wuhan - coronavirus

[Melissa Louise]

Staff development day at school today. Mentions of managing this term's Covid wave? Zero. 

 

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-17/sa-woman-waits-all-night-in-rfds-hangar-for-ambulance-transfer/101245908
 

A woman was stranded in the Royal flying doctor service hangar for 11 hours last night waiting for an ambulance 

[Melissa Louise]

What's going on here? Feels like all levels of govt have just quit. V disillusioned. 

[KSera]

8 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

What's going on here? Feels like all levels of govt have just quit. V disillusioned. 

It’s feeling like that to me in the US as well, fwiw. If we have the misfortune for this thing to mutate at some point to become more lethal, we’re really scr3wed.

[Ausmumof3]

Average wait time at my local hospital ED for non critical cases is currently 7.75 hours. But never fear, no data will be available for ten days from tomorrow because of a system upgrade. 

[bookbard]

Ugh, I think my 11 yr old has covid - she's got a fever and runny nose, feeling miserable. We've gone for a PCR and will get results this evening I hope. Only place she could've picked it up was an outdoor event on Saturday, at a playground. I've got her in her room with the air purifier going but I guess we'll see how we go. We have a tiny house so we can't do a lot of isolating. 

[KSera]

9 minutes ago, bookbard said:

Ugh, I think my 11 yr old has covid - she's got a fever and runny nose, feeling miserable. We've gone for a PCR and will get results this evening I hope. Only place she could've picked it up was an outdoor event on Saturday, at a playground. I've got her in her room with the air purifier going but I guess we'll see how we go. We have a tiny house so we can't do a lot of isolating. 

I’m sorry! Has no one else in the family been somewhere more likely to get it that could have passed it to her asymptomatically? Any mask wearing at the playground and/or did she use restrooms? Sorry for the questions, we’re still trying to figure out how careful we need to be outdoors. We have the youngest mask, because they have no personal space bubble, but the rest of us only mask outdoors right now if there are lots of people around and/or we don’t think we can keep distance. 
 

I hope your dd feels better soon. Would this be the first time in your family?

[popmom]

I am surprised that I’m not hearing of more cases among my friends and acquaintances. Last week at church I sat in the large room next to (but open to by large windows) the sanctuary—masked. There were only a few of us wearing a mask. One was the wife of the head health officer of the most populous county in my state. I overheard her saying, “Mxxk is saying we should be masking indoors right now.” I’m really grateful for her and my church for at least designating that room for those of us still taking extra precautions. 
 

I know our positivity is pretty high, but I’m just not hearing of cases among friends like I did last winter when I caught Omicron. 
 

RSV is going around in the SE U.S. I know of twin infants recently hospitalized for that. I am not seeing much alarm from local hospitals regarding COVID. And I’m LOOKING for it. I remain cautiously optimistic.
 

[popmom]

29 minutes ago, bookbard said:

Ugh, I think my 11 yr old has covid - she's got a fever and runny nose, feeling miserable. We've gone for a PCR and will get results this evening I hope. Only place she could've picked it up was an outdoor event on Saturday, at a playground. I've got her in her room with the air purifier going but I guess we'll see how we go. We have a tiny house so we can't do a lot of isolating. 

I hope it’s not COVID. My 21 yr old dd came home last week to help with a day camp at our church. She was caring for preschoolers. By the end of the week the littles were all running fevers with snotty noses. My dd caught it. No fever—just an awful summer cold. She tested negative for COVID —3 times. I was sure it was COVID, so I kept pushing the tests. I kinda think now it was RSV. Fortunately, no one else in our fam caught it from her. 

Edited July 18, 2022 by popmom

[Melissa Louise]

1 hour ago, bookbard said:

Ugh, I think my 11 yr old has covid - she's got a fever and runny nose, feeling miserable. We've gone for a PCR and will get results this evening I hope. Only place she could've picked it up was an outdoor event on Saturday, at a playground. I've got her in her room with the air purifier going but I guess we'll see how we go. We have a tiny house so we can't do a lot of isolating. 

Hope she feels better soon. 

Lots of ppl I know have the flu ATM, so it might be a toss up. Plenty of bugs out there, that's for sure. 

