Shall we talk about that other variant?

[Ting Tang]

35 minutes ago, Elona said:

We have just had it. My husband got it like a head cold and was back to normal in about a week. My daughter had a HORRIBLE sore throat and sinus congestion but seemed to recover in about a week. I have gotten it quite bad, even though I took Paxlovid starting on day 2.5. I had a scary high heart rate, bad fever, awful sore throat, etc, but the Paxlovid worked in the beginning and my heart rate returned to normal, fever went away, the cough that was setting in stopped . .  . Until the last dose was finished. Within 24 hours after the last dose my energy tanked hard and I have been largely bed ridden for 13 days. I have a cough and chest congestion. However, today I feel not as horrible and I tested negative, so perhaps I am on the upswing now. To be honest, as hard as this has been on my body, I am glad to have caught Omicron, rather than the other variants. We are all going to get it at some point, and I am glad that my body's first round with the virus (other than vaccine) is Omicron, and also that i was able to take Paxlovid.

I hope you continue to improve.  It's good to read it is nothing worse than anything we've ever had before for many people, but it doesn't sound like it went that way for you. 😞  I'm definitely going to keep Paxlovid in mind---sorry it didn't keep everything away for you! 

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, KSera said:

Like with the first omicron, it’s seeming common for people to take many days of symptoms before they test positive, and sometimes never getting a home positive despite positive pcr. I would advise anyone with symptoms and negative home test to get a PCR if they can. 

You’ve expressed this a number of times now over the past months. I don’t know how preventing hundreds of thousands of deaths is a “yeah, whatever, but” kind of thing. You literally don’t know if you would still be alive right now if you hadn’t been vaccinated. Sounds overly dramatic, but is still true. Trust me that there are likely few more disappointed than I am that the vaccine no longer prevents Illness the way it did originally, but it’s definitely an anti-vax talking point to take the position that because the virus has mutated away from the vaccine preventing illness entirely that people were punked. The people that were punked are the ones no longer alive because they listened to anti vax propaganda. 

It sounds like you’re annoyed at me for expressing it more than once. Or that’s how I’m interpreting your post. 
 

The thing for me is: we can’t know what we’ve prevented by the vaccines. Most research indicated that Omicron was inherently less likely to be severe than the earliest versions. Not to mention the medical community got better at understanding what to do and what not to do. Statistically, the people packed in the hospitals here in January were 85% likely to be unvaccinated, so it does seem like being vaccinated was helpful. But I find it so disappointing that we’re still having this conversation at all. The people I know who are testing positive now are all people who have been vaxed, and, in some cases, also have had COVID before. So the observed reality I’m living with is: it makes no difference. It seems utterly random: wrong place, wrong time. 
 

Anti-vaxers are probably most often feeling vindicated, as people around them all get Covid too. 

 

[Ting Tang]

8 minutes ago, Quill said:

It sounds like you’re annoyed at me for expressing it more than once. Or that’s how I’m interpreting your post. 
 

The thing for me is: we can’t know what we’ve prevented by the vaccines. Most research indicated that Omicron was inherently less likely to be severe than the earliest versions. Not to mention the medical community got better at understanding what to do and what not to do. Statistically, the people packed in the hospitals here in January were 85% likely to be unvaccinated, so it does seem like being vaccinated was helpful. But I find it so disappointing that we’re still having this conversation at all. The people I know who are testing positive now are all people who have been vaxed, and, in some cases, also have had COVID before. So the observed reality I’m living with is: it makes no difference. It seems utterly random: wrong place, wrong time. 
 

Anti-vaxers are probably most often feeling vindicated, as people around them all get Covid too. 

 

Well, despite your feelings now, some of those people have been very much against any precautions, even early on.  I definitely wouldn't lump you into that group.  The worst thing is these surges are cyclical and not seasonal.  During cold and flu season, we know there is an increased chance to get sick.  But here we are heading into summer with cases rising.  I'm sure removing precautions has something to do with it, but still, it stinks. It used to be you could predict summer to be a healthier season. Or, at least for my family.

[TexasProud]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

Not to derail my own thread, but here’s something I have been thinking about. Despite having been 100% pro-vax all the way (I was even pro-mandate) and despite having been fully vaxed and boosted…I feel like I got punked. Yeah, yeah; I know; reduced risk of hospitalizations/death, and yes, I’m grateful for that, and yes, I did directly witness vax refusers who died or were extremely I’ll with Covid. So - I’m grateful that is unlikely for me. But still. The vaccine has not lived up to its promise and I feel quite jaded about that. This is one instance where I feel like the “side” who was all pro-vax has whitewashed this disappointing reality. In March of ‘21, I was one of those people who thought I was taking (three) for the team, so we could put Covid behind us. But that didn’t happen and it looks like it never is going to happen. It looks like we’re basically all going to get Covid sooner or later and the best we can hope for is that either by a) luck or b) immunology, we are not one of the dead ones. 
 

