@ May COVID Thread

[madDawg228]

May 11, 2022 8:33:56 GMT -5 macmars45 said:

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.

WOW. Did they test the kids too?

I'm glad the school was testing (especially for the area you're in), but it furthers my thought that community spread numbers are way down from what they actually are... ugh.

[mskitkat]

After all of my stress about my work conference, my route of exposure ended up being my 8 month pregnant sister. Rapid tested negative today, so I’m choosing to fly home today fully masked. Then I will isolate at home until I pcr test on Friday or rapid test positive earlier.

[plutosmoon]

DD is sick again today. Negative rapid and we had covid in early February, pedi appointment this afternoon to get the standard tests, strep, flu and covid if enough time has passed. I just called aftercare to let them know she'd be out, the first question was "is it covid because her teacher's been out with covid all week". Can someone talk me down while I wait for the appointment? Tell me how unlikely it is that my kid has covid again? I am trying not to break down with worry.

[macmars45]

May 11, 2022 10:44:52 GMT -5 madDawg228 said:

May 11, 2022 8:33:56 GMT -5 macmars45 said:

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.

WOW. Did they test the kids too?

I'm glad the school was testing (especially for the area you're in), but it furthers my thought that community spread numbers are way down from what they actually are... ugh.

Yes thankfully the kids were tested as well. My guess is some of them tested positive as well but I didn't get info on that. I volunteer in my DS' kinder class and his teacher told me about the parents testing positive.

[noodleoo]

May 11, 2022 11:33:24 GMT -5 plutosmoon said:

DD is sick again today. Negative rapid and we had covid in early February, pedi appointment this afternoon to get the standard tests, strep, flu and covid if enough time has passed. I just called aftercare to let them know she'd be out, the first question was "is it covid because her teacher's been out with covid all week". Can someone talk me down while I wait for the appointment? Tell me how unlikely it is that my kid has covid again? I am trying not to break down with worry.

UGH, it will be ok!  I think it is unlikely to be Covid since you had it so recently.  So many other things are going around these days too, especially flu.  But fingers crossed it none of those and just a cold that passes quickly!  Sending hugs

[jaylea]

May 11, 2022 10:11:40 GMT -5 melmaria said:

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.  

In our house, the most recently boosted 15 YO with the more effective vaccine (Pfizer vs h and I J&J) tested positive and the other three (2 J&J with moderna in Oct, and 11 YO Pfizer) didn’t catch it from her. Since we were on vacation, we all must have been exposed to her infection source too - we were all together all week.

It’s a real mystery who gets infected and who doesn’t.

[jeaniebueller]

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.

Or because its a highly contagious virus? I was really careful and I caught it 5-6 months ago. Its not a moral failing to catch covid and i feel like some of the covid discussions on this board some times make it seem that way.

[sonrisa]

May 11, 2022 12:28:27 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

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.

Or because its a highly contagious virus? I was really careful and I caught it 5-6 months ago. Its not a moral failing to catch covid.

I don't think it's a moral statement. Many of us WERE more cautious and are now less cautious. That's not a moral judgment. It's a statement about changing circumstances. Getting it earlier wasn't a moral failing. Getting it now isn't either. 

Rates started to go up around here two weeks after the school dropped mask mandates earlier this spring. Dropping precautions did increase transmission rates. As you said - it's a highly contagious virus.

(the least cautious person I know - high risk job, antivaxxer, never wore a mask where she wasn't legally required to, socialized broadly through out - didn't get it until the rates went up. And some cautious people go it early. Overall, more people got it at each new phase of lowered precautions because it was circulating more widely.)

[melmaria]

May 11, 2022 12:28:27 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

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.

Or because its a highly contagious virus? I was really careful and I caught it 5-6 months ago. Its not a moral failing to catch covid and i feel like some of the covid discussions on this board some times make it seem that way.

I agree with you completely, but it also makes intuitive sense to me that if the virus is just going to keep circulating forever and ever, it's finally hitting a lot of the people who have managed (through some combination of being careful and/or sheer luck) to escape it up until now.  I fully expected that I would get Covid at some point (with two kids in in person school, my H's frontline worker volunteer job, etc.), and my only surprise is that it took as long as it did.

Plus the timing with many people's late fall boosters wearing off makes sense - most people are still protected from severe illness, but not as much against infection generally, if their booster was 6 months ago.

[melmaria]

May 11, 2022 12:08:20 GMT -5 jaylea said:

May 11, 2022 10:11:40 GMT -5 melmaria said:

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.  

