@@@ June COVID THREAD

[lilac05]

sonrisa, leading by example is definitely why we’re making the decisions that we are. They’re always watching us, and our actions speak louder than words. We’ve already talked about exactly that…doing the right thing even when it feels like no one else is. And how I’m NOT happy about it and don’t WANT to do it, but we will do it anyway.

Unfortunately, most of our activities this week are swimming (lessons and team), so we have to miss completely. Thankfully DS1 plays percussion, so he will be able to go back to band on day 6 because he can wear a mask & still participate. (I’m guessing that’s where he got it in the first place.)

[Velar Fricative]

I’d personally allow the swimming if he remains asymptomatic AND you can test him immediately before swimming. DD1 played hockey this weekend (4 days after my positive test), and she and DH tested just before leaving the house, she got changed in a separate area and wore a mask whenever she wasn’t on the ice (she’s a goalie so that certainly did help with distancing). They’re still negative and not symptomatic.

Free home tests are really abundant in NYC so we’ve just all been testing daily to make sure the vaccinated household members could go out and masking up when they do.

[karinothing]

And DH is positive. Kids are still neg

[wildrice]

Jun 5, 2022 9:34:52 GMT -5 litebright said:

Jun 5, 2022 9:12:46 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

litebright , that sucks. Is it US policy that keeps you quarantined, or German? (Either way it’s a fucking joke because neither of these countries did shit to handle or mitigate Covid at any point!!)

Both, right now. Local quarantine is five days, then the government here doesn't seem to care what you do and certainly has no restrictions on if you want to leave Germany.

Meanwhile, the U.S. will not allow anyone, regardless of citizenship or vaccine status, to fly in without either a negative test or an attestation of recovery.

So as of Tuesday, I can (theoretically) do as I please within Germany. I'm hoping that will mean I can get an attestation from SOMEONE locally and book a flight. Otherwise I have to wait until I either 1) test negative on my own and can document it with a proctored test to fly or 2) wait until the 11-day mark when I can get an attestation from the online medical services that I have looked at.

At least if I have to stay the full 10 days I can leave my hotel after day 5 to like, get additional food and wash or buy clothes.

FWIW, I entered the country yesterday with a negative COVID test and nobody even looked at it. I was kind of pissed that it's still required (and thus was a stressor for the whole trip plus paying for a test) and apparently they aren't even actually checking people.

I think you can be randomly checked so I don't know that I'd recommend coming back until you've cleared all of whatever hurdles they put in place... but chances are if you did come home when your symtoms subside, you'd be fine either way.

I wish they would just drop the testing requirement. I hope you feel better and can get home soon!

[wanderingback]

Jun 6, 2022 10:12:46 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Jun 5, 2022 9:34:52 GMT -5 litebright said:

Both, right now. Local quarantine is five days, then the government here doesn't seem to care what you do and certainly has no restrictions on if you want to leave Germany.

Meanwhile, the U.S. will not allow anyone, regardless of citizenship or vaccine status, to fly in without either a negative test or an attestation of recovery.

So as of Tuesday, I can (theoretically) do as I please within Germany. I'm hoping that will mean I can get an attestation from SOMEONE locally and book a flight. Otherwise I have to wait until I either 1) test negative on my own and can document it with a proctored test to fly or 2) wait until the 11-day mark when I can get an attestation from the online medical services that I have looked at.

At least if I have to stay the full 10 days I can leave my hotel after day 5 to like, get additional food and wash or buy clothes.

FWIW, I entered the country yesterday with a negative COVID test and nobody even looked at it. I was kind of pissed that it's still required (and thus was a stressor for the whole trip plus paying for a test) and apparently they aren't even actually checking people.

I think you can be randomly checked so I don't know that I'd recommend coming back until you've cleared all of whatever hurdles they put in place... but chances are if you did come home when your symtoms subside, you'd be fine either way.

I wish they would just drop the testing requirement. I hope you feel better and can get home soon!

You didn’t have to upload your results or show them when you checked in with your airline?

