Omicron anecdata?

[BeachGal]

30 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Yale researchers discover potential Long COVID causes and treatments - Yale Daily News

 

Investigation of Long COVID Prevalence and Its Relationship to Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation - PMC (nih.gov)

Akiko Iwasaki, the Yale researcher in the first link, is worth following. She is part of a team of researchers who are working together to unravel what's going on and how to treat it.

Covid can reactivate a number of viruses.  Just a heads up to watch for Shingles, Lyme, etc.

[mommyoffive]

[vonfirmath]

37 minutes ago, kokotg said:

Also, if you ARE close to a younger person who has a heart attack post covid, you're not going to know if it wouldn't have happened without covid, and, for a whole lot of people, it's easier to believe that of course it would have happened anyway. Anecdotally, I know of a lot more heart attack deaths in people I'm connected to in some way over the past couple of years than I would have expected....but, I mean, I'm also getting older, as are the people in my circle of friends/acquaintances. 

My sister had her first known stroke a year ago. She's very thankful it was BEFORE they were sick with covid and BEFORE she got the vaccine because she knows she would have blamed them otherwise. She's an outlier. A very young stroke victim and they have not figured out why yet but evidently not related to covid at all.

 

[vonfirmath]

37 minutes ago, BeachGal said:

Akiko Iwasaki, the Yale researcher in the first link, is worth following. She is part of a team of researchers who are working together to unravel what's going on and how to treat it.

Covid can reactivate a number of viruses.  Just a heads up to watch for Shingles, Lyme, etc.

Grumble grumble. I was never positive for Covid last July but I got Shingles -- In September I think.  I'm mostly over it now. The nerve I can still tell the difference when I touch the skin over it. (And I had a REALLY mild case compared to what I read about online that was caught and started medication early) I would have preferred to have avoided that.

[mommyoffive]

Massive learning setbacks show COVID's sweeping toll on kids (msn.com)

 

Law enforcement, firefighters had job with highest COVID death rates in 2020: CDC (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

Covid Symptoms Can Rebound Even If You Don’t Take Paxlovid - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[KSera]

7 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Covid has found us.  Husband came back from the US on Tuesday asymptomatic - we shared a car and a bed that day and the next.  On Thursday he developed cold symptoms - tiredness, congestion, nothing more.  By chance, I was out all day, and we then chose to sleep separately last night (and used separate bathrooms) although he tested negative.  Strong positive this morning.  He's now holed up upstairs, and I am downstairs and masked whenever I'm not eating/drinking. 

He's doing fine - he had the UK bivalent booster about six weeks ago.  I'm not due for mine until mid-November (and can't move it earlier), but am previously fully-vaccinated and boosted.  I haven't had Covid up to now, and this is Husband's first bout.

What are my odds of getting it, do you think?

I think the fact that he was negative last you were around him is very hopeful. It currently appears that the majority of people are not contagious until after symptom onset and positive test predicts contagiousness. I hope he feels better soon and you stay clear!

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Yale researchers discover potential Long COVID causes and treatments - Yale Daily News

 

Investigation of Long COVID Prevalence and Its Relationship to Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation - PMC (nih.gov)

So many interesting things here. I wonder if an Epstein Barr vaccine would help people not convert from Covid to long Covid? I also worry what the implications are for this and MS diagnoses down the line for people who have had Covid, due to the association between EB and MS. Are we going to see an increase?

3 hours ago, BeachGal said:

Akiko Iwasaki, the Yale researcher in the first link, is worth following. She is part of a team of researchers who are working together to unravel what's going on and how to treat it.

Covid can reactivate a number of viruses.  Just a heads up to watch for Shingles, Lyme, etc.

I think this is one of the million dollar questions—besides long Covid, will Covid result in activating any other disease processes years later? That’s something we’ll only know in the future. 

[catz]

8 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Covid has found us.  Husband came back from the US on Tuesday asymptomatic - we shared a car and a bed that day and the next.  On Thursday he developed cold symptoms - tiredness, congestion, nothing more.  By chance, I was out all day, and we then chose to sleep separately last night (and used separate bathrooms) although he tested negative.  Strong positive this morning.  He's now holed up upstairs, and I am downstairs and masked whenever I'm not eating/drinking. 

