July Covid Thread

[rubytue]

RoxMonster, is there, by change, a picnic table outside? Is it like a cafeteria-type dining room where you will pick up food and go sit at a table? I’d just pick up the food and walk myself to a shady spot outside if that is in anyway an option.

I really hate the work lunch thing? I may have mentioned this when it happened, but there was a retirement lunch a few weeks ago. Planning discussions involved finding a place with an outdoor patio, including we should make a reservation for the outside patio and the point person agreed to make the reservation. When I got there, everyone was inside because she didn’t make the reservation for the patio because she “was afraid it would be too hot.” It was such an awkward moment. Do you be “that person.” The point is, I get it. And I wish you the best whatever you do.

[wanderingback]

Jul 10, 2022 19:40:47 GMT -5 RoxMonster said:

I know a lot of people with Covid right now. It's making me worried about attending this quarterly planning we have for work this week. So we have been one day in office since early May. This week, we don't have to go in-office but we have our two-day in-person quarterly planning meetings on Wed/Thurs. It will be a conference type room with about 50 people sitting close together. Even if I masked, no one else will be. Which, fine, whatever, but I can't really get around lunch. I am not someone who can go 9 hours without eating anything; I'll feel sick. Lunch is not long - only about 45 min and this is a remote facility so I can't leave to go eat lunch. It's provided in a dining room on site. I guess I could bring a sack lunch and sit in the hallway and eat but 

They did remote quarterly planning all through the pandemic and just went back to in-person ones this spring. I really wish with rising numbers (our county is in high transmission), they would make the one-day in office optional for the time being and go back to remote planning but they won't. I'm very new to this job and also don't want to make waves by saying I won't go. We have out of state people flying in for the meetings and I live locally and feel it would look not great to be like "Yeah I don't want to attend in-person." But...I really don't want to attend in-person. It just takes one person in that room to not know they have it and it's a super spreader.

That sucks there is no virtual option.
As far as lunch goes I absolutely wouldn’t eat with everyone else.
I haven’t eaten in the lunch room anywhere since the pandemic. I started my current job the summer of 2020 and even as a new employee I didn’t care (sometimes we have catered things) and always eat elsewhere. I don’t care what other people think. So if you’re more comfortable eating elsewhere I’d absolutely do that.

[dulcemariamar]

Jul 10, 2022 19:40:47 GMT -5 RoxMonster said:

I know a lot of people with Covid right now. It's making me worried about attending this quarterly planning we have for work this week. So we have been one day in office since early May. This week, we don't have to go in-office but we have our two-day in-person quarterly planning meetings on Wed/Thurs. It will be a conference type room with about 50 people sitting close together. Even if I masked, no one else will be. Which, fine, whatever, but I can't really get around lunch. I am not someone who can go 9 hours without eating anything; I'll feel sick. Lunch is not long - only about 45 min and this is a remote facility so I can't leave to go eat lunch. It's provided in a dining room on site. I guess I could bring a sack lunch and sit in the hallway and eat but 

They did remote quarterly planning all through the pandemic and just went back to in-person ones this spring. I really wish with rising numbers (our county is in high transmission), they would make the one-day in office optional for the time being and go back to remote planning but they won't. I'm very new to this job and also don't want to make waves by saying I won't go. We have out of state people flying in for the meetings and I live locally and feel it would look not great to be like "Yeah I don't want to attend in-person." But...I really don't want to attend in-person. It just takes one person in that room to not know they have it and it's a super spreader.

I would just bring my lunch and eat outside or my car and if anyone asks just say that you have been exposed to positive cases recently and you just want to be safe and not expose anyone and potentially ruin their summer plans or something along those lines.

[RoxMonster]

I've only been to this facility once and didn't pay attention to any sort of tables outside, but I could bring a bagged lunch and eat in my car I suppose. It's a buffet lunch in a huge dining room but they use real silverware and plates, so I'd also feel weird taking that outside. Hopefully it won't be too humid in case I decide to eat in my car with the windows down.

[wanderingback]

Jul 11, 2022 16:19:37 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Jul 11, 2022 15:25:28 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I would just bring my lunch and eat outside or my car and if anyone asks just say that you have been exposed to positive cases recently and you just want to be safe and not expose anyone and potentially ruin their summer plans or something along those lines.

No, don’t say this! No need to lie, especially by telling people you’ve been exposed lol. Just say you don’t want to risk catching covid.

Right? That’s weird to say you’ve been exposed! I’ve turned down multiple social events and eat alone and always have just said I don’t feel comfortable with current covid numbers.

[bee20]

@roxmonster,I'm in a similar spot-new role, mostly remote, but some onsite planning meetings. I'm pretty conservative but I have consciously chosen to eat lunch with colleagues with my mask off since I'm new in the role. It's a hard decision, I don't eat out and wear a mask to shops but have decided for small gatherings of friends or colleagues I will take the covid risk.

