It's been awhile but I am resurrecting the COVID AMA thread?

I haven’t got my booster yet but it’s definately in Missouri. My poor cousin has had it five times, she’s a nurse.

OK, I’ll leap in. I am almost six weeks out from finishing up and testing negative after a not crippling bout. I am still really fatigued, and by early afternoon retrieving any information from my brain feels like I am trying to find my keys after dropping them in a ball pit.

This is really frustrating, any idea how long recovery will be?

I got a new primary care physician, after my transplant last year. She’s supposed to keep me up to date on all vaccines. I have gotten a litany of vaccines since my surgery. I never had insurance before, so I didn’t have anything but a few odd ones I got as a LEO, and whatever they gave kids my age through public school…

My nephew got Covid like over 2 years ago, but he still has symptoms and never seemed to fully recover.
In fact, most people I know who’ve had it have exhibited permanent sinus and respiratory behavior. Like they will always have a tiny cold…My nephew is 23, and is very athletic. His baby and baby-momma both got it at the same time.
That whole like group of people seemed to have got a rough strain… They cough, and sniffle, and the doctors can’t make them better…

@Caravanfan Thank you.

I got my updated booster 2 weeks ago. it wasn’t necessarily easy to obtain.

Is there data showing vaccines reduce risk of serious illness and death? I haven’t seen it. I know deaths have greatly decreased over time. Is that a result of vaccines, or is the virus weakening?

We got our updated booster Sept 29th.

Bottom line up front: If medical experts tell me to get another COVID-19 vaccination and or to wear a face mask, then I will do it.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine nowrecommend to be an annual innovation?
I’ve had 5 COVID-19 vaccine injections so far. The last one was almost a year ago.

I realize that the SARS-COV-2 virus is a crippling and deadly virus. But it is my understanding that it is getting weaker and weaker which is the normal evolution of the such viruses.

Since last year I’ve seen three doctors for various reasons a different clinics and hospitals. Non of the doctors told me that I should get another COVID-19 vaccination. And I’m 72 years old.

Also FYI: I’ve not yet been infected by the SARS-COV-2 virus. Yet I done a lot of traveling the last year passing through several airports, a 2 week cruise ship, hotels, many canoe races with literally thousands of paddlers up and down the PNW and Hawaii (also hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim).

We know several people that died from COVID-19.

^I kinda thought everyone lost someone. It’s been crazy…

10/9/23 I work in a very small hospital. As of today, we have 5 patients with covid. Will it ever go away?

@canidmajor You may have long covid. It unfortunately can take months to feel better.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html

@Hawaii_Jake Probably an element of both. The vaccines attenuate severe disease and the virus has also evolved to a less virulent (but more contageous) form.

@KNOWITALL I’ve had it twice. Fortunately they were both mild cases and I took Paxlovid immediately. Both my cases were associated with overseas travel. Although I’ve travelled other times overseas and didn’t get it.

@gondwanalon Holy crap, you did the rim to rim hike? I’m 13 years younger than you and I couldn’t do that. In answer to your questions, yes, it will probably be an updated yearly vaccine like a flu vaccine.

I can’t even count all my friends and family who died. They called CDC for my great aunt (vaxxed) as they could fimd no cause at all. If I had to guess, it’s around 10 people just in my circle.

@KNOWITALL Fuck. I had no idea. I’m so sorry.

I got the first 3 boosters, missed #4, and will get #5 next week.

@chyna No, I think it’s here to stay and we’re stuck with it. We don’t have anybody in the iCU with it, but another hospital is looking to transfer one to us that we will probably take in the next day or two.

I had the first three shots. I didn’t get the bivalent. I think I’ll get the new one.

@Caravanfan

Question 1: When you got sick, do you think it was literally during the time using transportation (flight, train, etc) and did you wear a mask?

I’ll be traveling out of the country next month. Neither my husband nor I have had covid, we haven’t been sick at all since Jan 2020. I figure my luck is bound to run out soon. I have traveled domestically.

