Coronavirus prep

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Replies

  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,227 Member
    With how fast Omicron spreads, I honestly believe it is just a matter of time that you will get it if you have any contact with another human being. The rate of spread is just so so high.
  • Hiawassee88
    Hiawassee88 Posts: 35,754 Member
    edited December 2021
    Something new has hit our communities. We're inundated with tourists 24/7 throughout the year. It used to be a seasonal thing but we're overwhelmed with people moving in from all over the world. They're testing these people but docs can't put their finger on it yet. It's causing massive amounts of vertigo, nonstop emesis. They can't stand up and their heads feel like they have a 50 lb bowling ball sitting on top of their shoulders. They can't go to the bathroom by themselves and it's dropping them to their knees.

    EMT's hauled my neighbor away on Christmas Day. They called me today, saying they've never felt so close to death in their entire lifetime. An athlete that hikes and climbs mountains, taking excellent care of their health. Still in hospital.

    It's hitting the docs as well as the locals. One specialist said he's never called in sick but this hit him like a brick. They're running blood tests with no definitive answers. It's not norovirus. Anyone out there with a similar situation?

    They all flew in here for Christmas and they'll be loading up and getting back on those planes. A super spreader. :p

    I'm not prognosticating but what do you think about this. :|https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crim/2021/9967555/

    Is this another variation on a theme.
  • Hiawassee88
    Hiawassee88 Posts: 35,754 Member
    edited December 2021
    Whoa Nelly. Thank you, 33gail33.

    Criminelly, I traveled from door-to-door handing out baked goods to all the neighbors. I blew kisses at all of them.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,926 Member
    sarah7591 wrote: »
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    sarah7591 wrote: »
    33gail33 wrote: »
    Covid finally hit us, husband has it. Got our boosters on the 15th so hopefully remains mild. I am negative thus far. Daughter tested positive last night but no symptoms.

    I would say to disregard the "official" Covid numbers at this point, it's probably the tip of the iceberg. We only know they are positive because I bought some rapid tests last week (they are sold out now) and we can't get a PCR test until Jan 2 because of high demand. So our cases won't be included in the tally, and I imagine there are others in the same boat.
    This is so true. Just the tip of the iceberg. I too tested positive (and so did my youngest). I suspect others in the family had it before us but by the time we realized it they had tested negative. Thank God...I was vaccinated. I still have a slight cough but I think now it is just a cold. I did have two negative tests (one PCR). Why on earth anyone would not want to get vaccinated is just beyond me. I have an 86 year old friend who is home bound and relies on health care (state aid) to come in daily to help her. None of them are vaccinated!!

    It breaks my heart that health care workers knowingly endanger vulnerable people like your 86 year old friend. Why are they even in health care professions if they disregard health science and don't care?



    Does the employer not have a vaccine requirement for their health employees?

    No. They can barely find any employees to work as it is. Very sad. One of my friends health care workers who is not vaccinated even lost 3 family members due to covid. I just don't get it.

    I dont get it either.


    Here in Aus, people working in Aged care and Health care have to be vaccinated - it isnt up to each employer it is government directive

    but hard to discuss further without getting into politics.


    A big part of the problem here is an overall labor shortage, especially in relatively low-paying jobs such as elderly care.

    There are many reasons for the shortage, from older workers deciding to retire, to younger workers deciding to peruse higher-paying and lower-risk jobs, among other factors.

    Despite federal mandates for employers to require vaccinations or regular testing, many employers are afraid to lose workers when they are already short-staffed. So, they are simply not complying with the directive or bringing court challenges to make their case.

    What does the labor market look like in Australia right now? Do elderly care workers make a decent wage? Are there staffing shortages?


    Some areas of health care and Aged care in particular are short staffed here too.

    You get reasonable pay and secure employment but certainly not a high paying job.

    However govt mandates about vaccination are not optional and no health care providers would not enforce it or challenge in court.

