On Topic Discussion 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2)

[fredroy]

I have the 500DL model on that Amazon page. It's pretty neat. Works better (duh) with warm hands and feet. I bought it a couple of years ago for the current price.
Different fingers give slightly different readings. Toes? Big toe doesn't fit. Second toe on either foot read the same. Admit it, you would do the same.

It doesn't matter what your skin color is, it uses infrared that goes through skin. Fair, tan, blacker than ink, same same. Which is a pretty cool thing. I think the directions say nail polish can affect the readings. And wash your hands first.

 

[cityboy-stl]

If you don't have a home finger pulse oximeter, they're only about $20 from Amazon:

Amazon.com : finger pulse ox

There's an expiration date on the box. Generally, the recommendation is that unused tests be replaced before the expiration date. The ones that the government sent out for free did have their dates extended. You can look up the lot numbers here:

Manufacturer​
IHealth View attachment 2633805​	Latest News iHealth is making personal healthcare management easier for everyone! Improve your health by tracking your vitals data: blood pressure, blood glucose, blood oxygen & pulse rate, and more. Remote Patient Monitoring empowers providers to offer comprehensive care for patients. Increase patient... ihealthlabs.com
Abbott: View attachment 2633806​	https://www.fda.gov/media/158003/download

Unfortunately, the free test delivery program ended in March, 2024. But you can still get tests from major pharmacies. Insurance should cover 100% of the cost. For the uninsured, the test kits are still provided for free.

I assume these tests are still effective with the newer variants? True?

 

[KaraBulut]

I assume these tests are still effective with the newer variants? True?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: there are some antigen tests that were designed to be single target- that is, they test for specific viral proteins. Those tests have issues and are not reliable. The good news is that most of the major over-the-counter antigen tests (e.g. Binax Now, IHealth) are multiple target tests- they sense multiple viral antigens and will react even if one or more of the other proteins was part of the mutation.

The mRNA vaccines were designed to produce antibodies to the S (spike) protein which is what the virus uses to infect cells. The variants that have more mutations on the S protein are the variants that are able to elude the immunity produced by the vaccines. Because the multi-target antigen tests aren't limited to testing for solely for S protein markers, they continue to work since the rest of the virus hasn't mutated as quickly.

 

[unloadonme]

Deaths and serious illnesses from COVID are nothing like they were in 2020. That's due, at least in part, to immunity acquired from both exposure to the virus itself and from vaccines. I wonder, however, whether there's a general trend for the virus to become less pathogenic over time given the number of mutations. Has there been any work on this?

 

[KaraBulut]

Deaths and serious illnesses from COVID are nothing like they were in 2020. That's due, at least in part, to immunity acquired from both exposure to the virus itself and from vaccines. I wonder, however, whether there's a general trend for the virus to become less pathogenic over time given the number of mutations. Has there been any work on this?

From an epidemiology standpoint, that is a valid theory: that pathogens toe a line between make the host acutely ill vs allowing the host to feel well enough to spread the pathogen to other hosts. Under this theory, the spread of Ebola and Marburg will be limited because they make the person so ill and kill such a large number of the hosts that the spread of the virus is self-limited. The theory proposes that the evolution of pathogens is to be more contagious and less lethal.

In the case of COVID, the theory holds on the increase in transmission. The original Wuhan strains were not nearly as contagious as the newer strains. The measure of "contagiousness" is the R0. Wuhan is estimated to have been 1.2, Delta was 1.4 and Omicron is about 3.4.

It's difficult to make a statement about the increase or decrease in mortality for COVID. In 2020, we weren't very good at treating it and many of the treatments may have weakened the patient. In 2024, we are much more effective at treating COVID. Add to this that, in the US, random testing of blood samples has shown that over 90% of people now have antibodies to COVID, either from vaccine or from contracting the virus.

 

[Kulindahr]

Now that I've had it there are only two people I know who haven't gotten it at some point, though for some the only reason they know is that they were required to take a test for it; their cases were mild enough they shrugged them off as a cold.