I have still worn my mask during the meetings but take it off to eat and present. It's not going to fully protect me from covid, but it does reduce the dose, and I have avoided catching it when others in the same meeting did, both pre and post omicron. I am wearing a KN95 when not unmasked, and get some snide comments from some coworkers (only around 5% wear a mask). I just mention I have some fun plans coming up and don't want to miss them so I'm doing the best I can.

[picksthemusic]

We now have two MDs in our clinic out with Covid. All folks who have avoided it for this whole time and are vaccinated and boosted.

We are cancelling plans left and right now, and making sure we're masking with KN95s wherever possible.

[fortnightlily]

I wonder if by Fall we're gonna see the policy shift further to not requiring isolation at all but just a mask for anyone who's positive but has no-to-mild symptoms and feels well enough to be at work. I can see a push for that happening if hospitalization rates continue to remain low/manageable relative to case rates. Especially among the health, education, and transit workforces.

[noodleoo]

Jul 12, 2022 11:09:08 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

I wonder if by Fall we're gonna see the policy shift further to not requiring isolation at all but just a mask for anyone who's positive but has no-to-mild symptoms and feels well enough to be at work. I can see a push for that happening if hospitalization rates continue to remain low/manageable relative to case rates. Especially among the health, education, and transit workforces.

LOL the people I know who have Covid currently are already doing this.  It is crazy.  I feel like I'm the crazy one being shocked that people *with* Covid are out and about.  What happened to isolating?

It is weird that it feels like Covid rates are going up here based all the people I know who suddenly have Covid.  It has definitely increased in the last few weeks.  But the data I used to follow is not reflecting it anymore since no one reports rapids.  I feel very conflicted and the uncertainty gives me anxiety.

[Velar Fricative]

There seems to be a lot of concern about getting infected every few weeks, and then I realized something. While there are reports of that happening, I think it also depends on onset of variants and when they start becoming prevalent in a region. We'll take me as an example. I was infected for the first time 6 weeks ago. I have no idea if it was BA.5 or not - it's reasonable to believe it could have been, but also reasonable to believe it could have been another variant. If it wasn't BA.5, then I guess technically I could get infected anytime, including right now. If it was BA.5, then I have immunity from that variant but once the next variant shows up, I could get infected again with that new variant.

So basically, certain people are horribly unlucky getting infected just a few weeks later because of the timing of their first infection and whether it was during the period that one variant was losing steam and when the other was gaining steam in their location. But it's not the case that some people will continue to be so unlucky that they'll basically catch a new case of covid every month. If we can slow down the variants somehow (lolsob), then we slow down the risks of reinfections.

Maybe all of you realized this before but I didn't so I'm posting lol. It makes me feel a tiny bit better knowing that maybe it's really not all that likely that I could get covid every 3 months like clockwork. But of course, this will all depend on what the hell happens in the future, which is anyone's guess.

Also, everyone I know who's had covid in the last few months has felt like crap for at least a day or two. I cannot fathom anyone going out and about if they feel as crappy as I felt from days 2-4. The rest of the time...yeah, I could have gone out if I wanted to but I did not, I swear. So I feel like even if policies are dropped, people will isolate at least some of the time because they feel like utter crap. And I can't imagine my workplace allowing people with symptoms to come to work - we've disciplined people who did this already. But we have generous sick leave benefits; I'm sure many other workplaces are like "Yeah but can you work? Cool, come to work then."

[fortnightlily]

Jul 12, 2022 12:24:48 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Also, everyone I know who's had covid in the last few months has felt like crap for at least a day or two. I cannot fathom anyone going out and about if they feel as crappy as I felt from days 2-4. The rest of the time...yeah, I could have gone out if I wanted to but I did not, I swear. So I feel like even if policies are dropped, people will isolate at least some of the time because they feel like utter crap. And I can't imagine my workplace allowing people with symptoms to come to work - we've disciplined people who did this already. But we have generous sick leave benefits; I'm sure many other workplaces are like "Yeah but can you work? Cool, come to work then."

I'm on Day 8 (still testing positive, sigh), but my symptoms have been typical for a pretty fast-moving mild cold for me. I was sneezing a lot on Day 2, and coughing a bit on Day 3, but (were I not already working remotely) had it not been for the positive test my only staying home on those days would've been out of courtesy, not because I wasn't feeling well enough. And DH's symptoms were even milder than mine.

So I wonder when we're going to basically stop trying to contain in-person spread except in the clearest cases and see this shift to treat attendance as it would be with any other illness. Feel like crap or have a fever/vomiting/diarrhea - stay the hell home. Otherwise...wear a mask but see ya tomorrow? 

