@ May COVID Thread

[abs]

May 10, 2022 13:12:07 GMT -5 cherry1111 said:

I tested positive yesterday. DD can still go to daycare due to previous infection. DS has to stay home from elementary and STAAR testing started today. He is very upset because they drill into their heads how important this test is. They have no make up tests this year. I am just telling him it isn’t as important as the school makes it sound.

We’ll see if DS and DH avoid Covid round 2 in our house.

So far my sore throat is my worst symptom. Have that along with a headache and mild congestion.

Freaking Staar. They put so much pressure on them. DD has said repeatedly how glad she is she tested positive last week and not this. She went back just in time for the last map and now Staar! Lucky girl. 🤪 For elementary though it’s truly ok.

I hope you feel better soon!!

[sillygoosegirl]

May 10, 2022 13:01:09 GMT -5 missva said:

Sorry for everyone going through these mind hurdles and recovering from COVID! I am on day 7, and no more fever, but still some respiratory stuff. DH and DS have so far not caught it. For those trying to protect family members, how long did you keep up the safety measures? I am back at work masked and in my office b/c they encouraged to follow CDC's 5 day isolation, but still sleeping separate from DH, not preparing food etc. How long to keep that up? I still tested positive yesterday, but could test positive for a while I hear.

During their first 5 days, I stayed in the bedroom, aside from when they were out of the house or asleep, except to quickly move through the house to go outside myself or get to my home office. When they both met the criteria of >5 days post symptoms onset, no fever >24 hours, and improving (DH was also testing negative by then), I started spending some time with them masked inside, and taking some meals together outside, spaced out. We plan to do away with all precautions among ourselves once they are both past day 10 from symptom onset. (Although DD never tested positive, so it's possible both she and I count as "exposed"--rather than her being recovered--and maybe should be masking around each other for another 10 days beyond DH's day 10. But I honestly just still don't really believe she had something else. We will of course continue to mask outside of the house, but we've been doing that for 2 years.)

[roo54]

I finally caught it. Started symptoms on Saturday but wasn't home to test until Sunday. Tested positive on a rapid test. I've been in my home office room (it has a bed as its also the guest room) since then. Only coming out masked to use our bathroom. DH had covid last month, but neither DD's have gotten it yet. DD2 had it around Thanksgiving though. The sore throat was killer, today hasn't been too bad though.

[cherry1111]

May 10, 2022 13:49:37 GMT -5 abs said:

May 10, 2022 13:12:07 GMT -5 cherry1111 said:

I tested positive yesterday. DD can still go to daycare due to previous infection. DS has to stay home from elementary and STAAR testing started today. He is very upset because they drill into their heads how important this test is. They have no make up tests this year. I am just telling him it isn’t as important as the school makes it sound.

We’ll see if DS and DH avoid Covid round 2 in our house.

So far my sore throat is my worst symptom. Have that along with a headache and mild congestion.

Freaking Staar. They put so much pressure on them. DD has said repeatedly how glad she is she tested positive last week and not this. She went back just in time for the last map and now Staar! Lucky girl. 🤪 For elementary though it’s truly ok.

I hope you feel better soon!!

I’m glad? she got to return in time, lol. With all the emphasis on STAAR I almost thought they would want me to send him in with a mask. He does well on tests so I’m sure they aren’t happy he’s missing it.

[scm1011]

May 10, 2022 13:01:09 GMT -5 missva said:

Sorry for everyone going through these mind hurdles and recovering from COVID! I am on day 7, and no more fever, but still some respiratory stuff. DH and DS have so far not caught it. For those trying to protect family members, how long did you keep up the safety measures? I am back at work masked and in my office b/c they encouraged to follow CDC's 5 day isolation, but still sleeping separate from DH, not preparing food etc. How long to keep that up? I still tested positive yesterday, but could test positive for a while I hear.

I isolated the first 3 days (mostly because I was bedridden) and then masked indoors through day 10 (lots of windows open, even thought its still chilly here). DH has been sleeping in the spare room. Today is day 11 and the first day I haven't masked, so we'll see how it goes! I never had a fever, but had bad chest congestion and felt all around crummy. I now just have a rare cough. 

