Omicron anecdata?

[Jaybee]

2 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

Your issue understanding wouldn’t prevent others from showing up wearing one. Are you asking then to remove it to hear them? If not, I’m not sure I follow. Are you choosing to not mask because of it? 

Dude behind me had a nice voice but not sure having an unmasked person behind me singing makes sense right now! 

No, I'm just responding to @KSera's post saying it bothers her when people on the stage speaking or singing don't wear them. I'm saying that I understand why a speaker doesn't, because it hinders the communication. I am not saying that my wearing a mask hinders anything; just that it is harder for me to follow a speaker when I can't see their lips and when their voice is muffled.

[Guest]

Just learned that an old friend and work collègue of mine is hospitalized with Covid and pneumonia. She is on a “Bivent,”which I do not know what that actually is but she cannot breathe without support.

Unvaccinated. Her boyfriend was also hospitalized but has gone home now. 

I don’t know how to say this graciously but I am really having a hard time enduring requests for prayers in these circumstances. I feel like there’s a meme-god up there shaking his damn head and saying, “I *gave* you all a vaccine in less than a year! Why are you pestering me if you wouldn’t even get the vax?” 
 

I don’t know…I better shut up before I say something really wrong headed.

[ktgrok]

28 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

No, I'm just responding to @KSera's post saying it bothers her when people on the stage speaking or singing don't wear them. I'm saying that I understand why a speaker doesn't, because it hinders the communication. I am not saying that my wearing a mask hinders anything; just that it is harder for me to follow a speaker when I can't see their lips and when their voice is muffled.

Right. I know that our pastor and our previous one had requests to remove the mask when preaching specifically for this reason. We have a lot of older folks who need to see lips. 

He wears it until actually saying something important, removes it just while preaching or giving an announcement, stays probably a good 15-25 feet away from the congregation during that time, then puts it back on as soon as he walks away from the microphone. This is also not the kind of denomination with an hour long sermon 🙂

And he is vocally vaccinated and boostered. Everyone else wears one, singing or other wise. 

Edited January 10, 2022 by ktgrok

[heartlikealion]

7 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

No, I'm just responding to @KSera's post saying it bothers her when people on the stage speaking or singing don't wear them. I'm saying that I understand why a speaker doesn't, because it hinders the communication. I am not saying that my wearing a mask hinders anything; just that it is harder for me to follow a speaker when I can't see their lips and when their voice is muffled.

Ohh!! Ok 

[KSera]

1 hour ago, Jaybee said:

No, I'm just responding to @KSera's post saying it bothers her when people on the stage speaking or singing don't wear them. I'm saying that I understand why a speaker doesn't, because it hinders the communication. I am not saying that my wearing a mask hinders anything; just that it is harder for me to follow a speaker when I can't see their lips and when their voice is muffled.

I can see that for a speaker, but it doesn’t make sense for singers. The words are up on the screen for all to see and there masks out there that don’t muffle the voice for singing in. And singing produces SO MUCH respiratory aerosol. And, I also think an argument can be fairly made during super high spread times that keeping everyone masked for the good of not just all in the church but also the local community and hospitals is the right thing to do, regardless. Just as some people can’t understand as well if they can’t read lips, others can’t take the risk of being there at all if people are taking masks off to talk. 

[heartlikealion]

1 minute ago, KSera said:

I can see that for a speaker, but it doesn’t make sense for singers. The words are up on the screen for all to see and there masks out there that don’t muffle the voice for singing in. And singing produces SO MUCH respiratory aerosol. And, I also think an argument can be fairly made during super high spread times that keeping everyone masked for the good of not just all in the church but also the local community and hospitals is the right thing to do, regardless. Just as some people can’t understand as well if they can’t read lips, others can’t take the risk of being there at all if people are taking masks off to talk. 

Right. We don’t have a choir at all services I attend but people turn to the page and sing if they want. I don’t need to see lips to know the words. I can follow along. 

[heartlikealion]

Side note I’m pretty sure the wrong readings were read today. Today’s date did not match the readings and I saw others like me fumbling around in their Missalette. Lol 

[thewellerman]

Nm.

