Coronavirus 8: One Million Dead in 2022 and We're Only in August

[Kiki03910]

Covid, memory loss, and vaccination:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627172048.htm

[Kiki03910]

The latest on Long Covid, including pretty good news if you're vaccinated:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/long-covid-rates-have-declined-especially-among-the-vaccinated-study-finds/

[Kiki03910]

Eric Topol on assessing the immune system:

https://erictopol.substack.com/p/why-we-need-an-immunome

[Kiki03910]

Fabulous. 🙄

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-mild-covid-term-cognitive-losses.html

[Kiki03910]

After a recent convo, I'm worried that my 19 yo nephew is either consuming misinformation about covid or hearing it from other people. I'm so distressed. I'll post more details tomorrow when I'm not so tired, hoping for advice. Take care, you guys! 💗

[CTRLZero]

On 7/24/2024 at 1:45 PM, Kiki03910 said:

Fabulous. 🙄

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-mild-covid-term-cognitive-losses.html

My sister’s friend (now age 60) was one of the first in our region (pre-vaccine) to get Covid, and now has long Covid.  Early on, she had horrible chest pain, brain fog, and weakness.  Three years later, she was still exhausted and had brain fog.  Just recently, she was given medication that cleared up a lot of the symptoms and she’s finally getting more physically active, which seems to be helping with the brain fog.  The cognitive issues are real.  I’m glad time and whatever medication she’s now on seem to help.

Witnessing long Covid in a friend is a good reminder to get vaccinated on a regular schedule.  I’m counting down to my next one in the early fall.  

[Kiki03910]

The latest Eric Topol:

https://erictopol.substack.com/p/shane-crotty-a-landmark-study-on

[church_of_dog]

On 7/18/2024 at 9:40 PM, Kiki03910 said:

The latest on Long Covid, including pretty good news if you're vaccinated:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/long-covid-rates-have-declined-especially-among-the-vaccinated-study-finds/

This does seem like good news, but I think we do know by now that subsequent infections cumulatively increase LC risk.  I hope subsequent studies include that aspect and also include the factor of multiple/regular vaccination too, not just one vax back at the beginning of their availability.  But hey, any good news re COVID is highly welcome!

[Kiki03910]

16 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

This does seem like good news, but I think we do know by now that subsequent infections cumulatively increase LC risk.  I hope subsequent studies include that aspect and also include the factor of multiple/regular vaccination too, not just one vax back at the beginning of their availability.  But hey, any good news re COVID is highly welcome!

I totally agree. I'm the only person in my circle who keeps up with covid news, and sometimes I feel like people are tired of hearing my updates. I get it, but knowledge is power. I've dodged this sorry shit so far...

[church_of_dog]

21 minutes ago, Kiki03910 said:

I totally agree. I'm the only person in my circle who keeps up with covid news, and sometimes I feel like people are tired of hearing my updates. I get it, but knowledge is power. I've dodged this sorry shit so far...

I've dodged it too, at least as far as I know (remember the high % of asymptomatic cases, guess I can't be 100% certain).

But at this point my effort isn't about *never* getting it (though that is the ideal of course).  But more about getting through the next decade or however long until an actual preventive vax appears, or a treatment that prevents LC, with as few infections as possible.  Reaching the end of my life 3-4 decades from now (if I'm so lucky) with only one COVID infection under my belt, if that does happen, is far superior to getting COVID every year or so like some folks seem to do.  

I'm a bit encouraged by the fact that I don't think I've ever had the flu either.  That tells me that my low-population-density community and semi-hermit lifestyle is relatively low risk to start with, then adding COVID-specific preventions such as masking and not dawdling in indoor public situations, just getting in and out quickly, is a good framework, I do hope.

My facebook feed consists almost entirely of daily "themes" for which I post memes, often humorous, but one of my themes is COVID and so I do post some stuff that I'm sure looks scary to folks trying to pretend it's already gone.  But that is precisely why I do it.

 

[Kiki03910]

21 hours ago, church_of_dog said:

I've dodged it too, at least as far as I know (remember the high % of asymptomatic cases, guess I can't be 100% certain).

But at this point my effort isn't about *never* getting it (though that is the ideal of course).  But more about getting through the next decade or however long until an actual preventive vax appears, or a treatment that prevents LC, with as few infections as possible.  Reaching the end of my life 3-4 decades from now (if I'm so lucky) with only one COVID infection under my belt, if that does happen, is far superior to getting COVID every year or so like some folks seem to do.  

I'm a bit encouraged by the fact that I don't think I've ever had the flu either.  That tells me that my low-population-density community and semi-hermit lifestyle is relatively low risk to start with, then adding COVID-specific preventions such as masking and not dawdling in indoor public situations, just getting in and out quickly, is a good framework, I do hope.

My facebook feed consists almost entirely of daily "themes" for which I post memes, often humorous, but one of my themes is COVID and so I do post some stuff that I'm sure looks scary to folks trying to pretend it's already gone.  But that is precisely why I do it.

 

ALL. OF. THIS. I wish it were gone, but it'll be a while. I have high hopes for a nasal vaccine. Meanwhile I'd rather avoid it. Other than an annual trip to stay with my sister and her family, I'm very careful and still mostly mask in public. My BF is helping take care of his very ill, bed-ridden mom, so we're very strict around those out-of-state visits.

