Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #96

[Sundog]

I immediately thought no...but I guess the "rapid tests" are the same...
I think we should all be learning more about these in the US.
Do we know for sure that they are free everywhere?
Easy to get?
I am hoping some "rapid test users" will chime in here.

Just found out from our pharmacist that Covid drive-through tests are free at over 6,000+ Walgreen pharmacies across the country. I am guessing that if Walgreen pharmacies provide this free testing service then so do most other pharmacies. You stay in your car and self-administer the test under the guidance of the pharmacist. Results come back in 1 hour for rapid tests, and one day for PCR tests, according to their website. They are reimbursed by the federal government if the person doesn't have health insurance, so it is free for everyone. If you prefer to do the test at home, you have to buy the covid test, they sell for about $20.

 

[303gmf]

I have been very disappointed in Urgent Care Centers: From now on I will go to the ER-it seems to me they don't get the best docs at Urgent Care centers.
A couple years ago I had severe abdominal pain so I went to Urgent Care: the doc was not too swift- he ordered an abd x-ray and said he saw ileus- I just knew that could not be correct- I knew I needed more so I went to the ER where they did a CAT scan of the abdomen and diagnosed acute diverticulitis. There was no ileus.

I’d have loved to go to a real ER but as self-pay with no insurance I’m afraid what the $$$ would be!
Universal health care hope here!

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Similar but not quite a scary! Copd as well, finally went to local urgent care on Sunday morning, no COVID test, no chest X-ray but prescribed antibiotics & steroid pills, grrr!

I was lucky that they gave me the Augmentin. There was a mix up and they did a mail order script option for Azith... so I now have the Azith for later, but Augementin is better. MOO. I now have for my "stash" antibiotics that I can take ASAP vs. waiting 5 days for doctor and getting worse and worse. I know we aren't supposed to do such, but I do it. No regrets. If I only had my old inhaler and antibiotics that I cleaned out 4 months ago.. it would not have gotten as bad as it did. MOO

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I’d have love to go to a real ER but as self-pay with no insurance I’m afraid what the $$$ would be!
Universal health care hope here!

I'm on ObamaCare (with subsidy/low income etc). Video visits are the way to go I have now learned. In my area, 100% of the Obama Care is HMO... so pressing the video docs 2 times finally got me what I needed. MOO.

 

[303gmf]

I was lucky that they gave me the Augmentin. There was a mix up and they did a mail order script option for Azith... so I now have the Azith for later, but Augementin is better. MOO. I now have for my "stash" antibiotics that I can take ASAP vs. waiting 5 days for doctor and getting worse and worse. I know we aren't supposed to do such, but I do it. No regrets. If I only had my old inhaler and antibiotics that I cleaned out 4 months ago.. it would not have gotten as bad as it did. MOO

Same! Stockpiling all I can and daughters Mexico trip is how I got the first round of antibiotics
Asked for refill to be written for this different one just in case

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

U.S. women's gymnastics team member tests positive for Covid days before Tokyo Olympics (nbcnews.com)

The gymnast, who was not publicly identified, tested positive Monday in Narita, about 35 miles east of Tokyo, according to city officials.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Just found out from our pharmacist that Covid drive-through tests are free at over 6,000+ Walgreen pharmacies across the country. I am guessing that if Walgreen pharmacies provide this free testing service then so do most other pharmacies. You stay in your car and self-administer the test under the guidance of the pharmacist. Results come back in 1 hour for rapid tests, and one day for PCR tests, according to their website. They are reimbursed by the federal government if the person doesn't have health insurance, so it is free for everyone. If you prefer to do the test at home, you have to buy the covid test, they sell for about $20.

Thanks for this.... I am going to stop by Walgreens to see if I can just "pick up a few" of the rapid tests. I hope other vaccinated people get the message too......

Florida is skyrocketing in cases, and Northeast Florida (where I am ) is leading the pack. A friend was in the ER last week, and said that people are just stacked up in the hallways......

I really am trying to understand why we are so so high. Throughout last year, Jacksonville area was high, but Miami area and Orlando area were always higher.

And to me, it is "bad news" that Florida only counts numbers on a weekly basis.... I do wonder how many cases are visitors here and go home before infection mounts.....

Greater Jacksonville driving Florida’s COVID-19 surge

And this.... What other states are up 73%???????

"The delta variant is spreading like wildfire among the unvaccinated population. In Florida, hospitalizations numbers shot up 73% since mid-June after six months of decline. The state now has the fourth-highest hospitalization rate in the country, so maybe hold off a couple of weeks before ordering some “Don’t Fauci my Florida” swag."