I do still wear a mask in crowded public settings but I do have some sympathy now for the people who aren’t scrambling to put precautions back in place. I finally *do* understand how people can say, “Covid - whatever; I’m over it”. I feel similarly now. 
 

For all I know, I might have had it after New York too and just got a false negative on my home test. I did have a migraine for two days. But I do get headaches anyway, so who knows. 
 

>end soapbox

Yep. I feel cheated. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by TexasProud

[Catwoman]

2 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Yep. I feel gypped. 

Aside from the fact that the word “gypped” is tremendously politically incorrect, why do you feel cheated? Did you honestly expect that the vaccine would prevent Covid 100% of the time, and that it would work equally well on all of the variants? 

That seems like fairy tale thinking to me. 

[Garga]

2 hours ago, Quill said:

Not to derail my own thread, but here’s something I have been thinking about. Despite having been 100% pro-vax all the way (I was even pro-mandate) and despite having been fully vaxed and boosted…I feel like I got punked. Yeah, yeah; I know; reduced risk of hospitalizations/death, and yes, I’m grateful for that, and yes, I did directly witness vax refusers who died or were extremely I’ll with Covid. So - I’m grateful that is unlikely for me. But still. The vaccine has not lived up to its promise and I feel quite jaded about that. This is one instance where I feel like the “side” who was all pro-vax has whitewashed this disappointing reality. In March of ‘21, I was one of those people who thought I was taking (three) for the team, so we could put Covid behind us. But that didn’t happen and it looks like it never is going to happen. It looks like we’re basically all going to get Covid sooner or later and the best we can hope for is that either by a) luck or b) immunology, we are not one of the dead ones. 
 

I do still wear a mask in crowded public settings but I do have some sympathy now for the people who aren’t scrambling to put precautions back in place. I finally *do* understand how people can say, “Covid - whatever; I’m over it”. I feel similarly now. 
 

For all I know, I might have had it after New York too and just got a false negative on my home test. I did have a migraine for two days. But I do get headaches anyway, so who knows. 
 

>end soapbox

Oh I don’t know. I remember reading back in April or May of 2020 (very, very early) that if they could even come up with a vaccine at all, it would likely only last 4-9 months and we’d need boosters every 4-9 months.  I remember thinking, “I don’t know how they’ll ever get the entire country to agree to getting vaccinated every 4-9 months. I don’t think *I* am willing to be vaccinated every 4-9 months.”

So, I don’t know. I know that there were those touting the vaccine as if it would be a one time thing (maybe with 2 doses), but if you looked beyond the general media, it was always out there that the vaccines wouldn’t last very long at all.  

But I suppose you’re right that the loudest people out there were careful not to bother mentioning that the vaccine would wear off so quickly. You had to find that info in the quieter publications. 

It’s nothing to sneeze at that the vaccine keeps people from dying and having horrible cases, so it’s still worth it. It helps the medical workers, too, because they don’t have to care for as many horrible, horrible cases.

Anyway, I get what you’re saying about not really caring anymore. I feel the same way. However, I am vaccinated, so if/when I catch Covid, I’m likely to get a mild case, so I don’t have the fear of actual death for me and my family hanging over my head. Of course, if I let my vaccination slide and don’t get boosted, then perhaps the fear of death for myself and my family will kick back in. In which case, we’ll all get another shot.

Almost no one wears masks around here, me included. I’ve just given up. (and see “no more fear of death for the family” above.  Though….long covid is something I still fret about.)

Edited May 19, 2022 by Garga

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Yep. I feel gypped. 

A lot of people never thought about it - I certainly never did until I saw it on here - but “gypped” is a derogatory term related to gypsy. So yeah; it’s better to use cheated or lied to. Or punked, lol. 

[Ali in OR]

Many in my extended family have been hit in the last two weeks, all in CA. My dd, my BIL, my brother, and his son. That seems like a lot. Locally we still have cases reported in my school most days. My county went up but stopped increasing and has been holding steady for a week or two. But I got my second booster the day I heard CDC put us at medium risk a couple of weeks ago. And I still wear my N95 all day teaching and whenever I'm out.

[TexasProud]

2 minutes ago, Quill said:

A lot of people never thought about it - I certainly never did until I saw it on here - but “gypped” is a derogatory term related to gypsy. So yeah; it’s better to use cheated or lied to. Or punked, lol. 

Oh... gosh.  Had no idea.  I will change it. So tired. Dealing with mom's Covid. Their car got totaled when an Amazon truck ran into it. Just tons of stuff going on here. 

[TexasProud]

41 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

Aside from the fact that the word “gypped” is tremendously politically incorrect, why do you feel cheated? Did you honestly expect that the vaccine would prevent Covid 100% of the time, and that it would work equally well on all of the variants? 

