Omicron anecdata?

[Kassia]

23 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

My best friend tested positive today 😞

 

I'm so sorry but glad that she is already doing better.  That is scary.

[ktgrok]

14 minutes ago, ikslo said:

Where does she live that she can’t get testing? Or do you mean home tests?

Most of Florida is days and days out for a testing appointment and home kits are sold out as soon as they are stocked. By the time people can get in for a test they feel better - especially if they have time constraints and can't be checking over and over to look for an appointment cancellation or have a schedule to work around. 

[ktgrok]

16 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I am so sorry Katie! I hope she comes through without long covid. Hugs 💓

I am really scared of what Michigan's number will be today. I am guessing between 12,000-14,000, and tests are gone. Mom is flying out for France Saturday, and while not ideal, my sister on the Mediterranean in an area with a forced mask mandate, and people being reasonable, lots of outside things to do because it is not too cold like here, is a better place for her to winter over. She had three KN95 that here doctor gave her to take, and this very sweet physician also made sure she has an appointment Thursday for PCR test with an emergency rush on it. She was boostered in November, Moderna. Her doctor honestly thinks that she is so much better off in France, and she bought a travel insurance plan that will cover everything after the first thousand spent. So if she gets sick there, no worries about affording treatment. Sis's physician, a real sweetheart of a doc, says he is ready for her if she needs anything. Except for the airplane ride over, I feel better about her going there than staying here. It is a Delta flight, everyone has to have proof of vax and negative PCR test, and she is going to eat before getting on the plane, and take a smoothie with her to sip from a straw slipped under her mask so she doesn't have to take her mask off. She will ask for orange juice mid flight to again sip with mask on in order to keep her blood sugar up (type 2) and hope for the best. I am feeding her beef vegetable soup, a big salad, and a bunch of cheese right before dropping her at the airport. We will see if this works. If not, sigh, the mask will have to come off. Ugh!

I hope everyone here can stay safe! I am trying to hold out getting omicron until new MAB's that are more effective are available. Trying hard for as long as possible. I don't want to give it another host so it can mutate yet again. But it is getting more and more difficult to do.

If it helps, my friend from the dog park (one of the only things I miss from the old house was that dog park!) works for Delta and is VERY Covid cautious. He took a leave of absence when the pandemic first started as he has underlying health conditions and is high risk, but he's back and said he feels very good about working because Delta takes it SO seriously. They absolutely can ban someone from ever flying Delta again if they put up a fuss about masks - so compliance has been good. 

8 minutes ago, Kassia said:

I'm so sorry but glad that she is already doing better.  That is scary.

It really is - I was mostly scared for her son, who has specific immune deficiency and can get VERY VERY sick from what is a mild cold to anyone else. But thankfully Omicron did what it usually is doing and stayed upper airway for him. Head cold symptoms, but not the horrid cough he gets with most respiratory stuff. Between his immune issues and my friend's lung scarring from previous pneumonia (that may or may not have been Covid - was months before Covid hit hard), I was seriously worried for them. Thankfully they are vaccinated!

[ikslo]

Just now, ktgrok said:

Most of Florida is days and days out for a testing appointment and home kits are sold out as soon as they are stocked. By the time people can get in for a test they feel better - especially if they have time constraints and can't be checking over and over to look for an appointment cancellation or have a schedule to work around. 

I keep hearing that, but I’m in Florida and there are no appointment needed PCR test sites all over Florida - including  Orange County. Here in Tampa I had people telling me the same thing, but my husband and I simply looked up “Tampa PCR free testing”, found the location, and went.  We each stood in line for under 45 min and got tested (he went the day before me).  So when I hear or see “no available testing” forgive me but I have started translating that to “no testing that is convenient for me or that I am comfortable with.”  

[Faith-manor]

Hey everyone, if you are on Michigan, Menards is advertising that they have home tests. They also seem to be well stocked on toilet paper and cleaners, and they do have curbside pick up. So you might want to consider making an order from them. We have to go about 45 miles to get go one, but decided it was worth it and have an order waiting for us to pick up.