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, popmom said:

I hope it’s not COVID. My 21 yr old dd came home last week to help with a day camp at our church. She was caring for preschoolers. By the end of the week the littles were all running fevers with snotty noses. My dd caught it. No fever—just an awful summer cold. She tested negative for COVID —3 times. I was sure it was COVID, so I kept pushing the tests. I kinda think now it was RSV. Fortunately, no one else in our fam caught it from her. 

There’s lots of RSV here. Even the chimps at the zoo are in iso because they have it!

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, bookbard said:

Ugh, I think my 11 yr old has covid - she's got a fever and runny nose, feeling miserable. We've gone for a PCR and will get results this evening I hope. Only place she could've picked it up was an outdoor event on Saturday, at a playground. I've got her in her room with the air purifier going but I guess we'll see how we go. We have a tiny house so we can't do a lot of isolating. 

Hoping for you that it’s not 😞 

[bookbard]

Luckily they test for flu and RSV at the same time as Covid, so we will know either way. She's been vaccinated against the flu and Covid, but that was back in March. 

The kids started out in masks, but they both took them off as they got too hot scrambling around, and there were definitely a lot of other kids. So I would not be surprised if they picked up something. This wasn't our local tiny playground, but a big place in the city, where we met up with friends. I knew it was a risk, but  I'd hoped being 100% outdoors would be ok. 

I've managed to get my shifts covered for work all week so that's a relief. Whatever she's diagnosed with - and the rest of us! - we will be ok at home till next week. 

 

[Ausmumof3]

@BeachGal

https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/health/nasal-spray-lowers-covid-viral-load-by-94-per-cent-in-24-hours-lancet-study-412372

I feel like this was something you were following? 

[BeachGal]

7 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

@BeachGal

https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/health/nasal-spray-lowers-covid-viral-load-by-94-per-cent-in-24-hours-lancet-study-412372

I feel like this was something you were following? 

I am! Thanks.

This is FabiSpray which is made by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals which partnered with SaNOtize, a Canadian company. SaNOtize makes Enovid spray, which is also a nitric oxide-inducing nasal spray (NONS) and is sold in Israel. In case anyone is curious. 

There are some questions about this study, such as does the spray really stop the infection or does it just wipe it out in the nose? Is the virus really gone or just temporarily? Reducing the viral load sounds good to me, though. Now if only we could buy it easily in the US for a reasonable price.

[bookbard]

Well, my daughter was negative on PCR, and RAT this morning. Also neg to flu and RSV; she's feeling better this morning, just snotty. I guess it's just a common cold. She was floppy and miserable yday, with a temp, but now she's just got running nose and no appetite. We will stay home from work (the kids come to our family workplace with me usually and homeschool there) for a few days anyway. 

7 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/health/nasal-spray-lowers-covid-viral-load-by-94-per-cent-in-24-hours-lancet-study-412372

I feel like this was something you were following? 

Super excited about this, and all the research on nasal sprays. I really hope if we hold on a little longer there'll be less to worry about Covid (and then we can go back to worrying more about monkeypox/failing antibiotics/the climate emergency, right?)

[YaelAldrich]

12 hours ago, BeachGal said:

I am! Thanks.

This is FabiSpray which is made by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals which partnered with SaNOtize, a Canadian company. SaNOtize makes Enovid spray, which is also a nitric oxide-inducing nasal spray (NONS) and is sold in Israel. In case anyone is curious. 

There are some questions about this study, such as does the spray really stop the infection or does it just wipe it out in the nose? Is the virus really gone or just temporarily? Reducing the viral load sounds good to me, though. Now if only we could buy it easily in the US for a reasonable price.

Going to Israel in October. Would be happy to transport lots back if I know what the stuff looks like so I can locate it.....

Going to Australia too but not until next year most likely.... 

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/living-with-covid-aint-rosy:-2-steps-forward-more-than-3back/13977610
 

Worth a listen on the risk of reinfections if you have the time. Norman Swan and an immunologist from Sydney. It’s making me want dh to slow down on his launch back into exercise to be honest but I’m not sure he’d listen.

[Ausmumof3]

Our CHO Nicola Spurrier has covid. In spite of the challenges and politics she’s done pretty well throughout the pandemic.