Question 2: Is high blood pressure still considered to make a person at high risk for severe disease?

@Caravanfan North rim to south rim hike of the Grand Canyon is not an extreme hike if you train for it and take your time and enjoy it. Most hikers on the trail seem to be rushing to catch a bus. Quite a few runners too. I don’t get it. What’s the hurry. If people would just stop and look closely they’d see the place is loaded with fossils, beautiful plants and animals. My wife and I took our ever loving sweet time doing it in 3 days during the cooler month of November. We found it more difficult going down than coming up. Something fun to do.

Good health!

I got the EG.5 booster on September, 29, which was about 5 months after my previous one.

My friend, who’s 76, got his last vaccination about 8 or 9 months before he contracted Covid.
He took Paxlovid the same day he experienced symptoms, and now he’s AOK.

I have an appointment for tomorrow afternoon to get both my Flu & Covid shots. This will be my first time getting the Moderna, so I’m a little nervous about any side effects!!! I don’t know that it matters. I didn’t specifically choose Pfizer before, but it always seemed to be what was available at the time.

Is COVID basically going to be like the flu from now on, as in deadly to some, but mostly something we learn to live with and we vaccinate for annually?

@gorillapaws Yes and no. We will be living with it like the flu and for most it will be mild symptoms. But there are those who do not recover well and get long covid which can be debilitating. Flu doesn’t do that.

@KNOWITALL I’m sorry to hear that. I lost both of my uncles to COVID. Neither wanted to vaccinate because they were worried it would hurt them (I remember my mother pleading with them in vain)...

Well, damn, @Caravanfan, I hope not. Ugh. I am not completely laid out by this, just taking forever to recover. The good news is that I am in the Yale-New Haven system where they are doing groundbreaking work with Long Covid.
Still hoping for the “just not bouncing back” option.

I got the new annual Covid shot on September 18th. Pfizer and I was draggy just the next day.
I’ve had a mix of Modernas and Pfizers. Just came back from a trip and feel crummy but I tested out there and just tested here and I’m negative for Covid.

@janbb Do you think you caught whatever you have on the flight? It sounds like you were sick already before you flew home. Did you wear a mask when flying both directions?

I don’t think I caught anything on the flight. I was feeling exhausted most of the time I was there.
I wore a mask in the airport and when getting up on the plane or when people were getting on but not in my seat. .

@janbb Thanks. Hope you feel better soon. Funny, my seat on the plane is where I’m most fanatic about it in the past. I’ve only have been on short flights so I could manage it. That and the bathrooms always with my mask on.

@canidmajor I hope not also. And I know several people in your condition who bounced back to normal after a few months.

@Caravanfan Fingers are all crossed, digits are mangled! :-)

@canidmajor One thing you have to do is be patient. One day may seem like another but compare yourself week to week, month to month. Do what you can.

Hundreds of books in the TBR pile, a new season of Call The Midwife, and unlimited amounts of Star Trek! I am ready. :-D

So, as best I can tell, despite being exposed multiple times, and I do mean EXPOSED, I never got COVID. I have had all the boosters except for this last one. Each time I get the shot, I feel like crap for days. I’m very tempted not to get this latest booster.

You had all the boosters and didn’t get covid. That tells you the vaccines probably really worked in your case. I recommend getting the booster.

@Caravanfan If a person had a mildish case of COVID in the past and they become infected now they can expect:

A) Likely a mild case. Previous mild infections are good indicators for predicting future severity.
B) Likely a more severe case. COVID damages the body and the effects can be cumulative, getting worse the more times you’ve been infected
C) Unknown. The severity of a previous outbreak has no correlation with the severity of future infections.
D) Something else. (not sure what this might be), I’m not an MD and it’s possible I didn’t account for some other scenario.

@Caravanfan I will weigh this carefully, the side effects of the vaccine for me were no joke. For the record, I get my flu vaccine in case you were wondering. I’m also very much interested in @gorillapaws question.

