Personal covid experiences

[Not_a_Number]

15 minutes ago, Paige said:

I almost didn't post about MIL because I felt so guilty that she did well when many people are struggling! 

But this thread was for the full range of personal stories so I went ahead. I do feel a bit of bystanders' survivor's guilt, however! 

I definitely want to hear the full range of experiences!! Just getting the horror stories isn’t representative.

[MEmama]

41 minutes ago, Paige said:

I almost didn't post about MIL because I felt so guilty that she did well when many people are struggling! 

But this thread was for the full range of personal stories so I went ahead. I do feel a bit of bystanders' survivor's guilt, however! 

I can relate. My parents (84 and 80) had just mild symptoms—even though mom has had several heart attacks and has a host of weird underlying issues. My siblings' (both 50s) symptoms were mild too, though they have some heart issues as well. It feels weird that they got off so easy when otherwise healthy, much younger people aren’t.

I'm curious whether there is any validity to the thought that there might be a genetic component, or if that will ever get fully studied. 

[Not_a_Number]

4 minutes ago, MEmama said:

I can relate. My parents (84 and 80) had just mild symptoms—even though mom has had several heart attacks and has a host of weird underlying issues. My siblings' (both 50s) symptoms were mild too, though they have some heart issues as well. It feels weird that they got off so easy when otherwise healthy, much younger people aren’t.

I'm curious whether there is any validity to the thought that there might be a genetic component, or if that will ever get fully studied. 

I would guess there is a genetic component from everything I’ve read.

[Not_a_Number]

35 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

There’s no reason to feel weird about sharing mild experiences.  The kids and I had almost nothing.  I would have classified DD10’s symptoms as a bad allergy day-sneezing, watery eyes, etc.  No fever, no cough, no gi issues.   DD12 looked like she kinda felt off a couple of days later and said “mom, am I sick?”    She had no other symptoms, and that off feeling lasted less than 24 hrs.  DS 8 woke up in the middle of the night, said he had a headache, and he felt a smidge warm but temp was barely at 100.  Gave him a baby aspirin he went back not sleep, was not warm an hour later, and was totally fine the next day.   I had about 24 hrs of typical head cold symptoms.  
 

Had we not been in the situation we were in we would not have even noticed.   I was much much more sick when I had my UTI/kidney infection in August.  Mild symptoms are totally common with this thing and the fact that my DH wasn’t one to have those mild symptoms (due to his underlying conditions) doesn’t make the symptoms the kids and I experienced unique or something I am afraid to share.   It’s perfectly ok for people to share their experience with mild symptoms, such experiences don’t negate the other more awful experiences others have, anymore than it would with any other illness.   
 

(eta: we never got positive tests but we had obvious known exposure through DH, symptom onset was within the proper time frame and I did have a positive antibody test about 10 days after my symptoms.  I did not put the kids through a blood draw as I had enough other stuff to deal with. )

I think it’s actually important for people to share their mild symptoms/lack of symptoms, since it makes it clear that just because you don’t feel that sick doesn’t mean you might not be a spreader. Plus, it gives a much better sense of the disease, statistically.

[math teacher]

2 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

@Quill, my cousin, her 7 month old, and her husband all had covid.  All did fine with it and baby is healthy.   

How is your Dh?

[Ausmumof3]

6 hours ago, Paige said:

I almost didn't post about MIL because I felt so guilty that she did well when many people are struggling! 

But this thread was for the full range of personal stories so I went ahead. I do feel a bit of bystanders' survivor's guilt, however! 

It’s nice to hear the stories where things went well gives us all a bit of hope.

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, Ausmumof3 said:

It’s nice to hear the stories where things went well gives us all a bit of hope.

I don't feel all that hopeless 🙂. It's just that a disease with a 3% chance of hospitalization is far too risky for me, despite the fact that the odds for me not winding up in the hospital are 33:1 against 😉 . 

[Shoeless]

I have a friend that is a transplant recipient, has several significant autoimmune diseases, and is covid positive. (She got it via her older child, who was exposed at work).  So far, all her symptoms have been kind of mild. She feels obviously sick with fever, headache, body aches, but no respiratory stuff at all. You'd expect with her issues that covid would be catastrophic.  Yet...it hasn't been. 

And then there's my son's outschool instructor, who's been sick with covid since November. She'll be fine for a week or two, then cancel class because she's feverish and has gi issues. Back and forth, back and forth with it. 

