Omicron anecdata?

[mommyoffive]

On 9/5/2023 at 1:51 PM, Toocrazy!! said:

Is there any info on reinfection times with these new strains? I am about 60 days out from a covid infection, and getting ready to travel. Just wondering if I have any backup immunity from that recent infection?  

Who needs the updated COVID vaccine? Eligibility, side effects, cost and more (msn.com)

When is the best time to get the new COVID booster?

For many people, the best time to get the new booster, according to the CDC, will be as soon as it becomes available. High-risk individuals should not hesitate to get the shot, the experts note.

However, if you've recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection, the experts recommend waiting for two to three months after infection to get the updated vaccine.

"You (want) the immune system to go back into its resting state. ... In order for the updated vaccine to be most effective, you want to have mostly recovered from prior infection," says Mulligan.

Also, if you recently got a previous COVID-19 vaccine or the bivalent booster, the FDA recommends waiting at least two months before getting the updated vaccine.

Individuals who are both high-risk and recently got the previous bivalent booster or recovered from infection should talk to their doctor about the best time to get the updated shot, the experts note.

[mommyoffive]

Attack on Man for Wearing COVID Mask Violated His Freedom, Friend Says (newsweek.com)

[Elfknitter.#]

On 9/12/2023 at 10:18 AM, KSera said:

Are there any brands that have a failed an expiration date extension? So far, all of ours are still good under the extensions, despite the dates on the boxes showing expired.

I don't have an answer, but some of my iHealth tests were past their extension dates when I checked the codes. However, I didn't realized that until after I used them. I recently got some new ones that confirmed the negatives I had with the old tests.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Elfknitter.#

[KSera]

10 minutes ago, Elfknitter.# said:

I don't have an answer, but some of my iHealth tests were past their extension dates when I checked the codes. However, I didn't realized that until after I used them. I recently got some new ones that confirmed the negatives I had with the old tests.

I found this FDA page that lets you look up the test you have and what the newest expiration date extension is. I need to look at my ihealth ones, but I thought the earliest ones were still within the current 18 month expiration date extension.

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list

[Ting Tang]

2 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Attack on Man for Wearing COVID Mask Violated His Freedom, Friend Says (newsweek.com)

People are horrible.  

[Spryte]

17 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

People are horrible.  

Yes. That is just so sad, and horrible. And violent.
 

This is trivial in comparison: DD was sick, and wearing a mask while we ran out to get meds not long ago. A grown man yelled at her that “Covid is f***ing over!” as she walked past. She’s 12. A 12 year old girl! A child. It wasn’t violent, but it felt threatening. The man was easily in his 40s. Who does that?! 

Edited September 13, 2023 by Spryte

[kbutton]

9 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Yes. That is just so sad, and horrible. And violent.
 

This is trivial in comparison: DD was sick, and wearing a mask while we ran out to get meds not long ago. A grown man yelled at her that “Covid is f***ing over!” as she walked past. She’s 12. A 12 year old girl! A child. It wasn’t violent, but it felt threatening. The man was easily in his 40s. Who does that?! 

People feel more free to harass young people for some reason. It’s horrid.

[Ausmumof3]

 (2nd video down) Interesting way to explain boosters 🤣

I have to be honest I can’t understand half of it but hopefully it spreads the good word!

 

[Ting Tang]

2 hours ago, Spryte said:

Yes. That is just so sad, and horrible. And violent.
 

This is trivial in comparison: DD was sick, and wearing a mask while we ran out to get meds not long ago. A grown man yelled at her that “Covid is f***ing over!” as she walked past. She’s 12. A 12 year old girl! A child. It wasn’t violent, but it felt threatening. The man was easily in his 40s. Who does that?! 

That is disgusting.  I wish a police officer had been present. 

 

[Amoret]

From The John Snow Project:

What if SARS-CoV-2 continues to infect us even after the initial symptoms fade?

