Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #103

[Arkay]

Yes, @Arkay, positive for covid, negative for flu. I'm sorry to hear about your friend and your niece. I was hoping we could all have a somewhat normal holiday season before the inevitable spike in January, but apparently that is not to be.

I will be attending the festivities via zoom, which really, really sucks. I'm just so glad I didn't expose anyone else that I know of. It's entirely possible (though I can't figure how) that I was already infected and pre-symptomatic when I went out yesterday. But I did wear an N95 covered by a surgical mask and did my best to stay away from other people, at least. I'm not sure what more I could have done. I felt absolutely fine yesterday.

I know, it feels like Covid is mocking us. You were as careful as could be and yet you caught it.

I'm trying to focus myself that even though it seems likely that even the vaxed and boosted may get it, despite N-95s and avoiding crowds, it won't be like last year. Last year I lost about 6 friends to Covid, ranging in age from 48-62. That was pre-vaccine. Now I know so many people who have caught it---can't imagine how, feel sickly, but NOT hospital sick. NOT ventilator sick. NOT ICU sick. And won't die, God willing.

I hope in a few days or a week you'll be telling us about your complete recovery. I know it's knocking out your Christmas but you'll be around for more.

 

[Lilibet]

I visited my dear friend Google to find out if Omicron might be transmitted easily on surfaces, since vaxxed people wearing masks have gotten it. I couldn’t find anything even close to definitive. When we got covid last January, we had gotten looser about wiping down our groceries. Even though our doctor was sure my double-masked dh had brought it home after walking through covid aerosol at a store, I’m still not convinced that it’s hard to pick it up from a surface. But I really don’t want to go back to wiping down groceries again. Thoughts?

 

[Knitty]

My son got sick the day after Thanksgiving, and I got sick two days later. We both thought it was just a particularly gnarly cold, but we both isolated anyway, just in case. Both of us had waited to be boosted, him because he was in the midst of some grueling interviews for two jobs he really, really wants (he'll know next week, fingers crossed) that he needed to be very alert and on his game for as they require code challenges (software engineer) and me because I had a breast cancer scare and they told me to wait until after the extra tests, and made we wait three weeks (NEGATIVE but have to go back in three months!) I home tested but was negative, didn't test until other son dropped off home tests 1.5 weeks later with my groceries so it might have been two late, and didn't know I needed to take both tests on separate days in any case. He got sick sort of differently from me (he ran a fever but I didn't, for example), but both of us had Omicron symptoms, we know now.

Doc was mad at me yesterday when I requested a telehealth for a different issue and told her I'm still coughing and didn't want to freak anybody out three days before Christmas. So she yelled at me, but that's okay since she tells me she loves me at the end of every appointment.

Anyway . . . Ran into CVS this morning and didn't see tests, asked at checkout if they had any and they told me yes, I can have two and they had to go to the pharmacy for them. Online, it said to check. Glad I did.

Merry Christmas, y'all.

 

[Mauig’ma]

I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you. <modsnip> I’ve got a whole bunch of friends vaccinated and unvaccinated that care what happens to me. So I appreciate you wishing me well. It means a lot from a stranger. <modsnip> Merry Christmas to all. My prayers are with all of you in keeping you healthy and safe. God Bless

 

[CharlestonGal]

Uh oh. I think they might be a tad worried about me. They hooked me up to a blood pressure monitor and put one of those temperature strips on my forehead. The doctor asked me about chest pain, dizziness or anything else going on besides the chills. Said they need to monitor me a while longer.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

DH just went to Harris Teeter for a few things. I told him to watch out for unmasked folk and avoid them!

AND I just returned from Harris Teeter, and I would say 80% of people were masked... But the crowds, the crowds......

I would suspect DH had crowds too!!!

 

[Lilibet]

Uh oh. I think they might be a tad worried about me. They hooked me up to a blood pressure monitor and put one of those temperature strips on my forehead. The doctor asked me about chest pain, dizziness or anything else going on besides the chills. Said they need to monitor me a while longer.

