Why are Montgomery County residents so über covid conscious?

[Anonymous]

I am in MoCo and spend a lot of time in the district taking my child to/fro an independent school. I don't find the masking and vigilance to be any different in upper NW than I do all around MoCo. So, I don't think MoCo is any worse than DC?

[Anonymous]

These threads confuse me. I stopped wearing a mask once my vaccination kicked in, but do not care at all what anyone else does; especially since the second mandate is now over.

I don't care if maskers give me dirty looks, but I also don't care if they want to shower in their own masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I wear a mask it has nothing to do with politics or rules or “virtue signaling”. It has to do with my personal risk assessments, my understanding that decisions based on risks for a larger group ( like availability of hospitality beds) aren’t the same as decisions based on my personal well-being. I think this is a county with a lot of educated people making individual decisions that they believe will decrease their individual risks.

FWIW: It’s pretty galling to hear people that probably don’t share my exposure risks or my demographic risk profile, or even similar access to medical care dismissively talking about “virtue signaling”. If you live in a single family home, travel by private car, and have your groceries delivered, your daily —albeit unknown— risk of exposure to infections is exponentially lower than mine— albeit also unknown. My wearing a mask to walk between the elevator in my building to the now-quite-crowded Metro is one of the few things I can control. Oh, and my Vaccination is now hitting the 6 month mark, I’m not yet eligible for a booster, and we really have no idea yet just how protective which vaccines are for which people under which circumstances for how long.

tldr: Doing my best under difficult circumstances. Maybe I have a mask on outdoors because I’m in between two points where I’ll wear it indoors — and wearing women’s clothing lacking usable pockets.

DP, and I don’t think any of us previous posters referencing virtue-signaling are talking about the circumstances you describe. I’m certainly not. I’m talking about other families who do have all the privileges you list (single-family homes, private cars, etc.) who wear masks when walking alone around a neighborhood, or when interacting at a distance with other vaccinated adults outdoors. So, maybe you’re wearing a mask solely based on your personal risk, but I’ll be damned if I agree that’s the case for everyone in this county. They’re afraid that if they don’t wear a mask, people will think they support Trump, and are too craven to follow the science, rather than what some ignoramus thinks of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I wear a mask it has nothing to do with politics or rules or “virtue signaling”. It has to do with my personal risk assessments, my understanding that decisions based on risks for a larger group ( like availability of hospitality beds) aren’t the same as decisions based on my personal well-being. I think this is a county with a lot of educated people making individual decisions that they believe will decrease their individual risks.

FWIW: It’s pretty galling to hear people that probably don’t share my exposure risks or my demographic risk profile, or even similar access to medical care dismissively talking about “virtue signaling”. If you live in a single family home, travel by private car, and have your groceries delivered, your daily —albeit unknown— risk of exposure to infections is exponentially lower than mine— albeit also unknown. My wearing a mask to walk between the elevator in my building to the now-quite-crowded Metro is one of the few things I can control. Oh, and my Vaccination is now hitting the 6 month mark, I’m not yet eligible for a booster, and we really have no idea yet just how protective which vaccines are for which people under which circumstances for how long.

tldr: Doing my best under difficult circumstances. Maybe I have a mask on outdoors because I’m in between two points where I’ll wear it indoors — and wearing women’s clothing lacking usable pockets.

DP, and I don’t think any of us previous posters referencing virtue-signaling are talking about the circumstances you describe. I’m certainly not. I’m talking about other families who do have all the privileges you list (single-family homes, private cars, etc.) who wear masks when walking alone around a neighborhood, or when interacting at a distance with other vaccinated adults outdoors. So, maybe you’re wearing a mask solely based on your personal risk, but I’ll be damned if I agree that’s the case for everyone in this county. They’re afraid that if they don’t wear a mask, people will think they support Trump, and are too craven to follow the science, rather than what some ignoramus thinks of them.

It’s just bizarre to me that you are so convinced you can correctly psychoanalyzed strangers you see on the street and that you are so invested in your psychoanalysis. Really seems like the person who can’t think straight is you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I wear a mask it has nothing to do with politics or rules or “virtue signaling”. It has to do with my personal risk assessments, my understanding that decisions based on risks for a larger group ( like availability of hospitality beds) aren’t the same as decisions based on my personal well-being. I think this is a county with a lot of educated people making individual decisions that they believe will decrease their individual risks.