[ktgrok]

10 minutes ago, ikslo said:

I keep hearing that, but I’m in Florida and there are no appointment needed PCR test sites all over Florida - including  Orange County. Here in Tampa I had people telling me the same thing, but my husband and I simply looked up “Tampa PCR free testing”, found the location, and went.  We each stood in line for under 45 min and got tested (he went the day before me).  So when I hear or see “no available testing” forgive me but I have started translating that to “no testing that is convenient for me or that I am comfortable with.”  

The last time I tried to do a drive up no appointment test here in Orange county the line was miles (literally) long and wait time was estimated at 4 hours. Do that with sick little kids with no bathroom? Nope. 

In her county the local paper (Palm Beach Post) is reporting wait times for a drive up test of 6 hours!!! She cannot take two kids and sit in a car for SIX HOURS!!! Urgent care the last time she tried turned her away - three DIFFERENT urgent care places - because they were out of tests. And even if you find one that has tests you then have to pay the office visit. For two kids, that's not cheap on a single mom salary who is living in and out of hotels right now. 

So yeah, technically there are tests. I guess you could say they are not "convenient" but that is a bit of an understatement. 

One article explains how in her county Walgreens etc are about a week out with appointments - useless, PCR test lines at county sites are up to 5 -6 hours, etc. They were handing out at home tests for a few days, but she didn't find out until she was already sick and unable to locate more.  https://www.wptv.com/coronavirus/free-covid-19-test-kits-bring-steady-stream-of-cars-at-palm-beach-county-sites

This article is about Orange County - again hours for drive up testing, no at home tests available, appointments for Walgreens etc are a week out. Now, they opened a new testing site just two days ago (what thea rticle is about) so hopefully that helps. But again, saying it isn't "convenient" is an understatement. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/orange-county/orange-county-set-open-4th-covid-19-testing-site-monday-ease-demand/Z7TZXNFW5NEXBCXFQCW5LMSXSU/

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by ktgrok

[cjzimmer1]

2 minutes ago, ikslo said:

We each stood in line for under 45 min and got tested (he went the day before me).  So when I hear or see “no available testing” forgive me but I have started translating that to “no testing that is convenient for me or that I am comfortable with.”  

I'm not in Florida but we have the same issues here thrown in with near zero temps.  So while waiting 45 minutes isn't bad, I sure wouldn't do it if we had to stand outside for 45 minutes.  Our weather doesn't permit that.  When daughter got sick last week and we looked for testing, the wait was 2-4 hours (at a location that was already 30 minutes from our home) in single digit temps with a kid with a fever.  So "technically" there were tests available but I don't believe that it's reasonable to say that it qualifies as "actually" available. 

But really, I think nearly everywhere just really needs to step up the game and make testing easier but I expect like most things COVID related, the powers that be underplanned for how quickly things change and thus didn't have the necessary resources in place fast enough.

 

[ktgrok]

3 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

 

But really, I think nearly everywhere just really needs to step up the game and make testing easier but I expect like most things COVID related, the powers that be underplanned for how quickly things change and thus didn't have the necessary resources in place fast enough.

 

It does seem INSANE that we have enough vaccine doses for every person in America who wants one, but we can't have enough tests or even freaking MASKS for people who need/want one! Like, we put people into space and we can't make enough masks?

[ikslo]

8 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I'm not in Florida but we have the same issues here thrown in with near zero temps.  So while waiting 45 minutes isn't bad, I sure wouldn't do it if we had to stand outside for 45 minutes.  Our weather doesn't permit that.  When daughter got sick last week and we looked for testing, the wait was 2-4 hours (at a location that was already 30 minutes from our home) in single digit temps with a kid with a fever.  So "technically" there were tests available but I don't believe that it's reasonable to say that it qualifies as "actually" available. 

But really, I think nearly everywhere just really needs to step up the game and make testing easier but I expect like most things COVID related, the powers that be underplanned for how quickly things change and thus didn't have the necessary resources in place fast enough.

 

I agree with you.  However I knew she was in Florida and the weather generally isn’t an issue here. People don’t want to stand in line, or they don’t want to wait in their car in an even longer line.  But they don’t want to pay for it, either.  Well, free testing that doesn’t meet the criteria of 100% of the population doesn’t mean there is no free testing. I get it, the whole situation sucks. But nothing about Covid has been convenient.