[Harriet Vane]

9 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/living-with-covid-aint-rosy:-2-steps-forward-more-than-3back/13977610
 

Worth a listen on the risk of reinfections if you have the time. Norman Swan and an immunologist from Sydney. It’s making me want dh to slow down on his launch back into exercise to be honest but I’m not sure he’d listen.

Re launch

One of my dear friends is a physical therapist, and she has been crystal clear and emphatic on this point: Low and slow is the only way to build after covid. 

Her theory is that tissue damage like this just takes time to heal, and if you push too hard too fast you create more damage. 

[skimomma]

8 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

Re launch

One of my dear friends is a physical therapist, and she has been crystal clear and emphatic on this point: Low and slow is the only way to build after covid. 

Her theory is that tissue damage like this just takes time to heal, and if you push too hard too fast you create more damage. 

Totally anecdotal, but I am a runner and I have really struggled to bounce back after a late-May infection.  My heart rate remains too high, even during normal training runs, my pace is WAY down, and I had a minor muscle pull that just will not heal.  I was registered to run in a half marathon last weekend and had to drop to the 5 mile race, due to that injury.  Even at that, I barely made it and for the last mile I kept thinking that each step was closer to the hospital....my heart rate was totally out of control despite running at a much-lower-than-normal-for-me race pace.  I was seriously worried about my heart.  

[Ausmumof3]

“There is increasing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause immune dysregulation.2-9 Although all outcomes and the scale of immune dysregulation remain unclear, a potential increase in acquired impaired immunity in the Ontario population could have significant impact on the incidence and associated burden of infectious diseases (e.g., high viral loads, increased antibiotic use and resistance) and other conditions in the longer-term.”

From Public Health Ontario’s BA4 & 5 risk assessment

[Melissa Louise]

Ugh, not a mask in sight at school. 

[bookbard]

Can't quite believe it but looks like a vaccine for the under 5s has been approved in Australia? There's a few steps but really hope this is it!

[Ausmumof3]

 

[Ausmumof3]

This gives me hope!

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

This gives me hope!

I actually have the opposite reaction. I feel terribly sad and overwhelmed--I KNOW we must do all these things and that they are actually really do-able. I have pushed for exactly this approach in my circles repeatedly. But no-one will do them where I live. No one will do these measures. 😭

[SHP]

5 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I actually have the opposite reaction. I feel terribly sad and overwhelmed--I KNOW we must do all these things and that they are actually really do-able. I have pushed for exactly this approach in my circles repeatedly. But no-one will do them where I live. No one will do these measures. 😭

I have the same struggle here and people think they are safe because [insert insane rationale here]. One person came to drop something off, no mask, and tried to come inside my house. I have signs everywhere about masking up and they kept swearing they didn't have covid. They were offended I wouldn't let them inside. I will not let my own parents or adult kids who live elsewhere inside without a mask.

[Corraleno]

Novavax is approved only as an initial series, not a booster, as studies show no advantage to using it as a booster after nMRNA shots. From Katelyn Jetelina:

"One study published in Lancet assessed the effectiveness of vaccinating with one dose of mRNA with a second dose of Novavax. ... [A]ntibodies after Pfizer+Novavax wasn’t as high as the two mRNA vaccines. The same pattern was found for T-cell protection.

Another study in Science compared three mRNA doses with two Novavax plus one mRNA dose. The antibody response was about the same, even against some of the newer Omicron subvariants, like BA.4/5.

If we switch the series order (2 mRNA+1 Novavax), the story doesn’t change. A randomized control trial published in Lancet found Novavax did boost immunity, but not significantly more than other combinations. Interestingly, T-cell-boosting effects of Novavax were lower in people who had received two mRNA vaccines compared to those who received two doses of the Oxford’s Adenovirus vaccine. This study shows that combining can be advantageous for certain vaccines, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for mRNA and Novavax.

One thing we don’t know is the durability of combining mRNA with Novavax. Although antibodies may be the same, the combination could theoretically slow the rapid waning we see with the mRNA series. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the data."

Here are the studies she references:

Lancet: 1 mRNA + 1 Novavax

Science: 2 Novavax + mRNA booster

Lancet: 2 mRNA + 1 Novavax

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by Corraleno
links

[ktgrok]

On 7/18/2022 at 11:13 AM, BeachGal said:

I am! Thanks.

