new COVID-19 thread

[JohnRoberts]

the old thread got corrupted by political noise... please stick to covid discussions.

JR

 

[Speedskater]

the Spring COVID spike has begun. Heard lots of new case reports from family and friends, TV personalities and people involved in government.
Luckily for most of those with a recent vaccine, their illness is mild.

 

[john12ax7]

Is this still omicron or something else?

 

[Speedskater]

I think that it's the BA.2 sub-variant for right now.
Next might be the BA.2.12.1, part of the omicron gang.

 

[sahib]

the Spring COVID spike has begun. Heard lots of new case reports from family and friends, TV personalities and people involved in government.
Luckily for most of those with a recent vaccine, their illness is mild.

Although I had all of my three covid vaccines plus the flue jab, it still hit me hard and knocked me out for over a week. I could not get out of the bed for the first three days. I am now back on my feet but with a terrible cough. However, the good news is that I have just tested negative.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Recently several friends/acquaintances and their children have tested positive then suffered mild to moderate symptoms for a few days. All were vaccinated except one 3yo child. No serious outcomes.

Meanwhile, this study out of Israel was published:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-10928-z

 

[JohnRoberts]

Lock downs in China due to their zero covid policy are causing severe disruptions to international supply chains. Shanghai is looking a little like long beach did with container ships waiting off shore.

JR

 

[hodad]

Although I had all of my three covid vaccines plus the flue jab, it still hit me hard and knocked me out for over a week.

More or less the same here but a little less brutal--the worst lasted 4 days in my case. The current US variant seems to be very contagious & (like all the omicron variants) with a high degree of immune escape. It's a good time for sane & sensible folks to start being more careful again.

 

[cyrano]

Some news about repeated vaccinations, Covid compared to the flu:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(22)00162-X/fulltext

 

[JohnRoberts]

I just heard about a study of serious covid infections that says the cognitive decline is equivalent to losing 10 IQ points and aging 20 years.

JR

PS: For me aging 20 years means taking the dirt nap...

 

[Script]

cognitive decline is equivalent to losing 10 IQ points

Read about that too -- also in context of several recent Long-Covid and Post-Covid studies. With several patients it's suspected to be higher (lasting brain fog) -- including in young people.

[joke]
So with reinfection possible every six months (in very few reported cases even shorter), how many unprotected Covid reinfections does it take to turn average IQ people into vegetables ? -- No need to worry, I'm just kidding, but maybe not...
[/end of joke -- also maybe not]

And referencing a real famous joke here :
The good thing is that, at a personal level, such a loss in IQ would likely go unnoticed

 

[hodad]

For perspective, Omicron’s BA.1 was about 50% more infectious than Delta, the variant it replaced. At the time, it was hard to conceive of a version of the virus that could be more contagious. But BA.2, which out-competed it here in the U.S., is 30% more transmissible than BA.1. And BA.2.12.1, now overtaking BA.2, is another 25% more infectious than BA.2.

Op-Ed: COVID vaccines need to be evolving much faster

 

[sahib]

I have just taken a PCR test and I am still positive, contrary to the previous test I did at home. I have no idea which variant I have but it is a pretty nasty piece of work. I have never felt so tired in my life.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Get well, have you tried any of the anti-viral medicines?

JR

 

[Script]

I have just taken a PCR test and...

Really hope you get well soon. And take it easy.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

I have just taken a PCR test and I am still positive, contrary to the previous test I did at home. I have no idea which variant I have but it is a pretty nasty piece of work. I have never felt so tired in my life.

Make sure you don't have low serum levels of vitamin D (like many in the northern climes). Take 5000iu D3 per day anyway (well below toxic level) and a 40-50mg zinc supplement to boost your immune system.

 

[sahib]

Thank you all for well wishes.

@ AnalogPackrat, I will certainly do. A couple of more friends also advised similar.

 

[scott2000]

Get well, have you tried any of the anti-viral medicines?

JR

Neem is actually a pretty good natural one.

 

[Rusan]

I have just taken a PCR test and I am still positive, contrary to the previous test I did at home. I have no idea which variant I have but it is a pretty nasty piece of work. I have never felt so tired in my life.

I hope you get well very soon, Sahib! The 'Rona ain't no joke, so be sure to take good care of yourself. Some of the medical professionals around here have told me that Omicron does strange things concerning testing, especially rapid tests. When I had it in January, I finally tested positive on a PCR test about 5 days after onset of symptoms and remained positive for a loooong time, which they said is common with Omicron. Every home rapid test I took was negative, which they also said was not uncommon.

I had what the doc called "COVID Roll," where I was mildly sick for 2 days, then felt okay for 2 days, and then BAM! I suddenly became extremely sick, with very high fever and the worst chills I've ever had, which lasted over a week. He said that people with it were more likely to have complications. He was right. It caused what they called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, which I've been suffering from for 3 months now. Poor kidney function, heart arrhythmia, extreme blood pressure spikes, migraines, gout attacks, joint pain and swelling, itchy, stinging eyes, and the worst fatigue and brain fog I've ever experienced. I have to do a blood test every 2 weeks, to monitor kidney and liver function.

This was the third time I had COVID. The first was in December 2020; I was sick and lost my taste and smell for 3 days, then felt fine and regained them. The second time was in July 2021, just 3 weeks after I'd had the vaccine, and it was much, much worse than the first bout. It was almost 5 months before I regained my taste and smell, with fatigue and brain fog the entire time. Then, I got it the third time in January of this year. The third time was NOT a charm...

 

[sahib]

I hope you get well very soon, Sahib! .......

Same to you Rusan.

All symptoms are carbon copy but it seems you have been affected much much worse. My well wishes again.

Although I have no fever, my taste is back and I am eating fine, I am getting up drenched in sweat every morning. I got to get that seen. Plus the tiredness of course. It strips you off your powers. Unfortunately I have to test negative first before I can see my GP.