[turboteal]

Well my 3.5 yr old has it, she tested positive Saturday morning. Her main symptoms were being tired on Friday and a little runny nose (not even as runny as I've seen with other colds). I felt like my throat was a little sore on one side that morning and causing some ear pain, but tested negative. Known exposure from Monday with my brother in law (he tested positive that night after we saw them). My husband then tested positive yesterday, I was still negative. Finally this morning I am also positive on home test, not surprising since I still have sore throat and sinus pain/congestion now too. Annoying since I had it in December! Also annoying bc I have to reschedule my anatomy scan, which I was already on the later side for scheduling (21 weeks yesterday), and is the last big anxiety milestone for me with this pregnancy so far. 😖

[Poppy]

Article about exposure + symptoms yet testing negative. They said that vaccinated people show symptoms earlier because a lot of the symptoms are actually the immune response, but viral load can stay lower longer, delaying the positive test to as much as 4-5 days past symptom onset (or never). This matches our experience.

www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/well/live/covid-testing-household-transmission.html?smid=url-share

[wildrice]

Jun 6, 2022 10:46:18 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Jun 6, 2022 10:12:46 GMT -5 wildrice said:

FWIW, I entered the country yesterday with a negative COVID test and nobody even looked at it. I was kind of pissed that it's still required (and thus was a stressor for the whole trip plus paying for a test) and apparently they aren't even actually checking people.

I think you can be randomly checked so I don't know that I'd recommend coming back until you've cleared all of whatever hurdles they put in place... but chances are if you did come home when your symtoms subside, you'd be fine either way.

I wish they would just drop the testing requirement. I hope you feel better and can get home soon!

You didn’t have to upload your results or show them when you checked in with your airline?

Nope! The airline did have us sign a form stating that we had had a negative test, but nobody confirmed it or actually collected the information. We definitely could have lied.

ETA: not actually recommending lying, of course... Just saying it isn't all that closely tracked!

[litebright]

Jun 6, 2022 10:12:46 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Jun 5, 2022 9:34:52 GMT -5 litebright said:

Both, right now. Local quarantine is five days, then the government here doesn't seem to care what you do and certainly has no restrictions on if you want to leave Germany.

Meanwhile, the U.S. will not allow anyone, regardless of citizenship or vaccine status, to fly in without either a negative test or an attestation of recovery.

So as of Tuesday, I can (theoretically) do as I please within Germany. I'm hoping that will mean I can get an attestation from SOMEONE locally and book a flight. Otherwise I have to wait until I either 1) test negative on my own and can document it with a proctored test to fly or 2) wait until the 11-day mark when I can get an attestation from the online medical services that I have looked at.

At least if I have to stay the full 10 days I can leave my hotel after day 5 to like, get additional food and wash or buy clothes.

FWIW, I entered the country yesterday with a negative COVID test and nobody even looked at it. I was kind of pissed that it's still required (and thus was a stressor for the whole trip plus paying for a test) and apparently they aren't even actually checking people.

I think you can be randomly checked so I don't know that I'd recommend coming back until you've cleared all of whatever hurdles they put in place... but chances are if you did come home when your symtoms subside, you'd be fine either way.

I wish they would just drop the testing requirement. I hope you feel better and can get home soon!

Huh. The airline here in Germany will not allow me to board without the right documentation. I had to upload evidence of vaccination in order to get here, and at the time of boarding, they kept calling passengers up who presumably had not uploaded ahead of time, and basically said if you didn't come check in and provide what they needed to see, you weren't going to be allowed to get on the plane. 

And that was just proof of vaccination, to get into Germany -- they didn't require a negative test to get here. Whether or not the U.S. is checking, Lufthansa is very clear that I can't get on a plane until I can provide documents that comply with U.S. rules for entry. 

[sonrisa]

Jun 6, 2022 11:01:56 GMT -5 Poppy said:

Article about exposure + symptoms yet testing negative. They said that vaccinated people show symptoms earlier because a lot of the symptoms are actually the immune response, but viral load can stay lower longer, delaying the positive test to as much as 4-5 days past symptom onset (or never). This matches our experience.

www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/well/live/covid-testing-household-transmission.html?smid=url-share

I feel like my kid got hit extra hard by aches/fever because she had her booster just hours before she tested positive

[kitty]

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

I was checking out the CDC website the other day to help advise a friend and I noticed they have changed the language about quarantining to being "up to date" on covid19 vaccinations, which means boostered if you are eligible for 5+.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#anchor_1642600273484

So I think this would mean that my kids would have to quarantine for 5 days if exposed since they have only had 2 doses more than 5 months ago?