[missva]

For you guys who isolated within your home, did you prepare meals (while masked etc) for the family? I'm the cook at our house and am so OVER not being able to prepare stuff (mostly because I either have to give step by step instructions to DH or we eat takeout)

[expectantsteelerfan]

We are another family with a weird covid experience. DD woke up with a cough on Friday morning, and we were thinking Covid must have finally hit because 1. our next door neighbors have it and dd and ds played with the daughter on the day the son tested positive and 2. pretty much everyone who hasn't had it yet seems to be getting it right now. Her test was negative Friday. We tested all of us Sunday thinking maybe it was just too soon for hers to be positive yet, but also thinking if we all were negative on Sunday, I would still do an outdoor lunch with my mom for mother's day since she really wanted to and I was asymptomatic. DD was still negative, but ds's test lit up positive immediately. Gave him another test to be sure, and yep, he was positive. Took dd for a PCR test yesterday since she was still coughing and sniffling just to be sure, and yep, she's negative, but ds is an asymptomatic positive. So now we're just hoping the rest of us stay negative.

[InBetweenDays]

May 10, 2022 13:01:09 GMT -5 missva said:

Sorry for everyone going through these mind hurdles and recovering from COVID! I am on day 7, and no more fever, but still some respiratory stuff. DH and DS have so far not caught it. For those trying to protect family members, how long did you keep up the safety measures? I am back at work masked and in my office b/c they encouraged to follow CDC's 5 day isolation, but still sleeping separate from DH, not preparing food etc. How long to keep that up? I still tested positive yesterday, but could test positive for a while I hear.

H is on day 7 also. He stopped having symptoms on day 4. He's planning to continue to wear his mask until he tests negative on a rapid test. He still tested positive yesterday but it was much more faint than the previous tests. If we get to day 10 and he still tests positive we may reassess. 

[tiki]

Has anybody had a positive outcome dealing with relatives who won't test for COVID before visiting with you?

I don't live in the same state as any family, and I haven't seen my sister or her daughter since pre-pandemic. We were going to both travel to my parents' house and bring our daughters (4.5 and 3) for Memorial Day. Except I just found out that my sister absolutely will not rapid test herself or her daughter before we all gather. I know she's not vaccinated, and I have not pushed that with her, but a rapid test seems so... trivial? that honestly did not expect pushback and am now not sure where we can go from here.

[timorousbeastie]

May 10, 2022 13:01:09 GMT -5 missva said:

Sorry for everyone going through these mind hurdles and recovering from COVID! I am on day 7, and no more fever, but still some respiratory stuff. DH and DS have so far not caught it. For those trying to protect family members, how long did you keep up the safety measures? I am back at work masked and in my office b/c they encouraged to follow CDC's 5 day isolation, but still sleeping separate from DH, not preparing food etc. How long to keep that up? I still tested positive yesterday, but could test positive for a while I hear.

You can test positive for a while with PCR, which can be ignored after the initial isolation. But positive rapid tests are generally thought to mean you could still be contagious. I know the CDC doesn’t require a negative rapid test to end isolation, but personally I would still isolate until getting a negative test. 

[erbear]

May 10, 2022 16:06:36 GMT -5 tiki said:

Has anybody had a positive outcome dealing with relatives who won't test for COVID before visiting with you?

I don't live in the same state as any family, and I haven't seen my sister or her daughter since pre-pandemic. We were going to both travel to my parents' house and bring our daughters (4.5 and 3) for Memorial Day. Except I just found out that my sister absolutely will not rapid test herself or her daughter before we all gather. I know she's not vaccinated, and I have not pushed that with her, but a rapid test seems so... trivial? that honestly did not expect pushback and am now not sure where we can go from here.

I’m not in this boat, thankfully, but I have friends who are and they just don’t go. Taking a rapid test and wearing a mask is literally the least you can do to see your family.

