Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #105

[LaborDayRN]

I just had a Covid related family 'conference call' with my grown kids this afternoon. My daughter is concerned abut my planned trip to go see my 92 yr old Mom next week.

I had originally planned to drive the 9 hour trip, but she lives outside Reno, neAr Lake Tahoe. They had 12 feet of snow a few weeks ago, and roads were closed and I decided it might be safer to fly, in case another storm moves in...?

But my daughter reminded me that LAX is not a safe place to be right now. Flying from LAX to Reno would probably be dangerous, in terms of Covid exposure. I have done it a few times during the pandemic in order to visit Mom, but this new variant is so much more contagious, I am questioning if I should change plans again, and just drive.

I know that the Omni is not supposed to be as severe, but I am turning 70, and I have respiratory issues, so it may be more serious for me than the average person. I have had two hospital stays for acute asthma attacks in the past 5 years. I don't need another asthma attack and it feels like Covid could be a trigger?

Anyway, my son is good at weather stuff because he travels a lot for work, so he is going to help me carve out a 'safe' travel week for driving and then I can avoid LAX for now.

I understand your concern. I have similar health conditions.
I believe I'm north of you Katydid. Several years ago (before Covid) my husband and I drove to Carson City. We drove it in one day via the 395. It was a long drive but one I had never made before so for me it was a new experience and I think that helped pass the long hours. I think a 9 hour drive would be a long one for one person alone. (for me it would be anyway).
Maybe you should discuss your plans with your Mom? Could you tolerate being double masked on the plane? Then maybe when you get to your moms you could take a quick shower that way you wouldn't be worried about what you touched (or what touched you) during your flight?
I absolutely hate that a simple visit with mom (or insert whatever loved one many of us have) is so difficult now.

 

[LadyL]

A Grandmother Died From COVID After Playing Cards With a Friend Who Had the Virus But Didn't Tell Anyone — Health

“An Ohio family is reminding people to stay home when they don't feel well after their grandmother contracted COVID-19 while playing cards with friends—including one attendee who hid the fact that they had COVID-19. The grandmother, 82-year-old Barbara Bartolovich, later died from the virus.

Bartolovich's granddaughter Lauren Nash told ABC's Detroit affiliate WXYZ that her grandmother took a lot of precautions during the pandemic, including getting vaccinated and only socializing with people who were also being safe about COVID.”

“Somebody decided that testing positive for COVID is something they can hide," Nash said. "The only way we found out is that the person owned up after Nana got sick.”

I wouldn’t call that a friend. JMO

I would call that a murderer.

 

[Lilibet]

Definitely. BUT if a company is advertising N95's with ear loops and it's not possible they are N95's would you trust them at all for buying masks? I wouldn't personally. How do you know what else is fraudulent about the masks?

We have KN95's with ear loops for most of my kids and teens. But they were accurately advertised. I wasn't saying no one should use KN95's with ear loops. But just letting people know if a company is advertising N95's with ear loops they must be lying and can not be purchasing that from them.

I believe JaneEyre was referring to the article about where to buy masks that both you and I posted, not to the company offering N95 masks with ear loops that had been posted earlier…which I would not trust. That article we posted listed POWECOM KN95 masks, which I looked into and have ordered.

 

[ilovewings]

I would call that a murderer.

YES!!!!

 

[IceIce9]

WSVN) - A new model from the University of Florida shows a majority of Floridians will have contracted COVID-19 before this recent surge of the highly contagious omicron variant is over.

Dr. Ira Longini, a professor of biostatistics at UF, is the researcher behind the new study.

“It’ll be in the 70% to 80% range, at least, of all Floridians,” he said. “If you look at the infection curb, we already think there were a million infections right at the end of December, beginning of January

[URL="https://wsvn.com/news/local/uf-study-majority-of-floridians-will-contract-covid-before-omicron-variant-is-over/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_wsvn"]UF study: Majority of Floridians will contract COVID before omicron variant is over – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale[/URL]

 

[katydid23]

I understand your concern. I have similar health conditions.
I believe I'm north of you Katydid. Several years ago (before Covid) my husband and I drove to Carson City. We drove it in one day via the 395. It was a long drive but one I had never made before so for me it was a new experience and I think that helped pass the long hours. I think a 9 hour drive would be a long one for one person alone. (for me it would be anyway).
Maybe you should discuss your plans with your Mom? Could you tolerate being double masked on the plane? Then maybe when you get to your moms you could take a quick shower that way you wouldn't be worried about what you touched (or what touched you) during your flight?
I absolutely hate that a simple visit with mom (or insert whatever loved one many of us have) is so difficult now.

