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Old 07-31-2021, 09:55 PM   #1
SailinAway
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Default Interacting with unvaccinated people when you must

After a year and a half with no interaction with my doctor, dentist, home maintenance workers, etc., I'm finding I can't postpone those things any longer. The question becomes, how to protect yourself from people you have to interact with.

Despite health privacy laws, I discovered that there's nothing preventing you from telling your medical practice that you only want to interact with people who are fully vaccinated. I did that and got a positive response---they selected a vaccinated nurse to do my vitals, and I verified that my doctor is fully vaccinated. If this is what you want, just ask for it. Then double check at your appointment to make sure people actually are vaccinated. I would not personally sit in a waiting room with a bunch of unvaccinated people. I waited outdoors.

Home maintenance workers are more difficult. A string of workers have been on my property and in my house over the last two weeks since my roof started leaking. Only two of them were vaccinated. The unvaccinated ones did not practice social distancing; they seemed oblivious to it. One said he didn't need to get vaccinated because he's young and healthy. Well I'm not young and I have a health condition, so I resent people who interact with the public, in their homes or at medical facilities, and refuse to get vaccinated.

Given how few available home maintenance workers there are, you may not have a choice about vaccinations. I would not allow an unvaccinated person in my house. Can you ask to see proof of vaccination? You're on shaky ground there if you need the service. They have plenty of other customers if you're not happy with them being unvaccinated.

It's easy to get lulled into thinking all is well because New Hampshire has a low number of infections right now. It's clear that there will be a 3rd year of the pandemic nationally. With only 58% of people in New Hampshire vaccinated, we WILL be impacted by Delta and there will be another wave. So take care if you must have workers on your property. .
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