My boss and two co-workers went to a conference in Jacksonville FL last week. Guess what?

[zuul]

Two of them were vaccinated a few months ago and both have COVID now. Relatively mild cases so far. Another guy went, but he already had COVID in January and didn't get sick last week. Of course, no one was wearing masks or social distancing. Lots of alcohol at these conferences.

Why would anyone go to a conference in Florida right now?

I've been working from home since March of 2020, thank Dog! I haven't laid eyes on any of my colleagues since then so I'm safe.

[samnsara]

1. Ive basically become a cave dweller..fully vaxxed and only venture out for medical..

..appts and an occasional meal. Hubby took me to breakfast sunday and since it was early only a cpl places open. One was the local Buzz Inn ( which I love)..a big ol sign on the door saying they are closed on Tuesdays due to the 'free unemployment' keeping people from working. We almost turned around and went somewhere else but i really needed one of their Bloody Marys. NO ONE was masked in there except the server. he was a cutie. We wore ours in, took it off to eat and back on again.

So they are obviously underpaying their staff ( Mc Donalds next door STARTS at 16$ an hr)....and not taking the virus seriously enough for us to go back.

[mountain grammy]

13. I understand the need for the Bloody Mary

[cojoel]

2. sad but sadly have to say

[Treefrog]

3. Curious. Did they fly?

[zuul]

7. One of them lives in Tampa so he drove.

The other two live in New Orleans, so yes, they flew.

[LisaL]

4. I guessed as soon as I saw your title.

They got covid. Florida is a covid incubator right now.

[wyn borkins]

5. "F" Word

Throughout the rule of DeSatan, I refrain from using that "F" word.

[leftyladyfrommo]

41. I quit using it after it got so popular. Wasn't fun any more. nt

[wyn borkins]

50. Not To Be Misunderstood

The "F" word I was referring to was Florida, not that other "F" word.

[Person of Interest]

42. "DeSatan". I am stealing that!!

Various DUers have written several humorous quips that are as funny as can be. We all need a moment of levity during these trying times.

[Omnipresent]

6. Unfortunately, I'm in south Florida now.

I hope I don’t die here.

[lagomorph777]

8. Conference? In Floriduh? NO THANKS!

I'm "fully" vaccinated, but would definitely not fly, would not fly to Floriduh, would not fly to Floriduh and go into a crowded event, would not fly to Floriduh and go into a crowded event, and booze it up.

I'm still masking, wearing a face shield, and hiding as much as possible.

[zuul]

9. I'm with you!

[YoshidaYui]

10. I got the Johnson and Johnson shot

But I still will be masking up and social distancing.

[roamer65]

19. See your doctor about boosting with Pfizer or Moderna.

Worth asking, IMO

[YoshidaYui]

20. Since I am already in the hospital

I asked my doctor about getting a second shot or booster and they replied that there’s no research out on it yet and to cool my jets.

[roamer65]

22. Was worth a shot.

[YoshidaYui]

25. Punny

I see what you did there

[roamer65]

28. Actually by mistake.

Sorry.



Stumbled right into that one.

[calimary]

30. Good, though!

[roamer65]

32. ...

Hope you feel better soon!

[Pinback]

36. That was vial.

[calimary]

40. BOOM!

This is starting to needle me…

[barbtries]

44. i'm flying to LA next month

and considered asking my dr for a booster before I go, but I'm sure I'll get the same response.
Maybe I will anyway, nothing ventured nothing gained.
I'm literally scared but i have to go. It's been 1 1/2 years since I've been home. I'm not gonna live forever anyway and I need to see my son and grandchildren and visit my daughter's grave. I will be as cautious as i can but this delta variant...I could get it.

[YoshidaYui]

45. Well, you got the first shot

Just mask up and social distance and you should be OK.

[barbtries]

46. I am fully vaccinated.

The last 2 times I got sick with a URI i got sick in CA, or possibly while traveling there.

how you doing?

[YoshidaYui]

47. I'm ready to leave the hospital but the doctors are being

Cautious. Maybe tomorrow I’ll get to go home. I’m getting tired of this shit.

[barbtries]

49. i hope they let you out!

[kirkuchiyo]

11. I've got a conference in Houston in August.

And I have to fly there. Not looking forward to it. Though at least I'm vaxxed, unlike my boss who I am going with.

[DENVERPOPS]

12. Given the political assholes the inhabitants

repeatedly keep electing, who would want to go to Florida EVER for ANYTHING ???????????

I, for one, can hardly wait for all the icebergs/glaciers to melt, raising the ocean's water level a couple of feet...........