In light of the accumulating evidence, we propose a new paradigm for COVID-19:

COVID-19 is a disease that has an acute and chronic phase. Both phases can be asymptomatic or symptomatic, and the severity and nature of symptoms in either phase depends on the host immune response, viral inoculum and location of infection. In the chronic phase, commonly known as Long COVID, many more people than those who exhibit symptoms of Long COVID, or perhaps everyone who has been infected by COVID-19, is on the same spectrum of T cell activation and may share as yet undiscovered characteristics of viral persistence or immune dysfunction, regardless of whether they experience Long COVID symptoms or not, and the experience of those symptoms, which may be associated with further immune perturbation on reinfection, may be related to the location and/or quantity of viral RNA/protein/replicating virus in persistent reservoirs.

[mommyoffive]

This week in outbreaks: September 14 edition (substack.com)

Covid-19 hospitalizations rose again this week to 18,871, up from 17,360 last week. That’s about a 9% increase, which is lower than the 16% increase the week prior. For context, current hospitalization levels are half of those from the same time last year.

On the bright side, there may finally be signs that the summer wave is slowing. Both test positivity rates and the percentage of Emergency Department visits diagnosed as Covid-19 have slightly decreased, marking the first drop since June. Notably, improvements are finally evident in the Southern region. Wastewater concentration fell last week according to data from Biobot, and the number of new hospitalizations either plateaued or dropped in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. A single week of easing is not enough to say the tides have changed, but I’m hopeful.

And just to set expectations, the “end” of the summer wave doesn’t mean peace and quiet. In years prior, activity rose in the summer, dropped slightly but remained elevated through the winter months, and culminated in a peak around January.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Covid-19 boosters for the fall earlier this week. The decision then went to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommended that everyone aged 6 months and older receive the shot. Only the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA products were approved. Novavax is still in review. The vaccines are already available on the shelves of some pharmacies and are expected to be widely available next week. Canadian authorities have also authorized the booster for everyone 6 months and older.

There has been some discussion in the news about whether young, healthy adults should bother with the booster, given that they are at low risk of severe illness. My opinion is yes! I would get a booster if I hadn't recently recovered. Given my recent infection, I’ll wait at least 3 months.

Edited September 14, 2023 by mommyoffive

[mommyoffive]

Considerations for your fall Covid-19 vaccine (substack.com)

 

[mommyoffive]

On 9/5/2023 at 1:51 PM, Toocrazy!! said:

Is there any info on reinfection times with these new strains? I am about 60 days out from a covid infection, and getting ready to travel. Just wondering if I have any backup immunity from that recent infection?  

Considerations for your fall Covid-19 vaccine (substack.com)

How long after infection/vaccination should I wait?

 

This is tricky.

We have frustratingly scarce scientific guidance on timing. What we do have tells us this:

• Minimum wait: 2-3 months. A Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t add much benefit within 2-3 months of infection. We don’t have to wait 2-3 months after infection—we won’t “exhaust” or “overwhelm” our immune system. But waiting will ensure we broaden B cells (our second line of defense; our antibody factory that stores some long-term-memory). With an updated vaccine formula, we want our factory updated.

 

• Maximum wait 8-12 months: The longer we wait, the more we get out of the vaccine. One study found that waiting 8 months increased neutralizing antibodies 11 times more than waiting 3 months after infection. Another study found a 12-month interval improved vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization.

BUT waiting is a gamble. Even if a vaccine sooner is not as good as it could be, it’s better than waiting too long and catching Covid with limited protection, especially for high-risk people.

SO, this is what I’m suggesting to my family:

• Over 65 or at risk for severe disease: Get vaccine 4 months after infection/previous vaccine. Don’t wait more than 6 months. (Go here to understand why older adults need more urgent protection.)

• Under 65 and not high risk: Wait at least 6 months. Ideally, get vaccinated once a winter wave starts taking off. (Getting it by Halloween is a good bet.) This is what I will be doing with my family. But remember, we have very little/no protection against infection until we do. So, other layers of protection are especially needed.

[Spryte]

Does anyone have a good resource for tracking Covid in Europe? I am wondering if they are seeing a similar increase in cases.

[bookbard]

Just got back from Japan. One of the reasons I was ok with going was because of wide-spread masking . . . then all covid restrictions were dropped, and now masking is being discouraged (partly due to the serious heat waves - kids have died in school, walking back from school, etc. It was early autumn and seriously hot every day. My kids found it very challenging - we aren't from northern Australia). 