[Not_a_Number]

13 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

I have a friend that is a transplant recipient, has several significant autoimmune diseases, and is covid positive. (She got it via her older child, who was exposed at work).  So far, all her symptoms have been kind of mild. She feels obviously sick with fever, headache, body aches, but no respiratory stuff at all. You'd expect with her issues that covid would be catastrophic.  Yet...it hasn't been. 

And then there's my son's outschool instructor, who's been sick with covid since November. She'll be fine for a week or two, then cancel class because she's feverish and has gi issues. Back and forth, back and forth with it. 

It's a really random disease. 

[busymama7]

So I rested from most of Friday through yesterday.  Yesterday I did a little more but felt it.  Today has been really bad.  I finally took 800 mg of ibuprofen around 4:00 because I couldn't stand the headache and body aches any longer. I had been flat in bed all day because of them.  So now I feel pretty good and am going to play a few games with the family.  I need to start back to Homeschool on Monday but I can't see how unless I take meds every day.  I *really* do not want to do that.  Like really really.  I can't imagine that that would also not cause issues long term.   Sigh.   It is probably inflammation going on though so maybe take ibuprofen would help tame it down so I could heal? I just can not imagine taking a medication like that daily.   If I had an idea that it would be relatively short term (like an injury would be) then I wouldn't even think twice. But what if this is chronic? 

[Jean in Newcastle]

51 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

So I rested from most of Friday through yesterday.  Yesterday I did a little more but felt it.  Today has been really bad.  I finally took 800 mg of ibuprofen around 4:00 because I couldn't stand the headache and body aches any longer. I had been flat in bed all day because of them.  So now I feel pretty good and am going to play a few games with the family.  I need to start back to Homeschool on Monday but I can't see how unless I take meds every day.  I *really* do not want to do that.  Like really really.  I can't imagine that that would also not cause issues long term.   Sigh.   It is probably inflammation going on though so maybe take ibuprofen would help tame it down so I could heal? I just can not imagine taking a medication like that daily.   If I had an idea that it would be relatively short term (like an injury would be) then I wouldn't even think twice. But what if this is chronic? 

As someone with those kinds of symptoms for over 30 years now, there are anti inflammatory supplements like curcumin which keep me functional. Functionality can vary but it’s better than not. 

[busymama7]

41 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

As someone with those kinds of symptoms for over 30 years now, there are anti inflammatory supplements like curcumin which keep me functional. Functionality can vary but it’s better than not. 

Yes I had a really good day and a half after adding turmeric but even continuing with it, I crashed again. I did buy a tincture and could try capsules if you think those work better? Thanks! 

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 hours ago, busymama7 said:

Yes I had a really good day and a half after adding turmeric but even continuing with it, I crashed again. I did buy a tincture and could try capsules if you think those work better? Thanks! 

It's so hard to recommend for someone else!  All I have done is capsules so I can't compare it with a tincture.  There was a time when I had pericarditis and costrochondritis (both inflammatory conditions) and I was taking high doses of curcumin around the clock.  But I also needed steroids. 

Now I take Thorne AR Encap which includes :

Bromelain

Glucosamine Sulfate

Curcumin Phytosome

Boswellia

Methyl Sulfonyl Methane

Potassium

[Jean in Newcastle]

2 hours ago, busymama7 said:

Yes I had a really good day and a half after adding turmeric but even continuing with it, I crashed again. I did buy a tincture and could try capsules if you think those work better? Thanks! 

Quoting to add:

I can't take too many pain meds - I'm allergic to the harder core ones and the OTC ones are bad for my liver.  But there was a time when I was prescribed Mobic - which is an NSaid but a bit safer than taking some of the other kinds long term. 

[*Jessica*]

I thought I should update about my family. 

Grammy, 86yo started having hot flashes while on a birthday drive to see the Christmas lights on December 20th.  The windows were down because they were cautious being in the car with my mom, and all 3 were masked.  We live in NY and it was very cold outside.  The hot flash caused overheated Grammy to remove her mask, and they also ate together in the car, a mistake that probably infected my mother who started symptoms 10 days later on the 30th.  We are waiting on her test results, but she has cough, headache, fatigue, and loss of taste and smell so we’re pretty confident it will be a positive result.

Dec 21st, Day 2 - Grammy and Poppy, 90yo, both had diarrhea.  

Dec 22nd, Day 3 - Poppy started coughing overnight from day 2 to 3.  Grammy had headache and started coughing.  Insisted it was just a cold. 

