(turned into @) December Covid

[NewOrleans]

Public school students in Philadelphia will have to wear face coverings at school for 10 days after their winter break, officials said, as communities around the country contend with another surge of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.

www.reuters.com/world/us/philadelphia-schools-will-require-masks-us-covid-cases-spike-2022-12-15/

[wanderingback]

Dec 16, 2022 15:28:44 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Dec 16, 2022 15:08:57 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

My cousin wrote a play that’s being performed soon. Although there are still people masking here, most mandates at places have been dropped. I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the theater where the show is has dropped the mandate but they have 1 night a week where masks are required at the show. So I happily got tickets for that night. I wish more places did that, kind of like how there were grocery shopping hours for the elderly and disabled for awhile during the pandemic.

I would love this. We don’t do any optional indoor activities currently because one way masking is too much of a gamble. We one way mask with N95s whenever we are indoors in public but don’t bring J inside except for daycare because his mask wearing isn’t very good still. If others were regularly masked I think it would really help us be able to get out and do more things during this dreary winter. Love that the theater is offering this and wish more places would follow suit!

Yep I’m on hibernation mode all winter with the exception of this play since they’re requiring masks. I wish there were more mask required options for both kids and adults. Wearing a mask is such an easy thing to do!
Spring will be here before we know it and can more comfortably enjoy outdoor activities again.

[tacokick]

Dec 16, 2022 17:46:43 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Dec 16, 2022 17:30:50 GMT -5 tacokick said:

It really is worth calling/contacting places and telling them your concerns. Places doesn’t know people want these things unless we tell them.

Quite a few places here are having mask required times and events because people are speaking up. The big indie craft show opened early for masks only shopping, I’ve seen mask required story hours and book clubs, exercise classes, salon days, concerts and shows. I’ve attend several craft classes at various places that require masks. There are apparently masks required movie showings and we’ve been to mask required events at museums and talks recently.

Having masked events during a public health crisis is a really a low bar for places that claim to be inclusive and open to everyone and if they aren’t meeting it, they should be held accountable and get feedback about that.

I don’t know if it would work if you live some place where absolutely no one masks ever and there is a lot of anti-science rhetoric but it’s worth a shot especially at places that say they are inclusive and/or family oriented.

ETA I also find if you attend one masked event, everyone there knows where all the other ones are. There might be more than you’d think.

This makes me think you’re the same level of covid precaution as me which makes my little heart happy. I do a round of calls on this at least once a month with specific emphasis on places I’d love to bring my 2 year old but so far it hasn’t resulted in anything. We are in a blue state but it’s unfortunately an area where continued precautions are VERY unpopular, especially when it comes to kids. I am connected with a lot of other cautious families of toddlers online and we maintain a directory of safe options for family friendly activities but there aren’t good options local to me yet. We will keep trying. For me this is a long game because my grave concerns about my kid potentially being forced to catch covid dozens of times in his lifetime are not going away any time soon. We either need to get better at masking and ventilation or make extreme leaps in the vaccine and medical prevention and treatment space stat.

It’s disappointing it hasn’t yielded results.

Personally, I like to target any place that isn’t heavily suggesting or requiring masks but uses a lot of inclusive language or anything about community on their website and ask what their policies are and if they’d be interested in having mask required events etc. Then they are either receptive immediately or I express some puzzlement because I thought a place that prides itself on being inclusive/open/community minded/family focused/uses public funds would want to insure all people feel safe and can participate. Masking is so simple etc

Then they either are open to the idea or not but at least they know they are being hypocrites. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It wild to me how many people are cavalier about their own and their child’s health. I feel like I am living in some alternative universe at times but it’s great to see other cautious people out there. These activities really should be the norm!

I’ve also found that when I’ve suggested a mask required event and they have it, it is really well attended and then they keep having them so it’s worth it to keep chipping away. I think some places truly don’t feel like there is interest.

[rubytue]

COVID adjacent… a couple of the French soccer team have tested positive for MERS. But apparently, most transmission is camel->human, not person to person. So…..

www.healthline.com/health-news/mers-what-to-know-about-the-virus-and-if-it-will-spread-after-the-world-cup

en.as.com/soccer/what-is-camel-flu-virus-affecting-france-squad-ahead-of-world-cup-final-n/

[seeyalater52]

Oh fun, just got like a billion texts that the end of year package negotiations are imploding and it looks like it’s going to pass with an end to the federal covid public health emergency included. Fuck. Aside from it being just absurd timing (it would end 60 days after passage) it’s also going to throw my work into chaos because of the projected 18 million people who will lose Medicaid coverage when it fully unwinds.

