COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

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LordMortis
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by LordMortis »

Max Peck wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 6:35 pm From where I'm sitting, there is no going back to a pre-COVID normal unless I'm just going to surrender to the virus and allow myself to get infected/reinfected and hope for the best each time around. My version of "living with COVID" is to adopt a new normal that involves doing things like wearing a respirator to go shopping in a grocery store so that I don't have to learn to "live with COVID" in my lungs and vascular system, clotting up my blood and messing with my brain or any other organs. Keeping my vaccination status up to date is the safety net that will hopefully mitigate the price I pay if I screw up and get infected despite my best efforts, but it isn't my first line of defence.

All of which is just a really long-winded way of saying you should have typed "everyone else not named Smoove or Max." :lol:
There will always be increased social sanitation and heightened awareness but there won't always be extreme isolation. That's not forever for me. I would have liked for my guard to have come down nearly a year ago but I keep stalling. This spring is my next attempt to stop stalling.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Kraken »

I caught covid just in time to cancel my colonoscopy in October; I had planned to get the booster after that.

Next Tuesday I'm finally getting the postponed butt probe; I plan to get the booster after that. The recommended three months will have passed by the middle of January.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

May you find a good TV series to accompany you and your smartphone on the john the night before. Or a good book. I watched The Expanse. But that was the first one I've ever had. The final cup of prep juice was almost impossible to get down without tossing my proverbial cookies.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Smoove_B »

Kraken wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:15 pm Next Tuesday I'm finally getting the postponed butt probe; I plan to get the booster after that. The recommended three months will have passed by the middle of January.
They've confirmed you're getting probed? I mean, I guess that's a good sign that they haven't canceled yet. Honestly not sure where we are with cancelling procedures in my state; my impression is that your state is much worse. I guess I hope you get your screening - putting that off is less than ideal.
Sudy wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 6:40 pm I wore double surgical masks.
All the other stuff you said is true - we're far beyond the death conversation now. I'm doing everything I can (like Max) to lower my risk for long term complications after infection. The best way to do that (currently) is vaccination, masking and ventilation.

To go back to what I've quoted you on - all masks help - some help more than others. I would strongly encourage you to consider upgrading to a KN94 or N95 equivalent as the jump in effectiveness is significant - mainly in protecting you. The surgical mask limits your ability to cough and sneeze large particulates out into the air; it's protecting others more. The KN94/N95 is still helping others, but it's helping you more. It's time to be a little more selfish.

I wish i could direct you to a cheap/easy resource for masks in your part of the globe; perhaps one of your neighbors can offer guidance.
Max Peck wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 6:35 pm From where I'm sitting, there is no going back to a pre-COVID normal unless I'm just going to surrender to the virus and allow myself to get infected/reinfected and hope for the best each time around. My version of "living with COVID" is to adopt a new normal that involves doing things like wearing a respirator to go shopping in a grocery store so that I don't have to learn to "live with COVID" in my lungs and vascular system, clotting up my blood and messing with my brain or any other organs. Keeping my vaccination status up to date is the safety net that will hopefully mitigate the price I pay if I screw up and get infected despite my best efforts, but it isn't my first line of defence.
Yup. The "game" now is to continue to delay your initial infection and hope we close the gap on figuring out what long COVID is and how it should be addressed. It's pretty clear to me at this point this is the "new normal'; we've collectively accepted COVID-19 at the 3rd leading cause of death (here in the U.S.) and we're not going to do anything else about it. I feel like this should terrify more people - that a new infectious disease has been the #3 killer for 2+ years now and we've just decided to "settle" into it. I'm drifting into R&P, so I'll refill my glass and slither out.... :wink:
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Kraken »

Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:27 pm
Kraken wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:15 pm Next Tuesday I'm finally getting the postponed butt probe; I plan to get the booster after that. The recommended three months will have passed by the middle of January.
They've confirmed you're getting probed? I mean, I guess that's a good sign that they haven't canceled yet. Honestly not sure where we are with cancelling procedures in my state; my impression is that your state is much worse. I guess I hope you get your screening - putting that off is less than ideal.
Yes, a lady from the clinic phoned yesterday to lecture me about my prep. I'm to lay off of fresh vegetables, nuts, and seeds effective tomorrow. She said that black coffee counts as a "clear liquid;" contrary to what the doctor had told me I can have a cup of coffee up to four hours before the procedure, so I won't be dealing with a caffeine headache along with all the gastric unpleasantness.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Smoove_B »

Awesome. Enjoy the top-shelf narcotics you're about to receive!
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Max Peck »

For any fellow Canadians looking for good quality N95 masks, I've been really happy with the N95/FFP3 respirators I've bought from Vitacore (a Canadian company based in BC). They provide a good fit, they're very comfortable and the filtration is the next best thing to a P100 respirator.