That seems like fairy tale thinking to me. 

Yes, Sorry didn't know and changed it.  I cannot keep up with all of this.. I expected life to be better for EVERYBODY. If this is fairty tale thinking well tough. IT IS WHAT I WANT . SUE ME. I DONT CARE. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by TexasProud

[katilac]

7 hours ago, Selkie said:

 Their doctor said that my dad probably fared better because he had the Moderna vax and is boosted, while his gf had the J & J shot.

We had two Moderna, one Pfizer, and one J&J when we had it, and the J&J person had by far the mildest case, lol. And they tested positive first. 

6 hours ago, TexasProud said:

Well, my mom went to the ER because she was dehydrated from her new cancer meds (explosive diarrhea is a known side effect we were warned about). She tested positive for Covid. I am not sure how she got it, to be honest. She got her 2nd booster a little over a week before we flew to Salt Lake City. We wore masks the entire time on the plane. I am fine. Her husband is fine. Don't know. My sister and brother-in-law are fine. ( We have all tested.) My husband thinks maybe it is a false positive since she has no symptoms at all. She has so much energy now since she got fluids and steroids. We are isolating, but yeah.. just not quite sure how she got it if the rest of us didn't. 

A compromised immune system means her system may not have had as robust of a reaction to the vaccine, and sometimes one person just gets sick while others don't, no different than any virus. 

2 hours ago, Quill said:

 I feel like I got punked

The vaccine has not lived up to its promise  

I don't think there was ever a promise that Covid would completely disappear with a vaccine. Mutations were expected all along. 

[Longtime Lurker]

I had it a couple of weeks ago and it was mostly like a bad cold. Horrible sore throat, though, and fever for a couple of days. No cough but my chest felt tired, if that makes sense. Some nasal/sinus congestion. So not terrible but I am still really tired. I am vaxxed and boosted so that surely helped, and I was able to get Paxlovid due to having had thyroid cancer, which probably also helped although I got it on the late side.

So DD and I are heading to Boston on the 27th for a graduation trip. I know things are not great there right now, but they aren't great here either. We plan to do mostly outdoor activities and we will not be visiting anyone. DH and DS had it when I had it, but DD was away at college still and didn't get it, so hopefully she doesn't get it while traveling. And hopefully I have a little extra immunity since I just recovered...

[Catwoman]

10 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Oh... gosh.  Had no idea.  I will change it. So tired. Dealing with mom's Covid. Their car got totaled when an Amazon truck ran into it. Just tons of stuff going on here. 

Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about everything that’s happening with your family! 😞 

[Catwoman]

10 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Yes, Sorry didn't know and changed it.  I cannot keep up with all of this.. I expected life to be better for EVERYBODY. If this is fairty tale thinking well tough. IT IS WHAT I WANT . SUE ME. I DONT CARE. 

You don’t have to get all nasty about it. 

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, Catwoman said:

You don’t have to get all nasty about it. 

Then don't tell me I am stupid. Sorry. I have had it up to hear being nice and dealing with car insurance company, had a meeting with financial planner, difficult conversations about driving/finances, last cancer meds haven't worked. Probably wasn't fair to you, but it is easier to stand up for myself here. Don't tell me I am stupid and like a little girl who only wants fairy tales. I know life is hard. Just really tired of it. Sorry I don't think correctly to your standards. Sorry I don't cook to mom's standards. Sorry I cannot convince my step-dad not to drive by my step brother's standards.  BUT I AM HANDLING THIS> 

[Catwoman]

Just now, TexasProud said:

Then don't tell me I am stupid. Sorry. I have had it up to hear being nice and dealing with car insurance company, had a meeting with financial planner, difficult conversations about driving/finances, last cancer meds haven't worked. Probably wasn't fair to you, but it is easier to stand up for myself here. Don't tell me I am stupid and like a little girl who only wants fairy tales. I know life is hard. Just really tired of it. Sorry I don't think correctly to your standards. Sorry I don't cook to mom's standards. Sorry I cannot convince my step-dad not to drive by my step brother's standards.  BUT I AM HANDLING THIS> 

Wow.

I didn’t call you stupid.

I’m sorry you’re going through some rough times, but that doesn’t mean you should take your frustrations out on everyone else.

If you honestly believed that the vaccine was going to be a miracle potion that prevented anyone from contracting Covid, then apparently you chose to believe what you wanted to believe (which is what you have basically admitted here,) and that is what “fairy tale thinking” means. Had you done your research, you would have known all along that the purpose of the vaccine was never to prevent everyone from catching Covid. 

But again, I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you desperately wanted to believe that the vaccine would put an end to Covid, and now that it didn’t, you feel cheated, even though there was never a promise that the vaccine would be 100% effective.

[TexasProud]

3 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

Wow.

