme Court.

I'm just trying to do the best by the people around me.  I understand that I'm not perfect, but I've never stopped masking up, and I still have hand sanitizer in my car that I use every time I get in there.  From where I'm sitting, I'm confused as fuck as to why I have to follow two very different standards, and I feel like I could do so much better for my community if I had one standard to follow.

Wash your hands, wear your masks, and stay safe out there, readers.

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