@ May COVID Thread

[plutosmoon]

May 23, 2022 9:58:36 GMT -5 dcrunnergirl52 said:

Anyone test positive on a PCR but never on a home test?

We've had various cold and viruses running through our house for weeks. First, DS3 (4 years old) had a cold for like 6 weeks with runny nose and cough, then DS2, DD, and DS1 all got it. They all got over it for about 2 weeks, and now DS3 and DS2 are back to coughing and runny nose, and DD threw up last night, and I have a sore throat. Home covid tests negative every time.

I'm tempted to take us for PCR tests b/c do we really have another random cold again!? (Which, I'm sure we do, but at this point, if we're going to get covid again, now wouldn't be the worst timing.)

I never turned a home test positive and I was symptomatic, I never checked DD on a rapid home test. We had covid in February. I did home tests both before and after my PCR, all negative. I've also had several bouts of non covid sickness run through my house since then, all with similar symptoms to covid. There's a lot of viruses floating around here, so who knows. I'd do PCRs if you can get one.

[seeyalater52]

I’m sorry for everyone dealing with covid right now. Since I stormed in all Big Mad in the Pfizer data thread I figured I’d get caught up here too. Feels like it’s gotten nearly everyone at this point.

Somehow… still not us. I’m shocked. J was a close contact at daycare the week before last so I spent my entire week planned “vacation” from work home with him. I love him endlessly but it was not relaxing. I’m so burnt out. I guess the only silver lining besides the fact that he didn’t/we didn’t get covid is that I was already supposed to be off so I didn’t also have to juggle work. I’m so ready for this unvaccinated part to be over.

RI is a hot fucking mess with cases exploding and the children’s hospital at capacity (combo of covid and mental health issues in kids) and everything feels very dire right now.

[dcrunnergirl52]

May 23, 2022 15:18:01 GMT -5 Poppy said:

May 23, 2022 9:58:36 GMT -5 dcrunnergirl52 said:

Anyone test positive on a PCR but never on a home test?

We've had various cold and viruses running through our house for weeks. First, DS3 (4 years old) had a cold for like 6 weeks with runny nose and cough, then DS2, DD, and DS1 all got it. They all got over it for about 2 weeks, and now DS3 and DS2 are back to coughing and runny nose, and DD threw up last night, and I have a sore throat. Home covid tests negative every time.

I'm tempted to take us for PCR tests b/c do we really have another random cold again!? (Which, I'm sure we do, but at this point, if we're going to get covid again, now wouldn't be the worst timing.)

H was sick and tested negative on a rapid. The next week, DS was sick and got a positive rapid on Monday and again on Wednesday. I felt sick for days and got negative rapids for 3 days straight and a negative PCR on Monday before finally testing positive on a rapid on Thursday. Best guess is that H was index case and just didn't test enough to catch it. I think especially in vaccinated people you can have symptoms for a couple days before testing positive. That's ironic because we have been sick a bunch lately and I was feeling like the boy who cried wolf with all the testing we were doing.

Hopefully you have some free tests from insurance and/or USPS to keep testing regularly.

Thanks to you and everyone else with stories of negative rapids, I took DD, DS1, and myself to get PCR tested after school today. We all had covid in January but it just seems like a matter of time before it comes around again.

[Susie]

We got an email last night from daycare, with their THIRD toddler quarantine notice this month alone.  DS got the 5/4 quarantine, the 5/12 quarantine, and then got covid during that 2nd quarantine, so we are exempt from this 3rd one.  But OMG.  Those poor parents that caught all of them.  I mean, my kid -- and I, and my H -- went thorough 2 quarantines and actual covid, and here I am feeling sorry for them, because the iterative quarantines are just maddening.  This is so, so unsustainable. 

[lea]

So many kids going home from school with fever but not turning up positives and returning once fever free. But also still a lot of kids out positive. I’m wondering if people are testing once, negative, and then sending their kids back…or it could just be all these nasty bugs going around. Who knows.

I keep an eye on local(ish) wastewater. Boston seems to be turning back downward (fingers crossed). Haven’t seen New Haven’s numbers for this week but hoping it follows suit shortly.