I didn’t call you stupid.

I’m sorry you’re going through some rough times, but that doesn’t mean you should take your frustrations out on everyone else.

If you honestly believed that the vaccine was going to be a miracle potion that prevented anyone from contracting Covid, then apparently you chose to believe what you wanted to believe (which is what you have basically admitted here,) and that is what “fairy tale thinking” means. Had you done your research, you would have known all along that the purpose of the vaccine was never to prevent everyone from catching Covid. 

But again, I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you desperately wanted to believe that the vaccine would put an end to Covid, and now that it didn’t, you feel cheated, even though there was never a promise that the vaccine would be 100% effective.

What you just wrote basically said I am wrong and stupid. Thanks. Appreciate it. 

[Elona]

2 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

Wow.

I didn’t call you stupid.

I’m sorry you’re going through some rough times, but that doesn’t mean you should take your frustrations out on everyone else.

If you honestly believed that the vaccine was going to be a miracle potion that prevented anyone from contracting Covid, then apparently you chose to believe what you wanted to believe (which is what you have basically admitted here,) and that is what “fairy tale thinking” means. Had you done your research, you would have known all along that the purpose of the vaccine was never to prevent everyone from catching Covid. 

But again, I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you desperately wanted to believe that the vaccine would put an end to Covid, and now that it didn’t, you feel cheated, even though there was never a promise that the vaccine would be 100% effective.

I think the reason that some people thought the vaccine would put an end to this pandemic is because vaccines have largely ended many diseases in recent memory- Polio, for example. Not everyone was well versed in Corona viruses, and it was not well communicated in the beginning that it wouldn't prevent infection. In the beginning, you had to really read and research to get that. Not everyone reads a ton of news and research. It's natural to feel disillusioned when the facts come to light and the full weight of our new reality hits. It's okay to share those feelings honestly. She needn't be attacked for sharing how she's feeling, even if it doesn't seem rational to you. 

[Catwoman]

Just now, TexasProud said:

What you just wrote basically said I am wrong and stupid. Thanks. Appreciate it. 

OK, now you just seem to be getting kind of irrational, so maybe you shouldn’t respond to any more of my posts tonight. 

I’m sorry if I upset you, because no offense was intended, but you seem to want to argue about everything I say, so this might be a good time for you to click on the “ignore” button if you’d prefer not to see my posts.

 

[TexasProud]

Just now, Elona said:

I think the reason that some people thought the vaccine would put an end to this pandemic is because vaccines have largely ended many diseases in recent memory- Polio, for example. Not everyone was well versed in Corona viruses, and it was not well communicated in the beginning that it wouldn't prevent infection. In the beginning, you had to really read and research to get that. Not everyone reads a ton of news and research. It's natural to feel disillusioned when the facts come to light and the full weight of our new reality hits. It's okay to share those feelings honestly. She needn't be attacked for sharing how she's feeling, even if it doesn't seem rational to you. 

Thank you. Just so tired of being isolated. Everyone in my world has gone on. My husband is. With my mom, I cannot. I miss seeing people. I thought it would be over by now or at least endemic and as harmless as the flu. The only person I see other than her is my husband. I miss my friends. 

[Elona]

2 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Thank you. Just so tired of being isolated. Everyone in my world has gone on. My husband is. With my mom, I cannot. I miss seeing people. I thought it would be over by now or at least endemic and as harmless as the flu. The only person I see other than her is my husband. I miss my friends. 

How is your mom doing? Is she a candidate to take Paxlovid? I took it and it definitely helped, even though it didn't work perfectly. I am so sorry that you have had to isolate so much and now she has it anyway. It is really hard to be so vigilant all of the time. I hope you can visit with friends or family outdoors soon! I hope you have a better day tomorrow. Hang in there.

[Corraleno]

I understand people feeling disappointed that vaccines didn't have the effect they hoped they would have, but I don't understand why someone would feel like they'd been conned or cheated or lied to. To me that's like booking a beach vacation in a spot that's normally nice and sunny and then a storm comes in and it rains the whole time and they claim they were cheated and conned because no one told them in advance that an unpredictable, unanticipated storm was going to ruin their vacation. Nature is unpredictable, viruses mutate, storms happen. Disappointment is understandable, but feeling cheated or conned because no one accurately predicted the unpredictable seems like misplaced blame.

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, katilac said:

don't think there was ever a promise that Covid would completely disappear with a vaccine. Mutations were expected all along. 

Yeah, I know; there’s no promise in biology/microbiology anyway. But there was definitely a lot of selling on “get vaccinated so you don’t pass it on to your 95 yo MIL!” It’s literally the only reason my mother got vaccinated; she said, “I don’t care for myself but I would feel terrible if I passed it on to someone else and they died.” But that fell through ten minutes after we were all boosted. 

