Omicron anecdata?

[mommyoffive]

52 minutes ago, Not_a_Number said:

Exactly. I had a headache for 2 weeks and possibly more. Ugh ugh ugh. 

In other news, my 20-year-old sister seems to have gotten COVID, so I'll let you know how she does with it. She was feeling cruddy last I checked. She's away on a study abroad semester, so we can't really help 😞  .

Oh no.  I am hoping your sister has a very mild case.  

[whitestavern]

Lost my smell/taste this morning 😞 even though all my other symptoms are gone. Anyone with recent/Omicron experience who can share how long it took to regain? Looks like it’s somewhat rare in Omicron. I’m trying not to freak out because we leave in a month for a gastronomical road trip through France that includes winery tours. No taste or smell on the trip would be pretty devastating. I’m going to start some smell training but any other tips would be appreciated. 

[KeriJ]

14 hours ago, whitestavern said:

Lost my smell/taste this morning 😞 even though all my other symptoms are gone. Anyone with recent/Omicron experience who can share how long it took to regain? Looks like it’s somewhat rare in Omicron. I’m trying not to freak out because we leave in a month for a gastronomical road trip through France that includes winery tours. No taste or smell on the trip would be pretty devastating. I’m going to start some smell training but any other tips would be appreciated. 

Mine only lasted about 3 days. It started coming back gradually after that. I would say it was mostly normal by 10 days or so. Same for my other family members. 

[mommyoffive]

State of Affairs: May 16 - by Katelyn Jetelina (substack.com)

Another perspective is the old CDC transmission map, in which we have “substantial” or “high” transmission (more than 50 reported cases per 100K) across 66% of counties. This strikingly contrasts with the new CDC community map, which shows only 4% of counties need to mask because hospitals will not reach capacity within 3 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

Figure created by Katelyn Jetelina/YLE using reported case data from CDC here. “True” estimates for under-reporting from here. Roughly, before Delta 60% cases were officially captured; Delta= 43%; Omicron=26%; Current =10%

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by mommyoffive

[mommyoffive]

Israeli researchers warn of new international COVID wave, driven by Delta comeback | The Times of Israel

 

How Australia Saved Thousands of Lives While Covid Killed a Million Americans (msn.com)

[Lecka]

I heard at church yesterday that an entire family caught Covid at a Mothers Day gathering.  I hope they will all be okay.  

[kbutton]

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Israeli researchers warn of new international COVID wave, driven by Delta comeback | The Times of Israel

 

How Australia Saved Thousands of Lives While Covid Killed a Million Americans (msn.com)

Re: Delta--maybe they will bring back monoclonal antibodies that work. 

The Australia article was really interesting. 

[Spryte]

Feeling like Covid is inevitable here.

FIL and SIL both have it now. They are both miserable. I think SIL’s significant other has it as well.

Another family friend group has something, possibly just a nasty cold, still going to school despite fevers. I’m sure half the kids in school are going in with fevers, but still. Ugh!

And DH is in Bavaria, where the per capita rate is 1 in 2, according to NYT. Dining inside restaurants. (Any waffling I did on whether he will isolate upon return is over. That decided me.)

[mommyoffive]

[cintinative]

2 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Is this from the Times? Do you know why certain things are grey?

[Spryte]

Just now, cintinative said:

Is this from the Times? Do you know why certain things are grey?

Beat me to it. Same questions.

I’m disillusioned with Covid Act Now, but miss the handy, easy to understand graphics.

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, cintinative said:

Is this from the Times? Do you know why certain things are grey?

NPR

Coronavirus update: Maps and charts for U.S. cases and deaths : Shots - Health News : NPR

[Corraleno]

54 minutes ago, Spryte said:

And DH is in Bavaria, where the per capita rate is 1 in 2, according to NYT. Dining inside restaurants. (Any waffling I did on whether he will isolate upon return is over. That decided me.)

DS was in Munich and Stuttgart last week, including lots of public transport. He's currently in the UK, will be back in Germany (Dusseldorf/ Cologne) on Wednesday for a week, then Tbilisi, Georgia, then back to US on the 30th. Scares the heck out of me!!!

[Spryte]

4 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

DS was in Munich and Stuttgart last week, including lots of public transport. He's currently in the UK, will be back in Germany (Dusseldorf/ Cologne) on Wednesday for a week, then Tbilisi, Georgia, then back to US on the 30th. Scares the heck out of me!!!