On the occasions when someone comes by to see me I insist on the visit being outside with me downwind. A doctor a few years ago said that the virus has a lousy survival rate in the air in sunshine; I'm assuming that still holds true.

Meanwhile I do little spurts of yard work out in the sun, no more than five minutes at a time, and concentrate on breathing through my nose -- breathing through my mouth tends to produce a cough.

 

[unloadonme]

Now that I've had it there are only two people I know who haven't gotten it at some point ...

Make that three. To the best of my knowledge, I've never had it.

 

[purina]

^ditto

 

[purina]

 

[Kulindahr]

Probably not connected to COVID . . . .

I just got the latest pneumonia vaccine and shortly after I got back home I felt weak, a bit dizzy, and mind-fuzzy, now an hour later I'm having trouble not falling asleep right on top of my computer.

. . . but I have to ask because the mind blur from COVID isn't going away yet and I have to be careful not to take deep breaths, breathe cold air, or laugh, or I can start coughing again. I'm also incredibly thirsty; chugged two liters of skim milk so far.

 

[KaraBulut]

Probably not connected to COVID . . . .

I just got the latest pneumonia vaccine and shortly after I got back home I felt weak, a bit dizzy, and mind-fuzzy, now an hour later I'm having trouble not falling asleep right on top of my computer.

The pneumococcal vaccine is another one that will trigger a reaction. It's another one that I recommend people plan a day of rest afterward. Fever, headache, sore arm and fatigue are all normal side effects and can last 24-48 hours afterward.

. . . but I have to ask because the mind blur from COVID isn't going away yet and I have to be careful not to take deep breaths, breathe cold air, or laugh, or I can start coughing again. I'm also incredibly thirsty; chugged two liters of skim milk so far.

Dairy products tend to increase mucus production. If you have a cough, you might want to avoid dairy until the cough resolves.

Residual bronchitis is a common lingering effect of viral illnesses. It can persist for weeks after the viral illness resolves. You might ask your primary care provider to prescribe a non-narcotic cough suppressant like benzonatate (Tessalon) and possibly an inhaler for the daytime. You can try a cough syrup with dextromethorphan (e.g. Robitussin DM) at night.

 

[Kulindahr]

The pneumococcal vaccine is another one that will trigger a reaction. It's another one that I recommend people plan a day of rest afterward. Fever, headache, sore arm and fatigue are all normal side effects and can last 24-48 hours afterward.

The dizziness has faded, and a brief headache -- I had a worse one last night.

Dairy products tend to increase mucus production. If you have a cough, you might want to avoid dairy until the cough resolves.

Residual bronchitis is a common lingering effect of viral illnesses. It can persist for weeks after the viral illness resolves. You might ask your primary care provider to prescribe a non-narcotic cough suppressant like benzonatate (Tessalon) and possibly an inhaler for the daytime. You can try a cough syrup with dextromethorphan (e.g. Robitussin DM) at night.

But I have that craving for milk back again! At least I managed to get skim this time.

The worst after-virus stretch I ever had before lasted about two weeks.

I've still got the inhaler, the Flonase, and a couple of other goodies from my last visit.

The worst thing right now is just standing up and sitting down again is enough work to make me sweat like I was running a 5k in 80° (27° C) weather. I went through two shirts yesterday, taking them off when they were so soaked it was like a wet T-shirt thing.

 

[purina]

 

[KaraBulut]

This thread is in Hot Topics, not Health & Well-being, so an open discussion of different viewpoints is something that has always been part of this thread.

My only concern is that these YouTube videos are revenue streams for some of the people who are on the fringes of healthcare. This particular Influencer is a cardiologist, not an expert in virology or immunology. Some of his viewpoints about cardiology are in the mainstream (low carb diets, using medication only when other interventions don't work) but his viewpoints about COVID-19 vaccines are not in the mainstream.

Aseem Malhotra - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[KaraBulut]

The updated Fall 2024 booster was approved by the FDA yesterday. It should be in pharmacies in a couple of weeks.

