You’re saying that those who don’t take Paxlovid have a sick-feeling better- sick again occurrence 30% of the time? Where did you see that report?? While it may take longer to feel better, I don’t recall hearing much about rebound without Paxlovid.
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I feel like it’s all a crapshoot. Spent a week in Canada last June, came home with COVID. Mild case. Spent TWO weeks in Scotland last fall, came home, NO COVID. Traveled overseas this past spring for just a week, came home with a super-mild case—would not have tested if I didn’t have a doctor’s appt a week after returning.
Oh, should have mentioned, fully vaccinated, 2 divalent boosters.
Why did you test for a doctor’s appointment?
I had a sniffle, could have been spring allergies, or something else, which it turned out to be.
Are you suggesting that we not test, and spread the virus? Just because we don’t test doesnt’ mean there is no COVID.
I believe in being responsible. Is COVID inconvenient as hell? Absolutely. But I spent 40 yrs working in science and I cast my lot with what science says, not some rando on the Internet. (NOT calling you an internet rando, just a general comment about who some folks give creedence to).
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Every time before I go for a doc appt I have to fill out a short questionnaire on whether I have had or anyone around me has had covid in the last 10 days. Or any symptoms. To be honest, since it’s clear here and in real life that you can have covid and NOT have symptoms, then the only way to know before going to the doc would be to test.
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last time I called my primary care doc for an appointment, the first thing they asked me is to test at home…
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Not at all. I am very covid-cautious. I have done more than my part in preventing covid transmission.
Where I live, nearly no one masks anymore, including in medical facilities. It’s very hypocritical for medical offices to ask about covid symptoms if the facilities don’t require masking. There is asymptomatic transmission, after all.
There isn’t much testing going on anymore, and there isn’t much masking. I’d say most Americans don’t care about spreading the virus.
Would you have tested if you’d been going somewhere else? To a party? To church? Out shopping? Out to eat? Or did you only test before going to the doctor’s office?
I wouldn’t test before going to every person’s house I visit. However if someone requested me to, I would test. Same applies here. Masking may not be in place in many/most facilities as Covid is LESS common and MORE people have been vaccinated now but a “step down” protocol of a health care facility requesting a test - or a testimonial - of recent covid exposure is a procedure.
Sure people can lie or not actually test - but as shown here in the last few posts, many are happy to conform to the request.
You can debate if that is enough or ridiculous or whatever - but it is a protocol, currently in place, as a doable precaution.
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In June 2022, there were no Omicron boosters, and lots of people with only ancestral virus vaccines / boosters were getting Omicron. After that infection, you probably had very high immunity for the fall until the winter, eventually declining to the new higher level (compared to pre-infection) of hybrid immunity. So it is not surprising that you did not get any infection last fall, and that getting a new infection this year was a barely noticeable one.
Some people may choose to pretest based on the risk level of others there. So some may pretest before going to medical appointments where the density of vulnerable people is higher than in most places. The same goes for assisted living and nursing homes. (Masking may also be chosen on the same basis.)
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As one data point, yesterday at H’s surgery center, masks were optional as specified in big bold letters on the front door. I didn’t see anyone wearing one except for some medical staff after surgery. I live in @CTTC land (not really, but similar environment) where this has been the norm for well over a year, and probably more like 2 years.
We went to visit H’s sister & FIL on Sunday. I didn’t want to go, because they are always sick with something and H had surgery coming up. Last week they all had norovirus! We get there and my BIL is fussing at the dog at jumping around us and drags him away. H was trying to sit down and visit, and then SIL mentions BIL is “very sick with a horrible cough” picked up from watching their toddler GS with a “horrible respiratory infection.” ARGH!!! I literally drug him out of the house. SIL followed and was chatting. She seemed OK, but I heard a few sniffles. Tuesday she mentioned GS was still horribly sick. H asked if it was covid. They didn’t know. Nobody tests anymore. But oh my. I hope we are OK. But I’m glad I went with H. Had I not, he would have sat there for at least an hour with BIL coughing everywhere - 2 days before surgery!
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Research studies find genetic factors that may affect how likely someone is to get asymptomatic COVID-19, or get long COVID out of an infection.
This is also a good point. Different regions have relaxed or not relaxed their masking requirements at different times. I work on a medical campus and in public areas we were required to mask until April 2023 - just a couple of months ago. So if your area has been “maskless” for months or years you might feel differently than other areas who were less liberal with taking away requirements.
I am in the Boston area. Noone is masking including in hospitals and medical offices. I am still masking in grocery stores etc. and when I go to the doctor, whether in a hospital or office, I mask until I am in the room with the doctor. I am finding it better for my relationship with the doc to be able to see their face and for them to see mine.
As for testing, after the holidays, when cases were higher, I was invited to an indoor party of about 10 people. I asked if my friends were willing to test so that I could attend, and the response was, basically, no. I still feel differently about one close friend who would not test to make me feel more comfortable. I have health conditions that make me vulnerable.
Once spring came, I took two art classes and didn’t mask. New friends are important too. I am not completely “unreasonable”! Cases are down and the fact that noone is masking does not seem to be causing big problems.
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Probably due to so many people having hybrid immunity with an Omicron infection… although XBB.1.5 and similar can break through such immunity, it appears much less likely to be severe, or even noticeable, if that does happen.
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Cases are apparently still out there, just not causing hospitalizations. I know of asummer camps where they had an outbreak and brought back masking, and i know of others that have not. Some camps (im talking overnight) are testing and some are not. Based on the responses here, people are still getting it. Luckily we now have paxlovid.
Interesting for me, is that the one time i know I caught it, was at a small extended family dinner. Yet I spent probably 1/2 dozen times at big conventions of thousands of people and did not. I also fly a lot. I have a feeling the next time I get it will also be due to small gathering rather than a large one.
Also in Boston area. Agree with your description of lack of masking in medical buildings. However, I have to go to a laser eye center for a glaucoma laser treatment. They called to tell me that masks are required, and to call the office from the parking lot when I arrive.
Seems out of phase with the rest of the medical world around here. Laser eye treatments are about as non-invasive as it gets.
How close do the patient and staff have to be to each other during the procedure?
Other thing may be if some of the staff are at particularly high risk.
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The laser center is part of the same practice that I go to for eye care. During an eye exam they get pretty darn close to my face, and no masking there----I wonder if it is your second suggestion, someone who works there is high risk.
Well, I’m so relieved paxlovid is widely available. D was able to get a Rx shortly after having telehealth visit with random cvs pharmacist and it was ready for pick up i. under 1hr.
How each of us responds to covid and paxlovid can vary greatly.
Most/many places around here have given up masking. The dentist and eye doc are still requiring it. My mom’s ccrc was also requiring it.
People are more of less good about how they wear masks, even when they do wear them anyway—so tired of the masks under noses or on chins—wear it don’t wear but under nose or on your chin is stupid and protects no one. Paper surgical masks provide very little protection anyway.
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