Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #103

[tabitha111]

Experts recommend mask upgrades due to Omicron

With the Omicron variant on the rise, experts recommend upgrading from a surgical mask to something more protective.

“Omicron is extremely contagious,” said Toronto emergency physician Dr. Kashif Pirzada. “It’s at the level of measles…it was very similar, you walk into a room with someone with measles [and] the whole room gets infected.”

“The best protection you can get is a high quality mask, like an N95 mask.”

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

Please tell me that I am not over reacting. I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

 

[tabitha111]

Experts recommend mask upgrades due to Omicron

With the Omicron variant on the rise, experts recommend upgrading from a surgical mask to something more protective.

“Omicron is extremely contagious,” said Toronto emergency physician Dr. Kashif Pirzada. “It’s at the level of measles…it was very similar, you walk into a room with someone with measles [and] the whole room gets infected.”

“The best protection you can get is a high quality mask, like an N95 mask.”

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks here will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

 

[dmac55]

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks here will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

Please tell me that I am not over reacting . I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

You are not overreacting
My concerns and actions are the same

 

[jjenny]

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks here will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

Please tell me that I am not over reacting . I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

Once they identify 10 active cases, it's going to be too late. Omicron spreads like wild fire. Not wanting to eat with over 100 other people at this time is totally sensible.

 

[Warwick1991]

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

Please tell me that I am not over reacting. I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

You're not overreacting at all. I'm worried about my 92 year old mother, who went to an assisted living facility in July. She's had a booster, but... The facility here in Florida is not able to force all of its employees to be vaccinated. Some wear masks around their chins. Many of the residents don't wear masks. The dining room is a serious risk for potential spread of omicron. From what I can see, the assisted living facility is reluctant to close the dining room because of the cost and logistics impacts. They would have to deliver meals to the resident's rooms, requiring more staff to assist with that task. So it's economics, too. Having the meals delivered to your room is the wise choice.

 

[ilovewings]

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

Please tell me that I am not over reacting. I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

You are not over-reacting! those people are under-reacting!
I like your comment about "they carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in"-- that is the way people here in Florida carry on- very few masks that I have seen. Sometimes I ask myself while I am watching these people- Is there really a pandemic or is it my imagination???? LOL

 

[WichitaFalls]

I have started getting my meals delivered to my apt. I was going to wait until after Christmas dinner, but my spidey-sense said the time is now. I do have a supply of KN-94's and N95's that I wear with a cloth mask over them that I change out daily. I figure if I do get infected, perhaps my "viral load" will not be that great hopefully.

As far as the other 129 people living here in my retirement community- sigh- no one else wears masks of any kind. I am the local nutcase I guess. They all carry on as if this is a magical place where viruses do not get in. No matter what the news or newspapers say....

I talked to our director yesterday and was informed that they will close the open dining room if/when there are 10 active cases. Not sure if folks will even test, so not seeing this happening at all.

Please tell me that I am not over reacting. I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

Tabitha, you are not over reacting. Always listen to your inner voice. I hope the Gods are smiling on your facility because the director and residents are not taking this seriously. I shutter to think what the consequences of bad decisions made now will be in the pretty near future. As seen in recent news reports, this new variant can be shockingly fast at infecting a population. You do you, you're a smart cookie.

 

[GRT]

Please tell me that I am not over reacting. I do feel like my "friends" think I am foolish...they can not believe I am not eating in the dining room and pretty much laugh at it.

You're not overreacting--you're smart!

 

[ilovewings]

Well tomorrow I am going to the vaccinated-masked up hair salon in Naples-- I will be there quite a while--- hair dye, style, cut--- probably a couple hours and I have to tell you, given this variant circulating, I am anxious about possible exposure. I will double mask, but still-- It is something I must do though, as I cannot do my own hair. It looks horrid (and that is not an exaggeration).

 

[tabitha111]

Thank you all for your support. I needed it.
I did not mention that I am the volunteer package deliverer of all the packages that arrive, flowers that get delivered and I deliver the newspapers to the doors each morning. Just me. LOL....as I am the most able bodied person living here it sort of fell on my shoulders because they are so short- staffed it would never get done. It helps when I have to negogiate my rent each year!
Needless to say I am always double masked.

 

[Skigh]

Thank you all for your support. I needed it.
I did not mention that I am the volunteer package deliverer of all the packages that arrive, flowers that get delivered and I deliver the newspapers to the doors each morning. Just me. LOL....as I am the most able bodied person living here it sort of fell on my shoulders because they are so short- staffed it would never get done. It helps when I have to negogiate my rent each year!
Needless to say I am always double masked.

If anyone mentions you not eating in the dining room you can inform them that you are ensuring you remain Covid free so you are able to continue to deliver everyone's packages.
I imagine you are very busy with extra Christmas deliveries!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Omicron symptoms: What new Covid variant research shows us so far (nbcnews.com)

Symptoms of omicron may be different than those of previous strains. But it's still Covid, and it can still cause severe disease.