[dulcemariamar]

Jul 11, 2022 16:19:37 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Jul 11, 2022 15:25:28 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I would just bring my lunch and eat outside or my car and if anyone asks just say that you have been exposed to positive cases recently and you just want to be safe and not expose anyone and potentially ruin their summer plans or something along those lines.

No, don’t say this! No need to lie, especially by telling people you’ve been exposed lol. Just say you don’t want to risk catching covid.

It depends if this is a one time event where you are expected to eat with +50 plus people then I don’t think it is a big deal.

People have gone crazy about people wearing masks and COVID being just a cold. The OP said it was a new job so maybe she wants to get to know people before she “makes waves”

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 12, 2022 12:54:15 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

Jul 12, 2022 12:24:48 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Also, everyone I know who's had covid in the last few months has felt like crap for at least a day or two. I cannot fathom anyone going out and about if they feel as crappy as I felt from days 2-4. The rest of the time...yeah, I could have gone out if I wanted to but I did not, I swear. So I feel like even if policies are dropped, people will isolate at least some of the time because they feel like utter crap. And I can't imagine my workplace allowing people with symptoms to come to work - we've disciplined people who did this already. But we have generous sick leave benefits; I'm sure many other workplaces are like "Yeah but can you work? Cool, come to work then."

I'm on Day 8 (still testing positive, sigh), but my symptoms have been typical for a pretty fast-moving mild cold for me. I was sneezing a lot on Day 2, and coughing a bit on Day 3, but (were I not already working remotely) had it not been for the positive test my only staying home on those days would've been out of courtesy, not because I wasn't feeling well enough. And DH's symptoms were even milder than mine.

So I wonder when we're going to basically stop trying to contain in-person spread except in the clearest cases and see this shift to treat attendance as it would be with any other illness. Feel like crap or have a fever/vomiting/diarrhea - stay the hell home. Otherwise...wear a mask but see ya tomorrow? 

I also fully admit that since it had been a reallllly long time since I had been sick (I don't get sick that much in normal times), I could have just been a big whiny baby during days 2-4 and it probably wouldn't have felt so bad to others lol. The fatigue is what really got to me and prevented me from working.

[fortnightlily]

Jul 12, 2022 13:26:57 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jul 12, 2022 12:54:15 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

I'm on Day 8 (still testing positive, sigh), but my symptoms have been typical for a pretty fast-moving mild cold for me. I was sneezing a lot on Day 2, and coughing a bit on Day 3, but (were I not already working remotely) had it not been for the positive test my only staying home on those days would've been out of courtesy, not because I wasn't feeling well enough. And DH's symptoms were even milder than mine.

So I wonder when we're going to basically stop trying to contain in-person spread except in the clearest cases and see this shift to treat attendance as it would be with any other illness. Feel like crap or have a fever/vomiting/diarrhea - stay the hell home. Otherwise...wear a mask but see ya tomorrow? 

I also fully admit that since it had been a reallllly long time since I had been sick (I don't get sick that much in normal times), I could have just been a big whiny baby during days 2-4 and it probably wouldn't have felt so bad to others lol. The fatigue is what really got to me and prevented me from working.

Don't feel the need to downplay! It was just notable *for me* that I finally got hit with the thing and it wasn't even as bad as other head colds I've had this year.

I just think it's so hard to know how to move forward as a society when the variability of severity is so broad. How much longer does it make sense to treat this illness differently from others and try to regulate behavior based on average windows of contagiousness vs presence of symptoms.

I guess it's also the distinction between lamenting that people are "acting like Covid is over" when I think it really falls into a different category. The people really acting like "Covid is over" are probably the same people who were acting like Covid wasn't really a thing to begin with. Then there are those of us who did take it seriously and did get vaccinated, take precautions, etc., but are starting to feel like Covid will *never* be over and is already *everywhere and practically unavoidable* so... at what point do we just stop having Covid concerns be such a disruption in our daily lives.

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 12, 2022 13:28:30 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Jul 12, 2022 13:08:14 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

It depends if this is a one time event where you are expected to eat with +50 plus people then I don’t think it is a big deal.

People have gone crazy about people wearing masks and COVID being just a cold. The OP said it was a new job so maybe she wants to get to know people before she “makes waves”

Regardless the answer is not to tell people she’s been exposed!

Right, also because then they might be like "well...why are you at this meeting at all then? Get your cooties away from us."

[Patsy Baloney]

There is literally no reason to lie about an exposure to behave in a way you are comfortable with when making your own risk assessments.

“Where are you headed?”

“I prefer to eat my lunch outside. See you in an hour!”

Fin.

[Vespasia]

lauren170 there's a separate @ COVID thread

[lea]

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

[NewOrleans]

Jul 12, 2022 13:47:05 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jul 12, 2022 13:28:30 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Regardless the answer is not to tell people she’s been exposed!

Right, also because then they might be like "well...why are you at this meeting at all then? Get your cooties away from us."