    I imagine their employees and family members would be up in arms if they did - you would lose accreditation, funding etc as well as be heavily fined.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,719 Member
    Something new has hit our communities. We're inundated with tourists 24/7 throughout the year. It used to be a seasonal thing but we're overwhelmed with people moving in from all over the world. They're testing these people but docs can't put their finger on it yet. It's causing massive amounts of vertigo, nonstop emesis. They can't stand up and their heads feel like they have a 50 lb bowling ball sitting on top of their shoulders. They can't go to the bathroom by themselves and it's dropping them to their knees.

    EMT's hauled my neighbor away on Christmas Day. They called me today, saying they've never felt so close to death in their entire lifetime. An athlete that hikes and climbs mountains, taking excellent care of their health. Still in hospital.

    It's hitting the docs as well as the locals. One specialist said he's never called in sick but this hit him like a brick. They're running blood tests with no definitive answers. It's not norovirus. Anyone out there with a similar situation?

    They all flew in here for Christmas and they'll be loading up and getting back on those planes. A super spreader. :p

    I'm not prognosticating but what do you think about this. :|https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crim/2021/9967555/

    Is this another variation on a theme.

    BPPV as a side effect doesn't seem all that surprising to me, given the other symptoms of Covid, and given that BPPV is really quite common, at varying levels of severity.

    (I have BPPV, comes and goes, never had Covid - certainly not before I got BPPV. Multiple people I know have or had BPPV, again pre-Covid. I'm not saying it's not Covid-associated in these or other cases, just that it's quite common as a thing to have for various reasons.)

    Also, in both the cases in the article, the symptoms resolved after one or two sessions of Epley maneuver, which is a very minimally intrusive intervention.

    This specific thing doesn't seem like a big deal to me, compared with other symptoms of Covid, and/or long-haul Covid, that are more mysterious, less treatable.

    BPPV's unpleasant while it lasts, though - and potentially dangerous, if falls result.
  • Hiawassee88
    Hiawassee88 Posts: 35,754 Member
    @AnnPT77 This is definitely where the rubber meets the road. If you have anyone who gives even two horsesheets about you and vice versa...you'd best be telling them that today. I've lost so many family members that I have no problem telling anyone how much they mean to me.

    I couldn't believe that my neighbor called me from the hospital while feeling so poorly. I get it. It's Christmas and tis the reason for the season. Take no one for granted. Seek out and value all kindnesses that are sent your way.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,668 Member
    Washboard - where do you live?
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,366 Member
    Aaaand now my brother, who was at our family party yesterday, tested positive today.
    He took a quick test before coming over yesterday, and it was negative.
    He woke up with a sore throat this morning, so took another test, and it was positive.

    Oh crap. Hope he didn't infect anyone else.

    Were there any high-risk family members there?
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,427 Member
    Athijade wrote: »
    With how fast Omicron spreads, I honestly believe it is just a matter of time that you will get it if you have any contact with another human being. The rate of spread is just so so high.

    Yep, unless you're living in a bubble you will have it unless you already have IMO.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,427 Member
    edited December 2021
    It's incredible to me how many people or their friends or family are testing positive over the past week that I know! It's like a whole new way of looking at the pandemic with these self tests. Are they accurate? Dunno.

    But maybe the way we finally get out of this do loop mess pandemic is the ease and convenience of self tests and people doing the responsible thing. Everywhere I look I saw Xmas plans being changed due to either contact tracing or positive tests.

    In my opinion we also need to stop considering ourselves safe to gather or not mask just because we are vaccinated or boosted. We need a paradyme shift away from that false security. Many people I know including here did testing regardless of vax status before gathering.

    But the "science" says it's safe for small gatherings without masks for vaxed individuals.

    https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20211223/fauci-large-gatherings-unsafe

    Not starting an argument, but we're encouraged to "follow the science", obviously people can choose to do what they want regarding small gatherings and the guidance.
  • 33gail33
    33gail33 Posts: 1,155 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    Athijade wrote: »
    With how fast Omicron spreads, I honestly believe it is just a matter of time that you will get it if you have any contact with another human being. The rate of spread is just so so high.