Edited January 12, 2022 by ikslo

[cintinative]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

It does seem INSANE that we have enough vaccine doses for every person in America who wants one, but we can't have enough tests or even freaking MASKS for people who need/want one! Like, we put people into space and we can't make enough masks?

This.

And our numbers in Ohio have hovered around the same value for so long I am wondering if the case number really reflects our testing limitations and not the actual cases.

[ktgrok]

5 minutes ago, ikslo said:

I agree with you.  However I knew she was in Florida and the weather generally isn’t an issue here. People don’t want to stand in line, or they don’t want to wait in their car in an even longer line.  But they don’t want to pay for it, either.  Well, free testing that doesn’t meet the criteria of 100% of the population doesn’t mean there is no free testing. I get it, the whole situation sucks. But nothing about Covid has been convenient.

No, very ill people with GI symptoms, or with ill kids, do not "want" to sit in line for 6 hours with no available bathrooms. 

I suppose they are just being unreasonable. 

[ikslo]

2 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

No, very ill people with GI symptoms, or with ill kids, do not "want" to sit in line for 6 hours with no available bathrooms. 

I suppose they are just being unreasonable. 

The fact that the free testing setup doesn’t work for some people’s situations does not mean testing is not available.

We’ll just have to agree to disagree.

[KSera]

13 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

No, very ill people with GI symptoms, or with ill kids, do not "want" to sit in line for 6 hours with no available bathrooms.

 

7 minutes ago, ikslo said:

The fact that the free testing setup doesn’t work for some people’s situations does not mean testing is not available.

If someone is physically unable to access testing, that makes it not available to them. We had the experience Katie describes the one time we took a kid for a PCR test, and kid almost passed out in the car on the way, and then we had bathroom emergencies while waiting hours in line which were horribly stressful to deal with. We would not again join that line because it was not an experience very ill people should be being put through. I consider it equivalent to testing being unavailable to people who are sick. It's available to those who are testing for travel or because they are contacts or who aren't very sick and can go hours without a bathroom and thus can wait in a long line.

[heartlikealion]

1 hour ago, ikslo said:

Where does she live that she can’t get testing? Or do you mean home tests?

Or the wait could have been days? The kids got appointments at Walgreens this week after they were exposed like a week ago. There was a possibility for a test sooner but not a convenient location and had to return to the website when they released more times. Alternatively get tested at a dr office “for free” but pay office visit fee. After some scouting I got ahold of home kits and dropped them off on their doorstep over the weekend. They all tested negative. 

I’m biased against certain brand tests. I held out for a brand test that I felt had better reviews. I am skeptical of the “on/go” brand. We have used Binax and iHealth. 

[heartlikealion]

31 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

It does seem INSANE that we have enough vaccine doses for every person in America who wants one, but we can't have enough tests or even freaking MASKS for people who need/want one! Like, we put people into space and we can't make enough masks?

I don’t think every country makes masks. Seems most come from China or Korea. Even ones shipped from the USA are often made there. More places need to manufacture them. 

Edited January 12, 2022 by heartlikealion
Shipped not skipped lol

[mommyoffive]

Well this is encouraging. 

Covid-19 live updates: Omicron will infect ‘just about everybody,’ Fauci says (msn.com)

[Catwoman]

51 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

No, very ill people with GI symptoms, or with ill kids, do not "want" to sit in line for 6 hours with no available bathrooms. 

I suppose they are just being unreasonable. 

Yes! 

The idea that people shouldn't complain about having to wait for HOURS (and sometimes even DAYS) to be tested is ludicrous. I don't consider tests to be "available" if people who are already feeling ill are forced to wait for hours in order to be tested, or if they have to drive long distances from their homes just to get to a testing site. 

[Spryte]

32 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Well this is encouraging. 

Covid-19 live updates: Omicron will infect ‘just about everybody,’ Fauci says (msn.com)

It is. More and more, it really seems a matter of getting Covid while vaccinated or while unvaccinated. I’m so glad we have the vaccine option. I hope they will soon have a vaccine for the younger kids! 