He's doing fine - he had the UK bivalent booster about six weeks ago.  I'm not due for mine until mid-November (and can't move it earlier), but am previously fully-vaccinated and boosted.  I haven't had Covid up to now, and this is Husband's first bout.

What are my odds of getting it, do you think?

We had the exact same situation.  Symptoms creeping in one day, negative test.  Isolated that evening.  Tested positive the next morning.  Neither my husband and I got it.  We put her in a room with a fan blowing out.  We had 2 air purifiers - 1 in her room, 1 in the hall outside her door.  We did have to share her bathroom some (that is our primary shower).  But that bathroom has a timed exhaust fan that she used every time.  She only unmasked for showering and the exhaust would run for an hour after her shower.  I did mask when I was delivering her food but not otherwise.  She was at the back of our upstairs.

Anyway - I think you have a decent chance of not getting it!  I hope his symptoms stay mild!  

[KSera]

4 hours ago, kokotg said:

Also, if you ARE close to a younger person who has a heart attack post covid, you're not going to know if it wouldn't have happened without covid, and, for a whole lot of people, it's easier to believe that of course it would have happened anyway. Anecdotally, I know of a lot more heart attack deaths in people I'm connected to in some way over the past couple of years than I would have expected....but, I mean, I'm also getting older, as are the people in my circle of friends/acquaintances. 

I just saw someone recommending people read a book called "Cause Unknown": The Epidemic of Sudden Deaths in 2021 & 2022" (From the Children's Defense Fund 🙄) before getting a covid booster. It never ceases to floor me all these people who think the only  variable to explain this increase in sudden deaths is the vaccine. Like they completely ignore that there has been an actual pandemic of a disease that has sudden death in the succeeding year as a known risk and that that disease has infected almost the whole population. It reminds me of all the people who were certain that the increase in acute hepatitis in kids was due to the vaccine, despite the fact that very few of those affected had been vaccinated. No sense or logic.

[TCB]

6 hours ago, kbutton said:

https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/fall-bivalent-boosters-science-update-732?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

She gets into more detail than this as well.

 

I had the Moderna bivalent booster this morning. I was disappointed to read the headlines about no greater effectiveness, but am hopeful that real world data will be more positive, so it was good to read this!

[mommyoffive]

In January NIH will begin a study on the use of Paxlovid for people with long covid. Not open for enrollment right now but this page should update when it is.  In case anyone would be interested. 

SARS CoV-2 Viral Persistence Study (PASC) - Study of Long COVID-19 - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov

[Laura Corin]

Wow.  Husband is really wiped out. This is his fourth day of symptoms; he slept fourteen hours last night, had some breakfast then went to lie down again. He's eating, drinking, breathing and thinking okay, so I'm not worried, but thank goodness for vaccines if this is how it affects him after four jabs, including UK bivalent this autumn!

Edited October 30, 2022 by Laura Corin

[Spryte]

1 hour ago, Laura Corin said:

Wow.  Husband is really wiped put. This is his fourth day of symptoms; he slept fourteen hours last night, had some breakfast then went to lie down again. He's eating, drinking, breathing and thinking okay, so I'm not worried, but thank goodness for vaccines if this is how it affects him after four jabs, including UK bivalent this autumn!

I hope he begins to feel better soon!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

1 hour ago, Laura Corin said:

Wow.  Husband is really wiped put. This is his fourth day of symptoms; he slept fourteen hours last night, had some breakfast then went to lie down again. He's eating, drinking, breathing and thinking okay, so I'm not worried, but thank goodness for vaccines if this is how it affects him after four jabs, including UK bivalent this autumn!

I'm on Day 8. Went for a socially distanced walk again yesterday and came home to nap for a few hours. The amount of fatigue and inability to do anything is surprising. I feel better until I do something. Then it's nap time again. I am not a napper. Heck, with menopause I've had more insomnia than anything else. Getting sleep is nice but losing time and having to monitor energy levels and whatnot is not fun.