[pandorica]

May 23, 2022 18:16:36 GMT -5 Susie said:

We got an email last night from daycare, with their THIRD toddler quarantine notice this month alone.  DS got the 5/4 quarantine, the 5/12 quarantine, and then got covid during that 2nd quarantine, so we are exempt from this 3rd one.  But OMG.  Those poor parents that caught all of them.  I mean, my kid -- and I, and my H -- went thorough 2 quarantines and actual covid, and here I am feeling sorry for them, because the iterative quarantines are just maddening.  This is so, so unsustainable. 

I think my friends are in your same daycare and are about to have a mental breakdown... They are exempt from the most recent quarantine because their 1yo tested positive for covid today so they're all already home! The 1yo has only been in daycare for a month, and only went for about 5 days thanks to quarantines and now has covid that she got from her teacher.

Oh and we hung out with them yesterday for the first time in weeks because of quarantines... And they found out while here about their kid's exposure, so we were all exposed and quarantined now too.

I'm SO ANGRY about everything being a parent to a toddler. And the vaccine news almost makes me angrier because it's fucking too little too late.

[Susie]

omg pandorica , I don't even know what to say. That's awful.

I was not super happy today when I picked DS up. Today was his first day back post-covid, and it was his day 10, so he still needed to mask just for today.  H dropped him off masked this AM. But when I picked him up, I asked the teachers he was with, where was his mask?  They told me that [main teacher] wasn't sure if he needed to mask today or not, so they kind of split the difference and had him wear it half the day and half not.

WTAF. 

I mean, it probably was ok.  It only happened on day 10, since he stayed home with us through day 9, and he's been a full week with no symptoms.  He probably was not meaningfully contagious today, if at all.  But this is a program that has had 3 toddler quarantines in a row this month, not even counting all the quarantines at the other ages.  Usually they are better about this stuff, but damn.  It was not the right time for this casualness.  

One more month until we switch daycares.  One more month!

[Poppy]

FX dcrunnergirl52. It really could be anything.

It is really frustrating to navigate the testing uncertainty and it makes it easy to see how transmission is so hard to contain. Thank goodness for the insurance covered rapids and Colorado's free PCR program...

[lucybrown]

May 23, 2022 22:28:31 GMT -5 mofongo said:

May 23, 2022 18:16:36 GMT -5 Susie said:

We got an email last night from daycare, with their THIRD toddler quarantine notice this month alone.  DS got the 5/4 quarantine, the 5/12 quarantine, and then got covid during that 2nd quarantine, so we are exempt from this 3rd one.  But OMG.  Those poor parents that caught all of them.  I mean, my kid -- and I, and my H -- went thorough 2 quarantines and actual covid, and here I am feeling sorry for them, because the iterative quarantines are just maddening.  This is so, so unsustainable. 

This really is wild! I know your daycare is held to the standards of something higher up, but from what I can tell from my friends with daycare aged kids here it that most are doing the test to stay type approach, just based on their own rules. But you’re right, the endless quarantine is really not sustainable!

Our daycare has similar policies to Susie’s. It’s not test to stay. The stress of the quarantines and their policies has been the hardest part of all of this. There was a 90 day window after DS (4) got it where he didn’t have to quarantine. It was such a relief, but we’re back to the same old thing. I reduced my work position to part-time as a result of inconsistent child care.

The silver lining is that our daycare refunds tuition if we have to quarantine due to exposure at the center.

[pandorica]

May 23, 2022 22:28:31 GMT -5 mofongo said:

May 23, 2022 18:16:36 GMT -5 Susie said:

We got an email last night from daycare, with their THIRD toddler quarantine notice this month alone.  DS got the 5/4 quarantine, the 5/12 quarantine, and then got covid during that 2nd quarantine, so we are exempt from this 3rd one.  But OMG.  Those poor parents that caught all of them.  I mean, my kid -- and I, and my H -- went thorough 2 quarantines and actual covid, and here I am feeling sorry for them, because the iterative quarantines are just maddening.  This is so, so unsustainable. 

This really is wild! I know your daycare is held to the standards of something higher up, but from what I can tell from my friends with daycare aged kids here it that most are doing the test to stay type approach, just based on their own rules. But you’re right, the endless quarantine is really not sustainable!