[aspentosh]

Outside of the fact that I literally just got over COVID, we are another uber-testing family anytime there was a sniffle, weird throat feeling, or whatever. We've gone through... a lot of tests. But we also mask and aren't doing very many high risk activities. My brother (a doctor) laughed at all the of the testing I've done.

[rubytue]

Dec 17, 2022 10:18:48 GMT -5 aspentosh said:

Outside of the fact that I literally just got over COVID, we are another uber-testing family anytime there was a sniffle, weird throat feeling, or whatever. We've gone through... a lot of tests. But we also mask and aren't doing very many high risk activities. My brother (a doctor) laughed at all the of the testing I've done.

Same. I sneeze, I test. I have a friend (medical adjacent) who laughs at me for testing so much. And I keep enough around I have twice provided them to a doctor friend of mine.

But, so far so good. That said, I’ve done more high risk things this week than most of the past years (indoor party type things). *knocks wood* Well, I did go on two cruises.  I do have an extra vaccine (5 total) and two doses of the PReP monoclonal. 

 

[icedcoffee]

I’ve reached the excessive snot portion of Covid, apparently. 😂

Day 7 here. Still testing positive.

[aspentosh]

Dec 18, 2022 10:48:51 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I’ve reached the excessive snot portion of Covid, apparently. 😂

Day 7 here. Still testing positive.

Good luck! Your course sounds worse than mine was, but my excessive snot (only symptom really) ended around day 4. Then I tested positive until day 14  

[icedcoffee]

Dec 18, 2022 12:17:59 GMT -5 aspentosh said:

Dec 18, 2022 10:48:51 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I’ve reached the excessive snot portion of Covid, apparently. 😂

Day 7 here. Still testing positive.

Good luck! Your course sounds worse than mine was, but my excessive snot (only symptom really) ended around day 4. Then I tested positive until day 14  

It actually hasn’t been too bad for me but today I just woke up feeling excessively snotty. What a weird little virus!

[cous0226]

Covid first time looking for advice. Tested positive today and was exposed for sure on Tuesday. So far my symptoms are itchiness of my body and I had sniffles when I Woke up but they are gone.

I have asthma but no breathing issues thus far. Am wondering if I am through this with mild symptoms or do I need to go to doc tomorrow for Paxlovid? Thank you and hope everyone is doing ok.

[underwaterrhymes]

cous0226 - my symptoms were mild, but I have underlying and ongoing health issues (nothing that makes me high risk, just enough that my doctor knows me well) so she prescribed it to me when I messaged her. I didn’t even have to go in. This has not been the experience of many people I know. It seems to be somewhat hard to get. That said, I’d push for it. They’re seeing signs that this helps prevent long COVID and that people who rebound do so with or without Pax. I’m so glad I took it.

[beerlover]

cous0226, I'd also call your dr. and see if you can get it. I didn't have to go either, I just called in and she sent the Rx to the pharmacy. I'm not "high risk" per se but I do have mild asthma and a genetic condition that could affect my lungs someday (but hasn't yet).

Possibly placebo effect but I swear I felt better after even 12 hours of taking it. The horrible headache which was one of my symptoms went away, and I turned around pretty quickly!

[cous0226]

Dec 19, 2022 7:58:33 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

cous0226 - my symptoms were mild, but I have underlying and ongoing health issues (nothing that makes me high risk, just enough that my doctor knows me well) so she prescribed it to me when I messaged her. I didn’t even have to go in. This has not been the experience of many people I know. It seems to be somewhat hard to get. That said, I’d push for it. They’re seeing signs that this helps prevent long COVID and that people who rebound do so with or without Pax. I’m so glad I took it.

ok thank you I called.  Gonna have a telem and then get it.  I'd rather just take it and not run around looking for someone to give it to me if it gets worse.  It's not easy to get appts where I live.  I appreciate it.   