I hope your DH feels better soon and that you remain healthy.

Edited: I know I am getting better because my computer time has increased.  The mental fatigue is waning but that brings about a whole new issue of boredom and frustration about not being able to hike.

[Laura Corin]

Oh well. Tested lightly positive this morning. At least Husband can come out of the bedroom, so he'll feel less trapped. So far I just have congestion,  a headache and a bit of a cough. Off to report my symptoms on the Zoe app. I'll do a little light work from home today and expect to nap.

Eta it's unfortunately almost a year since my last booster - I have one scheduled for November. 

Edited October 31, 2022 by Laura Corin

[KSera]

7 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Oh well. Tested lightly positive this morning. At least Husband can come out of the bedroom, so he'll feel less trapped. So far I just have congestion,  a headache and a bit of a cough. Off to report my symptoms on the Zoe app. I'll do a little light work from home today and expect to nap.

Eta it's unfortunately almost a year since my last booster - I have one scheduled for November. 

I’m sorry! I really hoped you would escape it. I hope it’s mild and you’re 100% very soon. 

[Kassia]

9 minutes ago, KSera said:

I’m sorry! I really hoped you would escape it. I hope it’s mild and you’re 100% very soon. 

@Laura Corin same - I'm very sorry and hope you feel better soon.

[I talk to the trees]

8 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Oh well. Tested lightly positive this morning. At least Husband can come out of the bedroom, so he'll feel less trapped. So far I just have congestion,  a headache and a bit of a cough. Off to report my symptoms on the Zoe app. I'll do a little light work from home today and expect to nap.

Eta it's unfortunately almost a year since my last booster - I have one scheduled for November. 

Well, darn! I’m so sorry! Fingers crossed for a mild case, speedy recovery, and no long term effects! 🤞 

[mommyoffive]

8 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Oh well. Tested lightly positive this morning. At least Husband can come out of the bedroom, so he'll feel less trapped. So far I just have congestion,  a headache and a bit of a cough. Off to report my symptoms on the Zoe app. I'll do a little light work from home today and expect to nap.

Eta it's unfortunately almost a year since my last booster - I have one scheduled for November. 

I am so sorry.  I hope it is mild and you feel better soon

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

Three people I attended a class with last Wednesday-Friday tested positive either yesterday or today.  All of them have all the boosters. One is sick enough that he’s been in the ED getting fluids.  There were absolutely no masks at this conference and lots of coughing going on, so I assume more than 3 people are going to get sick.

 

[YaelAldrich]

My oldest DS (the one who refuses to get vaccinated and believes the conspiracy stuff) joined my DH and DD and our elderly, not in great shape Uncle Chris at a restaurant yesterday looking rough and sweating up a storm.  He mentioned offhandedly that he tested positive for COVID on Thursday and everyone else at the table threw on their masks.  😶 He put on a bandana.  🤨 Why oh why did he come to a public space knowing he is sick?!?  

My youngest and I were in NY at the time; we missed the fun. My DH is supposed to leave for Barcelona in two days.  

[KSera]

54 minutes ago, YaelAldrich said:

My DH is supposed to leave for Barcelona in two days.  

Oh, I can’t imagine how frustrated you must be. I hope everyone stays healthy, especially your uncle and your dh. It is sooooo disruptive to get sick, especially right before something major like a trip. That would have been inconsiderate no matter what kind of illness he had. I’m sorry 😞. 

[kbutton]

17 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

So far I just have congestion,  a headache and a bit of a cough.

I hope it all goes well, but I am sorry you've finally succumbed! 

[kbutton]

Some anecdata from our Covid last week (mostly recovered). DH had it the worst, and it's generally true that he doesn't get sick often, but he does usually end up in worse shape than the rest of us. However, he also had his bivalent booster more recently than the two of us who had them right away when they became available. He might have been more ill this time from his shot still being pretty new. 

The fourth family member hasn't had the bivalent vaccine yet, but he did have an extra booster late July or early August as he's higher risk. He fared well as far as we can tell. 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I am so over this illness. It's Day 10 and I still have a sore throat and runny nose.

