Coronavirus prep

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Replies

  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    https://youtu.be/JhRb5hnTseU

    UK has decided the Pandemic is past and will stop testing people not seeking medical treatment. Germany stops paying for Covid-19 testing in October since all humans will have Covid-19 sooner or later and that herd immunity is a medical myth.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    https://youtu.be/JhRb5hnTseU

    UK has decided the Pandemic is past and will stop testing people not seeking medical treatment. Germany stops paying for Covid-19 testing in October since all humans will have Covid-19 sooner or later and that herd immunity is a medical myth.

    Disagreeing with their decision, not with your post (just clarifying my disagree there LOL)
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    https://youtu.be/JhRb5hnTseU

    UK has decided the Pandemic is past and will stop testing people not seeking medical treatment. Germany stops paying for Covid-19 testing in October since all humans will have Covid-19 sooner or later and that herd immunity is a medical myth.

    Disagreeing with their decision, not with your post (just clarifying my disagree there LOL)

    I never thought it would be so easy to stop a pandemic by calling it in an endemic.

    While medically I can understand what they're saying what is sad is all these nations that do not have access to vaccine and it will take many of them out while they're building natural immunity.

    I wonder if this means restrictions and mask mandates are over?
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    Interesting about limiting testing use. I've wondered how long insurance would cover asymptomatic testing. There are essential situations, e.g. known close exposure to a teacher or health care worker or other essential worker who could perpetuate asymptomatic spread if not caught prophylactically.

    Then there are purely recreational uses. E.g. my college age daughter's living group of 8 probably once/month scheduled a purely discretionary outing, usually gathering with one other living group of the same size or travelling as a group to one of the roommate's parents' homes. In either case, they all tested before the event and again 5 days after. They made the before and after testing appointments at the same time upon scheduling whatever it was they planned to do. It was just to keep each other and whoever they were visiting safe.

    On one such occasion, one person in DD's living group tested positive after getting together with the other living group. (They found out after getting together that one person in the other group had an unwitting exposure several days before.) It was a little frantic for a couple days keeping everyone apart until they could get PCR results. Amazingly, after one roommate tested positive, the university contact tracers stepped in and got PCR results for the other roommates in about 3 hours. Maddeningly, the university wanted the negative girls to quarantine together with the sick girl. The parents felt otherwise. The one sick girl stayed in the apartment and the others drove separately to one of the roommate's parent's second homes to wait out the quarantine period. They tested a couple times during the wait, too. In the end, only 1 of the 8 got sick from that encounter. Ok, really long anecdote, but on the one hand the testing was purely recreational. I could see insurance declining that sort of thing in the future. I mean, they could have, hypothetically, just isolated for a whole year. On the other hand, the prophylactic testing did contain the spread. The same actions would have resulted in more infection if not for having testing as a tool. I'm really glad they had that access.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I still don't see how wearing a mask hurts the economy. We have to wear shirts and shoes when we go inside a business. What's one more item of clothing?

    Some people will choose to go to other businesses or states if they would be required to wear a mask.


    Going to another state every time you want a coffee at a Cafe or items from the supermarket seems a tad impractical.

    Sure. For many. However, I live in a historically democratic state and live about 8 miles from a republican state. So there is that! Summer 2020 looked very different just 8 miles away.

    In some cases, it's not about moving states. There are cities that have one set of rules and another very nearby that has a different set. If a person is against wearing a mask to shop, it's very easy to drive a few more miles to go to a location without the rule.

    Those people who reject wearing masks would be very much less likely to visit a place for vacation with a mask mandate.

    That goes both ways. Had I not had so much non-refundable money invested in my vacation to Florida in late July, I would have cancelled the trip and gone elsewhere. When we booked it, things were very much looking on the up...by the time the trip occurred it was a *kitten* show down there.

    We have a Florida vacation scheduled for late September with another vaccinated couple. We have a condo on the beach snd and our purpose in going is to hang on the beach. If situation warrents it can do very well without going out to restaurants etc.

    The only time we really felt overly "exposed" was in the evenings in Key West walking around upper Duvall after sunset. If that was low season, I can't imagine high season. Whole street just jam packed with people. We were staying on the southern side and it was much quieter and the majority of our activities were outside.

    September should be nice...it was hot AF at the end of July.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    Fuzzipeg wrote: »
    If we are all now bound to get it what on earth have the last 18 months been all about in the UK.

    Until the data came in from Israel it was thought that the virus was something that man could control.

    Now we understand that we will continue to get covid-19 over and over into the future like other types of flu.

    The positive seems to be every time we get it again it'll be the same thing as getting a booster.

    We should be hearing from North and South America as well as Asia on the subject in the coming weeks.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,497 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I still don't see how wearing a mask hurts the economy. We have to wear shirts and shoes when we go inside a business. What's one more item of clothing?

