2019–20 Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Thread

[barbara]

1 hour ago, rockstaryuzu said:

about COVID self-tests...I've heard that they can give false negatives, which obviously are a lot more dangerous than false positives, because it gives you a fasle sense of security. Also, even if the test is 100% accurate, it's only applicable to the time at which you do the test. You could easily test negative in the morning, pick up the virus from someone in the afternoon, and then have a two or three day period where the virus is in your system but won't necessarily show up on the test. So use with caution, testing not a be-all end-all by any means. 

 

IMO just being cautious by masking and keeping your distance from other people (at least 2m) and practicing scrupulous hand hygiene is still the best defense, at least until we know more about how well vaccination works with this virus. 

 

I'm fully vaccinated and still masking, distancing , and staying home except for work. And will continue to do so until I hear otherwise from a trustworthy health authority. But at least now I'm not afraid of dying if I do catch it. 

 

 

FYI: in California, where over 70% of all adults have been at least partially vaccinated, but masks are a social must - even in otherwise empty apartment hallways (as a courtesy, in case someone should open their door).  Until 70% of all are vaccinated, masks and social distancing and hand hygiene (am I the only one who has exceedingly dry hands now?) should remain.  I see masks as a thing for the foreseeable future, even after the majority has been vaccinated, at least until children under 12 can be vaccinated.  No one wants to potentially infect an immune suppressed child, or one with asthma.

[Kadova]

I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on 20th may and i will get the second dose on 17th June if everything goes right. I had no fever at all, but I was very tired, also because I work extra time since February. I could feel it a little the following day in my upper arm, but nothing else. My friends and colleagues are also getting vaccinated.

[barbara]

2 hours ago, Kadova said:

I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on 20th may and i will get the second dose on 17th June if everything goes right. I had no fever at all, but I was very tired, also because I work extra time since February. I could feel it a little the following day in my upper arm, but nothing else. My friends and colleagues are also getting vaccinated.

Excellent news! FYI: it's the second dose that generally causes some minor side effects (but so worth it).

[rockstaryuzu]

5 hours ago, Kadova said:

I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on 20th may and i will get the second dose on 17th June if everything goes right. I had no fever at all, but I was very tired, also because I work extra time since February. I could feel it a little the following day in my upper arm, but nothing else. My friends and colleagues are also getting vaccinated.

Yay!!!!

[Anni]

 

I have been fully vaccinated since the end of May (BioNTech). My upper arm felt a little heavy, but otherwise I had no side effects. My family is also already vaccinated.

Currently there are many new easing of restrictions. I hope we can get back to normality soon.

Stay healthy everyone

[Dreamer]

At work today, we received a memo that there is no need to quarantine if in contact with a Covid 19 positive person, as long as one is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.  .  In our neck of the woods, we are nearly at 70% of  eligible persons vaccinated with the first dose.

[DancingFeather]

I had a really bad day after my second dose yesterday. But I take that gladly and the first thing I'm doing now is visiting the planet.

[rockstaryuzu]

16 hours ago, Dreamer said:

At work today, we received a memo that there is no need to quarantine if in contact with a Covid 19 positive person, as long as one is fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.  .  In our neck of the woods, we are nearly at 70% of  eligible persons vaccinated with the first dose.

.... what rationale did they give for not quarantining? With the delta variant lurking in the wings and evidence showing the vaccine may not protect against it, now would seem like a poor time to ease up on reasonable precautions 

[barbara]

11 hours ago, rockstaryuzu said:

.... what rationale did they give for not quarantining? With the delta variant lurking in the wings and evidence showing the vaccine may not protect against it, now would seem like a poor time to ease up on reasonable precautions 

Agreed.  I've been very concerned about the rapid rate of "opening" up and lowering of safety precautions.  I believe that we are protected against the Delta variant - meaning even if we happen to get sick, it won't make us super sick.  But because it's so transmissible, I don't want to the one carrying it around and exposing anyone - especially little kids.  I think that there should still be tight restrictions on anyone who has not been willing to be vaccinated.  (I know there are legitimate reasons for a very small percentage of people to not get the shots.).  It's almost like the desire to get back to "normal" is allowing the unvaccinated to be rewarded for their complete disregard to the public safety.  Scary.

[Dreamer]

5 hours ago, barbara said:

Agreed.  I've been very concerned about the rapid rate of "opening" up and lowering of safety precautions.  I believe that we are protected against the Delta variant - meaning even if we happen to get sick, it won't make us super sick.  But because it's so transmissible, I don't want to the one carrying it around and exposing anyone - especially little kids.  I think that there should still be tight restrictions on anyone who has not been willing to be vaccinated.  (I know there are legitimate reasons for a very small percentage of people to not get the shots.).  It's almost like the desire to get back to "normal" is allowing the unvaccinated to be rewarded for their complete disregard to the public safety.  Scary.

