Coronavirus spreads. But don't panic! (topical thread)

[mordant]

Yeah best guesstimate from the researchers is that it is a collection of conditions, some more blood related, some more neurological, some more focused in the respiratory system. They have done enough postmortem analyses now to find that the bones of the skull and the menenges (outer membrane of the brain) are for some reason a great viral reservoir in sufferer's bodies, which goes a long way to explain the cognitive symptoms that are very common (so-called "brain fog", but it's more profound than that; for example, school children that used to excel can't put one thought atop another anymore, and have very poor short term memory).

I've seen this movie before, with my late / prior wife, who had Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or ME, FKA CFS ... took her down in her late 20s, and it was the same drill ... insufficient research $, what is allocated gets siphoned quietly off into things it wasn't supposed to be used for (the NIH is great at that sort of thing, it's a regular nest of ablist arrogant assholes, at the top level leadership; there are already allegations of funds for LC being misused and squandered).

This is why we continue to take every possible precaution. Not only do we not want this possible outcome for ourselves (10 to 30% of the infected have some form of LC for at least many months if not permanently) but we don't want it for our son who lives with us. I saw what that kind of disability did to my late wife and I do not want that for him.

[pattylt]

My granddaughter, 11 at the time, was vaccinated but contracted Covid. It was mild. A little over one month later, she developed Type I diabetes. Her pediatric endocrinologist said they were seeing this trend a lot. As TypeI is an immunological disease and so is Covid they are now studying this phenomenon .

Thankfully, diabetes treatments have come so far. She has a continuous glucose monitor that talks to her insulin pump and mostly keeps her in control. As a now 14 year old, she has to frequently adjust her numbers since she’s growing still and her activity level goes up and down. It’s life long. We still have a lot to learn about Covid and side effects.

[Astreja]

Failed my saving throw versus 'rona - tested positive yesterday and again today.  I've had 4 vaccinations but none recently.

Not back to university till after Labour Day and so far the symptoms are mild (feels like a run-of-the-mill head cold, and my senses of taste and smell are intact), but I won't be able to play in a concert next week because of the danger of spreading the infection to the audience. I just hope my bandmates are okay, because I was at practice on Thursday night.

[mordant]

Failed my saving throw versus 'rona - tested positive yesterday and again today.  I've had 4 vaccinations but none recently.

Not back to university till after Labour Day and so far the symptoms are mild (feels like a run-of-the-mill head cold, and my senses of taste and smell are intact), but I won't be able to play in a concert next week because of the danger of spreading the infection to the audience.  I just hope my bandmates are okay, because I was at practice on Thursday night.

At least the current strains are much less likely to wreck your senses of smell and taste, so there's that.

I really don't understand the policy on boosters. The vaccine uptake is terrible; it's not like there's a shortage. It's a known fact that immunity wanes starting at 2 months and is pretty much gone by 4 (though protection from severe symptoms is still kinda-sorta there). It's entirely reasonable to get a booster every 4 months, or at least before something like surgery where you're taking exposure risks -- at least for seniors. If you had been able to stay boosted, you might have dodged the bullet.

Hope you are feeling all better soon!

[Astreja]

At least the current strains are much less likely to wreck your senses of smell and taste, so there's that.

Spoke too soon regarding smell - it went AWOL yesterday.  I can still taste sweet and salty, but everything is dialed down.

My daughter is now symptomatic too, and I'm up to four positive tests.  Sleeping much more than I usually do, and my energy is down.  I have gotten outside and done a few short gardening sessions, weeding or digging for maybe half an hour yesterday and today, and fortunately the physical effort didn't knock me on my ass.  My perspective of Life, the Universe and Everything does feel slightly surreal (probably from running a temperature), but overall this is much more manageable than the Mesopotamian Death Flu (H1N1 beta test) that got me in 2009.

Hope you are feeling all better soon!

Thanks!

[Deesse23]

I caught it in early April and Astrejas symptoms sound very much like mine:

Could be easily misidentified for a flu. Had no sense of taste or smell (but my gf, who got it for th FOURTH time, still could smell). One night with shivers, cold sweat etc. but otherwise ok. Bit tired (afaik i am 10y younger than Astreja). Lasted less than a week.

Commentary from my gf, who also experienced the early alpha versions, as well as delta: "Omicron is a f.ing piece of cake"

[mordant]

The new covid booster will start appearing in some areas, according to my sources, as soon as Sept 15. Or at least the mRna ones from Pfizer and Moderna.