[dcn]

May 10, 2022 15:48:38 GMT -5 missva said:

For you guys who isolated within your home, did you prepare meals (while masked etc) for the family? I'm the cook at our house and am so OVER not being able to prepare stuff (mostly because I either have to give step by step instructions to DH or we eat takeout)

Yes, I did. The kids gave it to me though so no need to really isolate from them. My H never did get it. I’d just wash your hands well and mask.

[InBetweenDays]

May 10, 2022 23:31:15 GMT -5 mofongo said:

May 10, 2022 16:04:08 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

H is on day 7 also. He stopped having symptoms on day 4. He's planning to continue to wear his mask until he tests negative on a rapid test. He still tested positive yesterday but it was much more faint than the previous tests. If we get to day 10 and he still tests positive we may reassess. 

I’m on day 7 as well, I tested positive again yesterday. But everything I’ve read said you’re most contagious the 2 days before symptoms and then still pretty contagious first 2-3 days of symptoms with it tapering each day. So, I didn’t even test positive until day 2 of symptoms, but was apparently very contagious. So, I don’t know how important getting a negative rapid is at this point. Ugh, it’s so annoying, and obviously I want to do the best thing, but I am going back to work Thursday, was cleared for today.

H actually was cleared and went back to work yesterday (Day 6). He just wears his KN95 all the time. That's what he does around the house too. He never fully isolated - sleeps in the basement guest room and wears a kn95 whenever he is upstairs or around the rest of us.

Hope you're feeling ok and able to get back to "normal" soon.

[landmermaid]

My house is positive now. I'm so angry. My poor toddler.

I know so many people with covid right now and the powers-that-be, both the government and our schools, are completely ignoring it. Move along. Nothing to see. See you in a week. Best wishes.

[macmars45]

At my DS' elementary school the 5th graders go on a 3 day camp trip in May. They left on Monday. The day they were leaving 9 out of 11 parent volunteers going tested positive for covid. So there was a massive last minute scramble to get new volunteers who had passed the school background check and were also covid negative. I don't envy the principal her job. That sounds like a huge nightmare.

[Susie]

One of my best friends lives across the country from me, and I haven't seen her in over 3 years. She's coming to NYC next week, which is an easy 2-3 hr. train ride for me. She'll be here, stuck for work, but on a mostly free day, on her 40th birthday. I really want to go see her. But I'm also totally freaked out about all the potential covid exposure. Not so much on the train (I can mask) but restaurants, etc. DS just went back to daycare yesterday, doing the masked days 6-10 end of his quarantine, and this is all such misery. I feel like I can't step one foot outside our usual routine because the house of cards comes crashing down, at least until the whole family is vaxxed.

OTOH... I work in person in a small firm, and right now we have two partners and one employee out with covid, plus another whose wife has it.  My everyday life is already a covid tightrope walk.  How much am I getting from denying myself, and at what cost?  And who knows how much longer we could be waiting for <5's to be vaccinated (which is when I force this getting easier).  IDK how to make this decision, but it sucks and is exhausting.

[noodleoo]

May 11, 2022 8:47:40 GMT -5 Susie said:

One of my best friends lives across the country from me, and I haven't seen her in over 3 years. She's coming to NYC next week, which is an easy 2-3 hr. train ride for me. She'll be here, stuck for work, but on a mostly free day, on her 40th birthday. I really want to go see her. But I'm also totally freaked out about all the potential covid exposure. Not so much on the train (I can mask) but restaurants, etc. DS just went back to daycare yesterday, doing the masked days 6-10 end of his quarantine, and this is all such misery. I feel like I can't step one foot outside our usual routine because the house of cards comes crashing down, at least until the whole family is vaxxed.

OTOH... I work in person in a small firm, and right now we have two partners and one employee out with covid, plus another whose wife has it.  My everyday life is already a covid tightrope walk.  How much am I getting from denying myself, and at what cost?  And who knows how much longer we could be waiting for <5's to be vaccinated (which is when I force this getting easier).  IDK how to make this decision, but it sucks and is exhausting.

