Omicron anecdata?

[Spryte]

I could use some hive wisdom.

DH returned from Germany — lots of potential for exposure, nothing confirmed — Fri night. Has been semi-isolating from family: masking in house; sleeping in basement. RATs have all been negative. Some very minor symptoms which could be related to pollen from hanging outside to visit. Got a PCR yesterday, day 5, but does have an intermittent cough which is not normal. That’s been going on several days.

If PCR comes back negative, would you call it good? Or continue longer?

We have a small situation here in that I have been dealing with an abx resistant infection for some time. Very painful. Doc just started me on a hardcore 30 day treatment. I feel horrible, and will need liver function tests twice weekly. I could use the help, but catching something on top of this would be bad.

PCR test should be back today. Would you feel confident in the results if it’s negative?

 

[vonfirmath]

4 minutes ago, Spryte said:

I

PCR test should be back today. Would you feel confident in the results if it’s negative?

 

No. I'm hearing too many tests that are coming back negative when all the symptoms are there. I wonder if the existing tests are no longer that good at catching the existing virus. A friend who had covid in the house so was treating it as covid anyway just said her daughter's third PCR test finally came back positive.

 

[SHP]

2 minutes ago, Spryte said:

I could use some hive wisdom.

DH returned from Germany — lots of potential for exposure, nothing confirmed — Fri night. Has been semi-isolating from family: masking in house; sleeping in basement. RATs have all been negative. Some very minor symptoms which could be related to pollen from hanging outside to visit. Got a PCR yesterday, day 5, but does have an intermittent cough which is not normal. That’s been going on several days.

If PCR comes back negative, would you call it good? Or continue longer?

We have a small situation here in that I have been dealing with an abx resistant infection for some time. Very painful. Doc just started me on a hardcore 30 day treatment. I feel horrible, and will need liver function tests twice weekly. I could use the help, but catching something on top of this would be bad.

PCR test should be back today. Would you feel confident in the results if it’s negative?

 

If it is negative I would send him to the doctor and ask for, among other things, a flu test. Covid isn't the only thing that could have a negative impact on you right now.

I would document when the cough happens, if it is after eating have him take OTC antacid meds. A friend of ours recently returned from 9 months traveling and has had a hard time with American foods and had a cough after eating. The only food he could safely eat for the first couple of weeks was my bread. 

 

Hugs, I hope he is negative and that you feel better soon.

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, vonfirmath said:

No. I'm hearing too many tests that are coming back negative when all the symptoms are there. I wonder if the existing tests are no longer that good at catching the existing virus. A friend who had covid in the house so was treating it as covid anyway just said her daughter's third PCR test finally came back positive.

 

Oh wow.  I don't know that I have heard that before.  Do you know what days she had a PCR test done?  I have heard a lot of people saying they had to take lots of at home tests over days to pop a positive.

[TexasProud]

2 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

No. I'm hearing too many tests that are coming back negative when all the symptoms are there. I wonder if the existing tests are no longer that good at catching the existing virus. A friend who had covid in the house so was treating it as covid anyway just said her daughter's third PCR test finally came back positive.

 

Great... but PCR is probably ok if you have no symptoms at all, right??? I hate this. How in the heck can you make a reasonable decision about stuff?? Too late now, but I assumed negative PCR test mean I was in the clear. ( exposed)

[vonfirmath]

2 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Great... but PCR is probably ok if you have no symptoms at all, right??? I hate this. How in the heck can you make a reasonable decision about stuff?? Too late now, but I assumed negative PCR test mean I was in the clear. ( exposed)

Yes without symptoms I'd take a PCR test negative as negative. I guess I'm saying I trust symptoms more than tests now.

[catz]

2 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Great... but PCR is probably ok if you have no symptoms at all, right??? I hate this. How in the heck can you make a reasonable decision about stuff?? Too late now, but I assumed negative PCR test mean I was in the clear. ( exposed)

If you are asymptomatic and negative, I'd assume you are fine.  I mean what else can we do?  I also don't think it's unreasonable to assume a negative rapid would make you ok for the day.  I am still personally masking in most public settings anyway and so is my teen at her activities.

I do think it is trickier if you are symptomatic.  Especially if you know you were exposed.  Testing 3X to get a + with a PCR is wild.  I doubt many people are being that conscientious unless they were very sick and had reason to continue testing.  

 

[Elona]

I wouldn't trust it fully after just one negative PCR. That's how my husband gave it to us. He never did get a positive (he only took two tests, though.) But myself and my daughter tested positive and we definitely caught it from him. Definitely pay attention to symptoms if there are any, if it is very important for you to avoid illness.

