This. My providers can always tell me what my costs will be, and they know what their costs are!
Our docs canāt tell how much anything would be, unless that is a truly elective procedure they have been doing for ages, but their billing offices can. Getting a hold of anyone at the billing is a different story!
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Iām hoping that the latest Pfizer vax plus the >65 flu shot will cover H and me through spring. Starting in October, Iāll be volunteering at GDās kindergarten at least twice a month. Several weeks ago, she brought home a respiratory bug that infected all of us. H and I tested negative for Covid, twice, but D and SiL will never test and refuse both Covid and flu shots. Since GD never attended preschool, this year she may catch just about everything that goes around.
Meanwhile, H has slept over 24 of the past 29 hours since we got our shots. Iāve awakened him for light meals because heās diabetic. He gets chills for an hour or so, then kicks off the extra blanket which I have to replace a little while later. Iām sore and tired, but not knocked out like H. Next year, weāll schedule our shots on different weekends. This year, it made sense to get it at our first possible opportunity.
Despite feeling lousy at the moment, Iām thankful weāve never had Covid at least as far as we know. Weāve tested negative every time there was any suspicion of it, including when we were exposed but didnāt develop symptoms.
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We got the Pfizer vac (tired for about 36 hours with headache). 10 days later H got the 65+flu vac and had no side effects. So probably could have gotten both of them at the same time.
We also have never, that we know of, had covid. Both GDās are in day care/preschool so, yes they had ever virus known to man. And we got them when visiting.
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Two members of my small book group canāt make the meeting tomorrow night because they have COVID. Ugh. Itās too bad, because the author, who is in my gym training group, won a Maine Literary award for the book and is coming to talk to us about it.
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Travelled from DFW to SEA today. Wasnāt surprised to only see one other person in a mask in Dallas, but was kind of shocked to see none in Seattle. In July there were about 10% wearing masks. We only wear them in the crowded terminal, jetway and during boarding and deplaning because Iāve read many studies that the air quality while mid flight is pretty good.
Maybe if they are feeling better you could zoom them in? (Iām in a book club that started during Covid, with zoom. We live too far away from each other for an in-person mode, so weāve kept doing zoom.)
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Thatās a good idea. We also used Zoom for book club during COVID.
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It appears that a new variant XEC may take over.
It appears to be a recombination of KP.3.3 and KS.1.1.
The following contains a comparison between XEC and the current vaccine variants KP.2 and JN.1.
https://outbreak.info/compare-lineages?pango=XEC&pango=KP.2&pango=JN.1&gene=ORF1a&gene=ORF1b&gene=S&threshold=75&dark=false
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Here is the same comparison above, but with the currently circulating KP.3.1.1 and the previous vaccine variants XBB.1.5 and BA.5 added:
(corrected link)
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Finally lost our covid virginity, but the Viking cruise was worth it!
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Glad you had a good trip. I think there can be relief sometimes having had Covid, knowing you are unlikely to have major complications since had it once. That was my thought when we booked our upcoming trip to London. (Also was happy for timing, was able to get another booster.)
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Free COVID tests from the government. This is supposed to be a free link.
From the Washington Post:
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Just ordered them to our house and to D2ās apartment.
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Do you have more info on this @Colorado_mom ? That is youāve had Covid once and been okay youāre less likely to have complications the next time?
I have not been keeping up with the latest info but having had it once it would be good to know this!
Absolutely no data or evidence for my statement. For example - My gut just says the first Covid event is the most scary. My 97 year old had his first case this summer l, easy peasy (he complained about being bored, since his wife was deeper under the weather). And I actually feel better, thinking that his risk factors are less of a concern.
If you had COVID-19 the first time and did not die or require hospitalization or get long COVID, then odds are better that you are not one of the most vulnerable people. In addition, your immune response against the virus is likely to be stronger than before your first infection.
However, such improved odds of avoiding a bad outcome is not a 100% guarantee against a bad outcome in the future.
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H and I have both tested positive for Covid this week for the first time. I am trying to decide whether to get paxlovid or not. My only symptom is a sore throat. I am 64 years old and have no health conditions that make people high risk except for age. H is pushing me to get it. I donāt really want it. The metallic taste thing combined with rebound symptoms make it seem worse than what Iāve got now.
H is much sicker than me. He tested positive two days ago and went on paxlovid right away. He has serious heart disease and is older than me so for him it was obvious. He had to go off three heart medications for the time he is taking it to avoid interactions. I tested positive this morning. I feel completely fine except for the sore throat so I donāt see the point of taking it.
Did anyone here get paxlovid even if you didnāt really feel sick?
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