 

[weepingangel]

Top Pediatrician Group Recommends In-School Masks for All, Vaccinated or Not
More at link

Everyone older than age 2 should wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, when schools reopen in the fall, according to updated guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics released Monday.

“We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachers -- and we all play a role in making sure it happens safely,” Sonja O’Leary, chair of the AAP Council on School Health, said in a statement. “The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it’s not just their education that has suffered but their mental, emotional and physical health. Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone.”

The leading national pediatrician group said it recommends universal masking because so much of the student population isn't yet eligible for vaccination. It's not clear how quickly that will change, or how likely parents will be to get their younger children dosed when the federal government approves shots for kids under 12.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

My venture of COVID like illness is too exhausting, but will try to document here. Cascade of events for sure.

Symptoms started Monday, July 5th night. Coughing/mucus/ throwing up (I throw up as I get grossed out by bringing up plegm) and generally feeling ill as heck. NOTE: I used to get at least once a year due to allergies in my yard kicking up, and these are cascading reactions that mirror COVID due to my COPD iykwim. I knew exactly what was happening.

I have new doc this year due to going with Kaiser.. so when I did a video visit on Thursday to get Augmentin and steroid pack (5,4,3,2,1 type package) with a random doc finally after 3 days in bed coughing/sick/100.2 temp/phlegm /headache etc...they wouldn't give me what I needed until I went in and got chest xrays and doc visit days later. They said they needed to check for COVID. I was grrrrr, I live alone and no exposures. So contacted them back and next day Friday and asked to do the COVID drive through (25 miles round trip while sick as a dog)... and asked if negative, would they THEN give me my steroids and Augmentin? They said yes, so Friday I get PCR (negative) and then that night finally got started Augmentin and Steroids. The Augmentin made me throw up and dry heave for 2 hours that night. So next day, got Odenesteron for throwing up. By then... this reaction had turned probably into pneumonia. Hell, I probably aspirated those days of throwing up.

Still sick... so this past Wednesday when dead tired and couldn't finish a sentence without stopping to catch my breath, called in and then I got albuteroll and a longer lasting puff steroid ($$$).

Still have rales and rattling 12 days later. This usually take a month to clear.

I'm telling you, it was scary as chit not being able to breathe. How do they even clear out mucus and phlegm when people are on ventilators if they cannot cough and bring it up and out? My oxygen saturation was REALLLLLLLLLLLLLY low one am upon wakening. I've now learned that horizontal and sleeping = lower levels. Also learned that when you wake up coughing, it's probably your body saying WAKE UP, your O2 levels are dangerously low!

Anyhoooooo...... no COVID, but my experience mirrored COVID MOO.

ETA: I started doing those breathing excercises that the guy on the Princess talked about.. at least why I remember he said.. pretended I had a spirometer! (If anyone has at their fingertips his explanation of what to do, please post, TIA)

ETA #2: Back on daily allergy pills, and guffenesin OTC also

@margarita25 , consider this an update for ya!

Dixie... this just sounds horrifying. Is your albuterol with the machine and the little tubes of liquid. I have this from severe pneumonia back in 2018.... quit using it long ago..... but started again with SOB I could not understand... Makes a world of difference.... keep using it!!!!!!!

 

[MimosaMornings]

Similar but not quite a scary! Copd as well, finally went to local urgent care on Sunday morning, no COVID test, no chest X-ray but prescribed antibiotics & steroid pills, grrr!

Wow. Hoping meds get you on the way to feeling better soon!
I’ve been to a few urgent care, avoiding the ER for myself (been there too many times for others in the past year, it was an eye opening scary experience each time)
If you have anything remotely resembling a Covid/cold/flu symptom- you get a rapid test at the local urgent care.
My doctor requires a rapid test for an office visit if I mention cough, congestion, diarrhea, etc.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Top Pediatrician Group Recommends In-School Masks for All, Vaccinated or Not
More at link

Everyone older than age 2 should wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, when schools reopen in the fall, according to updated guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics released Monday.

“We need to prioritize getting children back into schools alongside their friends and their teachers -- and we all play a role in making sure it happens safely,” Sonja O’Leary, chair of the AAP Council on School Health, said in a statement. “The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it’s not just their education that has suffered but their mental, emotional and physical health. Combining layers of protection that include vaccinations, masking and clean hands hygiene will make in-person learning safe and possible for everyone.”

The leading national pediatrician group said it recommends universal masking because so much of the student population isn't yet eligible for vaccination. It's not clear how quickly that will change, or how likely parents will be to get their younger children dosed when the federal government approves shots for kids under 12.

omg, this is going to be the "killer"....literally and figuratively...