I completely feel this. I made a post on MMM last week about a very similar situation. Old work friend was coming to town and we had a whole day planned to hang out, go shopping, have dinner. Then she was exposed to Covid at work a few days before the trip. I ended up scaling back our plans and met her at her hotel outside (even though it was freezing). I felt terrible about it. She doesn't have kids and while she was nice about it, I know she thought I was being paranoid. But if I got sick from her, I would have had to cancel plans that were really important (DD1's birthday party) and potentially deal with the kids out of school/daycare again. I just couldn't risk it. I had a brief reprieve after we all had Covid in Jan, but I'm back to having to overthink every decision we make and it SUCKS SO FUCKING MUCH.

It doesn't help that there is no clear guidance anymore. Cases are exploding at DD1's school, which is not surprising since everyone traveled for April vacation 2 weeks ago. They sent a message last night asking for "voluntary" masking. I sent DD1 with a mask, but polling her friends mom's, most are "over it" and one said she thinks everyone's immune system is down *because* of masking (and she's a school nurse <eyeroll>). At the same time, DD2's daycare (mostly age 0-5 kids!) just posted a letter that they are dropping masking in a week. WTF?!? After 2+ years, why NOW?  I can't decide I'll keep DD2 masking or not. It is actually easier since she's already had Covid, if she hadn't I would be LIVID. Now is not the time, in the middle of surge and with (*hopefully*) the vaccine for their age group finally coming in a month or 2.

[lo]

May 11, 2022 8:47:40 GMT -5 Susie said:

One of my best friends lives across the country from me, and I haven't seen her in over 3 years. She's coming to NYC next week, which is an easy 2-3 hr. train ride for me. She'll be here, stuck for work, but on a mostly free day, on her 40th birthday. I really want to go see her. But I'm also totally freaked out about all the potential covid exposure. Not so much on the train (I can mask) but restaurants, etc. DS just went back to daycare yesterday, doing the masked days 6-10 end of his quarantine, and this is all such misery. I feel like I can't step one foot outside our usual routine because the house of cards comes crashing down, at least until the whole family is vaxxed.

OTOH... I work in person in a small firm, and right now we have two partners and one employee out with covid, plus another whose wife has it.  My everyday life is already a covid tightrope walk.  How much am I getting from denying myself, and at what cost?  And who knows how much longer we could be waiting for <5's to be vaccinated (which is when I force this getting easier).  IDK how to make this decision, but it sucks and is exhausting.

Susie I know your daycare sucks, but I’m jealous they let your toddler back days 6-10 with a mask! Ours says 2 year olds can’t mask effectively so my twins are out this week and 3 days next week due to exposure.

I would 100% go to NYC to see my best friend. I did it for a day last summer when mine was visiting from LA and it was the best. I hadnt seen her in so long and I really needed it!

[Susie]

May 11, 2022 9:14:19 GMT -5 lo said:

May 11, 2022 8:47:40 GMT -5 Susie said:

One of my best friends lives across the country from me, and I haven't seen her in over 3 years. She's coming to NYC next week, which is an easy 2-3 hr. train ride for me. She'll be here, stuck for work, but on a mostly free day, on her 40th birthday. I really want to go see her. But I'm also totally freaked out about all the potential covid exposure. Not so much on the train (I can mask) but restaurants, etc. DS just went back to daycare yesterday, doing the masked days 6-10 end of his quarantine, and this is all such misery. I feel like I can't step one foot outside our usual routine because the house of cards comes crashing down, at least until the whole family is vaxxed.

OTOH... I work in person in a small firm, and right now we have two partners and one employee out with covid, plus another whose wife has it.  My everyday life is already a covid tightrope walk.  How much am I getting from denying myself, and at what cost?  And who knows how much longer we could be waiting for <5's to be vaccinated (which is when I force this getting easier).  IDK how to make this decision, but it sucks and is exhausting.

Susie I know your daycare sucks, but I’m jealous they let your toddler back days 6-10 with a mask! Ours says 2 year olds can’t mask effectively so my twins are out this week and 3 days next week due to exposure.