This is FabiSpray which is made by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals which partnered with SaNOtize, a Canadian company. SaNOtize makes Enovid spray, which is also a nitric oxide-inducing nasal spray (NONS) and is sold in Israel. In case anyone is curious. 

There are some questions about this study, such as does the spray really stop the infection or does it just wipe it out in the nose? Is the virus really gone or just temporarily? Reducing the viral load sounds good to me, though. Now if only we could buy it easily in the US for a reasonable price.

Those were my questions as well - do you still have virus in your lungs, in your body, and just not in your nose? Now, that would be great to reduce spread, especially in small houses, or with kids who can't isolate. 

What I REALLY want to see is if using it at times of high risk would prevent infection in the first place - if you can kill it in the nose before it spreads, you know?

On 7/19/2022 at 11:43 AM, skimomma said:

Totally anecdotal, but I am a runner and I have really struggled to bounce back after a late-May infection.  My heart rate remains too high, even during normal training runs, my pace is WAY down, and I had a minor muscle pull that just will not heal.  I was registered to run in a half marathon last weekend and had to drop to the 5 mile race, due to that injury.  Even at that, I barely made it and for the last mile I kept thinking that each step was closer to the hospital....my heart rate was totally out of control despite running at a much-lower-than-normal-for-me race pace.  I was seriously worried about my heart.  

I am preaching as loud as I can that everyone needs to monitor heart rate now when exercising - because even if you think you didn't have covid, you might have. I would NOT have known I had it if I hadn't been testing due to DH having it. My only real symptom was my heart rate being wonky. And a week later, feeling fine, I still was getting spikes for no dang reason. I think that lasted a few weeks, now it is still a bit easier for it to get elevated, but not the spkes that were crazy like before. 

I had it go up to 140s while I was just stretching to warm up...and had I not been wearing a heart rate monitor and seen that and known to stop, I hesitate to think what could have happened. Pass out? Stroke? No idea, but I know if it was already in my "high" zone stretching, actually working out would have been a bad idea. And again, without a heart rate monitor, I wouldn't have known, and probably would have thought I was a bit light headed but no big deal. 

[ktgrok]

Found this about nitric oxide nasal spray to prevent infection after high risk exposure https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/clinical-study-suggests-sanotize-nitric-oxide-nasal-spray-is-effective-at-preventing-covid-19-after-high-risk-exposure/

Very promising. 

[bookbard]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

Found this about nitric oxide nasal spray to prevent infection after high risk exposure https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/clinical-study-suggests-sanotize-nitric-oxide-nasal-spray-is-effective-at-preventing-covid-19-after-high-risk-exposure/

 

Oh that looks good.

NB I have been wondering how your sister is, @ktgrok?

[Melissa Louise]

Ignore me, I'm venting. Principal sent a letter out to parents 'masks are strongly encouraged for staff and students'. Nobody in the executive staff, principal included, is wearing a mask. Aren't they paid the big bucks to lead? Wouldn't modelling responsible pandemic behaviour be part of leadership? Argh. 

[bookbard]

1 hour ago, Melissa Louise said:

Ignore me, I'm venting. Principal sent a letter out to parents 'masks are strongly encouraged for staff and students'. Nobody in the executive staff, principal included, is wearing a mask. Aren't they paid the big bucks to lead? Wouldn't modelling responsible pandemic behaviour be part of leadership? Argh. 

Vent away. We got a letter from the Dept re the OC test that "wearing masks is permitted". Talk about a half-hearted way to put it! 

[Ausmumof3]

Fourth shot done. Moderna. I didn’t get the tingling feeling in my arm like with Pfizer and don’t actually feel too bad so far. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. There was a few more masks in the shops here today and even one N95. Some may be having to mask as close contacts of course given how high our case load is right now. Hospitalisations are at 354 so have now passed the previous peak I believe.

[ktgrok]

15 hours ago, bookbard said:

Oh that looks good.

NB I have been wondering how your sister is, @ktgrok?

Same. She functions, but not 100 percent. Basically was told it is similar to brain damage from a stroke - either inflammation damage from immune system or from reduced blood flow from vascular damage, no one knows. 

