PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[curtis325]

Clarifying stat from Vermont yesterday: thus far in the state 168 people have died from the virus, and only 8 have been younger than 60.

My mother lived to be 96. I wouldn't have been OK with her dying of COVID at 60 (or 65 or 70, etc).

[Lord Ash]

Saw Jason's newest post in the stickied thread... the "won't spread" aspect of the vaccine seems like a big deal.

[aimo]

So, I spoke with a twenty-something year-old yesterday with an interesting story. She said she probably would not be getting the vaccine, even though she is considered a healthcare worker. She said she had mono as a teenager, and ever since her immune system has been out of whack in that she cannot get a vaccine of any kind without getting very sick for a week or so afterwards. Maybe one of our immunology folks can explain this further, but I guess since mono affects the spleen and the spleen plays a roll in immunity, this would make sense. She is one of those who has "allergic reactions" to vaccines.

[PackMan97]

My mother lived to be 96. I wouldn't have been OK with her dying of COVID at 60 (or 65 or 70, etc).

Both my parents are in their early eighties. Dying at 70 meant they never would have seen their grandsons, nor would their grandsons have had any grandparents. Additionally, our President-Elect is well over 65 as is Dr. Faucci. It's worth keeping perspective on this.

[Lord Ash]

Oh, and I will say, my father died in late February with some breathing issues at the age of 94. Looking back, my mother and I are so glad that he didn't have to go through this whole covid thing. A blessing, of sorts. We were in an iso room for about a week, though (they thought he may have TB) and it was really tough, dealing with every single doctor and nurse being completely covered head-to-toe. Very dehumanizing.

(On another note, one of my friends who attended the funeral luncheon, David Lat, ended up being one of the earliest cases in the NYC area, and one of the most visible of the pandemic. When he first posted on Facebook that he had it, I did have a moment of panic that I'd need to start making many, many phone calls to everyone who had been there!)

[PackMan97]

Restrictions? What are those?

Seriously, the only statewide restrictions are no alcohol sales after 11pm. The governor has recommendations on gathering sizes but no laws. Cities/counties have their own mask rules (or not). Beaches are open because only the governor can close them. Two weeks ago the positivity rate was in the 30% but has come down to mid teens along the coast.

It looks like numbers are falling in NC as well.

To be honest, I think we have begun to see the effects of herd immunity among covidiots. Enough of them have gotten sick, and then gotten their friends and family sick, that with everyone living in such isolated echo chambers these days, it's having trouble spreading from covidiots to non-covidiots...and when a non-covidiots gets it, they stay home mostly, wear a mask all the time and don't spread it to anyone new.

At least that is my theory. We don't really need herd immunity to stop the spread, just herd immunity among the sup-population of covidiots.

[Kdogg]

Publix in SC started taking appoints for shots today at 6:00 am (well 6:15). It was easier getting a PS5 pre-order.

After getting into the queue and filling out the personal information you go to a second page to select a location. After that you select a slot then answer a questionnaire. There are only two days available. At the end you check the agreement and complete the captcha. Guess what? Your slot is taken! You start again with the slot selection AND THE BLOODY 15 QUESTION FORM, then rinse and repeat. Then you try a different locations and rinse and repeat. Then you start to panic because the locations are full and expand your radius and get the same thing.

My county filled up around 6:45. I'm pretty sure the appoint I got for my Dad at 6:50 in the next county was it's last one. It's only 12 miles from the house but my Dad's first response was "Couldn't you get it [here] and at [this] time. This is from a man who knows how hard it is to get the shot along the coastal and asks daily about the other waiting lists I've signed him up for. Next will be my mom but SC hasn't open 65+ yet. I'm still waiting for preexisting conditions. Yeah autoimmune disorder!...?

If any one has to go this route, take the least desirable slot first! Like the last appoint at night on the last day because that's what he got.

[cato]

Does anyone have any info on the most common incubation period? A family member was possibly exposed and I’m counting days. I realize it could be up to 14 days, although it appears that it is rare for symptoms to appear between day 10 and day 14 after exposure. That is my understanding for why the CDC changed the quarantine period from 14 to 10 to 14 days.

The family member is in quarantine, but like I said I’m counting days nonetheless.

[rsvman]

Does anyone have any info on the most common incubation period? A family member was possibly exposed and I’m counting days. I realize it could be up to 14 days, although it appears that it is rare for symptoms to appear between day 10 and day 14 after exposure. That is my understanding for why the CDC changed the quarantine period from 14 to 10 to 14 days.

The family member is in quarantine, but like I said I’m counting days nonetheless.

Most people who are going to become symptomatic become symptomatic between days 4 and day 9 or so after infection.

[rsvman]

Clarifying stat from Vermont yesterday: thus far in the state 168 people have died from the virus, and only 8 have been younger than 60.

I suspect I would have found this stat much more comforting if I were not in the "at risk" group.

[rsvman]

So, I spoke with a twenty-something year-old yesterday with an interesting story. She said she probably would not be getting the vaccine, even though she is considered a healthcare worker. She said she had mono as a teenager, and ever since her immune system has been out of whack in that she cannot get a vaccine of any kind without getting very sick for a week or so afterwards. Maybe one of our immunology folks can explain this further, but I guess since mono affects the spleen and the spleen plays a roll in immunity, this would make sense. She is one of those who has "allergic reactions" to vaccines.

If I were her I would go to my primary care physician at some point and ask him/her to do the following lab tests:

1) EBV VCA IgM
2) EBV VCA IgG
3) EBV early antigen
4) EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)

If she had mono more than a year ago, she should have positive results for numbers 2 and 4 (this patten persists for life). If she has #1 or #3, I would then ask my primary care provider to order a quantitative EBV PCR of my blood. This test should come back negative. If it does not, she should be referred to an immunologist.