Our sister-family that is dealing with Covid has four down so far. Everyone is vaccinated, but it’s been rough. It seemed mild for the first kid, but for two that are currently ill — it’s pretty darn bad. Not ER level yet, but to call this “mild” would be impossible. Hoping they see some improvement soon.

[Katy]

4 hours ago, heartlikealion said:

You get one swab that goes in 2 nostrils. What do they want? Put it in your mouth then each nostril???

You specifically swab your tonsils for at least 4 seconds each first, then your nostrils.  And your nose is so drippy anyway, you don't notice the extra moisture, just trouble stifling the urge to gag from swabbing your tonsils.

[heartlikealion]

14 minutes ago, Katy said:

You specifically swab your tonsils for at least 4 seconds each first, then your nostrils.  And your nose is so drippy anyway, you don't notice the extra moisture, just trouble stifling the urge to gag from swabbing your tonsils.

So is the recommendation changing on current kits? I will need to see so that I don’t use the test incorrectly I guess. 

[YaelAldrich]

Just now, heartlikealion said:

So is the recommendation changing on current kits? I will need to see so that I don’t use the test incorrectly I guess. 

It hasn't changed. There are some experts who recommend this. Some of the British tests use this method.

[TravelingChris]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

No, very ill people with GI symptoms, or with ill kids, do not "want" to sit in line for 6 hours with no available bathrooms. 

I suppose they are just being unreasonable. 

I can't sit in any line for 6 hours.  I have to have bathrooms.

[TravelingChris]

35 minutes ago, Katy said:

You specifically swab your tonsils for at least 4 seconds each first, then your nostrils.  And your nose is so drippy anyway, you don't notice the extra moisture, just trouble stifling the urge to gag from swabbing your tonsils.

What if you don't have tonsils?

[Laura Corin]

6 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

What if you don't have tonsils?

The UK kits say 'tonsils or where tonsils would have been'.  It's basically as far back as you can get.  I usually cough a bit, but I'm used to it - I take a test every week before seeing my mother in her care home.

[heartlikealion]

This says just use the tests as instructed. https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/07/health/covid-test-throat-swab-fda-wellness/index.html

So I guess for now we should just use them as we have been. I had heard of the throat thing because my sister is in England, but I imagine their directions are different and they were just following directions. 

[Roadrunner]

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-omicron-death-rate-much-lower-than-delta-20220112-hbmny2idb5d5beriwyrmdzofga-story.html
Omicron has a 91% lower chance of death than delta variant of COVID-19: study
 

they are saying a lot is still being driven by Delta though.
 

Fauci’s assertion that we all end up sick takes away every incentive to try to protect ourselves

Edited January 12, 2022 by Roadrunner

[freesia]

8 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-covid-omicron-death-rate-much-lower-than-delta-20220112-hbmny2idb5d5beriwyrmdzofga-story.html
Omicron has a 91% lower chance of death than delta variant of COVID-19: study
 

they are saying a lot is still being driven by Delta though.
 

Fauci’s assertion that we all end up sick takes away every incentive to try to protect ourselves

Except slowing things down if you are in a place with hospital strain. But, in some regards I agree. We are being cautious but are not locked down. We would rather avoid it, but cannot just stay home for something this contagious when we are vaccinated and pretty safe. If our hospitals are in trouble ( and they are not even with us in a spiking area) then I would. 

[KSera]

1 hour ago, Roadrunner said:

Fauci’s assertion that we all end up sick takes away every incentive to try to protect ourselves

I really don’t want my elderly parents to get it during this wave when hospitals are full and treatments are in short supply. It should be easier for them to get sotrovimab or paxlovid when this surge is over.  

Edited January 12, 2022 by KSera
Spelling

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am still glad that I live in an area where masks are mandated. I am also glad that I can’t go to restaurants without showing my vaccine card. That way I get more protection (as imperfect as it is) no matter how “done “ others feel. And I am glad that most people in this area agree with me or at least comply. 
 

