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

[Kulindahr]

The same is true of the shingles vaccine, if you haven't had it yet.

Crap -- I can't remember if I have or not!

 

[frankfrank]

I recently posted this on quora.com, after reading a COVID thread, where woman posted about a co-worker's boyfriend who is probably ruined for life due to Long COVID.

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I’m so sorry about your co-worker’s boyfriend, Diane. Though I’m a total stranger in every way, please accept my sincere best wishes for you to pass on to the two of them, while hoping for at least a modicum of recovery.

Thank you too, for adding some truth into the COVID discussion, which has been skewed and distorted in so many directions, often by people who are clueless. How did it happen that prudent and sensible decisions to help protect one’s health, by vaccines and such, became so POLITICAL and so vilified?

Viruses aren’t political, and they don’t favor or disfavor any identifiable group of people, other than those who fall into riskier categories (the elderly, etc.) Wealth, race, gender identity, etc. don’t matter.

I personally knew at least three people who died directly from COVID - not something like “he had a bad fall and hit his head, but he also tested positive for COVID” (Some people say that all such deaths, even if obviously unrelated to COVID, such as a fatal auto wreck, are “counted” as cases if they also had the disease. I have no idea how true or false this is.)

I also know several people who have had COVID and are ruined because of it. One cousin, who was always an intensely strong “picture of great health”, got COVID just before vaccines came out, and he is still WRECKED. He can barely walk to and from his own basement. The same happened to a dear woman friend in NY City, who has now been in a nursing home for more than a year. There are others.

So, for naysayers and such, COVID IS NOT TRIVIAL. At least some long-term after-effects and symptoms aren’t even uncommon (I’ve seen like 10–15%, perhaps), so it’s like rolling a die [yes, singular for “dice”] or playing Russian Roulette with something that may curtail your intact health.

It’s also far too soon to know if the virus can be dormant for years, and later come back to cause a “new” illness. After all, it’s only been a little more than four years. (COVID was definitely around by November 2019!) Consider that chicken pox can cause shingles half a century later, syphilis lingers in the body for years without symptoms, etc. We just don’t know yet.

USUALLY the disease is no worse than the flu. However the complications and mortality that can arise from active COVID are far more common and dangerous than the flu.

I’ve had COVID twice and have been blessed that it’s been no worse than a MINOR cold, perhaps because I’ve kept up on the boosters! I don’t need to have a bad case, to know that COVID is nothing to be cavalier with.

 

[frankfrank]

My GP did not recommend me getting flu jab and Covid booster at the same time, so they were spread-out over a few days. Felt no ill-effects from either. Slight headache, but paracetamol sorted that.

Interesting that, with two original vaccines and five boosters, I have never EVER felt even the slightest trace of discomfort afterward. The "worst" effect was, a couple days after one of the boosters, feeling some pain at the injection site. It lasted for about ten minutes, and was probably 0.5 to 0.8 on the pain scale (barely noticeable AT ALL).. Furthermore, I don't remember any discomfort, ever, from any injection/vaccine or ingested (swallowed) medicine. I think that's pretty unusual.

I had another covid vaccine yesterday. The first three I had were Moderna and I had no side effects from them other than a tender spot at the injection site.

The last 2 have been Pfizer and have really kicked my ass. I spent the whole night awake going between chills so bad my hands were shaking and then feverish sweats that completely drenched me. I had the same thing on the last Pfizer vaccine but not quite as bad. I had a really bad migraine headache and body aches too.

Between my original two Moderna vaccines and five boosters, I've now had my shots in SIX different states, none of which I have ever lived in. Something kind of fun about that - I think I'll keep it up, lol. (Next booster perhaps in Massachusetts or Rhode Island?)

 

[frankfrank]

Once again I was directly exposed to the virus and never got it. I spent about three hours in my friend's apartment on a Tuesday. He came down with it that weekend. That was 20 days ago. I wonder if I'm immune.


I'll have to see how expensive those are. The ones I get have no gasket, nor do they have an adjustable strap and they're tight. I have to assume they work because I've yet to catch anything even though I'm often crammed into packed train, but wearing them feels like this:

The N-99 masks that I got from WellBefore were not pricey. I don't remember what they cost (I got a fair quantity of them) but I'm almost certain they weren't more than $2 each, and the gaskets on them are great. Recommended!

 

[Alistair]

My sister and brother-in-law have covid. He’s on a respirator and they just life flighted him to another hospital.

 

[Alistair]

I had another side effect I think was from the vaccine I got last weekend. I developed a light bruise on my arm that I got the vaccine in. It was on the back of my hand, wrapped around my wrist and went up my forearm to the crotch of my elbow.

 

[KaraBulut]

My sister and brother-in-law have covid. He’s on a respirator and they just life flighted him to another hospital.

