Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #104

[Cool Cats]

This is great news. Hopefully we will follow along the same path as South Africa and the U.K. Milder disease but also much more contagious.

We followed along the same path as South Africa and the U.K. concerning Delta so yup it will be the same with this crazy wave of Omicron, following in the same path as South Africa's and the U.K.'s footsteps.

 

[katydid23]

I think you're wise Anneg. I totally agree with what Tiff and Pirate have said about moving on (and we have just booked two England based holidays for early next year). But restaurants, no. I think with Omicron if anyone in a restaurant has it, be it staff or customers, chances are you'll get it. Its breathing the same air that circulates which bothers me.

I agree about the restaurant dangers right now.

Our immediate family got together for Christmas, and so far so good. None of us spread anything to each other.

But we just now cancelled a New Year's Day get together with extended family because it is at an outdoor restaurant, and we would all be unmasked while eating and drinking. And I think it is too unsafe right now.

 

[LaborDayRN]

This is great news. Hopefully we will follow along the same path as South Africa and the U.K. Milder disease but also much more contagious.

Quoting myself to say it's good news that it's milder disease, not that it's more contagious. (After I read it back and realized how it sounded, it was too late to edit)

 

[nightowl1975]

Maybe. I just can't wrap my head around the fact that this keeps on going. If someone got Covid-19 at the beginning in 2020, does that mean that the same person could catch it again? With all of these new variants?

@CharlestonGal so sorry about your niece. Prayers for her, and your family.

They absolutely can and are catching it again. I personally currently know folks who are Covid + that had it in June 2020, July 2020, September 2020, December 2020, and August 2021. I know people unvaccinated who’ve had it twice, vaccinated but not boosted who’ve had it twice, and vaccinated with booster who’ve had it twice (this one was once prior to vaccines and once after 3 shots). Nothing seems to matter at this point with omnicron as far as who is getting it. That’s literally just in my own personal experience.

 

[katydid23]

Quoting myself to say it's good news that it's milder disease, not that it's more contagious. (After I read it back and realized how it sounded, it was too late to edit)

I knew what you meant.

The huge surge in cases is frightening to see. But I believe it is mostly the younger and healthier that are out and about, catching this new variant. And most will be milder cases.

I think most older and more vulnerable types like my DH and I have continued to stay pretty isolated, just going out to important appointments and staying masked and protected.

I just recently began using instacart again, or having my daughter pick up a few things for us when she does her own shopping. Until recently I was going out once or twice a week to the pharmacy and the market and I ENJOYED doing so. But I will stop doing so for now.

 

[nightowl1975]

I know the rapid tests are only 50/50 at the most, but I think in their case, they do have it. I feel terrible about them getting this awful disease.

Where have you seen that rapid tests are only 50/50? That’s not at all what we are seeing (I’m in healthcare). I’ve seen a few mentions that rapid tests might not pick up positive omnicron cases as well as other variants, but nothing with an actual number. I’ve also seen nothing to indicate rapids are giving false positives. IME, that is incredibly rare. Not impossible, but extremely unlikely.

 

[LaborDayRN]

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[LaborDayRN]

I knew what you meant.

The huge surge in cases is frightening to see. But I believe it is mostly the younger and healthier that are out and about, catching this new variant. And most will be milder cases.

I think most older and more vulnerable types like my DH and I have continued to stay pretty isolated, just going out to important appointments and staying masked and protected.

I just recently began using instacart again, or having my daughter pick up a few things for us when she does her own shopping. Until recently I was going out once or twice a week to the pharmacy and the market and I ENJOYED doing so. But I will stop doing so for now.

I feel the same way about going out. I was comfortable running errands occasionally prior to Omicron, but the fact that it's so contagious has made my husband and I rethink that for now. There are of course times (like you) that we may need to go out for things like medical appointments but overall I think we're okay hunkering down for now.
ETA: I hope you didn't get blasted too hard with all the rain we've been having!

 

[pocketaccent]

Travelers infected one another across hallway in Covid-19 quarantine facility, New Zealand research shows — CNN

Interesting article
JMO

I leave a spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol by my front door. After delivery guys/gals leave, I crack open the door, spray the alcohol in the air, close the door for a bit, then bring in my packages or bags. I always thought that I might be overreacting and overzealous, but this article proves I am not.

 

[SouthAussie]

One thing that I have been wondering is .... if Omicron gives cold-like symptoms, do OTC cold medications help ease the symptoms? Make life a tad more comfortable while getting through the infection?

 

[pocketaccent]

One thing that I have been wondering is .... if Omicron gives cold-like sumptoms, do OTC cold medications help ease the symptoms? Make life a tad more comfortable while getting through the infection?

Looks like they can help.

https://parade.com/1313965/kaitlin-vogel/medication-for-omicron/
..
For cold and flu-like symptoms, take over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and Tylenol for symptom relief.