I may get Covid still. (I could have even had it without knowing it). But I am comfortable having done what I know can be done to mitigate things. Obviously we’re in a worldwide live experiment on how to treat and mitigate an ever evolving virus but mitigation also means the lessening of symptoms. Hopefully. (If people who have done everything they know to do get severely ill then I still take comfort in that it’s not because of ignorance or pigheadedness that they are so very ill. ).  

[Hilltopmom]

20 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

NYS has basically given up. I’m not surprised; I know people who have gotten called in the last 24 hours about Christmas exposures.  There’s too much and they can’t keep up.  I took a PCR test today and was told if it’s positive(I had a positive rapid yesterday) that I probably wouldn’t hear from the health department for weeks, if at all.  I need quarantine paperwork for my company’s sick leave policy, so I don’t know how that works now.

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/coronavirus/2022/01/11/ny-ending-covid-contact-tracing-amid-hope-omicron-wave-cresting/9171328002/

NY here too-  I saw somewhere online that there will be a website that we can get the needed quarantine paperwork off of ourselves. I’m sure it will crash though. 
sorry can’t remember where- I think one of the news reports from yesterday about hoo w NY is not going to contact trace anymore 

[Corraleno]

48 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Fauci’s assertion that we all end up sick takes away every incentive to try to protect ourselves

He also said that the unvaccinated were 10 times more likely to be infected that the vaccinated, which contradicts the statement that nearly everyone will be infected. Maybe what he meant to say was that nearly everyone will be exposed, and if you are unvaccinated you are 10x more likely to develop an active infection. Whatever he meant, that's one man's opinion and he doesn't have a crystal ball or any more data than anyone else. 

I ignored the CDC's "advice" that the vaccinated could stop wearing masks and I have been fully masked since before it was even mandated in my state. And I continue to have every incentive to protect myself — I don't want it even if it's "just a flu," and I don't want the risk of long covid, blood clots, diabetes, etc. The incentive to avoid this thing has not changed one bit for me since Day One.

[Idalou]

13 minutes ago, Hilltopmom said:

NY here too-  I saw somewhere online that there will be a website that we can get the needed quarantine paperwork off of ourselves. I’m sure it will crash though. 
sorry can’t remember where- I think one of the news reports from yesterday about hoo w NY is not going to contact trace anymore 

In the link that Mrs Tiggywinkle had, it says NY will launch the state site Wednesday that had info on paperwork. I'd get there as soon as possible.

[Corraleno]

5 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

It is a Delta flight, everyone has to have proof of vax and negative PCR test, and she is going to eat before getting on the plane, and take a smoothie with her to sip from a straw slipped under her mask so she doesn't have to take her mask off. She will ask for orange juice mid flight to again sip with mask on in order to keep her blood sugar up (type 2) and hope for the best. I am feeding her beef vegetable soup, a big salad, and a bunch of cheese right before dropping her at the airport. We will see if this works. If not, sigh, the mask will have to come off. Ugh!

Can you send her with some packets of nuts or protein bars that she can eat with a mask on? DS has flown back and forth to college several times, and he needs a LOT of calories for a full day of flying, so he takes lots of Cliff Bars, which are nutritious and high in protein, and he just breaks off pieces (after sanitizing his hands) and pops them in his mouth with his mask on. They're not sticky or salty or crumbly and don't make a mess. I've done the same with packets of macadamia nuts when I've had to fly, but DS was afraid that he'd have to eat so many nuts that the salt would make him drink more, and therefore need to use the bathroom more often, defeating the purpose.

[ktgrok]

4 hours ago, ikslo said:

The fact that the free testing setup doesn’t work for some people’s situations does not mean testing is not available.

We’ll just have to agree to disagree.

Fine, she couldn't access testing for them because most people are unable to go 5-6 hours without a bathroom, particularly preschoolers. One of her kids is barely freaking out of diapers. 

So fine, testing is available as long as you are willing to wear an adult diaper to access said testing, and are well enough to sit upright for that long, etc etc. 

That's great. 

For the rest of us, testing is not REASONABLY available. 

[JennyD]

4 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

The incentive to avoid this thing has not changed one bit for me since Day One.

