Can we talk COVID and how it affected you financially, emotionally, physically, etc?

[disneysteve]

When I had COVID back in October it didn't seem like the recommendations had changed even with taking Paxlovid (and even with testing negative within the 5 day quarantine time): 5 days quarantine and then another 5 days with a mask on if going out in public.

That's correct. The isolation period remains at 10 days. Paxlovid doesn't alter that. You are still considered contagious for 10 days from onset of symptoms. Retesting serves absolutely no purpose. It never has.

[ua_guy]

Ugh...the flu has landed on our household as well. At least, several Covid tests indicate it's probably not Covid that my husband has. This is similar timing to so many people we know at work also getting sick, and friends, and people in their families in a short timeframe. But...knock on vaccines? Husband has been able to push through it, it's not severe, and, I haven't caught it. I love my husband, but he's a biohazard when he's sick, so if he has something, I usually get it.

[QuarterMillionMan]

FDA approves updated vaxes, anyone lining up to get it? I am done with it, no more for me. I got 5 total shots with the last one around June 2023. I much rather get a free test but I think no more free tests at this point and have to pony up the $20 for a test kit at CVS or Walgreens.


FDA approves new updated COVID vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna (yahoo.com)

[ua_guy]

Yeah, I'm getting mine. But that's so I can hopefully hit peak benefit from it by the time I head to Southern CA later this year to spend time with family. Same with flu vax.

The husband returned from Vegas 10 days ago with covid. It's his first time having it. I've only ever had it once too. Husband's case was super mild but it went on for a few days. We burned through a bunch of test kits. He rebounded in that 10 days, so we tested at the onset, again to confirm he was negative, again to confirm he was positive again, and again to confirm he's negative again.

[disneysteve]

I believe in science. If the science supports a booster, I’ll get a booster.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Yes to booster but we just had covid for the first time. I had no symptoms, DH was sick, kids were slightly ill.

[kork13]

My biggest unanswered question is how OFTEN a booster is really needed to maintain a reasonable level of protection. I know they're coming out with updated vaccines to be more effective against mutated variants every 6-12 months ... But anything more than about once annually seems a bit excessive, and surely having a history of multiple boosters over the last 4 years must provide some lingering protective benefit.

I'm also curious about more recent mortality rates, like only including data from within the last year. My observation is that it seems that new variants have mutated to become far less deadly (with generally minor symptoms)... Which leads me toward setting my "care-factor" to about the same level as the seasonal flu or common cold. Am I way off?

[LivingAlmostLarge]

My biggest unanswered question is how OFTEN a booster is really needed to maintain a reasonable level of protection. I know they're coming out with updated vaccines to be more effective against mutated variants every 6-12 months ... But anything more than about once annually seems a bit excessive, and surely having a history of multiple boosters over the last 4 years must provide some lingering protective benefit.

I'm also curious about more recent mortality rates, like only including data from within the last year. My observation is that it seems that new variants have mutated to become far less deadly (with generally minor symptoms)... Which leads me toward setting my "care-factor" to about the same level as the seasonal flu or common cold. Am I way off?

My husband got pretty sick he said it was like the flu for his first bout with covid. Me no symptoms. Kid 1 never got it and kid 2 was ill but not like DH. We've had all the boosters the last in October 2023. We haven't been particularly careful, but I think if you are immune compromised or elderly then i think it could be bad. We knew we were going to get it since a kid on our tour had it.

[ua_guy]

My biggest unanswered question is how OFTEN a booster is really needed to maintain a reasonable level of protection. I know they're coming out with updated vaccines to be more effective against mutated variants every 6-12 months ... But anything more than about once annually seems a bit excessive, and surely having a history of multiple boosters over the last 4 years must provide some lingering protective benefit.

I'm also curious about more recent mortality rates, like only including data from within the last year. My observation is that it seems that new variants have mutated to become far less deadly (with generally minor symptoms)... Which leads me toward setting my "care-factor" to about the same level as the seasonal flu or common cold. Am I way off?

For middle age groups mortality is way down, and I find myself in a similar situation. The boosters seem to follow how often a variant becomes dominant and the size of the clusters/epidemics, although I may be mis-using those terms. I only had one booster last year, and this fall will be my first Covid booster this year. That's on par with an annual flu vax...hopefully the vaccines will be combined at some point.