General COVID vaccination thread

[bigsky]

My first test, the day after I got a fever, was negative. Three days later the 2nd pink line popped up right away. So I was well into being a raging contagion before I got a positive test.

“Contagious 2 days before symptoms” could be anyone and is more likely just about everyone.

If anything, this particular variant should put an end to “you are sick because you did something wrong” covid calvinism. It’s broken thru all vaccines and boosters and is everywhere, and infected people don’t know they have it and are spreading it for days.

I think “after doing everything right I finally got it” will be the phrase of the winter of ‘22.

[blueboss]

I’ve had 2+1 vaccines since back in Oct. I woke up this morning with a scratchy throat… now I’m wondering if I should get tested?


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[bigsky]

Wish we had an answer for that conundrum. Having a home test didnt prevent me from testing negative and then going out and about. I hope you have a dry throat and thats it, my friend.

[TNCat]

This really is a conundrum. As you said, we can all do the right things but still get it and still spread it. My daughter went with us to our Christmas Eve church service. She may very well have been contagious at that point but was asymptomatic. Had we known, there is no way we would want to potentially endanger other folks from our church.

At home tests are a start but accuracy is an issue. It is also difficult in Knoxville to find at home tests or to find a rapid test. The PCR tests in Knoxville are 3-5 days behind in reporting the results. That said, Blueboss, I would try to find a testing site if I were you. It doesn't hurt to be tested and if you get a positive response then you will know how to proceed.

Some others on this board can attest to accuracy issues far better than I can.

[blueboss]

Ive got a home test that I bought a while back, but now with all of the negative press I’m beginning to wonder about the accuracy.

If I go to a clinic it’ll take 3 days for results…at that point the horse is already out of the barn.

I have no other symptoms…


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[PedroDaGr8]

To everyone who said thanks for my contributions in explaining the various minutia around COVID, I am truly glad to do so. We have a great community here and its my way to contribute. Many here have helped me over the years as well be it lending me a floppy drive or advice on a dog in ill-health. This is going to be a messy response but so be it!

Very useful bit of info.

My close call story is too long to tell right now, but my GF's brother just lost his wife to it with a blood clot, and she tested positive at the hospital, but he and his daughter, who have both shown flu like symptoms, have yet to get tested. Really? Can't even get tested? They're actually doing it today, but she's been in care a week and was sick for a week or so before that. In my quick reading it seems that blood clotting is a possible symptom, and they all had the other regular symptoms, but dismissed it without a test. I just don't get it.

Long story, but right now they are in town (live in NC, wife is at Duke), but we aren't going to go visit b/c we just don't know their status at this point. They've had it probably long enough to not be contagious I suppose, but given his more cavalier attitude about it I'm still nervous. We feel bad for not going, but not comfortable with the alternative either when the exposure is otherwise unnecessary.

That is the kind of behavior that infuriates me. There were a few people I knew of late last year/early this year who were like that were like that. They swore up and down that what their dad had was not COVID, that COVID was just like the common cold or the flu. When asked if they were going to get tested, nope. Then the wife got it, other siblings got it, etc. only through those other people getting tested did they conclude they had it too.
Needless to say, these people are no longer people I interact with AT ALL.

My family has been, vaxed, boosted and cautious but it finally happened. My college age daughter tested positive yesterday. She has a mild case and will be fine. The other 3 of us tested negative but I’m doubt we will be able to avoid it. I had an afternoon last week where I had cold like symptoms. I took an at home test and it was negative. I’m wondering if I had a false negative. Honestly, At this point, I would almost prefer to have had it and had the mild symptoms that I had. Seems like Omicron is going to infect a lot if not most of us.

Ouch, that is unfortunate. As I mentioned before, we had our close scare as well. I agree that we will all likely contract it at some point. The vaccines are still doing a good job at keeping us from getting horribly sick until we can build up sufficient population scale immunity.

If anything, this particular variant should put an end to “you are sick because you did something wrong” covid calvinism. It’s broken thru all vaccines and boosters and is everywhere, and infected people don’t know they have it and are spreading it for days.

This kind of view isn't common up here but I have heard about it from friends in other cities. Contracting COVID isn't a reflection of morality, this is something I have never understood. You can do everything perfect and it is contagious enough that you could still contract it. The only thing on which I pass moral judgement are those who show a callous disregard for the lives of others. Those who won't even do the bare minimum (like get tested) to ensure they aren't putting other's health in danger.

I’ve had 2+1 vaccines since back in Oct. I woke up this morning with a scratchy throat… now I’m wondering if I should get tested?


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Ive got a home test that I bought a while back, but now with all of the negative press I’m beginning to wonder about the accuracy.

If I go to a clinic it’ll take 3 days for results…at that point the horse is already out of the barn.