Dec 23rd, Day 4 - Mom took them for COVID tests (they don’t drive any more) and both had rapid tests that came back positive.  She gave them her pulse ox monitor.   

Dec 24th, Day 5 - Fatigue sets in.  Poppy not eating, and not drinking much.  O2 levels for Grammy are ok, but Poppy’s are in the low 90s.  I start trying to talk them into the ER for him.  

Dec 25th, Day 6 - Poppy’s O2 readings dipping in high 80s when he’s ambulatory.  Mom and I insist on an ambulance.  She calls 911 who check both Grammy and Poppy and decide he needs the ER but she is ok.  She finally gets some rest while the ER checks him out.  He’s there 11 hours and after fluids and tests they determine that he’s ok to release, but dementia has him thinking he was there 3 days.  The ER is so busy that nobody can find him a blanket, so he’s freezing.  When he is returned home via private service he is barefoot in NY winter temps!  His slippers were left at the hospital.  They at least convince him of the need to eat and drink, so he’s finally hydrating and not seeming as weak.  

Dec 26th, Day 7 - More coughing, fatigue, headache; the same as every day.

Dec 27th, Day 8 - Same

Dec 28th, Day 9 - Grammy sounds a bit better to me.  Not so tired.  We drop off groceries through her window.  She probably overdoes things.  

Dec 29th, Day 10 - Diarrhea again.  Fatigue.  So much fatigue.  Grammy has tightness in chest, but O2 is fine.  We worry that she’s getting pneumonia and will need the ER, then what do we do with Poppy who has mild dementia?!

Dec 30th, Day 11 - Day 1 of symptoms for Mom who wakes with a sore throat and cough.  Not feeling too sick, but knows it’s probably COVID.  Grammy not feeling so bad, so maybe no ER needed.  Or is she faking so we don’t worry? 

Dec 31st, Day 12 - Grammy tired but maybe coughing a bit less?  Poppy starting to not eat again.  Still drinking, though.  Mom day 2 has COVID test, but not a rapid test so no results for 3-5 days.  Can hardly taste or smell.  We decide that if she’s positive at least she can stay with Poppy if Grammy needs to go to the ER.  

Jan 1st, Day 13 - Grammy feels like maybe she sees the light at the end of the tunnel.  Poppy hasn’t had anything to eat when I talk to them at 11, but I talk him into at least eating a Nutty Bar (one of his favorite treats) and Grammy is making chicken noodle soup so fingers crossed he has some of that.  Day 3 for Mom, who can’t smell or taste at all now.  Pissed at my dad, who expected her to drive to my disabled brother’s house with him to take groceries.  She refused, rightly.  WTF is he thinking.  I may kill my father.  

So that’s where we’re at in case anyone enjoys long accounts of a stranger’s family account of COVID.  😜

[Ausmumof3]

3 hours ago, StillJessica said:

I thought I should update about my family. 

Grammy, 86yo started having hot flashes while on a birthday drive to see the Christmas lights on December 20th.  The windows were down because they were cautious being in the car with my mom, and all 3 were masked.  We live in NY and it was very cold outside.  The hot flash caused overheated Grammy to remove her mask, and they also ate together in the car, a mistake that probably infected my mother who started symptoms 10 days later on the 30th.  We are waiting on her test results, but she has cough, headache, fatigue, and loss of taste and smell so we’re pretty confident it will be a positive result.

Dec 21st, Day 2 - Grammy and Poppy, 90yo, both had diarrhea.  

Dec 22nd, Day 3 - Poppy started coughing overnight from day 2 to 3.  Grammy had headache and started coughing.  Insisted it was just a cold. 

Dec 23rd, Day 4 - Mom took them for COVID tests (they don’t drive any more) and both had rapid tests that came back positive.  She gave them her pulse ox monitor.   

Dec 24th, Day 5 - Fatigue sets in.  Poppy not eating, and not drinking much.  O2 levels for Grammy are ok, but Poppy’s are in the low 90s.  I start trying to talk them into the ER for him.  

Dec 25th, Day 6 - Poppy’s O2 readings dipping in high 80s when he’s ambulatory.  Mom and I insist on an ambulance.  She calls 911 who check both Grammy and Poppy and decide he needs the ER but she is ok.  She finally gets some rest while the ER checks him out.  He’s there 11 hours and after fluids and tests they determine that he’s ok to release, but dementia has him thinking he was there 3 days.  The ER is so busy that nobody can find him a blanket, so he’s freezing.  When he is returned home via private service he is barefoot in NY winter temps!  His slippers were left at the hospital.  They at least convince him of the need to eat and drink, so he’s finally hydrating and not seeming as weak.  