In our house, the most recently boosted 15 YO with the more effective vaccine (Pfizer vs h and I J&J) tested positive and the other three (2 J&J with moderna in Oct, and 11 YO Pfizer) didn’t catch it from her. Since we were on vacation, we all must have been exposed to her infection source too - we were all together all week.

It’s a real mystery who gets infected and who doesn’t.

This is also completely fair!

[wanderlustmom]

May 10, 2022 13:36:36 GMT -5 hermione said:

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.

Personally, I would separate or mask for 10 days. After that, I would not.

my infection was back in December but my husband and kids didn't get it. They are teens so it was easier to stay away from me.  I stayed away from everyone in my room or masked if I was in the same room but just passing through. I also didn't eat with them. My sister's family had it in December and they all got it--four/five days apart.  But she does have elementary aged kids. Honestly though they did a good job of distancing and everyone still got it.  So frustrating and elusive this Covid. 

[Scout'sHonor]

May 11, 2022 12:28:27 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

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.

Or because its a highly contagious virus? I was really careful and I caught it 5-6 months ago. Its not a moral failing to catch covid and i feel like some of the covid discussions on this board some times make it seem that way.

I didn't mean that, just that eventually it was going to hit us all. And I didn't feel I failed when my kid caught it 2 months ago. I still wish she'd been vaccinated, but I knew it was coming sooner or later. 

[plutosmoon]

Phew, no covid reinfection, no flu or strep either, just a random virus. The pedi did say this new variant is taking longer to show up on both PCR and rapids, so we should recheck with a rapid on Friday before I send DD to school. It looks like a lot are dealing with covid right now, I hope everyone starts to feel better soon!

[waverly]

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.

We haven't asked anyone to test.  We've only been asked to test once, but we couldn't make it anyway due to work.  Usually, we just got together outside so then testing wasn't an issue for that family, but of course winter is a challenge for being outside. 

I think this might be regional or depending on if there is a surge.  The city folk are far more cautious than the people in the suburbs who were pretty cautious for 2 years, and I am not sure the rural area was ever cautious. 

Can you suggest an outdoor get together? 

[tiki]

May 11, 2022 16:15:51 GMT -5 waverly said:

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?

We haven't asked anyone to test.  We've only been asked to test once, but we couldn't make it anyway due to work.  Usually, we just got together outside so then testing wasn't an issue for that family, but of course winter is a challenge for being outside. 

I think this might be regional or depending on if there is a surge.  The city folk are far more cautious than the people in the suburbs who were pretty cautious for 2 years, and I am not sure the rural area was ever cautious. 

Can you suggest an outdoor get together? 

This is regarding staying with my parents, in their house, for a weekend. My daughter and I would be flying 4 hours to get there. If we had to limit to outdoor get-togethers, it probably would not be worth the expense of flying, and TBH I would expect my parents to refuse to see us solely outside anyway (since they'd be more comfortable on their couch). 

[wanderingback]

May 11, 2022 19:45:00 GMT -5 tiki said:

May 11, 2022 16:15:51 GMT -5 waverly said:

We haven't asked anyone to test.  We've only been asked to test once, but we couldn't make it anyway due to work.  Usually, we just got together outside so then testing wasn't an issue for that family, but of course winter is a challenge for being outside. 

I think this might be regional or depending on if there is a surge.  The city folk are far more cautious than the people in the suburbs who were pretty cautious for 2 years, and I am not sure the rural area was ever cautious. 

Can you suggest an outdoor get together? 

This is regarding staying with my parents, in their house, for a weekend. My daughter and I would be flying 4 hours to get there. If we had to limit to outdoor get-togethers, it probably would not be worth the expense of flying, and TBH I would expect my parents to refuse to see us solely outside anyway (since they'd be more comfortable on their couch). 

To be honest if you all are both flying then I think testing is a moot point. Not judging at all flying but I think if you’re taking that risk and your sister is flying then testing when they arrive isn’t going to be super helpful. If either of you all were exposed to covid while in the airport or plane and contract covid you likely won’t test positive for a few days.

I just had my first family gathering since covid with about 15 family members in large banquet type room in a restaurant. I told my mom I would’ve preferred if it were outside but the weather was crappy so we had it inside. Me and my partner tested cause there were a few elderly people there, but otherwise I have no clue if anyone else tested and didn’t require it to attend. However, I know everyone has been vaccinated and generally "cautious" so it was helpful to know that we’re all on the same page science wise.

[waverly]

May 11, 2022 19:45:00 GMT -5 tiki said:

May 11, 2022 16:15:51 GMT -5 waverly said:

We haven't asked anyone to test.  We've only been asked to test once, but we couldn't make it anyway due to work.  Usually, we just got together outside so then testing wasn't an issue for that family, but of course winter is a challenge for being outside. 