C

@Caravanfan So this is more like the flu and not a cold even though this is a corona virus like a cold? Are you saying this because you think someone some country will re-engineer it?

What? The honestly have no idea what you are asking me. Can you please rephrase?

Apologies for short responses. On my phone right now.

If it matters I am experiencing some side effects from my vaccine yesterday and I am welcoming them. That tells me my immune system is ramping up with all those protective antibodies

Don’t take the vaccine if you don’t want. You just asked my opinion and I gave it

10–4, I’m leaning on the side of taking it. I’m just curious what makes you think the answer to @gorillapaws question is C? It does appear to be weakening as time goes on. I’m no virologist, but I would think that trend is likely to continue.

It is C because we have no idea of what the future virulence of mutations will being. We just have no idea. We can only do what we can

Do you think that many people feel sick and chalk it up to Covid without getting tested?

@Dutchess_III I don’t know anybody who says they have Covid without being tested positive for Covid.

@Dutchess_III My experience is the opposite! So many people I know say “it’s just a cold” or “allergies” or “a sinus infection” and then when pushed by other people finally test and find out they have covid.

@dutchess I’m sure. Yes.

So many people here are passing on the booster its scary, but most I know who died HAD the vaccine but also had underlying issues. What would you say to people who are frankly terrified of staying boosted? This is a legitimate issue in many red states.

You know we love our football but Kelce is really getting ragged on for doing the booster commercial. Just an example of the anger and mistrust around vaccines.

We were planning on getting our flu and covid shots for the whole family in November (so that we are most protected during the holidays for travel).

But I ended up getting covid from my MIL when she came to visit (right at the end of a three week cruise overseas). Partly my fault for being lax about precautions. (Did not mask in the car while I picked them up from SFO.)

Luckily she was still masking in the car. And my case was very mild. Assuming low viral load due to masking.

I managed to quarantine and was the only one in the family to get covid.

Should I get the booster when the rest of the family gets theirs? Or does having covid protect me more than a booster?

Also their cruise was in Asia. (Japan and Korea) Are the strains overseas different than what we are seeing here in the US?

Thanks for starting another covid ama thread!

FYI everyone – They’re calling it an annual shot now rather than a booster and expect we’ll be getting them once a year like flu shots.

@raum The medicos told me to wait on the booster because I am so loaded with antibodies right now, but mine was a local strain, so it could be different for you.
Mostly just feel better!!! <3

@janbb Oop…force of habit!

@canidmajor Thanks! How long did they say to wait? I actually got it the beginning of September. And it was way better than my first round. I’m pretty sure I still have some long covid symptoms from that first time, so I feel ya. :/

@raum They told me to wait til November, so I’ll be just in time for a holiday surge. Ugh.

And irony of ironies, two days after my Covid shot I get Covid!

Oh, damn. Sorry to hear that @Caravanfan. Weather it well, May it be mild.

@canidmajor I’m fine. It’s just annoying. I had a big Dungeons and Dragons gaming weekend planned this weekend.

Oh no! Can you zoom your participation? I think one of the players in my kid’s regular game does that.

@canidmajor I could. But there are already a lot of in person players and it really wouldn’t work.

@Caravanfan Feel better soon!

Oh SNAP ! !

How many times have you had it doc? @Caravanfan.

My mom got Covid a year and a half ago. In and out of hospitals for several months due to various severe symptoms. They were debilitating enough that we had to move her to assisted living and sell her home. We weren’t sure how much longer she would live beyond her 87 years. Interesting that after 14 months, she seems to be back to normal (as normal as an 88 year old can be). She caught it while grocery shopping without a mask, just after our mask mandate was lifted.

As for me, I just got my updated Covid vaccine last week. I got Covid the summer of 2022 while at a destination wedding, where no one was wearing masks. Took a day’s worth of Paxlovid before I came down with severe hives. Covid symptoms weren’t too bad so Dr. told me to stop the Paxlovid. I got Covid again a few months ago while picking up Philly cheesesteak sandwiches while not wearing a mask. Took a day’s worth of Paxlovid to see if I’d get hives – yes.

