As an immunocompromised & disabled person, the novel Coronavirus and many other infectious diseases threaten my ability to do so many things safely. I’ve joined my local Mask Bloc and spend a lot of my free time learning more about community care through COVID-Cautious behavior. It’s 2024, Covid is still killing thousands every week and our government doesn’t care.
In building community and bridging the gap between public health & personality responsibility, I’ve tried to compile some resources for those who are still Coviding. Still Coviding means that you are still wearing a high-quality respirator in shared spaces, that you are dedicated to clean air and preventable disease prevention, and that you are focused on eliminating genocide at home and abroad.
This Summer, I traveled with friends to a concert in Phoenix, Arizona, and had friends travel in from out of town to visit me for a concert. I’m a live music junkie and still try to attend as many outdoor concerts as I can–especially at the world-famous Red Rocks.
I created a guide for my friends that helped keep us all safe. If you have an immunocompromised loved one and are considering a visit, these are some great guidelines to get you started–these are also great to send to folks with a kit like I talk about within the letter if you’ve got folks who want to visit you.
Friends,
I realize our COVID mitigation practices are different. Normally, I don’t insert myself into how you choose to operate in the pandemic. However, because you’ll be staying with me and your choices and mitigation will greatly affect me, I need you to observe these practices for AT LEAST five days prior to your travel to keep me alive. This is not the time to virtue signal or tell me about what you’ve been doing—that does not keep me alive.
- Above all, be honest about your contact.
- Mask using an n95 in all areas of mixed company. COVID does not care about vibes or that everyone there really cares about disabled people. It requires you mask.
- Masking precautions need to extend to your entire household and everyone you have unmasked contact with for the five days prior to our travel including children. If your household cannot or won’t mask, you need to mask indoors with them for five days prior at minimum.
- Do not dine out AT ALL or eat indoors with people for five days prior to travel.
- Do not remove your mask to eat or drink indoors, even for a minute. A sip port can be used to drink at work or on flights. Eat your lunch outdoors or in your car during work days.
- Wash hands for at least 30 seconds
- Test using rapid antigen tests 3 times in the 48 hours prior to travel. All three rapid antigen tests must be negative. Make sure to swab throat and nose in testing and follow all instructions. A photo of your tests with the date/time taken would be appreciated.
- Continue to test at least once a day during travel.
- Use nasal sprays in addition to masking such as Xlear, Covixyl, or Enovid.
- Use CPC mouthwash in addition to masking. (https://www.target.com/p/crest-pro-health-advanced-alcohol-free-extra-deep-clean-mouthwash-fresh-mint-1-l/-/A-18787356 is a good option)
- Continue to mask during our travel in all areas and use Sip port.
- If I give you a reminder or ask that you do something for Covid mitigation, know that I’m doing it for survival. My survival does not care about your feelings being hurt for being asked to do something that reduces risk. This will not be risk-free but I am the expert on making it less risky and have done a ridiculous amount of work and research to make this as low risk as I possibly can. If you make this about you or give me any attitude about mitigation, it’s friendship-ending and potentially life-ending for me. I need your cooperation and focus to keep me alive.
- Things I’ve got for you:
- 3 covid tests per person. Please take 3 before you travel and send a picture with the date and time of your test. I’ll have more tests here and if you have any that aren’t expired, please bring those as well!
- Variety of masks: please primarily use the N95s indoors. The KN is for outdoors.
- Sip valve & straws. Instructions on how to install are on the packaging.
- Things for you to get:
- Nasal spray (linked below)
- Covixyl: https://www.target.com/p/covixyl-nasal-spray-0-676-fl-oz-6ct/-/A-88449718 (this is the one I use)
- Xlear: https://www.target.com/p/xlear-saline-nasal-spray-1-5-fl-oz/-/A-50097279 (I’ve also used this one, but prefer Covixyl.)
- CPC mouthwash (Crest Pro Health is the most readily available option: https://www.target.com/p/crest-pro-health-advanced-alcohol-free-extra-deep-clean-mouthwash-fresh-mint-1-l/-/A-18787356 i)
- Water bottle that works with sip mask: https://www.target.com/p/owala-freesip-24oz-stainless-steel-water-bottle-black/-/A-80310908
- Nasal spray (linked below)
Covid mitigations aren’t perfect—the layered swiss cheese effect is what we’re going for here to reduce risk for all of us in these high contact situations. I know it’s nervewracking and stressful to travel with mitigations because a disease could kill your friend (or you!) and I appreciate that you’re taking these seriously so we can stay safe together and keep having fun as long as possible. I love you all and can’t wait to spend time together!! <3