I am hearing more stories of people getting cases of COVID that look more like the severity that we saw back in the summer of 2021. A lot of it can be attributed to lowered population immunity because of the low booster uptake in 2022 and 2023. that your brother-in-law is able to get off the ventilator soon.

I had another side effect I think was from the vaccine I got last weekend. I developed a light bruise on my arm that I got the vaccine in. It was on the back of my hand, wrapped around my wrist and went up my forearm to the crotch of my elbow.

That would be an unusual reaction for any injection or vaccine. Typically, the reactions with the COVID vaccine have been at or moving away from the arm and happen on day 1-5 after the shot. For example, the most common reaction was the muscle soreness in the deltoid muscle from the immune reaction. Some people also got enlarged lymph nodes in their armpit and around the collarbone. It would not be typical to get a bruise lower on the arm. If the bruise doesn't resolve, you should ask your physician to take a look at it.

 

[rareboy]

My sister and brother-in-law have covid. He’s on a respirator and they just life flighted him to another hospital.

I am so sorry to read this.

Even with the vaccines, there were a couple of days when I was afraid that either my partner or me would need to call in the big guns.

We still have deaths from COVID recorded among the immunocompromised and at risk populations here...and I am so sad that nothing apparentlyu can turn it around.

I hope they do okay.

 

[Alistair]

They’re anti-vaccers and covid deniers. So I’ll see what they have to say now.

 

[cityboy-stl]

The N-99 masks that I got from WellBefore were not pricey. I don't remember what they cost (I got a fair quantity of them) but I'm almost certain they weren't more than $2 each, and the gaskets on them are great. Recommended!

They cost a little more than the others, but you're right, not much more. I find the N-99's to be very comfortable. Honestly, sometimes I even forget I have the thing on.

 

[cityboy-stl]

I read somewhere that there are still about 2000 people per week dying from Covid in the US. Is that right? They're mostly un-vaxxed or under-vaxxed, and those with chronic conditions.
I got the last booster around the end of October last year. I'm going to get another in a few weeks.

 

[Rickrock]

Sorry about your brother-in-law and sister, Alistair.

My brother got his covid shot yesterday. he was a little bit chilled yesterday evening and was beat and tired today. That is the same reaction I had last year. I figure he should be better and more energetic by some time tomorrow.

 

[KaraBulut]

I read somewhere that there are still about 2000 people per week dying from Covid in the US. Is that right? They're mostly un-vaxxed or under-vaxxed, and those with chronic conditions.
I got the last booster around the end of October last year. I'm going to get another in a few weeks.

The statisticians at the CDC estimate that about 2.2% of weekly deaths in the US are from COVID-19. That comes out to about 1,500 people dying of COVID complications each week. That's been a constant rate for a while but there is some seasonal increases between November-January due to normal respiratory virus increases in winter and the number of people who gather in groups around the holidays.

 

[Kulindahr]

For example, the most common reaction was the muscle soreness in the deltoid muscle from the immune reaction.

I'm still kind of amused at the itch reaction that I got to the last one -- not on the surface where itching normally occurs but down in the muscle. I only used up a quarter of the steroid cream they gave me, over several weeks. The strange thing is that it didn't go away all at once, or even taper; it stopped then flared up again a bunch of times.

 

[ruggerladirish]

Interesting that, with two original vaccines and five boosters, I have never EVER felt even the slightest trace of discomfort afterward. The "worst" effect was, a couple days after one of the boosters, feeling some pain at the injection site. It lasted for about ten minutes, and was probably 0.5 to 0.8 on the pain scale (barely noticeable AT ALL).. Furthermore, I don't remember any discomfort, ever, from any injection/vaccine or ingested (swallowed) medicine. I think that's pretty unusual.

Between my original two Moderna vaccines and five boosters, I've now had my shots in SIX different states, none of which I have ever lived in. Something kind of fun about that - I think I'll keep it up, lol. (Next booster perhaps in Massachusetts or Rhode Island?)

My first two shots and then all boosters were pfizer. I had none of the bad side-effects I've read that other people have had. Not COVID related, I know, but vaccine related. Measles seem to be on the rise again and there's a programme of vaccination being rolled out here, with urgency.

 

[purina]

 

[purina]

 

[cityboy-stl]

^^ Well, I just got my spring booster...so we'll see if I die from it in the next few weeks.

 

[KaraBulut]

^^ Well, I just got my spring booster...so we'll see if I die from it in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, the 8% to 30% of people who are struggling long-COVID symptoms after recovering from COVID are asking, "Why isn't anyone talking about us?".

 

[belamyi]

They’re anti-vaccers and covid deniers. So I’ll see what they have to say now.

Being antivax, they will be creative... if their condition allows.
Actually, like most people with a "sound belief" in whateer, they will blame anything and anyone but the blameful.