Interesting that I’ve taken over a dozen flights on packed airplanes in the last few years and never got Covid from them. I always wear a KN-95 when I fly, though. Hmm…

@Caravanfan I hope it passes quickly.

@KNOWITALL this will be #3

I don’t think I’ve ever had it.

@Dutchess_III I thought you said before the outbreak in March of 2020, you were very sick (January 2020) with an unknown illness which you were assuming was Covid? You were not positive it was Covid because it wasn’t tested (as there was no test at that time) but you were assuming it was Covid.

Could have been.

Oh dang. Feel better soon, @Caravanfan. Hope it’s a mild round.

Meanwhile, https://news.yahoo.com/goodbye-covid-19-vaccination-card-182001470.html

@Brian1946 Yeah, I found out about that a couple of days ago. I asked for a new card and the pharmacists looked at me funny. But he gave me one.

In Florida we can easily get a record of all of our vaccinations from the state record base, I assume that is true in all states.

Also, I can log into my Walmart account and see all of my covid vaccinations since I’ve done them all at Walmart.

I can’t imagine any work place is still requiring covid vaccination. Are they?

Ours isn’t, even though it should.

My work dropped the COVID vaccine benefits we used to get. Now if we feel terrible for a day or two after, it’s on us to take leave. They used to give you up to two days to recover, which I needed each time except for the first jab.

^^None of my friends or my husband ever got that benefit. They did their shots on Friday to be sick Saturday, or took a day off, or worked from home if they could and didn’t feel too terrible.

@JLeslie I work for a very good organization, which is why I have stayed with them for 24 years.

I don’t understand why medical facilities (hospitals, urgent care clinics, doctor’s offices etc.) do not require universal masking. Covid is an airborne disease, and masking is a first line, common sense approach to infection control, even if Covid wasn’t a factor. Sick people come to these places because they are sick. Masking should be essential in these places.

I have lost 7 people to Covid since 2020. 3 in 2020, 1 in 2022, and 3 in 2023. In addition to that, 4 people in my sphere who are/were battling life threatening illnesses have contracted Covid in the hospital while they were there being treated for their illnesses. One of them died, one of them had to be intubated and put on a breathing tube, and ultimately had to have a tracheotomy. These all occurred this year, 2023.

If anyone is interested in reading about how Covid can be a catalyst for other illnesses and disease, the link at the bottom is a pretty comprehensive list.

As a person with high risk people in my family, I still follow the same prevention protocols that I have been doing since the beginning of the pandemic. Masking, getting vaccinated, sanitizing, distancing, and avoiding indoor activities with other people.

I belong to a support group for people who are high risk and/or immunocompromised themselves, or who have children, parents, or other relatives, or friends who are. The group relies on science/evidence based information and studies, but also encourages group members to describe their own experiences with Covid such as how they avoid it, or what types of treatments and methods they have employed to try to minimize the symptoms, and to avoid spreading it to other family members if they do contract it.

Unfortunately, during this current surge, with this strain being highly infectious, and vaccines being harder to come by, despite supposedly being available in September. They have come late, after most kids have been back in school, which is a petri dish for the spread of Covid. In the support group, people still test regularly, unlike the rest of the population.

The people and families who have contracted it have mostly described it being brought home by their kids at school (who are often the only child masking in their entire class) and from flights (where virtually no one else is masking) when a parent had to go on a business trip, or from friends/relatives who came into their home after claiming to follow “safe Covid protocols” only to find out that they didn’t. Some have also contracted it in medical facilities where they were being treated for something else.

Some of the people in the group have been able to homeschool their children and/or work remotely since the beginning, but most have to send their kids to school and work in person, despite their high risk status, so even though they generally mask up and take other precautions, this strain is hitting them hard, and often for the first time, mostly due to this strain’s higher infectiousness, and because the rest of the world has “gone back to normal” often making them the only ones who are masking at their school or job.

