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This past week has been rough. I still have an unvaccinated toddler, and it impacts everything we do (or in this case, don't do). I see pictures of people having large gatherings, some with unvaccinated little ones, and it is so stressful. We do what we can to keep everyone safe, especially our 2-year old. Despite everything that we do to keep our child safe, I can't wait to be like all the others and just have a maskless gathering. I haven't been with people maskless in over a year, and I can't wait for some normalcy. June 3rd, 2021 in particular was horrible. Here's what I wrote on Facebook about the day: "Today was horrible. A. had a slight cough yesterday when napping at daycare, was fine all night, but had more of a cough this morning when he woke up. He said he feels "good" if you ask him. "He's required to have a negative covid test to return to daycare with a cough, no fever mind you, but his pediatrician doesn't do them. R. got him an appointment at pediatric urgent care for a rapid antigen and PCR test, but then after they did it, they said the test results wouldn't come back in time for his graduation tomorrow. I tried calling them to see if they could expedite the test, but nobody answered because the call volume was too high. They said to email, which I did, with no response all day. " My mom, R., and I spent hours calling places to see if someone could do a rapid covid test for A. so he could go to his graduation tomorrow, but nobody does rapid tests on kids under the age of 3, including Walgreens and CVS. The only pediatrician we found wouldn't take us because we weren't current patients. "We called the daycare to see if we could buy a rapid covid test in the stores, but they said state guidelines don't allow that to be used for children to return to daycare. I was in tears that A. would miss his graduation when he doesn't have covid. Besides daycare, he goes basically nowhere and keeps his mask on at all times if he does have to go somewhere. We're all vaccinated. No way does he have covid. "After BEGGING the receptionist on the phone after my 5th call to an urgent care, she talked to the doctor, who said he would do it, but since A. already had a covid test today, we would have to pay up to $150 for the test because insurance won't cover 2 in one day. A. finally got the test, which of course came back NEGATIVE. " What really annoys me is all these mask mandates are lifted in the state, but there's no consideration for the unvaccinated children! My poor baby had to have his first covid test today up his nose, not once, but twice! Why should the little ones have to go through this while everyone else can parade around without masks? People who aren't vaccinated are supposed to wear them, but you know that's not going to happen in most cases. We don't even see family without masks to protect him, and then something like this happens. "Something has to give in the state regulations. They say a child needs to be tested with a cough, but then you can't get a rapid test under the age of 3. What a joke. All that my child went through today when the only place he's been is daycare is so heartbreaking. Thank goodness he's fine and can go to graduation tomorrow, but what an awful day."
June 7, 2021