Covid has been called a mass disabling event. Beyond the death, there is long covid, brain fog, autoimmune dysfunction, systemic organ damage, cognitive damage ... it's bad. I don't feel like I live in fear so much as I try to be logical and pragmatic. Thanks, you guys, for giving me a space to not feel crazy lol. 💗

[Kiki03910]

Nasal covid vaccine successful in hamsters:

https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/nasal-covid-19-vaccine-halts-transmission/

[Kiki03910]

Covid update:

https://erictopol.substack.com/p/the-indomitable-covid-virus

[Flossie]

My youngest (29) hasn't been feeling well the past few days.  Muscle aches, tired, not hungry or thirsty.  The worst is her skin hurts at the slightest touch, so rolling around in bed is accompanied by lots of groans.  She's been forcing herself to drink lots of water and gatorade so she's pretty well-hydrated.

Earlier today another of my daughters came home and said that a lot of people are out sick with Covid, so we broke out the test kits.  Yep, youngest has it.

[Kiki03910]

5 hours ago, Flossie said:

My youngest (29) hasn't been feeling well the past few days.  Muscle aches, tired, not hungry or thirsty.  The worst is her skin hurts at the slightest touch, so rolling around in bed is accompanied by lots of groans.  She's been forcing herself to drink lots of water and gatorade so she's pretty well-hydrated.

Earlier today another of my daughters came home and said that a lot of people are out sick with Covid, so we broke out the test kits.  Yep, youngest has it.

I'm so sorry. I hope she gets over it quickly. Unfortunately covid levels are very high almost everywhere in the US.

https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-currentlevels.html

[Coconut Flan]

The woman in line in front of me at CVS was asking where the COVID tests were.  She didn't appear sick so I hope it was for someone at home.  I wear masks in stores so I'm not worried yet.  At any rate that CVS has the test kits behind the regular checkout counter.  

[FiveAcres]

Covid levels are very high right now. Here is a substack post from a marriage and family therapist who gives a list of responses to minimizers, if you feel up to dealing with them.

https://www.oliviabelknaptherapy.com/post/you-have-to-live-your-life-responses-to-common-covid-minimizing-phrases

Edited August 11 by FiveAcres
corrected fact

[Kiki03910]

Covid and dementia. This sucks, but more reason to take it seriously.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/health/coronavirus/covid-cognitive-impairment-dementia/

[Kiki03910]

The fall vaccines:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/new-covid-vaccines-for-summer-variants-slated-for-approval-late-next-week/ar-AA1oW2Gx

[Coconut Flan]

I'll have to wait.  I finally succumbed to the current most contagious yet Covid.  Ironically it looks like I probably caught at my doctor's office.  My doctor says it's the mildest version yet and if this is as bad as it gets (she says days 2 and 3 are the worst), then RSV was much worse.  I will still mask indoors everywhere and outdoors if I'll be close to people.  

[Kiki03910]

1 hour ago, Coconut Flan said:

I'll have to wait.  I finally succumbed to the current most contagious yet Covid.  Ironically it looks like I probably caught at my doctor's office.  My doctor says it's the mildest version yet and if this is as bad as it gets (she says days 2 and 3 are the worst), then RSV was much worse.  I will still mask indoors everywhere and outdoors if I'll be close to people.  

Get well soon, Coconut!

[Kiki03910]

The latest Covid news:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/08/amid-summer-covid-surge-fda-reportedly-poised-to-approve-updated-shots/

[clueliss]

So the boss was on vacation last week. And today I learned that during her vacation on her way to where she was going, she learned that her son and they live in the same house tested positive for Covid. She continued onto her vacation spot along about Wednesday last week began to feel like crap, and of course, indeed had Covid and or everybody else that she was around that she was staying with also began to feel like crap and get sick.

I now have her mentally labeled as one of those people that I cannot trust when they have signs of illness to actually stay home and not infect others not just with Covid but with anything. My immediate supervisor is the idiot who came to work with a “virus“ two years ago, and then half a week or so later I became ill with well what eventually tested his Covid. So he has been labeled already as somebody who will come to work and infect me with whatever he has.

 

 And then half a week or so later I became ill with well what eventually tested his Covid. So he has been labeled already as somebody who will come to work and infect me with whatever he has.

 

It has been four years and I’m so tired of dealing with dimwits who do not stay home when they are ill !

 

[Coconut Flan]

For me, COVID has been not much so far.  I appear (knock on wood) to basically be over it.  I was sick with low grade fever for two days and then began improving.  I seem to have caught it in one of two medical facilities and I'm guessing it was the second one where I sat in a very large waiting area with 80 to 100 varying count other people for over 90 minutes waiting for my monthly treatment.  I've had every possible COVID vax except the very last six month one I theoretically could have gotten this spring, but because of the surgery complications I was asked not to do that one until I recovered.  By then I was waiting for the new one although waffling that maybe I should go get one.  I should have waffled the other way I guess.   

[FiveAcres]

Brief blog post about the current state of research on long COVID by a Yale academic clinical neurologist:

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/more-on-long-covid/

Quote

Over the last four years we have seen long COVID go from a clinical observation, often dismissed as psychogenic, to a recognized syndrome that has a huge impact of patient quality of life and ability to function. COVID is a systemic serious infectious disease, and it is no surprise that it potentially leads to post-infectious symptoms (something that is very common with serious systemic infections). We are starting to zero in on potential causes, at least part of which seems to be immune dysregulation following infection. Treatments so far are symptomatic, but can be very helpful and improve quality of life.