I was originally planning to wait until closer to the start of the new school year to get them boosted but I don't want to have to go back to quarantining if asymptomatic. I'm leaning toward just waiting for Moderna to get EUA and then getting them boosted with that later this month.

[wanderingback]

Jun 6, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -5 kitty said:

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

I was checking out the CDC website the other day to help advise a friend and I noticed they have changed the language about quarantining to being "up to date" on covid19 vaccinations, which means boostered if you are eligible for 5+.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#anchor_1642600273484

So I think this would mean that my kids would have to quarantine for 5 days if exposed since they have only had 2 doses more than 5 months ago?

I was originally planning to wait until closer to the start of the new school year to get them boosted but I don't want to have to go back to quarantining if asymptomatic. I'm leaning toward just waiting for Moderna to get EUA and then getting them boosted with that later this month.

Last I saw moderna has applied for vaccine ages 6 months to 5 years. We got info about preordering vaccines to arrive the week of June 20th and it’s for moderna ages 6 months to 5 years and Pfizer 6 months to 4 years. I didn’t see anything about booster doses for moderna for ages 6-17 (I assume that is the age group you’re talking about).

[sonrisa]

Jun 6, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -5 kitty said:

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

my negative kid got a booster when first available (so not quite 2 weeks ago, but  as up-to-date any kid their age) and masked. 

[kitty]

Jun 6, 2022 12:48:01 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Jun 6, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -5 kitty said:

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

I was checking out the CDC website the other day to help advise a friend and I noticed they have changed the language about quarantining to being "up to date" on covid19 vaccinations, which means boostered if you are eligible for 5+.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#anchor_1642600273484

So I think this would mean that my kids would have to quarantine for 5 days if exposed since they have only had 2 doses more than 5 months ago?

I was originally planning to wait until closer to the start of the new school year to get them boosted but I don't want to have to go back to quarantining if asymptomatic. I'm leaning toward just waiting for Moderna to get EUA and then getting them boosted with that later this month.

Last I saw moderna has applied for vaccine ages 6 months to 5 years. We got info about preordering vaccines to arrive the week of June 20th and it’s for moderna ages 6 months to 5 years and Pfizer 6 months to 4 years. I didn’t see anything about booster doses for moderna for ages 6-17 (I assume that is the age group you’re talking about).

The article I read said "The June 14 meeting will consider Moderna's emergency use authorization request for youth aged six to 17 years." but I guess that might just be the initial 2 doses? I was hoping that might encompass boosters as well but I guess maybe that will have to be a totally separate meeting? It seems crazy to not add in the booster when it is basically a 3 dose series at this point.

www.reuters.com/world/us/us-fda-sets-june-15-meeting-date-moderna-pfizer-small-children-covid-19-vaccines-2022-05-23/

[karinothing]

Jun 6, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -5 kitty said:

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

I was checking out the CDC website the other day to help advise a friend and I noticed they have changed the language about quarantining to being "up to date" on covid19 vaccinations, which means boostered if you are eligible for 5+.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#anchor_1642600273484

So I think this would mean that my kids would have to quarantine for 5 days if exposed since they have only had 2 doses more than 5 months ago?

I was originally planning to wait until closer to the start of the new school year to get them boosted but I don't want to have to go back to quarantining if asymptomatic. I'm leaning toward just waiting for Moderna to get EUA and then getting them boosted with that later this month.

No, no booster yet. Planned to get them boosted last week but DS1 was sick (neg but assume it was covid now). Was going to get them boosted today but now can't leave. Sigh.

[cherry1111]

Our tests were definitely checked in Italy to come home. I was negative when I tested. The positive came 2 days later.