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, Quill said:

Yeah, I know; there’s no promise in biology/microbiology anyway. But there was definitely a lot of selling on “get vaccinated so you don’t pass it on to your 95 yo MIL!” It’s literally the only reason my mother got vaccinated; she said, “I don’t care for myself but I would feel terrible if I passed it on to someone else and they died.” But that fell through ten minutes after we were all boosted. 

YESSSSS.  I did everything to protect my mother and it didn't matter. EXACTLY.

[KSera]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

It sounds like you’re annoyed at me for expressing it more than once. Or that’s how I’m interpreting your post. 
 

The thing for me is: we can’t know what we’ve prevented by the vaccines. Most research indicated that Omicron was inherently less likely to be severe than the earliest versions. Not to mention the medical community got better at understanding what to do and what not to do. Statistically, the people packed in the hospitals here in January were 85% likely to be unvaccinated, so it does seem like being vaccinated was helpful. But I find it so disappointing that we’re still having this conversation at all. The people I know who are testing positive now are all people who have been vaxed, and, in some cases, also have had COVID before. So the observed reality I’m living with is: it makes no difference. It seems utterly random: wrong place, wrong time. 
 

Anti-vaxers are probably most often feeling vindicated, as people around them all get Covid too. 

 

No, it's not that I'm annoyed at you for expressing it more than once, I'm just commenting that I've noticed a change in your opinion about it over the last several months such that it seems that you are tending toward slightly more anti-vax thinking than you used to. Obviously it's completely your prerogative to think this way and express it. The last line bolded points toward that thinking as well. As far as omicron being inherently less severe, the research is still mixed, but latest seems to indicate that it appeared less severe due to more people being vaccinated, but was not inherently so. It was more severe for young children.

1 minute ago, Elona said:

I think the reason that some people thought the vaccine would put an end to this pandemic is because vaccines have largely ended many diseases in recent memory- Polio, for example. Not everyone was well versed in Corona viruses, and it was not well communicated in the beginning that it wouldn't prevent infection. In the beginning, you had to really read and research to get that. Not everyone reads a ton of news and research. It's natural to feel disillusioned when the facts come to light and the full weight of our new reality hits. It's okay to share those feelings honestly. She needn't be attacked for sharing how she's feeling, even if it doesn't seem rational to you. 

In the initial studies with the original variant, it really did prevent infection almost all the time. It was actually astounding how well it did that, and was not what had initially been expected or required for a vaccine to be considered effective. What really didn't seem to be well-heeded was that scientists made clear that the more the virus was allowed to continue spreading, the more likely the virus would be able to mutate enough that the highly effective vaccines that were created would no longer prevent infection. Fortunately, so far they are still doing quite well reducing hospitalization and death, though not as much for the elderly and immune compromised. Unfortunately, so much of the world didn't have access to the vaccine and so many in the US didn't get vaccinated that it was probably inevitable the virus would mutate this way. The danger isn't gone though, in that continuing this level of spread allows the possibility that it will mutate to something more severe rather than less (this isn't all addressed to you, Elona, your post was just a jumping off point).

[Guest]

Just now, Corraleno said:

I understand people feeling disappointed that vaccines didn't have the effect they hoped they would have, but I don't understand why someone would feel like they'd been conned or cheated or lied to. To me that's like booking a beach vacation in a spot that's normally nice and sunny and then a storm comes in and it rains the whole time and they claim they were cheated and conned because no one told them in advance that an unpredictable, unanticipated storm was going to ruin their vacation. Nature is unpredictable, viruses mutate, storms happen. Disappointment is understandable, but feeling cheated or conned because no one accurately predicted the unpredictable seems like misplaced blame.

Well, for me: I’m disappointed. I used that term and it’s the right one, except I really want to add “bitterly” or some other modifier because I’m just so sick of it being an issue. What can I say; I am very idealistic and it’s hard for me to accept a mediocre outcome. 

[TexasProud]

3 minutes ago, Elona said:

How is your mom doing? Is she a candidate to take Paxlovid? I took it and it definitely helped, even though it didn't work perfectly. I am so sorry that you have had to isolate so much and now she has it anyway. It is really hard to be so vigilant all of the time. I hope you can visit with friends or family outdoors soon! I hope you have a better day tomorrow. Hang in there.

So far, the Covid is a total non issue. She is asymptomatic. Wouldn't have been caught if the cancer meds hadn't made her diarhea so bad she got dehydrated. They only prescribed vitamins for her. I asked, believe me. But they said she didn't need any other treatment. Thank you. I am supposed to go to niece's graduation next week, but won't be able to. Husband and all my kids will go. But I will go home and stay isolated. One of just many things that got cancelled for one reason or another this year.

