Mother’s Day 2021 is Sunday, May 9.
The 2021 Best Mother’s Day gift is also the most important. If you add up the days, minutes or hours that we grandparents lost with our grandchildren this year due to the pandemic, COVID-19, it would take more than just one day to make up for what we missed. I guess nothing could ever compensate for that because what we missed was unique to each of our unique grandchildren, their growth and development, and interests and activities. That which was lost can never be replaced.
But enough of what we lost. We VGs (vaccinated grandparents) have guidelines of what we can safely do to celebrate now. We can choose to follow the guidelines or not, determine the level of risk and weight the dangers of our behavior.
Here they are:
TIME MAGAZINE
“My Family Wants to Visit This Summer. Is Travel Safe Yet?” is the inquiry on Welcome to COVID Questions, TIME’s advice column, by Jamie Ducharme, April 14, 2021. “We’re trying to make living through the pandemic a little easier, with expert-backed answers to your toughest coronavirus-related dilemmas. While we can’t and don’t offer medical advice—those questions should go to your doctor—we hope this column will help you sort through this stressful and confusing time.”
Their advice: “Since no vaccine is 100% perfect, you should only visit with low-risk unvaccinated people—i.e., those who do not have medical conditions or other factors that would increase their chances of having a severe case of COVID-19 if they somehow did get infected. And you should only visit with one household of unvaccinated people at a time; your vaccination status wouldn’t make it any safer for a bunch of unvaccinated people to spend time together inside and unmasked. . . .”
“. . . .Flying would certainly be safer for you and your husband than for your unvaccinated family. Earlier this month, the CDC said fully vaccinated people can travel “at low risk to themselves,” and do not need to quarantine or get a negative test before or after a domestic flight.”
CDC GUIDANCE
The CDC has further advice regarding vaccinated people visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household that does not have individuals at risk of severe COVID-19.
If the unvaccinated people are from a single household that does not have individuals at risk of severe COVID-19, they can visit with fully vaccinated people indoors, without anyone wearing masks, with a low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. For example, fully vaccinated grandparents can visit indoors with their unvaccinated healthy daughter and her healthy children without wearing masks or physical distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19.
How wonderful!
And to get to our grandchildren, if we must travel we have further CDC travel guidelines on how to travel since people who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States:
During Travel
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth. Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you.
Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
After Travel
Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements.
Important CDC Note:
If you have a condition or are taking medication that weakens your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.
What makes activities safer if we are out in public with our families:
Activities are safer if You can maintain at least 6 feet of space between you and others. COVID-19 spreads easier between people who are within 6 feet of each other. If they are held in outdoor spaces: Indoor spaces with less ventilation where it might be harder to keep people apart are more risky. Interacting without wearing masks also increases your risk.
This Grandma cannot see her grandchildren in person on Mother’s Day as they live in three different states, none in Florida. So, the next best thing is FaceTime or Zoom. We grandparents should plan a social media visit if we cannot visit in person. Depending on the ages and activities of the grandchildren, a planned Mother’s Day visit can be as short as a hello to as long as eating a meal together on Zoom.
Mother’s Day 2021 will be cause for celebration, as our children, and even some of our older grandchildren may also be vaccinated. There is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. The precautions and risks may soon lessen even more, and hopefully we can resume a new normal life.
This year, more than ever, contact is the best Mother’s Day gift.
For those of you looking for tangible gifts, put “Mother’s Day” in the “search the site” feature for archives with many suggestions for so many previous Mother’s Days or see the previous posts below for ideas:
Happy Mother’s Day!
Joy,
Mema
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