Edited January 10, 2022 by thewellerman
I don't want to talk about it

[ktgrok]

7 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

Side note I’m pretty sure the wrong readings were read today. Today’s date did not match the readings and I saw others like me fumbling around in their Missalette. Lol 

Another reason to double check the Bishop's own statement - if your priest doesn't even go with the official reading, what else is he messing up, lol!

In al seriousness, if you are comfortable sharing what Diocese you are in -you can message if you prefer - I'm happy to see if I can find the official word about Mass attendance for you. 

 

[WildflowerMom]

We are not tested, but both dh and I have covid.   I am assuming ds does not since he stays in his room or is out of the house all the time.    Dh works in a one-room office with about 7 guys.    As of last night, 5 of them were sick.   I am going to assume that all 7 have it at this point, but maybe not.    The 2 who are vaxxed were sick first.   
 

Dh is not vaxxed.  I am vaxxed and boosted.   

Dh is in bed right now running a 101+ fever, chills, body aches, sounds awful, etc.     
I have no fever and am sitting in my chair drinking coffee with my dog.    I do have a lot of fatigue and I do have some weirdness in my chest, but nothing else.    
I am currently on a prednisone regimen per my rheumy so maybe that's why I'm handling this so much better?    The 2 who are vaxxed that brought it to dh's office--1 is as sick as dh is, the other just has cold symptoms.    Part of me is angry and totally non sympathetic because dh isn't vaxxed.   The other part of me is looking at the facts which are that the vaxxed people are sick as well, and maybe it's just a crap-shoot at this point in the game.  Idk.       I'm irritated about all of it right now, tbh.   

[kristin0713]

If this thread is still for anecdata, here is my contribution.

I was vaxxed with J&J last spring. No booster. A few very close exposures in the summer and fall with no apparent breakthrough. 

Friday evening I started feeling achy and had chills. Friday during the night I had the worst full body muscles aches I have ever had in my life. Saturday morning, intense nausea and headache. Got tested. Flu negative, covid sent out. Ibuprofen greatly improved the aches. Sunday morning was hit with nausea again. Called the doctor who RX'd me zofran. I swear it is a miracle drug. No more nausea. Covid results yesterday (sunday) positive. Last night started slightly coughing and sneezing but really not much. This morning still felt crummy but so much better when the zofran and ibuprofen kicked in. It is very bizarre. When the medicine wears off, I'm in bad shape. Otherwise I barely feel sick. Absolutely zero problems breathing, barely any respiratory symptoms. The worst was Friday night severe body aches and the nausea which was very surprising and worse than I would have every expected. All in all, I'm fine, thanks to zofran, my new best friend. 

[Kassia]

@kristin0713I'm glad the meds gave you some relief.  I have an OT question for you - did the Zofran make you very sleepy?  I am struggling with nausea from a concussion and am resisting taking it because I am already sleeping so much from the concussion and don't know if the Zofran will knock me out even more.  Hope you are better soon and don't need any meds.

[kristin0713]

Just now, Kassia said:

@kristin0713I'm glad the meds gave you some relief.  I have an OT question for you - did the Zofran make you very sleepy?  I am struggling with nausea from a concussion and am resisting taking it because I am already sleeping so much from the concussion and don't know if the Zofran will knock me out even more.  Hope you are better soon and don't need any meds.

I don't think it's making me sleepy. I mean, it's hard to say because I feel covid tired. I'm not sleeping well at night either. I don't really think the zofran is doing anything except help. 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

My DS is feeling well. He had symptoms for 5 days and was miserable for 3 of those. He cannot return to work until the 12th and is going stir crazy now that he feels normal. I believe he left his apartment for the first time on Sat.

I managed to control myself and not go visit him despite the nagging desire to go be of help and do his grocery shopping and get him some medicine. The need to go mother him was great but I also babysit my DGDs every week and I couldn't justify putting my DD's family at risk. I would most certainly have gone to DS if his symptoms would have worsened or if he had serious issues.

