@ May COVID Thread

[hermione]

I was pleased to see Remdesivir approved to treat all ages. Our doc has said all along that treatments in conjunction with vaccines are key.

Mostly I just wanted a new thread because it is no longer April and I am rule-driven enough to be bothered.

[af1212]

Numbers are going back up in our school district. That combined with people not caring about spreading COVID anymore, the schools no longer tracking, testing or quarantining have me feeling both exhausted and nervous.

[hermione]

I have a sub (public library) who just called to tell me she tested positive this morning. The school she works at told her she could come back Friday! She was shocked when I told her that we would see her in 5 days (today being day 0) if her symptoms were improving and that she'd have to mask 5 days beyond that.

[InBetweenDays]

H tested positive yesterday. DS has already had it so we're not too worried about him. DD and I have not.

Honestly of all the times to get it, now would be least disruptive. So I'm debating how careful DD and I should be. So far he's sleeping in the basement guest room and wearing a kn95 when around us.

[abs]

Cases are increasing rapidly here.

DD tested positive on Monday. One of her good friends (same class) tested positive yesterday and there are a few more absences in the class.

It’s not great timing but could be worse. State testing starts next week so DD will be back for that. We only have 3 weeks of school left and we were so close! Oh well. After 2 years and Texas it’s amazing it has taken this long.

DD’s symptoms are super mild and more like allergies. She had a 101 degree fever Monday morning but it only lasted a few hours. Without that I never would have suspected. DH and I are still negative but we aren’t making any attempt whatsoever to isolate so I am sure that won’t last.

[pugz]

Numbers are rising a bit here but it's impossible to really know what the positive % rate is because they no longer report negative tests from the district and county testing centers.

[Velar Fricative]

Schools were closed Monday for Eid but yesterday's daily covid case report from the kids' school was higher than it had been for some time.

I strongly suspect many families just aren't testing at all because of the inconvenience or inability to stay home with their kids. Especially because it's May and the school year is almost over. We still have so many at-home tests at home because you can get them for free from so many sites here, so we've just been testing more regularly to capture infections if they exist.

[Velar Fricative]

May 4, 2022 9:37:12 GMT -5 abs said:

Cases are increasing rapidly here.

DD tested positive on Monday. One of her good friends (same class) tested positive yesterday and there are a few more absences in the class.

It’s not great timing but could be worse. State testing starts next week so DD will be back for that. We only have 3 weeks of school left and we were so close! Oh well. After 2 years and Texas it’s amazing it has taken this long.

DD’s symptoms are super mild and more like allergies. She had a 101 degree fever Monday morning but it only lasted a few hours. Without that I never would have suspected. DH and I are still negative but we aren’t making any attempt whatsoever to isolate so I am sure that won’t last.

I hope she feels better quickly!

You never know. It always seems to spread in NYC first so we've been grappling with cases for about a month now, and there are just as many instances of no transmission despite no isolation than there are of transmissions. I've given up trying to understand this virus. Once we can get DD2 her first dose after her 5th birthday next month, I don't think we'll work too hard (or at all) to isolate, as she's the only one in the house with zero immunity of any kind.

[sugarbear1]

My boys and I had it last week. We know exactly who we got it from -- the child never had any symptoms but his mom was very ill. She got paxlovid and is vaxxed, and thought that if both of those weren't true, shed have landed in the hospital (she's an oncologist so I believe her! I don't think she's being dramatic.).

My boys had a wet cough for about 36 hours. DS1 took a 2-hour nap. That was it for them. I had a cough for a day, and a scratchy throat. We are all back at school now and masking for the rest of the week.

I'm kind of glad of the timing (we were on spring break) and that it's over for at least 6 weeks now.

[waverly]

I guess I am unsure at what point that I would seek out Paxlovid for myself or Remdesevir for the kids. I mean I know it has to be soon after testing postitive, but I guess I am wondering what happens if everyone is fine for a while and then take a turn for the worse later on when the treatments are not as effective?

[fluffycookie]

DS just took his last dose of Paxlovid. He is immune compromised so he qualified for the treatment and his immunologist put the request in and it was approved by the infectious disease group right away. Other than feeling queasy from it and the pills being huge he tolerated it well. He tested positive on Thursday night and his symptoms started improving on Sunday night.