[Catwoman]

1 minute ago, Elona said:

I think the reason that some people thought the vaccine would put an end to this pandemic is because vaccines have largely ended many diseases in recent memory- Polio, for example. Not everyone was well versed in Corona viruses, and it was not well communicated in the beginning that it wouldn't prevent infection. In the beginning, you had to really read and research to get that. Not everyone reads a ton of news and research. It's natural to feel disillusioned when the facts come to light and the full weight of our new reality hits. It's okay to share those feelings honestly. She needn't be attacked for sharing how she's feeling, even if it doesn't seem rational to you. 

She has been here throughout the pandemic and she has read and participated in several threads about the vaccine which were very factual and which explained the intentions of the vaccine. If she has chosen to ignore the facts, that is certainly her prerogative.

It is not attacking her to point out that she is being unrealistic in her expectations. Certainly, I sympathize with her frustrations about Covid, and I do share them, particularly because my own husband is so incredibly high risk for the virus. After over 2 years of my family being in almost total isolation and self-quarantine,we would have liked nothing more than to have had the vaccine be 100% effective, but reality is reality.

Being angry that something hasn’t happened that was never intended to happen is still fairy tale thinking, and I stand by my statements.

[KSera]

1 minute ago, Quill said:

I’m just so sick of it being an issue.

This is whole heartedly agree with. I am so darn sick of this d*mn virus. It's exhausting.

[Elona]

2 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I understand people feeling disappointed that vaccines didn't have the effect they hoped they would have, but I don't understand why someone would feel like they'd been conned or cheated or lied to. To me that's like booking a beach vacation in a spot that's normally nice and sunny and then a storm comes in and it rains the whole time and they claim they were cheated and conned because no one told them in advance that an unpredictable, unanticipated storm was going to ruin their vacation. Nature is unpredictable, viruses mutate, storms happen. Disappointment is understandable, but feeling cheated or conned because no one accurately predicted the unpredictable seems like misplaced blame.

I think that a person expressing "feeling cheated" is simply that, a feeling. Feelings aren't usually rational. It doesn't mean the person actually thinks they were cheated, it just feels that way. Everyone has hard days with this, and I think that is at the crux of the poster's sentiments.

[TexasProud]

Just now, KSera said:

This is whole heartedly agree with. I am so darn sick of this d*mn virus. It's exhausting.

Yep

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, Elona said:

I think that a person expressing "feeling cheated" is simply that, a feeling. Feelings aren't usually rational. It doesn't mean the person actually thinks they were cheated, it just feels that way. Everyone has hard days with this, and I think that is at the crux of the poster's sentiments.

Yes, and tomorrow I may not feel that way. I just feel like people have told me since I was little that I have no right to feel the way that I do. I need to put on a smile. I need to feel xyz. My feelings are wrong. Probably wasn't fair to Catwoman, but I get so tired of feeling like I shouldn't feel the way I do. 

[Catwoman]

6 minutes ago, Quill said:

Yeah, I know; there’s no promise in biology/microbiology anyway. But there was definitely a lot of selling on “get vaccinated so you don’t pass it on to your 95 yo MIL!” It’s literally the only reason my mother got vaccinated; she said, “I don’t care for myself but I would feel terrible if I passed it on to someone else and they died.” But that fell through ten minutes after we were all boosted. 

You have hit on one of the things that I have found most disappointing. I had really hoped that the vaccines would continue to keep people from spreading the virus. It did seem to work at first, but then the variants came into play and it was so disappointing to find that vaccinated people could still spread the virus.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, KSera said:

The last line bolded points toward that thinking as well.

Well, my thinking has shifted, because I feel the goalposts were moved and “they” barely mentioned it and went from “Yay! If you’re vaxed, throw your mask away!” to, “Wow, see how wonderfully well vaccines reduce hospitalizations?” I would prefer more transparency and I hate it when anyone pretends that’s what they had said all along. 
 

As you know, I have anti-vaxers in my family. So when someone who never got jabbed sees people who did getting sick left and right, it’s hard to help the conclusion they draw. 
 

Im still glad I got vaxed and boosted but I haven’t lined up for #4 and, at the mo, I don’t plan to get it. Maybe, if flu shot time comes around, and if they have a combo, then I’ll do that. 

[Catwoman]

Just now, TexasProud said:

Yes, and tomorrow I may not feel that way. I just feel like people have told me since I was little that I have no right to feel the way that I do. I need to put on a smile. I need to feel xyz. My feelings are wrong. Probably wasn't fair to Catwoman, but I get so tired of feeling like I shouldn't feel the way I do. 

OK, I hope you didn’t put me on ignore because I’m not saying you shouldn’t feel the way you do!

I don’t know anyone who isn’t disappointed that Covid is still with us, and everyone I know was hoping that the vaccine would mean that vaccinated people couldn’t spread the virus to each other or anyone else, and that once we were vaccinated, nobody would get super sick or hospitalized, let alone die from Covid. But I don’t know anyone who thought the vaccine would eradicate Covid or that the vaccine would mean that you couldn’t catch it, because that’s not what we were told, even when everyone was so hopeful about the vaccine.