Below is one of the links I got from the support group that describes how Covid moves beyond itself to create other medical problems.

I hope that our science experts will ultimately develop a sterilizing vaccine for Covid, one that actually prevents the disease.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/huge-free-covid-86871700?fbclid=IwAR0PSNuIjBJm8nmUy-j95-zdt-TvOAb3oZp_BAHGsL_7f459AGuceghA3vc_aem_ATkbL2r20-G5-JoaRiX3RCL8Xax_IHgo7O9JGapzKHnChJ7AWYY4WNOsBO39MwOtpiI

I have received all but the most recent Covid vaccine. I can’t recall feeling sick from any of them. I suppose I may be an anomaly?..

Even if it did though, I would still take it. Pretty obviously the lesser of two evils…

The vaccine is one of those things that I take for granted when I bash America. I’m very appreciative that my government helped develop a way to help it’s citizens. And distribute it, and make it available for everyone…

@Kardamom.. it’s not “airborne” in the way you’re suggesting. A person sneezes and the droplets that carry the virus spray out into the air for a second, but then drop and land on the floor or a counter or an enchilada.

@Dutchess_III

Covid is transmitted in several ways. Airborne by large droplets that ultimately fall or are breathed in by another person, or by smaller airborne particles that float and hang in the air and can travel across and fill a room, and by fomite transfer when the droplets are touched and then transferred to the nose, mouth or eyes.

https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/indoor-air-and-coronavirus-covid-19

https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/coronavirus-information/about-the-virus/is-the-coronavirus-airborne

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9349854/

^^ From this link:
“Studies have shown that small aerosol droplets (<5 μm) can survive in the air for periods of
3h to 3 days and travel long distances.”

Doc….is the virus lighter than air?

@Dutchess_III What do you mean “lighter than air”?

@Kardamom says it floats around in the air. To do that it would have to be lighter than air.

@Dutchess_III No, it just needs to be aerosolized like water vapor particles are aerosolized.

The smaller the object the higher the surface to weight ratio, since surface area is related to r^{2 while mass (and weight) are related to r}3. Really small droplets will thus be carried further on even small gusts of wind.

Like a balloon

Quick question. My docs nurse said they can give flu shots at the office so i got one. Is that the booster or are they two seperate shots?

@KNOWITALL The covid vaccine and the flu vaccine are two different shots.

@Caravan Okay, got confused for a minute! I’m going in November for a recheck of bloodwork (after removing cholesterol meds) so I’ll ask.

I got the new vaccine last week. It isn’t a booster, but a new vaccine. I was tired the evening the next night.

Yes, @filmfann they didn’t call it a “booster” when I got mine last month and there are no more vaccine cards.

Ugh, back again. Pretty sure by now it’s Long Covid, and a question about vaccines. Is it recommended t9 get flu, RSV and latest Covid shots at this point? Yes, I’ll ask my doctor, but this weekend is a bad time for that, just curious as to what you say, @Caravanfan.
Thanks.

RSV if you’re over 60.

Just RSV? Or RSV with the others? Definitely over 60.

All of them.

Thanks, @Caravanfan, making plans for Monday.
Happy Thanksgiving! <3

So. The other day I asked my local pharmacist about which Covid vax brand was the best. In short, he was of the opinion that vaccines didn’t really work, and were just for pharmaceutical companies to make money with, etc…
I considered the region I’m in (sometimes very red,) and thought better.
My PCP of course was not a fan of this, especially considering I am immunosuppressed. (Transplant.)

I have to say, I am not pleased that he could be talking people out of getting vacced…

@MrGrimm888 I hope you were able to get vaxxed somewhere! Geez, does this person not appreciate the irony of bashing Big Pharma?

^I did. I rarely trust one person’s opinion. Even if he made a believable case.

