Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #103

[CharlestonGal]

Omicron’s cold-like symptoms mean UK guidance ‘needs urgent update’

The most widespread symptoms of the Omicron variant now match those of common colds, with calls for the government to update its public health messaging to include a wider number of likely Covid symptoms.

The most common symptoms reported among users of the Zoe Covid app have been a running nose, headaches, fatigue, sneezing and sore throats, according to the study’s most recent analysis of confirmed cases in London.

Half of those reporting cold-like symptoms also tested positive for Covid, with no clear difference in the symptoms reported for Delta or Omicron infections. But only about half of infected users also reported the “classic three symptoms of fever, cough, or loss of sense of smell or taste”, according to the Zoe analysis.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I had my Pfizer booster a week ago today. I had side effects for 3 days. Which I was happy to have. Be safe everyone.

What makes me nervous is that i never had a single side effect with either shot or the booster..... I was concerned that maybe it indicated I have no antibodies since no reactions. This feeling is back in the forefront of my mind.

I feel everything is more confusing than ever.

 

[Cool Cats]

What makes me nervous is that i never had a single side effect with either shot or the booster..... I was concerned that maybe it indicated I have no antibodies since no reactions. This feeling is back in the forefront of my mind.

I feel everything is more confusing than ever.

What does it mean if you have no COVID-19 vaccine side effects?

"What we know from the (clinical) trials is that there's not a correlation between not experiencing symptoms and not being able to mount an immune response," said Dr. Albert Ko, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut. "People still mount good antibodies ... whether they experienced symptoms or not after vaccination. People should not suspect that if they don't get symptoms, the vaccine didn't work."

According to this study the majority do not get side effects:

Study reveals extent of Covid vaccine side-effects

About one in three people recently given a Covid vaccine by the NHS report some side-effects.

• • 37% experienced some local "after-effects", such as pain or swelling near the site of the injection, after their first dose, rising to about 45% of the 10,000 who had received two doses

• • 14% had at least one whole-body (systemic) after-effect - such as fever, aches or chills - within seven days of the first dose, rising to about 22% after the second dose

 

[LadyL]

Canada's public health agency admits it tracked 33 million mobile devices during lockdown

 

[HongKongPhooey]

The MAB treatment is not widely available here at all. It is restricted to a very short list of serious conditions - if I say that "some cancers" is one, it gives you an idea. My parents in their 70s with various health issues would not qualify. I wish it was more accessible. On the plus side, it's obviously free of charge to anyone who needs it.

 

[LadyL]

What makes me nervous is that i never had a single side effect with either shot or the booster..... I was concerned that maybe it indicated I have no antibodies since no reactions. This feeling is back in the forefront of my mind.

I feel everything is more confusing than ever.

yep I felt the same way
aside from a bit of a sore arm

 

[jakat]

Antibodies always drop after vaccination or infection. They should hopefully have B and T cells in the background. B cells recognize a foreign antigen, and make new antibodies, and T cells are believed to help prevent against severe disease. JMO.

I didn't know that, so thank you!

 

[indicolite22]

This study compared two doses of Pfizer with Moderna:

Lack of side effects after COVID-19 vaccination doesn't mean it isn't working

Regardless of symptoms, nearly all participants (953 of 954, or 99.9%) developed spike IgG antibodies 14 or more days following the administration of the second dose. The one person who did not have IgG antibodies was taking an immunosuppressant medication.

Factors that were independently associated with higher median IgG levels (after adjusting for time following the second vaccine dose) were reporting of clinically significant symptoms, age younger than 60, being female, receipt of the Moderna vaccine, and prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

 

[jjenny]

What makes me nervous is that i never had a single side effect with either shot or the booster..... I was concerned that maybe it indicated I have no antibodies since no reactions. This feeling is back in the forefront of my mind.

I feel everything is more confusing than ever.

There is a blood test that can check your antibody levels.