Anyway, a minority of people were masking. I managed to get the family to mask occasionally - eg while the plane was boarding - but they didn't mask much. Last 2 days a write off as hubby and kids had bad colds (so far covid negative). I am fine so far, I even masked in the car from the airport because I didn't want to get it. Also have been using a carrageenan nasal spray regularly. Of course, it may well hit just as everyone else recovers, that often happens to me. 

Lots of coughing on trains - I think they picked up the cold on the bullet train where someone had a hacking cough. Heaps of coughing on the plane back to Australia. Really makes you realise how much we 'import' viruses etc from overseas. 

[Ting Tang]

I had direct contact with someone who told me he was 9 days out from having to wear a mask at school after Covid. My son had contact with his dad today, who has a lingering cough. My son is in the tae kwon do class the dad helps teach. The kid is not neurotypical and said Covid isn’t serious anymore, bless his heart. Was this high risk? I masked for a long time and will probably start again after today. They seem physically fine otherwise and can’t lock themselves away, but my MIL has metastatic pancreatic cancer, and I live nextdoor to her. She’s doing maintenance chemo now. Thoughts? 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Ting Tang

[KSera]

36 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

I had direct contact with someone who told me he was 9 days out from having to wear a mask at school after Covid. My son had contact with his dad today, who has a lingering cough. My son is in the tae kwon do class the dad helps teach. The kid is not neurotypical and said Covid isn’t serious anymore, bless his heart. Was this high risk? I masked for a long time and will probably start again after today. They seem physically fine otherwise and can’t lock themselves away, but my MIL has metastatic pancreatic cancer, and I live nextdoor to her. She’s doing maintenance chemo now. Thoughts? 

I’m not totally clear on the timing. Do you mean they are on nine days of infection or they are nine days past the 10 day period of having to wear a mask, so day 19?

[Ausmumof3]

43 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

I had direct contact with someone who told me he was 9 days out from having to wear a mask at school after Covid. My son had contact with his dad today, who has a lingering cough. My son is in the tae kwon do class the dad helps teach. The kid is not neurotypical and said Covid isn’t serious anymore, bless his heart. Was this high risk? I masked for a long time and will probably start again after today. They seem physically fine otherwise and can’t lock themselves away, but my MIL has metastatic pancreatic cancer, and I live nextdoor to her. She’s doing maintenance chemo now. Thoughts? 

It depends how long they had to mask as school. If it was like five days of masking plus 9 days it would be pretty low risk (most people seem to stop being infectious by day 10). Even at 9 days out a lot of people aren’t very infectious anymore so hopefully you’ll be ok. 
 

If you have to see MIL maybe test every couple of days to be safe?

[mommyoffive]

Updated COVID vaccines are now FDA and CDC approved and available soon in the US! (substack.com)

[Ting Tang]

Thank you all. I was trying to gather information about when they were exactly sick.  He said they returned to school after Labor Day, and that was the last day he had to mask.  He is not neurotypical, so it was hard to understand. But I know they were all at taekwondo last week, too.  His dad is a teacher, so he was working directly with my son and another student.  I heard him cough.  He is a pretty strong and athletic guy, and he had no problem being active last night.  I just worry, so I guess we should be masking again.  I know people cannot hide away forever.  The other student's mom teaches in public school, so she was not worried at all.

[KSera]

4 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

Thank you all. I was trying to gather information about when they were exactly sick.  He said they returned to school after Labor Day, and that was the last day he had to mask.  He is not neurotypical, so it was hard to understand. But I know they were all at taekwondo last week, too.  His dad is a teacher, so he was working directly with my son and another student.  I heard him cough.  He is a pretty strong and athletic guy, and he had no problem being active last night.  I just worry, so I guess we should be masking again.  I know people cannot hide away forever.  The other student's mom teaches in public school, so she was not worried at all.

I wouldn’t feel concerned about contact this week if their masking period ended on Labor Day. And if your contact last week had been problematic, I would have expected you would already be sick. Incubation time seems to have gotten pretty short for most people. 
 

But yeah, rates are currently such (around here at least) that I would expect to catch it if not masking well. 