[Kanin]

26 minutes ago, WildflowerMom said:

Part of me is angry and totally non sympathetic because dh isn't vaxxed.   The other part of me is looking at the facts which are that the vaxxed people are sick as well, and maybe it's just a crap-shoot at this point in the game.  Idk.       I'm irritated about all of it right now, tbh.   

I'm irritated, too. But I don't think it's a total crapshoot. People who are vaxxed and boosted tend to get milder symptoms, and are definitely way, way more protected against serious illness. So... it's good that you're vaccinated! Sorry your DH is so sick, but maybe this will be a wake-up call for him. 

[Pam in CT]

re "meme God"

11 hours ago, Quill said:

Just learned that an old friend and work collègue of mine is hospitalized with Covid and pneumonia. She is on a “Bivent,”which I do not know what that actually is but she cannot breathe without support.

Unvaccinated. Her boyfriend was also hospitalized but has gone home now. 

I don’t know how to say this graciously but I am really having a hard time enduring requests for prayers in these circumstances. I feel like there’s a meme-god up there shaking his damn head and saying, “I *gave* you all a vaccine in less than a year! Why are you pestering me if you wouldn’t even get the vax?” 
 

I don’t know…I better shut up before I say something really wrong headed.

Yeah, that #FunnyNotFunny joke about the guy whose town is flooding, and as the waters rise refuses first an evacuation bus, and then a neighbor with a boat, and then a FEMA helicopter, insisting all the while that "God will save me"... and then drowns, and when he gets to the gates demands "Why didn't you save me?!" and God answers, "Dude. I sent you a bus. And a boat. And a helicopter.  This is on you, my friend" comes to mind rather often at this stage in the pandemic.

 

FWIW, there's a wide strand of Jewish tradition that says, God doesn't have hands. So "miraculous" outcomes derive from a combination of Godly energy propelling human action.  I'm obviously paraphrasing but that is how I receive the teaching.

In a very, very serious way, this frame helps me make sense of the world.

[regentrude]

41 minutes ago, WildflowerMom said:

The other part of me is looking at the facts which are that the vaxxed people are sick as well, and maybe it's just a crap-shoot at this point in the game. 

If you look at hospitalization/ICU data, there is pretty good evidence that the vaccination helps prevent serious illness and death. So yes, still crummy for a few days, but beats being on a ventilator.

[heartlikealion]

2 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Another reason to double check the Bishop's own statement - if your priest doesn't even go with the official reading, what else is he messing up, lol!

In al seriousness, if you are comfortable sharing what Diocese you are in -you can message if you prefer - I'm happy to see if I can find the official word about Mass attendance for you. 

 

I'm sending you a PM! 

[mommyoffive]

Covid-19: Common cold may give some protection, study suggests - BBC News

[Faith-manor]

11 hours ago, KSera said:

I can see that for a speaker, but it doesn’t make sense for singers. The words are up on the screen for all to see and there masks out there that don’t muffle the voice for singing in. And singing produces SO MUCH respiratory aerosol. And, I also think an argument can be fairly made during super high spread times that keeping everyone masked for the good of not just all in the church but also the local community and hospitals is the right thing to do, regardless. Just as some people can’t understand as well if they can’t read lips, others can’t take the risk of being there at all if people are taking masks off to talk. 

What would be even better would for the music to be pre-recorded. The masks that can be used with mics are not even remotely sufficient for omicron. Not.at.all. So at this point, everything really needs to reset to hard shutdown, no in person services, and drive through communion unless it is the south and nice out for parking lot services. Here in the North where our temps are 9 degrees with windchills in the negatives, they need to stop holding church in person period.

[mommyoffive]

State of Affairs: Jan 10 - Your Local Epidemiologist (substack.com)

[heartlikealion]

I just heard about "deltacrom" UGH. I wish that when people got tested they were told what variant they had. I guess some are and some aren't. 

[heartlikealion]

17 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

What would be even better would for the music to be pre-recorded. The masks that can be used with mics are not even remotely sufficient for omicron. Not.at.all. So at this point, everything really needs to reset to hard shutdown, no in person services, and drive through communion unless it is the south and nice out for parking lot services. Here in the North where our temps are 9 degrees with windchills in the negatives, they need to stop holding church in person period.