[KSera]

36 minutes ago, Spryte said:

I could use some hive wisdom.

DH returned from Germany — lots of potential for exposure, nothing confirmed — Fri night. Has been semi-isolating from family: masking in house; sleeping in basement. RATs have all been negative. Some very minor symptoms which could be related to pollen from hanging outside to visit. Got a PCR yesterday, day 5, but does have an intermittent cough which is not normal. That’s been going on several days.

If PCR comes back negative, would you call it good? Or continue longer?

We have a small situation here in that I have been dealing with an abx resistant infection for some time. Very painful. Doc just started me on a hardcore 30 day treatment. I feel horrible, and will need liver function tests twice weekly. I could use the help, but catching something on top of this would be bad.

PCR test should be back today. Would you feel confident in the results if it’s negative?

 

Agreeing with everyone else, that with symptoms I would not trust a negative. You don’t want whatever he has right now, whether it’s Covid or not, and in vaccinated people, it seems not unusual for symptoms to appear before a test turns positive. The theory is that the primed immune system reacts immediately to the virus, even before it has built up to detectable levels. Darn. That’s really bad timing for you and I’m sorry 😞. 

[Spryte]

Thanks, all. I will talk to DH about the extra risk, and we will make a decision about what to do. His daily RAT came back negative again, and if he didn’t have the small cough intermittently or if I didn’t have this extra complication, I wouldn’t think twice about this. But here we are. Blerg.

 

[Harriet Vane]

Hugs for you, @Spryte.

[Arcadia]

4 hours ago, JennyD said:

 

I genuinely do not know what to do about a booster for DS11.  He's the only one of us who never got sick or tested positive.  He briefly had a sore throat one evening that was gone the next morning, so it certainly seems possible that he just fought it off.   I'm no longer worried about him being a vector for the rest of us -- at least not for the next couple of months -- but obviously I'd like him to have as much protection as possible for his own sake.

I'm leaning towards waiting until the fall, but I guess I'll ask the pediatrician.  

Could he do an antibody test? My friend’s results were very high so she delayed her booster by a few months. Another friend was part of a vaccine trial so he had antibody tests done as part of that trial.

[mommyoffive]

Are you guys delaying any apts?  I rescheduled my dentist apt in April because rates were going up.  Well now it is next week and rates are way higher than in April.  Sigh.  I wish I would have just gone in April.   I am not sure what to do. 

[catz]

28 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Are you guys delaying any apts?  I rescheduled my dentist apt in April because rates were going up.  Well now it is next week and rates are way higher than in April.  Sigh.  I wish I would have just gone in April.   I am not sure what to do. 

Is your dentist doing a good job?  We've had to go in all kinds of covid conditions but I've felt ok at the dentist.  They have medical grade air filters in each bay, I know staff is vaxxed and cautious, they require masks and limit time in the waiting room, etc,.  

[mommyoffive]

4 minutes ago, catz said:

Is your dentist doing a good job?  We've had to go in all kinds of covid conditions but I've felt ok at the dentist.  They have medical grade air filters in each bay, I know staff is vaxxed and cautious, they require masks and limit time in the waiting room, etc,.  

Um sort of?   The dentist and hygienist are masked as they have been before covid.  Masks are still required in the building, but most people who come in are not wearing them.  The front staff usually have them on their chins.  The rooms are very open to each other.  One time I think I might have seen a filter, but never anyone saying they have medical grade air filters.  Don't know their vax status.  I think I am more worried about the people coming in than the staff.

Edited May 26, 2022 by mommyoffive

[Spryte]

5 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Are you guys delaying any apts?  I rescheduled my dentist apt in April because rates were going up.  Well now it is next week and rates are way higher than in April.  Sigh.  I wish I would have just gone in April.   I am not sure what to do. 

I’m in the same boat. 
 

Our dentist sounds about like yours, too. Sigh.

[kokotg]

6 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Are you guys delaying any apts?  I rescheduled my dentist apt in April because rates were going up.  Well now it is next week and rates are way higher than in April.  Sigh.  I wish I would have just gone in April.   I am not sure what to do. 

I delayed dental appointments for the whole pandemic (for me; the kids went once or twice), and then I got hit with a deep cleaning when I finally went, and have now had to have THREE appointments in 2 1/2 weeks. So that backfired. My dentist sounds like yours; front desk staff all unmasked, but dentists and hygienists wearing them. ETA: I almost broke up with my dentist over covid stuff, but we've been going forever and like everything else about them...and then I had to find a new pediatrician a few weeks ago and didn't have it in me to ALSO look for a new dentist.