Dec 26th, Day 7 - More coughing, fatigue, headache; the same as every day.

Dec 27th, Day 8 - Same

Dec 28th, Day 9 - Grammy sounds a bit better to me.  Not so tired.  We drop off groceries through her window.  She probably overdoes things.  

Dec 29th, Day 10 - Diarrhea again.  Fatigue.  So much fatigue.  Grammy has tightness in chest, but O2 is fine.  We worry that she’s getting pneumonia and will need the ER, then what do we do with Poppy who has mild dementia?!

Dec 30th, Day 11 - Day 1 of symptoms for Mom who wakes with a sore throat and cough.  Not feeling too sick, but knows it’s probably COVID.  Grammy not feeling so bad, so maybe no ER needed.  Or is she faking so we don’t worry? 

Dec 31st, Day 12 - Grammy tired but maybe coughing a bit less?  Poppy starting to not eat again.  Still drinking, though.  Mom day 2 has COVID test, but not a rapid test so no results for 3-5 days.  Can hardly taste or smell.  We decide that if she’s positive at least she can stay with Poppy if Grammy needs to go to the ER.  

Jan 1st, Day 13 - Grammy feels like maybe she sees the light at the end of the tunnel.  Poppy hasn’t had anything to eat when I talk to them at 11, but I talk him into at least eating a Nutty Bar (one of his favorite treats) and Grammy is making chicken noodle soup so fingers crossed he has some of that.  Day 3 for Mom, who can’t smell or taste at all now.  Pissed at my dad, who expected her to drive to my disabled brother’s house with him to take groceries.  She refused, rightly.  WTF is he thinking.  I may kill my father.  

So that’s where we’re at in case anyone enjoys long accounts of a stranger’s family account of COVID.  😜

I hope they all recover soon.  Sounds pretty rough.  Can’t believe the hospital sent him home without shoes!

[ktgrok]

19 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Extremely tired, just totally give out.  But no fever since last night.  

I *think* if he doesn't run a fever for 24 hours after that, he's no longer contagious?   I'm trying to figure that out.  

I did get to touch his hand today, which felt really nice--first time we've touched skin-to-skin since December 19.   😍😍😍😍😍
 

In the notes section on my phone, I have my checklist going with times for everything and I'm going through it religiously, using his prescribed meds and the few things I decided to add myself.   I highly recommend that to anyone just starting out with this junk.    I have my schedule at the ready and can easily adjust as I need to.   

The steroids can decrease/mask fever, similar to ibuprofen/tylenol, so Im afraid you can't go by fever for contagiousness if he's on steroids. 

[Not_a_Number]

Apparently, a 90 year old relative of DH's has it. He's in the hospital but seems to be stable. His wife has it as well and she's home.

How is everyone doing? 

[YaelAldrich]

Update:  My 16yo patient zero in our family is feeling somewhat better.  He never had a fever, only sore throat (still) and a light cough in addition to loss of smell and taste.  My oldest, who boldly (stupidly!) stayed in the same room with patient zero, had a headache on Friday (told me on Saturday!) and he tested on Sunday (well, all my kids tested on Thursday but only got one result out of three back last night - grrr).  He tested NEGATIVE.

I took my in-person school (and right now zooming) daughter to be tested with hopes she can go back to school  Wednesday as she has no symptoms.  Also took me and the youngest so hopefully we can get back to having his buddy (who had covid and will be released on Wednesday) back in our home for school.  I have tests scheduled for each kid the rest of the week.  It's a lot of work to locate these tests but worthwhile as they are free and have a 18hr turnaround - thank you Project Beacon!

Still wearing our masks in the public areas of the house except for eating.  Our doctor friend offered us an air purifier but he said it wouldn't make much of a difference, so I declined as they don't come out much and our HVAC has a high level air filtration system.

[Bootsie]

A friend in her mid-30's has had COVID.  She got it from her parents (about 60 years old).  She said she had allergy-type symptoms for about three days, accompanied by fever.  Her parents have had it worse, feeling bad for about a week.  

[fairfarmhand]

Dh back to work this week, all else back to normal. Also, going to see FRIENDS this week! 