Yep. This is the kick off to a full travel schedule here, too. It’s going to a stressful summer.

I’m good when they do outdoor dining, but think dining inside with such high rates of transmission feels really risky.

He mentioned that they will be removing the mask mandate on planes there soon. Aaack. 
 

I hope your DH stays healthy!

 

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Spryte

[Corraleno]

1 minute ago, Spryte said:

I hope your DH stays healthy!

It's actually DS, which is part of what scares me so much. Legally he may be an adult but he's also super ADHD and not a good advocate for himself, and the idea of him getting seriously ill somewhere like Tbilisi scares the heck out of me. Even his travel within the US makes me nervous, but at least if he gets sick in the US I can get to him. I'm going to be a nervous wreck for the next couple of weeks!

[Spryte]

17 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

It's actually DS, which is part of what scares me so much. Legally he may be an adult but he's also super ADHD and not a good advocate for himself, and the idea of him getting seriously ill somewhere like Tbilisi scares the heck out of me. Even his travel within the US makes me nervous, but at least if he gets sick in the US I can get to him. I'm going to be a nervous wreck for the next couple of weeks!

Oh yikes, I misread that. Fingers crossed it all goes well, I would be a wreck, too!

[mommyoffive]

Pfizer vaccine booster for kids 5 to 11 will soon be approved - The Washington Post

[mommyoffive]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First COVID-19 Test Available without a Prescription That Also Detects Flu and RSV | FDA

[ktgrok]

DD12 is feeling better, tested negative 4 times, so probably wasn't covid. Now DD5 has a fever. 

[cintinative]

40 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

DD12 is feeling better, tested negative 4 times, so probably wasn't covid. Now DD5 has a fever. 

A friend of mine has two kids with the flu right now. I can't believe it is still going around so late. Is that a possibility for yours?
 

[YaelAldrich]

Update: no one seems to have covid. Neither the conspiracy theorist son (whom we saw on Saturday for my DH's birthday lunch. We made him test when he stepped in the house) nor those of us who went to take Bonus Son home. Pollen is insane in Boston right now so we are all testing because of allergy symptoms anyways. 

Bonus Son is feeling somewhat better. He graduated to bad coughing fits over a couple of days. I don't know if anyone else caught it at his house.

He didn't tell his mother and I didn't tell her either (she's less stable mentally and is worried about getting COVID). She called me yesterday with the news and sounded a little miffed I hadn't told her. But he's an adult and it's not my business to spread. I'd feel the same if someone held back knowledge of my adult children. She did thank us for going to go get him. 

[mommyoffive]

Yay!!!

Pfizer's Covid-19 Booster Cleared for 5- to 11-Year-Olds (msn.com)

 

 

Anyone report places handing the shots out already for kids??  I am getting my 3 in pronto.

[mommyoffive]

What are you guys doing for masking outdoors?  Are you not doing it at all?  Are you masking outdoors?  Is outdoor transmission still really low risk?

[freesia]

I am sure the numbers are not accurate right now. I have never ever known so many people with Covid. We have been playing dodge the bullet here—lots of near misses with people who turn up positive. There were 5 families in co-op that tested positive after co-op 10 days ago,  at least 4 families at church, now a member of dd’s soccer team got a positive Monday (game Sunday). A parent who a pediatrician says flu is rampant here right now, too. 
 

Dh and I are masking indoors now again and will probably be requiring it of the kids going forward. Most people in stores around here are back to masking.
 

We are not masking outdoors. I will let you know if more if the soccer girls come down with it. My dd is fine as of right now.  

[Corraleno]

I was in Home Depot this morning and I only saw ONE other person with a mask on, despite the fact that cases are surging here. We are in the second highest peak of the whole pandemic, but everyone is acting like covid is totally over.

[mommyoffive]

3 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I was in Home Depot this morning and I only saw ONE other person with a mask on, despite the fact that cases are surging here. We are in the second highest peak of the whole pandemic, but everyone is acting like covid is totally over.

Yep.

[Arcadia]

17 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Yay!!!

Pfizer's Covid-19 Booster Cleared for 5- to 11-Year-Olds (msn.com)

Anyone report places handing the shots out already for kids??  I am getting my 3 in pronto.