    Some people will choose to go to other businesses or states if they would be required to wear a mask.


    Going to another state every time you want a coffee at a Cafe or items from the supermarket seems a tad impractical.

    Sure. For many. However, I live in a historically democratic state and live about 8 miles from a republican state. So there is that! Summer 2020 looked very different just 8 miles away.

    In some cases, it's not about moving states. There are cities that have one set of rules and another very nearby that has a different set. If a person is against wearing a mask to shop, it's very easy to drive a few more miles to go to a location without the rule.

    Those people who reject wearing masks would be very much less likely to visit a place for vacation with a mask mandate.

    That goes both ways. Had I not had so much non-refundable money invested in my vacation to Florida in late July, I would have cancelled the trip and gone elsewhere. When we booked it, things were very much looking on the up...by the time the trip occurred it was a *kitten* show down there.

    We have a Florida vacation scheduled for late September with another vaccinated couple. We have a condo on the beach snd and our purpose in going is to hang on the beach. If situation warrents it can do very well without going out to restaurants etc.

    The only time we really felt overly "exposed" was in the evenings in Key West walking around upper Duvall after sunset. If that was low season, I can't imagine high season. Whole street just jam packed with people. We were staying on the southern side and it was much quieter and the majority of our activities were outside.

    September should be nice...it was hot AF at the end of July.

    We're in the Panhandle, Destin/Ft Walton Beach area, things are pretty spread out there, plus low season. Highs supposed to be around 84 when we're there. Just hope for everyone's sake no hurricanes.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    We all (in the US and Canada and Europe, etc) have the ability to be vaxxed, and the only places where people are likely to be hospitalized in large numbers are those where they are voluntarily choosing not to be vaxxed. We also should soon have the option to have a booster. So I don't think negatively of Germany at all.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    That said, my understanding is one big difference between Germany and the US is they've approved the cheap tests so people can do 5 tests a week for less than $5, whereas in the US it's like $15 for 2 unreliable tests (they only work if you have symptoms).
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    That said, my understanding is one big difference between Germany and the US is they've approved the cheap tests so people can do 5 tests a week for less than $5, whereas in the US it's like $15 for 2 unreliable tests (they only work if you have symptoms).

    Still a bargain. I'm starting to see ads for rapid antigen testing "for travel" here at a cost of $40. I have no idea what the PCR tests cost but I think one is required when returning to Canada from international travel.

    The regular health unit testing for symptomatic people or close contacts does remain free though.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    edited September 2021
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I still don't see how wearing a mask hurts the economy. We have to wear shirts and shoes when we go inside a business. What's one more item of clothing?

    Some people will choose to go to other businesses or states if they would be required to wear a mask.


    Going to another state every time you want a coffee at a Cafe or items from the supermarket seems a tad impractical.

    Sure. For many. However, I live in a historically democratic state and live about 8 miles from a republican state. So there is that! Summer 2020 looked very different just 8 miles away.

    In some cases, it's not about moving states. There are cities that have one set of rules and another very nearby that has a different set. If a person is against wearing a mask to shop, it's very easy to drive a few more miles to go to a location without the rule.

    Those people who reject wearing masks would be very much less likely to visit a place for vacation with a mask mandate.

    That goes both ways. Had I not had so much non-refundable money invested in my vacation to Florida in late July, I would have cancelled the trip and gone elsewhere. When we booked it, things were very much looking on the up...by the time the trip occurred it was a *kitten* show down there.

    We have a Florida vacation scheduled for late September with another vaccinated couple. We have a condo on the beach snd and our purpose in going is to hang on the beach. If situation warrents it can do very well without going out to restaurants etc.

    The only time we really felt overly "exposed" was in the evenings in Key West walking around upper Duvall after sunset. If that was low season, I can't imagine high season. Whole street just jam packed with people. We were staying on the southern side and it was much quieter and the majority of our activities were outside.

    September should be nice...it was hot AF at the end of July.

    September is not nicer in many parts of Florida :).

    ETA. I see he's talking about the panhandle. That may be nicer in September.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,497 Member
    edited September 2021
    Dnarules wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I still don't see how wearing a mask hurts the economy. We have to wear shirts and shoes when we go inside a business. What's one more item of clothing?

    Some people will choose to go to other businesses or states if they would be required to wear a mask.


    Going to another state every time you want a coffee at a Cafe or items from the supermarket seems a tad impractical.

    Sure. For many. However, I live in a historically democratic state and live about 8 miles from a republican state. So there is that! Summer 2020 looked very different just 8 miles away.

    In some cases, it's not about moving states. There are cities that have one set of rules and another very nearby that has a different set. If a person is against wearing a mask to shop, it's very easy to drive a few more miles to go to a location without the rule.