[fluffycookie]

May 4, 2022 11:21:41 GMT -5 waverly said:

I guess I am unsure at what point that I would seek out Paxlovid for myself or Remdesevir for the kids. I mean I know it has to be soon after testing postitive, but I guess I am wondering what happens if everyone is fine for a while and then take a turn for the worse later on when the treatments are not as effective?

You can start Paxlovid within five days of developing symptoms according to everything I had read.  DS started it about 24 hours after he started coughing and tested positive.

[Susie]

2 yo DS is home in quarantine again, I've lost count of how many times now.  Another daycare exposure, just like every time before.  This time it was his teacher, and teachers haven't been masking, so IDK what our odds look like.  I'm tired of mentally calculating.  I'm tired of worrying.  I'm tired of thinking about it.  I'm tired of wondering what set of facts led to me getting a call at 11:30am on Wed. about a "today" exposure.  Did his teacher feel a cough come on, test in the office, and boom, positive?  How did this happen?

Part of me hopes we don't "escape" this time, because we have escaped every other time so far, and we just keep quarantining and quarantining and quarantining for exposure after exposure.  Each time my nerves fray a little more, I get a little farther behind on everything, and my mental health frays a little more.  And then I feel like a terrible mom for thinking I hope we just get it and get it over with.  Then we would have a window where nobody has to quarantine for mere exposures!  But omg, what kind of awful selfish mom hopes for that.

I'm overwhelmed, in case it isn't obvious, for the millionth time.  I had an overfull work week before this happened, and now I'm at home with a toddler.  My firm and my clients and the US in general DGAF about the position parents of under 5's are still locked in.  I am having trouble even finding a word for how this feels.  Like how is it possible that I'm both so necessary at work that all this stress is generated over the absolute need for my 100% presence as a professional, and yet I'm also so invisible that society is completely ambivalent about this fundamental conflict where I need to do my complete job, and also parent with no support?  Like how?  I can't tell if I matter tremendously or absolutely not at all.  The answer of course is that my professional function matters tremendously, but I as an actual human don't matter at all.

Earlier this year I turned 40 in quarantine at home with DS, and now I'll spend Mother's Day is in quarantine too.  My mom died a few years ago, so at least there's nothing lost by us dropping out of the Mother's Day game.

[aspentosh]

5 cases in our school right now, which is a bit higher than it had been for a few weeks. No idea what grades/classes. I just ask DD if anyone is out sick from her class.

We've let her go without a mask for the last 1.5 weeks, but if that number keeps going up, I am going to make her wear again. This constant struggle is so fucking tiring.

[madDawg228]

Susie , I am so sorry that you are going through all of this, again.

The daycare my almost-2yr old attends has been on the more lax side of quarantining, and of course he got Covid in January (as H and I both did), as did his whole toddler class, and most of the daycare staff and other students. It was nice to have a break in worrying about getting it for a couple of months, but the worry never ends. I blame myself for not keeping him home the week after Xmas, I knew someone else in daycare would be exposed by some dipshit unvaccinated adult family member... H and I were WFH in January, we could have kept him home, and not gotten work done... there is no winning.

It's my anniversary this weekend, H and I are still trying to decide what to do. Case rates are 200+/100k, and weather is projected to be crappy. Not sure what kind of risks we want to take indoor, even though we still mask. We were hoping to see a movie or something. We even have a babysitter for a couple of hours on Saturday (the 3rd time since my 21-month old has been born).

[lea]

A local school had to close for the remainder of the week because 40+ staff members tested positive. This was coming off of spring break so not totally surprising. I was shocked to see only 2 cases in our school in this week’s weekly email (our spring break was the week after Easter and I felt like half the town went to Disney). I have a feeling a lot aren’t testing or reporting. We’ve had more colds here but still testing negative (DD still requires a PCR to return to preschool).

[lilac05]

Susie, you’re not an awful, selfish mom for thinking that. (Or if you ARE, you’re in good company with LOTS of moms who have expressed the same thing.)

