COVID-19 (Coronavirus) discussion

[Robbo]

About 11 days since symptoms started now. Feel fine for the most part but not quite right.

Slight cough which comes and goes at random.

Smell is very weak, and some things like coffee smell a bit metallic, and taste is definitely diminished.

Annoying.

 

[Rroff]

Our Trust went down to around 60 Covid patients a couple of weeks ago and we now have 130

According to BBC ~70% of those in hospital with COVID are there for other reasons, compared to 40-50% in the last major wave and a reversal compared to the first 2 major waves.

As a general point though I would be careful taking that to mean much - it still puts a huge strain on the NHS and has all the implications of an infectious disease regardless.

 

[ltron]

Herd immunity through infection hasn't worked, instead it has made the virus much more infectious and able to evade prior immunity by giving it the opportunity to mutate rapidly, what a surprise /s : https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/01/herd-immunity-covid-virus-vaccine

 

[CapitalOne]

Herd immunity through infection hasn't worked, instead it has made the virus much more infectious and able to evade prior immunity by giving it the opportunity to mutate rapidly, what a surprise /s : https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/01/herd-immunity-covid-virus-vaccine

I remember us discussing that ship sailing a couple of years ago. I guess it is now proven over time.

 

[Worthy]

I caught it again this week. Almost 12 months to the day since I last caught it. Omicron is NOTHING compared to Delta. I feel a bit ropey and I didn't sleep much last night (none really, was sweating and then freezing etc), but a good dose of paracetamol and ibuprofen and I haven't had to take time off work. Delta wiped me out for a fortnight (off sick) and then weeks of brain fog and fatigue afterwards. I have a feeling that the huge dose I had of it last time has made this one less severe. My body is a temple.

 

[CapitalOne]

My body is a temple.

Buddha?

 

[Rroff]

Herd immunity through infection hasn't worked, instead it has made the virus much more infectious and able to evade prior immunity by giving it the opportunity to mutate rapidly, what a surprise /s : https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/01/herd-immunity-covid-virus-vaccine

Quite a bit of good/interesting information in that article.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

Urgh I've got a huge family meetup at a hotel in a couple of weeks, wonder how many of us will go down with it mostly elderly people could be dropping like flies, lovely.

Buddha?

Not me doc, I'm like a walking growbag!

 

[XeNoN89]

Herd immunity through infection hasn't worked, instead it has made the virus much more infectious and able to evade prior immunity by giving it the opportunity to mutate rapidly, what a surprise /s : https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/01/herd-immunity-covid-virus-vaccine

It's like the flu now, we're going to have waves of new strains every year forever.

I've noticed more people wearing masks again, still have no idea why people wear them outside

 

[cheesefest]

My dad’s feeling better but tested positive.

My grandmother 4 times jabbed has barrier nursing. Feeling better

 

[413x]

I feel best in the morning. And as day goes on get worse and worse.

Today was a little better than yesterday. Hope thats a pattern now

 

[Tony Edwards]

I've noticed more people wearing masks again, still have no idea why people wear them outside

Despite it being explained many, many times? Geez!

 

[CapitalOne]

It's like the flu now, we're going to have waves of new strains every year forever.

I've noticed more people wearing masks again, still have no idea why people wear them outside

It is not like Flu, you don’t risk getting Flu 4 times a year with the risk of long Flu! Proper masks work, let us do it and don’t ridicule it we may have reasons, for example NHS will put off your operation for 7 weeks if you’ve tested positive. It may be boring for you but it’s *don't disguise swearing - let the filter do its work please* my wifes surgery. Let’s hope it doesn’t get delayed again.

eta: this country has proved it’s full of selfish *don't disguise swearing - let the filter do its work please* . Nice.

eta2: not everyone of course, but the Tory Covid Recovery Group no masker covid deniers I hope you don’t get it and suffer the consequences because that would be awful.

 

[CapitalOne]

To be clear, I see Covid deniers exactly like people who think the sun, moon or space does not exist. That level of moron is not measurable.