Wait were services doing drive thru communion? 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Pam in CT said:

re "meme God"

Yeah, that #FunnyNotFunny joke about the guy whose town is flooding, and as the waters rise refuses first an evacuation bus, and then a neighbor with a boat, and then a FEMA helicopter, insisting all the while that "God will save me"... and then drowns, and when he gets to the gates demands "Why didn't you save me?!" and God answers, "Dude. I sent you a bus. And a boat. And a helicopter.  This is on you, my friend" comes to mind rather often at this stage in the pandemic.

 

FWIW, there's a wide strand of Jewish tradition that says, God doesn't have hands. So "miraculous" outcomes derive from a combination of Godly energy propelling human action.  I'm obviously paraphrasing but that is how I receive the teaching.

In a very, very serious way, this frame helps me make sense of the world.

This makes me think I would make a better Jew than I do a Christian. 

Well, that and I like potato pancakes. 

[regentrude]

4 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

 I wish that when people got tested they were told what variant they had. 

what would change for the patient if they knew which variant it is? What would they do differently based on that information?

[heartlikealion]

1 minute ago, regentrude said:

what would change for the patient if they knew which variant it is? What would they do differently based on that information?

Example: omicron is very contagious. How we conduct ourselves in the house if we know it’s omicron vs delta may vary. Like be more apt to wear a kn95 to pop in the room. 

I was just thinking of how individuals may want to know. I would want to know. 

[regentrude]

5 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Example: omicron is very contagious. How we conduct ourselves in the house if we know it’s omicron vs delta may vary. Like be more apt to wear a kn95 to pop in the room. 

I was just thinking of how individuals may want to know. I would want to know. 

you wouldn't wear an N95 if you or a household member were infected with Delta???

Edited January 10, 2022 by regentrude

[Spryte]

1 minute ago, regentrude said:

you wouldn't wear an N95 if you or a household member were infected with Delta???

Yes, Delta is also extraordinarily contagious! An N95 is warranted in both cases!

I think I’d want to know what variant we had just out of curiosity. And maybe I’d stress a bit less, if omicron, as omicron seems to stay more upper respiratory. Plus, Delta doesn’t seem to pass on any/much immunity to omicron, so for someone who’s not super careful all the time, maybe they would be more cautious later? (I don’t know, I can’t relate to the not-super-careful mindset!).

[heartlikealion]

5 minutes ago, regentrude said:

you wouldn't wear an N95 if you or a household member were infected with Delta???

The news only started saying “cloth isn’t cutting it” when omicron came out. Cloth was never the *best* but once omicron hit I started buying other masks. 
 

Since I currently have a high quality mask I’d probably put it on but the vaccine protects more against delta than omincron from what I gather so that’s why the proximity to the person worries me more with omicron. I’m vaxxed. 

[Spryte]

Our sister-family has it (our closest friends, of many years). One kid went down first, caught on fast and isolated her, but another kid and at least one parent are down now. I’m a little worried, they are all pretty high risk for complications. 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, Pam in CT said:

FWIW, there's a wide strand of Jewish tradition that says, God doesn't have hands. So "miraculous" outcomes derive from a combination of Godly energy propelling human action.  I'm obviously paraphrasing but that is how I receive the teaching.

In a very, very serious way, this frame helps me make sense of the world.

One of the first visits to our new church the youth leader explained to the kids that we need to "Be Part of the MIracle", which is the slogan for the year. She explained it as instead of praying for a miracle, we pray to ask God how we can help create a miracle. That idea really hit me hard, and I've been returning to it over and over and over. God, how can I help this miracle happen? What can I do to be a part of the miracle you are bringing about?

24 minutes ago, Quill said:

This makes me think I would make a better Jew than I do a Christian. 

Well, that and I like potato pancakes. 

The book Inspired by Rachel Held Evans goes into the Jewish way of reading the Bible and understanding God, and how we have lost a lot of that in modern Christianity. A really great read. Highly recommend. 