I am excited, however, since I received a message from the health dept stating they have at home COVID tests available this morning. They didn't have any last week so this makes me happy and relieved. I may don an N95 and go get some as each person has to pick them up and DH cannot get two sets. I'm hoping he can go in and ask them for mine if I'm in the truck.

[TexasProud]

It is currently going around my daughter's college and musical theater department. Their production is in 3 weeks and she is starting to feel bad. Her roommate is positive, but she is negative. Says people have been taking 4 or 5 days to test positive.  Their production is so behind because of this. 

[kbutton]

Has anyone gotten over the congestion and been doing well only to develop GI stuff? 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, kbutton said:

Some anecdata from our Covid last week (mostly recovered). DH had it the worst, and it's generally true that he doesn't get sick often, but he does usually end up in worse shape than the rest of us. However, he also had his bivalent booster more recently than the two of us who had them right away when they became available. He might have been more ill this time from his shot still being pretty new. 

The fourth family member hasn't had the bivalent vaccine yet, but he did have an extra booster late July or early August as he's higher risk. He fared well as far as we can tell. 

I don’t know if you will know the answer to this but is it possible that your dh got a higher viral load since he’s in healthcare?  

[kbutton]

Just now, Jean in Newcastle said:

I don’t know if you will know the answer to this but is it possible that your dh got a higher viral load since he’s in healthcare?  

My older DS was the one that had Covid first, and the rest of us started having symptoms a couple of days after spending four hours in the car with him (Other DS first, and DH and I shortly thereafter). Prior to that, DH had spent the least amount of time with DS out of all of us due to their schedules.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

1 hour ago, kbutton said:

Has anyone gotten over the congestion and been doing well only to develop GI stuff? 

Yes, the GI symptoms began yesterday. Talk about dismaying. I thought I was in the clear since it was Day 9. Nope. Now I can't leave the house today for new reasons.  😞

Good thing is the Health Dept gave DH both COVID kits (bags with 4 test kits and 3 N95 masks) so I didn't have to go.

[kbutton]

3 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

Yes, the GI symptoms began yesterday. Talk about dismaying. I thought I was in the clear since it was Day 9. Nope. Now I can't leave the house today for new reasons.  😞

Good thing is the Health Dept gave DH both COVID kits (bags with 4 test kits and 3 N95 masks) so I didn't have to go.

So far, I am okay, but there are...signs of, ahem, pending doom, lol! But I have MCAS, and I get this way after stressors of many kinds, including headaches, muscle strain, overheating, eating certain things, etc. It's hard for me to know what is what when multiple factors exist, and with MCAS, there are always multiple factors.

I cancelled two appointments just in case. 

I hope you feel better soon!

DH is being forced back to work today, and he's not really ready. I'm livid and trying to stay distracted.

[mommyoffive]

Shanghai Disney: Visitors unable to leave without negative Covid test as park shuts - BBC News

 

Pandemic update, 31 October 2022 - by Eric Topol (substack.com)

 

White Paper on long COVID confirms women more likely to be diagnosed with condition - Newson Health Menopause Society (nhmenopausesociety.org)

 

COVID-19 and Menopause: Role of Estrogen in Illness Severity (healthline.com)

[Matryoshka]

So, we're in Spain!  Since I am now having to share an apartment with dd21, who I usually have mask when inside with, first thing I did was have her test (I brought a boatload with me).  And... she's positive.  Was slightly congested on plane (now gone, she says), NOW she tells me she felt a bit hoarse the past few days, and has a very slight cough (not often, not deep).  She swore it was because the weather was changing (it's been going from hot to cold to back again) and was rolling her eyes at me.  But unfortunately, she decided to really do it up for Halloween this year.  Multiple parties, a trip to NYC, and two haunted houses.  She did not want to hear any reservations from me that this might just be a bad idea so close to this trip.   So... yeah.  