My healthcare provider would do boosters at locations that does the vaccination for 5-11 years old. I would call around and make an appointment since my provider has slots during school hours. Mine doesn’t take walk-ins. 

15 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

What are you guys doing for masking outdoors?  Are you not doing it at all?  Are you masking outdoors?  Is outdoor transmission still really low risk?

We are masking outdoors. It is just easier than putting on and taking off the masks. We mask for flu and hay fever season anyway. Besides we are in a high density residential area so transmission risks aren’t that low compared to rural.

[YaelAldrich]

21 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

What are you guys doing for masking outdoors?  Are you not doing it at all?  Are you masking outdoors?  Is outdoor transmission still really low risk?

Our family is masking indoors everywhere but our home (we have a small number of guests who come over who are pretty isolated themselves).  We mask if we are in crowded locations outdoors but even in the city that is pretty limited.  We've been weaving and dodging cases almost every day this last couple of weeks in judo, school, and social outings (in addition the mission of mercy in getting the Bonus Son from school).

[ktgrok]

4 hours ago, cintinative said:

A friend of mine has two kids with the flu right now. I can't believe it is still going around so late. Is that a possibility for yours?
 

Doesn't seem like flu, symptom wise. I know we saw my sister and her kids briefly to take photos before mother's day, and later they all got sick. So likely whatever they had (they also tested negative for covid), but didn't seem flu like. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

43 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

What are you guys doing for masking outdoors?  Are you not doing it at all?  Are you masking outdoors?  Is outdoor transmission still really low risk?

If I was in a crowd outdoors, I would mask.  But for my walks around the neighborhood with the dog I am not masking.  But I might pass one or two people on the entire walk and they always go to the other side of the street when they see my big dog.  😉 

[catz]

32 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

What are you guys doing for masking outdoors?  Are you not doing it at all?  Are you masking outdoors?  Is outdoor transmission still really low risk?

Honestly, I have not masked outdoors at all.  I would if I were somewhere like a concert or tight demonstation/rally situation, heading into a crowded stadium or something like that.  But I am really not hearing about outdoor transmission and haven't seen evidence that it's typical.  Honestly, I would not exercise outdoors if I had to mask and I walk outdoors like 45-90 minutes 5-7 days a week in an urban area.  I am recently 4X vaxxed.  But I live blocks from a big ten university, I'm sure I regularly cross paths with covid+ people outdoors.  I probably average crossing 10-20 people paths in range in an hour but sometimes quite a bit more depending on weather and where I'm walking.  

 

[I talk to the trees]

3 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If I was in a crowd outdoors, I would mask.  But for my walks around the neighborhood with the dog I am not masking.  But I might pass one or two people on the entire walk and they always go to the other side of the street when they see my big dog.  😉 

Yep. This is us too. When my knitting circle meets outdoors (about 10 of us), I don’t mask though, unless one of our two anti-vaxers is there. If the numbers keep getting worse- as I expect they will- I may rethink this.

But I wouldn’t cross the street if I saw you coming, Jean. I’d be the weirdo who would say, “Aww, what a pretty dog (because, ya know, all dogs are pretty dogs!). Can I say hello to him?”  

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 minute ago, I talk to the trees said:

Yep. This is us too. When my knitting circle meets outdoors (about 10 of us), I don’t mask though, unless one of our two anti-vaxers is there. If the numbers keep getting worse- as I expect they will- I may rethink this.

But I wouldn’t cross the street if I saw you coming, Jean. I’d be the weirdo who would say, “Aww, what a pretty dog (because, ya know, all dogs are pretty dogs!). Can I say hello to him?”  

The problem is that my Rottweiler/Shepherd mix is a reactive dog.  She'd be growling, boofing quietly when she sees you coming and if you came too close it might escalate.  But we are working hard at it and she's much better with women than men! 

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, Corraleno said:

I was in Home Depot this morning and I only saw ONE other person with a mask on, despite the fact that cases are surging here. We are in the second highest peak of the whole pandemic, but everyone is acting like covid is totally over.

Welcome to my world.

I'm so sorry--it's terribly stressful for those of us following the science.

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, Corraleno said:

I was in Home Depot this morning and I only saw ONE other person with a mask on, despite the fact that cases are surging here. We are in the second highest peak of the whole pandemic, but everyone is acting like covid is totally over.