I think this might be regional or depending on if there is a surge.  The city folk are far more cautious than the people in the suburbs who were pretty cautious for 2 years, and I am not sure the rural area was ever cautious. 

Can you suggest an outdoor get together? 

This is regarding staying with my parents, in their house, for a weekend. My daughter and I would be flying 4 hours to get there. If we had to limit to outdoor get-togethers, it probably would not be worth the expense of flying, and TBH I would expect my parents to refuse to see us solely outside anyway (since they'd be more comfortable on their couch). 

I thought it was just sister not testing not your parents. Everyone has their own comfort levels so if you aren’t actually comfortable with the whole situation then just cancel. But I do agree with the other poster probably you are around more people unmasked at the airport and airplane.

[tiki]

May 12, 2022 6:54:22 GMT -5 waverly said:

I thought it was just sister not testing not your parents. Everyone has their own comfort levels so if you aren’t actually comfortable with the whole situation then just cancel. But I do agree with the other poster probably you are around more people unmasked at the airport and airplane.

I haven't talked to my parents yet so I don't know their willingness to test. My sister is the anti-vaxxer who sees patients daily, has a social life, and does not take precautions, though, so I know I'm not comfortable seeing her without a test. And yes, this has cancelled my upcoming trip, but that leaves me with no real plan for seeing her again, ever, which makes me sad and I wish there was a way to find a solution. 

I do hear people saying that if I'm not comfortable with the risk of getting COVID, why am I flying in the first place. However, it's been three years. My family is not driving distance.  I can mask in an airport or on a plane, I just cannot effectively mask while eating, sleeping, and generally sharing a small unventilated space with family. I also really didn't know until this week that there would be objections to everyone rapid testing. This is a normal thing that we do with friends before multi-household gatherings, so I was caught by surprise by my sister's hard no. 

[orval]

May 12, 2022 8:27:45 GMT -5 tiki said:

May 12, 2022 6:54:22 GMT -5 waverly said:

I thought it was just sister not testing not your parents. Everyone has their own comfort levels so if you aren’t actually comfortable with the whole situation then just cancel. But I do agree with the other poster probably you are around more people unmasked at the airport and airplane.

I haven't talked to my parents yet so I don't know their willingness to test. My sister is the anti-vaxxer who sees patients daily, has a social life, and does not take precautions, though, so I know I'm not comfortable seeing her without a test. And yes, this has cancelled my upcoming trip, but that leaves me with no real plan for seeing her again, ever, which makes me sad and I wish there was a way to find a solution. 

I do hear people saying that if I'm not comfortable with the risk of getting COVID, why am I flying in the first place. However, it's been three years. My family is not driving distance.  I can mask in an airport or on a plane, I just cannot effectively mask while eating, sleeping, and generally sharing a small unventilated space with family. I also really didn't know until this week that there would be objections to everyone rapid testing. This is a normal thing that we do with friends before multi-household gatherings, so I was caught by surprise by my sister's hard no. 

I think with what wanderingback said about flying and the unreliability of rapid testing as evidenced on this board, I would still go and take my chances.  Not seeing family for more years is just not an option for me, personally. 

[Velar Fricative]

Even if the home tests aren't perfect, I think if tiki wants everyone to test first, that's not unreasonable. We all have our comfort levels and I would be frustrated if my sister didn't do this easy thing before gathering.

For me though, I test when asked, when there's a surge (e.g. we all tested for Christmas because cases were spiking by then), and/or if I'm meeting up with someone more vulnerable. Other than that, I haven't been asking or expecting people to test before a larger gathering. I do expect them to not show up if they're coughing up a lung or something though, because otherwise that's just rude as fuck. STAY HOME.

[wanderingback]

May 12, 2022 8:27:45 GMT -5 tiki said:

May 12, 2022 6:54:22 GMT -5 waverly said:

I thought it was just sister not testing not your parents. Everyone has their own comfort levels so if you aren’t actually comfortable with the whole situation then just cancel. But I do agree with the other poster probably you are around more people unmasked at the airport and airplane.

I haven't talked to my parents yet so I don't know their willingness to test. My sister is the anti-vaxxer who sees patients daily, has a social life, and does not take precautions, though, so I know I'm not comfortable seeing her without a test. And yes, this has cancelled my upcoming trip, but that leaves me with no real plan for seeing her again, ever, which makes me sad and I wish there was a way to find a solution. 

