Page 36 - ActsCOVID-19_and_Me

Pre-pandemic routines began to return. On June 18 the dining room was opened for limited seating, at 25 percent capacity.
The culinary team had a new approach. The atmosphere was restaurant-style and buffet. All residents were placed into one of four groups, alphabetically. Group A could make reservations one evening, and the next night it was group B’s turn. Groups C and D followed, and then the cycle began all over. Tables were spaced at least six feet apart, and no more than two people sat at a table.
I was in the first group seated at a table for two with another woman I knew. We could now take off our masks, but only during the meal. Paper menus described the offerings, most never before available at Manor House. What a treat to sit at a table and be served! The meal was delicious and beautifully presented, quite
a departure from service at the buffet, even before the pandemic. This was an opportunity to not only dine but to wear my closeted wardrobe and jewelry, somewhat restoring my self-esteem.
There was no indication that the Manor House beauty shop would open any time soon, so on June 27, a salon in Salisbury became my destination. I didn’t know what to expect, but all CDC guidelines were followed making it a safe experience. I emerged from the salon with shorter, browner, styled hair. This was a huge boost
to my personal image. The pandemic was still a threat, but with optimism, I scheduled my next appointment for July 23.
On Monday, June 30, Manor House staff conducted the second round of COVID-19 testing. I felt very apprehensive about this
test. My trips and other residents’ off-campus trips made me more vulnerable to the virus than before. To prepare for the possibility of another campus closure, I did as much food shopping as possible before the results arrived. My fears were unfounded, as all independent-living residents tested negative.
While Manor House residents practiced social distancing and wore masks, a percentage of the public did not. TV news broadcasts featured videos of Fourth of July crowds on the beaches at Rehoboth Beach and Ocean City. There was little evidence of social distancing or masks, a perfect setting for spreading the virus, and
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