[Ting Tang]

Just now, KSera said:

I wouldn’t feel concerned about contact this week if their masking period ended on Labor Day. And if your contact last week had been problematic, I would have expected you would already be sick. Incubation time seems to have gotten pretty short for most people. 
 

But yeah, rates are currently such (around here at least) that I would expect to catch it if not masking well. 

Thanks so much!  I do feel better reading this was lower risk. But the good masks are coming out again.  

[mommyoffive]

Neanderthal Genes Are Linked to Severe Covid Risk (msn.com)

 

COVID levels are so high, they’re hovering near 2020’s initial peak, as the WHO urges those at high risk to take any booster they can get their hands on (msn.com)

[MEmama]

On 9/14/2023 at 9:25 PM, Spryte said:

Does anyone have a good resource for tracking Covid in Europe? I am wondering if they are seeing a similar increase in cases.

I know the caseload was high this summer in Ireland, or at least a lot of people were reporting being down with Covid. I haven't read much about it lately, but I'll be encouraging DS to get his booster as soon as it's available.

[Spryte]

1 minute ago, MEmama said:

I know the caseload was high this summer in Ireland, or at least a lot of people were reporting being down with Covid. I haven't read much about it lately, but I'll be encouraging DS to get his booster as soon as it's available.

Thanks. If you find anything more, please post?

I found an EU source, but not sure about reliability. DH is traveling about one week per month all late summer into winter and I’m assessing risk. Each time he goes, I’m convinced he will bring it home “this time,” but with cases so high here—now I’m doubly convinced each time. At this point, we’re as likely to get it here as he is to bring it home from the EU, I think!

[MEmama]

2 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Thanks. If you find anything more, please post?

I found an EU source, but not sure about reliability. DH is traveling about one week per month all late summer into winter and I’m assessing risk. Each time he goes, I’m convinced he will bring it home “this time,” but with cases so high here—now I’m doubly convinced each time. At this point, we’re as likely to get it here as he is to bring it home from the EU, I think!

Will do! 
 

Yeah, I suspect your assessment is right. I was surprised to just read in one of @mommyoffive's linked articles how high the caseload is here. I guess I've not been paying close attention and had no idea. Ugh!!

[Corraleno]

On 9/15/2023 at 5:57 AM, mommyoffive said:

Updated COVID vaccines are now FDA and CDC approved and available soon in the US! (substack.com)

I sure wish we had an ETA on Novavax. If it will be out by mid-October I'd probably wait for that, but if it's going to be Nov/Dec, then I'll just go ahead and get another Moderna. I need to fly cross country in the next 6 weeks or so, and DD is about to start a clinical program at the CC that will include daily exposure, so I don't want to wait too long. I'd just hate to get Moderna and then 2 days later Novavax is released — or keep waiting for Novavax and end up with covid again.

[Mom_to3]

2 hours ago, Corraleno said:

I sure wish we had an ETA on Novavax. If it will be out by mid-October I'd probably wait for that, but if it's going to be Nov/Dec, then I'll just go ahead and get another Moderna. I need to fly cross country in the next 6 weeks or so, and DD is about to start a clinical program at the CC that will include daily exposure, so I don't want to wait too long. I'd just hate to get Moderna and then 2 days later Novavax is released — or keep waiting for Novavax and end up with covid again.

Yes - we are facing exactly the same dilemma! It is really really odd that we have been given no timeframe about when Novavax can be expected, or why there is this delay (Novavax did present at the CDC meeting earlier this week). Why are you thinking of waiting for Novavax?

[Corraleno]

9 minutes ago, Mom_to3 said:

Why are you thinking of waiting for Novavax?

Some studies seemed to show an increased immune response when combining different vaccines. For example, this study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that "Homologous boosters increased neutralizing antibody titers by a factor of 4 to 20, whereas heterologous boosters increased titers by a factor of 6 to 73."

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2116414 

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, Corraleno said:

Some studies seemed to show an increased immune response when combining different vaccines. For example, this study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that "Homologous boosters increased neutralizing antibody titers by a factor of 4 to 20, whereas heterologous boosters increased titers by a factor of 6 to 73."

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2116414 

This is the latest thing I have read.

Considerations for your fall Covid-19 vaccine (substack.com)

Do I wait for Novavax?