I’m glad they’re taking extra precautions! You’re in good hands.

 

[CharlestonGal]

I visited my dear friend Google to find out if Omicron might be transmitted easily on surfaces, since vaxxed people wearing masks have gotten it. I couldn’t find anything even close to definitive. When we got covid last January, we had gotten looser about wiping down our groceries. Even though our doctor was sure my double-masked dh had brought it home after walking through covid aerosol at a store, I’m still not convinced that it’s hard to pick it up from a surface. But I really don’t want to go back to wiping down groceries again. Thoughts?

I'm starting to wonder, too. Before yesterday the last time I had contact with a human being was Dec 9th and that was my housekeeper. She's fine. I have had Amazon and Door Dash deliveries, but they leave it on the porch and I don't bring it in until they are gone.

 

[Lilibet]

I can’t remember the last time any hospital in this area was empty. Maybe because I’m in a midsized city and not rural?

The hospitals aren’t empty, but if the parking lot isn’t full and the hallways aren’t crowded, that means “empty” to the covid minimizers/deniers accusing the hospital of skewing the patient data.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Thank you. <modnsip> I’ve got a whole bunch of friends vaccinated and unvaccinated that care what happens to me. So I appreciate you wishing me well. It means a lot from a stranger. <modsnip> Merry Christmas to all. My prayers are with all of you in keeping you healthy and safe. God Bless

Of course we care! I hope you continue to do better and have a speedy recovery. We're all still learning here about this virus and I'm certainly not interested in I-told-you-sos. I doubt many of us are. Best wishes to you Mauig'ma. I hope you have a good rest, a fast recovery and a peaceful time this Christmas.

 

[Arkay]

Thank you. <modnsip> I’ve got a whole bunch of friends vaccinated and unvaccinated that care what happens to me. So I appreciate you wishing me well. It means a lot from a stranger. <modsnip> Merry Christmas to all. My prayers are with all of you in keeping you healthy and safe. God Bless

@Mauig’ma

I wrote to you on page 22, post 424, wishing you better health and expressing my genuine sorrow you got sick. I said that I'm sure we all feel that way for you.
<modsnip> We are a community, we try to help each other, we wish nothing but the best for each other. You included.
<modsnip> We want everyone to be healthy. We believe the doctors and scientists who say triple-vaxed is the way to go.
I sincerely wish you good health.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Thanks, @Lilibet. I'm currently reclining in what I can only describe as a chemo infusion suite. There are 7 other people in here currently, 2 empty seats. We're swapping stories about how we got this thing. Lol. 3 of us are vaccinated, 5 are not. All of them are older than me (I'm 59). 5 women, 3 men.

I asked for Tylenol or something, anything for this headache. Request denied. They told me to wait a few hours after my infusion to take anything.

I've been surfing the web and I think I might be lucky to have gotten this now. Hospitals and infusion centers across the country seem to be running out of mabs. NY, FL, MI. They need to get those Pfizer antiviral pills in pharmacies ASAP. imo

That is true about the infusion centers here in Florida. Articles running every day saying they "are out of them" in Tampa, orlando then another and another. So yes, you are lucky on that one.

dbm

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Uh oh. I think they might be a tad worried about me. They hooked me up to a blood pressure monitor and put one of those temperature strips on my forehead. The doctor asked me about chest pain, dizziness or anything else going on besides the chills. Said they need to monitor me a while longer.

I'm sure they're just being careful CharlestonGal. Try not to worry. You're in good hands. We are all wishing you the very best.

 

[Arkay]

I visited my dear friend Google to find out if Omicron might be transmitted easily on surfaces, since vaxxed people wearing masks have gotten it. I couldn’t find anything even close to definitive. When we got covid last January, we had gotten looser about wiping down our groceries. Even though our doctor was sure my double-masked dh had brought it home after walking through covid aerosol at a store, I’m still not convinced that it’s hard to pick it up from a surface. But I really don’t want to go back to wiping down groceries again. Thoughts?