I have no other symptoms…

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Yes, you should get tested. Personally, if the clinic is free, I would do both the clinic AND the home test. I will explain my though process below. If either is positive, then you should consider yourself positive (here's hoping you don't).

That being said if both are negative, there are some nasty strains of Influenza A and RSV going around right now. So even if you get VERY sick, it is not certain that you had/have COVID.

Wish we had an answer for that conundrum. Having a home test didnt prevent me from testing negative and then going out and about. I hope you have a dry throat and thats it, my friend.

This really is a conundrum. As you said, we can all do the right things but still get it and still spread it. My daughter went with us to our Christmas Eve church service. She may very well have been contagious at that point but was asymptomatic. Had we known, there is no way we would want to potentially endanger other folks from our church.

At home tests are a start but accuracy is an issue. It is also difficult in Knoxville to find at home tests or to find a rapid test. The PCR tests in Knoxville are 3-5 days behind in reporting the results. That said, Blueboss, I would try to find a testing site if I were you. It doesn't hurt to be tested and if you get a positive response then you will know how to proceed.

Some others on this board can attest to accuracy issues far better than I can.

The accuracy thing is really a bit up in the air right now. As usual, I think the situation is not nearly as bad as the stories in the news are indicating (they tend to focus on the extremes). That being said, this is one of the downsides to assays being developed in a highly fluid situation. Most clinical diagnostic tests go through months, if not years, of rigorous testing to ensure they are as selective, sensitive, and specific as possible. We still don't have that time for that level of validation to occur, our target is still moving.

That doesn't mean they are useless, far from it. It is all about risk mitigation, you can't eliminate the risk but you can mitigate it some/a lot. If the at home test is negative, then you mitigated some of the risk. It is more likely that you are negative than not getting tested at all and going around blindly. If both tests are negative, then you have an even higher degree of confidence in the negative result. In an ideal scenario, the first test mitigates all the risk but realty is seldom ideal. It's akin to the safety systems in a car, they don't mitigate all of the risks of driving but each extra layer increases the likelihood of survival/not being injured.

Furthermore, even if you find out that you are positive in several days and "the horse is already out of the barn", you can notify those around you that you turned out to be positive and THEY should test themselves accordingly. While it doesn't reduce the risk of spread as much as if you knew from the get go, it can still have a significant impact.

[bigsky]

Yes I made that, “i may have exposed you to a socially transmitted disease” call. Embarrassing. And why embarrassing? Because it still, in my part of the world and on social media, has this connotation of “what did you do wrong to get it?” Also, “why didnt you know you had it?” It is only now, with omnipresent omicron and it’s breakthroughs and quick transmission, that we are leaving the blame game behind. I would add that my part of the country there is a general, “why did you get sick, aren’t you working out, running 10ks, and eating vegan?” ethic. (Is that a Marmot Mountaineering puffy or a Sears puffy?)

I wake up everyday with a dry throat and cough. It’s below zero and drier than a popcorn fart here in Bozeman. The general winter condition is my nose runs in the cold and dry cold air irritates the whole breathing apparatus. Now if someone tells me they have a fever and it hurts to cut their eyes side to side, and they are fatigued and achey, I’m gonna say break out those home tests. But coughs and sniffles at zero degrees and 5000 feet are just life.

[PedroDaGr8]

Yes I made that, “i may have exposed you to a socially transmitted disease” call. Embarrassing. And why embarrassing? Because it still, in my part of the world and on social media, has this connotation of “what did you do wrong to get it?” Also, “why didnt you know you had it?” It is only now, with omnipresent omicron and it’s breakthroughs and quick transmission, that we are leaving the blame game behind. I would add that my part of the country there is a general, “why did you get sick, aren’t you working out, running 10ks, and eating vegan?” ethic. (Is that a Marmot Mountaineering puffy or a Sears puffy?)

I wake up everyday with a dry throat and cough. It’s below zero and drier than a popcorn fart here in Bozeman. The general winter condition is my nose runs in the cold and dry cold air irritates the whole breathing apparatus. Now if someone tells me they have a fever and it hurts to cut their eyes side to side, and they are fatigued and achey, I’m gonna say break out those home tests. But coughs and sniffles at zero degrees and 5000 feet are just life.

Obviously, all advice is relative to the situation at hand. I have horrible seasonal allergies. While I got tested a couple of times when they got exceptionally bad, overall I just ignored it if they were the standard allergies.

(Is that a Marmot Mountaineering puffy or a Sears puffy?)

Ahh those people, the ones whose lives are so vapid that they comment on things like that.

[dan_bgblue]

And Pedro, you have been unbelievably generous and helpful to this entire board. I know I speak for everyone when I express how grateful we are for your insights and explanations and patience. I feel like I have a cheat-sheet to this debacle, a place I can go to really get a grasp on the Covid issue of the day. It's been invaluable.

