Coronavirus prep
Replies
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Its easy done. I looked to see if I could let you know, only I think the system does not seem to permit direct messaging, or not that I could find. May be a change brought about from all the problematic messages which were about a while ago.1
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Apologies if this was discussed recently: home test kit expiration date extension. I've been having sore throat, headache, mild nasal congestion, and sneezing, so dipped into my stockpile of COVID test kits only to see that they have all expired. While searching for more free tests, I learned that the FDA has extended expiration dates. You can look up your brand and then lot number here:
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests10 -
Dh had sore throat, etc last week & tested 3 days all negative. I started cold symptoms Mon night & by Wed I tested positive. We have gotten free ones from the pharmacy (guess Medicare or ins covers them) & they have put a label over the old date & updated them.1
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kshama2001 wrote: »Apologies if this was discussed recently: home test kit expiration date extension. I've been having sore throat, headache, mild nasal congestion, and sneezing, so dipped into my stockpile of COVID test kits only to see that they have all expired. While searching for more free tests, I learned that the FDA has extended expiration dates. You can look up your brand and then lot number here:
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests
In my understanding, as long as you get the "control" line when you do the test, it's still good.7 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Apologies if this was discussed recently: home test kit expiration date extension. I've been having sore throat, headache, mild nasal congestion, and sneezing, so dipped into my stockpile of COVID test kits only to see that they have all expired. While searching for more free tests, I learned that the FDA has extended expiration dates. You can look up your brand and then lot number here:
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-testsSuzySunshine99 wrote: »In my understanding, as long as you get the "control" line when you do the test, it's still good.
Thanks!
I've now had three negative COVID tests, two different brands of test kits.
My neighbor had identical symptoms and also tested negative. I did not come in to contact with her, but my mother did. So my mother was exposed to two people who were likely contagious (the other one did test positive for COVID two days after he sat with her for a prolonged period of time) and didn't end up getting sick herself, a very good thing at her age of 85.4 -
Wonderful news. Your mother is one lucky lady or may be she has a very healthy immune system. I hope your present difficulties pass quickly. There are some nasty things going about.
Wishing you both the very best of health.2 -
The_Enginerd wrote: »I have not caught COVID yet to my knowledge. I know I was exposed to a coworker at one point, but never came up positive. I have had four shots total of the Pfizer (2 initial, 1 booster, 1 bivalent booster).
My girlfriend and I (and many, MANY friends and coworkers) caught something that I can only assume was a bad *kitten* cold last month. She tested several times and bought brand new tests to test again, but it always came up negative despite her feeling horrible for over a week and pretty poor for two to three weeks. I'm usually pretty resilient, but it took me out hard for three days, and it took two weeks to feel mostly normal. We both had the flu vaccine and it was reported to be well matched to the strain this year, so I can only assume it was likely some type of cold virus.
Here at on the three year anniversary of the WHO declaration of the pandemic, I'm back to normal nearly 100%. I finally flew without a mask last month, and only wear one for the doctor's office as required.
A group of us walk together in the mornings. A few weeks ago one of them was saying that her doctor stated that even if "negative" test, it is likely COVID if one is sick. I have no idea if this is BS or not. Just sharing the comment.
My girlfriend saw her ENT and he didn't mention that. She took a total of four at home tests from two different brands. Her ENT said it was likely a flu but did not give her a flu test, but I thought a flue was more unlikely given the high effectiveness of the flu shot this season. We did not seek out a PCR test because it wouldn't have changed anything for us. Worked from home/took time off work and didn't go out while we were feeling poorly. Even if it wasn't COVID, don't want to give whatever nasty virus it was to others.4 -
The_Enginerd wrote: »The_Enginerd wrote: »I have not caught COVID yet to my knowledge. I know I was exposed to a coworker at one point, but never came up positive. I have had four shots total of the Pfizer (2 initial, 1 booster, 1 bivalent booster).
