Ask Amy: Mom steals stories, and then shares
I’m content with my life, but starting to feel like I’m the only unmarried 40-year-old in the world.
How can I shut people down nicely before getting bombarded with questions I have no answers to? Why do people even care so much?
– Unmarried and OK
Dear Unmarried: Because you work with elderly people, you’re confronting their values, curiosity, and their desire to communicate with you.
A polite way to handle this would be to say, “I AM happy. I have myself, my child … and you!” Then deflect by making a kindly observation about them: “It sounds like you got lucky in your love life. Tell me more!”
Dear Amy: I’m concerned about misinformation in your response to “Mum About Medical,” who didn’t like to answer questions regarding her COVID vaccination status.
You wrote: “Mainly, the vaccination protects you from the more serious illness caused by the coronavirus. But the vaccination also helps to protect others, because if you don’t contract COVID-19, you won’t be spreading it.”
That is incorrect. Vaccinated people can be asymptomatic carriers.
– Concerned Reader
Dear Concerned: Thank you. You are correct about this possibility. According to the CDC, clinical trials have not established the extent of protection (if any) vaccines offer regarding asymptomatic transmission to others.
That is why even vaccinated people should continue to wear masks.
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
©2021 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
