Holiday Travel and Mandatory Quarantining?

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Is anyone requiring families/staff to quarantine after travel? 

Specializes in school nurse.
42 minutes ago, mandm97 said:

CT is the same as Mass.  It will be very interesting as I'm sure travel will increase around the holidays

Because nothing says I love you like long-distance family visits during a pandemic...

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No travel restrictions in Texas so our district is not requiring any quarantine time for those that travel. 

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health.

No travel restrictions in Oklahoma. 

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37 minutes ago, Jedrnurse said:

Because nothing says I love you like long-distance family visits during a pandemic...

It's such a shame that I won't be able to participate in my husband's divorced parents' holiday charades this year.  

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On 10/28/2020 at 9:04 AM, JenTheSchoolRN said:

So my husband and I are planning our own Thanksgiving with our cats and dog. 

Even pre-Covid we stopped traveling or hosting for the holidays and have been spending it just us and our two kids and pets the past few years and it has been SO nice. Zero stress.  Huge weight lifted without the pressure to clean the house, pack up the car, cook to impress, etc., etc.  Really really nice.  I am wondering how many people who decide to be safe and stay put realize how nice it is to not have to host or go anywhere.  I 100% feel for people who as a result may be alone and feel sad and I am not trying to make light of how hard that might be for many.

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On 10/28/2020 at 6:16 AM, SchoolNurseK said:

I am a little jealous that your states/counties have actual rules.  We are in Florida and it is pretty much whatever here.  Ugh....

Ahhhhhh @SchoolNurseK, I'm right there with you (here in AZ). 

Rules?  Our governor was only persuaded to stop BANNING mask requirements when the hospitals filled up.  We still don't have statewide mask mandates, but he finally stepped out of the way and let the cities and counties set up their own rules.

Post-travel quarantines!  Ha!  In my dreams.  

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Specializes in School nursing.
On 10/30/2020 at 4:26 PM, MHDNURSE said:

Even pre-Covid we stopped traveling or hosting for the holidays and have been spending it just us and our two kids and pets the past few years and it has been SO nice. Zero stress.  Huge weight lifted without the pressure to clean the house, pack up the car, cook to impress, etc., etc.  Really really nice.  I am wondering how many people who decide to be safe and stay put realize how nice it is to not have to host or go anywhere.  I 100% feel for people who as a result may be alone and feel sad and I am not trying to make light of how hard that might be for many.

See, we don't have kids and when one doesn't have kids, it is expected that we will we be the ones to travel, etc, because we have "no excuse." Now, I love my family to pieces and not seeing them due to COVID just stinks, but that "no excuse" line can get tired, especially because my husband is a church musician and actually works all these holidays as well (I was often driving while he slept to make just in time for the holiday well the day of). 

Folks, just be safe. Everyone's risk level is different and everyone's risk meter is filled in different ways. Perhaps your extended family is part of your bubble and you all do your part with social distancing, masking, hand washing so you can have this time together. Great. But I also know that for every family taking the time to do that, they are families that aren't. And those are the ones I'm worried about.

But loneliness is a real, real thing. I'm thinking a lot about how to connect with my single living alone friends that aren't traveling this year. 

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2 hours ago, JenTheSchoolRN said:

But loneliness is a real, real thing. I'm thinking a lot about how to connect with my single living alone friends that aren't traveling this year. 

Just an idea--we've done a few "family game nights" with our family who we can't travel to see and with friends.  We have this game called JackBox that you can screen share and everyone uses their phone to play. It's trivia, Cards Against Humanity style games, funny fill-in-the-blank stuff.  We had a good time.  Not the same as getting together but beats sitting alone bored or just staring at each other.

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Specializes in Community health.
On 10/30/2020 at 2:10 PM, mandm97 said:

CT is the same as Mass.  It will be very interesting as I'm sure travel will increase around the holidays

I’m in CT too. We are traveling the whole circuit— Alabama and Florida in December. My child (the only grandchild on BOTH sides) has not been seen by his grandparents since February, when up until this year, we have seen both sets about once every twelve weeks for his entire life.

Quote— Everyone's risk level is different and everyone's risk meter is filled in different ways

This is what I came here to say. All four grandparents have been pretty cautious. They forewent visits in April, and in July, and in September. But it is Christmas, and there are only so many Zoom reunions you can have. All four grandparents have now said, Okay, we are ready for you to get on a plane and hug us. Is is risk-free?  No it isn’t. They are elderly. But as above, loneliness is real and sometimes it is devastating. 
 

Connecticut requires testing and/or quarantining (there’s been talk about removing the testing exemption because of the concerns above) and we will follow the mandates. My husband works remotely. I do not, but if I end up having to quarantine and miss two weeks of work, so be it. 

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Specializes in kids.
3 hours ago, JenTheSchoolRN said:

 

But loneliness is a real, real thing. I'm thinking a lot about how to connect with my single living alone friends that aren't traveling this year. 

This ^^^^  Spent my milestone bday at home yesterday....nowhere to go, don't want to eat outside in 35 degree wet weather...Seriously, think I'll be alone for Thanksgiving as my siblings are having bigger gatherings...no thanks. Christmas won't be as bad, everyone will be glad to stay home!! I'll go to my sisters and it will just be the 6 of us (me + them).

 

Your single friends will appreciate it, even if they choose to stay home, knowing someone is thinking about it really helps.

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