Corona Virus: How Are We Doing?

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks, didn't realise it was personal rather than for everyone from your post.

I'm very sure your doc knows better what's best than me or anyone else here!

Yes, it's just me. It doesn't help that some people I work with don't have great hygiene, and smoke like chimneys so they're virus magnets.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Like @Andy in Germany , I will be wearing an FFP2 or 3 mask again (to protect myself from all the covidiots) soon, when I am on public transport, in crowded indoor spaces and so on. Soon enough - and sooner than that, given the rising cost of heating - windows and doors will be being kept tightly closed, ventilation will be limited and virus will thus be encountered in higher concentrations indoors.

 

[Gillstay]

Just lost my first day's work as the people have covid and cancelled. Not expecting that this early. Most surprised.

 

[Deleted User]

covidiots

🤣

 

[Andy in Germany]

Like @Andy in Germany , I will be wearing an FFP2 or 3 mask again (to protect myself from all the covidiots) soon, when I am on public transport, in crowded indoor spaces and so on. Soon enough - and sooner than that, given the rising cost of heating - windows and doors will be being kept tightly closed, ventilation will be limited and virus will thus be encountered in higher concentrations indoors.

I think most people will look at the numbers and decide it's a low risk even if they catch it, forgetting that it seems to cause wildly different symptoms. I'm aware I have a slightly higher risk, so I'm taking appropriate precautions as advised.

I hadn't considered the closed windows issue.

Also, I've been here for several years and only just noticed that you are KnittyNorah, not KittyNorah. So much for my powers of observation.

 

[KnittyNorah]

I think most people will look ma the numbers and decide it's a low risk even if they catch it, forgetting that it seems to cause wildly different symptoms. I'm aware I have a slightly higher risk, so I'm taking appropriate precautions as advised.

I hadn't considered the closed windows issue.

Also, I've been here for several years and only just noticed that you are KnittyNorah, not KittyNorah. So much for my powers of observation.

I'm in my 70s, so that puts me at higher risk even without any other factors. I've not had it, as far as I know, yet - the clinical trial I'm on tell me that I do not appear to have any induced-by-infection antibodies, only induced-by-vaccination ones - and I prefer not to get it if at all possible.
I can't control the behaviour of total strangers in public places and on public transport, or the air quality in those places but I can, at least to some extent, control the air that enters my lungs in those places by wearing a well-fitted FFP 2 or 3 mask at all times.
My biggest concern is not the actual C-19 acute infection, but the insidious damage that emerges later and can remain for an unknown period of time.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Unless you take very stringent measures indeed to protect yourself - lockdown plus more besides, as I understand it it's quite unlikely that attempts to avoid infection will be successful.

Covid is very transmissible, much more so than flu, and waves are now driven by new, immune escaping variants. So most people will catch each new, significantly different variant, regardless as to relatively minor measures like mask wearing. That will reduce your likelihood of getting infected on a given occasion, but as you remain vulnerable to the new variant until you've been infected by it, it actually doesn't make difference to your cumulative likelihood of getting it.

Just my understanding, I'm not an epidemiologist.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Site to book your next vaccination in Scotland is:
vacs.nhs.scot
I have booked myself in for Sunday.
I'm not in the current age slot yet, but I work for the nhs
One of my colleagues, we are in the same, non-clinical role, had hers last Saturday.
She said that contrary to her previous vacs, she had slight side effects.
I shall cycle to the vac centre and back, as per previous

 

[Bazzer]

I am told fairly authoritatively (at least is NHS England-wide policy aiui) that if you are eligible 'now' and walk-in somewhere (ie without booking but with ID and local) they will (should, if capacity) make an assessment of whether you will come back 'ever' again when deciding whether to let you into the queue and vaccinate you there and then. Everyone's trying to make this work (get the % as high as possible).

Thank you for this. 👍
Mrs B doesn't qualify for the appointment tranche and I was unaware of the walk-ins. At least locally, the walk-ins appear to be being dealt with by pharmacies outside the booking system, so our intention is to get Mrs B jabbed tomorrow.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Invited and booked in for October with GP practice , I’m in the over 50s under 60s group. Invited for covid and flu jabs at same time. Same way last year’s boosters were done.

 

[Slick]

Site to book your next vaccination in Scotland is:
vacs.nhs.scot
I have booked myself in for Sunday.
I'm not in the current age slot yet, but I work for the nhs
One of my colleagues, we are in the same, non-clinical role, had hers last Saturday.
She said that contrary to her previous vacs, she had slight side effects.
I shall cycle to the vac centre and back, as per previous

Thanks for that Pat, I didn't realise you could do that and now both Mrs Slick and I are booked in for this afternoon.

 

[mjr]

but as you remain vulnerable to the new variant until you've been infected by it, it actually doesn't make difference to your cumulative likelihood of getting it.

Just my understanding, I'm not an epidemiologist.

Clearly. I'm not one either but share some of the training. Protecting yourself does make a difference. It might not be sufficient difference or even a significant one, but it does make a difference. Any variant may die out before you catch it. Few will catch them all.

There's also no way to be sure of the size of the difference until what most of us would consider too late, so if you don't find the protection measure too difficult and it's not snake oil, why not use it?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Clearly. I'm not one either but share some of the training. Protecting yourself does make a difference. It might not be sufficient difference or even a significant one, but it does make a difference. Any variant may die out before you catch it. Few will catch them all.

There's also no way to be sure of the size of the difference until what most of us would consider too late, so if you don't find the protection measure too difficult and it's not snake oil, why not use it?

Yeah, masks are like bike helmets.

They'll make a difference, but probably a very small difference. So use one if you want by all means, but be realistic and don't expect it to be a game changer for your risk profile. And just like helmets, there's no reason to suggest others should wear one.

 

[Milzy]

There’s plenty of studies to show the mask mandates causes more harm than good. Please don’t ask for links, take my word for it or do your own research. I’m not just talking about the virus traveling through the gaps in the rubbish material either. Psychological damage has been done to young children who weren’t able to read facial expressions. Even adults need to communicate in non verbal ways too.
Not long back there was a women walking in the country side in the pouring rain with nobody around for miles wearing a crappy blue surgical mask. I just thought WTF? Also seen a few people with them around their chins. WTF again. 🙄

 

[Ajax Bay]

For information, the Moderna dose I got on Wednesday (AZ x 2, and then a Biontech booster last Christmas) was a 'bivalent' spikevax TM designed to reduce the chance of serious illness caused by Omicron as well as previous variants.
"Take my word for it!"
@Milzy - this is the 'how are we doing? thread. How are you doing?