[cous0226]

Dec 19, 2022 8:16:51 GMT -5 beerlover said:

cous0226 , I'd also call your dr. and see if you can get it. I didn't have to go either, I just called in and she sent the Rx to the pharmacy. I'm not "high risk" per se but I do have mild asthma and a genetic condition that could affect my lungs someday (but hasn't yet).

Possibly placebo effect but I swear I felt better after even 12 hours of taking it. The horrible headache which was one of my symptoms went away, and I turned around pretty quickly!

thank you for your help, am doing that today gonna have a telemed. 

[underwaterrhymes]

Dec 19, 2022 10:43:56 GMT -5 cous0226 said:

Dec 19, 2022 7:58:33 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

cous0226 - my symptoms were mild, but I have underlying and ongoing health issues (nothing that makes me high risk, just enough that my doctor knows me well) so she prescribed it to me when I messaged her. I didn’t even have to go in. This has not been the experience of many people I know. It seems to be somewhat hard to get. That said, I’d push for it. They’re seeing signs that this helps prevent long COVID and that people who rebound do so with or without Pax. I’m so glad I took it.

ok thank you I called.  Gonna have a telem and then get it.  I'd rather just take it and not run around looking for someone to give it to me if it gets worse.  It's not easy to get appts where I live.  I appreciate it.   

Good luck. Get yourself some red hots or mints to suck on. The taste is nasty and lasts the whole time you’re taking it. Still worth it, but super gross.

[seeyalater52]

In politically related covid news, it looks like the end of the year Omni package agreement that Congress tentatively reached ends the pandemic maintenance of effort that requires that states can’t disenroll people on Medicaid during the public health emergency over the course of 2023. Redeterminations would start April 1 and there’s a complicated scheme to adjust the MOE FMAP bump during the year.

In laypeople terms this basically means that they are severing the Medicaid eligibility rule from the rest of the federal covid public health emergency, which seems to be a compromise to ending the entire covid public health emergency sooner while appeasing members of Congress and state officials who don’t want to continue Medicaid enrollment at current levels.

It also means that once again low income people are basically a sacrificial lamb to political whims during this pandemic which is pissing me right off today. What the health care system reeeeeally needs right now is 18 million people losing health coverage and scrambling to get re-enrolled, many of whom won’t have any good options. Fuck.

[Vespasia]

We had our work holiday party last Wednesday evening. We're in medicine and this was our first in-person gathering in 3 years. Found out today my boss has COVID. She'd been incredibly careful and had not contracted it up to this point. Then I found out the guy I work closest with had very mild symptoms and tested positive this morning. I know at least one other person had cold symptoms Friday. 

I'm running over to get a PCR test shortly. So far I have managed to avoid having COVID even when MH was sick. I'm supposed to go see my octogenarian dad and stepmother this weekend and I'll be very irritated if this is when it finally gets me. 

[cous0226]

Dec 19, 2022 10:45:23 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Dec 19, 2022 10:43:56 GMT -5 cous0226 said:

ok thank you I called.  Gonna have a telem and then get it.  I'd rather just take it and not run around looking for someone to give it to me if it gets worse.  It's not easy to get appts where I live.  I appreciate it.   

Good luck. Get yourself some red hots or mints to suck on. The taste is nasty and lasts the whole time you’re taking it. Still worth it, but super gross.

thanks for the tip.  The last few days my mouth has felt a gross taste without even taking it so I guess another gross symptom.   ugh 

[StrawberryBlondie]

Kid got the bivalent booster on Friday and basically no effect. She had a really sore arm and said she had a pretty bad headache on Saturday evening but it seemed gone by bedtime. So, win.

[icedcoffee]

I’m on day 9 and I feel like I’m getting worse! I was almost totally fine the first 5 or so days and now I’m so snotty. I almost wonder if I caught a different cold. LOL

[Velar Fricative]

Going back to the conversation about people truly never having covid. One of my staff has a religious exemption from our vaccination mandate and as a result, has required weekly tests for a really long time now. She's never had covid during that period. I feel like before vaccines were developed, she would have been honest if she had gotten covid in 2020 so I truly believe she and the rest of her unvaccinated household have never had it. And that's just astounding to me, especially given their lack of vaccination and the fact that they've been out and about like everyone else for even longer than most people have lol. But perhaps she is a covid denier and just never told anyone, but she also hasn't been sick enough to stay home either. What annoys me is that she's very much into woo wellness shit so she probably thinks elderberry or some shit is keeping her healthy.