I do hear people saying that if I'm not comfortable with the risk of getting COVID, why am I flying in the first place. However, it's been three years. My family is not driving distance.  I can mask in an airport or on a plane, I just cannot effectively mask while eating, sleeping, and generally sharing a small unventilated space with family. I also really didn't know until this week that there would be objections to everyone rapid testing. This is a normal thing that we do with friends before multi-household gatherings, so I was caught by surprise by my sister's hard no. 

No, no, I wasn’t saying why are you flying in the first place. I totally understand why you’re doing that and no judgement at all. I was just saying that in regards to testing in this specific situation it’s not going to do a lot to minimize risk. For rapid testing it’s best to test for 2-3 days before you plan to gather and in addition even more ideal you’d isolate the few days before that. But obviously none of that is possible if you all are flying in to spend time together. Like I said above I went to my first family gathering recently and testing wasn’t expected, but it’s understandable if you have different thresholds of what you expect before seeing people.

It seems that if your sister is anti-vaccine and doesn’t take any precautions it’s not surprising that she won’t test, sorry you have to deal with that.

[waverly]

I am sorry too that you are dealing with that, tiki . I've accepted that I can't mitigate all risk, and seeing my family is more important (except my BIL).

My mom and sister got vaccinated but not boosted, and my BIL is a crazy anti vaxer that tries to blame the vaccine for every death. Neither of my teenage nephews are vaccinated. I had two customers that I have known for a long time, that came into work and told me they didn't vaccinate, and then her husband was on a ventilator for 2 months- finally recovered. I mean people can be not so bright, but personally I blame the machine of disinformation and certain groups that have made it politically driven. But those people don't seem to care when their politically driven statements on public health kill people.

[momof2ms]

Anyone hear of an update about the Pfizer booster for 5 to 11 year olds? The only thing I see in the news is the request from two weeks ago.

[Susie]

2 yo DS went back to daycare on Tues with full masking, on day 6 of his quarantine from the last exposure.  It lasted all of 3 days.  This morning we got a call at 8:15 that he can't come in today, it's both his day 9 from the last exposure and day 1 from a new one.  

Guys I actually cried.  There's something about getting the call just as you're all packed and trying to leave for the day that makes it worse.  

MH just started a new job yesterday, back in person, so I'm doing this alone.

I have a big job, that is non-negotiable to our family's financial security and also, I've worked extremely hard for it and I'm really good at it.  But my kids are also non-negotiable, and are totally incompatible with my career when I'm living like this.  I've reached breaking point after breaking point after breaking point this pandemic, but I just can't keep going.  I cried in front of both kids this morning after I got off the phone with daycare.  

The logistics are fundamentally impossible.  

I'm a stress ball from constantly watching for symptoms in a kid who is spending weeks in a row on overlapping quarantines.

We are going weeks at a time, unable to leave the house more than 2 out of 4 of us at a time.  

I deeply and sincerely don't know what to do or how to continue on.

[YeahSure]

One of our part timers (library) let us know two Thursdays ago that a family member who she lives with tested positive and she had been exposed. We let her know she should contact HR. We knew that she'd be out for a few days per guidance, but since we never heard from HR, we assumed she tested negative. On Tuesday we heard she'd be out all week, so I reached out and asked her. She has COVID and had assumed that HR had let us know that we'd been exposed. We got an email when someone from delivery was in the building, but when there was a close contact, not an effing peep. I spent last weekend visiting my dad in a nursing home. My other coworkers and I are beyond livid.

[macmars45]

(hugs) Susie . I'm so sorry.

Our country just hung families out to dry by letting us 'figure it out' on our own. Especially families with kids under 5. It's so fucking awful.

[melmaria]

I’m so sorry Susie. I wish there was something else I could say.

[mskitkat]

Big hugs Susie.

We had to pull my 2 year old from daycare since I tested positive. My husband is sick with a cold, but he’s testing negative on rapid tests, so he gets to watch her solo while I’m hiding in the bedroom trying so hard not to give covid to my kids. Is there anything like hearing your kids cry for you while outside your bedroom knowing you are staying away for their own good, but they can’t understand it? It’s heartbreaking.

My husband has also completely given up on trying with anything. I’m so mad. The house looks like a bomb went off.

[Velar Fricative]

Susie, I'm so sorry.

[lo]

Hugs, Susie

As I posted several days ago, my almost 5 year old (5/17) tested positive last weekend. She had a stomach ache on the weekend, then seemed perfectly fine all week until last night when she was crying that her stomach was hurting. And she now has diarrhea and a small rash. Logically, I know these are common symptoms but it’s still worrying me.

Also, I tested positive last night even though I had covid in January, and my mom also tested positive. My H and DD1 ( both vaxxed and had covid- not that that seems to matter), and twins (unvaxxed) still negative. But twins will be out of daycare all of next week again.