Rather than waste bandwidth by typing out my letter of appreciation, I will just piggyback here with my words of thanks. Your time and professional efforts have been and still are much appreciated.!!!!

[kingcat]

Donnas first symptoms began Saturday the week before Christmas. She tested positive on Tuesday that week. We are always in super close proximity to each other, two old lovebirds and all. The ER doctor Wednesday, a well as her nurse downplayed her as contagious. The Nurse even lowered her mask when Donna forgot to put hers back on, and he said, I'm not concerned about that.

As for me, I tested negative seven days after her symptoms began in earnest (probably eight days).

Donna is well now and tomorrow will have been 13 days from the onset of symptoms. My question is this, at what point does/did a negative test for me prove accurate?

And I certainly echo all the sentiments about our friend Pedro above.

[blueboss]

I got up this morning feeling worse. Cough and congestion escalated, but still no fever to speak of. Took a home test that showed up negative, called my Dr who squeezed me in, tested me for both A&B influenza and Covid… all came out negative.

Basically Ive got a head cold… stinks having to go through all the drama to find out what I had thought all along. Still feel crappy but beats dead.

Covid world sucks.


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[dan_bgblue]

New Covid-19 Pills Carry Risks: What Patients Should Know
Pfizer’s antiviral treatment can interact with other drugs, and Merck’s isn’t recommended for pregnant women


WSJ article

[I]But not everyone infected with Covid-19 is a candidate for treatment. The Pfizer drug, Paxlovid, shouldn’t be used at the same time as certain other drugs, including common ones like the cholesterol-lowering pill simvastatin, also known by the brand Zocor.

[Darrell KSR]

Add my daughter who lives at home to the list of Covid positives this morning. Avoided getting it treating Covid ICU patients through 2020 and some of 2021, but couldn't avoid it for 2022.

She has only mild symptoms, and is quarantined downstairs. She is vaccinated and boosted. Wears a mask when she is home unless she is in her bedroom because she's always at high risk, but it will be interesting to see if any of us catch it at home.

[KentuckyWildcat]

Anyone else wondering what the interest owed is for the favor of borrowing a floppy drive? I'm thinking a 4 GB usb drive in return? lol

Seriously, we all do thank you. I've also passed a lot of your information along to others. So your good favor is going beyond this board.

[KentuckyWildcat]

Side note, we had some family come in this weekend. They invited us over, thankfully we did not go. They never told us they had a kid waiting the results of a covid test. They said it was just a cold....that test came back positive yesterday. My in-laws are very covid aware, but decided to go briefly see them...even hugged the kids. I'm all for living your life. But use some common sense and respect.

[CitizenBBN]

Add my daughter who lives at home to the list of Covid positives this morning. Avoided getting it treating Covid ICU patients through 2020 and some of 2021, but couldn't avoid it for 2022.

She has only mild symptoms, and is quarantined downstairs. She is vaccinated and boosted. Wears a mask when she is home unless she is in her bedroom because she's always at high risk, but it will be interesting to see if any of us catch it at home.

Any idea yet if it's omicron? Seems that it's obviously very virulent but the symptoms seem mild. Esp. with her fully vaxxed.

My GF's daughter went to visit some family today. They tested negative but I'm sure they had it 2+ weeks ago. Can't say I'm really thrilled about it but should be OK.

I have a feeling everyone is going to end up with omicron. Seems it doesn't care much about the vaccines as far as getting it, just makes it milder maybe.

[Darrell KSR]

Any idea yet if it's omicron? Seems that it's obviously very virulent but the symptoms seem mild. Esp. with her fully vaxxed.

My GF's daughter went to visit some family today. They tested negative but I'm sure they had it 2+ weeks ago. Can't say I'm really thrilled about it but should be OK.

I have a feeling everyone is going to end up with omicron. Seems it doesn't care much about the vaccines as far as getting it, just makes it milder maybe.

Don't know, but that's what I would guess. I just tested negative (Binax at home rapid antigen test). We were certain I had it with identical symptoms (headache and "stomach issues," surprisingly.)

But...

Now I read that Omicron may not show up immediately with nasal swabs, and that it may appear in mouth and throat before nasal passageways. Or that you need to wait a couple of days. I canceled my only appointment for Monday and Tuesday so easy enough for me to quarantine at home anyway and if I still have symptoms I'll test again in a couple of days.

So if I'm guessing, I'd say Omicron. It's not bad, but then again, I tested negative so I may not have it. But my daughter says the same thing, not bad for her either. She's taking some Tylenol.

I would not have tested had she not tested positive. I have sinus headaches close to daily from my allergies, despite taking double doses of Flonase and Zyrtec daily. And stomach issues...well, they happen for a bunch of reasons. Had some different foods and drink yesterday, so that could be have caused mine. Or not. Who the heck knows?

