COVID in Retreat? I'm Still Avoiding Engagement

The New York metropolitan area was hit hard by the omicron variant of COVID.  Anecdotally, I can state that I know a dozen people who were laid up for a week by the disease.  Thankfully, everyone was vaccinated, so the worst symptoms they reported were similar to influenza- upper respiratory tract soreness and muscle fatigue.  

The reports are now coming in that COVID is 'in retreat' in the region: breakthrough infections and outbreaks among the unvaccinated have dropped by half, in my immediate vicinity cases have dropped by 30%.  Vaccines reduce the incidence of transmission, the incidence of hospitalization among the infected, and the incidence of death among the hospitalized... currently, 86.6% of New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 73.3% have been fully vaccinated.  

Even with COVID 'in retreat', I believe that discretion being the better part of valor, I will remain hunkered down and bunkered down for a while.  I really don't need to let my guard down while the omicron wave is ebbing, but not entirely receded.  I have plans to meet friends from out of state next week, at their ancestral homestead in Yonkers, but I have no desire to hit a restaurant or bar for a sit-down meal.  I've managed to navigate the pandemic fairly well so far, and with the chronic staffing issues at work, I really don't need to be out of commission for two weeks because I let my guard down.