I hear ya, it is a long drive. But it is actually, according to Waze, only a 7 hr30 minute drive. It takes me 9 because I take some long breaks.

It isn't even the plane trip that worries me---it is only a 50 minute flight. But the airport is such a petrie dish. When going through security you stand in very long lines, in close quarters, for quite awhile. There is no way to really social distance as you take off your shoes, put your stuff in the bins, walk thru the computer screenings, etc, etc....I have k95s for traveling and they probably work well, but it still seems risky to spend hours inside LAX...

If I go to Burbank airport, it is smaller, but no direct flights to Reno. So changing planes doubles the number of airports. lol

With the contagiousness of this variant, I don't feel comfortable going through that long, crowded process. I feel I'd be safer in my vehicle, even if it does take me ALLLL day. lol

I usually leave about 6 am, and arrive about 3 or 4 pm. But it is a scenic drive and I haven't been out of the house much lately. My husband usually goes with me which makes it a million times easier. But he took a lucrative consulting job and can't get away right now.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Definitely. BUT if a company is advertising N95's with ear loops and it's not possible they are N95's would you trust them at all for buying masks? I wouldn't personally. How do you know what else is fraudulent about the masks?

We have KN95's with ear loops for most of my kids and teens. But they were accurately advertised. I wasn't saying no one should use KN95's with ear loops. But just letting people know if a company is advertising N95's with ear loops they must be lying and can not be purchasing that from them.

No, I wouldn't. I'm just saying there are good KN95s out there with ear loops for those who are more comfortable with that.

I recommend doing research on what brands pass muster before purchasing any of them.

 

[beatrixpotter]

End of free lateral flow tests as country told to live with Covid | News | The Sunday Times

"Free lateral flow tests face the axe under plans for living with Covid which Boris Johnson will announce within weeks.

More than £6 billion of public money has been spent on mass testing using the devices.



The new system could mean free tests being provided only in high-risk settings such as care homes, hospitals and schools, and to people with symptoms. Contact tracing by NHS Test and Trace is also likely to be scaled back."

 

[Arkay]

It isn't even the plane trip that worries me---it is only a 50 minute flight. But the airport is such a petrie dish. When going through security you stand in very long lines, in close quarters, for quite awhile. There is no way to really social distance as you take off your shoes, put your stuff in the bins, walk thru the computer screenings, etc, etc....I have k95s for traveling and they probably work well, but it still seems risky to spend hours inside LAX...

I've experienced this on the opposite coast, at JFK.

All this is true, plus you have to pull down your mask when they check your ID. It's just for a second, but everyone around you has to do it as well. No social distancing whatsoever, and a lack of full mask compliance around the airport.

Also, of course, any airline trip requires four airport interactions. Departure airport, arrival airport, and then the same thing when you return home.

I've only done this because my parents are in Florida. They're nearly 90 with major health issues, so my sister and I have been taking turns going down there. Last time, my sister and her family drove from Jersey to Florida instead.

 

[CSIDreamer]

UF study: Majority of Floridians will contract COVID before omicron variant is over – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

It says they may reach herd immunity. That would be good for them.

My local health officer pretty much predicts that anyone that is out and about much will get it here.

 

[Lilibet]

It says they may reach herd immunity. That would be good for them.

My local health officer pretty much predicts that anyone that is out and about much will get it here.

For some reason, every time I read about “herd immunity,” I think of “culling the herd.”

 

[Deleted member 39678]

It says they may reach herd immunity. That would be good for them.

My local health officer pretty much predicts that anyone that is out and about much will get it here.

I agree. It's not just Floridians. I think this applies to everyone.

But researchers said there is a bit of a silver lining: the human death toll with omicron is far lower compared to past waves.

The death rate were I live in Sacramento California is very low. Hopefully this wave will pass after this month with people getting boosters and herd immunity kicking in.

UF study: Majority of Floridians will contract COVID before omicron variant is over – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

California Coronavirus Map and Case Count

 

[LaborDayRN]

I hear ya, it is a long drive. But it is actually, according to Waze, only a 7 hr30 minute drive. It takes me 9 because I take some long breaks.