But are you allowed to feel your feelings? Absolutely! And I probably share a lot of them because I am so sick and tired of feeling like I’m trapped in my house 24/7, and I don’t see an end to it. It’s terrible, and I would like nothing more than for the world would go back to “normal,” even though I am having more and more trouble picturing that happening. 

[Catwoman]

12 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

So far, the Covid is a total non issue. She is asymptomatic. Wouldn't have been caught if the cancer meds hadn't made her diarhea so bad she got dehydrated. They only prescribed vitamins for her. I asked, believe me. But they said she didn't need any other treatment. Thank you. I am supposed to go to niece's graduation next week, but won't be able to. Husband and all my kids will go. But I will go home and stay isolated. One of just many things that got cancelled for one reason or another this year.

Could you go to the graduation if you wear an N95 mask? At least then, you would get to go and be with people, and you won’t miss the ceremony.

[Elona]

15 minutes ago, TexasProud said:

Yes, and tomorrow I may not feel that way. I just feel like people have told me since I was little that I have no right to feel the way that I do. I need to put on a smile. I need to feel xyz. My feelings are wrong. Probably wasn't fair to Catwoman, but I get so tired of feeling like I shouldn't feel the way I do. 

It sounds like you need the people in your life to take your feelings and needs seriously, and maybe they aren't? It sucks that you can't go to your niece's graduation since you could really use it. Is this because you have to stay with your mom? It sounds like maybe you've resigned yourself to not getting your needs met. I have a tendency to do this, especially on hard days. I hope that you can get some rest and feel more hopeful tomorrow. It's okay to feel however you do, and it's good to fight to get your needs met. Don't give up. I know it's hard. (Hugs)

Edited May 19, 2022 by Elona

[TexasProud]

6 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

Could you go to the graduation if you wear an N95 mask? At least then, you would get to go and be with people, and you won’t miss the ceremony.

I don't know. I am staying here with my mom through Monday. She has a cancer doc appointment Monday ( rescheduled from this week), which is 7 days past her positive test so it is ok if she masks. I will have a PCR on Monday afternoon. I will go home early Tuesday (like 4 am). If the PCR test comes back negative, then I might go and drive to Houston  But we stay with my MIL, will be sitting with her. I would feel ill if I gave it to her. I still wonder if somehow I gave it to my mom. 

Oh... I don't need to be near my husband because he is going to Honduras for a mission trip at the end of next week.  So yeah, will be sleeping in the trailer when I get back.

Edited May 19, 2022 by TexasProud

[Arcadia]

8 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

I had really hoped that the vaccines would continue to keep people from spreading the virus. It did seem to work at first, but then the variants came into play and it was so disappointing to find that vaccinated people could still spread the virus.

I think we (general) knew that asymptomatic people with delta variant could be carriers and spread the virus. Before my country of origin (not China) withheld data, the JHU map shows asymptomatic spread is possible. 
My side of the family is still masking because of the possibility of asymptomatic carriers and false negatives with the rapid tests. My husband’s side of the family mainly has no reaction (not even a sore arm) to the vaccines and boosters, and we don’t know if that means they are more likely to be asymptomatic if infected. 

[Catwoman]

Just now, TexasProud said:

I don't know. I am staying here with my mom through Monday. She has a cancer doc appointment Monday ( rescheduled from this week), which is 7 days past her positive test so it is ok if she masks. I will have a PCR on Monday afternoon. I will go home early Tuesday (like 4 am). If the PCR test comes back negative, then I might go.  But we stay with my MIL, will be sitting with her. I would feel ill if I gave it to her. I still wonder if somehow I gave it to my mom. 

I hope it turns out that you can go!

And I really doubt you were the one who gave it to your mom, so please don’t blame yourself. It seems like this particular variant is everywhere, and it doesn’t take much to catch it.

[Catwoman]

1 minute ago, Arcadia said:

I think we (general) knew that asymptomatic people with delta variant could be carriers and spread the virus. Before my country of origin (not China) withheld data, the JHU map shows asymptomatic spread is possible. 
My side of the family is still masking because of the possibility of asymptomatic carriers and false negatives with the rapid tests. My husband’s side of the family mainly has no reaction (not even a sore arm) to the vaccines and boosters, and we don’t know if that means they are more likely to be asymptomatic if infected. 

Oh yes, I knew that asymptomatic carriers existed all along, but I was hoping that being vaccinated would prevent that from happening.

Wishful thinking, I guess!

[TexasProud]

11 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

OK, I hope you didn’t put me on ignore because I’m not saying you shouldn’t feel the way you do!

