Dealing with COVID-19

[Dadamen]

We have a vaccine, but only little amounts, at least in my country. And from these little amounts many goes to area damaged by earthquake. Other goes to nursing homes and healthcare workers.

 

[Butterfly88]

Been going a little stir-crazy being home. Places are open but I’m still having issues wearing a mask for long periods of time and I have OCD so I get nervous being out there with the virus. So I’m home and sick of it.

 

[Gracey]

I was ill in September.
Flu symptoms - enough to keep me in bed several days.
Loss of taste and some smell (not all) temp increase, a persistent cough and a change in breathing.
I believed myself to have picked up the virus but a covid 19 test gave a negative result.
- I may not have got tested early enough and an antibody test would have offered confirmation?

Since then, my breathing has changed and I cough more.
So much so I've been attempting to give up smoking completely since September.
Have almost succeeded too.


With the opening of an Asymptomatic Smart testing station locally, I've been for a test each week. To date, all negative.

I got through my illness in September and I'm still here.
I still have to go out to work and for shopping.
My compulsive hand washing (ocd) feels like an advantage under current circumstances.
I have a face shield I carry with me if my bottle goes when out and about and I worry my mask isn't enough.
I can use both for reassurance.

Mr Gracey is a critical worker and has been out working every day since the pandemic swept across the globe, in contact with thousands of different people over the last year.
To date he hasn't caught so much as a sniffle. Not even when I was symptomatic.

I believe whatever I had in September will offer some immunity to whatever's out there now. I don't stop following government guidelines though.

 

[Mary Terry]

Experts are now recommending wearing double masks to reduce exposure to the new variant that is so contagious. Husband just left for Home Depot with his n95 mask. Perks for retired medical personnel. He shot a deer last week and we will not have room in our freezer to store all that meat when he retrieves it from the butcher in a month. So he is going to order an upright freezer for the garage. I didn't know that they make freezers just for the garage, designed to withstand extreme heat and cold.

 

[Sherlock77]

Just simply the cold weather blues

We have a stretch of -15 Celsius temperatures this week, one of life's joys on a cold winter day is sitting in a coffee shop looking out at the cold day from the warmth of the indoors...

Alas, with Covid restrictions that won't happen, I can still order coffee for takeout only, then enjoy that coffee while freezing myself outside...

One more reason why I don't like Covid, how it's ruined my life, and I'm not all that certain when this will ever end, will the good old days ever come back? I'm not so sure

 

[Judge]

I can't help but wonder that under the circumstances, so many have chosen to embrace various mass delusions and outright lies as their drug of choice. One that doesn't involve substances, but rather just to invent a false narrative to ease their pain and blame all their struggles on something or someone else.

Tragic especially in that a pandemic is about a mindless virus...
It doesn't care who it attacks and kills, and has no thoughts at all...

 

[Mia]

Some good news related to covid isolation:

The number of people being struck down by the flu has dropped by 95 percent, according to official data, having fallen to levels not seen in more than 130 years.

According to a new report from the Sunday Times, in the second week of January - a period that is usually the peak of the flu season - the number of flu-like illnesses reported to GPs was just 1.1 per 100,000 people.

This is compared to a five-year average rate of 27 per 100,000 people.

Speaking to the newspaper, Simon de Lusignan - professor of primary care at the University of Oxford and director of the Royal College of GPs research and surveillance centre, which focuses on flu - said influenza has now been 'almost completely wiped out'.

He added: "I cannot think of a year this has happened."

John McCauley, director of the World Health Organisation's collaborating centre for reference and research on influenza, said: "The last time we had evidence of such low rates was when we were still just counting influenza deaths, and that was in 1888, before the 1889-90 flu pandemic."

Drew Curtis' FARK.com links to Lad Bible

 

[QueenOfFrance87]

Just a little concerned...my aunt took my mom and grandma to a small diner to celebrate my mom's birthday today. Even though there were only a few people at said diner (about 10-12), I am concerned because people who had COVID are twice as likely to have eaten out. So now I am scared that my mom picked up the virus, and will spread it in our home. She just turned 61, which is a big deal to me because the older you get, the more prone you are to die from it. I have big plans this weekend with my family, and honestly, I don't want to get the virus before then.

 

[Gracey]

Both elderly parents (in UK) have just been vaccinated against the virus (Thank goodness)
One less thing to worry about.

Government states it's on track with the vacc' programme and many millions have received their first dose.
Surely to goodness that will create a barrier?
In the same way regional childhood vaccination programmes; for example MMR, create a natural defence against those illnesses in those regions?

So Covid vaccinations for some, together with those who have antibodies from contracting and recovering from Covid19 should see case numbers drop, and soon.
Here's hoping.

 

[Aspergers_Aspie]

the reporter on bbc scotland news just on was visibly cold and uncomfortable reporting out in the snow, about 5 minutes ago on the bbc scotland news programme, he wasnt wearing his hood and presenter Sally Magnusson even said stay warm, if he gets hypothermia and required treatment wouldn't that put added pressure on the NHS who are dealoing with covid

 

[Mary Terry]

We finally got appointments for our first Covid vaccination shots on February 16 by monitoring the state website every day. Our state received 30,000 doses on Monday. Every single dose was assigned to specific people within 2 hours of the website posting available dates and times. Another 30,000 doses are supposed to be delivered soon. The vaccine is slowly being distributed to the states so if you are qualified in your state to get the vaccine, please closely monitor availability of doses and make your appointment ASAP.

Those of you in the UK, please remain cautious! The UK variant is supposed to be even worse than the original virus. That variant is in the US, too.