[heartlikealion]

4 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Yes, Delta is also extraordinarily contagious! An N95 is warranted in both cases!

I think I’d want to know what variant we had just out of curiosity. And maybe I’d stress a bit less, if omicron, as omicron seems to stay more upper respiratory. Plus, Delta doesn’t seem to pass on any/much immunity to omicron, so for someone who’s not super careful all the time, maybe they would be more cautious later? (I don’t know, I can’t relate to the not-super-careful mindset!).

My daughter and son had to quarantine when they believe dd and stbx had delta (I live in a different house). Ds literally ate a bite of food off her plate she didn’t finish and never got it. When I heard I freaked out. It was an oversight. But my sister and bil that live in strict England constantly masking and had boosters got Covid (we presume omicron). So in my mind omicron is more contagious. This is the anecdote thread. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[KSera]

2 hours ago, regentrude said:

If you look at hospitalization/ICU data, there is pretty good evidence that the vaccination helps prevent serious illness and death. So yes, still crummy for a few days, but beats being on a ventilator.

Here’s a graph showing hospitalizations during the beginning of the omicron surge in NY, with vaccinated and unvaccinated graphed separately. 
 

 

[barnwife]

17 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

 

I think it’s kind of stupid we still have an obligation to attend face-to-face. I tried to go Wed night but didn’t get the memo that parish had canceled and their Wed time online didn’t match the bulletin I got today. Seriously people let’s get it together. 

Our diocesan dispensation was lifted long ago. We basically have yet to return to Mass in person. There is always (pandemic or not) a "it's fine to skip Mass with a valid reason." That valid reason exception, for me and mine, includes a pandemic. To me, it's feels morally wrong to attend in-person Mass during this pandemic, especially with people in our family still too young to be vaxxed.

No one, not even the Pope himself, could make me go to Mass in person now. It feels morally wrong to me. I have spent much time in prayer about it. I would love to attend Mass, but every time I pray about it I get a "not yet" response. So not even the Pope could get me there.

*Disclaimer: we did attend one Mass over the summer to baptize our youngest and so DD could make her FHC. Numbers were low here then, and there were more protocols. They are no longer distancing or requiring masks.

So, from one Catholic to another, I think the pandemic in general falls under the valid exception to Mass attendance. (Yes, I know many disagree with me. That's fine. I just wanted to put my perspetive out there in case it helps bring someone peace with whatever decision they make.)

Thankfully, I don't have any anecdata at this point to add to the thread.

[Arcadia]

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/business/money-report/pfizer-ceo-says-omicron-vaccine-will-be-ready-in-march/2774569/
“

• Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said an omicron vaccine will be ready in March, and the company is already manufacturing doses.
• Bourla said the goal is to produce a vaccine that is much better at preventing infection from omicron.”

[WildflowerMom]

4 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/business/money-report/pfizer-ceo-says-omicron-vaccine-will-be-ready-in-march/2774569/
“

• Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said an omicron vaccine will be ready in March, and the company is already manufacturing doses.
• Bourla said the goal is to produce a vaccine that is much better at preventing infection from omicron.”

I don't even know what to say.  
 

 

Btw, thank you Arcadia, for sharing!  That was not directed at you.  💛💛💛

[Faith-manor]

53 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Wait were services doing drive thru communion? 

Yes, some UMC's and Catholic churches here were doing it in summer 2020.

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

The book Inspired by Rachel Held Evans goes into the Jewish way of reading the Bible and understanding God, and how we have lost a lot of that in modern Christianity. A really great read. Highly recommend. 

I’m sure I would love it. I loved her book Faith Unraveled and related to a lot of it. 

[Terabith]

12 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

Side note I’m pretty sure the wrong readings were read today. Today’s date did not match the readings and I saw others like me fumbling around in their Missalette. Lol 

Today was kind of a unique Sunday because it could either be Celebration of Epiphany or Baptism of Our Lord.  

[Arcadia]

48 minutes ago, WildflowerMom said:

I don't even know what to say.  

