First, it starts with a terrible idea - a habitually irrepsonsible cousin, and new beau, flying in from out state.
Second, it's compounded by a lack of quarantine or self-isolation for a couple of days after arrival.
Third, my almost 80-something in-laws (both vaccinated and boosted) were invited to spend an evening of wining and dining with the newly arrived cousin at her mother's condo.
Fourth, there were no plans for rapid-testing prior to gathering.
Fifth, my vulnerable parents-in-law spent several hours in a small, poorly ventilated space with the cousin and her mother.
Sixth, the next morning, that same cousin and her beau were planning to visit an aunt's house the next day.
Seventh, the aunt and her husband are Covid long-haulers (originally infected March, 2020), and requested that all guests take Covid rapid tests before visiting.
Eighth, the cousin and her beau tested positive for Covid and notified my parents-in-law.
Ninth, my mother-in-law scrambled across town, scouring local pharmaices, to find rapid tests.
Tenth, my mother-in-law's doctor says they need to wait 5 days to be tested to give the virus enough time to incubate to detectable levels.
Eleventh, my immuni-compromised wife and I had spent a half hour having morning coffee with my (potentially infected) father-in-law prior to being notified that the cousin he had dinner with the previous evening had tested positive for Covid.
Twelfth, everyone is self-quarantening or self-isolating until my parents-in-law can get tested and receive the results.
So, no family Christmas get together. My wife and I cannot go anywhere or do anything this week that I have off from work. All, because it never occurred the "adults in charge" to implement a Covid quarantine/self-isolation and testing regimen for guests flying in from out of state.
As of now, it's just a royal pain-in-the-@$$ until my parents-in-law can get the results of their covid tests. I am grateful that no one has developed symptoms yet.
It is unacceptable that community Covid surveillance and testing are still not available almost 2 years into the Chi-coms' Wuhan pestilence.
I hope this rant also serves as a cautionary tale for those who may be hosting out-of-state friends and family in the near future.