My girlfriend and I (and many, MANY friends and coworkers) caught something that I can only assume was a bad *kitten* cold last month. She tested several times and bought brand new tests to test again, but it always came up negative despite her feeling horrible for over a week and pretty poor for two to three weeks. I'm usually pretty resilient, but it took me out hard for three days, and it took two weeks to feel mostly normal. We both had the flu vaccine and it was reported to be well matched to the strain this year, so I can only assume it was likely some type of cold virus.
Here at on the three year anniversary of the WHO declaration of the pandemic, I'm back to normal nearly 100%. I finally flew without a mask last month, and only wear one for the doctor's office as required.
A group of us walk together in the mornings. A few weeks ago one of them was saying that her doctor stated that even if "negative" test, it is likely COVID if one is sick. I have no idea if this is BS or not. Just sharing the comment.
My girlfriend saw her ENT and he didn't mention that. She took a total of four at home tests from two different brands. Her ENT said it was likely a flu but did not give her a flu test, but I thought a flue was more unlikely given the high effectiveness of the flu shot this season. We did not seek out a PCR test because it wouldn't have changed anything for us. Worked from home/took time off work and didn't go out while we were feeling poorly. Even if it wasn't COVID, don't want to give whatever nasty virus it was to others.
There do seem to be some rather unpleasant bugs going around this year. My sister got one in November that she says she only recently has full energy/function back. And, back in November, she unfortunately gave it to my parents less than two weeks after they finished their own bout with COVID (barely knew that had it). My sister's bug was 10 times worse for my father, and my sister the source. Glad I somehow didn't get it from her (she was visiting from cross the country).4 -
The_Enginerd wrote: »I have not caught COVID yet to my knowledge. I know I was exposed to a coworker at one point, but never came up positive. I have had four shots total of the Pfizer (2 initial, 1 booster, 1 bivalent booster).
My girlfriend and I (and many, MANY friends and coworkers) caught something that I can only assume was a bad *kitten* cold last month. She tested several times and bought brand new tests to test again, but it always came up negative despite her feeling horrible for over a week and pretty poor for two to three weeks. I'm usually pretty resilient, but it took me out hard for three days, and it took two weeks to feel mostly normal. We both had the flu vaccine and it was reported to be well matched to the strain this year, so I can only assume it was likely some type of cold virus.
Here at on the three year anniversary of the WHO declaration of the pandemic, I'm back to normal nearly 100%. I finally flew without a mask last month, and only wear one for the doctor's office as required.
A group of us walk together in the mornings. A few weeks ago one of them was saying that her doctor stated that even if "negative" test, it is likely COVID if one is sick. I have no idea if this is BS or not. Just sharing the comment.
that doesnt really make sense to me. Yes it could still be Covid even if negative RATS test.
Ubnlikely if negative PCR
but why couldnt it be influenza or whooping cough or any of the other many respiratory viruses which go around.
Excatly why it is suggested here that one gets multivalent PCR if symptomatic - rule out the other big guns too.
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There is something going around in my area, So Fla, called NOROVIRUS...I think my DH had it about 10 days ago, he was in horrific gastric distress, felt lousy and had no appetite (ha ha, no I wasn't "lucky enuf to get it from him") --covid tests all came back neg, lasted about 5 days. On a personal level, he was very worried that he'd never recover, the most awful symptom was nausea.7
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Norovirus is a gastrointestinal virus though (ie D+V) rather than a respiratory virus like Covid or influenza.1
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There's been some discussion on the thread about long Covid, so I'm going to post this here in case it's of interest to anyone.
The Fresh Air program on US National Public Radio had an interview yesterday with a neuropsychologist who's written a book about long Covid, Clearing the Fog: From Surviving to Thriving with Long Covid―A Practical Guide.
It's an in-depth longer form interview (36 minutes), and includes quite a lot of detail (more than the text summary of the interview by far, and I think enough to evaluate whether the book would be useful to a person or not).