Sure looks like practically everyone other than hermits will get this eventually. Hopefully it will be super mild.

[TNCat]

Add my daughter who lives at home to the list of Covid positives this morning. Avoided getting it treating Covid ICU patients through 2020 and some of 2021, but couldn't avoid it for 2022.

She has only mild symptoms, and is quarantined downstairs. She is vaccinated and boosted. Wears a mask when she is home unless she is in her bedroom because she's always at high risk, but it will be interesting to see if any of us catch it at home.

Hope you avoid it. My daughter had it and I now have it. It is the same as a bad cold. Hopefully it subsides soon.

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[TNCat]

I had two at home tests and a rapid test. It showed positive on the second at home test. The other two came back negative.

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[KentuckyWildcat]

I have sinus headaches close to daily from my allergies, despite taking double doses of Flonase and Zyrtec daily. And stomach issues...well, they happen for a bunch of reasons. Had some different foods and drink yesterday, so that could be have caused mine. Or not. Who the heck knows?

Same for me with the allergies and auto immune disorders from the throat all the way down. I may never know if I have covid. If I know, it is probably not a good sign.

But for the allergies. Try Xzyal in place of Zyrtec. It is basically an improved Zyrtec. Helps me a lot more. Zyrtec would help me but I had to double the dose and it would drain my energy at that point. Xyzal does not do that.

[dan_bgblue]

I decided 2years ago that the hermit lifestyle was beneficial for me for the near term future. I am not afraid to venture out, but I pick my places, time of day and days of the week for those trips. I am typiung with one hand and knowcking on wood with the other as I make this statement. I have not had a cold, a runny nose, a coough of any kind, nor any aches or any intestinal issues wince I returned home in late Feb of 2019. I view vaccines and N95 and N94 masks, and reading the Pedro reports whenever they appeear, to be my friends.

[dan_bgblue]

Try Xzyal in place of Zyrtec.

I really like the owl commerciaql

[dan_bgblue]

New COVID-19 variant found in France nicknamed IHU: report

Linkage

[PedroDaGr8]

New COVID-19 variant found in France nicknamed IHU: report

Linkage

I am not too worried about this one yet. First sequence was back in October (before Omicron) and so far only a dozen or so cases reported.

Just because there are large numbers of mutations doesn't mean they do anything. They can be, in essence, random accumulated "garabge" which doesn't impact fitness of the virus in any way. Since they don't hurt fitness, they aren't selected against, since they don't help fitness, they aren't selected for. They just exist until either the lineage dies out or until an additional mutation provides a fitness advantage and caries these "garbage mutations" along with it.

Until we start seeing the explosive exponential growth that we saw in Omicron, then I am not too worried.

[Darrell KSR]

Hope you avoid it. My daughter had it and I now have it. It is the same as a bad cold. Hopefully it subsides soon.

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As far as I know, I have avoided it. I canceled one meeting I had in person yesterday, and transitioned it to a Zoom videoconference last night where I missed the entire 2nd half of the LSU game. Might have been a blessing.

I took one Covid test because I had similar symptoms as my daughter, but tested negative Sunday night. I have not taken another. I am not having sinus-like infection symptoms as she did Monday and Tuesday; just normal allergy things and my gastro issues resolved, so I think that was a coincidence. If I had/have it, it was the mildest thing ever. I don't think I did.

[Darrell KSR]

Same for me with the allergies and auto immune disorders from the throat all the way down. I may never know if I have covid. If I know, it is probably not a good sign.

But for the allergies. Try Xzyal in place of Zyrtec. It is basically an improved Zyrtec. Helps me a lot more. Zyrtec would help me but I had to double the dose and it would drain my energy at that point. Xyzal does not do that.

I'll ask my allergy doctor if he wants me to switch. I am allergic to every known type of tree except like one, all kinds of grasses, etc. The doctor says that at least 11 months out of the year I am going to have problems, and a double dose of Flonase daily plus Zyrtec allows me to live with it.

[KentuckyWildcat]

I'll ask my allergy doctor if he wants me to switch. I am allergic to every known type of tree except like one, all kinds of grasses, etc. The doctor says that at least 11 months out of the year I am going to have problems, and a double dose of Flonase daily plus Zyrtec allows me to live with it.

We might be related.


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[Darrell KSR]

We might be related.


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lol. I figured you could "relate."

FWIW, daughter has been symptom-free yesterday and today, thank goodness.

[kingcat]

lol. I figured you could "relate."

FWIW, daughter has been symptom-free yesterday and today, thank goodness.

That is great news!

[Darrell KSR]

She's doing great. I think it's my allergies causing problems but I can't say for sure. Have thick nasal discharge, can't sleep for coughing because of it.