    Those people who reject wearing masks would be very much less likely to visit a place for vacation with a mask mandate.

    That goes both ways. Had I not had so much non-refundable money invested in my vacation to Florida in late July, I would have cancelled the trip and gone elsewhere. When we booked it, things were very much looking on the up...by the time the trip occurred it was a *kitten* show down there.

    We have a Florida vacation scheduled for late September with another vaccinated couple. We have a condo on the beach snd and our purpose in going is to hang on the beach. If situation warrents it can do very well without going out to restaurants etc.

    The only time we really felt overly "exposed" was in the evenings in Key West walking around upper Duvall after sunset. If that was low season, I can't imagine high season. Whole street just jam packed with people. We were staying on the southern side and it was much quieter and the majority of our activities were outside.

    September should be nice...it was hot AF at the end of July.

    September is not nicer in many parts of Florida :).

    ETA. I see he's talking about the panhandle. That may be nicer in September.

    We're going later in the month, average highs around 84 degrees. Have been there in July and August, NBD, we're going to sit on the beach and drink mainly lol
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,997 Member
    mjglantz wrote: »
    SModa61 wrote: »
    Apologies if this is a question that has been already covered, but I am wondering if anyone has stats for rate of "break through" infections vs second Covid infections. Basically, hubby and I are trying to assess the risk for my 82 year old vaccinated MIL by her being around a non-vaccinated person that tested positive for a COVID infection in May 2020. Is she really at more risk being with this person vs my husband and I, who are fully vaccinated with no known infection? My instinct is that it should be a draw, but I bet there is a more official answer. TIA

    My husband is in his early 70’s and has some significant health challenges. He didn’t have much of a reaction to either his first or second COVID shot. I am assuming this means he didn’t produce many antibodies.
    So I am continuing to not allow him around anyone whose vaccine status is either unknown or has chosen not to be vaccinated.

    If your MIL didn’t have much of a reaction to the vaccine, I personally would advise the same.

    I don't think the level of reaction to the vaccine has anything to do with your immunity. Know I read that somewhere. Seems like older people had less of a reaction to the vaccine (and more to Covid) while last spring younger people pre -Delta had more of a reaction to the vaccines and less to Covid. Now the advice is to get a booster.

    Nevertheless.
    I am morally and legally responsible for his health and safety. I am not going to take any chances.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    https://youtu.be/JhRb5hnTseU

    UK has decided the Pandemic is past and will stop testing people not seeking medical treatment. Germany stops paying for Covid-19 testing in October since all humans will have Covid-19 sooner or later and that herd immunity is a medical myth.

    My understanding was that Germany will stop offering free rapid tests to everyone in a bid to encourage wider vaccination.

    The logic is, I thought, that by October everyone would have the possibility to be vaccinated so after that point, those who voluntarily choose not to get the vaccine will need to pay for tests when a negative test or vaccine certificate is required to attend an event or venue. People who cannot be vaccinated e.g. for medical reasons could still be tested for free, as well as those who are tested due to having symptoms or for contact tracing rather than to gain access to an event.

    that makes more sense
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,497 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    SModa61 wrote: »
    Apologies if this is a question that has been already covered, but I am wondering if anyone has stats for rate of "break through" infections vs second Covid infections. Basically, hubby and I are trying to assess the risk for my 82 year old vaccinated MIL by her being around a non-vaccinated person that tested positive for a COVID infection in May 2020. Is she really at more risk being with this person vs my husband and I, who are fully vaccinated with no known infection? My instinct is that it should be a draw, but I bet there is a more official answer. TIA

    My understanding based on current studies is that being vaccinated reduced the likelihood of being infected with Delta, compared to having had an earlier variant. Also, fully vaxxed people can pass on the virus, but are less likely to, especially if they are asymptomatic. The belief at the moment is that breakthrough infections which reside in the nasal cavity can be just as infectious, but because they are in the nasal cavity they also cause, well, runny noses. Apparently in the limited studies that have been done asymptomatic vaccinated people didn’t harbor as much virus.

    I can tell you what I would do, in the case of my high-risk 84 year old mother - allow her to see this person but outdoors, distanced and masked. If the person really wants to see her without a mask, they can get vaxxed. At this point I have no kind feelings towards anyone refusing the vaccine for anything other than health reasons, and consider such a person to be likely to be careless in their behavior generally, and therefore unsafe to be around.

    Yes, this is why I turned down the 12 free massages I am eligible for from the VA - none of the providers on the list are vaccinated. (Well, one was for a health reason - the others did not say.) I just don't want to be that close to and give my business to someone who doesn't share my beliefs about health and safety.

    The local branch of the chain Massage Envy would not put me in touch with a vaccinated provider - they say they are not allowed to ask. Which is a BS excuse - plenty of businesses are requiring their employees be vaccinated and are therefore asking. When I get around to it I will send corporate an email giving them a piece of my mind.