[mrshandy]

Jun 6, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -5 kitty said:

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

I was checking out the CDC website the other day to help advise a friend and I noticed they have changed the language about quarantining to being "up to date" on covid19 vaccinations, which means boostered if you are eligible for 5+.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html#anchor_1642600273484

So I think this would mean that my kids would have to quarantine for 5 days if exposed since they have only had 2 doses more than 5 months ago?

I was originally planning to wait until closer to the start of the new school year to get them boosted but I don't want to have to go back to quarantining if asymptomatic. I'm leaning toward just waiting for Moderna to get EUA and then getting them boosted with that later this month.

DD is the only one in the house who hasn't tested positive yet. She was boosted about a week and a half ago. I'm sending her to school masked, but other than that she is mostly staying isolated aka playing on her iPad all day.

[CallingAllAngels]

Jun 6, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -5 kitty said:

People who have household exposure and are sending their negative kids out, have your kids had their booster?

Yes, but mine is 14, so has been eligible for a booster for a while. He just got it May 1, because he had covid around the time boosters were first approved for 12+.

[wawa]

Jun 5, 2022 15:17:10 GMT -5 litebright said:

Jun 5, 2022 10:19:37 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

This is what I mean. The US has been utter garbage about Covid (“masks violate freedom and don’t work,” availability of tests, any useful guidance, go back to work right away, nurses go to work if you are positive but not symptomatic), but hot damn you better test before your ass enters because we are trying to STOP THE SPREAD AROUND HERE

LOLsigh. This contradiction has occurred to me. I mean, I understand the concept of not wanting to bring in more covid from abroad, and I knew this was the deal when I decided to travel, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating that I can't get home. 

Speaking of differences in how the U.S. has handled things, I was able to grab a five-pack of instant tests for 20 euros while I was getting my supplies, because they were sold along with other knickknacks in the checkout line. Which is way cheaper than you can get five tests for in the U.S., and way more available -- I haven't seen covid tests on a store shelf IRL in like a year, I've always had to order them online.  

Fwiw, Costco in MD at least has a multi pack of tests for...26 I think? And I just saw them at Walgreens. They seem to be coming back into stock in a lot of places.

[winecat]

Jun 6, 2022 11:26:15 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Jun 6, 2022 10:46:18 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

You didn’t have to upload your results or show them when you checked in with your airline?

Nope! The airline did have us sign a form stating that we had had a negative test, but nobody confirmed it or actually collected the information. We definitely could have lied.

ETA: not actually recommending lying, of course... Just saying it isn't all that closely tracked!

We had to show proof of a negative test to Iceland Air in Paris before we could check in for the flight home.

[wise_rita]

Jun 6, 2022 18:30:11 GMT -5 winecat said:

Jun 6, 2022 11:26:15 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Nope! The airline did have us sign a form stating that we had had a negative test, but nobody confirmed it or actually collected the information. We definitely could have lied.

ETA: not actually recommending lying, of course... Just saying it isn't all that closely tracked!

We had to show proof of a negative test to Iceland Air in Paris before we could check in for the flight home.

Iceland Air is NOT accepting the Testifly app, as they previously have, for zero reason whatsoever. So be warned.

[ssmjlm]

I just saw a huge display of binax now tests in Walmart over the weekend. I don't typically go there, but needed some inexpensive beach towels and they were right there in the middle of the aisle. So I think more tests are in store at PP said above.


We're flying Sunday to Florida. DH and the kid have coughs still from the spring cold/allergies (we test all the time). Poor DH has been down with a cough since mid-April. He's over it and his doctor just says allergies, ANYWAY.

I just really hope we don't catch anything while traveling. I know it's a total crap shoot and E has already had it in Feb and got boosted just a couple weeks ago, so crossing all the things.

[magpie]

We're flying internationally on Saturday and have gone into a kind of quasi-lockdown at home. No sustained indoor activities and we're being vigilant about masking for the odd dash into the store and whatnot. H had covid last month, so he is in the clear (which is good because he is the only one of us with work obligations that keep him around people right now). The kids and I never got it from him, despite not isolating and I had antibodies show up in my last blood donation, but I still feel so stressed about staying healthy until we leave (then I can start stressing about staying healthy while we're there, lol). It's been three years since the we've seen H's parents! We actually don't need a negative test to enter the country we're headed to (Australia), but we do need to take a rapid test within 24 hours of landing and, obviously, we can't get on a plane if anyone is sick, so we're trying to be extra careful. Remember the good old days when the main stress of traveling was having enough snacks and activities to keep the kids occupied on the plane?!

