I’ve mentioned my die-hard addiction to the Boston Red Sox several times in my 10-plus years at CI, so those who’ve read my stuff regularly over the years know I struggled mightily in not being able to attend a single live baseball game last season for the first time in as long as I can remember.
I also haven’t felt the same fear and trepidation as others do when it comes to doing other public things, even during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. I didn’t see the need to hide in my home as long as I was taking the proper precautions to protect myself along the way.
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That said, I did test positive for COVID-19 in mid-March, although my symptoms were never any more severe than a typical head cold, which is actually what I thought I had when I got my results March 13 (yes, the same day most of the U.S. shut down in 2020 as COVID-19 numbers began to spike).
All these weeks later, I’m still unable to smell but I never lost my sense of taste—as my waistline and the numbers on the scale every morning would tell you.
More Results About Returning to Public Life
I say all of that to say this: I haven’t really worried throughout the pandemic about going anywhere or doing anything I want to do. We’re slated to return to CI World Headquarters soon and the thing I’m dreading most about that is the hellacious commute that’ll be worse from my new digs than before.
So I was surprised to see a recent poll that shows only 39 percent of Americans excited about eating out at restaurants in the coming days and about the same amount (38%) are comfortable returning to indoor venues like gaming zones, concerts and amusement parks.
In a sure sign of Americans being Americans, less than three-quarters of those who answered the recent poll (72%) say they plan to continue taking precautions in public spaces as the COVID-19 numbers continue to drop and vaccinations continue to increase.
All of these numbers are good news for AV integrators, who will be called upon to add new technology and safety-related tools and devices. The return to live venues and in-person entertainment is great news for us all and I can’t wait until I’m in a full Fenway Park sometime next month.