You can give her this information verbatim if you would like to.

Oh, by the way, it's very complicated, but it has nothing to do with the spleen.

[camion]

Speaking of SC, what’s it like down there? I had a difficult time finding out about any restrictions. Especially when it comes to restaurants and beaches.

Folks in SC are "rugged individualists." The governator has frequently said that he will ask people to follow COVID restrictions, but won't mandate them because they would be unenforceable.*

Depending on the specific town/business there may be pretty close adherence to COVID procedures or they may be largely ignored. One example I have encountered is that at the office of my apartment complex no one wears a mask unless you ask when you visit. Then the person serving you will don a mask. Because of this I try to conduct any business there outside on the patio instead of indoors.

Possibly as a result of this uneven adherence things in SC and Greenville aren't good. We are in the top five of states in daily confirmed COVID cases per 100k. Greenville county is running at 115/100k/day. That's pretty darned bad.
Linky



*Unenforceabgle = politically unpopular IMHO

[camion]

Vaccination #1 done in Greenville, SC

I registered online about on January 10 in group 1B or 1C. On January 13 they changed the criteria and I became 1a having sufficient old fartedneess. I received a call one day later and scheduled an appointment for today January 18.

I arrived at 10:45 for my 11:00 AM appointment, having already downloaded and filled out the one page consent form from their website. They took my drivers license and medicare card, and assigned me to chair 3 of 4. I got my shot (Moderna) at around 10:55 and then walked around exercising my arms for 15 minutes.

My medical facility:
Ingles Pharmacy at Cherrydale Point in Greenville, SC. They pretty much have their act together. Everyone in the building was masked, staff and customers. It was uncrowded and they moved the vaccination line efficiently.

And a vaccine progress/reaction report.

After one day I am feeling pretty good.
1. The arm is somewhat sore, but no more so than when I had shingix vaccine. It didn't prevent me from sleeping on that side.
2. I had a slight (barely measurable fever last night. .5 deg. No fever this morning.
3. I had slight achiness last night. Okay this morning
4. I went on my usual hour long walk this morning with no problem.

[aimo]

If I were her I would go to my primary care physician at some point and ask him/her to do the following lab tests:

1) EBV VCA IgM
2) EBV VCA IgG
3) EBV early antigen
4) EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)

If she had mono more than a year ago, she should have positive results for numbers 2 and 4 (this patten persists for life). If she has #1 or #3, I would then ask my primary care provider to order a quantitative EBV PCR of my blood. This test should come back negative. If it does not, she should be referred to an immunologist.

You can give her this information verbatim if you would like to.

Oh, by the way, it's very complicated, but it has nothing to do with the spleen.

Thanks for the info. I really don't know her well, we were just discussing vaccinations and she shared. She did say her bilirubin was elevated and that she bruised really easily after mono. She had mono at around 13-14 and is 28 now.

I do have a friend who had her spleen removed when she was a teenager and is severely immunocompromised. I fear she won't last this pandemic.

[Skydog]

And a vaccine progress/reaction report.

After one day I am feeling pretty good.
1. The arm is somewhat sore, but no more so than when I had shingix vaccine. It didn't prevent me from sleeping on that side.
2. I had a slight (barely measurable fever last night. .5 deg. No fever this morning.
3. I had slight achiness last night. Okay this morning
4. I went on my usual hour long walk this morning with no problem.

I'm now 48 hours post-vaccine and the only thing I noticed was arm soreness and even that was quite mild. Hoping 2nd shot is close to this easy!

[OldPhiKap]

Both ParentsPK got the Maderna shot this week. Sore arms, but no other problems.

[LasVegas]

The day after I received my Pfizer vaccine I had some mild symptoms. Besides the sore arm that almost always occurs, I had a headache and some fatigue. Only lasted for one day and then I was fine. I explained it my my wife like a mild cold minus the respiratory issues. Second shot on feb. 3rd and my wife gets her first today.

[budwom]

I suspect I would have found this stat much more comforting if I were not in the "at risk" group.

I understand...I, too, am in the "at risk" group, but I'm also a geezer. What's interesting to me is that the state health commissioner is concluding, based on these numbers (and other data that he has) that he wants to focus
vaccination efforts first on the 75+ group, then 70+, then 65+...then they'll work on at risk people...he's maintaining (if I'm hearing him correctly) that the data are telling him that age is a much bigger threat than having an at risk condition.
Simply put, our at risk folks younger than 60 aren't dying, it's the elderly.

[sagegrouse]

I understand...I, too, am in the "at risk" group, but I'm also a geezer. What's interesting to me is that the state health commissioner is concluding, based on these numbers (and other data that he has) that he wants to focus
vaccination efforts first on the 75+ group, then 70+, then 65+...then they'll work on at risk people...he's maintaining (if I'm hearing him correctly) that the data are telling him that age is a much bigger threat than having an at risk condition.
Simply put, our at risk folks younger than 60 aren't dying, it's the elderly.

As Gop. Richard Lamm of Colorado said in 1984, "We have a duty to die."

[91devil]

I took M&D to get vaccinated this weekend in Fairfax County. Very organized, lots of helpful people. Orderly process. They now get daily emails from the local health officials checking in for side effects and current health. I was there merely as a helper and wheelchair-pusher and I was impressed by the system.

Of course, I’m told the County ran out of daily doses later in the day. Nonetheless, I thought it was a excellent showing by the County. Fortunate to have grown up there.