It isn't even the plane trip that worries me---it is only a 50 minute flight. But the airport is such a petrie dish. When going through security you stand in very long lines, in close quarters, for quite awhile. There is no way to really social distance as you take off your shoes, put your stuff in the bins, walk thru the computer screenings, etc, etc....I have k95s for traveling and they probably work well, but it still seems risky to spend hours inside LAX...

If I go to Burbank airport, it is smaller, but no direct flights to Reno. So changing planes doubles the number of airports. lol

With the contagiousness of this variant, I don't feel comfortable going through that long, crowded process. I feel I'd be safer in my vehicle, even if it does take me ALLLL day. lol

I usually leave about 6 am, and arrive about 3 or 4 pm. But it is a scenic drive and I haven't been out of the house much lately. My husband usually goes with me which makes it a million times easier. But he took a lucrative consulting job and can't get away right now.

I would hate a lay over right now. I think driving sounds safer, more relaxing and will cause less worry. Don't forget to stop at Schat's bakery if you take 395!!

 

[IceIce9]

I hear ya, it is a long drive. But it is actually, according to Waze, only a 7 hr30 minute drive. It takes me 9 because I take some long breaks.

It isn't even the plane trip that worries me---it is only a 50 minute flight. But the airport is such a petrie dish. When going through security you stand in very long lines, in close quarters, for quite awhile. There is no way to really social distance as you take off your shoes, put your stuff in the bins, walk thru the computer screenings, etc, etc....I have k95s for traveling and they probably work well, but it still seems risky to spend hours inside LAX...

If I go to Burbank airport, it is smaller, but no direct flights to Reno. So changing planes doubles the number of airports. lol

With the contagiousness of this variant, I don't feel comfortable going through that long, crowded process. I feel I'd be safer in my vehicle, even if it does take me ALLLL day. lol

I usually leave about 6 am, and arrive about 3 or 4 pm. But it is a scenic drive and I haven't been out of the house much lately. My husband usually goes with me which makes it a million times easier. But he took a lucrative consulting job and can't get away right now.

I frequently drive 17 hours straight through from my city to Naples, FL. It’s 15 hours on Waze but I make 4 stops total for fuel/food/restroom.

I’ve made the drive so many times that I have my stops strategically planned: two stops at Bojangles and two stops at Buc-ee’s.

I started making this trip several years before COVID, but after COVID it seems much safer than flying.

 

[nightowl1975]

Hopefully this wave will pass after this month with people getting boosters and herd immunity kicking in.

I don’t think we are going to see herd immunity with Covid. We don’t have it with the flu or common cold. I don’t see it happening with Covid either. Way too many people are getting Covid multiple times, vaccinated/boosted or not.

 

[CrimeAway]

I don’t think we are going to see herd immunity with Covid. We don’t have it with the flu or common cold. I don’t see it happening with Covid either. Way too many people are getting Covid multiple times, vaccinated/boosted or not.

Also, now that Sars-CoV-2 has been found in White-Tail Deer, mice, mink, and probably other creatures, there are animal reservoirs, which could allow for more variants to occur, and potentially spill back to humans. JMO.

Only 2 viruses have ever been eradicated, Rinderpest and Smallpox. Only one of these, Smallpox is a human disease, and it was able to be eradicated (through vaccination) because there are no natural hosts other than humans.

Smallpox - Wikipedia

Rinderpest - Wikipedia

How Rinderpest was eradicated

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I don’t think we are going to see herd immunity with Covid. We don’t have it with the flu or common cold. I don’t see it happening with Covid either. Way too many people are getting Covid multiple times, vaccinated/boosted or not.

Probably some wishful thinking on my part.

If Covid ends up being like the flu or common cold perhaps things can get back to somewhat normal in the near future. JMO.

 

[Lilibet]

How to spot a fake home covid test kit…

Officials are warning the public about fake Covid-19 testing kits. Here's how to spot them - CNN

 

[IceIce9]

Omicron cases surge: More than 4,000 children hospitalized nationwide, report says

90% of US cases are omicron.

 

[ilovewings]

UF study: Majority of Floridians will contract COVID before omicron variant is over – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

Well that is a cheery thought, especially since we are here in Florida for the winter: I plan to double mask but my husband will not do that. sigh.