No rationale given.  I would think caution, testing, and quarantine should still be part of the response...but I live in one of the most reckless places in Canada, with a high number of antimask and antivaxers.  My work consists of caring for leukemia patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy on an outpatient basis...my job is to try to keep them safe, well and out  of hospital and out of the ER.  Everyone masks and we wear eye protection. Today, I found out some of the people in my church are antivaxers...currently, we are virtual but that will definitely affect my decision when restrictions are further eased July 1st.

[barbara]

46 minutes ago, Dreamer said:

No rationale given.  I would think caution, testing, and quarantine should still be part of the response...but I live in one of the most reckless places in Canada, with a high number of antimask and antivaxers.  My work consists of caring for leukemia patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy on an outpatient basis...my job is to try to keep them safe, well and out  of hospital and out of the ER.  Everyone masks and we wear eye protection. Today, I found out some of the people in my church are antivaxers...currently, we are virtual but that will definitely affect my decision when restrictions are further eased July 1st.

I totally do not get the anti-vaxer thing at all.  We all get smallpox vaccines.  You have to have MMR vaccines to go to public school.  There's a political element (idiots) and then those that say they think it hasn't been tested long enough. But the mRNA vaccines have been around for years, so that argument is no good.  Only having a legitimate physical reason to avoid the vaccine should keep someone from having to get one - to be allowed in grocery stores and shops and to travel.  So much talk about "privacy" and "owning your own body" neglects our responsibility to be responsible human beings in a free society.  Free doesn't mean you can be an idiot, without consequences.

[Kadova]

I got my second dose on Thursday 17th as planned.

People who don't want the vaccine are just afraid of it.

[barbara]

1 hour ago, Kadova said:

I got my second dose on Thursday 17th as planned.

People who don't want the vaccine are just afraid of it.

Great news!

[rockstaryuzu]

On 6/19/2021 at 5:10 PM, Dreamer said:

No rationale given.  I would think caution, testing, and quarantine should still be part of the response...but I live in one of the most reckless places in Canada, with a high number of antimask and antivaxers.  My work consists of caring for leukemia patients undergoing high dose chemotherapy on an outpatient basis...my job is to try to keep them safe, well and out  of hospital and out of the ER.  Everyone masks and we wear eye protection. Today, I found out some of the people in my church are antivaxers...currently, we are virtual but that will definitely affect my decision when restrictions are further eased July 1st.

You know, before this pandemic, I would have said that we are, in the main, a country full of rational, commonsense people who believe in science...but seeing how many antivaxers, antimaskers, conspiracy theorists etc have come out of the woodwork in the past 18 months has made me realize that we're just better at hiding our crazy than some other countries...it's really depressing to think about. 

[barbara]

1 hour ago, hananistellata said:

So I have yet another question.

 

The Greek goverment just announced that starting from this weekend, masks won't be necessary in outside spaces due to the heat. It is true that cases have dropped quite a lot now that it's summer, I'm talking about going from 3.000 cases per day to around 300 cases per day in the whole country with a population of around eleven million people, not sure if heat is the factor though. 

Personally I don't go out at all since I'm pretty scared of COVID, the big deal is the rest of my family. My grandma and her friends have gotten both doses of the vaccine, plus she doesn't go out too much either so I'm not as concerned. My mom and dad have both gotten their first dose and will get their second dose this Sunday. My sister and I aren't vaccinated at all but she goes out a lot. 

 

So with all that said, is it safe to say I'm screwd already or is it too early to judge? Should I be less concerned because of the heat? Does the vaccination of my parents lower the chances of anyone else getting COVID (in case they get it)?  

Your grandma and her friends are  protected - even against the variants.  But until your parents have gotten their second doses and two weeks have passed following their second (at which point they will be officially fully vaccinated), I wouldn't think it's safe for them to mingle outside unmasked.  The latest info on the Delta variant is that a single dose of a two dose vaccine is only partially protective (like 30% versus 90-92%) so it's best to not take risks.  And your sister going out a lot, unvaccinated, is scary.  She could pick up the virus and not even know it and bring it home.

I live in the American Southwest and we have been experiencing temperatures from 110-114 degrees (generally, in the last few weeks, it is 41 to 45 C) and I wouldn't go many places unmasked and I'm fully vaccinated.  People here, unvaccinated, are still wearing masks.  It is safer outside, but still best to wear a mask, whatever the temp..

I am not a doctor so this is just my suggestions.  I sure hope you can get vaccinated soon.