I would 100% go to NYC to see my best friend. I did it for a day last summer when mine was visiting from LA and it was the best. I hadnt seen her in so long and I really needed it!

Our daycare follows whatever NYS OCFS guidance is at the time.  Sometimes it's for the better for us, sometimes it's not.  For the longest time, we were on the "PCR test to return after single symptom" train, which meant a PCR test for every runny nose.  Then other times things are more lenient than other daycares.  I have given up applying logic to the back and forth swings, and just follow the ever changing rules.

Frankly I think relying on masking at 2 is dumb too:  the kids are not masking for breakfast, lunch, nap, and snack, and are iffy on masking the rest of the time, so what is "effective masking," really?  But those are the rules.  

[Gato]

I would totally go to NYC! The incidence of Covid is worse in my county in Maine, and I'm still out and about, just with a mask again.

My dilemma is that DD2's best friend tested positive for Covid last week, and DD's 10th birthday party is this weekend. It will have been ten days, so I'm going ahead with the long-made plans for a sleepover, but I don't feel perfectly great about it. I will let the parents of the other two girls who are coming know. I hope it doesn't mean DD will be celebrating just with family because she was SO looking forward to having "a real party" after two years without one.

[macmars45]

May 11, 2022 9:21:56 GMT -5 Susie said:

May 11, 2022 9:14:19 GMT -5 lo said:

Susie I know your daycare sucks, but I’m jealous they let your toddler back days 6-10 with a mask! Ours says 2 year olds can’t mask effectively so my twins are out this week and 3 days next week due to exposure.

I would 100% go to NYC to see my best friend. I did it for a day last summer when mine was visiting from LA and it was the best. I hadnt seen her in so long and I really needed it!

Our daycare follows whatever NYS OCFS guidance is at the time.  Sometimes it's for the better for us, sometimes it's not.  For the longest time, we were on the "PCR test to return after single symptom" train, which meant a PCR test for every runny nose.  Then other times things are more lenient than other daycares.  I have given up applying logic to the back and forth swings, and just follow the ever changing rules.

Frankly I think relying on masking at 2 is dumb too:  the kids are not masking for breakfast, lunch, nap, and snack, and are iffy on masking the rest of the time, so what is "effective masking," really?  But those are the rules.  

My DS' elementary school has swung from PCR for every symptom to party like it's 2019. It's now the honor system to get your kid tested if they're out sick. We all know how that goes. But also PCRs for going on a 3 day camping trip for the 5th graders so... *shrug*

[fortnightlily]

I'm dealing with a cold (multiple negative rapid tests, and it really does feel like just a cold), but I have definitely seen an uptick of people I know or have random associations with getting it in the past month.

I'm pretty resigned to us getting it eventually, and just hoping that the timing doesn't suck. Next week is my birthday, but is also the first time I'll be going into an office in 2 years to do two days of meetings with a bunch of folks flying in from around the country :/

[Scout'sHonor]

My bff just was in NYC last week for a conference and brought covid home. I think so many of us are seeing people we know with it bc many of us were more cautious and it's just making it's way through now. But also, many of us are probably long enough from boosters that our immunity has waned.

[melmaria]

Susie, I understand the pain/risk of having to quarantine with small children (having recently gone through two weeks of no childcare myself after Covid went through my house). But I would still go to NYC. A trip to see your BFF for the first time in 3 years is not insignificant. If you really want to take the extra precaution, can you agree to eat outside somewhere/do outdoor things with the weather being nicer?

[Velar Fricative]

It felt like everyone was getting covid around here in April so I'm not shocked to hear it's now making it's way to the rest of the country. My job is a good barometer for these things and we had far more cases in April, but only one so far in May (out of 150 employees spread out in over a dozen buildings that are open to the public). And neither held a candle to December/July, so I do hope we don't see worse than December/January anywhere because that would suuuuuuck.

And Susie , I would go to NYC. You can wear a mask while on transportation (which is required anyway) and then stick to outdoor activities/dining. The weather is so good here right now! 