I have no idea if I have any hope of missing it.  I am fully boosted with bivalent as of about a month ago (she is also boosted, but it was just a couple of days before she started all this Halloween fun). She was unmasked in our house for 10 minutes or so while we switched her suitcase, as her old one broke and she had to get a new one at the last minute.  This was an oversight because we were in a rush.  She masked (surgical) in the car to the airport, and we both masked (her KN95 me double) on the plane and in the airport and the metro to get here.  Was off when we first got to the apartment but not too long and this is very well-aired.  She's in the bedroom and I'm on the couch (this was the plan all along; I foresaw needing my own space if she brought Covid home).  CO2 monitor is at 478 (very good); she masks when she comes out and I mask when I go in to use the bathroom, which unfortunately we share.  Brush my teeth at kitchen sink??  Wear a mask in the shower???  I've taken a bunch of sambucol w/C & Zinc, D/K/NAC and have along the mouthwash that's supposed to kill it in your throat, at least.  Never did get around to get any of those nasal sprays...

Crossing my fingers hard... 🤞  

She was supposed to go into work at the office here tomorrow... whoopsie.

Since I have so many tests, I'm thinking having her test daily?  Sounds like she might've already had it for a bit.   Or is daily overkill?

ETA: Glass half full thought... at least this way even if we both get it it should be over before we have to catch our flights home?  Better now than later?  And if dd somehow doesn't give it to me now, she shouldn't be able to bring it home later again while we're here?  Yeah, I'm really trying to look on the bright side here! 😷

Edited November 1, 2022 by Matryoshka

[mommyoffive]

Pulse oximeters may not work as well on dark skin; FDA panel to review (wisn.com)

[freesia]

1 hour ago, Matryoshka said:

So, we're in Spain!  Since I am now having to share an apartment with dd21, who I usually have mask when inside with, first thing I did was have her test (I brought a boatload with me).  And... she's positive.  Was slightly congested on plane (now gone, she says), NOW she tells me she felt a bit hoarse the past few days, and has a very slight cough (not often, not deep).  She swore it was because the weather was changing (it's been going from hot to cold to back again) and was rolling her eyes at me.  But unfortunately, she decided to really do it up for Halloween this year.  Multiple parties, a trip to NYC, and two haunted houses.  She did not want to hear any reservations from me that this might just be a bad idea so close to this trip.   So... yeah.  

I have no idea if I have any hope of missing it.  I am fully boosted with bivalent as of about a month ago (she is also boosted, but it was just a couple of days before she started all this Halloween fun). She was unmasked in our house for 10 minutes or so while we switched her suitcase, as her old one broke and she had to get a new one at the last minute.  This was an oversight because we were in a rush.  She masked (surgical) in the car to the airport, and we both masked (her KN95 me double) on the plane and in the airport and the metro to get here.  Was off when we first got to the apartment but not too long and this is very well-aired.  She's in the bedroom and I'm on the couch (this was the plan all along; I foresaw needing my own space if she brought Covid home).  CO2 monitor is at 478 (very good); she masks when she comes out and I mask when I go in to use the bathroom, which unfortunately we share.  Brush my teeth at kitchen sink??  Wear a mask in the shower???  I've taken a bunch of sambucol w/C & Zinc, D/K/NAC and have along the mouthwash that's supposed to kill it in your throat, at least.  Never did get around to get any of those nasal sprays...

Crossing my fingers hard... 🤞  

She was supposed to go into work at the office here tomorrow... whoopsie.

Since I have so many tests, I'm thinking having her test daily?  Sounds like she might've already had it for a bit.   Or is daily overkill?

ETA: Glass half full thought... at least this way even if we both get it it should be over before we have to catch our flights home?  Better now than later?  And if dd somehow doesn't give it to me now, she shouldn't be able to bring it home later again while we're here?  Yeah, I'm really trying to look on the bright side here! 😷

I’m so sorry!  I think testing daily is overkill. I wouldn’t test again until 10 days after she thinks she had her first symptom.  I think you have a chance if not getting it. I shared a bed unmasked with dh the night before he tested positive, and I never tested positive or had symptoms. 
 