Sadly. I am certain that he talks some people out of getting it, and to make matters worse, those people spreading harmful information…

Long Covid

Potential treatments:

https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2023/october/penn-study-finds-serotonin-reduction-causes-long-covid-symptoms

What is long covid and who gets it:

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/long-covid-symptoms

Why you should still avoid getting Covid 19 (especially multiple times):

https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/do-repeat-covid-infections-make-long-covid-more-likely

Long covid support groups:

https://www.wearebodypolitic.com/covid-19

@Kardamom Thanks so much for these comprehensive (and recent!) links, some of them are very helpful.
I appreciate that you posted these.

My nephew is suffering from either an auto-immune disease or Long Covid. He had Covid early on and has had various auto-immune type symptoms fo the last few years. Recently he had a month of tremendous fatigue after the recent vaccine.

!) Should he try to enroll in a Long Covid clinic. (He is in a large city.)
2) Do you think he should not get any more updated vaccines? I remember jca2 saying she couldn’t get the vaccines because she had had Guillaime-Barr syndrome.

@Kardamom I forwarded on to him the article about serotonin and he has increased his dosage of a med that contains that. Thanks!

@janbb I don’t know a lot about long covid, but from what I understand it’s yes on the vaccine. Sure, he can try to enroll in a long covid clinic. No harm in that.

@janbb I know my mom would say don’t get the vaccine if he thinks his symptoms are from the vaccine (she worked in vaccinations at FDA and has had all of the covid vaccines).

If it’s long covid then probably he should get the vaccine since he had significant and severe symptoms from covid. Goes without saying he should try to avoid another covid illness or at least try to prevent severe illness. Here is a small study about the vaccine being helpful for long covid sufferers that might interest you. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-vaccination-after-long-covid-may-be-linked-better-outcomes#:~:text=A%20new%20observational%20study%20from,%2Dbeing%2C%20and%20less%20inflammation. Selma Hayek had a similar experience feeling better when she received the first vaccine, here she talks about it. https://youtu.be/-XAKgi7qafo?si=ybQWGkRAuWVNisyI

As far as @jca2 she took the first 2 or 3 covid vaccines. Her GBS was from a flu shot, and she no longer get flu shots. Pretty sure she stopped taking more covid shots, but she would have to answer that, I assume because of her high risk, I don’t blame her, I would probably do the same. Although, worth noting that last I read there were barely over 100 cases of GBS side effect from the covid vaccines, which is extremely low.

I’m not recommending and you know I’m not a doctor, just giving some anecdotal info.

@JLeslie My GBS was not from a flu shot. I haven’t had a flu shot in almost 30 years.

It was because my daughter, at age one year old, got a virus. I took her to the ER because she was throwing up and they told me it was a virus and she would probably continue to throw up for about a day, and then she’d have diarrhea, which she did. Earlier that day, not knowing she was sick, I had taken her to the babysitter’s and the kids got it, and my parents got it, and I was marveling at how everybody got it except me. About two weeks later, I got GBS, which was my body’s way ot reacting to the virus. I spent almost a month in the hospital, and the neurologist told me I can’t get vaccines any more.

When the Covid vaccine originally came out, I had to see that neurologist to ask him if I could get the vaccine. He consulted with another neurologist and determined that I could, so I got the first two (the first vaccine was a 2 part, remember?). I haven’t gotten any since. I have gotten Covid twice but both times it was like a bad cold. The first time was worse than the second. The second was just like a regular cold, actually.

@jca2 I didn’t remember the GBS was from a virus, thanks for straightening that out. Makes sense that following that your doctor recommended not getting any vaccines, that’s how I must have confused it. Then covid came along and the risk equation was different initially. I thought you were very brave taking the covid vaccine when you did, I think I told you.

GBS isn’t from a virus, but a virus can trigger it. Vaccines can trigger it too, but they are very rare. More often then not the cause of GBS is idiopathic.

@caravanfan That’s what I meant, secondary to a viral infection in @jca2’s case, but thanks for clarifying, I should have been more specific. Although, maybe it is her reaction to that virus?