The Children.

I keep trying to tell myself "don't be Chicken Little", the sky IS NOT falling in"...
but I am just thinking about all the children non-stop these days.....
Are vaccinated parents, or unvaccinated parents going to get masks on all the little guys?

I personally think that all officials are "afraid to go there", to do what should be done, right now.
Are we going to be a day late and dollar short all over again?

 

[303gmf]

Wow. Hoping meds get you on the way to feeling better soon!
I’ve been to a few urgent care, avoiding the ER for myself (been there too many times for others in the past year, it was an eye opening scary experience each time)
If you have anything remotely resembling a Covid/cold/flu symptom- you get a rapid test at the local urgent care.
My doctor requires a rapid test for an office visit if I mention cough, congestion, diarrhea, etc.

I asked repeatedly about testing since I’d been sick since July 2nd but noooo, ugh!

 

[jjenny]

I asked repeatedly about testing since I’d been sick since July 2nd but noooo, ugh!

That's bizarre. You could buy a test yourself (rapid antigen) or go to urgent care and get tested.

 

[303gmf]

That's bizarre. You could buy a test yourself (rapid antigen) or go to urgent care and get tested.

I was at the local urgent care, they said not needed but reading above about Walgreens tests

 

[weepingangel]

Update from the Cape
Over 130 People, Many Vaccinated, Test Positive in Provincetown COVID Outbreak
Much more at link

Town officials issued a new mask advisory after more than 130 people, many of whom were fully vaccinated, tested positive in a cluster of coronavirus cases linked to the Fourth of July in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

During an emergency meeting Monday, the Board of Health voted to advise people to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. High-density venues where social distancing is not achievable are advised to enforce vaccine verification prior to admittance, per the advisory. Some town officials felt the advisory didn't go far enough, however.

As of July 16, 132 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 had been officially reported to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health associated with the Provincetown cases. Of those cases, 89 are Massachusetts residents, 39 of which reside in Barnstable County. The remainder of individuals who tested positive live outside of Massachusetts.

New Provincetown COVID cases are from vaccinated people, most have ‘mild symptoms’

 

[CSIDreamer]

August 14 - September 4 is 18 days. Is she receiving Pfizer? Pfizer flooded into Canada, but when people needed their second shot, only Moderna was available. AstraZeneca was banned. That led to mixing vaccination types.

"COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable. If you received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you should get the same product for your second shot.

The timing between your first and second shots depends on which vaccine you received.

• If you received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, you should get your second shot 3 weeks (or 21 days) after your first.
• If you received the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, you should get your second shot 4 weeks (or 28 days) after your first."

COVID-19 Vaccination

<modsnip - quoted post removed due to no link>

Pfizer has always been 3 weeks. Which is exactly the time frame SA mentioned. I got mine exactly 21 days apart, too.

 

[weepingangel]

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[ilovewings]

YouGov

Reasons people refuse vaccinations:

Get this- one in five Americans believes the US government is using the Covid-19
vaccine to microchip the population!!!!

 

[303gmf]

YouGov

Reasons people refuse vaccinations:

Get this- one in five Americans believes the US government is using the Covid-19
vaccine to microchip the population!!!!

That’s just sad!
Have to wonder what kind of minds have come up with that bizarre conspiracy

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Update on USA gymnast who tested positive for Covid:

Report - U.S. women's gymnastics alternate Kara Eaker tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of Tokyo Olympics (espn.com)

TOKYO -- Kara Eaker, an alternate on the United States women's gymnastics team, has tested positive for COVID-19 in an Olympic training camp in Japan.

Al Fong, the personal coach for both Eaker and fellow Olympic alternate Leanne Wong, confirmed the positive test in an email to The Associated Press on Monday. Fong said Eaker, 18, was vaccinated against COVID-19 two months ago.

Both Eaker and Wong have been placed in isolation.

USA Gymnastics did not identify Eaker or Wong but said in a statement that the athlete who tested positive and another alternate would be subject to additional quarantine restrictions.

"Accordingly, on Monday, the Olympic athletes moved to separate lodging accommodations and a separate training facility, as originally planned, and will continue their preparation for the Games," the organization said in a statement. "The entire delegation continues to be vigilant and will maintain strict protocols while they are in Tokyo."...

I'm generally not an alarmist, but the alternate gymnast who has tested positive for Covid was vaccinated two months ago!

Kara Eaker, U.S. women's gymnastics alternate, tests positive for Covid days before Tokyo Olympics (nbcnews.com)

Both U.S. women's gymnastics alternates Kara Eaker and Leanne Wong were placed under quarantine, according to officials.