The only restriction at this time is that if you are one of the people who contracted COVID-19 during this summer's wave of infections, you should wait 60-90 days before getting the booster since your higher antibody levels from your infection will persist for 2-3 months.

We generally see a rise in COVID infections after Hallowe'en, as people gather for holiday celebrations from late October into January. Unfortunately, the US is having a summer surge of COVID cases because most people did not get the Fall 2023 booster in the past 12 months, so some experts are recommending that if you are 65 years or older or you are in contact with groups of people, you might want to get the booster as soon as it is available in your area.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/23/health/new-covid-19-vaccine-2024-wellness/index.html

Also this Fall, there is an updated flu shot and a vaccine for RSV, which is another common respiratory virus that causes a lot of hospitalizations in children and people over 60. With kids returning to school for the Fall semester, we will see a rise in RSV infections.

CDC Newsroom

Press releases, advisories, telebriefings, transcripts and archives.

www.cdc.gov

 

[unloadonme]

The only restriction at this time is that if you are one of the people who contracted COVID-19 during this summer's wave of infections, you should wait 60-90 days before getting the booster since your higher antibody levels from your infection will persist for 2-3 months.

How would they know? Are people in the US still routinely testing for COVID-19? I've had occasional colds over the last few years, but I've never taken a test and can't say whether I've actually had COVID-19 or not. Also, one can have it asymptomatically.

 

[Alistair]

It’s going around my area pretty heavy. Half the people at work have had it the last month. We’re not allowing people to return to work until 24 hours after their last symptom leaves. We sent one person home that came in with a heavy cough until they tested negative. They tested positive even though they swore there was no way they could have covid.

 

[KaraBulut]

How would they know? Are people in the US still routinely testing for COVID-19? I've had occasional colds over the last few years, but I've never taken a test and can't say whether I've actually had COVID-19 or not. Also, one can have it asymptomatically.

Most employers want employees to stay home if they have COVID. COVID is usually more symptomatic than a cold but not as debilitating as a case of the flu now that just about everyone has either had the vaccine, COVID or both.

Just about everyone is testing with home test kits. If you're sick enough to go to your doctor or an urgent care, they will routinely test everyone with either respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms.

The US Government was sending home test kits out for free until recently. Every drugstore that I've been in this summer has them at the checkout counter. Private insurance will pay for them.

It’s going around my area pretty heavy. Half the people at work have had it the last month. We’re not allowing people to return to work until 24 hours after their last symptom leaves. We sent one person home that came in with a heavy cough until they tested negative. They tested positive even though they swore there was no way they could have covid.

Before 2020, it was routine for people to come into work with cold symptoms or bronchitis. Their coworkers would usually be annoyed but most people wouldn't say anything. Now, if someone comes in sick, coworkers and managers aren't shy about telling them to go home or requiring them to take a COVID test. That's an improvement. We should have been telling sick people to stay at home all along.

 

[rareboy]

I am dreading it this fall.

This week, I am still dealing with long term Covid fallout as the result of a very much weakened immune system apparently.

And I now have to be way more out and about for business.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUcccckk.

 

[KaraBulut]

...The US Government was sending home test kits out for free until recently. Every drugstore that I've been in this summer has them at the checkout counter. Private insurance will pay for them.

Update: we were just notified that in late September the US government will begin distributing free COVID tests again. We haven't heard whether it will be the iHealth test kits or the BinaxNOW kits. They will be reactivating Covidtests.gov and each household can get 4 free kits once they are available.

For Medicare and Medicaid enrollees, COVID-19 vaccines will be free (i.e. no copay or out-of-pocket charge). COVID-19 tests received at a physicians office or urgent care will also be free for Medicare/Medicaid enrollees. Additional funding is being provided to State Health Departments which may also cover the cost for the uninsured.

They will also be activating the Paxcess program which provides free Paxlovid for Medicaid/Medicaid and the uninsured.