(except for my dh's slight cough every now and then and several people who still have no sense of smell/taste physically we're recovered. I am interested to see how my dhs energy level holds out. )

[*Jessica*]

Grammy and Poppy are feeling better, she still can’t get him to eat much, though.  They are cleared to leave quarantine in the next day or two, but she said she’s worried her lingering cough will make people nervous so they’re going to stay inside a little longer.  I think part of his not eating is depression, so I’m hoping she doesn’t make him stay home too long.  He’s quite upset about not being able to walk to the mailboxes in the building for his daily dose of socializing.  That’s probably where he caught it, though. 

My mom still doesn’t even have her test results back but she already feels better, just a tiny bit of a cough and still fatigues easier than usual.  She only started symptoms 6 days ago.  She either had it really mildly, or it wasn’t  COVID at all, though that seems unlikely since she was exposed to my grandparents and they were both positive.  She has chronic kidney disease from being born with a deformed and non-functioning kidney, though, and as this is one of the high risk factors for a severe case I was quite worried about her.  

Fingers crossed my dad, who had a liver transplant 11 years ago, doesn’t catch it!

[Spryte]

16 minutes ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Dh will stay home from work this week recovering, but he is not contagious anymore.   

This virus is weird.   I still don't see how I didn't get it.   How could I not?   We kissed.  No sex because I also had a bad ear infection the week before his symptoms showed up on a Sunday, but there were kisses, lots of closeness.   I was on augmentin for my ear, maybe that helped?   

It is weird, I agree!

I’m glad you didn’t get sick, and could take care of him.  Maybe you had an asymptomatic case?  Or did you test, I can’t remember?

My FIL is in a nursing home, and his roommate had it.  FIL never caught it.  He was tested multiple times, so wasn’t just asymptomatic.  They didn’t mask in their room, and it’s so surprising that he was negative, to me. His aide or a nurse must have had it, too.  The rooms on each side of him, and maybe 14-15 other people on his floor had it, too.  

Hoping your DH gets better and better!

 

[Matryoshka]

Dh just found out his boss has Covid.  Fortunately dh hasn't been in the office since March.  Boss is feeling crappy but well enough to call in to the weekly conference call/meeting for at least a bit.  Hope he just has a mild case.

[Bootsie]

2 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

Dh will stay home from work this week recovering, but he is not contagious anymore.   

This virus is weird.   I still don't see how I didn't get it.   How could I not?   We kissed.  No sex because I also had a bad ear infection the week before his symptoms showed up on a Sunday, but there were kisses, lots of closeness.   I was on augmentin for my ear, maybe that helped?   

A study in Hong Kong estimated that 69% of cases do not infect another person.  Clustering and superspreading potential of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Hong Kong | Nature Medicine  The dispersion of infections caused by one person is relatively large for COVID.  

[Matryoshka]

5 minutes ago, Bootsie said:

A study in Hong Kong estimated that 69% of cases do not infect another person.  Clustering and superspreading potential of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Hong Kong | Nature Medicine  The dispersion of infections caused by one person is relatively large for COVID.  

Makes one wonder if the new strain being 70% more infectious just means this isn't as true anymore - that more/most people spread it some, rather than just a few infecting a lot?  

[kbutton]

2 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Makes one wonder if the new strain being 70% more infectious just means this isn't as true anymore - that more/most people spread it some, rather than just a few infecting a lot?  

That would be an interesting explanation.

[mathnerd]

Not a personal experience, but, in the largest city near my suburb, dozens of ER staff are testing positive and one of them has died because an asymptomatic staff member wore an inflatable costume for a Christmas party to cheer everyone up. Now, the outbreak has been traced to that inflatable costume.

[The Governess]

11 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

Not a personal experience, but, in the largest city near my suburb, dozens of ER staff are testing positive and one of them has died because an asymptomatic staff member wore an inflatable costume for a Christmas party to cheer everyone up. Now, the outbreak has been traced to that inflatable costume.

I read about that. It’s crazy that so many were infected, especially if everyone was masked and following normal protocols. And I’m guessing the spreader wasn’t masked under the costume....

[Not_a_Number]

17 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

Not a personal experience, but, in the largest city near my suburb, dozens of ER staff are testing positive and one of them has died because an asymptomatic staff member wore an inflatable costume for a Christmas party to cheer everyone up. Now, the outbreak has been traced to that inflatable costume.

