[Sheepranch] Health policy for this year?

[jtferreira at comcast.net]

Tam et al,

I too am comfortable with outside visiting.  Since the inside contact will be extended close contact, maskless, I would appreciate a negative home-test result on the day we meet.  Given COVID is ever more contagious and we are coming from different regions, and that the home tests are less sensitive than the PCR test (and thus the viral load is higher to be positive) I would not be comfortable indoors without the negative test.  Too many people in my life with underlying conditions, some of whom cannot even get the vaccine due to those complications.

As a total aside, the USGS just instituted more stringent requirements for our folk on travel.  If one gets a positive test while on travel, they must quarentine in place and cannot travel home for 10 days minimum with a proctored negative test is required after the 10 days (i.e. administered at a pharmacy, etc. — not a home test).  Close contact exposure to a confirmed case gets us isolated for 5 days, then if a proctored negative test result is achieved, you get to come home.  This is seriously expensive (hotel rooms, per diem, etc.) and appears to be an attempt to keep new varients out of our local workforce.  I was rather surprised by how stringent this is — it’s a huge problem for those with child care issues if fieldwork gets extended beyond planned dates.

Looking forward to Sleeping!  (Please note:  it is safe to wear flannel this year.   Darn.)

Joanne

> On May 20, 2022, at 10:31 AM, Kevin Tiene via Sheepranch <sheepranch at lists.micapeak.com> wrote:
> 
> Tamara, since you guys are camping, and beyond 10 days, I’d be comfortable with visiting outside while awaiting your negative antigen results. 
> 
> -Kevin
> 
>> On May 19, 2022, at 7:56 PM, Tamara Jankowski via Sheepranch <sheepranch at lists.micapeak.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> No problem, Robert. However I'm very unlikely to test negative by our event date since I'm currently recovering from Covid. I began having symptoms on the 20th. I'm allowed to return to work on the 21st. Anyone have an issues with me attending this year?
>> 
>> Tam 
>> 
>> On Thu, May 19, 2022 at 8:14 AM Robert Kennedy via Sheepranch <sheepranch at lists.micapeak.com <mailto:sheepranch at lists.micapeak.com>> wrote:
>> Hey, folks! We're all getting older, and some of us have additional frailties, too.
>> 
>> I think there was some discussion of this a few months back but rather than dig for it I'll just mention it again as my personal request: I would like for everyone to test COVID-negative on a home antigen test before joining the group on the day we gather at Jug Handle, namely Monday, May 23. I plan to test myself before leaving home that morning.
>> 
>> If anyone is NOT willing to do the same, please say so here so everyone can make decisions with information as complete as possible. Many thanks, all!
>> 
>>         -- Robert
>> 
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