Like so many idiopathic diseases and illnesses, I think many of them just have undiscovered causes. Like some childhood arthritis cases, which are now diagnosed as Lymes disease (when that is the cause) as an example.

I have digestive trouble following the flu four years ago, and my doctor and I think possibly it’s secondary to the infection, but we can’t be sure.

@JLeslie That’s exactly what my neurologist said – the GBS was my body’s reaction to the virus that my daughter had (and that I was so happy that I wasn’t affected, or so I thought).

For most of the pandemic, people said that covid doesn’t affect children. As cases are rising again, this article seems to suggest otherwise.

https://apple.news/AdGxFfbxGS5q-KwnFtQdp_w

Also, because of the lack of masking in schools, 70% of familial transmissions started with children.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/more-70-us-household-covid-spread-started-child-study-suggests

Better air filtration in classrooms (and basically all indoor places) would do a lot to curb transmission of covid.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/09/opinion/air-filter-covid-smoke-schools.html

This is a compelling article in The New York Times about Long Covid and why more journalists need to be dicussing this subject.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/opinion/long-covid-reporting-lessons.html?fbclid=IwAR1rngQUxr1MUZL7eclKv4z36FM4k_jQ9jcJppXn72ylwvSh0tejokx0nhg_aem_AZwKrR6kw2E_3UDFQSMBwkJf_9nsBP5bsrVeWZtS84Kc37fuKElQDYKfI_dlRXawCUaeN3eXW7JZVgXj62FYVXEQ

@Kardamom Good article! I sent it on to my nephew.

@Kardamom Another great article, thank you!

Part of the reason that we are still in a pandemic, and cases are high, is because the CDC’s recommendations for safety protocols for infection control are at the minimalist level, rather than “best practices” level.

This article points out that “unscientific guidance puts the U.S. in a weak position to protect patients and staff from currently circulating viruses and will leave us behind the curve in battling future pandemics.”

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/107581

This is very concerning to me, because I lost 2 people to Covid this year, the most recent was at the end of November (2023). They contracted Covid in the hospital when they were being treated for other illnesses. Also 3 other friends, one with cancer, and 2 with myriad medical issues, also contracted Covid in the hospital. At least 2 of my friends, that I know of are suffering from Long Covid.

@Kardamom We are off track from the Q since this is really an ask the doctor thread, but since no one has shut you down (which is what has happened to other jellies in the past) I’ll pick up on your statement. What you are talking about is a complaint I have had regarding flu season for 20 years.

I think EVERY flu season we should have a reminder of best practices from either the president or Surgeon General on TV and radio or even just some sort of statement issued from the SG that would be picked up by media. Back in the 2017–2018 flu season the death rate for flu and pneumonia was way up, but our government decided not high enough to set off alarm bells to the public. The US seems to be full of extremes as usual. Either we act like nothing is wrong or like the world is on fire. I would like just some basic info relayed to the American people without it being alarmist. Suggest curbing or adjusting some behaviors to reduce transmission.

The flu map in the southeast right now is all lit up with very widespread flu. Actually, practically the entire southern ⅓ of the country. The most recent is reporting for Dec 8. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm Way worse than most years at this time.

I also know two people who just went through stomach flu where I live, so if that is any indication that means norovirus outbreak might be much early this year than usual. We usually see a big spread of it in February and March. I know a lot of people with “head colds” also in various parts of the country, and most of them didn’t bother to test for covid.

I too had someone I know die this year after suffering with long covid for a few months. I think the covid was related to her death.

I don’t know if the government has switched to reporting covid estimates like they do flu, but I think they should, and there should be a fairly regular infectious disease update broadcast to the American people.

Obviously, any time the whole country is traveling there is going to be disease spreading around. Thanksgiving just happened and Christmas is coming.

I was hoping our resident doctor could give us some advice on the information I have been reading about.

Sorry I didn’t ask it in the form of a question.

I was hoping our resident doctor could give us some advice on the information I have been reading about. Sorry I didn’t ask it in the form of a question.