 

[Philtor]

To be clear, I see Covid deniers exactly like people who think the sun, moon or space does not exist. That level of moron is not measurable.

And that amount of hatred will do you no good either.

Some people get this, some people don’t.

I never disputed this is not a real virus, I simply didn’t want to take a RNA vaccine personally.

I am ok and please god your partner is also.

We will all be ok. The anger and hatred will kill you before any virus does.

 

[Rroff]

It is not like Flu, you don’t risk getting Flu 4 times a year with the risk of long Flu!

Agreed - We've got an increasing number of people at work who are on their 3rd bout since December 2021.

 

[dowie]

According to ONS tests since having vaccine I've had "very high" antibody counts. Apparently unusual if you haven't had it. But I've been tested every month by blood and sinus in a lab.

My mum has higher antibody counts than usual, she'd only had it once so far and that was just recently, she only tested positive for a couple of days then was back to testing negative again and the whole thing was quite mild for her.

I've recently had it (for a second time) and was positive for about 5 days, though I had symptoms a day before I tested positive.

I never disputed this is not a real virus, I simply didn’t want to take a RNA vaccine personally.

Did you take the AZ vaccine instead then?

 

[XeNoN89]

To be clear, I see Covid deniers exactly like people who think the sun, moon or space does not exist. That level of moron is not measurable.

Was this aimed at me? I hope not as I didn't 'deny' covid at all

 

[dowie]

It's like the flu now, we're going to have waves of new strains every year forever.

I've noticed more people wearing masks again, still have no idea why people wear them outside

Depends if you're in a crowd, masks can still make sense outside if there are lots of people in close proximity, otherwise yeah they're a bit pointless.

It's not like the flu though, it's no less lethal than it was before rather there are lots more people with immunity from vaccinations.

Getting infected every year for the next several years isn't a good thing, especially if you get a more moderate case where you start damaging your lungs & other organs or start losing your sense of smell & taste (indicating some neurological damage)... T-cell counts can take a big hit post-infection and they can take several months to over a year+ to recover (AFAIK - obvs I'm not an immunologist, just took an interest in some of the research)... but if you're getting infected every year then... some not too good additional risk, higher-order effects there.

People might be comfortable with the risk of a single infection for someone otherwise fit & healthy in their 30s or 40s say... but are they considering the risk of an infection every year for the next 15, 20 years etc... and the cumulative effect of organs being damaged over that time, the immune system taking a massive hit etc..

Once you get into say your 50s then an infection can get a bit riskier, especially if you're overweight or obese... but that's just looking at a single infection - what's the risk going to be like in the future for people in their 50s say after 15 years worth of repeat infections already having hit their lungs & other organs?

I'd hope that some better vaccines and treatments become available in the next few years as I'm not sure it's all that great for so many of us to be repeatedly infected annually or even biannually with this.

 

[Freefaller]

The long term plan should be to live a healthier lifestyle. It won't happen though.

And some people seem to get offended at me saying this for some bizarre reason.

Whilst this won't make covid go away I do hope that people start to push harder for being healthier. It doesn't stop you catching it, but does seem according to what the experts say make you more resilient to it or at least recover faster / suffer less long term issues if any.

I guess as the novelty of the virus decreases the long term impacts will lessen? I.e. our bodies become less long term affected by it. Or is that not quite how it works? Seems logical to me but then again our bodies aren't logical!

This forum is a bit of a reality check for me as my network of contacts have either not had it (or never admitted to having it), not had it badly or had it but bounced back with 0 issues. However reading some of people's experiences here does make me realise that for some it seems as impactful as recovering from life changing diseases like cancer etc... Which is why I have significantly softened my perspective about covid. I'm still very much on the blasé side of the fence but I'm much closer to the fence than I was 2 years ago. Probably not good enough for some in here but at least I've admitted my shortcomings and being more open minded.

I don't think it'll be eradicated but I do think (hope) that it'll just become a minor disease that is classified and known about or that our immunities improve to the extent where it does become an inconvenience rather than an issue. To many it is already seen as an inconvenience but obviously it's a lot more than that in reality.