I knew about test to stay for schools, but I just learned over the weekend that some states are doing test to stay for daycares. Our state is not, and I'm so angry about it.

I'm clearly just angry about a lot these days. But, come on.

[pandorica]

How long are people taking to test positive after exposure these days? Do we still have to wait 5 days?

I really want to start our quarantine clock asap if we all get it.

[dcrunnergirl52]

May 23, 2022 22:28:31 GMT -5 mofongo said:

May 23, 2022 18:16:36 GMT -5 Susie said:

We got an email last night from daycare, with their THIRD toddler quarantine notice this month alone.  DS got the 5/4 quarantine, the 5/12 quarantine, and then got covid during that 2nd quarantine, so we are exempt from this 3rd one.  But OMG.  Those poor parents that caught all of them.  I mean, my kid -- and I, and my H -- went thorough 2 quarantines and actual covid, and here I am feeling sorry for them, because the iterative quarantines are just maddening.  This is so, so unsustainable. 

This really is wild! I know your daycare is held to the standards of something higher up, but from what I can tell from my friends with daycare aged kids here it that most are doing the test to stay type approach, just based on their own rules. But you’re right, the endless quarantine is really not sustainable!

This has been my experience...our daycare is just running on its own rules, I think (and we're part of a national chain and the daycare has 8 classrooms, so not small). They shut down until July 2020, and since then, we haven't had to quarantine at all b/c of daycare exposures. They did have to shut down one classroom for a few days in January, but we ended up getting covid anyway during that outbreak.

Susie, I'm so sorry. I've been following all your trials and tribulations, and it's truly awful. I hope at least having had covid now provides some relief from the endless stress.

[Velar Fricative]

May 24, 2022 7:01:07 GMT -5 pandorica said:

How long are people taking to test positive after exposure these days? Do we still have to wait 5 days?

I really want to start our quarantine clock asap if we all get it.

Anecdotally, people I know have been developing symptoms 2-3 days after exposure but 5 days is still an ideal time to test because of the possible lag in a positive result. If you have plenty of tests on hand you could just test daily once symptoms begin or once you know you're exposed but if you don't have a ton of tests, day 5 is ideal.

[pandorica]

May 24, 2022 8:09:51 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

May 24, 2022 7:01:07 GMT -5 pandorica said:

How long are people taking to test positive after exposure these days? Do we still have to wait 5 days?

I really want to start our quarantine clock asap if we all get it.

Anecdotally, people I know have been developing symptoms 2-3 days after exposure but 5 days is still an ideal time to test because of the possible lag in a positive result. If you have plenty of tests on hand you could just test daily once symptoms begin or once you know you're exposed but if you don't have a ton of tests, day 5 is ideal.

We all have allergies right now so it might be hard to determine symptom start. We have some tests but yeah, waiting until day five is probably best.

[Susie]

Test to stay at the daycare level would help... but we really just need a damn vaccine!

In the most recent quarantine notice, our daycare director said:

"Many other states, including Massachusetts and Vermont, have adopted a "test to stay" option for remaining in child care. Where there is a COVID exposure, children test the morning of care and can go to care as long as they have a negative COVID test. New York has a "test to stay" option for school age children, but has not adopted it for child care programs. I urge each of you to contact the governor's office, as well as your elected officials. We would support such a measure and would take on the extra burden of tracking this information. Without such a program, we have no option but to quarantine all children who are exposed to COVID. This is the third time in a row for some families and the disruption for everyone is overwhelming. I will be contacting the governor's office, as well as OCFS again to advocate for such a program in our state."

This was the first I heard of it even being an option.  Our school district was also a late adopter of test to stay, to my frustration.

ETA:  pandorica, as far as time to test positive, DS tested pos on day 2/day 9 from two different "last exposures."  H and I both tested positive 5 days behind DS.

[noodleoo]

May 24, 2022 8:28:19 GMT -5 Susie said:

Test to stay at the daycare level would help... but we really just need a damn vaccine!

