My first reaction to the pandemic in early March 2020 was to place my family in a hard shutdown. I supported school shutdowns, masking, and limited social interactions. But as soon as we got vaccinated, we returned to stores and bars and everything, within state regulations and guidelines. I believed that once teachers got vaccinated, schools should have opened, and that government should have placed priority on opening schools over bars and restaurants.

While the chances of getting Omnicron after being triple vaxxed are slim, the odds are not zero. And I’m going to have a house of 16 people on Friday, with some oldies in the bunch. So, I’m reinstating some early COVID rules. I have a cold? allergies? so I’m going to get a test this afternoon to rule out the virus. Even though Jonah has a final on the 23rd, I making him come home today. I am cancelling Ian’s optional, after-school activities. Steve isn’t going into the city for work.

And two people just pulled out of Christmas Eve dinner, so now I’m making dinner for 14.

I would like to celebrate the holidays with my family with as little stress as possible. If I’m worried about killing my mom, it will be a damper on festivities.

My new approach is conservative caution. I’m quite sure that we will all the virus at some point, but I want to push back that eventuality until after the holidays.

What is your family policy?