The Solstice occurred Tuesday and now summer is official. And so are the trips, events, and activities that only happen in summer.
Summers of my memory were long, carefree, relaxed, and unstructured and not coincidentally comprise some of my favorite childhood memories … sitting on the screen porch with mom watching a thunderstorm pass, stomping through rain puddles, morning to dusk bike rides, neighborhood dodge ball and hide and seek games that go late into the evening.
My favorite memory may be of the Carnival that my sisters organized in our backyard. We had popcorn, a clown, a “duck pond” game in a baby pool, and even a shooting gallery (using my BB gun!). We all needed and need these moments from time to time. I hope you take the time to reflect on some old summer memories and find room to create new ones with the Village.
COVID-19 is still here
We all have one visitor who just won’t leave: COVID-19. So even as we relax into our summer daily routines, please stay vigilant when it comes to COVID. Luckily, it’s easy to be protected – most importantly if you aren’t already, get vaccinated and boosted. A second booster is now available to all 50 and over.
What to do if you are exposed
As we try to get our lives back to normal, we are spending more time with friends and relatives and inevitably some of them later test positive for COVID. Do you know what you will do when that happens? I suggest working out a plan now, so you are confident should that situation occur. Here’s what the CDC recommends:
A fully vaccinated person (which means you have been boosted OR completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months), should:
Wear a mask around others for 10 days.
Test on day 5, if possible.
If you received your vaccine more than 6 months ago (2 months for J&J) and are not boosted, then:
Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
If you can’t quarantine, you must wear a mask for 10 days.
Test on day 5 if possible.
And in all cases, if you develop symptoms, get a test immediately, stay home and consider seeing your physician.
If you’d like to get boosted, you can find where to do so here. Finally, the Village office has free antigen test kits for anyone that would like one. Please contact us at info@cwpv.org or at 202-615-5853 if you’d like an antigen test.
Let’s all have a restful, carefree, and safe summer!
Frank Finamore is Executive Director of the Village