I’d brush my teeth in the kitchen. I wouldn’t shower with a mask, but maybe I would try to time it first thing before she uses the bathroom. But if she’s masked and doesn’t cough and you give it an hour, I think you are fine. Could she brush her teeth using a cup of water so she doesn’t have to unmask in the bathroom?

[Matryoshka]

Just now, freesia said:

I’m so sorry!  I think testing daily is overkill. I wouldn’t test again until 10 days after she thinks she had her first symptom.  I think you have a chance if not getting it. I shared a bed unmasked with dh the night before he tested positive, and I never tested positive or had symptoms. 
 

I’d brush my teeth in the kitchen. I wouldn’t shower with a mask, but maybe I would try to time it first thing before she uses the bathroom. But if she’s masked and doesn’t cough and you give it an hour, I think you are fine. Could she brush her teeth using a cup of water so she doesn’t have to unmask in the bathroom?

Okay, I'll space out the testing - I think at least till she has no more symptoms.   They're mild ones, but they're there. She quipped, oh if these are Covid symptoms,  I've had them since Thursday.   SMH. 

As for the bathroom, that's tough. The bathroom is contiguous with her bedroom,  and she's not masking in there, and there are no windows in either room. Heck, I'm gonna have to wander around brushing my teeth even if I use the kitchen sink, as her door is right next to the sink and she doesn't want me to close it all the way because... no windows. Plenty out here, fortunately. 

[freesia]

45 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Okay, I'll space out the testing - I think at least till she has no more symptoms.   They're mild ones, but they're there. She quipped, oh if these are Covid symptoms,  I've had them since Thursday.   SMH. 

As for the bathroom, that's tough. The bathroom is contiguous with her bedroom,  and she's not masking in there, and there are no windows in either room. Heck, I'm gonna have to wander around brushing my teeth even if I use the kitchen sink, as her door is right next to the sink and she doesn't want me to close it all the way because... no windows. Plenty out here, fortunately. 

I’m a big believer in ventilation being important. 

[Matryoshka]

19 minutes ago, freesia said:

I’m a big believer in ventilation being important. 

I am very happy with the windows out here. CO2 monitor is now at 466.

[KSera]

3 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

So, we're in Spain!  Since I am now having to share an apartment with dd21, who I usually have mask when inside with, first thing I did was have her test (I brought a boatload with me).  And... she's positive.  Was slightly congested on plane (now gone, she says), NOW she tells me she felt a bit hoarse the past few days, and has a very slight cough (not often, not deep).  She swore it was because the weather was changing (it's been going from hot to cold to back again) and was rolling her eyes at me.  But unfortunately, she decided to really do it up for Halloween this year.  Multiple parties, a trip to NYC, and two haunted houses.  She did not want to hear any reservations from me that this might just be a bad idea so close to this trip.   So... yeah.  

I have no idea if I have any hope of missing it.  I am fully boosted with bivalent as of about a month ago (she is also boosted, but it was just a couple of days before she started all this Halloween fun). She was unmasked in our house for 10 minutes or so while we switched her suitcase, as her old one broke and she had to get a new one at the last minute.  This was an oversight because we were in a rush.  She masked (surgical) in the car to the airport, and we both masked (her KN95 me double) on the plane and in the airport and the metro to get here.  Was off when we first got to the apartment but not too long and this is very well-aired.  She's in the bedroom and I'm on the couch (this was the plan all along; I foresaw needing my own space if she brought Covid home).  CO2 monitor is at 478 (very good); she masks when she comes out and I mask when I go in to use the bathroom, which unfortunately we share.  Brush my teeth at kitchen sink??  Wear a mask in the shower???  I've taken a bunch of sambucol w/C & Zinc, D/K/NAC and have along the mouthwash that's supposed to kill it in your throat, at least.  Never did get around to get any of those nasal sprays...

Crossing my fingers hard... 🤞  

She was supposed to go into work at the office here tomorrow... whoopsie.

Since I have so many tests, I'm thinking having her test daily?  Sounds like she might've already had it for a bit.   Or is daily overkill?

