This title question really depends on where you live. Obviously, if you live in a locked down city, or in a country where covid is rampant, the answer is "not yet".
Here in my place, likely due to seasonal warming-up, new case of covid and resulting deaths have come down. Hospital bed occupancy level is below 10%, meaning hospitals are finally getting a break.
The answer also depends on your status. Covid can kill, or leave nasty aftereffects, and transmit easily. Getting vaccination will be a responsible act for yourself and for others.
I am seeing reports of vaccination (1st or 2nd) in facebook, from non-medical practitioner or first responder or high-risk individuals. In fact, the vaccine is open to most adults, and they would be available to kids soon. Today they are saying that about 20% of Americans have gotten vaccination. Good.
I got the 2nd dose on early February. I can expect a reasonable degree of protection from covid for some more months, not counting vaccine-overriding variants that may or may not come.
So, can I come back to social dance parties now? Probably.
I did check out a social salsa party on 3/27. Mask was still required. The crowd was about 2/3 of what it used to be, but people were coming back.
Salsa crowd generally is younger. That may be a reason that they are coming back already.
Speaking of ages, tango crowd is older. They may take extra time to come back. West Coast Swing people are in-between, age-wise. Maybe I should check out WCS party next?
Throwing a party or event, or not, is a judgement call by the organizer. I saw discussions by WCS event director on whether to resume events, or what would be the conditions to meet.
It still is a tough call, because there still is a risk of covid cluster. I remember a few dance events last year that yielded clusters of covid patients. When that occurs, it is very damaging to the reputation of the event and its organizers.
From the business and money standpoint, they may be itching to start. Fun-loving dancers would love it, too. Anti-maskers, covid deniers, freeDumb fighters and Karens would love to see everything is back to "normal".
The organizers could ask (or request or enforce) to take precautions as much as the participants can (e.g., mask, sanitizer, possibly the "vaccine passport"). Yet, when a covid cluster occurs, not much can be done to reverse it, nor to take "responsibility".
It is a tough call they make. We can choose to attend or not to attend. Assuming all precautions taken and suggested, in case we get covid at a dance party, it may now be becoming a matter of personal responsibility, rather than act of god.
This is a big change from last year. Or even from earlier this year. Situations change, so do our interpretations.
So this is our situation here in early April, 2021.
PS
There was Geroscience symposium organized by OUHSC aging group over zoom today. There will be another session tomorrow. 4/10-15 is AACR annual meeting, also online/virtual.
Scientific meetings have changed so much. And it is so convenient. Will it be back to "normal" with all traveling, accommodation and mingling? Hard to say.