I’ve shared this before, but there was a definite sense of relief when we tested positive…and a big drop in anxiety levels. We had faced and defeated the monster we had been trying to avoid. It wasn’t without downsides and emotions, but there was definite relief.

After all you’ve been through the last 2+ years, I don’t blame you one bit for those thoughts! You don’t want anyone to get sick…but also, you need a break from this level of stress.

[StrawberryBlondie]

May 4, 2022 16:45:42 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

Susie, you’re not an awful, selfish mom for thinking that. (Or if you ARE, you’re in good company with LOTS of moms who have expressed the same thing.)

I’ve shared this before, but there was a definite sense of relief when we tested positive…and a big drop in anxiety levels. We had faced and defeated the monster we had been trying to avoid. It wasn’t without downsides and emotions, but there was definite relief.

I was too (though it probably helped immensely that 2/3 of us didn't even realize we had it till we were all better and 1/3 just had a mild cold). I feel like now I can be a little calmer and have a bit of breathing room and ride these antibodies till booster time.

[rubytue]

I don’t want to start a non-@ thread just to post this, and I suppose some of these people are kids. But I know more people with Covid in the past two weeks than back in December.

[melmaria]

May 4, 2022 20:24:20 GMT -5 rubytue said:

I don’t want to start a non-@ thread just to post this, and I suppose some of these people are kids. But I know more people with Covid in the past two weeks than back in December.

Seriously, same!!

Covid just went through our house. I was mad for about 5 minutes, because of the damn emotional roller coaster re: vaccines for kids under 5 that should have been available by now. (I still am mad about that, actually). But now I am mostly just relieved. Don’t care if that makes me a bad parent.

Yes, I know that’s easy for me to say when everyone in my house has recovered and is fine. And in an ideal world, my kids would have been vaccinated before encountering Covid.

But I’m just too tired. I’m choosing to focus on the positives - every single person in my house now has *some* antibodies. I’m thankful for that. And I’ll still get my little ones vaccinated as soon as they can be.

I know everyone would not feel the same and that’s fine. But I also don’t think people are bad parents for feeling relief when it’s over or part of them just wanting to get it over with either. After 2+ years of this that is a completely understandable sentiment.

[Velar Fricative]

May 4, 2022 20:24:20 GMT -5 rubytue said:

I don’t want to start a non-@ thread just to post this, and I suppose some of these people are kids. But I know more people with Covid in the past two weeks than back in December.

For me it's a lot since December, but December/January were so bad around here and so far, cases are nothing like December/January. For starters, I can actually keep my work buildings open. 

But also, symptoms have been relatively mild too overall (hospitalizations/deaths never increased despite increased cases for more than a month now) so it is also possible we aren't capturing a ton of cases, especially with most people testing at home. But even home testing isn't yielding so many more positives. And the testing vans don't have lines for hours even now (although you can't walk anywhere without finding a place distributing free at-home kits, so that's likely why). 

However, I do now know two people who had covid in both January and April. So it is bizarre that if no one seems to have immunity from infection no matter how many doses and how many prior infections they've had that we haven't seen the huge wave we saw a few months ago. 

[heat40]

After 2 years it finally came to our house via my 3 year old who was the only non vaccinated person in our family. It was rough on her, and I was angry the entire time knowing she had absolutely no defenses for it. I of course got it from her, and it hit me hard. My 6 year old had a headache for two days then was fine, and my H was fine up until two days ago.

Whatever strain this was, it was definitely not “mild” for us, and I don’t even want to think about how it would have been had I not been fully vaccinated. Now, even though my 6 year old is fine, the adults are still going through it so she won’t be able to go to school until we’re cleared. She’s over it and wants to go back, I would much rather be sick with my kids “out of the house”, but it’s just not how covid works. What a complete disaster on all fronts.

[gretchenindisguise]

We had 4 close contact notices between Friday-Wednesday for my eldest. I asked them, and it includes the person who sits next to them in math, their english teacher, and one of their friends who is in 4 of their classes.

Of course H is going on his first business trip in over 2 years next week. So fingers crossed we don't get it...