In the most recent quarantine notice, our daycare director said:

"Many other states, including Massachusetts and Vermont, have adopted a "test to stay" option for remaining in child care. Where there is a COVID exposure, children test the morning of care and can go to care as long as they have a negative COVID test. New York has a "test to stay" option for school age children, but has not adopted it for child care programs. I urge each of you to contact the governor's office, as well as your elected officials. We would support such a measure and would take on the extra burden of tracking this information. Without such a program, we have no option but to quarantine all children who are exposed to COVID. This is the third time in a row for some families and the disruption for everyone is overwhelming. I will be contacting the governor's office, as well as OCFS again to advocate for such a program in our state."

This was the first I heard of it even being an option.  Our school district was also a late adopter of test to stay, to my frustration.

ETA:  pandorica , as far as time to test positive, DS tested pos on day 2/day 9 from two different "last exposures."  H and I both tested positive 5 days behind DS.

I'm in MA and our daycare is definitely not doing test to stay.  How frustrating to know that was an option all this time... 

[tacom]

CA preschool and we aren’t doing test to stay… because our school district gave up all quarantines and contact tracing a few months ago. I can’t remember if that was before or after dropping masks.

I have no idea how we have avoided covid thus far. (We test regularly so I’m fairly confident that’s true). I know it’s a matter of time.

[wawa]

shorti had a known exposure sunday morning and tested positive today. (we found out about the exposure last night)

But MH and son ALSO tested positive today (but weirdly I didn't) and they weren't there for that exposure so who the hell knows who got it where or when. H is the only one with clear symptom onset (yesterday apparently, he didn't mention it until this mroning when I was testing shorti and he was like, "yeah, test me next") since I've got spring allergies and the kids have both had really annoying lingering congestion since a cold a month ago.

So that's fun. And in a crazy 3/3 streak, this is our THIRD TIME having covid in the house just in time to fuck up a holiday, and our second time getting covid right before a scheduled vax (kid boosters were scheduled for tomorrow. last time it was three days before Shorti's first vax shot) I'm so so so fucking over this shit, but silver lining, we're in the clear for our disney trip next month? But had to cancel our cookout plans with the IL's and if I test postiive and restart the clock we lose our monday plans too.  

so I also have zero clue who all I should be giving a heads up to.  Told school and aftercare. She sang in a choir concert sunday afternoon.  If her exposure was that morning, it's probably fine.  If she was actually positive by then and we just didnt' realize...errrr..then I should let the choir director know??? Does anybody care??

[tiki]

May 25, 2022 7:51:18 GMT -5 wawa said:

shorti had a known exposure sunday morning and tested positive today. (we found out about the exposure last night)

[...]

so I also have zero clue who all I should be giving a heads up to.  Told school and aftercare. She sang in a choir concert sunday afternoon.  If her exposure was that morning, it's probably fine.  If she was actually positive by then and we just didnt' realize...errrr..then I should let the choir director know??? Does anybody care??

The time between exposure Sunday morning and choir Sunday afternoon is so short that I don't think there's any reason to tell the choir director. 

I'm so sorry your family has had such a rough go of this :-( 

[Susie]

ugh, wawa, I'm sorry.

I don't think I'd reach out to the choir director. She tested pos on Wed. AM, right? I would just go with the "two days before the earlier of symptoms or positive test," and choir isn't within that window. I need to set up rules like that for myself or I end up looping forever considering and reconsidering. We do the best we can.

I hope this round isn't too bad for you.

[Michelle]

DD suspected exposure saturday night and started symptoms that seemed like allergies sunday night.
Tested negative Monday morning and Tuesday morning
Came home feeling cruddy yesterday and tested positive.

She is SO MAD that she has done everything right and still got it.

So far she is fairly mild. I hope it stays that way.

[Michelle]

May 25, 2022 7:51:18 GMT -5 wawa said:

shorti had a known exposure sunday morning and tested positive today. (we found out about the exposure last night)

But MH and son ALSO tested positive today (but weirdly I didn't) and they weren't there for that exposure so who the hell knows who got it where or when. H is the only one with clear symptom onset (yesterday apparently, he didn't mention it until this mroning when I was testing shorti and he was like, "yeah, test me next") since I've got spring allergies and the kids have both had really annoying lingering congestion since a cold a month ago.