How did the costume help spread it?? 

[mathnerd]

7 minutes ago, lovelearnandlive said:

I read about that. It’s crazy that so many were infected, especially if everyone was masked and following normal protocols. And I’m guessing the spreader wasn’t masked under the costume....

I was wondering if the air in the costume leaked? They keep saying that the air-powered costume was the cause:

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/04/953287746/costume-may-have-contributed-to-an-outbreak-at-california-hospital-infecting-44

ETA: There was a fan inside the costume that was blowing air constantly (hence air-powered!).

@Not_a_Numberattached link here.

Edited January 4, 2021 by mathnerd

[gardenmom5]

This is the experience of a very long time friend. 

He was in ICU over Christmas.  Had a crises episode (kidneys and lungs were failing) where they were about to intubate him (with his consent, which he gave even knowing it's very difficult to extubate covid patients) and the likelihood he wasn't going to recover.  - Things went from insane, to calm and they were able to avoid intubating him. his dr told him - You're our Christmas Miracle.  

 During this crises he was thinking on the fact they were missing Christmas with their own families to save him - and risking their own lives to do it.  he expressed how much he loved and appreciated his medical team and he wanted to lighten their burden 

I really liked what he wrote about one of his favorite nurses (he has much praise for his medical team.)  - She had written on his white board how she wanted him to breathe.   "Slowly, lovingly smell the roses, then firmly, with resolve blow out the candles"

I think that's a lesson we can all learn and take with us every day.  Enjoy and appreciate those breaths.

[catz]

It's my understanding there was a fan/blower inside the costume so assuming whoever was inside was infected with a high viral count, it served as a very efficient vector for spread.  And yes, masks are one measure, but in closed indoor spaces with people with high viral count masks are just adding to the time it takes to get infected.  I think the seat belt is a good analogy.  Social distancing, short get togethers without staying in anyone's bubble for extended periods, and ventilation are other important pieces of the puzzle.  

[Not_a_Number]

9 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

It's my understanding there was a fan/blower inside the costume so assuming whoever was inside was infected with a high viral count, it served as a very efficient vector for spread.  And yes, masks are one measure, but in closed indoor spaces with people with high viral count masks are just adding to the time it takes to get infected.  I think the seat belt is a good analogy.  Social distancing, short get togethers without staying in anyone's bubble for extended periods, and ventilation are other important pieces of the puzzle.  

Oh, geez. Wearing a costume with a blower sounds like... a bad idea. 

[catz]

1 minute ago, Not_a_Number said:

Oh, geez. Wearing a costume with a blower sounds like... a bad idea. 

Right!?  I read that and I thought wow, that was crazy town.  Especially at a hospital?!  

[Not_a_Number]

28 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Masks don’t prevent transmission.  They only mitigate risk.  Kind of like seatbelts.  Seatbelts don’t prevent the accident.  But if you are in one they can mitigate the risk of major damage.  Avoiding the accident is the more important part.  It’s more important to avoid the infected person than it is to wear a mask around them. 

Yeah, I’m all for masking when I HAVE to go inside, but mostly I try to stay the heck away from people, period.

[catz]

6 minutes ago, kand said:

I know, but I feel so badly for the person. They were trying to do a happy thing for the staff on Christmas and now they caused at least one death and so many to get sick 😪. That’s so sad. 

Oh for sure.  😞 These situations are so sad and disheartening all around.   I'm just surprised events at a hospital in particular aren't analyzed a little more before going on the books during a pandemic.   

[The Governess]

1 hour ago, happysmileylady said:

Masks don’t prevent transmission.  They only mitigate risk.  Kind of like seatbelts.  Seatbelts don’t prevent the accident.  But if you are in one they can mitigate the risk of major damage.  Avoiding the accident is the more important part.  It’s more important to avoid the infected person than it is to wear a mask around them. 

I’m well aware of this. But 44 people infected in one ER department is extreme, right? Especially since in an ER the employees are much more likely to have high quality PPE, are working with covid patients already, and know how to wear masks properly. So yes, if this happened in a controlled environment where everyone was following protocol other than the costume wearer, it would be a worse situation than if it comes out later that there were Christmas parties going on behind the scenes and people were removing masks to eat, etc. or were otherwise breaking protocol. 

 

 

[Bootsie]

2 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

Makes one wonder if the new strain being 70% more infectious just means this isn't as true anymore - that more/most people spread it some, rather than just a few infecting a lot?  