Btw, thank you Arcadia, for sharing!  That was not directed at you.  💛💛💛

My husband is kind of waiting for the omicron version to boost since going back to office is delayed from February to indefinite due to omicron. So I thought others may also be interested. None of us are going out to work or school.

[kristin0713]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/business/money-report/pfizer-ceo-says-omicron-vaccine-will-be-ready-in-march/2774569/
“

• Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said an omicron vaccine will be ready in March, and the company is already manufacturing doses.
• Bourla said the goal is to produce a vaccine that is much better at preventing infection from omicron.”

This is exactly why I did not see any benefit in getting a booster. And what good will it do if it is not out until March. Maybe it will help some people (and that would be great) but this thing is so contagious that most will have had it or been exposed by then. We we will probably have moved on to the next variant. It feels like we are chasing the common cold with not end in sight. 

[1234]

I’m honestly rather shocked none of the five of us caught it on our trip to Chicago. I had made peace with us getting it but all are still healthy almost two weeks later. We ate out several times and dinners were long because we had drinks. We visited the aquarium and it was packed, and we sat a few times unmasked in the snack area.  I just find it so strange. Even though we somehow avoided it, we have stopped being indoors anywhere unmasked for the time being. We still go places masked, though. I’m someone who is fine with annual boosters but won’t be lining up for a new one in March. I will be due next October and plan to do so then along with the flu vaccine. 

[heartlikealion]

7 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

This is exactly why I did not see any benefit in getting a booster. And what good will it do if it is not out until March. Maybe it will help some people (and that would be great) but this thing is so contagious that most will have had it or been exposed by then. We we will probably have moved on to the next variant. It feels like we are chasing the common cold with not end in sight. 

That’s kinda where my mind was going. Like if we get dd vaccinated which version and when should that be. 

I got vaccinated late in the game so no booster yet. 

[Danae]

Older son is now sick and tested positive this morning.  I’m moving my plastic sheet barriers to give the two kids full range of the back half of the house. Although, honestly, it feels pointless.  I’ve clearly been exposed, so either I’ve fought it off or I’ll be positive soon.

[KSera]

19 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

It feels like we are chasing the common cold with not end in sight. 

We’re nowhere near this being the common cold at this point. Unfortunately 😢. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 minute ago, KSera said:

We’re nowhere near this being the common cold at this point. Unfortunately 😢. 

Exactly. I don’t know if I would get the next vaccine in March (I am pretty sure that I wouldn’t even be eligible at that point anyway). But the reason why they are churning out new vaccines etc is because enough people are getting seriously ill needing hospitalization and some are even dying. They wouldn’t have the urgency otherwise. 

[Kassia]

15 minutes ago, Danae said:

Older son is now sick and tested positive this morning.  I’m moving my plastic sheet barriers to give the two kids full range of the back half of the house. Although, honestly, it feels pointless.  I’ve clearly been exposed, so either I’ve fought it off or I’ll be positive soon.

I hope you don't get sick and your older son feels better soon!  😞  

[kristin0713]

4 minutes ago, KSera said:

We’re nowhere near this being the common cold at this point. Unfortunately 😢. 

I didn't mean that covid has become as benign as the common cold, but that it is proving to be hard to eradicate with a vaccine. I would like to be wrong. I had really hoped (and genuinely thought) that the vaccines last year were the beginning of the end of this thing. 

[heartlikealion]

6 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

I didn't mean that covid has become as benign as the common cold, but that it is proving to be hard to eradicate with a vaccine. I would like to be wrong. I had really hoped (and genuinely thought) that the vaccines last year were the beginning of the end of this thing. 

That was my takeaway from your message. Like is there even an end in sight 

[Jean in Newcastle]

45 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

I didn't mean that covid has become as benign as the common cold, but that it is proving to be hard to eradicate with a vaccine. I would like to be wrong. I had really hoped (and genuinely thought) that the vaccines last year were the beginning of the end of this thing. 

Yes, I think that we are all wondering how this will continue to proceed. Unfortunately no one (even scientists!) has a crystal ball. So we continue to make adjustments and decisions week by week and month by month. Companies like Pfizer try to get ahead of things if they can but they too are rolling dice in the dark.