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/10/1175018383/long-covid-clearing-the-fog-james-jackson
I'm not affiliated in any way with the author, publisher, radio program, or anything like that. I just found the interview interesting and informative, thought others might, too.9 -
@AnnPT77 Thanks, Ann. Very timely. There are many in my area that are long-haulers. They are suffering with Ménière's Disease. One neighbor lost their hearing, and it has never returned. It's been over a year, now. They have Ménière's and are side-winding. Walking sideways/leaning due to the balance issues.
https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/jor/journal-of-otolaryngology-and-rhinology-jor-9-131.php?jid=jor#:~:text=An understudied outcome of COVID,falls and deafness [1].
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3+ years later, and the emergency declaration officially ends today in the US. Didn't realize it or think much of it until I got this notification on my phone tonight. The mask requirement for medical facilities, one of the few lingering precautions, was dropped several months back.
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My state has just switched to monthly updates instead of weekly.0
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Here in the UK I'm not aware of any updates in case numbers for months. Its almost as if nothing ever happened. There has been a swirl of coughs, colds and other extraneous irritations being put down to more associations and less careful or frequent handwashing.
In conversation with our neighbour she told me she has been for her covid vaccination, so there are some ongoing precautions but nothing that obvious. Some persons, very occasional ones do wear masks, usually the older, more frail in the community but not many of those. One young woman with an older lady sported hers over her mouth and no where near her nose. Why bother? I kept well away from her, she might have been positive and trying to protect her grandmother or whoever.
If I have any reason to think I have covid, I test, last happened at the end of January. My husband fell
first. I did not make my visit to my mother, in a care-home, nor did we go out. I tested positive a few days later. We ordered our essential shopping too.
I can see I will be back in my "respro" mask for chemical sensitivity again. We had a work person come into our home, I generally keep well away, within seconds of entering the place where he had been working for 15 or so minutes I had every symptom I used to experience from his off gassing of laundry residue, personal care products and whatever else, as people start to fragrance up. Petrochemicals and exhorst fumes are the worst on a hot day even with my car air purifier still in use. I wonder if I will have the same reactions as I experienced before covid, odd looks as if I were totally bonkers and should be locked up. (over the years I have done so very much work on my endocrine and associated elimination systems and was doing really, really well)
Please be aware perfumes and all can be disastrous to others, Please, think before you stink, we are not freaks there are more of us who are susceptible to the millions of environmental toxins some after having had covid.4 -
Interesting. I too am very sensitive to "smell" and it was pretty awful when I first went back into the office. Almost like I was hyper sensitive. I realized that some of it is laundry detergent and the soap people use vs perfume at one point. I even really alienated a co worker who sat nearby because I asked her to quit wearing so much perfume. In hindsight I think it was just her shower soap or something.2
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Here in the UK I'm not aware of any updates in case numbers for months. Its almost as if nothing ever happened. There has been a swirl of coughs, colds and other extraneous irritations being put down to more associations and less careful or frequent handwashing.
In conversation with our neighbour she told me she has been for her covid vaccination, so there are some ongoing precautions but nothing that obvious. Some persons, very occasional ones do wear masks, usually the older, more frail in the community but not many of those. One young woman with an older lady sported hers over her mouth and no where near her nose. Why bother? I kept well away from her, she might have been positive and trying to protect her grandmother or whoever.
If I have any reason to think I have covid, I test, last happened at the end of January. My husband fell
first. I did not make my visit to my mother, in a care-home, nor did we go out. I tested positive a few days later. We ordered our essential shopping too.