However, if you experience shortness of breath, progressive cough, high fever, dizziness, or severe chest or abdominal pain, it may be time to visit an urgent care clinic or an emergency room, Dr. Li explains. These may require a more detailed medical evaluation to determine if more aggressive treatment or closer monitoring in the hospitals is necessary
...

 

[Lilibet]

I leave a spray bottle of isopropyl alcohol by my front door. After delivery guys/gals leave, I crack open the door, spray the alcohol in the air, close the door for a bit, then bring in my packages or bags. I always thought that I might be overreacting and overzealous, but this article proves I am not.

Brilliant idea!

Wasn’t there a hilarious set of “instructions” at the beginning of the pandemic about retrieving a UPS package from your front porch? Blowing an air horn to warn the neighbors and all sorts of craziness? I’ve googled and can’t find it, but it was on an early thread.

 

[Lilibet]

Free rapid home test kits for Oregonians.

Oregon orders 12 million at-home COVID-19 tests

 

[Mauig’ma]

One thing that I have been wondering is .... if Omicron gives cold-like symptoms, do OTC cold medications help ease the symptoms? Make life a tad more comfortable while getting through the infection?

With My experience of having 9 infected family members, No the over the counter Do Not work at all. Moo. Edit to add: the antibodies infusion is the only thing that worked the best!

 

[jjenny]

Our state governor had a false positive antigen test. After his positive test, he took a PCR test and was negative. At our university, when we do surveillance testing weekly, anyone who gets a positive on the antigen tests follows up with a PCR test, this is our standard practice, as there are many false positives.

False positive are positive, but the main concern with rapid antigen tests are false negative. Especially with Omicron.

 

[jjenny]

People get together relying on those rapid antigen tests being negative and I really don't think they should. Those tests are not sensitive enough as far as I can tell.

 

[jjenny]

Quoting myself to say it's good news that it's milder disease, not that it's more contagious. (After I read it back and realized how it sounded, it was too late to edit)

Older people with pre-existing conditions shouldn't count on it being milder, though.

 

[GRT]

Emergency rooms: Where to NOT get tested for COVID-19 | wcnc.com

“As COVID-19 cases surge in the Carolinas and across the country, doctors and nurses in Charlotte-area hospitals have an urgent warning: Think twice about where you're going to get tested.

Courtney Cortes, the director of nursing for emergency services at Novant Health Presbyterian, said the emergency department is the busiest it’s been in the last two years.

All of our units are really at critical capacity,” Cortes said. “Initially, it was thought omicron wouldn’t have as many admissions coming in, but we actually are seeing a huge uptick of COVID admissions in the last two weeks, which I think is more than we were anticipating.”

Across our regions, really, you can anticipate patients waiting in the double-digit hours to get back to a room.”

At any time, she said 12 to 15 people are waiting for a COVID-19 test. They’re urging people to go to an outpatient setting, Novant Health has several urgent care locations offering free COVID-19 tests.”

Omg.

That's just nuts.

My thoughts are assume you have covid, and don't go to get tested unless you're experiencing severe symptoms.

When our son was diagnosed as positive (unvaccinated) and my husband and I (jabbed and boosted) started experiencing cold-like symptoms, we didn't get tested, but we followed quarantine recommendations.

We didn't want to risk spreading the virus to others just to satisfy our curiosity of whether or not we were infected.

Everyone wants to know if they have a cold, the flu, or covid. Just assume you have covid and act accordingly. Stay home. When you've fulfilled quarantine measure, wear a mask if you have to shop.

JMOO

 

[katydid23]

That's just nuts.

My thoughts are assume you have covid, and don't go to get tested unless you're experiencing severe symptoms.

When our son was diagnosed as positive (unvaccinated) and my husband and I (jabbed and boosted) started experiencing cold-like symptoms, we didn't get tested, but we followed quarantine recommendations.

We didn't want to risk spreading the virus to others just to satisfy our curiosity of whether or not we were infected.

Everyone wants to know if they have a cold, the flu, or covid. Just assume you have covid and act accordingly. Stay home. When you've fulfilled quarantine measure, wear a mask if you have to shop.

JMOO

I understand the reasoning above---however, I would want to know if we had Covid or not because if so, I'd hope to get the antibodies or some kind of early treatment to keep it from becoming severe.

From what I have read, the treatments are more effective if done at the early stages of the illness.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Brilliant idea!

Wasn’t there a hilarious set of “instructions” at the beginning of the pandemic about retrieving a UPS package from your front porch? Blowing an air horn to warn the neighbors and all sorts of craziness? I’ve googled and can’t find it, but it was on an early thread.

I still keep a can of Lysol spray by the front door. I remember opening the door after the UPS delivery person had placed the package on the front porch and as he was walking towards the truck he yelled “spray it and leave it”. I’ve been doing it ever since.
Of course my exposure to Covid is greatly enhanced by other factors that I worry more about than my UPS/USPS/Amazon deliveries.
JMO