Yep! Our numbers are moving up, but we're behind you in cases, I think. A lot can change in a short amount of time. DH's work is back to goggles being required (not just up to personal discretion), but the orthodontist takes his mask off to talk to us, and lots of medical places are playing fast and loose with masking (I've posted about this previously). 

I am so thankful the big hospitals are holding fast on masking!!! My son has major surgery next week. 

[Spryte]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

What are you guys doing for masking outdoors?  Are you not doing it at all?  Are you masking outdoors?  Is outdoor transmission still really low risk?

I’m not masking outdoors, mostly, but I would in a crowded area. I might mask in a garden center with a covered roof or other shoppers close by. But not for most quick interactions outside.

Interestingly, I’m wondering about outdoor transmission more. DH sees a lot of masking indoors where he is, and zero masks outside. Bigger crowds than I would feel comfortable in while unmasked. Like big outdoor beer gardens, and large groups in park areas, crowding into bridges together. Covid is spreading like wildfire there, the NYT map has them darkest purple, so I wondered if there might be some outdoor transmission going on. Everyone is very mask compliant indoors. They, of course, say they just test more so their numbers look higher (hmmmmmm).

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

How Often Can You Be Infected With the Coronavirus? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[I talk to the trees]

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

The problem is that my Rottweiler/Shepherd mix is a reactive dog.  She'd be growling, boofing quietly when she sees you coming and if you came too close it might escalate.  But we are working hard at it and she's much better with women than men! 

Ah, well! Then I would just have to politely avert my eyes and keep my distance. But I’d still be carrying a pocket full of treats just in case she decided I was an okay human. 

Also, I love the term “boofing.” It’s such an accurate description of that “I’m not putting any more energy into this bark than I absolutely have to” sound. 

[Shoeless]

So what do y'all think about a plane trip to Chicago the first week of June? I have tentative plans for DS13 and I to go. DH is giving me a hard time about it. I haven't seen my 73 year old dad in over 2 years. I haven't seen my sister since her husband died a few months ago.

DH doesn't want me to go. His covid plan seems to be "never see people again".  I'm not on board with this plan.  (And that's all I'm going to say about that, because it's more of a relationship rant than a covid rant)

I'm considering driving from San Antonio to Chicago, which is a 2 day drive, if flying is a bad idea. DH wouldn't be coming with me.  I have not had a 2nd booster yet, because I am not old enough. DS13 has been vaxxed and boosted.

Would you fly? Would you drive? What say the hive?

ETA: would you cancel the trip entirely? That's an option, though one that I would deeply resent. 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by MissLemon

[ikslo]

I’d fly.

[Arcadia]

5 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

 

Would you fly? Would you drive? What say the hive?

Since it is a 2 day drive, I would opt for flying and just stay masked on the plane. If it was less than a day drive, I would have probably have packed food and my husband would just drive through with pit stops at gas stations next to fast food joints for gasoline and toilet breaks.

[whitestavern]

I’d fly with an N95 mask. 

[wathe]

53 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

So what do y'all think about a plane trip to Chicago the first week of June? I have tentative plans for DS13 and I to go. DH is giving me a hard time about it. I haven't seen my 73 year old dad in over 2 years. I haven't seen my sister since her husband died a few months ago.

DH doesn't want me to go. His covid plan seems to be "never see people again".  I'm not on board with this plan.  (And that's all I'm going to say about that, because it's more of a relationship rant than a covid rant)

I'm considering driving from San Antonio to Chicago, which is a 2 day drive, if flying is a bad idea. DH wouldn't be coming with me.  I have not had a 2nd booster yet, because I am not old enough. DS13 has been vaxxed and boosted.

Would you fly? Would you drive? What say the hive?

 

I'd fly in an n95

I'm just back from a trip that involved 6 flights (all in Canada, where both vaccination and masking are required to fly.)  Of course I took my CO2 meter with me!  Airport air was great in Toronto, Ottawa and Iqaluit, with CO2 ppm in the 600's or less.  I felt good about eating and drinking in airports when I could maintain distance. Airplane air was much less good, with CO2 up to 2000 ppm during boarding.  As I understand it, ventilation and HEPA filtration don't get activated until the engines go on, so boarding and deplaning are the riskiest times - I kept my mask on tight during those times.  I did eat and drink mid-flight.