She leads her life, but some things are harder than before, including conversation, balance, etc. But, she is at this point less covid cautious than I am, by far. I think maybe she just doesn't have the bandwith keep focusing on it. 

[ktgrok]

Probably going to shell out the bucks to order the nitric oxide nose spray for DH to take and use while he is at conferences, etc. 

What are people's thoughts on use in kids under 12? Label says to ask a doctor, but I am thinking that is CYA because they didn't test it in younger?

[Ausmumof3]

In US stuff, reports are that Biden is positive for Covid at the moment.

Also the first case of polio in over a decade was reported in the US.

I have a kind of scary nagging concern in the back of my mind. I haven’t seen much discussion around this and there’s a lot of ifs. If Covid does cause immune system issues even on a low level and if they relate to lowered immunity rather than an overreactive immune system, (or maybe both - just overall poor functioning), will that have an impact on the effectiveness of childhood vaccination programmes?

[kbutton]

2 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

In US stuff, reports are that Biden is positive for Covid at the moment.

Also the first case of polio in over a decade was reported in the US.

I have a kind of scary nagging concern in the back of my mind. I haven’t seen much discussion around this and there’s a lot of ifs. If Covid does cause immune system issues even on a low level and if they relate to lowered immunity rather than an overreactive immune system, (or maybe both - just overall poor functioning), will that have an impact on the effectiveness of childhood vaccination programmes?

I would guess we'll need boosters for a lot of things or ring vaccination (chase down the source and do boosters for those around it), but we already know how delinquent our public health is with contact tracing.

We've really unleashed a monster, and all the anti-vax people will have a party with this. I can't wait for the misinformation to start, "Polio vaccination is supposed to protect you for life..." and similarly confusing things. The nurses who didn't want the covid shot but are all for other vaccinations will be wishy-washy, and the nurses who wanted zero mandates for any vaccine (perhaps a uniquely Ohio effort) will be zealots.

It's back to the Middle Ages. 

I already have to choose between getting a procedure done or being safe from Covid at a stand-alone surgery center. I can hardly wait until I have to subject myself to Monkeypox and polio risk as well because they won't mask at these centers. 

[Terabith]

42 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

In US stuff, reports are that Biden is positive for Covid at the moment.

Also the first case of polio in over a decade was reported in the US.

I have a kind of scary nagging concern in the back of my mind. I haven’t seen much discussion around this and there’s a lot of ifs. If Covid does cause immune system issues even on a low level and if they relate to lowered immunity rather than an overreactive immune system, (or maybe both - just overall poor functioning), will that have an impact on the effectiveness of childhood vaccination programmes?

This worries me in general a great deal.  

But The Washington Post says that the person who contracted polio is unvaccinated.  It doesn't address the question of how they were infected, however.  

ETA:  It says he was infected overseas.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Terabith

[KSera]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

 

I have a kind of scary nagging concern in the back of my mind. I haven’t seen much discussion around this and there’s a lot of ifs. If Covid does cause immune system issues even on a low level and if they relate to lowered immunity rather than an overreactive immune system, (or maybe both - just overall poor functioning), will that have an impact on the effectiveness of childhood vaccination programmes?

This doesn’t relate to the polio case, since they were unvaccinated, but I’ve been concerned about this for a while as well, particularly when we started seeing hepatitis in children that’s still of unknown origin. I keep thinking of measles infection and the way it can reset the immune system and erase prior immunity. I suppose we would start seeing that sometime soon if that is happening with Covid. Hopefully it doesn’t.

[bookbard]

2 hours ago, KSera said:

I suppose we would start seeing that sometime soon if that is happening with Covid. Hopefully it doesn’t.

Except maybe it does a bit each time so it takes a couple of infections. 

The polio thing is terrifying, esp when you realise that 99% of people were fine. I can totally imagine people being like, 'hey, it's only 1% who get paralysed!"

My little baby nephews have Covid now, caught via their Dad from his workplace, where he doesn't wear a mask. I think it might be interesting to see how many women and children end up catching covid because men are less likely to wear masks and distance. I can also imagine it being another form of domestic abuse in some families, where one partner is very covid anxious and the other delights in taking risks. 

