DH has a persistent cough (probably a sinus infection, as usual). He tested negative, thank heavens. But the weather is so dreary here, and everyone as some bacterial or viral thing. I am just getting over the gross cold my grandkids gave me. It’s been a MONTH!
Hope you are feeling ok @kelsmom
Thanks. I am not feeling too awful. I’m very tired, though. I’m glad that I have kept up on boosters, because I know that it helps lessen symptoms. The worst part is that H & I had a packed weekend planned, and our plans all went sideways. We had to cancel a bunch of plans last month when he had Covid, and now we’re doing the same this month.
Article is behind a paywall.
I find this interesting…I never had a fever the one time I had COVID, and my symptoms were mild the whole time.
Plus, a dose of DayQuil took care of all symptoms I had. I can see folks doing this…and still being capable of spreading germs. But then again, this is what people did anyway Pre-COVID.
Pre-covid, during covid (while infected with covid!) despite requirements/guidelines, can’t really say after covid since it’ll be here forever… but 100% yes.
WaPo article gift link:
I understand updating the guidelines. But there continues to be additional data showing a not insignificant long Covid risk for many, including pregnant people (1 in 10 develop long covid) and kids. Most kids under 12 are not vaccinated for covid.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/health/long-covid-pregnancy-children/index.html
Here’s the long covid study in kids: Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in Children | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics
Additionally, a new meta analysis shows increased risk of sudden onset dementia in those 60+ post-covid infection. Access full pdf from this page: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4716751
I understand that people are done with covid, and clearly we aren’t in a pandemic anymore. We do know that many in the US don’t care much about their own health (considering obesity rates, diet quality, exercise engagement, etc), but based on these new data, covid is still not like a cold or the flu.
I was in the hospital with my first COVID 11/23 and anticipate wearing a mask long term. I live alone and attended an art class, and took my mask off so I could meet people. Bam, got COVID after one class. I am very discouraged about my ability to participate and engage outside my apartment. I anticipate seasonal variations in that for me, with the warmer 6 months more relaxed.
Schools and colleges are back to penalizing people for too many absences. It took me and my kids 14-17 days to test negative after infection. That length of absence for any level of education is no longer tolerated. In fact, if absent for two weeks, at least one college i am familiar with requires that you reapply. And DCF is being called on parents by public schools.
My entire art class got COVID from a fellow student who had no symptoms.
Do they know when contagiousness begins and ends? I would feel better if there was more science known.
I’ll provide a counterpoint. Doesn’t mean I fully agree with what I’m presenting or that I sway completely the other way.
Hopefully some side “benefits” of Covid has been that people are more aware when they aren’t well, more cognizant (to a degree) of how their illness can affect others, more in favor of immunizations to lessen the effects of the virus, better at handwashing, sanitizing, not shaking hands, keeping distance - all the stuff.
In the last several months I’ve known several people who have tested positive but have so few symptoms and often no fever. Very mild cases. Does it make sense that people stop work/school live for 5 days (or more) when symptoms are very minor? But Joe from the office who has had a raging cold (not covid) for 2 weeks is hacking all over the place?
Does it stand to reason that if you test positive and are ill enough with fever or other symptoms that you should stay home - but if you have little symptoms but practice hand washing, keeping some distance, maybe masking -and no fever - that you can live daily life as normal?
I think it depends on what you will be doing.
Less than clear. Timing, symptoms, all still unclear. Here’s where CDC is today (policies not always supported by recent data), but we know that’s likely to be changed over the next couple of months per the WaPo article linked above.
This isn’t supported by the data though. Covid immunization rates for the boosters are relatively low (17%). Immunization against other diseases, especially in certain geographies, has dropped, leaving holes in herd immunity…in some diseases far worse than Covid.
But this is just anecdotal. Some people, including CC posters, have had recent, severe Covid cases. Nearly 800 people died from covid last week (data at the NYT linked w/ the booster vax rate). People don’t always know when their case may turn more severe, or if passing their mild case to someone could result in a severe case for that person.
With that said, I understand why the CDC is apparently going to eliminate the 5 day isolation guidelines…we are not in a pandemic, and people aren’t following their guidelines. Said differently, they aren’t changing the guidelines because they are ineffective (if followed) at reducing covid spread.
Sure, as long as we accept that person may be spreading covid.
All the people I know are relatively mild for the first 8-10 days and then have more severe symptoms- Paxlovid or no Paxlovid. So how does that affect the proposed new CDC guidelines?
Well…the old guidelines would have allowed these folks to be out and about after 10 days for sure…and more recent after 5 days masked.
Symptoms do vary for sure, but I don’t know anyone who had mild symptoms until after day 8-10…and then got worse. But anything is possible.
I do think people need to exercise good common sense. When people are sick, they should avoid being around others. If possible.
I agree with much of what you said. Just thought I’d throw out the counterpoint!
There was a time when at work/school it was VERY acceptable for someone to miss days due to Covid - workplaces were very forgiving. I don’t think that is as much the case now. Which is too bad. There should be less “consequence” involved with illness - consequence for taking off when ill and also encouraging people to stay home to not infect others. It’s one thing to have a team member out for 5 days…it’s another thing to infect multiple team members and lose multiple days PER team member - a real hit on the productivity.
Yes, my doctor’s office told me to isolate for five days, then mask for five days. They said not to go by COVID tests, because they could be positive for quite awhile.
So many questions I would love to have answered and I hope we do some day.
How long are you contagious? Does it correspond with the Covid tests? Does it vary depending on the variant? Do you get more, less or about the same symptoms the second or third time getting Covid? Or does that vary? Are your chances of getting long Covid higher, lower or about the same with subsequent infections?
Also info on rebound with and without Paxlovid which I, my daughter, my son and two cousins experienced, some on Paxlovid and some not. Symptoms roar back worse than before and tests are either still positive or again positive.
I guess H and i will continue to mask indoors, especially around crowds. This seems to keep us healthier. We aren’t fans of masks but really hate being ill.
Covid isolation was the longest we had ever been healthy in decades, literally.
Thanks for posting. This link might also work
CDC plans to drop five-day covid isolation guidelines - The Washington Post (archive.is)