[icedcoffee]

Dec 20, 2022 9:03:05 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

 What annoys me is that she's very much into woo wellness shit so she probably thinks elderberry or some shit is keeping her healthy.

I've been pounding elderberry since early November and I can confirm it did not prevent my covid.  LOL  

[cous0226]

Hi are you mostly contagious for a few days from the day you know you were exposed or for when you test positive? Am trying to figure out how long my husband and I need to quarantine In other rooms. Thanks.

[pixy0stix]

Dec 20, 2022 9:44:06 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Dec 20, 2022 9:03:05 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

 What annoys me is that she's very much into woo wellness shit so she probably thinks elderberry or some shit is keeping her healthy.

I've been pounding elderberry since early November and I can confirm it did not prevent my covid.  LOL  

At the very beginning of the pandemic something came out that said that elderberry actually caused worse cases of covid. I wonder if that still holds true. Anyone want to do that research for me? Lol!

[Velar Fricative]

Dec 20, 2022 10:06:29 GMT -5 cous0226 said:

Hi are you mostly contagious for a few days from the day you know you were exposed or for when you test positive? Am trying to figure out how long my husband and I need to quarantine In other rooms. Thanks.

It's impossible to know for sure but the virus does need time to build up after exposure. Two days before symptom onset (or positive test if asymptomatic) is what we go by at work for possible peak contagiousness, so your best bet is to go by the day symptoms began.

[icedcoffee]

Dec 20, 2022 10:12:11 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Dec 20, 2022 9:44:06 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I've been pounding elderberry since early November and I can confirm it did not prevent my covid.  LOL  

At the very beginning of the pandemic something came out that said that elderberry actually caused worse cases of covid. I wonder if that still holds true. Anyone want to do that research for me? Lol!

Interesting.  I had a very mild case of covid until today (Day 9) when I am miserable with sinus congestion.  I am not convinced that this is still part of covid though.  I kind of wonder if it's something new or a complication of getting some fluid trapped somewhere and an infection brewing.  Ha.

[seeyalater52]

Dec 20, 2022 10:06:29 GMT -5 cous0226 said:

Hi are you mostly contagious for a few days from the day you know you were exposed or for when you test positive? Am trying to figure out how long my husband and I need to quarantine In other rooms. Thanks.

You’re roughly contagious for the period where you turn a rapid test positive (not perfect but a good barometer that is achievable at home with the tools we have.) There is definitely a window between exposure and testing positive when most people are not contagious.

[seeyalater52]

Dec 20, 2022 10:58:42 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Dec 20, 2022 10:06:29 GMT -5 cous0226 said:

Hi are you mostly contagious for a few days from the day you know you were exposed or for when you test positive? Am trying to figure out how long my husband and I need to quarantine In other rooms. Thanks.

It's impossible to know for sure but the virus does need time to build up after exposure. Two days before symptom onset (or positive test if asymptomatic) is what we go by at work for possible peak contagiousness, so your best bet is to go by the day symptoms began.

I think the window on this has shifted somewhat since vaccines were introduced and more widely adopted as many vaccinated people begin experiencing symptoms that are reactivity from recognizing and fighting off the virus based on vaccine antibodies vs from a contagious infection.

That said, with protection from the initial vaccine series waning over the years since it came out and poor booster uptake we may see that shift back to how it was pre-vaccine at some point if they can’t get more people up to date on vaccines.

[fortnightlily]

Dec 20, 2022 10:59:59 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Dec 20, 2022 10:12:11 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

At the very beginning of the pandemic something came out that said that elderberry actually caused worse cases of covid. I wonder if that still holds true. Anyone want to do that research for me? Lol!

Interesting.  I had a very mild case of covid until today (Day 9) when I am miserable with sinus congestion.  I am not convinced that this is still part of covid though.  I kind of wonder if it's something new or a complication of getting some fluid trapped somewhere and an infection brewing.  Ha.

Definitely possible. Sinus infection after any URI is pretty common, no?  My friend who is prone to sinus issues had severe sinus inflammation linger for a few weeks after she was past the Covid itself. Her ENT said she's been seeing a lot of that and gave her steroids.