    Yep, unless you're living in a bubble you will have it unless you already have IMO.

    Agree - here (Canada) the best we can do now is try to hold it off until everyone who wants one can get their booster to give the best chance of keeping it mild. Our boosters were available much later than the US.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,359 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    It's incredible to me how many people or their friends or family are testing positive over the past week that I know! It's like a whole new way of looking at the pandemic with these self tests. Are they accurate? Dunno.

    But maybe the way we finally get out of this do loop mess pandemic is the ease and convenience of self tests and people doing the responsible thing. Everywhere I look I saw Xmas plans being changed due to either contact tracing or positive tests.

    In my opinion we also need to stop considering ourselves safe to gather or not mask just because we are vaccinated or boosted. We need a paradyme shift away from that false security. Many people I know including here did testing regardless of vax status before gathering.

    But the "science" says it's safe for small gatherings without masks for vaxed individuals.

    https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20211223/fauci-large-gatherings-unsafe

    Not starting an argument, but we're encouraged to "follow the science", obviously people can choose to do what they want regarding small gatherings and the guidance.

    It does sound like there is a proviso though...what is extra level of protection...testing that is referred to? Is this the rapid antigen testing?

    “The answer to that is: Yes. An extra level of protection would be the testing that Dr. Walensky mentioned,” said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases."
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    SModa61 wrote: »
    Can't remember what I have share (and not) or when. Anyhow, today, the 27th is the first morning with zero sore throat since Dec 11th. Have had 3 negative COVID tests and of the 8 family members that got this cold, everyone who has tested has tested negative (4 out of 8, three of which were the sickest including me). This cold was the cold from H*ll and finished off with an ear infection (husband - eye infection, daughter - pneumonia). With that in mind, my parents almost 85 and 87 were on the fence about the family meal on xmas day. Then, my sister found out 11 year old daughter may have been exposed in school on Monday. Parents backed out. The rest of us went forward with us home testing on Xmas morning before all meeting up.

    Flash forward. My children and families were coming early to open presents in the morning. Get 9 am call. Daughter, et all, were in a 10 car crash due to freezing rain on an untreated winding steep hill. Thankfully, all the humans were fine, unlike the car that did its job by being destroyed while protecting the contents. My DH takes off in the car to help. The family was traveling in their pajamas for the fun morning with my <2 grandson and it is 30 degrees and freezing rain. Some lovely family took them in while the police dealt with the crash. They were given a warm home and hot tea. I am so thankful to this family for opening their home on xmas morning to provide aid to strangers, especially in these crazy times. With my husband's help, 3 hours later they were able to join us, 10 of us in total all tested for COVID.

    Back to the topic of COVID celebrations. Our neighbor in our townhouse cluster celebrated xmas eve, but all in the garage (remember it is +/- 30 degrees out). Nice and fiancee in California are COVID positive. Nephew in the anti-vaxer part of the family has an enlarged heart, potentially from the J&J vaccine. Hubby is trying to fly back to Florida next weekend to see his mom. I hope their is still a flight and he does not get sick....... I have lots of home test kits. I am making sure I have easy access.

    Oh, I should share that I went shopping for spare kits (had already used the kit I already had in home and was negative) during the stretch were I had zero voice from the cold from h*ll. Picture the face of the Walgreens cashier as I pointed to my throat, unable to make a sound, and held up a note to her asking for "BinaxNow COVID test kit". I was sold two kits very quickly.

    Stay healthy all. I need a better 2022. I am ready for 2021 to be over!

    Goodness, you had an exciting Christmas! Glad everyone is okay and hope no one caught anything from the kindly family. I’m ready for this to be over too! I just want to be around people without fear again.

    My husband and I both have the cold from hell and have repeatedly tested negative. Mine so far is in my nose and throat while his became a nasty chest cold. I’m wondering if this is the scenario we have been hearing warnings about - last year people avoided a lot of infections due to social distancing, so our immune systems are playing catch up right now.