I haven't been able to stop wiping groceries since Covid started. And I carry two hand sanitizers with me wherever I go.

No matter how Covid shifts, I can't stop imagining someone without a mask, coughing on some item on a shelf, and then I touch it five minutes later.

We do have strict mandates in NYC but half the population doesn't follow them and store owners are reluctant to kick people out. They need customers.

Last year I went to exactly zero stores. I ordered everything we needed and my friend brought me milk to my door (gotta have my coffee). This year I have been going to the supermarket but I'm getting iffy on it again.

I'm glad you mentioned "Covid aerosol." So many people still think the 6-foot rule is fine. So many ignore it, though. And yet we now know that Covid is an aerosol, not big droplets. It's like invisible smoke particles that drift all over. ANYONE indoors not wearing a mask can spread it to someone 100 feet away. Ergo, I haven't eaten indoors since the pandemic started.

Good health to all. Happy Belated Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year to all.

 

[ilovewings]

It's okay, really. It's my own fault for the stupid decisions I made yesterday. I was so picky about Christmas dinner being absolutely perfect I didn't trust anyone else to select the meat cut and fresh produce. And I should have turned around and left as soon as I saw that mass of unmasked people.

I am sorry to hear this---please dont blame yourself-- we have all had
some kind of situation where we could have contracted the virus, but didnt.
The set of circumstances you describe sound so unlikely a scenario to contract
the virus-- you followed protocols-- you were masked.--Good that you are
now under a docror's care.Take good care of yourself and feel better soon.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Thank you. <modnsip> I’ve got a whole bunch of friends vaccinated and unvaccinated that care what happens to me. So I appreciate you wishing me well. It means a lot from a stranger. No more input from me. I see it doesn’t matter. Merry Christmas to all. My prayers are with all of you in keeping you healthy and safe. God Bless

@Mauig’ma
<modnsip>

I’m sick of worrying about keeping my family well because I can’t handle another death or another funeral this year.
I’ve had enough of death.
Wishing good health to all

 

[CharlestonGal]

I'm sure they're just being careful CharlestonGal. Try not to worry. You're in good hands. We are all wishing you the very best.

The staff here are impressive. They just replaced my blankets with new toasty ones fresh from the warmer. I didn't even ask. I feel bad because they must all be so exhausted after two years of this, but they are checking on me every few minutes. And I'm taking up a chair that someone else is probably waiting for. All the chairs are taken now. I feel bad about that.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

The staff here are impressive. They just replaced my blankets with new toasty ones fresh from the warmer. I didn't even ask. I feel bad because they must all be so exhausted after two years of this, but they are checking on me every few minutes. And I'm taking up a chair that someone else is probably waiting for. All the chairs are taken now. I feel bad about that.

Don't feel bad. You are getting what you need right now. I'm glad you're being so well taken care of. Try to relax now and hopefully you'll be home soon and recovered quickly. This is a lot in 24 hours! Just rest for now and hopefully you'll feel much better very soon.

 

[Lilibet]

I'm starting to wonder, too. Before yesterday the last time I had contact with a human being was Dec 9th and that was my housekeeper. She's fine. I have had Amazon and Door Dash deliveries, but they leave it on the porch and I don't bring it in until they are gone.

That’s exactly how it was with us. I had been nowhere for two months and had seen no one except our healthy housekeeper (wearing masks and ventilating). But three days after my dh brought home prescriptions and sundries from one store while double-masked I was sick. I expect that it’s rare to get it from touching a surface, but not impossible. Believe me, I gave those pill bottles the side-eye!

 

[Turkeytrot]

@Mauig’ma I hope you're feeling better soon too. I want everyone to stay healthy and safe - completely vaxxed, partial, or none. I know it's not possible and I try not to think about it much because it gets me upset thinking about all the suffering and loss Covid has caused. I wish it would disappear with the same speed it came in and changed our world.