    I did find a vaccinated massage therapist and am paying him out of pocket. I've encouraged him to apply to be part of the VA's Community Care network. I told him it is likely they will pay him less than his fee and I will make up the difference.

    Just a thought. It may not be legal to pay more for a VA Community Care provider to accept money from a client above what the VA pays them. That said? I absolutely do hope you can find a Community Care provider who will protect their vulnerable clients by wearing a kitten mask.

    You're probably right regarding an "invoice" amount. Could maybe get around it with a more generous tip than typically giving to the therapist?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Dnarules wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I still don't see how wearing a mask hurts the economy. We have to wear shirts and shoes when we go inside a business. What's one more item of clothing?

    Some people will choose to go to other businesses or states if they would be required to wear a mask.


    Going to another state every time you want a coffee at a Cafe or items from the supermarket seems a tad impractical.

    Sure. For many. However, I live in a historically democratic state and live about 8 miles from a republican state. So there is that! Summer 2020 looked very different just 8 miles away.

    In some cases, it's not about moving states. There are cities that have one set of rules and another very nearby that has a different set. If a person is against wearing a mask to shop, it's very easy to drive a few more miles to go to a location without the rule.

    Those people who reject wearing masks would be very much less likely to visit a place for vacation with a mask mandate.

    That goes both ways. Had I not had so much non-refundable money invested in my vacation to Florida in late July, I would have cancelled the trip and gone elsewhere. When we booked it, things were very much looking on the up...by the time the trip occurred it was a *kitten* show down there.

    We have a Florida vacation scheduled for late September with another vaccinated couple. We have a condo on the beach snd and our purpose in going is to hang on the beach. If situation warrents it can do very well without going out to restaurants etc.

    The only time we really felt overly "exposed" was in the evenings in Key West walking around upper Duvall after sunset. If that was low season, I can't imagine high season. Whole street just jam packed with people. We were staying on the southern side and it was much quieter and the majority of our activities were outside.

    September should be nice...it was hot AF at the end of July.

    September is not nicer in many parts of Florida :).

    ETA. I see he's talking about the panhandle. That may be nicer in September.

    IDK...when I was in KW at the end of July/early August it was 95* and incredibly humid and the sun just beat down and we rarely had cloud cover. Miami felt comfortable in comparison for the time we spent there. I think if it was even 5* cooler when we were there it would have made it more bearable.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    edited September 2021
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    https://www.kentucky.com/news/coronavirus/article253897123.html

    KY is breaking our prior Covid-19 records. Non Covid patients are greatly shut out of routine or even critical care. Vaccine refusers are claiming the vaccinated are the super spreaders causing the hospitals to be overwhelmed by the unvaccinated. Schools are trying to move to online classes again but that leaves kids running around town hanging out.KY Lake will be crazy this weekend.

    I've seen that claim made, too, by unvaccinated anti-vax people. It shocks me (such bad science), but it doesn't surprise me . . . not after everything that's come before, and alongside.

    It boggles my mind but I am convinced they actually believe that they are correct. They can't see themselves over loading health care is preventing others from getting needed health care that is not Covid related.

    On a positive note it seems having Covid-19 and surviving it is actually better than being vaccinated.

    https://youtu.be/6v5VrpgXPm4

  • 33gail33
    33gail33 Posts: 1,155 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Fuzzipeg wrote: »
    If we are all now bound to get it what on earth have the last 18 months been all about in the UK.

    From what ive been reading on the CDC website, many childhood vaccine viruses first were endemic, but vaccinated people did not get sick, and so they were eventually eliminated once there were simply not enough hosts without a strong enough immune response to harbor and shed the virus enough for the virus to survive. Sometimes it's unclear whether a virus was sporadic (some people were infected but some people not) or endemic (pretty much everyone gets it but it's usually no big deal) before it was eliminated.

    Measles wasn't considered eliminated from the US until 2000. Rubella in 2004. Whooping cough is endemic. Polio first was endemic but was elimated in 1979.

    I will add that the idea that covid-19 will become endemic is a possibility, not an obvious fact. It is still a possibility that vaccine immunity will be strong enough to keep many people from infection. I think some government officials are getting impatient so they start to gravitate to endemic covid-19 as a goal, it sounds quicker. That would still be a good result, assuming you are able to avoid infection until you are sufficiently vaccine immunized and until the medical community knows how to easily treat someone who is unlucky and still gets sick.

    But I'm with you, as careful as many of us have been, we deserve the chance to still get through this covid-19 free, darn it!

    Endemic doesn't meant that pretty much everyone get it. It just means that it keeps recurring and is regularly found in the population. Cases can still be sporadic.