ETA: Glass half full thought... at least this way even if we both get it it should be over before we have to catch our flights home?  Better now than later?  And if dd somehow doesn't give it to me now, she shouldn't be able to bring it home later again while we're here?  Yeah, I'm really trying to look on the bright side here! 😷

Oh nooo! How long will you be there? I hope you're there long enough that you are still able to enjoy plenty of time together there.

1 hour ago, Matryoshka said:

Okay, I'll space out the testing - I think at least till she has no more symptoms.   They're mild ones, but they're there. She quipped, oh if these are Covid symptoms,  I've had them since Thursday.   SMH. 

As for the bathroom, that's tough. The bathroom is contiguous with her bedroom,  and she's not masking in there, and there are no windows in either room. Heck, I'm gonna have to wander around brushing my teeth even if I use the kitchen sink, as her door is right next to the sink and she doesn't want me to close it all the way because... no windows. Plenty out here, fortunately. 

Well, if symptoms started on Thursday, that's actually good for you as she will be done sooner. She may have been peak infectiousness Sunday into Monday, though. I'd probably test her Thursday for the first time, and possibly dailiy after that, if you have plenty of tests. She won't let you close the door to her room? If the bathroom has a fan, run that all the time.

[Matryoshka]

34 minutes ago, KSera said:

Oh nooo! How long will you be there? I hope you're there long enough that you are still able to enjoy plenty of time together there.

Well, if symptoms started on Thursday, that's actually good for you as she will be done sooner. She may have been peak infectiousness Sunday into Monday, though. I'd probably test her Thursday for the first time, and possibly dailiy after that, if you have plenty of tests. She won't let you close the door to her room? If the bathroom has a fan, run that all the time.

I'll be here three weeks; she's here the whole month, so hopefully we'll have time to still do some fun things.

Yeah, she doesn't want me to close her bedroom door, and there's no bathroom fan (this is a veeeery old house, though this apartment is newly renovated). I am hanging out most of the time, and sleeping,  by open windows. 

I am glad I had her test, even though it's cramping her style, as she's not objectively very sick and I may well have already been exposed,  but I also believe in viral load being important,  so if I do get it, hoping less exposure still helps it be as mild and short as possible. 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Matryoshka

[mommyoffive]

Thousands are dying of Covid each week. So why isn’t anyone talking about it in the midterms? | The Independent

[TexasProud]

So the rapid tests are a sign of whether or not you are contagious, right? So you should stay away from people until your rapid tests are negative. Then you are fine.  But what about at the beginning? Keep testing, but mask? That is what my daughter is doing.  She has tested three times so far. All negative.  Her main symptom is exhaustion, but her schedule is nuts, so that may be normal.  But a girl in her apartment has Covid now and several of her cast mates had it last week. Not even sure why I am asking as that is what she will just have to do.  She cannot afford to miss classes and rehearsals just in case it.  Especially since, if she does test positive, she will then miss 5 days. They open in 2 weeks and she has a main part. 

[wathe]

18 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

I'll be here three weeks; she's here the whole month, so hopefully we'll have time to still do some fun things.

Yeah, she doesn't want me to close her bedroom door, and there's no bathroom fan (this is a veeeery old house, though this apartment is newly renovated). I am hanging out most of the time, and sleeping,  by open windows. 

I am glad I had her test, even though it's cramping her style, as she's not objectively very sick and I may well have already been exposed,  but I also believe in viral load being important,  so if I do get it, hoping less exposure still helps it be as mild and short as possible. 

I wonder if furnace filters are a thing that's easily available at a Spanish hardwqre store?  If so, it might be worth making yourself a corsi-rosenthal box to run in her room

[Matryoshka]

2 hours ago, wathe said:

I wonder if furnace filters are a thing that's easily available at a Spanish hardwqre store?  If so, it might be worth making yourself a corsi-rosenthal box to run in her room

She wants me to buy her a fan for her room because it's stuffy in there, but I kind of doubt I can get a box fan here (isn't that what you use to make those?) - also probably no furnace filters, as I don't think they have furnaces here.  It's currently in the 70s in November,  which is why I can keep the windows wide open...

