Disable game features such as the welcome wagon and vampire break-ins

Tips left on other forum topics include: do not talk about vampires, do not study them - online or books, do not go to their neighborhood, do not interact with any you may encounter on the street, and otherwise act as though they don't exist. Have followed this procedure once I learned it and have had no problems with the buggers in the relevant game saves. The 2 or 3 before are essentially unplayable.