Edited May 27, 2022 by kokotg

[Jaybee]

20 hours ago, Spryte said:

Thanks, all. I will talk to DH about the extra risk, and we will make a decision about what to do. His daily RAT came back negative again, and if he didn’t have the small cough intermittently or if I didn’t have this extra complication, I wouldn’t think twice about this. But here we are. Blerg.

 

My dh also travels. I don't know if it will make you feel any better, but he often gets a little cough from the dry air on the flights, unrelated to any sickness.

[KSera]

This is all only anecdotal, but I can’t say I felt great seeing this thread of people who felt that outdoors was the only place they could have caught their Covid infection:

 

[Laura Corin]

2 hours ago, KSera said:

This is all only anecdotal, but I can’t say I felt great seeing this thread of people who felt that outdoors was the only place they could have caught their Covid infection:

 

My brother is convinced he caught Delta outside, either playing golf or tennis.

[YaelAldrich]

Friday (Day 5) update:  I am about 98% better now.  Only have a slight stuffed up feeling in my sinuses and some glunky junk in there too (but not oddly colored or smelling like a typical sinus infection/clog up).  I tested yesterday to see what was what and bingo the line came up quick and almost as dark as before.  No one else is positive yet.  My soon (hopefully) to be travelling husband and my daughter go goes to Cesspool of COVID High School took a PCR today and hoping for good news.

[mlktwins]

For those who have gotten their 2nd boosters, did you change up your vaccine maker?  DH and I have had 3 Pfizer so far.  I really don't want to switch it up.  We are going tomorrow though.  What have y'all done?

[KSera]

2 minutes ago, mlktwins said:

For those who have gotten their 2nd boosters, did you change up your vaccine maker?  DH and I have had 3 Pfizer so far.  I really don't want to switch it up.  We are going tomorrow though.  What have y'all done?

We haven’t had second boosters yet ourselves, but my parents switched from Pfizer to Moderna their second booster. Between mix and match vaccines providing a little broader coverage and Moderna having a higher dosage, that’s what I would have done as well.

[Corraleno]

57 minutes ago, mlktwins said:

For those who have gotten their 2nd boosters, did you change up your vaccine maker?  DH and I have had 3 Pfizer so far.  I really don't want to switch it up.  We are going tomorrow though.  What have y'all done?

I switched from Pfizer to Moderna for the boosters for the same reasons KSera mentioned: higher dose, seems to last longer, plus there is some evidence for greater efficacy with mix-n-match.

[catz]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

For those who have gotten their 2nd boosters, did you change up your vaccine maker?  DH and I have had 3 Pfizer so far.  I really don't want to switch it up.  We are going tomorrow though.  What have y'all done?

Both my DH and I went from 3 Pfizer's to Moderna for dose 4.  And both our reactions were similar to dose 3.  For him, very little.  He especially seemed no side affects for dose 4.  For me, typical flu like response between about 10 hours to about 30 hours post vaccine.  I was pretty useless the next day after, but fine by the next morning.  

[Kassia]

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

For those who have gotten their 2nd boosters, did you change up your vaccine maker?  DH and I have had 3 Pfizer so far.  I really don't want to switch it up.  We are going tomorrow though.  What have y'all done?

I wanted to change but it was just most convenient to go to a drugstore that only had Moderna (that's what we had for our first three) so we went with that.  

We both felt kind of lousy the following day - mild to moderate side effects.  

[Acadie]

On 5/26/2022 at 1:08 PM, Spryte said:

Thanks, all. I will talk to DH about the extra risk, and we will make a decision about what to do. His daily RAT came back negative again, and if he didn’t have the small cough intermittently or if I didn’t have this extra complication, I wouldn’t think twice about this. But here we are. Blerg.

 

Some other things to try if he hasn't already--swab both throat and nose, try different brands of RAT, retest by PCR.

I'm hearing of so many people testing negative on RAT and PCR for several days, even over a week, before they finally test positive. 

[Ali in OR]

4 hours ago, mlktwins said:

For those who have gotten their 2nd boosters, did you change up your vaccine maker?  DH and I have had 3 Pfizer so far.  I really don't want to switch it up.  We are going tomorrow though.  What have y'all done?

I was open to either after 3 Pfizers but when the desk person said I would have to wait 15 min to check for side effects if I switched, I went ahead with a 4th Pfizer.

[YaelAldrich]

Sunday morning update. DH and DD are now positive. They went in for a PCR on Friday afternoon. They also tested Saturday morning on a rapid. My DH was supposed to to to Japan on Monday. He started Paxlovid in hopes he'll go negative so he can leave a little sooner. They both have had sore throats and now sniffly and simultaneously stuffed up noses since Thursday.