It is tuned to the current XBB strains but is also effective against the new meta-variant currently brewing out there.

It is hard to be sure with the current near-total lack of testing, but based on sewer water readings and hospital admissions and deaths, the current wave is not as serious as the early ones or even last year's so far. It of course makes sense to get the booster and mask indoors (our local health system reinstated its mask mandate for healthcare workers this week, and I imagine many other providers are doing the same).

The government funding of the boosters is over, so you are at the tender mercies of your insurance's Claims Denial Department on this one, but even if you get stuck with out of pocket, it's $110 well-spent IMO.

As Deesee23's GF said, Omicron isn't too bad for many, but it's still a game of Russian Roulette. Envision a gun with maybe 100 chambers instead of 6, mounted on a spring and waving around; it doesn't fire often, but when it does, it might miss you, it might wing you, and it might get you right between the eyes. Or the bullet can leave in your body a slow poison that comes back to visit you a month later and never goes away.

Don't be complacent about this, especially if you're old or have other significant physical issues.

[Bucky Ball]

People in the US are totally unaware, or don't care, that a new wave IS ALREADY upon us. I almost never see anyone in a mask. So many things are occurring *as if* nothing is happening, --- football, concerts, churches, etc etc etc. Once again, it's going to take thousands, if not more, ... deaths, to wake people up to the fact it's not gone.

[Minimalist]

Don't worry, the republiKKKunts are on it.  Actually, I support their efforts.  The more of their followers who get sick and die the better for the rest of us.

I'll be getting the vaccine as soon as possible.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...p_politics

GOP presidential hopefuls take renewed aim at efforts to combat covid

More than three years after the onset of the pandemic, Republican presidential hopefuls are taking renewed aim at strategies to combat the coronavirus amid an uptick in cases in recent weeks, even though hardly any Americans view covid-19 as the most important problem facing the country today.

The increase in cases, and the possibility of another surge entering the fall and winter, have led to scattered efforts to reinstate small public health measures, including a 10-day mask mandate in a classroom at a Maryland elementary school experiencing an outbreak and the reappearance of free KN95 masks in New York schools.

But even such measures have been vilified by Republican White House candidates. Last month, former president Donald Trump promised that, if reelected, he would use every available authority to cut funding “to any school, college, airline or public transportation system that imposes a mask mandate or a vaccine mandate.”


Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) stressed Thursday that he and his supporters would “stand against mandates, lockdowns, and school closures.” On the same day, standing behind a lectern with a sign that read “MANDATE FREEDOM,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ® devoted a news conference in Jacksonville to declaring that mask mandates would never return to his state.

Go for it, boys.  Bleach and ivermectin for all republiKKKunt assholes.

[pattylt]

For a bunch of the rightwing nut jobs that all wore masks on Jan 6th, I’m having some problems with their logic. (Yes, that’s a joke)

[Fireball]

For a bunch of the rightwing nut jobs that all wore masks on Jan 6th, I’m having some problems with their logic. (Yes, that’s a joke)

There, the crime was the disease.

[Cavebear]

If I were engaged in some criminal activity, I would wear a whole ski mask. And maybe fake skin coloration, shave my head hair, wear sunglasses, and fake a limp... Just a thought, since I wouldn't actually commit a crime. I am jail-averse. But sometimes my thoughts go to thinking about how stupid some criminals are...

[mordant]

The latest fall Covid booster is hitting a drugstore near you (both Moderna and Pfizer; as usual, Novavax will be delayed by enough time that no one will end up using it, I guess).

Some shots were available as soon as today, in some locations. We are booked for Wednesday for Pfizer.

This booster is monovalent and specific to the currently-circulating XBB strains and should also be effective against the new major mutation in the works.

As far as I can tell, anyone over 65 can get one additional booster at least 4 months after this one, then it's probably bupkis until next fall (and probably, yet again, AFTER the school year starts). Although protection wanes considerably past 4 months, I'll probably split the difference and do the 2nd booster at 6 months (and because there's some evidence that mixing it up is helpful, if Novavax is finally approved, I'll try that).

[pattylt]

I’m planning on getting my Covid booster and flu this week. I figure since both make me feel like shit for a few days, might as well get it over with. Are they denying the Covid vax if you’re not over 65? Or, is that state by state? My daughter and her fiancé are both anxious to get theirs, too. The fiancé will be allowed as he’s immuno comprised and one granddaughter is type I diabetic so they are both allowed, but we don’t know about my daughter, the other grandkids and my son.

