Emma Hirsch has never seen her coworkers without their masks. She’s never checked out a customer at Pangaea Outpost in Pacific Beach without a piece of plexiglass in the way.
It’s weird when you think about it.
“I’ve only worked here since June,” Hirsch smiled with her eyes. “So, I’ve only been here in a mask.”
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
“Everybody was really thrilled to be back open,” said manager Liz Rogers.
She knows what some of her coworkers look like, but she hasn’t seen them since the large gift and clothing store on Garnet Avenue reopened in June.
“We did the things like put up the barriers and did what we could to distance,” she sighed.
Local
You could tell she wanted the pre-pandemic Pangaea back.
Everyone at the store is inching back to that reality. It helps that in April, everyone employed by the store will be eligible to be vaccinated.
California will be opening up eligibility to anyone 50 and older on April 1. Anyone 16 and older is eligible on April 15.
“I got a news alert the other day and I was seriously talking with my roommates. We were all screaming, so excited,” laughed Hirsch. “As soon as I can get it, I will. Like, if it’s April 15, I can show up to a place and go, I will do that.”
Rogers pumped the brakes.
“I have to say I wasn’t in a rush to get the vaccine personally,” she said. “This one obviously feels important to protect other people as well. So, I will do it.”
Annika Verbrugghen, who manages Gypsea Dreams inside Pangaea, said she would be willing to wait several months before getting vaccinated.
“I want to wait a little bit, just to see how it is and how everybody reacts to it,” she said.
All three women respected the other’s opinion and continued working towards the day when it wasn’t an issue at all.
“I would feel so relieved,” signed Hirsch who looked forward to seeing what her coworkers look like without masks.