@Kardamom I wasn’t wanting to criticize you, I apologize if it came across that way. It seemed more like you were providing information on the thread. Maybe the other jellies understood you were asking a question. Feel free to flag my answer.

What is the question?

I guess the question would be: Do you think the CDC needs to help medical people, as well as the general public, to be more scientifically educated (and spread the word more enthusiastically) to better be able to understand how to use “best practices” regarding infection control, so as to save more lives?

It doesn’t seem like they are doing that.

@Kardamom In what way? What makes you think they do not do it now?

I see a lot of recommendations coming from the CDC. Dr Faucie (sp) relied on the CDC for his information.

The information is there on the CDC website. Whether the media, doctors, political leaders, or the average person bothers to check it and do something about it is something else.

The CDC, FDA, and NIAID are in regular communication about infectious disease traveling across the globe, and recording data as it happens.

If respiratory diseases are on the rise, should CDC be recommending masking as much as possible?

The state I live in recommends masks if you have any symptoms of COVID, Flu or RSV.

Also they say to wear a mask if you are over 65 or have any compromising conditions.

@Caravanfan
The article from CIDRAP (The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy)
below, from seems to sum up and point out some of the CDC’s ideas to “streamline” it’s recommendations, that are in direct conflict with the best and most appropriate and effective methods of preventing infection. For example the idea that surgical masks are equal to N95 masks as PPE for Covid 19 when it has been shown that they do not create an effective seal on the face. N95 masks are the more appropriate type of mask to prevent the spread.

From the article “pushback against respirator use—such as a biased evidence review equating surgical masks with respirators—is likely because ensuring fit tests for healthcare workers takes work. Respirators are simply not as easy to use as disposable surgical masks, and wearing them takes some level of training.”

From this article “The HICPAC guidelines use the general terms “air” and “touch” to define the transmission route of COVID-19, which experts categorized as far too simplistic and out of touch with the latest science.”

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/experts-say-cdc-not-getting-right-advice-hospital-infection-prevention

@RocketGuy What does “recommending masking as much as possible” mean? How would that change behavior realistically?

@Kardamom The CDC sends out guidelines, but can not enforce policy. Policy is enforced at a local level.

@Caravanfan – assuming masks would be helpful in reducing contagion, CDC could say something like: in X situations at Y organizations, Z types of masks are recommended to reduce contagion. Then the organizations mentioned would have leverage to enforce that. People would be more likely to mask up, knowing CDC recommendations.

@RocketGuy You really think so? I think the people who are going to mask will mask. The rest will ignore.

^^^ As evidenced by the attitude of so many in 2020, 2021, and 2022. As is also evidenced by the casualty numbers. And statements by a number of jellies, here, on this very site. You know, the ones who thought that all the scientists were dopes and covid was a hoax.

As soon as the Calif mask mandates got lifted my mom went grocery shopping, purposely going without a mask. Bad things happened. If there was advice for 65+ to keep masking, she might have avoided it.

I think the people who won’t mask and don’t believe masks work just won’t use one, or have to have some sort of serious penalty to comply. Let’s set them aside.

Then you have people who are perfectly willing to mask if they are told they should. Guess what? You can wear a mask without being told.

I don’t understand why people need an order from the government or a recommendation from the CDC. For sure masks work best when everyone or most everyone is wearing them in a room, but the US is only going to recommend or order that in extreme circumstances.

The CDC and government cares about all aspects of health including mental health, so recommendations are a balance between various types of risk. Plus, the government (and politicians) take into account the economic health of the country.

I see some people here and on Facebook “screaming” about how they’re not going to wear a mask, as if it’s a violation of their rights or something.

@RocketGuy You made my point. A mask mandate is a requirement. That will work. The CDC just putting out mask “recommendations” won’t do squat.

The masks will mess up the Tangerine make-up !
!

@Tropical_Willie and the Rudy hair dye running down his face-look.

https://in.mashable.com/culture/18398/rudy-giulianis-hair-dye-streaked-down-his-face-in-bizarre-press-conference-moment