In addition to getting appointments for my husband and me, I helped an elderly neighbor who doesn't have a computer make an appointment for herself. All these high school kids stuck at home in the US with the school closures should try to help the elderly and the people most at risk for Covid set up appointments. There is a phone number that people can call to schedule an appointment but I hear that it takes forever to get through the line to a human being to help you so it is quicker and easier to use the internet if you can.

 

[Aspergers_Aspie]

I live alone. Before my parents died, I used to see them nearly everyday, including when I had a flat. At high school I had two friends. Before lockdown I was lucky to access the autism charity drop-ins where I'm registered, not every area has an advice help and dropin autism charity. I struggle during lockdown being at home with damp and a massive hole in my ceiling. So after emailing a member of staff to check if it would be allowed, I agreed to meet up with a friend for a walk

 

[Gracey]

If what I'm reading on the BBC news website is accurate,
The UK is getting cases of what's termed the South African variant which,
by all accounts, is allegedly worse than what we have here already.
Precisely how it's "worse" isn't specified.

Just some hints about how it's unlikely to worsen any symptoms,
and acts quickly.
A faster hijacking of cells.
Allegedly the cases are few in number and it's a newbie so those studying it's behaviour are still learning.

 

[Jorg]

I'm starting to loose my mind I guess...going to university and having real conversations with the few colleagues I had was the only form or relaxing or socialization I had. Next month will be 1 year since the last physical class I had and I have been isolated in my room for almost a year.

In my country, well, apparently cases have dropped like 60% in the last month but vaccines are being slowly arriving and there is a priority order in which they will give them to people; as I am a "healthy" 30yo guy I may receive the vaxine until november 2021; knowing my goverment, maybe next year.

For months I was focused in classes and projects but this last semester I only had 1 course which II passed even doing almost nothing; and my final graduation project which I mostly finished like 2 or 3 weeks ago, I may present it online in a couple of weeks.

But having so much "free" time is taking its toll on me; since mid-octuber I started to dream about an ex gf I loved very much and it just breaks my heart and mind; I dream about her maybe once a week.

I could go out, I really don't care if I catch it and die but I live with my parents; they're are over 65yo and I can't risk their health.

Last week I applied for a job in an engineering company but apparently, as a university collegue who is working there told me, the selection process is like 4months long.

Sorry if my sentences don't make much sense, english is not my native language and I can't "think" very clear right now.

 

[Aspergers_Aspie]

I mostly try to eat healthy but sometimes, maybe once every three weeks I will treat myself to something from the fish and chips shop. I was approaching the shop but I saw the door was closed, as it wasn't clear for example not a window on the door or see-through door or the door open to reveal a table, I didn't approach to try and
buy as it would make me anxious or
stressed. (A lot of shops have a window on the door or see-through door or the door open to reveal a table). So it isn't clear what a customer has to do, some business' like a certain bakery has a hatch.

 

[Sherlock77]

It's pretty much one year since I last attended a big event, and it's getting rather tiring, there has been nothing to celebrate over the past year, constant life of boredom...

Talking with a friend of mine yesterday, a friend of his seems to be getting depressed over the loss of his entire social life because of the collapse of the arts industry, and the more it drags on the more it's slowly getting to me... Like going to the opening of an art show opening, an open mic or performance at a small cafe, or...

Sometimes I'm afraid that version of the world will never come back, it's just not the same watching a concert on the computer screen, not even close...

I feel that there is a breaking point for the social isolation of lockdowns, meantime some doctors keep saying to do full lockdown still, but at what cost of mental health... One thing I've heard is that many people get so tired over all these months of isolation that they will start breaking rules, because they are tired of the isolation

 

[Aspergers_Aspie]

I'm sorry to hear about depression especially suicidal thoughts, delayed hospital treatments etc as a result of lockdowns

This story explains the very unfortunate cancer sufferers are having a very hard time of it sadly!

Cancer patients fear treatment delays will impact chances of survival | ITV News

 

[Magna]

I'm very confused about the vaccines and the virus. Perhaps my understanding is incorrect.

The vaccines do NOT provide immunity to the virus but gives a relatively high probability that virus symptoms will be lessened for vaccinated people who contract the virus?

As such, a vaccinated person can still contract the virus and therefore can still be a carrier/spreader of the virus to others which is why masks will still be required for a yet undetermined period of time.

So does that mean that the only real benefit for vaccination is the possible reduction in acute symptoms to the vaccinated person? That seems like it could provide protections to the individually vaccinated but not provide protections to others? If this is the case, then it would seem logically that vaccination should be entirely a personal choice as optional just as the influenza aka "flu" shot has been since the beginning.

I'm very confused about this.

 

[Myrtonos]

The vaccine may have been developed in record time but the fact is that research into coronaviruses has been going on for many years and it was inconsistently funded, often underfunded.

 

[Skittlebisquit]

I'm very confused about the vaccines and the virus. Perhaps my understanding is incorrect.

The vaccines do NOT provide immunity to the virus but gives a relatively high probability that virus symptoms will be lessened for vaccinated people who contract the virus?

As such, a vaccinated person can still contract the virus and therefore can still be a carrier/spreader of the virus to others which is why masks will still be required for a yet undetermined period of time.

So does that mean that the only real benefit for vaccination is the possible reduction in acute symptoms to the vaccinated person? That seems like it could provide protections to the individually vaccinated but not provide protections to others? If this is the case, then it would seem logically that vaccination should be entirely a personal choice as optional just as the influenza aka "flu" shot has been since the beginning.

I'm very confused about this.

You write very well. I have similar concerns. I favor text only news sites on the web. I like the links at npr on this topic. In the usa vaccination is optional. Apparently at one time proof of vacination for polio and smallpox were required for employment(first hand account,elder,uncorroborated)