How are Americans coping?

[m0m89]

My relative is due to fly to America soon (multiple states) and we are travelling a few months later to Florida.

I just wondered how America was coping with coronavirus? Are there numbers starting to go down? Is there much resistance to masks and vaccines like the UK? Do they have a road map out like we do or are they not near yet?

I am aware it will vary from state to state but just wanted a general idea and how florida is. Will be travelling with DD1 and she is 4 so I believe she has to wear a mask so I'm a bit worried about it.

@Tumbleweed101

My friend in Ontario, Canada though says they are in a new lockdown as cases are rising and hasn’t been offered a vaccine yet.

The distance from Ontario to Florida is roughly the same as the Newcastle upon Tyne to Marrakesh in Morocco - probably not hugely relevant...

@rosie39forever

How are you all travelling to the US? Thought there was a travel ban?

US citizens and green card holders are able to travel to the US.

You only have to wear a mask in Disney if that's where your going?
Florida state in particular have been quite lax on covid restrictions but Disney have been very strict with no exceptions.
If you can't get your 4 year old to wear a mask you will be asked to leave Disney, anywhere else you'll be fine.
Depending when you intend to travel though rules may have changed by then

In terms of vaccination uptake, here are recent figures for England. They’ve finished the 50+ age group. In your area, the SW, 97% of all people over 50 years old have been vaccinated.

From here www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55274833

@m0m89 - The vaccination programme sounds fantastic, I hope the UK catches up soon.
What do you mean by this? The UK has given a higher percentage of its population vaccines than the USA, still working down the age groups is due to a good proportion of older people taking up the vaccine.

I have family in Florida, ages ranging from mid-teens to my 87 year old dad, and none of them plan to be vaccinated. Half of them have had Covid. This is a strongly Conservative state, anti-mask, anti-vaccine.

The vaccination programme sounds fantastic, I hope the UK catches up soon.

OP where are you getting your info from? The UK is actually doing really well on the vaccinations.

Do some basic googling.

Note to self - don't go to Bristol!

Op, September is not 'soon' and March 2022 certainly isn't. Worry about it nearer the time.

I’ve got a couple good friends/family members (they are my Dads cousins children, what do you call that?!) who live in Las Vagas. Life seems normal for them. I’ve watched them go to hen parties (or whatever they call them over their), weddings, dinners, parties, shopping, on holiday to Mexico & skiing in the mountains somewhere).. frankly, I’ve been horribly jealous 😩 they did seem to have restrictions over thanksgiving, they only celebrated with their household & didn’t go to their parents ..

Roll on May 17th when I think life will really start to feel more normal for most people here.

@murbblurb

Note to self - don't go to Bristol!

Op, September is not 'soon' and March 2022 certainly isn't. Worry about it nearer the time.

The vaccination rate in Bristol is fine. I think it’s just the OP’s fronds. Sorry OP!

My family are in California and Nevada. Life seems to be pretty normal for them. Everyone fully vaccinated, masks still in use though. My dad and stepmum are on a golfing holiday in Palm Springs at the moment with no issues.

OP I think you are looking through a UK prism and assuming that the rest of the world has been broadly the same during the winter, which it hasn't.

In the US, many states had strict stay-at-home orders for a period of time in Spring 2020, but since then most states have had nothing like the kind of lockdown we would recognise.

They have had restrictions at certain times and in certain places, such as limits on large gatherings, closures or capacity limits for indoor hospitality businesses, school closures (although some states have avoided those), and many states have some kind of mask mandate.

But shops etc have been open all winter pretty much everywhere, hospitality has remained open in most places at least outdoors, and the kind of restrictions that we've had on exercise, domestic travel, and who you may invite into your home, have just not been a feature at all in most states.

@4PawsGood

The vaccination programme sounds fantastic, I hope the UK catches up soon.

OP where are you getting your info from? The UK is actually doing really well on the vaccinations.

Do some basic googling.

The US started vaccinating slightly later than the UK, and are now vaccinating at a faster rate than the UK.

Anyone over 16 can now get a vaccine, and they're available in clinics on a drop-in basis.

@m0m89

Just to note I am worried DD1 will resist wearing a mask and we will get in trouble.

It depends on where and when you're travelling. In my state we've been fairly careful re Covid, and you are expected to wear a mask indoors eg in shops. If you don't wear a mask then you will not be allowed in. You can potentially wear a shield instead depending on the location.

If your DD is still 4 then she won't have to wear a mask, but she will be surrounded by children her age who are wearing them which might encourage her to do so.

However by the time you arrive it's looking like most people who want to be vaccinated will have had the chance, at which point the mask mandates may have been dropped.

At present tourists aren't allowed into the US but I'd guess that it will open up to the UK in a few months. You may well have to do Covid tests. You can buy them in Walmart to do at home, or get them free with an appointment at pretty much most pharmacies.

My family (Carolina's) have all had both doses of the vaccine..... I've got another month to go for my second jab. They were slow getting started but are blasting through now.

But of course things could change a lot by September or next year.

Enjoy your trip if it pans out!