 

There is some evidence that mixing Novavax with mRNA is better and some evidence that staying with mRNA is better. It’s a bit hard to know which one is “right.”

High-risk people: The data pool is so narrow I’m uncomfortable suggesting that high-risk people wait for Novavax; we don’t know if it’s immunologically better. So don’t wait for this option if it’s been >6 months since your last vaccine and/or infection.

Other reasons people may want to wait on Novavax:

• Side effects. The mRNA vaccines are the most reactogenic vaccines we’ve ever had (i.e., a lot of side effects). They kick my butt, so I will be waiting for it.

• Hesitant about mRNA biotechnology.

[kokotg]

10 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Neanderthal Genes Are Linked to Severe Covid Risk (msn.com)

 

 

I'm nearly certain I read something early on about how neanderthal genes are linked with BETTER covid outcomes! Now I'm going to drive myself crazy looking for it.

ETA: Boosters are just making me feel discouraged this time around. Like...I will definitely get one, but it's just making me sad about how we still don't have anything to actually stop transmission. More practically, I have a Disney trip booked in January, and I'm wondering if we're better off pushing it closer to that rather than rushing to get one. 

Edited September 17, 2023 by kokotg

[kokotg]

...or maybe I'm just remembering wrong, because this study from early on says the same thing: more Neanderthal is bad: https://www.science.org/content/article/neanderthal-gene-found-many-people-may-open-cells-coronavirus-and-increase-covid-19

ETA: ah! here we go: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/health/neanderthal-gene-coronavirus-scn-wellness/index.html

TLDR: it's unclear whether being more neanderthal is good or bad! Nothing you can do about it anyway!

Edited September 17, 2023 by kokotg

[kbutton]

Novavax…a Covid group I’m on said their Cosco has them ordered, so when they are available, maybe other Cosco locations will have them.

[mommyoffive]

Not covid related 100%, but I thought some might find this interesting. 

 

An Exciting New Approach to Autoimmune Diseases (substack.com)

[mommyoffive]

Home tests still work to detect Covid-19, but here’s why your test may not pick up an infection | CNN

[Amoret]

No, Covid can never, ever be "just cold." Here's why

From Nate Bear in response to this Atlantic article.

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, Amoret said:

No, Covid can never, ever be "just cold." Here's why

From Nate Bear in response to this Atlantic article.

Sobering indeed. 
I’d like to pass this along to my kids to read but first can you or someone tell me about the source? My daughter is currently a research assistant and she is really exacting in her assessment of sourcing. I just want to make sure this will hold up to her scrutiny, lol. Who is Nate Bear and where does he stand on the credibility scale? 

[Amoret]

1 hour ago, Harriet Vane said:

Sobering indeed. 
I’d like to pass this along to my kids to read but first can you or someone tell me about the source? My daughter is currently a research assistant and she is really exacting in her assessment of sourcing. I just want to make sure this will hold up to her scrutiny, lol. Who is Nate Bear and where does he stand on the credibility scale? 

I can't find out much about the author -- I thought he was a med. professional, but it seems that I am thinking of someone else. The info he has here is in line with other things I have read, though I am having a hard time finding better cited articles about this particular topic. I came across the link this morning, but I see that it is actually from June. I have read his Twitter posts and his substack periodically for a while, and his brief essays are accessible, if not as well documented as other sources. In general, his views seem to align pretty closely with those of the writers of the John Snow Project, and they are meticulous in their citations for everything they write.

In any case, here are two of the studies he cites (and his reading of them seems valid, though I am no expert on the topic):

Expression of the SARS-CoV-2 cell receptor gene ACE2 in a wide variety of human tissues

Determinants of species-specific utilization of ACE2 by human and animal coronaviruses

He also cites this article as well (not a study), but that has links to additional studies.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Amoret

[mommyoffive]

Straight Talk with Peter Hotez - by Eric Topol (substack.com)

 

Can I get the COVID vaccine at the same time as another vaccine? (substack.com)

 

Covid-19 metrics update, September 19, 2023. (substack.com)

 

Be careful comparing the U.S. to other countries (substack.com)

[Ausmumof3]

BA 2.86 is less infectious but current vaccines don’t seem to neutralise it. Skim read so forgive me if that’s not quite right.