I haven't been able to find any information about the dispersion factor of the variant.  It appears that mean time before a person shows symptoms is shorter with the variant; I saw somewhere that it is three days rather than five days.  This could actually help with contact tracing because there is less time from infection to displaying symptoms that someone is out and about mingling with other people.  

[The Governess]

4 minutes ago, kand said:

I wonder if it was in a break room Christmas party type setting? I don’t know how hospitals are handling break rooms right now and expect it varies with each facility’s culture. It’s certainly an important case for demonstrating that this thing is airborne. 

That’s what I’m thinking. And hoping he didn’t spend too much time in the actual ER with patients. 

[Not_a_Number]

25 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

I do not blame my DH’s coworker for having caused his death and I sincerely hope that no one has implied to him that he did.  I hope he doesn’t think he caused DH’s death, because he didn’t.  

I wouldn’t be surprised if he feels bad 😞. 

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, FuzzyCatz said:

It's my understanding there was a fan/blower inside the costume so assuming whoever was inside was infected with a high viral count, it served as a very efficient vector for spread.   

I can't imagine someone thinking that was a good idea even if they weren't infected.

did they know they were positive?

[Corraleno]

In the article I read, hospital administrators  said he did it on his own, without telling anyone in advance or clearing it with management. Obviously he didn’t set out to infect people ... but it was a really dumb thing to do. ☹️

[Not_a_Number]

15 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

I really really hope he doesn't.  It's not his fault.   

I agree that it wasn't his fault, but I know I'd personally feel awful 😞 . 

[catz]

1 minute ago, Corraleno said:

In the article I read, hospital administrators  said he did it on his own, without telling anyone in advance or clearing it with management. Obviously he didn’t set out to infect people ... but it was a really dumb thing to do. ☹️

Ugh. We've only had one hospital experience since covid started.  My MIL died late last spring.  It was about 36 hours to collapse at home to death. Anyway, there was NO way anyone could get into that hospital without permission.  You had to call ahead, make an appointment, go through security and screening. And that is only because MIL was dying, for healthier patients, there were stricter limits on numbers and being there.

Maybe it was an insider? Anyway - the situation just kind of struck me as odd as someone who has pretty much been home the whole duration. 

[Corraleno]

4 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Ugh. We've only had one hospital experience since covid started.  My MIL died late last spring.  It was about 36 hours to collapse at home to death. Anyway, there was NO way anyone could get into that hospital without permission.  You had to call ahead, make an appointment, go through security and screening. And that is only because MIL was dying, for healthier patients, there were stricter limits on numbers and being there.

Maybe it was an insider? Anyway - the situation just kind of struck me as odd as someone who has pretty much been home the whole duration. 

Yes, the person was a hospital employee 

[Corraleno]

I haven’t seen anything about whether the staff were masked or not, but I did see a report in which an employee contradicted Kaiser’s claim that they were deep cleaning the ER, saying they were really only cleaning “the small break room” — which suggests that’s where people were congregating for the Christmas party, and they may not have been wearing masks in there, especially if there was food and drink. 

[mathnerd]

38 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I haven’t seen anything about whether the staff were masked or not, but I did see a report in which an employee contradicted Kaiser’s claim that they were deep cleaning the ER, saying they were really only cleaning “the small break room” — which suggests that’s where people were congregating for the Christmas party, and they may not have been wearing masks in there, especially if there was food and drink. 

The county where the ER is located has been under SIP for a long time and there is a strict ban on gathering for parties (especially indoors). So, it is ridiculous that they held a party, inside an ER facility, with people who have more run-ins with covid than anyone else, with at least 44 employees (maybe more will test positive) during an SIP. I know that the person who wore that costume had good intentions, but, the media is claiming that there was a party where there should have been none. Today, the county health officer has asked all establishments to close down their break rooms. I am assuming that it is because of this episode.

Edited January 5, 2021 by mathnerd

[Terabith]

So, a 9 year old girl who I taught in preschool got covid and had the typical little kid, mild cold case and recovered fine.  But then a couple weeks later was admitted to the hospital with extreme pain and weakness in her legs.  Extensive testing determined it was post viral syndrome, and this kid who was on dance team and active in theater is now in a wheelchair.  They're hoping she'll make progress with PT and be able to walk again, but nobody knows yet.

[Starr]

Another uncle of mine has died of covid. That's three for our family. They did not live near each other. 😞