[melmaria]

May 11, 2022 9:46:47 GMT -5 Scout'sHonor said:

My bff just was in NYC last week for a conference and brought covid home. I think so many of us are seeing people we know with it bc many of us were more cautious and it's just making it's way through now. But also, many of us are probably long enough from boosters that our immunity has waned.

In my anecdotal experience, the bolded is very true.  

My friend/family group tends to be fairly Covid-cautious overall, and I know many more people who got Covid for the first time in April than in December/January.  

And the part about boosters is interesting too.  When Covid went through my house, everyone tested positive except the person who had been boosted most recently (December).  My H and I got boosted in September/October, and we did test positive.  

[hermione]

May 10, 2022 16:06:36 GMT -5 tiki said:

Has anybody had a positive outcome dealing with relatives who won't test for COVID before visiting with you?

I don't live in the same state as any family, and I haven't seen my sister or her daughter since pre-pandemic. We were going to both travel to my parents' house and bring our daughters (4.5 and 3) for Memorial Day. Except I just found out that my sister absolutely will not rapid test herself or her daughter before we all gather. I know she's not vaccinated, and I have not pushed that with her, but a rapid test seems so... trivial? that honestly did not expect pushback and am now not sure where we can go from here.

This is so hard. Honestly, I would not feel obligated to see family who was unwilling to take the bare minimum of precaution to protect my unvaccinated kid.

[wanderingback]

May 11, 2022 9:51:39 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

It felt like everyone was getting covid around here in April so I'm not shocked to hear it's now making it's way to the rest of the country. My job is a good barometer for these things and we had far more cases in April, but only one so far in May (out of 150 employees spread out in over a dozen buildings that are open to the public). And neither held a candle to December/July, so I do hope we don't see worse than December/January anywhere because that would suuuuuuck.

And Susie , I would go to NYC. You can wear a mask while on transportation (which is required anyway) and then stick to outdoor activities/dining. The weather is so good here right now! 

Masks are no longer required on Amtrak. They used to be very strict about it, but those announcements don’t happen anymore.
I travel Amtrak every week. Def less people masked on Amtrak than on the subway. I personally always choose Acela now cause it’s less crowded and I can choose my seat and typically don’t have to sit next to anyone, but that’s not the case on non-Acela routes.

[Velar Fricative]

May 11, 2022 10:38:10 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

May 11, 2022 9:51:39 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

It felt like everyone was getting covid around here in April so I'm not shocked to hear it's now making it's way to the rest of the country. My job is a good barometer for these things and we had far more cases in April, but only one so far in May (out of 150 employees spread out in over a dozen buildings that are open to the public). And neither held a candle to December/July, so I do hope we don't see worse than December/January anywhere because that would suuuuuuck.

And Susie , I would go to NYC. You can wear a mask while on transportation (which is required anyway) and then stick to outdoor activities/dining. The weather is so good here right now! 

Masks are no longer required on Amtrak. They used to be very strict about it, but those announcements don’t happen anymore.
I travel Amtrak every week. Def less people masked on Amtrak than on the subway. I personally always choose Acela now cause it’s less crowded and I can choose my seat and typically don’t have to sit next to anyone, but that’s not the case on non-Acela routes.

Oh damn, I didn't realize that! Thanks for the correction. I would still recommend to Susie to wear a good mask then, especially without the requirement.

[wanderingback]

May 11, 2022 10:39:34 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

May 11, 2022 10:38:10 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Masks are no longer required on Amtrak. They used to be very strict about it, but those announcements don’t happen anymore.
I travel Amtrak every week. Def less people masked on Amtrak than on the subway. I personally always choose Acela now cause it’s less crowded and I can choose my seat and typically don’t have to sit next to anyone, but that’s not the case on non-Acela routes.

Oh damn, I didn't realize that! Thanks for the correction. I would still recommend to Susie to wear a good mask then, especially without the requirement.

Yep it’s a bummer. I also always choose to sit in the quiet car so that people aren’t talking and spewing their spit as they talk lol. Plus silence, who doesn’t love silence.