This is such an individual thing.  I felt like I was walking around (well, walking around my house, mostly) with a pit in my stomach from early 2020 until a month ago, when the youngest member of our household finally got vaccinated.  Even though I knew intellectually unvaccinated kids were/are at very low risk of severe illness, getting him fully vaccinated just completely changed my mindset.

I would prefer not to get sick, but I am genuinely no longer worried about truly bad outcomes for anyone in my immediate family.   I don't think that those risks are zero, but I also think that at this point they are lower than other risks we take -- e.g., teaching my 16yo to drive (sigh).  

My husband, OTOH, places a much higher value on not getting sick generally (not just covid), so we have been negotiating how to manage this transitional time.

 

 

[Ausmumof3]

I don’t get the defeatism of everyone will get it that’s going through all public health circles. South Africa cases are dropping. UK cases are dropping. Even here with very low previous infection rates in my state a couple of tweaks and the ref is nearly back to 1.  All the indications are for a short sharp peak so for a lot of people it’s practical to try and distance themselves for that time period. 

[Spryte]

2 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I don’t get the defeatism of everyone will get it that’s going through all public health circles. South Africa cases are dropping. UK cases are dropping. Even here with very low previous infection rates in my state a couple of tweaks and the ref is nearly back to 1.  All the indications are for a short sharp peak so for a lot of people it’s practical to try and distance themselves for that time period. 

I agree. I don’t understand throwing in the towel and deciding we’re all going to get it, just giving up on measures that reduce spread and exposure when there are indications that we are already close to the peak here. 

People in my immediate area don’t mask, and are just resigned to catching it. Even people who were careful up till now. 

 

 

[Faith-manor]

21 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

Can you send her with some packets of nuts or protein bars that she can eat with a mask on? DS has flown back and forth to college several times, and he needs a LOT of calories for a full day of flying, so he takes lots of Cliff Bars, which are nutritious and high in protein, and he just breaks off pieces (after sanitizing his hands) and pops them in his mouth with his mask on. They're not sticky or salty or crumbly and don't make a mess. I've done the same with packets of macadamia nuts when I've had to fly, but DS was afraid that he'd have to eat so many nuts that the salt would make him drink more, and therefore need to use the bathroom more often, defeating the purpose.

Sure. I wasn't certain that would work, but if your son has done it, it is definitely worth a try! Here hands shake some, but hopefully she can manage it.

[ScoutTN]

15 minutes ago, JennyD said:

This is such an individual thing.  I felt like I was walking around (well, walking around my house, mostly) with a pit in my stomach from early 2020 until a month ago, when the youngest member of our household finally got vaccinated.  Even though I knew intellectually unvaccinated kids were/are at very low risk of severe illness, getting him fully vaccinated just completely changed my mindset.

I would prefer not to get sick, but I am genuinely no longer worried about truly bad outcomes for anyone in my immediate family.   I don't think that those risks are zero, but I also think that at this point they are lower than other risks we take -- e.g., teaching my 16yo to drive (sigh).  

My husband, OTOH, places a much higher value on not getting sick generally (not just covid), so we have been negotiating how to manage this transitional time.

 

 

Amen on the teaching a teen to drive!

[Roadrunner]

40 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

He also said that the unvaccinated were 10 times more likely to be infected that the vaccinated, which contradicts the statement that nearly everyone will be infected. Maybe what he meant to say was that nearly everyone will be exposed, and if you are unvaccinated you are 10x more likely to develop an active infection. Whatever he meant, that's one man's opinion and he doesn't have a crystal ball or any more data than anyone else. 

I ignored the CDC's "advice" that the vaccinated could stop wearing masks and I have been fully masked since before it was even mandated in my state. And I continue to have every incentive to protect myself — I don't want it even if it's "just a flu," and I don't want the risk of long covid, blood clots, diabetes, etc. The incentive to avoid this thing has not changed one bit for me since Day One.

He has been wrong on everything because this virus has been unpredictable. I still think that particular phrasing is very unfortunate. 

[Ting Tang]

I wanted to share an update of the Covid positives from last week in my family:

Sister-in-law who got positive results on way to have her baby was vaxxed and recently boosted---completely asymptomatic.  Husband and baby tested negative.