I’m disappointed that I’ve seen so little news on availabilities so far…

[Dānu]

I have covid. I've been waiting for the new booster. Probably no hurry about it.

[c172]

I have mild respiratory stuff today (some sneezing and stuffiness). I'll need to dig up the test kit tomorrow. Still no news from my HMO on the next shot, but I haven't had one since late '22.

[Chas]

Is no one concerned about RSV?

[mordant]

I’m planning on getting my Covid booster and flu this week.  I figure since both make me feel like shit for a few days, might as well get it over with.  Are they denying the Covid vax if you’re not over 65? Or, is that state by state?  My daughter and her fiancé are both anxious to get theirs, too.  The fiancé will be allowed as he’s immuno comprised and one granddaughter is type I diabetic so they are both allowed, but we don’t know about my daughter, the other grandkids and my son.

I’m disappointed that I’ve seen so little news on availabilities so far…

Everything I have read says it's recommended for everyone 6 months and up by both the US and Canada. Some other Western countries have made different calls, but on this much at least I think we are doing it right.

The only difference with over 65 is a second booster can be had a minimum of 4 months after the first. That started last year and I am not aware that it has been discontinued. It was poorly explained at the time and I thought I could get a booster as often as every 4 months, but it's just one extra, not two.

[mordant]

I have covid.  I've been waiting for the new booster.  Probably no hurry about it.

There is a recommendation to wait some period of time after recovering before getting a booster. I don't recall the specifics.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[mordant]

Is no one concerned about  RSV?

I got the RSV and flu shots about 10 days ago, one in each arm. Normally I would get them separately but I have a lot going on and just decided to get it over with, as did my wife.

I don't know how common RSV is, only that it's a flu-like illness that is particularly problematic for older people (over 60) and the very young, with sometimes severe or even life threatening symptoms. The vaccine has been decades in the making. It seems prudent to get it if you're 60+. I believe it's also approved for children under a certain age -- don't recall what it is.

[mordant]

I have mild respiratory stuff today (some sneezing and stuffiness). I'll need to dig up the test kit tomorrow. Still no news from my HMO on the next shot, but I haven't had one since late '22.

The accuracy of home tests is deteriorating with the newer strains, I'm told. Even before that it was recommended that you should test several times as false negatives were common.

If you have old test kits around, their expiration dates have been extended from what's on the package possibly ... there's a web site where you can look them up by lot #.

[pattylt]

RSV is especially dangerous in children. Every winter we had many pediatric patients needing hospital care with oxygen. While the elderly are susceptible also, they tend not to contract it as often but can be dangerous, too. The elderly are susceptible to many illnesses but, in less they’re in a nursing home, they tend to be at less risk.

I always recommend anyone get any vaccine they’re eligible for. The risk is much greater than the extremely rare serious reactions and, to me, a sore arm is a small price to pay. Even the day or two of aches and pains are more than worth continuing to breathe.

[Deesse23]

My gf just returned from a team event with her colleagues. Like many others she is complaining about flu-like symptoms with an empahsis on coughing. She hasnt tested for Covid and maybe now she will test negative, but if true, she would have contracted Covid for the SIXTH time!

[Thethingaboutitis]

My youngest has COVID. Everyone else in the house has tested negative (which I don't trust as my wife looks and feels rough.)
I contacted school to find out their current protocols and he's free to go back when he feels better even if he's testing positive.
I don't get how the approach to this has radically changed. It's as if we've just said "Ahh well, life goes on."

People that I talk to say that they would not be as cooperative as they were when this thing emerged, for example them not getting boosters and ignoring future restrictions.

Our government have gone quiet about the whole thing, seems like they're leaving people to it.

[Deesse23]

My youngest has COVID. Everyone else in the house has tested negative (which I don't trust as my wife looks and feels rough.)
I contacted school to find out their current protocols and he's free to go back when he feels better even if he's testing positive.
I don't get how the approach to this has radically changed. It's as if we've just said "Ahh well, life goes on."

People that I talk to say that they would not be as cooperative as they were when this thing emerged, for example them not getting boosters and ignoring future restrictions.

Our government have gone quiet about the whole thing, seems like they're leaving people to it.

I think lots of it has to do with the fact that the new Omicron variants seem to be much less harmful. I have seen my gf having Alpha, Delta and Omicron. Delta was devastating to her, and she is a healthy 28y old. Omicron, which i contracted as well, felt like a normal flu.