I don’t know anyone who isn’t disappointed that Covid is still with us, and everyone I know was hoping that the vaccine would mean that vaccinated people couldn’t spread the virus to each other or anyone else, and that once we were vaccinated, nobody would get super sick or hospitalized, let alone die from Covid. But I don’t know anyone who thought the vaccine would eradicate Covid or that the vaccine would mean that you couldn’t catch it, because that’s not what we were told, even when everyone was so hopeful about the vaccine.

But are you allowed to feel your feelings? Absolutely! And I probably share a lot of them because I am so sick and tired of feeling like I’m trapped in my house 24/7, and I don’t see an end to it. It’s terrible, and I would like nothing more than for the world would go back to “normal,” even though I am having more and more trouble picturing that happening. 

No, I didn't think the vaccine would erradicate it.  But I DO/DID think that with my mom having 4 shots and me being boosted and doing all of the right things that it would pay off. I thought it would make it like the flu so I could live my life. And some of this is my mom having cancer. I could live a much more normal life if she didn't. I get that. I am sorry.  Just really tired and discouraged today.

[Catwoman]

Just now, TexasProud said:

No, I didn't think the vaccine would erradicate it.  But I DO/DID think that with my mom having 4 shots and me being boosted and doing all of the right things that it would pay off. I thought it would make it like the flu so I could live my life. And some of this is my mom having cancer. I could live a much more normal life if she didn't. I get that. I am sorry.  Just really tired and discouraged today.

I’m sorry if I made your day worse. I really am. 😞 

[TexasProud]

Just now, Catwoman said:

I’m sorry if I made your day worse. I really am. 😞 

You didn't. My fault. Sorry. 

[Arcadia]

1 minute ago, TexasProud said:

. I will have a PCR on Monday afternoon. I will go home early Tuesday (like 4 am). If the PCR test comes back negative, then I might go.  But we stay with my MIL, will be sitting with her. I would feel ill if I gave it to her. I still wonder if somehow I gave it to my mom. 

I think the probability of a false negative for PCR is extremely low. I would feel safe to go with an N95 for your daughter’s graduation if your PCR test is negative. I had three PCR tests done last month due to international travel and received my results in less than 3hrs each time. The one I did at SFO airport returned a result in 50mins.

[Corraleno]

4 minutes ago, Quill said:

Well, my thinking has shifted, because I feel the goalposts were moved and “they” barely mentioned it and went from “Yay! If you’re vaxed, throw your mask away!” to, “Wow, see how wonderfully well vaccines reduce hospitalizations?” I would prefer more transparency and I hate it when anyone pretends that’s what they had said all along. 

The virus moved the goalposts. Many virologists are now saying that Omicron, and especially these new variants, is so incredibly different from the original strain it should be given a new name because they are really two different viruses. Vaccines that were developed to protect against the original strain did protect against that strain as they said. No one ever said "These vaccines will provide 100% protection not only against the current strain, but all future viruses that ever evolve from it."  

[TexasProud]

1 minute ago, Arcadia said:

I think the probability of a false negative for PCR is extremely low. I would feel safe to go with an N95 for your daughter’s graduation if your PCR test is negative. I had three PCR tests done last month due to international travel and received my results in less than 3hrs each time. The one I did at SFO airport returned a result in 50mins.

Thanks, it is my niece in Houston. Last grandchild in the family to graduate. Next one will be a great grandchild in 17 years.  I know that is what my husband will say. He is more of a we have to live with the virus type. Not be stupid, but as a doctor just more pragmatic, I guess.

[TexasProud]

Just now, Corraleno said:

The virus moved the goalposts. Many virologists are now saying that Omicron, and especially these new variants, is so incredibly different from the original strain it should be given a new name because they are really two different viruses. Vaccines that were developed to protect against the original strain did protect against that strain as they said. No one ever said "These vaccines will provide 100% protection not only against the current strain, but all future viruses that ever evolve from it."  

See, I don't feel cheated by PEOPLE.  They were/are doing the best they can.  I feel cheated by this damn virus. And not just me. The world was/is being cheated by the way life should be. Could have been better if people had done more. I still feel cheated.

[lewelma]

So what variant is now dominant in the USA? Are you guys getting a new wave because it is a different variant? 

NZ just hit 1000 deaths from covid. We are coming down off our omicron wave but masks are still required for all stores. Currently 100% of cases are the BA2 variant. Is that the one you guys are talking about?

[Corraleno]

6 minutes ago, lewelma said:

So what variant is now dominant in the USA? Are you guys getting a new wave because it is a different variant? 

NZ just hit 1000 deaths from covid. We are coming down off our omicron wave but masks are still required for all stores. Currently 100% of cases are the BA2 variant. Is that the one you guys are talking about?

I think BA.2.12.2 is the one that is increasing most rapidly in the US, it is outcompeting BA.2.