My 2nd DS (who is due to leave for a month-long wilderness survival trip on Friday) and my youngest DS are symptom free and negative so far. 

A question in the next post to keep things separated.... 

Edited May 29, 2022 by YaelAldrich

[YaelAldrich]

Question for those who had COVID: I had my period 17 days ago but started to stain/spot on Day 3 of COVID. I'm perimenopausal for sure (I'm 48) but more or less regular still (off a day or three at most usually more every 27 days) and then this happened. It seems to have stopped after a three days. I have an IUD; maybe it irritated my uterus while I had some big coughing fits? 

Anyone else had this problem? 

[Lawyer&Mom]

16 minutes ago, YaelAldrich said:

Question for those who had COVID: I had my period 17 days ago but started to stain/spot on Day 3 of COVID. I'm perimenopausal for sure (I'm 48) but more or less regular still (off a day or three at most usually more every 27 days) and then this happened. It seems to have stopped after a three days. I have an IUD; maybe it irritated my uterus while I had some big coughing fits? 

Anyone else had this problem? 

Covid did wacky things to my menstrual cycle.  I used to be super regular at 28 days, then after covid for awhile I had three week cycles instead of four.  So, yes, spotting could totally be covid related. 

[chiguirre]

We've all got Covid. This is our first time being infected. We were all boosted in December but stopped masking when everyone else around us did. It's been like a bad cold for the first 5 days but yesterday Geezle and I (and maybe GW? he can't tell us and I can't observe) lost our sense of smell. 

GW brought it home from his day program where they have a mini-outbreak.

We've all had sore throats that segued into stuffy noses and coughs that are half-dry, half-productive and get better with Robotussin. Dayquil/Nyquil makes the symptoms manageable and none of us have been very miserable. We noticed the loss of smell yesterday evening, so day 5.

[Elona]

7 hours ago, YaelAldrich said:

Question for those who had COVID: I had my period 17 days ago but started to stain/spot on Day 3 of COVID. I'm perimenopausal for sure (I'm 48) but more or less regular still (off a day or three at most usually more every 27 days) and then this happened. It seems to have stopped after a three days. I have an IUD; maybe it irritated my uterus while I had some big coughing fits? 

Anyone else had this problem? 

Yes! I am 44, very similar to you in terms of regularity and perimenopause. I do not have an IUD. I started my period two days after my Covid symptoms started, which was at least a week early. I have never in my very regular life had that happen. I definitely blame Covid. Lots of people have anecdotally shared that it messed with their period big time. I also read several women's stories that after Covid they didn't get a period for 6-8 weeks! 

In addition to starting early in my case, it was also several days longer than usual.

[Spryte]

47 minutes ago, chiguirre said:

We've all got Covid. This is our first time being infected. We were all boosted in December but stopped masking when everyone else around us did. It's been like a bad cold for the first 5 days but yesterday Geezle and I (and maybe GW? he can't tell us and I can't observe) lost our sense of smell. 

GW brought it home from his day program where they have a mini-outbreak.

We've all had sore throats that segued into stuffy noses and coughs that are half-dry, half-productive and get better with Robotussin. Dayquil/Nyquil makes the symptoms manageable and none of us have been very miserable. We noticed the loss of smell yesterday evening, so day 5.

Hoping you all feel better soon!

[cintinative]

8 hours ago, YaelAldrich said:

Question for those who had COVID: I had my period 17 days ago but started to stain/spot on Day 3 of COVID. I'm perimenopausal for sure (I'm 48) but more or less regular still (off a day or three at most usually more every 27 days) and then this happened. It seems to have stopped after a three days. I have an IUD; maybe it irritated my uterus while I had some big coughing fits? 

Anyone else had this problem? 

I have not had COVID but stress will cause me sometimes to spot off cycle. I am also 48 and perimenopausal. I do not have an IUD though.  Stress does weird things to the body. I pray you are feeling better soon. I am so sorry that your family is going through this, especially now with so many big things on the near horizon.  

[YaelAldrich]

Spotting again. So very weird. Illness has pushed off my period before (rare) but never brought it on. 

 

[chiguirre]

We're all on the mend for the most part. I woke up with pink eye and googled. Yup, it's a rarer Covid thing, about 1/10 people get some eye issue. It's just standard viral pink eye and there's nothing you can do for it except eye drops so I'll see how it goes today.

The nasal congestion and coughing has subsided for everyone. We still can't smell but we do have a bit of taste so food's not totally gross. 

Covid is like the worst cold plus weird symptoms we've ever had, but we made it through so far.