[taratru]

Well shit. I tested positive today. Was convinced I had a cold, but since I was to chaperone a trip to London this coming Monday, figured I should be responsible.

H is negative on an at-home, the girls are asymptomatic. Either way, here in the UAE, they stay home for 10 days too. Ugh.

[scm1011]

I'm currently infected for the first time and on day 6. I had a rough weekend (my breathing was scary at some points), but definitely on an upswing relatively (still dealing with exhaustion and headaches). Miraculously, my kids (one unvaxxed) and DH have not caught it (yet?).

[seeyalater52]

I’m sorry to everyone who is dealing with positive covid tests right now. I feel like the walls are closing in on us with cases spiking and yet FDA approval for this <5 vaccine is nowhere in sight. I’m honestly more pissed than I am scared at this point. I’d probably just hope for my kid to catch covid and get some immunity and get off the crazy coaster except that the emerging data on immune escape with the omicron sub variants makes me extremely concerned about relying on infection induced immunity at this point.

The CDC guidance about eligibility for a second booster includes people living with someone unvaccinated which I’m pretty sure is not intended to cover parents of kids too young to be vaccinated but I’m getting a second booster this afternoon. I’m required to travel for work in June, by plane, and I figure any amount of protection I can get before that is worth it. I haven’t had a chance to ask my own doctor about it but our pediatrician is on board.

I figure getting it now also helps with spacing in the event that another booster or variant specific vaccine becomes available this fall.

[melmaria]

May 5, 2022 12:00:35 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

I'm currently infected for the first time and on day 6. I had a rough weekend (my breathing was scary at some points), but definitely on an upswing relatively (still dealing with exhaustion and headaches). Miraculously, my kids (one unvaxxed) and DH have not caught it (yet?).

I hope everyone stays healthy and doesn't get it, but just sharing out of caution - Covid spread *slowly* through my house.  I tested positive first, then my H 5 days after me, then one kid 2 days after him, the next kid 3 days later...etc.

That aspect of it was pretty annoying - it has taken forever to reach a point where no one in the house still needs to be under quarantine.

[Susie]

May 5, 2022 12:12:33 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

The CDC guidance about eligibility for a second booster includes people living with someone unvaccinated which I’m pretty sure is not intended to cover parents of kids too young to be vaccinated but I’m getting a second booster this afternoon. I’m required to travel for work in June, by plane, and I figure any amount of protection I can get before that is worth it. I haven’t had a chance to ask my own doctor about it but our pediatrician is on board.

I hadn't even thought about a 2nd booster for myself and H under that rationale.  Although as long as DS is in daycare with unmasked teachers who aren't 2nd boosted, and other umasked toddlers who can't be vaxxed yet, the value-add of H & I getting one is probably limited.  If I had travel on the horizon I might feel differently.  His current exposure/quarantine is from a vaxxed and boosted but unmasked teacher who tested positive.

I have gotten to a point in all of this where I don't even really care whether the CDC guidance is intended to cover parents of under-5's.  We've gotten screwed and left behind so many times in all this, that I am ready to take best protection for my family into my own hands.  We are not currently in a position of vaccine scarcity.  

[StrawberryBlondie]

May 5, 2022 12:26:40 GMT -5 melmaria said:

May 5, 2022 12:00:35 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

I'm currently infected for the first time and on day 6. I had a rough weekend (my breathing was scary at some points), but definitely on an upswing relatively (still dealing with exhaustion and headaches). Miraculously, my kids (one unvaxxed) and DH have not caught it (yet?).

I hope everyone stays healthy and doesn't get it, but just sharing out of caution - Covid spread *slowly* through my house.  I tested positive first, then my H 5 days after me, then one kid 2 days after him, the next kid 3 days later...etc.

That aspect of it was pretty annoying - it has taken forever to reach a point where no one in the house still needs to be under quarantine.

Ours too. It was about 3 days between DD and me, then another 5-6 for DH.

[Velar Fricative]

Wow, I hadn't even seen that guidance for the second booster with unvaccinated people in the house. I've been nervous about the fact that I got my booster in September. But I also saw that a booster will likely be recommended in the fall and might feel okay waiting to cover myself best during the winter months. I don't know.