😂 I can’t believe this discussion is taking place. wtf. 

[TR]

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

I think it really varies person to person, but I think a lot of people have had symptoms for a day or two before testing positive so if today is your first day of symptoms, I would think there’s still a chance you could test positive tomorrow or the next day. My sore throat started Saturday, I had the faintest of squinters Sunday morning and a dark line Monday morning.

[chilerellanos]

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

I have it right now. I woke up with a scratchy throat and headache and the next day body aches and fever. Like 102. I took two rapids and they were negative.

I went to the doctor convinced I had strep because my tonsils were so swollen.. It was negative and she did a send out for Covid and it was positive.

As long as I keep my fever down I feel totally normal though except my throat is kind of scratchy and swollen.

[purplepenguin7]

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

I had COVID about two months ago and had the worst body aches.  I couldn't even sit anywhere because it hurt too much.  I also had almost no cold symptoms, no runny nose, no sneezing.  My main symptoms were body aches and nasuea.  It was my first time getting COVID and it was not at all what I "expected" based on several friends and family members experiences.

[staceymcgill]

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

I had it in May. My only symptom the first day was a slightly scratchy throat. The next day my throat was still a little scratchy but I barely noticed because my body aches and headache were so bad.

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

Yes. I woke up with a scratchy throat and immediately tested positive, but developed leg aches on day 2. Yes, just the legs. It was weird.

My runny nose and congestion (plus loss of taste and smell) didn’t actually start until I got my energy back on day 4 and then lasted another week. My symptoms basically ran the gamut. I tested positive about 6 weeks ago.

[erbear]

Jul 12, 2022 15:52:58 GMT -5 chilerellanos said:

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

I have it right now. I woke up with a scratchy throat and headache and the next day body aches and fever. Like 102. I took two rapids and they were negative.

I went to the doctor convinced I had strep because my tonsils were so swollen.. It was negative and she did a send out for Covid and it was positive.

As long as I keep my fever down I feel totally normal though except my throat is kind of scratchy and swollen.

I’m here right now. My throat doesn’t really hurt, but my glands feel swollen and my ears kind of hurt. No other symptoms, still testing negative.

[lea]

Thanks, all. Yesterday was my first time doing a strength workout in awhile so I was hoping the aches were just my muscles screaming 😂 but coupled with the scratchy throat and general ugh feeling, who knows. I’ll test again tomorrow. Of course, DH is out of town so I can’t isolate or even really rest if I have it!

[rubytue]

Jul 12, 2022 11:09:08 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

I wonder if by Fall we're gonna see the policy shift further to not requiring isolation at all but just a mask for anyone who's positive but has no-to-mild symptoms and feels well enough to be at work. I can see a push for that happening if hospitalization rates continue to remain low/manageable relative to case rates. Especially among the health, education, and transit workforces.

I was review my agency screening questions, as in the questions that would allow you to telework instead of coming in. And I feel like we are already there. For example, sore throat - not on there (never mind omicron 🙄). Also, exposure is not on there. Or travel. I mean, travel isn’t that much different than going to the store this year, but it’s on almost every list I’ve seen. 

And when you ask a question, the answer is always “work with your supervisor.” But, that requires your supervisor to go against what’s in writing. And, FTR, I did email my supervisor when I woke up with a scratchy throat, and was told “they are so concerned with people gaming the system, take a rapid, if it’s negative, come in.” Seems a whole lot of giving up.

[tealblue]

Jul 12, 2022 15:30:36 GMT -5 lea said:

Did anyone who had COVID recently have major body aches? I woke up with a slightly scratchy throat and body aches. Rapid was negative but I’ll continue to re-test. Most anecdotes have said it was more like a cold but I just feel super achy right now. I haven’t paid much attention to what BA4/BA5 symptoms are compared to previous variants.

Mine started with a horrible headache and body aches. I took Tylenol and ibuprofen and it didn’t relieve any pain. So then I took a Covid test and it was quickly positive. Body aches were probably 24-48 hours and exhaustion.

Symptoms then varied each day- sore throat, runny nose, coughing, stomach aches (could be from lack of eating), dull sense of taste.

[Velar Fricative]

Has anyone who had COVID seen changes in their periods?

I never saw changes after any of my vaccine doses but my period is wacky this month, and I’m always very regular and predictable. My face is also unusually oily, so I’m guessing there is a lot of hormonal shit going on that hopefully is temporary.

[audette]

I got my 2nd booster yesterday. Feeling some low level side effects from it, but just barely bad enough I'm using them as an excuse to work from home today.

I'm still not 100% sure I qualify for the 2nd booster, but decided I have enough risk factors to make it a reasonable thing to do. The local county health department does walk in vaccines on Tuesdays and Fridays, so it's easy-peasy... The poor woman who was tasked with doing the shots looked bored out of her mind when I arrived (less than an hour into their walk-in window).