[Elona]

Cases are spiking now, and from what I understand a wave is definitely on the way. That said, how comfortable are you with the idea of getting it? Do you have a big enough living space to be relatively separate if need be?

I will just say this: I have Covid right now, and it's been 12 days, and it had totally drained me of all energy. I knew that if I got it, it would probably be a drawn out thing for me because it is that way any time I get a respiratory infection. I was double vaxed, and I even got a prescription of Paxlovid, but I am still pretty darned sick. 

On the other hand, my husband and daughter recovered just fine in about 7 days.

I am glad to be doing okay, and I am glad I was able to take Paxlovid. I would suggest that you and your husband assume you will get it at some point in the near future and determine what you each would do. We were able to avoid it for 2 years, but this variant is very contagious and I can't keep my daughter away from people forever. It's good to have a plan.

[Catwoman]

I would fly, because the long car trip would actually end up being a lot more exposure for you, because he would have to be in and out of public restrooms and restaurants, and you would need to stay in hotels. 

Compared to that, the air travel seems safer to me. 

If it was a one day trip, I would definitely say to take the car, but once overnights are involved, that changes my mind.

[Shoeless]

11 minutes ago, Elona said:

Cases are spiking now, and from what I understand a wave is definitely on the way. That said, how comfortable are you with the idea of getting it? Do you have a big enough living space to be relatively separate if need be?

12 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

I would fly, because the long car trip would actually end up being a lot more exposure for you, because he would have to be in and out of public restrooms and restaurants, and you would need to stay in hotels. 

Compared to that, the air travel seems safer to me. 

If it was a one day trip, I would definitely say to take the car, but once overnights are involved, that changes my mind.

 

I've resigned myself to the idea of getting it at some point, and have done everything I can to optimize my health to hopefully have a better outcome, (eat healthy, vitamin D, exercise, lost 70 lbs).

DH wants to never get it, and wants us to just hunker down "until covid is better". If I got it, I would isolate in the master bedroom that has an attached bathroom. DH would have to leave food at the door and sleep in DS13s room. It is imperfect, but the best we've got. 

If we drove, we'd get food to go and not eat inside restaurants; we'd eat in the car or outside.  We'd stay in a motel where each room has its own entry way, so no shared public spaces. I mask everywhere in public, so I feel like a brief public bathroom visit or walk into a restaurant to grab a to go order is lower risk than sitting in a plane for 3 hours. I mean, I go into stores as needed here in Texas, (masked). So...? 

[Arcadia]

2 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

We'd stay in a motel where each room has its own entry way, so no shared public spaces.

I don’t quite trust the air-con vents in hotels because my skin and my nose are unfortunately hypersensitive. I travel with Claritin and Benadryl. I guess you could bring along an air purifier for the hotel. I don’t like airplane air either. So it is really which is the less risk for you and your child.

[kbutton]

13 minutes ago, MissLemon said:

I've resigned myself to the idea of getting it at some point, and have done everything I can to optimize my health to hopefully have a better outcome, (eat healthy, vitamin D, exercise, lost 70 lbs).

DH wants to never get it, and wants us to just hunker down "until covid is better". If I got it, I would isolate in the master bedroom that has an attached bathroom. DH would have to leave food at the door and sleep in DS13s room. It is imperfect, but the best we've got. 

If we drove, we'd get food to go and not eat inside restaurants; we'd eat in the car or outside.  We'd stay in a motel where each room has its own entry way, so no shared public spaces. I mask everywhere in public, so I feel like a brief public bathroom visit or walk into a restaurant to grab a to go order is lower risk than sitting in a plane for 3 hours. I mean, I go into stores as needed here in Texas, (masked). So...? 

I like your driving plan, but that is a lot of time in a car round trip. We do drives to see family that are 8.5 to 10 hours. 

I don't think flying is outrageous, but I find flying a bit of a hassle no matter what. 

[Shoeless]

1 minute ago, kbutton said:

I like your driving plan, but that is a lot of time in a car round trip. We do drives to see family that are 8.5 to 10 hours. 

I don't think flying is outrageous, but I find flying a bit of a hassle no matter what. 

Yeah, I don't really want to drive, but if it's clearly and significantly less risky, then I'd do it. 

(Vent: I'm really just tired of having to think about all of this. This is supposed to be a trip for my 50th birthday. It's literally the only thing I want, and I am getting a hard time about it).