FWIW: It’s pretty galling to hear people that probably don’t share my exposure risks or my demographic risk profile, or even similar access to medical care dismissively talking about “virtue signaling”. If you live in a single family home, travel by private car, and have your groceries delivered, your daily —albeit unknown— risk of exposure to infections is exponentially lower than mine— albeit also unknown. My wearing a mask to walk between the elevator in my building to the now-quite-crowded Metro is one of the few things I can control. Oh, and my Vaccination is now hitting the 6 month mark, I’m not yet eligible for a booster, and we really have no idea yet just how protective which vaccines are for which people under which circumstances for how long.

tldr: Doing my best under difficult circumstances. Maybe I have a mask on outdoors because I’m in between two points where I’ll wear it indoors — and wearing women’s clothing lacking usable pockets.

DP, and I don’t think any of us previous posters referencing virtue-signaling are talking about the circumstances you describe. I’m certainly not. I’m talking about other families who do have all the privileges you list (single-family homes, private cars, etc.) who wear masks when walking alone around a neighborhood, or when interacting at a distance with other vaccinated adults outdoors. So, maybe you’re wearing a mask solely based on your personal risk, but I’ll be damned if I agree that’s the case for everyone in this county. They’re afraid that if they don’t wear a mask, people will think they support Trump, and are too craven to follow the science, rather than what some ignoramus thinks of them.

Agree, and same. I also don't "judge" people or think they're virtue signaling when they keep their mask on from the car to the grocery store, or whatever.

But come on. You haven't seen hyper vigilant affluent moms in Bethesda wearing k95s at the playground when there are one or two other families there? Or around outdoor bbqs?

Regardless, to another PP's point, I don't really care if people mask. I'm certainly not sneering at them. I am answering the OP's original question, though, which is why covid-consciousness is so high in MoCo (only hypothesizing, of course). Masking aside, my friends in MoCo (TkPk) looked at me like I had 2 heads when I said I took my under-12s to the movies. Same friend said she wasn't planning on eating indoors in a restaurant until summer 2023. Seriously. She's been vaccinated for some time, has a healthy 6 year old, and no other particularly risky characteristics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I wear a mask it has nothing to do with politics or rules or “virtue signaling”. It has to do with my personal risk assessments, my understanding that decisions based on risks for a larger group ( like availability of hospitality beds) aren’t the same as decisions based on my personal well-being. I think this is a county with a lot of educated people making individual decisions that they believe will decrease their individual risks.

FWIW: It’s pretty galling to hear people that probably don’t share my exposure risks or my demographic risk profile, or even similar access to medical care dismissively talking about “virtue signaling”. If you live in a single family home, travel by private car, and have your groceries delivered, your daily —albeit unknown— risk of exposure to infections is exponentially lower than mine— albeit also unknown. My wearing a mask to walk between the elevator in my building to the now-quite-crowded Metro is one of the few things I can control. Oh, and my Vaccination is now hitting the 6 month mark, I’m not yet eligible for a booster, and we really have no idea yet just how protective which vaccines are for which people under which circumstances for how long.

tldr: Doing my best under difficult circumstances. Maybe I have a mask on outdoors because I’m in between two points where I’ll wear it indoors — and wearing women’s clothing lacking usable pockets.

DP, and I don’t think any of us previous posters referencing virtue-signaling are talking about the circumstances you describe. I’m certainly not. I’m talking about other families who do have all the privileges you list (single-family homes, private cars, etc.) who wear masks when walking alone around a neighborhood, or when interacting at a distance with other vaccinated adults outdoors. So, maybe you’re wearing a mask solely based on your personal risk, but I’ll be damned if I agree that’s the case for everyone in this county. They’re afraid that if they don’t wear a mask, people will think they support Trump, and are too craven to follow the science, rather than what some ignoramus thinks of them.

It’s just bizarre to me that you are so convinced you can correctly psychoanalyzed strangers you see on the street and that you are so invested in your psychoanalysis. Really seems like the person who can’t think straight is you

Ok then. You can go feel that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t entirely a bad thing. I think it’s awesome that MoCo has such a high Vax rate and I still think masks make sense in some indoor settings.

This also isn’t about the politics or the government. It is one factor, but other than the things County Executive Elrich (who I generally like) is saying, but random people I see and people I know.

I still see a ton of people wearing masks outdoors, even alone. Im involved with some organizations that still aren’t comfortable having in-person meetings. Not because they think Zoom is just more convenient…. they have literally said they’re afraid because of Covid. I have friends who put masks on outdoors when there are, in their opinion, too many people around, who wear N95s to go over friends houses, and even people who won’t go to parties or moderately sized public events. The Thanksgiving parade is finally confirmed to happen, and they are requiring masks. A handful of other outdoor events were still canceled. People seem to be really fixated on breakthrough cases and variants.

These aren’t even older, high risk people. These are friends of mine in their 30s with no significant health issues and are fully vaccinated.

When I leave the area - elsewhere in the US or even locally, in PG or even DC - it is still not so extreme, especially with the Zooming and masking. What is it specifically about MoCo that makes so many people OBSESSED with continuing Covid restrictions?