 

[jakat]

What makes me nervous is that i never had a single side effect with either shot or the booster..... I was concerned that maybe it indicated I have no antibodies since no reactions. This feeling is back in the forefront of my mind.

I feel everything is more confusing than ever.

My husband didn't have any side effects, either and he never got covid. He's perfectly fine except for his other ailments which are serious. He's 77 years old.

I had minor side effects, headache, nausea, fatigue, sore arm, but it all went away the next day except for the sore arm. I'm 70 years old and have a few ailments, but nothing serious.

Neither one of us has had covid so I consider us lucky. I hope that luck doesn't run out. I am afraid of Omicron so I don't go anywhere except to the grocery store. I feel like a shut in, but whatever keeps us safe, we'll both do.

 

[anneg]

I was just in the kitchen making lunch and realized I feel markedly better. I was a bit dubious yesterday when the infusion center said I would likely feel much better by today, but I do. At the moment I only feel like I have a mild/moderate cold instead of feeling like death warmed over.

It's remarkable.

I'm happy to hear you are better, and hope the trend continues!

 

[margarita25]

Ugh!! Is she out of sick days or what?!

Is your manager on site? We have to do self assessment forms similar to that but we are also required to report if anyone is exhibiting symptoms no matter that “it’s just a cold”.

There were two guys exhibiting cold like symptoms last week on a site (not mine thank goodness) who had tested negative the day before via a rapid test. Neither their supervisor nor our pm reported on their EOD form. Crew is off the job permanently and pm is suspended. Their test the next day was positive.

I’m thinking no job site is safe now due to omicron.

Dr. O and others are worried about the effects on the healthcare system due health care staff getting sick/exposed, and has mentioned a figure of roughly 30% percent of health workers possibly being out in the upcoming weeks.

I also wonder how this is going to affect other workforce industries going forward. I’m thinking a variety of essential lines could be impacted with workers being out.

 

[margarita25]

And for more good news.....

Omicron variant causes Christmas flight cancellations and holiday travel headache

United - 121 flights
Delta - 90 flights

So more people crowded into an already packed airport.

I saw a flight on Delta for tomorrow that was $375 two days ago that is now $1325 - one way.

Speaking of flights, O/T, but I wonder what is going to happen with this 5G thing and and it interfering with the flight altimeters.

Some quick links for reference, lots of articles on the subject if anyone wants to google:

Aviation industry warns of looming flight disruptions in wake of 5G regulations

U.S. airlines warn 5G wireless could wreak havoc with flights

Airlines Brace for Flight Restrictions in 5G Standoff

5G now means some flights won’t be able to land when pilots can’t see the runway

 

[CSIDreamer]

Hmm, I tried to mix it up, 2 Pfizer, 1 Moderna. Pretty sure it is just a matter of time.

If I get a booster, I think I'm going the route you took. Any major side effects from Moderna?

 

[ilovewings]

American passengers banned from disembarking Mexican cruise after 21 crew members get COVID-19 | Daily Mail Online

 

[tabitha111]

Whoa boy...my 89 year old mother who is only double vaxxed (no booster) and my developmently disabled sister in her 60's (same, no booster) are going to be "good Catholics" according to her and go to Midnight Mass this evening with no masks because "the church is not requiring them" and of course it will probably be packed. This is a suburb of DC where omnicron is hitting hard.
To say I am worried, is an understatement. She won't listen to any of her children (there are 8 of us). I also feel bad for my sister going with her because she has really no choice in the matter. Sigh.
My son and his wife are staying with them over the holiday too and they are not boosted (vaxxed yes) ...so therefore my worries are sky high..not to mention my father who is 90 and a recent cancer survivor - at least he is staying home.....lord help me.

 

[margarita25]

A member of my family was boosted in October only to learn she didn't have any antibodies left from the first two shots. She has had Moderna for all 3 shots, which is what I have had. Everyone in my family has had Moderna, except for my husband who had 3 shots of Pfizer.