[mrshandy]

Since there is no regular COVID thread, I will ask this here. Do they still need Plasma from COVID recovered people? Just wondering if it is worth going to get a laboratory test so I could donate later on.

[noodleoo]

Allergies are so bad right now! DD2 had a runny nose and mild cough this morning. She rapid tested negative, but I felt so bad dropping her off at daycare. I *think* it is allergies (the pollen is *insane* right now, it is so gross covering everything). I'm half expecting them to call me to pick her up any minute. But if I kept her home for those symptoms, she'd be home all month.

On the positive side, I learn so much from these boards. I have a stash of iHealth rapid tests that expire in July and I was feeling bad that they'd get wasted, but I just checked and they extended the expiration dates out 3 months, so they are good until at least October. I only knew to check because of these boards!

I had just ordered a bunch from USPS because I thought these were expiring, but I'm disappointed because those are also old and have a summer expiration date too. I guess not a lot of people have been ordering them, they were produced in Feb whereas the first batch I ordered back in Jan were literally produced the week before I ordered them. Hopefully the government is planning for the fall, because I'm guessing we will need a shitload more then.

[winecat]

Jun 6, 2022 23:56:04 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Jun 6, 2022 18:30:11 GMT -5 winecat said:

We had to show proof of a negative test to Iceland Air in Paris before we could check in for the flight home.

Iceland Air is NOT accepting the Testifly app, as they previously have, for zero reason whatsoever. So be warned.

Our procrastination paid off then!  We forgot to bring tests from home and we weren't going to get back to Paris in time to get tests from a pharmacy so we got tested at Orly airport.  

[lilac05]

Jun 7, 2022 9:26:07 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Since there is no regular COVID thread, I will ask this here. Do they still need Plasma from COVID recovered people? Just wondering if it is worth going to get a laboratory test so I could donate later on.

I haven’t heard anything about this recently. Now that Omicron and its variations seem to work around natural immunity, I don’t think there’s a need for plasma for that purpose. (It’s still useful for a lot of other things, though!) I could be wrong, though.

[magpie]

Jun 7, 2022 9:26:07 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Since there is no regular COVID thread, I will ask this here. Do they still need Plasma from COVID recovered people? Just wondering if it is worth going to get a laboratory test so I could donate later on.

I'm not sure, but I think that this has mostly stopped. I donated blood to the red cross last month and they were running antibody tests on all donations so that the ones with high levels of reactive antibodies could be processed/used as convalescent plasma. As I mentioned earlier, mine qualified, but I'm not sure if it was used that way (it currently says that my blood is in storage, according to the app, which lets you track where your donation ends up). I think they've since stopped doing the antibody tests though and I don't think there's any specific way to donate convalescent plasma anymore (at least around here), though there's always a need to donate blood. 

[jeaniebueller]

Jun 7, 2022 9:26:07 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Since there is no regular COVID thread, I will ask this here. Do they still need Plasma from COVID recovered people? Just wondering if it is worth going to get a laboratory test so I could donate later on.

Not sure but there is still an overall blood shortage so please consider donating anyway

[Velar Fricative]

I can’t remember being this congested for this long. I probably have, but it’s been a while. It’s day 7 and I feel normal except for using a tissue every 5 seconds and I lost my taste and smell on Saturday (which is when the worst of covid was over, wtf).

I am heartened by the fact that I’m still congested because I hope that’s why my taste and smell aren’t back, but it’s soooooo annoying to feel like I’m on the other side of this and this nonsense is lingering. But, it’s only been a week so I’ll probably wait until day 10-ish to call my doc for something stronger than mucinex. I really want to eat real food soon. Seems like a waste to eat anything that isn’t cheap and bland.

My family appears to have come away unscathed. I feel like I need to hand over DD2 to science because she has been the most susceptible to exposures since the pandemic began and hasn’t caught it yet. One week until her first dose!