The dizzying speed of omicron's spread has left Americans questioning much of what they know about Covid-19, especially on the cusp of holiday travel.

"This is hitting us at a very inopportune time," said Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and vaccinologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in North Carolina.

Though much remains unknown about omicron, experts are beginning to understand more about the variant and how it affects people who are vaccinated, unvaccinated or who have had a previous Covid infection. For example, people who are exposed to omicron appear to get sick faster and may have symptoms that are different than those of other variants...

 

[Sundog]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/12/21/biden-speech-tuesday-new-covid-steps-stark-w

I agree completely, but the media is very divisive these days. It's like they thrive on setting one group against another group. Plus, I think they're actually creating the groups.

Realistically, being vaccinated is the right thing to do, and the safest thing, but I don't think the government has been as forthcoming as they might have been in letting people know that the vaccinated can still become infected. If they are, their symptoms are much less severe, thankfully. Or, they may be even asymptomatic, but they're still shedding the virus.

This past summer everyone took off their masks after they got the shots, but surprisingly, the death toll is higher this year than last. It's the unvaccinated who are dying (mostly), but it's the unmasked vaccinated who are unwittingly spreading the virus (JMOO).

The media would do the whole world a favor by not pointing out any more negative stories about the unvaccinated but rather by continuously informing listeners as to where they can get the vaccine, telling them it's still a good idea to wear a mask even if they're vaccinated. But no, they try to fan the flames...

Agree, it would be great to see people in the media and elsewhere taking the high road and not fanning the flames.

 

[Skigh]

Fauci tells Americans to DISINVITE unvaccinated family from Christmas | Daily Mail Online

Anthony Fauci, the top US expert on infectious disease, has urged Americans to disinvite unvaccinated people from Christmas gatherings as the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant fuels a surge in infections nationwide.

'We're dealing with a serious enough situation now that if there's an unvaccinated person, I would say, 'I'm very sorry, but not this time. Maybe another time when this is all over,'' said Fauci in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday night.

The warning comes as Omicron now accounts for 73 percent of new cases in the US and pushes Europe to the brink of fresh lockdowns, with Wales the latest to announce harsh new restrictions set to kick in on Boxing Day, a British holiday celebrated the day after Christmas.

New York, Georgia and Texas are all seeing major surges in new COVID cases, which are up more than 100 percent in the past two weeks in those states. Florida now leads the nation with cases up 371 percent in the past two weeks.

The nation is currently averaging 148,384 new cases daily over the past week, a 23 percent increase from two weeks ago. Confirmed Omicron cases increased by 19 percent day-over-day, up to 1,781 as of Wednesday morning, from 1,485 on Tuesday.

Deaths have stabilized, with America averaging around 1,300 deaths per day - a steady figure for the past two weeks.

 

[anneg]

Thank you all for your support. I needed it.
I did not mention that I am the volunteer package deliverer of all the packages that arrive, flowers that get delivered and I deliver the newspapers to the doors each morning. Just me. LOL....as I am the most able bodied person living here it sort of fell on my shoulders because they are so short- staffed it would never get done. It helps when I have to negogiate my rent each year!
Needless to say I am always double masked.

You are a gem!

 

[WichitaFalls]

You are a gem!

Totally agree, the phrase "Bloom Where You're Planted" came to mind.

 

[Kingsley]

Florida is in for a treat. Instead of all the tourists getting sick after leaving FL and getting home, making their covid case some other state's problem, they are going to get sick while still right there in Florida. imo

It's an excellent point you make with the shorter incubation period. IMO.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Well tomorrow I am going to the vaccinated-masked up hair salon in Naples-- I will be there quite a while--- hair dye, style, cut--- probably a couple hours and I have to tell you, given this variant circulating, I am anxious about possible exposure. I will double mask, but still-- It is something I must do though, as I cannot do my own hair. It looks horrid (and that is not an exaggeration).

I will keep you in my thoughts tomorrow and hope that you will be alright during and following your hair appointment. Enjoy the pampering I'm sure you'll emerge from the salon looking gorgeous!

 

[sds71]

@AnaCabrera

FDA authorizes first oral antiviral for treatment for Covid-19: Paxlovid, a pill made by Pfizer

"Pfizer said that if given within three days of the onset of symptoms, the pill, called Paxlovid, reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 89 percent.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First Oral Antiviral for Treatment of COVID-19

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

FDA authorizes first Covid pill, from Pfizer, for emergency use (nbcnews.com)

Initial supply of the antiviral drug - the first oral treatment in the U.S. for Covid-19 - will be limited.

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized the first Covid-19 antiviral pill in the United States to protect against severe disease.

The oral drug, called Paxlovid, from Pfizer will be prescribed for use in adults and children ages 12 and up with mild to moderate Covid who are at risk for severe disease or hospitalization, the FDA said in a statement...