Dad--in/out of hospital and rehab facility, has colostomy bag and several complications from cancer, smoker for most of his life: tested negative yesterday.  Had a cough controllable by cough medicine, felt tired and slept for a couple of days.  He was only able to get one vaccine dose last spring.  It is a miracle he is feeling so much better.

 

I know not every case will go this way, but it offers me some hope.

[Harriet Vane]

2 hours ago, Corraleno said:

He also said that the unvaccinated were 10 times more likely to be infected that the vaccinated, which contradicts the statement that nearly everyone will be infected. Maybe what he meant to say was that nearly everyone will be exposed, and if you are unvaccinated you are 10x more likely to develop an active infection. Whatever he meant, that's one man's opinion and he doesn't have a crystal ball or any more data than anyone else. 

I ignored the CDC's "advice" that the vaccinated could stop wearing masks and I have been fully masked since before it was even mandated in my state. And I continue to have every incentive to protect myself — I don't want it even if it's "just a flu," and I don't want the risk of long covid, blood clots, diabetes, etc. The incentive to avoid this thing has not changed one bit for me since Day One.

QFT. Well said.

[Longtime Lurker]

7 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

Hey everyone, if you are on Michigan, Menards is advertising that they have home tests. They also seem to be well stocked on toilet paper and cleaners, and they do have curbside pick up. So you might want to consider making an order from them. We have to go about 45 miles to get go one, but decided it was worth it and have an order waiting for us to pick up.

Thanks!

[mommyoffive]

Omicron waves appear to slow in New York City, other major metropolitan areas (msn.com)

[Cordelia]

Three of our young (20s and 30s) extended family members have had covid since Christmas. One was sick for 2 weeks, but is okay now. The other two have been sick for 2 weeks so far and still aren't better. 

DS3 had covid over Christmas and now has a canker sore. DH gets canker sores and says he usually gets them after he's been sick or stressed, so he's wondering if it's related to DS3's recent covid case. 

[Eos]

M

Edited February 6, 2023 by Eos

[Soror]

Dh tested positive on an at home test Monday (he then tested pos at his work clinic Tues- he said pretty sure the same test as he used at home). He started feeling a bit icky Saturday. Half of his office is out with Covid so I'm sure that is where he got it. He is still not feeling great. It started with a horrible headache and joint pain. Now he has more sinus congestion, some fatigue, and random headaches and joint pain. He was vaxxed but not boosted, despite my insistence. It had went around many times at work and he never caught it so he thought he was going to be lucky.

I had a bit of sinus issues earlier in the week but that went away. Dd2 had a few random stomach pains and now reduced appetite. Everyone else is fine.

We are not quarantining him in the house as it had already been 2 days at that point. He didn't find out about the others having Covid until he got it (hipaa and it happened at the end of the week he didn't know why people were out). 

I have a few more tests here but am waiting to use them as they are not easy to get. Testing slots are limited for the pcr and always days out.

ETA: I just got boosted in Dec and my younger 2 finished their shots then. I meant for my 17 and 14 yr old to get boosted over christmas but it didn't happen so they will be going early next week

Edited January 13, 2022 by Soror

[Spryte]

My mother tested positive this morning, and is being moved to the quarantine wing of her nursing home. It was a routine test, but she has a sore throat and sounds congested.

I wish I could go hug her. She turns 81 tomorrow.

 

[Ali in OR]

I have a couple of students who were out last week with Covid that are back now. Like one tested positive last Monday and one last Tuesday or Wednesday. Our district just changed their positive-test isolation period from 10 to 5 days. So far I have not seen spread within a class. Like the girl who sat in class with one of these students for 90 minutes is still there, not sick. I counted notifications of 9 students last week and we got an email yesterday that so far there were 28 total in our school, so I'm guessing 17 the first few days of this week.

[mommyoffive]

State of Affairs: Pediatrics and Omicron (substack.com)

 

1. Admissions are increasing for children aged 0-11 years. Admissions have increased 48-72% among unvaccinated children aged 0-11 years in the Omicron wave compared to the Delta wave. This isn’t the case for unvaccinated children aged 12-17. This could be a sign that Omicron is not milder among the youngest of children.

Edited January 13, 2022 by mommyoffive