Vaccinated elderly ok to be around others who are unvaccinated?

Lisa, are these holiday events are about your brother and his family?

My Mom is 94 and goes to the grocery store every day and Costco or Kohl's at least once a week without a mask. She did get the seasonal flu shot in September but has never had the covid boosters. She's even been exposed to her great grandkids during Thanksgiving, and went to my MILs facility that day to eat with her. So far this season (here in chilly MN) my Mom has not even had a cold.

I don't think the covid tests are that accurate and the vaccines not that effective. I think the medical community won't know for a while why some people get covid multiple times even after boosting, and others not at all, like my Mom. People just need to either accept the risks of public exposure or just stay cloistered.

wear a mask

There is always a risk.
There has ALWAYS been a risk that you will catch a cold or flu when around people in a small room.
And any flu can be fatal. Flu has always caused many deaths each year.
The smart thing to do if he has a weakened immune system is he should wear a mask in a situation where he will be in contact with a lot of people.
I understand many people will not want to do that.
Handwashing or the use of a hand sanitizer would be the next best thing. Most now come in small containers that he can easily use some.
If he has been invited to parties I am going to assume that he knows many of the people and they will fully understand his caution if he does wear a mask.
I see a lot of people wearing masks in the stores and I do not think anyone even thinks about it.

I'd say yes. Covid is still around, but it's long since been safe for him to attend things like Christmas parties.

It seems like the covid vaccine is going to be part of our preventative care. We get an annual flu shot and doctors are probably going to suggest that we take a Covid vaccine on an annual basis.

It’s totally optional though, some people don’t want the flu vaccine because they say they have a reaction to it or they say that they get the flu from it.

Covid vaccines are always going to be a controversial topic, just like children’s vaccines are. There are people who believe that they cause autism. I can’t wrap my head around not vaccinating children but some people are opposed to vaccinating children.

Covid is even more confusing for people because it became a religious and political issue which utterly is ridiculous. It’s a virus. Religion and politics shouldn’t even be considered when discussing covid.

People long ago were so appreciative of vaccines. They suffered with polio and were thrilled when the vaccine came out.

Nowadays, many people question whether or not they should get vaccinated. It’s a personal decision. No one is forcing anyone to take it. People will have to judge for themselves if they want it or not.

A doctor will tell individuals who aren’t candidates for the vaccine if they should delay it or not get it at all. Others shouldn’t pressure them to get it because they have legitimate reasons for not getting vaccinated.

Being around people, vaxxed or not, always gives you the possibility of getting sick. With many things, people are contagious before they show symptoms. Unless he's wicked paranoid and a germaphobe, he should go to the parties and enjoy himself. He could do some supplements to boost his immune system like vitamin c and d, zinc and probiotics.

I know several people who were boosted this season and they still got covid. One is my neighbor with Crohns and in his late 30s. He recovered fine. There's just no guarantees. It is going around in my MIL's facility. No one has been hospitalized or died. The iterations of covid means it is more contagious but less deadly. Unless your Father also has other risk factors (like immunocompromised, COPD, etc) he can maybe worry less about what happens if he does get it. That being said, other things are going around, like RSV.

It’s a personal choice. Your dad will tell you and your brother what he wants to choose.

It’s up to your father what he wants to attend . There is always some risk . If the people are important to him I’m guessing he will want to take the risk and attend.

Vaccines are more for the recipient’s relative safety, as is masking.

COVID in my area is on the rise. Local NH is on lockdown. He can get it and at his age I would be careful.

My husband had a liver transplant in 2022 and the Mayo Clinic told them all NOT to get ANY covid boosters. Your father should live his life free and clear of all this nonsense and have fun. We're all going to die......and I'd rather life what's left of my life w/o worrying about this stupid virus. If I get it, I get it, "vaccinated" or not. Enough already. 80% of humans are done getting boosters as it is bc the side effects can be worse than the virus! I don't care if the "CDC" recommends living in a bubble! Been there done that and look at the chaos that ensued as a result.

Being vaccinated is no guarantee against getting covid. I myself am s/p 6 in total. I still mask out in public on transit and so on. Your father can still get covid, but is much less likely to die of it now due to the virus itself weakening and due to his being vaccinated. Long covid however is an increasingly more worrisome problem with our just beginning to understand that covid creates an inflammatory process and clotting disorders with vessel problems sometimes long after covid is off the scene it is thought. It will take a good long time to know more. Your father should take masking precautions in public venues and etc. as he chooses. You can read current recommendations on the CDC site. I feel people are weighing risks, choices now for themselves. You and your dad should do the same.

I just caught Covid and I’m vaccinated. This strain is highly contagious and it’s not like a cold.