[A HERETIC I AM]

34. Thanks very much

While sea level rise is inevitable, it’s always heartwarming to read a fellow DU’er wish ill on the entirety of my state.

Thanks. From the bottom of my “FloriDUH” heart (quoting a post above yours)

A HERETIC I AM. Proud owner of a home 12’ above sea level.

[bedazzled]

14. might as well have your conference in hell

instead of florida in summer. guess hell is more expensive. great destination if you want covid though

[Joinfortmill]

15. 👍

[Mickju]

16. My idiot Niece and her husband and 2 children are going to Florida.

They are going on vacation for a week just before school starts. She and her husband are vaccinated but the children, eleven and thirteen, are not. They are super conservative fundamentalist christians. They also have just taken the 13 year old to camp for a week. I am horrified.

[LisaL]

21. Florida is exploding in cases right now.

What are they thinking?

[sarchasm]

26. hope it isn't near Jacksonville...

...which seems to be a particularly virulent at the moment, although it's pretty bad everywhere in Florida.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/florida

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/florida-covid-cases.html

[Mickju]

48. Seaside on the Gulf coast, in the panhandle

[Jon King]

17. We love living in Florida.....

Stop, we are vaccinated and toss on a mask when we have to be in an unknown group. Its not a big deal. One could go to a conference here and be just fine if they wore a mask when needed.

Geez, some of the posts here boggle the mind with their negativity and writing off an entire state. Its a huge state with all sorts of people. Sadly the hateful retirees and rurals and Miami Cuban males are a large enough voting block to keep it in Repug hands.

But for those of us who are outdoor people, love the beach, love to hike, love tennis, its paradise. Most of our neighbors are tech people, lots from India, so many tech centers springing up. Orlando's Puerto Rican population is growing fast and are mostly Dem voters.

News flash....some of us despise even the thought of cold weather and think places like New England or Colorado are hell on earth. You could not drag us out of Florida with a team of mules.

[LisaL]

23. Huge state with all sorts of people and

exploding in covid cases right now. Florida had 10,000 per day last week and I believe it's going to be worse this week.

[Tadpole Raisin]

18. Florida the sunshine state soon

will be Florida the COVID capital of the USA and
Well wait for the screaming as more insurers pull out of there they will be the under water state maybe before Louisiana. Don’t know if I will be alive to see that but I’ll still be around to here the complaints as living there becomes too expensive w/o insurance.

[sarchasm]

24. Gary Mule Deer ... ha!

"A dyslexic atheist. 'There is no Dog!'" ... one of the few one-liners of his I remember when he opened for a singer I used to work for many years ago in Vegas.

[calimary]

33. Loved him!

That sure takes me back. Moondog and Mule Deer…

[moose65]

27. Whew

There is no amount of money that anyone could pay me to visit Florida right now. First of all, it is so oppressively hot and humid there, and I can't stand that. Second, it is the Covid capital of the country. Third, the prospect of driving on 95 gives me the shakes.

NO THANKS!!

[IronLionZion]

31. Interesting how the unvaxxed dude didn't get COVID

or didn't get tested. Natural immunity is supposedly not as strong as vaccinated immunity.

[zuul]

35. It is odd. I wonder if they participated in different events.

The guy who already got COVID is in his late twenties. One of the two men who did get COVID last week is his dad. The dad is in his 60s and the other guy who got COVID is about 70.

I suspect that the 2 older men networked with a lot of different people. The younger guy is a slacker and the boss's kid, so he was probably goofing off the entire week. I think they offer golf and boating events at this conference, so he probably found things to do outside while the grown-ups worked.

But father and son flew home together on the same flight and probably sat next to each other. Jeez, I wonder if you're required to report that you have COVID to the airline? No telling how many people he came into contact with on the return trip.

[LisaL]

38. People in their twenties are expected to have stronger immunity than people in their

sixties or seventies.

[LisaL]

37. Natural immunity is not as strong on average.

It can vary a lot from person to person.

[StClone]

39. Sounds familiar!

On day seven absolutely no sense of smell and my eyes are grotesquely bloodshot-nurse told me this is not uncommon. Feel better though, sweat easily, and have less cough, headache, and sneezing.

Mask up-my experience https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215657618

[Ferrets are Cool]

43. Getting the vaccine gives some a sense of security.

IMO, it is somewhat unfounded. You can "still" get Covid. It just should not be as severe. Wearing a mask is NOT that difficult or ostracizing. I count it as a badge of intelligence.