[wathe]

30 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

She wants me to buy her a fan for her room because it's stuffy in there, but I kind of doubt I can get a box fan here (isn't that what you use to make those?) - also probably no furnace filters, as I don't think they have furnaces here.  It's currently in the 70s in November,  which is why I can keep the windows wide open...

I wondered.  It looks like gas heat is a thing, but seems like usually gas-fired boilers rather than forced air.  So, I guess no need for filters.

[Matryoshka]

3 minutes ago, wathe said:

I wondered.  It looks like gas heat is a thing, but seems like usually gas-fired boilers rather than forced air.  So, I guess no need for filters.

Not even gas in the more southern parts of Spain.  When I lived in Sevilla many years ago, all there was were these circular electric heaters they put under teeny tiny tables with heavy tablecloths that went to the floor.  So you huddled around those with the tablecloth over your lap and your feet on the heater.  I've never been so consistently cold for so long.  I'm sure they had other space heaters, but the houses do not have central heat of any kind.  I'm guessing this is different in the north and central parts of the country where they get snow - I've not spent much time there.

The place we're staying, which is old but newly renovated, has a mini-split/heat pump thing.  They're great for places that have fairly temperate winters and double as a/c (which also was never a thing - hence the fab ventilation here).

[Corraleno]

4 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

Not even gas in the more southern parts of Spain.  When I lived in Sevilla many years ago, all there was were these circular electric heaters they put under teeny tiny tables with heavy tablecloths that went to the floor.  So you huddled around those with the tablecloth over your lap and your feet on the heater.  I've never been so consistently cold for so long.  I'm sure they had other space heaters, but the houses do not have central heat of any kind.  I'm guessing this is different in the north and central parts of the country where they get snow - I've not spent much time there.

Or not! My ex and I had in an old stone farmhouse in France, where it snows plenty, and the only heat was a very small electric heater in each of the two upstairs "bedrooms" (which were basically just the two halves of the attic) and a ginormous stone fireplace downstairs that someone had put water pipes at the back of, and those pipes went to an old cast-iron radiator in the one downstairs bedroom. And you had to literally reach into the fire to open the valve to start the water flowing. When DS was  2 we decided it would be so fun and romantic to spend Christmas there — and my then-DH literally spent 4 hrs/day chopping wood just trying to keep this massive fire going so we didn't freeze to death in the 14*F weather. We slept in our coats and hats with DS between us and every blanket piled on top of us!

[Not_a_Number]

As a bit of vaccine anecdata, DH had his bivalent booster a few weeks ago, before we all got sick. 

We didn't isolate from each other (we don't have any space here). What I've seen so far is that he's had less of a fever than I did (I had a day and a half of relatively high fever.) He also took a few extra days to get sick.

However, otherwise, his symptoms have been identical to mine, and he's staying sick just as long. It's been disappointing. 

[KSera]

8 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

She wants me to buy her a fan for her room because it's stuffy in there

If you get one while she's still positive, make sure it's pointing out her window and not toward the room! Otherwise, it's going to create positive pressure from her room outward, taking her exhaled air and sending it out the door toward you. If you have your windows open and her windows open and the fan is pointing out the window, that will be beneficial for airflow. (I have this recollection now that you said her room has no windows, in which case what I just said is irrelevant.)

[Matryoshka]

12 hours ago, KSera said:

If you get one while she's still positive, make sure it's pointing out her window and not toward the room! Otherwise, it's going to create positive pressure from her room outward, taking her exhaled air and sending it out the door toward you. If you have your windows open and her windows open and the fan is pointing out the window, that will be beneficial for airflow. (I have this recollection now that you said her room has no windows, in which case what I just said is irrelevant.)

Ugh, the whole problem is she has no window at all. Nor the bathroom.  She will want the fan pointing at her face, which will be into the room, but will likely increase airflow out the door.  Maybe I can convince her to hold off with the fan till she's negative?  

ETA: She has agreed to only use the fan at night when she's willing to close the door.  You think that would be okay?  Still haven't bought it - dragging my heels a bit...

Edited November 3, 2022 by Matryoshka