[Ausmumof3]

5 minutes ago, bookbard said:

Except maybe it does a bit each time so it takes a couple of infections. 

The polio thing is terrifying, esp when you realise that 99% of people were fine. I can totally imagine people being like, 'hey, it's only 1% who get paralysed!"

My little baby nephews have Covid now, caught via their Dad from his workplace, where he doesn't wear a mask. I think it might be interesting to see how many women and children end up catching covid because men are less likely to wear masks and distance. I can also imagine it being another form of domestic abuse in some families, where one partner is very covid anxious and the other delights in taking risks. 

Same here. All the younger kids in extended family are currently infected and all was the Dads who brought it home. That said they are all homeschooling families and the Dads have higher exposure risk due to full time work and work-related travel. Most of them didn’t decide to isolate from each other once it was in the house. I think they’re mad because it did work for us. 
 

My DH was definitely the least careful of us but he was still more careful than many people so I do appreciate that. It only took three weeks of no masks for him to go down. 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Ausmumof3

[bookbard]

4 hours ago, ktgrok said:

I think maybe she just doesn't have the bandwith keep focusing on it. 

I get that. Sorry to hear things are still so tough for her. I wish it didn't have to be so hard. 

[bookbard]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

the Dads have higher exposure risk due to full time work and work-related travel.

Yeah, that would be the confounding factor in a lot of families (such as my nephews, my sister works from home). Actually all the times I've thought my kids have picked it up it's been 'my fault' for taking them out places - but that's because I am the one who looks after them most of the time. I do want to make the point that almost all the time it's no one's "fault", it's because it's so virulent in the community and the politicians have allowed it both to spread and to be seen as no big deal. 

[Ausmumof3]

What are people hearing anecdotally about severity? In the last wave most people I talked to said it was nothing, mostly just a mild cold, no big deal. In this wave, almost everyone I’ve spoken to has said it made them really sick and was worse than they had expected. I can think of a few possible reasons for that.

1) BA5 has two mutations that weren’t in BA1 but were in Delta and may be linked to severity 

2) Most people who caught it in Jan or Apr were relatively recently vaccinated due to mandates even if they didn’t boost whereas most people now are a long way out from their shots. 

3) Mask mandates were still in place so many people caught it through sloppy surgical masks rather than unmasked. The viral load exposure may have been lower.

4) It’s winter and peoples Vit D levels are lower

5) those who caught it earlier were the less cautious people so are more likely to downplay it?

 

 

[Ausmumof3]

4 minutes ago, bookbard said:

Yeah, that would be the confounding factor in a lot of families (such as my nephews, my sister works from home). Actually all the times I've thought my kids have picked it up it's been 'my fault' for taking them out places - but that's because I am the one who looks after them most of the time. I do want to make the point that almost all the time it's no one's "fault", it's because it's so virulent in the community and the politicians have allowed it both to spread and to be seen as no big deal. 

Yep! Individuals can’t take personal responsibility for public health failures no matter how often our politicians tells us to do it! It’s called public health for a reason. 

[catz]

4 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

What are people hearing anecdotally about severity? In the last wave most people I talked to said it was nothing, mostly just a mild cold, no big deal. In this wave, almost everyone I’ve spoken to has said it made them really sick and was worse than they had expected. I can think of a few possible reasons for that.

 

I have no idea, but I did just see this ... South Afric is declining after this last wave of Omicron 5

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220630/South-African-study-shows-COVID-severity-of-Omicron-BA1-BA4-BA5-all-similar.aspx

Could possibly be due to season.  We are in summer and I do know people getting it but haven't heard about severe cases.  Could also be timing related to last vaccine and how caught up you are.  

[Ausmumof3]

Hospitals pretty much hit capacity here. The hospital lady doesn’t sound that calm and reassuring. They are desperately trying to find aged care and NDIS places to help get people out to free up space. One of the rural hospitals is being converted to a completely covid hospital and cases are being sent there now.
 

 

[regentrude]

8 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Same here. All the younger kids in extended family are currently infected and all was the Dads who brought it home. That said they are all homeschooling families and the Dads have higher exposure risk due to full time work and work-related travel. 

Conversely, non-homeschooled kids are a major infection source for their parents. All my colleagues who caught Covid got it from their school-age children who picked it up at school.