I can see I will be back in my "respro" mask for chemical sensitivity again. We had a work person come into our home, I generally keep well away, within seconds of entering the place where he had been working for 15 or so minutes I had every symptom I used to experience from his off gassing of laundry residue, personal care products and whatever else, as people start to fragrance up. Petrochemicals and exhorst fumes are the worst on a hot day even with my car air purifier still in use. I wonder if I will have the same reactions as I experienced before covid, odd looks as if I were totally bonkers and should be locked up. (over the years I have done so very much work on my endocrine and associated elimination systems and was doing really, really well)
Please be aware perfumes and all can be disastrous to others, Please, think before you stink, we are not freaks there are more of us who are susceptible to the millions of environmental toxins some after having had covid.
@Fuzzipeg We recently moved into a rental which came with a washer and dryer. We should have bought new machines >.< Turned out the washer was thoroughly contaminated with fabric softener, and there was fragranced detergent in a dispenser. (I was not aware washing machines can have laundry detergent dispensers.) I kept rewashing, and kept recontaminating. The landlord had a friend degunk the fabric softener, and I removed the dispenser. New loads have been fine, but I'm still trying to get the smell out of the first load, after at least a dozen washes, plus soaking in first vinegar, then borax. And when not in the wash, they've been on the clothesline, for about a month.
I've replaced some of the items, but am still trying to salvage what I can, as I have to go through a whole process to off-gas new clothes.
This, plus the stress of the move, plus some other exposures has knocked me back to were I was about 15 years ago with my chemical sensitivities. It's been a rough month. Well, rough year. Sigh.5 -
SummerSkier wrote: »Interesting. I too am very sensitive to "smell" and it was pretty awful when I first went back into the office. Almost like I was hyper sensitive. I realized that some of it is laundry detergent and the soap people use vs perfume at one point. I even really alienated a co worker who sat nearby because I asked her to quit wearing so much perfume. In hindsight I think it was just her shower soap or something.
I used to have a coworker who wore gawd-awful deodorant. Another coworker was bothered by it as well. We asked our manager to speak to him. That vastly improved this awkward situation.
Another advantage to working remotely - not having to smell your coworkers
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I've been sensitive to smells for over 30 years and always choose odorless deodorant. Have just begun noticing the resurgence in other people's fragrances.1
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@kshama2001 Was it this?
Nothing brightens up the room like their absence. Poor thing, if you've ever had to tell someone they have the essence of eau de skunk. 2 -
In Massachusetts, the mask mandate has ended and it is now personal choice. DD and I were discussing this and she was appreciating how the pandemic has somewhat normalized mask use. I agree with her that prior to COVID many of us would hesitate to don a mask in a questionable situation due to the "what does it mean?". BC (before COVID), I typically only saw masks on certain foreign travelers, or Lahey Hospital patients that were taking a break by escaping to the nearby mall. I agree with my daughter that I now will comfortably decide what I need/prefer with less worry about stigma.5
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Hiawassee88 wrote: »@kshama2001 Was it this?Nothing brightens up the room like their absence. Poor thing, if you've ever had to tell someone they have the essence of eau de skunk.
I don't know the brand of deodorant. It smelled like baby powder, but overpoweringly strong.0 -
In Massachusetts, the mask mandate has ended and it is now personal choice. DD and I were discussing this and she was appreciating how the pandemic has somewhat normalized mask use. I agree with her that prior to COVID many of us would hesitate to don a mask in a questionable situation due to the "what does it mean?". BC (before COVID), I typically only saw masks on certain foreign travelers, or Lahey Hospital patients that were taking a break by escaping to the nearby mall. I agree with my daughter that I now will comfortably decide what I need/prefer with less worry about stigma.
I'm in Massachusetts too. I still see a few people in supermarkets wearing masks and assume they or their loved ones are immunocompromised or have other medical reasons to wear a mask. I'd like to see no stigma for individual mask use moving forward.
