I worked as an essential in auto parts up to May 1st 2020, then retired. No mask at work. That chain still doesn't wear masks at all, ever. Voluntary employee option. I only wore masks infrequently and since I live outside the metro shopping in the surrounding small towns was also mask free. The very few times I had to go into town I only wore a mask in a few stores, and that was infrequent, too.
The kicker, once I retired the local show closed up because the venue was bought out and under renovation, it moved to a small town 25 miles away. I've attended that show twice in 6 months and about 95% who did were not wearing masks. Now that "every day is Saturday" all sorts of stuff I was looking forward to doing, like the annual pre 63 drag races etc have been iffy. Some do, some don't.
Here's some more background, military brat, vaccinated since birth, polio, small pox, family deployment to Europe early 60's, enlisted/vaxxed, deployed/vaxxed. Left USAR after 22 years and in 2009 survived the Swine Flu. Since then, I have had maybe one cold every 3-4 years apart, no flu, and have only taken one or two flu shots in the last ten years.
No Covid. Exposed to a retail working environment, gathered with hundreds of like minded people repeatedly, shop, etc. Local gun shows here are mask free and so are 100% of the smaller gun stores. Chain retailers have to deal with corporate policies, they lost my business as much as possible when they attempt to enforce their's and it's actually helping my budgeting. Overall, what we are seeing relates to being too protected and not maintaining basic immunity in the first place. I'm 68 with some moderate health conditions, and still rate over 99.8% survivable.
It doesn't make gun show pricing any better tho, whoa, $1 a round and ammo changing hands? That is panic. I've waited it out and am buying at typical retail as I see fit. I have also purchased two handguns and am building another AR, it's as "cheap" as it always has been. The deals are out there regardless. It's the unknowledgeable new buyers who don't do their homework overpaying, no real difference than paying $3000 over list for Hondas in the 90's. They are buying for fashion and social status more than utility.
Sorry for those shows who cancel and limit your entertainment - it's keeping about the same price as movie tickets, which is what it's done for decades. If there is any real issue that bugs me, it's that the local show host now requires all firearms to be unloaded and zip tied. In the day, you just walked in cocked and locked. The rule was - and enforced by the dozens of people around you - NO GUNS OUT OF HOLSTERS. If so, put it in a rug or case, with the action open if possible.
Of course, if you carry concealed - and as I have witnessed - nobody knows, point being don't offer to sell it and have the prospective buyer dump the ammo out of it at the table. You will be instantly labeled an idiot by all and sundry around you. The newer policies will get you ejected on discovery and it's a loss with everybody not only staring but you not getting back in. Life is hard when you are stu - clueless.
As for the current sitrep, getting tested ahead of eye surgery, and the CDC has announced there is no valid test which determines if it is a coronavirus, and which one. The test doesn't even differentiate the flu, which is why there were only reported 8,000 cases last season, not the typical 25-35,000. That conflation only supports the profits of certain people who are currently predicting $33 billion in sales this year and suggesting that an additional booster shot is needed now that it's being proven it does very little. Keep in mind the CDC does NOT require their employees to have a vaccination, either. Kind of like a firearms cut out for LEO's - of course they don't need a CCW but we had to force the law to change over the last 25 years." Rules for thee and not for me!"
Think about how this would have gone over if it was presented as "turn in your guns for just two weeks to flatten the curve" over gunshot wounds, etc. and then consider where we are now. Much the same as General Gage locking up the guns in Boston and then when citizens asked to get them back he just laughed.
Some circus guy said it best, "theres one born every minute."