”All vaccine sera tested (monox3, monox4, BA.1 bivalent, and BA.5 bivalent) showed NO neutralizing activity against BA.2.86 (and EG.5.1).”

[kbutton]

DH got his updated booster at Walgreens, and the pharmacist told him that you don’t even feel the chip, and the battery lasts even longer this time. 🤣

[Matryoshka]

48 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

BA 2.86 is less infectious but current vaccines don’t seem to neutralise it. Skim read so forgive me if that’s not quite right.

”All vaccine sera tested (monox3, monox4, BA.1 bivalent, and BA.5 bivalent) showed NO neutralizing activity against BA.2.86 (and EG.5.1).”

Well, the tested vaxes don't include the newest one (XBB monovalent) but they did test against previous XBB infection and it still had very high evasiveness.  😬

[YaelAldrich]

On 9/14/2023 at 11:56 PM, bookbard said:

Just got back from Japan. One of the reasons I was ok with going was because of wide-spread masking . . . then all covid restrictions were dropped, and now masking is being discouraged (partly due to the serious heat waves - kids have died in school, walking back from school, etc. It was early autumn and seriously hot every day. My kids found it very challenging - we aren't from northern Australia). 

Anyway, a minority of people were masking. I managed to get the family to mask occasionally - eg while the plane was boarding - but they didn't mask much. Last 2 days a write off as hubby and kids had bad colds (so far covid negative). I am fine so far, I even masked in the car from the airport because I didn't want to get it. Also have been using a carrageenan nasal spray regularly. Of course, it may well hit just as everyone else recovers, that often happens to me. 

Lots of coughing on trains - I think they picked up the cold on the bullet train where someone had a hacking cough. Heaps of coughing on the plane back to Australia. Really makes you realise how much we 'import' viruses etc from overseas. 

We were there in all of July. So much coughing but a fair number (maybe a fourth) of people masking. One of my bonus kids caught COVID the last week of the trip. None of the rest of us got it.

 

[mommyoffive]

People’s CDC COVID-19 Weather Report: September 18, 2023 (substack.com)

Wastewater levels are still very high, though they are beginning to drop a bit nationally. This is primarily due to a sharp drop in levels in the South. Meanwhile there appears to be a leveling off in the West and Northeast while levels continue to rise in the Midwest. We caution that just because levels appear to be leveling off or dropping in 3 out of 4 regions that does not mean that will last forever–keep in mind, the Midwest just recently exhibited a drop for a few weeks in August before rising again to the even further increased levels that we are currently experiencing.

As mentioned in previous reports, Biobot data has shown retroactive data updates in reports published up to several weeks prior, likely due to variation in the timing of reporting across wastewater sites. We have reached out to Biobot to better understand these changes, and are considering using another source for reporting wastewater, so stay tuned. In the meantime, to account for retroactive fluctuation, we will continue to report the previous week’s wastewater data as it appears to fluctuate significantly less than the most recent findings. Note that the “September 15” date refers to the “data collection date” rather than the last data point reported (September 6).

[mommyoffive]

Fall Covid shot rollout gets off to a bumpy start as some patients see insurance delays (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

A Game Plan for Timing Your Flu, Covid and RSV Shots This Fall (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

US households will be able to order more free Covid-19 tests starting Monday | CNN

 

[Laura Corin]

On 9/15/2023 at 2:25 AM, Spryte said:

Does anyone have a good resource for tracking Covid in Europe? I am wondering if they are seeing a similar increase in cases.

The UK is. The vaccine programme has been brought forward in response. I haven't seen solid figures though. My niece has Covid right now.

Edited September 20, 2023 by Laura Corin

[bookbard]

1 hour ago, Laura Corin said:

The UK is. The vaccine programme has been brought forward in response. I haven't seen solid figures though. My niece has Covid right now.

My sister and her family have it right now in Australia. Apparently Pirola has hit Australia's shores. Also lots of media about strep A. I wish they'd allow boosters for the kids.

[elinnea]

DH and one of DS just got back on Sunday from two weeks with the in-laws in Germany.  DH tested positive for Covid this morning- sore throat and fever.  DS has tested negative so far as have the rest of us at home.