I can only wonder how many people are out there who have not gotten a booster yet or are unwilling, who don't have any antibodies left. Might as well say they're unvaccinated. Scary thought.

One thing I’ve been surprised with the vaccines is the substantial waning in a shorter period of time than I expected. I hope this will improve in the future. The vaccines have been a God-send and awesome tool with their ability to minimize hospitalizations and deaths, that is clear, I just wish they lasted longer. I think a lot is being learned in real time so maybe this can be improved at some point.

I have been listening to Dr. Swaminathan, Dr. Mike, etc. talking about vaccine development, and the goal to have a vaccine at some point which is more broad in covering all the future variants, but at the same time one has to be careful with not making it too broad to cover the future variants where it misses the prior variants still circulating. I didn’t explain that well, I guess what I’m trying to say is these vaccines have to be both specific and broad at the same time, if that makes sense. I hate trying to paraphrase these doctors and scientists bc I feel like my synopsis’ don’t always give the content justice.

 

[ilovewings]

Whoa boy...my 89 year old mother who is only double vaxxed (no booster) and my developmently disabled sister in her 60's (same, no booster) are going to be "good Catholics" according to her and go to Midnight Mass this evening with no masks because "the church is not requiring them" and of course it will probably be packed. This is a suburb of DC where omnicron is hitting hard.
To say I am worried, is an understatement. She won't listen to any of her children (there are 8 of us). I also feel bad for my sister going with her because she has really no choice in the matter. Sigh.
My son and his wife are staying with them over the holiday too and they are not boosted (vaxxed yes) ...so therefore my worries are sky high..not to mention my father who is 90 and a recent cancer survivor - at least he is staying home.....lord help me.

Oh my: None of that sounds good: I can see why you are concerned and sorry you have to worry about your family. All you can do is hope they somehow manage to avoid getting sick since there is nothing else you can do.

 

[SA55]

Whoa boy...my 89 year old mother who is only double vaxxed (no booster) and my developmently disabled sister in her 60's (same, no booster) are going to be "good Catholics" according to her and go to Midnight Mass this evening with no masks because "the church is not requiring them" and of course it will probably be packed. This is a suburb of DC where omnicron is hitting hard.
To say I am worried, is an understatement. She won't listen to any of her children (there are 8 of us). I also feel bad for my sister going with her because she has really no choice in the matter. Sigh.
My son and his wife are staying with them over the holiday too and they are not boosted (vaxxed yes) ...so therefore my worries are sky high..not to mention my father who is 90 and a recent cancer survivor - at least he is staying home.....lord help me.

I can relate, my loving family is doing Christmas at my 87 year old Mom's tomorrow, she's not vaxxed, nor is my oldest daughter and her 2 youngest (teenage) children. I took a day's vacation and went to see Moma last week because I don't want to be caught in that ****show. My anxiety level is sky high over worry for them

 

[ilovewings]

One thing I’ve been surprised with the vaccines is the substantial waning in a shorter period of time than I expected. I hope this will improve in the future. The vaccines have been a God-send and awesome tool with their ability to minimize hospitalizations and deaths, that is clear, I just wish they lasted longer. I think a lot is being learned in real time so maybe this can be improved at some point.

I have been listening to Dr. Swaminathan, Dr. Mike, etc. talking about vaccine development, and the goal to have a vaccine at some point which is more broad in covering all the future variants, but at the same time one has to be careful with not making it too broad to cover the future variants where it misses the prior variants still circulating. I didn’t explain that well, I guess what I’m trying to say is these vaccines have to be both specific and broad at the same time, if that makes sense. I hate trying to paraphrase these doctors and scientists bc I feel like my synopsis’ don’t always give the content justice.

I too am disappointed in the relatively short shelf life of the Covid vaccine. I guess I expected it to be effective for a year (hoped) but that is not the case. Of course I continue to believe it is a miracle we have a vaccine at all.