I am seeing an interesting change of behavior in my neck of the woods

[drray23]

and its in southeastern Virginia near the border with North Carolina, not exactly a liberal stronghold to say the least.

The past two days there was a run on the testing kits at the local Walgreens and in most stores the majority of people were masking up. That did not use to be the case as recently as a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, Omicron and maybe Trump saying you should get vaccinated/boosted had an effect.

I hesitate to attribute that to the excellent speech president Biden delivered on the topic since as I mentioned above most people around here are of the let's go Brandon persuasion.

Maybe the densest amongst us are finally starting to get it..

[abqtommy]

1. Thanks for providing this glimmer of hope! nt

[barbtries]

2. i hope so.

i've been essentially cowering at home lately.

I'm in Durham NC. There was an article about stocking up on tests because the demand is so great. I like that.

[mopinko]

3. have a feeling their relatives are leaning on them.

no vax, no test, no turkey.

[NullTuples]

9. Given that at home tests only catch 80-85% of infections, for us it's vax or nothing

[Tetrachloride]

4. I get the feeling that some of my honorary family is blacklisted by my

blood relatives. Or just thoughtless and careless.

I am safe where I am.

[gibraltar72]

5. How ever most Republicans won't

acknowledge they have covid if they self test. They are too wedded to the lie.

[GoodRaisin]

6. I'm a little south of you in eastern NC and still seeing a lot of

maskless knuckleheads going inside stores. Hoping maybe what you are seeing will move our way.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. I've Seen An Uptick In Masks, Here

Still not impressively high, but more than a few weeks ago.
Maybe 3 in 4 instead of 3 in 5.

[Eyeball_Kid]

18. I've only ventured to grocery stores in the past week or so. No one is going unmasked.

But I live in northwestern Oregon. Different country, different culture. But I must say that about two weeks ago, I walked into an auto parts store. The folks behind the counter were intentionally maskless. And there's only one fitness chain here that insists on masking. It seems that there's some kind of macho "I don't need no stinkin' virus" attitude in those places-- a kind of defiance that no longer borders on crazy. It's smack dab in the middle of crazy.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. I Know The Type

I know one guy from the golf course that says he doesn't need the vaccine because he'll rely on his immune system.
I told him he obviously doesn't know how vaccines work, because getting one allows one to rely on their immune system!
You're spot on. It's a machismo thing. Lots of people who ended up intubated had the same attitude.
Oops!

[Skittles]

23. I am convinced

a lot of these macho types are afraid of needles

yes indeed

[ProfessorGAC]

24. Probably

But, this dude was army, enlisted, for 30 years. You'd think he'd have gotten used to it.
He's only a few steps left of Nazi, so anything the government suggests is evil.
He's a nut!

[Skittles]

25. OK I was in the military, and received many shots

I saw a few guys actually FAINT getting shots

[Ms. Toad]

8. I escaped from my confinement this afternoon -

About half of the people were wearing masks - which is at least double what I've been seeing recently.

[Aussie105]

10. Up yours!

This is directed at the lady behind me at the shop 5 days ago, maskless, did a loud cough, then giggled when I complained.
Yes, I as wearing my mask. And double vaccinated, booster in a week's time.

Been feeling unwell for the last few days, if you gave me the virus, lady, I will hunt you down and kill you!
If the virus doesn't get you first!

Another shop, 3 females behind the counter, all with noses out of their masks.
My parting shot - 3 behind the counter, none of you know how to wear a mask properly. Well done, ladies!

Of course, X-mas family get together 2 day's worth, some unvaccinated people will be there.
Wife is het up about X-mas, cancelling it is out of the question!

If the virus has a God, he is smiling right now.

Expect a post X-mas infection peak to show up in a week's time.

Humans are stoopid . . .

[electric_blue68]

12. Damn person! Hopefully ONLY a cold. Good luck to you and yours!

[jaxexpat]

11. In the Northeast corner (southernmost Florida) about 1 in 20 wear masks at the local diner.

Though, I think it's the drunken, liquid confidence one gets from '2 shots and a booster' that empowers locals to their deeds of reckless masklessulinity.

Oh, and while I'm thinking of it..............y'all have a Merry Christmas.

[Aussie105]

13. Not merry so much, but . . .

wishing all a virus free experience.

So, have a virus free Christmas, you and your nearest and dearest.

[tavernier]

14. I was just at Publix in Islamorada

And I swear I was the only one besides the staff wearing a mask even though the place was jampacked full. This came as a huge shock to me because a few weeks ago when I was there, almost every when was wearing a mask. I tend to think that a lot of these people are Christmas travelers and tourists because the locals have always been quite diligent with both mask wearing and distancing, as well as vaccines.

[jaxexpat]

15. You're probably right. It's my experience that Key people are sometimes unpredictable.

But they're generally not stupid.

[tavernier]

17. Small islands.

Our population could easily be wiped out in a pandemic.
That’s why we insisted on closing down our county when Covid first started and we didn’t yet know much about it. Pissed off DeSatan plenty and he made us pay for it “
later by severely limiting vaccination to all but his wealthy donors in Ocean Reef, but most Conchs agreed that we had to do that to keep from being swarmed by infected Miami residents.

[Joinfortmill]

16. 👍

[MiHale]

19. I guess I live in an outlier area...

I live in a very deeeepp (Say in a very low voice) red area of Michigan. In the little town of Hale I’d have to say on a normal day 70% of us mask up. Then the flatlanders come…all bets are off. Locals get stuff done during the week and hooe the citidots leave quickly.

Individuals that I know in town (which is too many) are not and will not get vaxxed, but they are respectful of OUR beliefs as I am for theirs. Agree? Fuck no! I depend on too many people in town to be nasty toward them. Our demographic is older folks, maybe that makes a difference.

[birdographer]

20. No such luck here in WNC

We were surprised at a large Ingles recently that almost no one was masked. No cashiers, baggers, stock people, and very, very few customers in the store. This is, however, a small town area of almost all R idiots. I would be surprised if even 10 Democrats live here. Counting us.

[niyad]

21. one can hope.