So that's fun. And in a crazy 3/3 streak, this is our THIRD TIME having covid in the house just in time to fuck up a holiday, and our second time getting covid right before a scheduled vax (kid boosters were scheduled for tomorrow. last time it was three days before Shorti's first vax shot) I'm so so so fucking over this shit, but silver lining, we're in the clear for our disney trip next month? But had to cancel our cookout plans with the IL's and if I test postiive and restart the clock we lose our monday plans too.  

so I also have zero clue who all I should be giving a heads up to.  Told school and aftercare. She sang in a choir concert sunday afternoon.  If her exposure was that morning, it's probably fine.  If she was actually positive by then and we just didnt' realize...errrr..then I should let the choir director know??? Does anybody care??

Same with my DD and we are having similar family plan impacts... along with final exams. Grrr.

I tend to overinform simply because I'd want to know so i could test my kid proactively. Some people don't care. Do what feels right to you in your heart, and i hope your family feels better and has only mild symptoms (or none!). 

[mrshandy]

COVID has finally entered our house. DS tested positive today. Not sure about DD. Will test her when she gets home. H and I are negative. Kids just got their booster yesterday. LOL.

[erbear]

DD2 got her booster yesterday. Hoping this keeps us Covid free for a few more months.

[timorousbeastie]

COVID finally got my house, too. H tested positive yesterday. He’s isolating now, but we were definitely exposed before he tested. So far, DD and I are both negative and have no symptoms. I’m crossing my fingers that between my 8 month old booster and the thought that Omicron isn’t as rough on the lungs, hopefully my crappy lungs make it through this relatively unscathed.

At least the upside of this is that I may be able to actually go places again for a few months. In the past 2.5 years, I think I’ve only been in a non-medical building (other than my own home) maybe 10-15 times.

[mskitkat]

May 26, 2022 17:05:47 GMT -5 timorousbeastie said:

COVID finally got my house, too. H tested positive yesterday. He’s isolating now, but we were definitely exposed before he tested. So far, DD and I are both negative and have no symptoms. I’m crossing my fingers that between my 8 month old booster and the thought that Omicron isn’t as rough on the lungs, hopefully my crappy lungs make it through this relatively unscathed.

At least the upside of this is that I may be able to actually go places again for a few months. In the past 2.5 years, I think I’ve only been in a non-medical building (other than my own home) maybe 10-15 times.

Twitter thread on a preprint study, so take it for what that is, but it gave what seemed to me like a great explanation on why Omicron is “better”. Basically that the vaccine response really is working. It matches my experience with Omicron.

[rubytue]

mskitkat, fascinating thread. It also kind of matches what a friend of mine (an MD) was saying back in December. He was putting his faith in the nasal vaccine, to stop it where it enters.

[sparty04]

May 26, 2022 17:05:47 GMT -5 timorousbeastie said:

COVID finally got my house, too. H tested positive yesterday. He’s isolating now, but we were definitely exposed before he tested. So far, DD and I are both negative and have no symptoms. I’m crossing my fingers that between my 8 month old booster and the thought that Omicron isn’t as rough on the lungs, hopefully my crappy lungs make it through this relatively unscathed.

At least the upside of this is that I may be able to actually go places again for a few months. In the past 2.5 years, I think I’ve only been in a non-medical building (other than my own home) maybe 10-15 times.

If this is any consolation, everyone in my house has tested positive in the past week or so and no one has had any breathing issues whatsoever. Mostly just headaches and some congestion. Even my asthmatic kid who is on breathing treatments for a week every time he gets a cold did really well- he had a very mild cough for a day or two and nothing afterwards. Good luck!

[lo]

That study was super interesting and aligned with what I experienced back in January. I had a slight sore throat for literally a couple hours and then just congestion. No cough at all or fever.

[Velar Fricative]

Welp, it’s my turn. Woke up with a scratchy throat and tested positive. Rest of the family tested negative but we traveled to Philly this weekend for DD1’s hockey tournament sooooo everyone was exposed there too anyway. We have to postpone DD2’s birthday party. I really hope she doesn’t get it since she’s scheduled for her first dose in two weeks.