02A68: Trying Not to Count Chickens

Saturday Sariwon

Metro Manila Community Quarantine - Day 602

I keep thinking about who we'd first invite to game with us. As much as we're already under the more relaxed GCQ Alert Level 2 in Metro Manila, we're still quite wary about all this. Logically, I know that I should first monitor the case numbers over the next two weeks (at least) to see if the relaxing of the restrictions will lead to a return to previous infection rates. But given how long it has been since we've been able to play tabletop games with friends, one can't help but get even just a little excited about the possibility of that happening again.

We'll just have to be very careful about who we choose to invite over (or choose to visit). Beyond limiting our options to friends who are fully vaccinated, we also need to factor in their level of risk based on their recent activities just to make sure it's a good idea for everyone. I have repeatedly stated that we recognize that everyone has a different definition of how much risk they are comfortable with. And for now, we're still not the sort who think that it's okay to have parties and group drinking sessions again without social distancing or proper mask usage, to cite a few common examples seen on social media. 

The "need" to meet up with friends feels pretty significant though, especially with more than a few contacts mentioning long-term plans to relocate away from Metro Manila after the craziness of the past 2 years. I can't blame them - the metropolis has been ground zero for COVID-19 in the country for the longest time. There is increasing merit in getting out of here and moving to provinces that haven't been as impacted by the disease (although also get less support from the national government). 

It may be too much to hope for an almost "normal" Christmas season as often projected by the government - it still feels like too much too soon. But if things keep up on their current trajectory, maybe we can at least look forward to having the option to meet up with friends in-person again somehow, even if only in very limited groups and other socially distant scenarios. 

We just really miss seeing our friends. We're doing our best to remain patient and still stay for the sake of our families and our loved ones. But we're also only human. 

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