[mommyoffive]

Passing this along

COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation | CDC

Quarantine and Isolation Calculator

A tool to help determine how long you need to isolate, quarantine, or take other steps to prevent spreading COVID-19.

[KSera]

10 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Passing this along

COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation | CDC

Quarantine and Isolation Calculator

A tool to help determine how long you need to isolate, quarantine, or take other steps to prevent spreading COVID-19.

Ugh. It was pretty good in stepping through what to do if you’ve been a close contact, but (as anticipated) directs people who have tested positive that they’re fine to leave isolation again after five days. They have got to change that to requiring testing negative in order to leave that early. So many highly contagious people walking around and attending work and school because the CDC said they’re fine after five days.

[mommyoffive]

https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/covid-state-of-affairs-may-31?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo0MzgwODk0MCwiXyI6ImdDbm05IiwiaWF0IjoxNjU0MDAzMzIyLCJleHAiOjE2NTQwMDY5MjIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yODEyMTkiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.HDnXJLt7_3YvQctL4O5n-S2muISk5zwCltFUHH8sFkQ

The “battle of Omicron” is currently taking place in the U.S. After our first massive BA.1 wave, BA.2 tried to take hold only to be overtaken by BA.2.12.1. Now, BA.4 and BA.5 are gaining traction very quickly and seem to be easily outcompeting the rest. Given recent lab studies, though, this isn’t a surprise. BA.4/5 are particularly good at escaping antibodies and reinfecting people previously infected with Omicron, as well as boosted individuals. Once BA.4/5 account for the majority of cases in the U.S., we should expect another (or extended) case surge. (It’s not entirely clear why BA.4/5 have not shown up on CDC’s variant tracker yet.)

 

With regard to vaccine effectiveness, a strange pattern is starting to emerge—one that we may see more and more often: case rates among the boosted are higher than case rates among the vaccinated but not boosted. This is clearly displayed on the CDC website below. Don’t be surprised if boosted cases even pass the rate of unvaccinated cases soon.

 

This is not because boosters increase the risk of infection. Instead, several other factors are coming into play:

1. More at home antigen testing. We don’t have a good sense, at all, about at-home testing behaviors and subsequent biases. For example, those with a booster may be more likely get a PCR than those without a booster;

2. Unvaccinated and not boosted people were more likely to get infected during the Omicron wave, so they may be more protected against infection than the boosted right now;

3. We know vaccine protection against infection wanes over time, and the majority of Americans were boosted more than 6 months ago now; and,

4. Boosted people may be getting more and more comfortable letting their guard down, while other groups may have passed this stage long ago. As a result, the boosted group may truly be getting infected more now than before.

Edited May 31, 2022 by mommyoffive

[mommyoffive]

Can I Stop Isolating If I’m Still Testing Positive for the Virus? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[mommyoffive]

COVID cases plateau in NYC, indicating latest surge may be over (msn.com)

[YaelAldrich]

Today's update:  My DH and I tested today.  Both tests gave wonky results - blobby pink shmears with light pink lines on them.  Then we did a different brand of tests (thanks insurance and Biden!) and I got a almost-can't-see-it-unless-you-squint positive line, Daniel a light but very visible pink line.  My youngest and second oldest are still symptom free and negative.  I kept the actively sick ones upstairs and away from them.  I've been downstairs with a good mask restarting school for my youngest.  I'm going to be "free" tomorrow but we are just days away from a Sabbath-Shavuot three day holiday combo (think Easter+Christmas+Thanksgiving without the use of electrical appliances) and I don't know (or care) to make a menu for it all.  ARRRGGGGGHHHHH

[catz]

18 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

COVID cases plateau in NYC, indicating latest surge may be over (msn.com)

Minneapolis Saint Paul is on their way down now too, slow but solid for a couple weeks.

[mommyoffive]

COVID-19 can be contagious during a Paxlovid rebound (wisn.com)

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

Covid: Vaccinations for children under 5 due as early as June 21 (cnbc.com)

[mommyoffive]

COVID-19 and Elective Surgery (asahq.org)

[Bootsie]

What is the shortest time for having a repeat case of COVID that anyone is aware of?  I have a friend who is about 80 years old in NYC who had carefully avoided COVID for over two years.  His wife got COVID but he did not--until two weeks after she was testing negative.  He then got COVID, feeling very sick for a couple of days, was treated with anit-viral and fully recovered.  I spoke with him a couple of days ago and he said he was feeling fine.  Now, two weeks later, he feels worse than he did before and has again tested positive for COVID.  Is this really a second case of COVID?  Or is it some type of relapse from the previous case?