All of these stories of long covid are heart-breaking. I cannot, for the life of me, understand why the vast majority of people in the U.S. think covid is just nothing. As someone else upthread said, I don’t think I am so special that I’d be exempt from long covid. It’s life-ruining.
In addition, several times a week I learn of a young(ish) person who’s been diagnosed with or died of heart disease or stroke. Never before covid had I ever known so many people in this age group to die suddenly. In fact, a colleague’s husband, in his 50s, just died suddenly a few days ago of previously unknown heart disease. A young neighbor just died suddenly and unexpectedly of an enlarged heart, previously unknown. Another neighbor, in his early 50s, had a devastating stroke. A young colleague is now hospitalized for heart problems of unknown origin. All these people had no prior known health problems. Of course there’s no way of directly linking these events to covid. But, all of them had had covid within the prior three months. And we know what covid does to the heart and blood.
That suggests that you knew hundreds of such people over the past year, which is huge compared to what I have seen (zero, although I know one person who had apparent myocarditis after COVID-19 in the pre-vaccine days of COVID-19).
Our PT never had any breathing difficulties now her O2 levels often dip below 90% (95-100% is normal for healthy adult at sea level—below 88% & you qualify for O2). I suggested she get referred to my pulmonologist for evaluation and possible supplemental O2.
I just had breakfast with a friend. She said that her husband, son, and herself got COVID last month. It was not fun. Her husband had to work from home for two weeks and felt really horrible - a lot of coughing and the worst sore throat he’d ever had. Nothing helped him feel better. Her son is obese and has schizophrenia. Fortunately, his case was not too serious. He couldn’t take Paxlovid due to the psychiatric meds he’s on. I hope they don’t have any lingering problems.
I got a spring bivalent booster a few weeks ago (I am under 65 years old). But was only because my “fall booster” was actually getting COVID-19 (when BA.5 was predominant) shortly before the bivalent booster became available. So I waited until the temporary elevation of antibodies from infection likely ended before getting the bivalent booster so as not to waste it by getting it when antibodies were high already.
My husband is over 65. He said he wasn’t sure if he would get a booster, and my son and I both told him he will, ha. I think I will suggest he wait until early July since we’re flying to Europe on July 19.
Going to get my second bivalent in mid-July, as we will be heading overseas for S2’s wedding and other travel in late Aug-Sept. Fist bivalent was mid-Sept, followed by 2nd Evusheld in Nov (which proved to be ineffective against the Omicron variants). I still mask in public places anyway, so I think I’ll be ok til then.
I would like to get the second bivalent booster since we’ll be traveling to my nephew’s wedding at the start of June. But I want to wait and see how my May 1 eyelid/brow lift surgery recovery goes. If all is well by mid-May, and my doctor thinks it’s a good idea, I’ll go in then.
Looks like I accidentally followed Canada’s vaccination recommendation to wait 6 months after a breakthrough infection before getting the next booster:
From the above page: “A longer interval between infection and vaccination may result in a better immune response from the infection as this allows time for this response to mature in breadth and strength, and for circulating antibodies from the infection to decrease, thus avoiding immune interference when the vaccine is administered.”