DC lost a grandparent. Multiple neighbors of mine got sick and died. Some of my students lost parents. Covid isn’t just the news for me.

Neither are health comorbidities.

[Anonymous]

I live in SS and don't get it. Dh and i did a risk assessment for our family based on our ages and health and kids and exposure locations. And its just not a huge concern anymore. I don't mask outside and think the halloween parades with kids in costumes and masks outside was way overcautious and unnecessary. We don't intend to do a lot of indoor dining but dh goes to the gym early in the am and i go stores and work not from home etc.

[Anonymous]

Pp again. And yes i know people who died but that was before vaccinations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surprise, surprise! most people who are responding sound like Trumpists. I swear this board has been invaded by a lot of Trumpists that don't live in the DMV when the VA campaigns started.

What are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

I'm still wearing a mask around so that my kids do. One isn't vaccinated yet. I guess we'll stop soon!

I do really like that things like colds are minimized, though. Harder to get germs if your mouth and nose are covered!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surprise, surprise! most people who are responding sound like Trumpists. I swear this board has been invaded by a lot of Trumpists that don't live in the DMV when the VA campaigns started.

What are you talking about?

^PP is a high anxiety person who will wear masks forever.

I loathe Trump, down to every fiber and cell, but masking outdoors, especially when it's not crowded is not based on science.

I've said it before.. people here are uber conservative about covid because of fear. Some of it could be that they are high anxiety people in general; risk averse; careful about everything.

Maybe some read too many stories about people dying of covid, a bit like conspiracy theorists who go down a rabbit hole. I still see some people shopping with plastic gloves.

I am fully vaxxed, fwiw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Surprise, surprise! most people who are responding sound like Trumpists. I swear this board has been invaded by a lot of Trumpists that don't live in the DMV when the VA campaigns started.

What are you talking about?

^PP is a high anxiety person who will wear masks forever.

I loathe Trump, down to every fiber and cell, but masking outdoors, especially when it's not crowded is not based on science.

I've said it before.. people here are uber conservative about covid because of fear. Some of it could be that they are high anxiety people in general; risk averse; careful about everything.

Maybe some read too many stories about people dying of covid, a bit like conspiracy theorists who go down a rabbit hole. I still see some people shopping with plastic gloves.

I am fully vaxxed, fwiw.

Then how do you explain Maryland drivers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I wear a mask it has nothing to do with politics or rules or “virtue signaling”. It has to do with my personal risk assessments, my understanding that decisions based on risks for a larger group ( like availability of hospitality beds) aren’t the same as decisions based on my personal well-being. I think this is a county with a lot of educated people making individual decisions that they believe will decrease their individual risks.

FWIW: It’s pretty galling to hear people that probably don’t share my exposure risks or my demographic risk profile, or even similar access to medical care dismissively talking about “virtue signaling”. If you live in a single family home, travel by private car, and have your groceries delivered, your daily —albeit unknown— risk of exposure to infections is exponentially lower than mine— albeit also unknown. My wearing a mask to walk between the elevator in my building to the now-quite-crowded Metro is one of the few things I can control. Oh, and my Vaccination is now hitting the 6 month mark, I’m not yet eligible for a booster, and we really have no idea yet just how protective which vaccines are for which people under which circumstances for how long.

tldr: Doing my best under difficult circumstances. Maybe I have a mask on outdoors because I’m in between two points where I’ll wear it indoors — and wearing women’s clothing lacking usable pockets.

DP, and I don’t think any of us previous posters referencing virtue-signaling are talking about the circumstances you describe. I’m certainly not. I’m talking about other families who do have all the privileges you list (single-family homes, private cars, etc.) who wear masks when walking alone around a neighborhood, or when interacting at a distance with other vaccinated adults outdoors. So, maybe you’re wearing a mask solely based on your personal risk, but I’ll be damned if I agree that’s the case for everyone in this county. They’re afraid that if they don’t wear a mask, people will think they support Trump, and are too craven to follow the science, rather than what some ignoramus thinks of them.

It’s just bizarre to me that you are so convinced you can correctly psychoanalyzed strangers you see on the street and that you are so invested in your psychoanalysis. Really seems like the person who can’t think straight is you

I’m not talking about strangers, I’m talking about neighbors. Parents of my kids’ friends. People I know. It’s bizarre to me that you don’t get the distinction.

Also: learn to use the term psychoanalysis correctly. I’m making assumptions, not “psychoanalyzing” anyone.

[Anonymous]

I think generally, very liberal areas tend to think of the collective, whereas the red areas are much more about the individual, and "I do what I like as long as it's not illegal".. "don't tread on me".

That's also why very liberal areas tend to have higher tax rates, higher minimum wage, more social welfare, do more things for the poor.

It's a collective mindset vs individual mindset.