I'm a veteran and get most of my health care with the VA. Am curious to see if they have dropped the mask mandate, which was still in place on May 10. I can't find any info on that online. I did find this, which does not cover masking:
https://news.va.gov/119668/what-end-public-health-emergency-means-va/2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »In Massachusetts, the mask mandate has ended and it is now personal choice. DD and I were discussing this and she was appreciating how the pandemic has somewhat normalized mask use. I agree with her that prior to COVID many of us would hesitate to don a mask in a questionable situation due to the "what does it mean?". BC (before COVID), I typically only saw masks on certain foreign travelers, or Lahey Hospital patients that were taking a break by escaping to the nearby mall. I agree with my daughter that I now will comfortably decide what I need/prefer with less worry about stigma.
I'm in Massachusetts too. I still see a few people in supermarkets wearing masks and assume they or their loved ones are immunocompromised or have other medical reasons to wear a mask. I'd like to see no stigma for individual mask use moving forward.
I'm a veteran and get most of my health care with the VA. Am curious to see if they have dropped the mask mandate, which was still in place on May 10. I can't find any info on that online. I did find this, which does not cover masking:
https://news.va.gov/119668/what-end-public-health-emergency-means-va/
Odd that it is not defined. Comments below the article were interesting when searching on the word "mask". Seemed to imply that individuals are still encountering a mask requirement.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »In Massachusetts, the mask mandate has ended and it is now personal choice. DD and I were discussing this and she was appreciating how the pandemic has somewhat normalized mask use. I agree with her that prior to COVID many of us would hesitate to don a mask in a questionable situation due to the "what does it mean?". BC (before COVID), I typically only saw masks on certain foreign travelers, or Lahey Hospital patients that were taking a break by escaping to the nearby mall. I agree with my daughter that I now will comfortably decide what I need/prefer with less worry about stigma.
I'm in Massachusetts too. I still see a few people in supermarkets wearing masks and assume they or their loved ones are immunocompromised or have other medical reasons to wear a mask. I'd like to see no stigma for individual mask use moving forward.
I'm a veteran and get most of my health care with the VA. Am curious to see if they have dropped the mask mandate, which was still in place on May 10. I can't find any info on that online. I did find this, which does not cover masking:
https://news.va.gov/119668/what-end-public-health-emergency-means-va/
Odd that it is not defined. Comments below the article were interesting when searching on the word "mask". Seemed to imply that individuals are still encountering a mask requirement.
Oh! I didn't see that there were comments. Yes, looks like people are still required to mask.1 -
Please be aware perfumes and all can be disastrous to others, Please, think before you stink, we are not freaks there are more of us who are susceptible to the millions of environmental toxins some after having had covid.
Amen! I've had bad reactions to some perfumes but not as serious as a couple people I know who get red, swollen, weeping eyes.
As if regular laundry soap and fabric softener didn't smell enough as it is, they now have "scent boosters" that you can add to your wash to make it smell "fresher". No, it doesn't smell "fresh", it just smells like cheap *kitten* perfume.
As for masking, I think it's only a requirement in hospital settings here now. I go to meetings in a room at the behavioural sciences building of a hospital (so no medical procedures performed) and still need to wear a mask to enter the building. Once we're in the meeting room we can remove them though. I haven't been to our acute care facility for a while but I assume masks are mandatory there also. You wear one in and then they give you a new one at the entry checkpoint.1 -
Because of my broken finger and subsequent surgery, I've been in medical settings several times over the past month. A month ago I needed a mask, 2 weeks later the sign said they were optional. Not a single person was wearing one. I do still see people in the grocery wearing masks, but they are generally older.0
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In case anyone's interested who missed it, US NPR's Science Friday (radio program) last week aired a 33-minute interview with former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the US NIH, Dr.Anthony Fauci - his opinions about what the US should learn from the Covid experience, and related topics. Available here:
https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/end-of-covid-emergency/5 -
I figured with the latest booster/vaccine coming out, I should wake everyone up and see if there is anything to discuss!!
I got my flu shot.
Thinking about the new RSV vaccine
and uncertain as to whether I want a 5th COVID shot.
That's me.
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