Vitacore CAN99-9500
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

Smoove_B wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:27 pm To go back to what I've quoted you on - all masks help - some help more than others. I would strongly encourage you to consider upgrading to a KN94 or N95 equivalent as the jump in effectiveness is significant - mainly in protecting you.
Thanks, I needed this reminder. I know it's quite selfish and risky, but I've kept my beard throughout the pandemic. (Mind you, I'm rarely in busy indoor environments.) I'm very self-conscious due to my weight... I call it my "security beard". While I should have done it much sooner, I've lost 40 pounds so maybe it's time I overcome this. I'm also frigging tired of my beard getting in my mouth and my moustache hairs in my nose.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by gilraen »

Bona Fide Masks are a very reputable company and will also ship to Canada.
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Sudy
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

Thanks very much... there look to be some good options here so I'd rather save on the shipping and any duties, but I will certainly perform a full investigation including that option.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Smoove_B »

Sudy wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:17 pm Thanks, I needed this reminder. I know it's quite selfish and risky, but I've kept my beard throughout the pandemic. (Mind you, I'm rarely in busy indoor environments.) I'm very self-conscious due to my weight... I call it my "security beard". While I should have done it much sooner, I've lost 40 pounds so maybe it's time I overcome this. I'm also frigging tired of my beard getting in my mouth and my moustache hairs in my nose.
Ah, yeah, that does complicate things (the beard). Congrats on the weight loss though - that's quite impressive! I've maintained my circle beard (though it's cut short and tight under my chin) throughout the pandemic. I find the KN94 masks (that I attach a "S' hook behind my head for an increased seal) work best for my face/head shape. Depending on what happens next, I might need to consider moving into some of the weirder true N95 masks next or just give up all pretense and start wearing my "Bane-style" N100 respirator around.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

At least when you mumble people will think it's part of the act.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Max Peck »

My pandemic mask journey has been:
  • A double-layer cotton mask that I bought on Etsy, with "Keep calm and wash your hands" embroidered on it. I did try a few other cloth masks that I bought on Amazon, but none of those ever fit as well as the Etsy mask.
  • Double-masking with a disposable surgical mask under the cloth mask.
  • Vertical-fold N95-equivalent masks from a company in Saskatoon. They didn't really work well for me because I had to use double-sided body tape to get them to keep a seal in on particular spot below my left eye.
  • A source-control (no exhalation valve) P100 elastomeric mask. It fit well, but was uncomfortable to wear for extended periods because the pressure over the bridge of my nose became painful after an hour or two.
  • Finally, the CAN99 FFP3/N95 mask seems to check all the boxes for me: a good fit, comfortable, good filtration (99%).
Along the way early on I also experimented with a few weird dusk masks and filter inserts, but gave up on that nonsense once I was able to get the first type of N95-equivalent masks.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by stessier »

stessier wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:25 pm
Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 3:59 pm
stessier wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 3:16 pm Glad you made it!

My wife is still testing positive - much to her dismay. She wakes up with some nasal congestion, but that fades during the day. Otherwise she feels fine. I'm not moving back into the room, though, until she can get a negative test (although I probably would if she didn't have the congestion).
Ugh. So sorry to hear that. 11 days is...not great. At least it sounds minimal.
Mostly annoying - and expensive. Tests are about $10 each!
Finally a negative result!!! I call it 14 days, but I think Smoove will say it's only 13.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Smoove_B »

It depends on what you're talking about. She tested positive for 14 days but following isolation recommendations, she would have been held for 13. I think you'll find we're reasonable. :wink:

Not related to treatments or vaccines, but I think better on this side of the fence. Namely a study that was published yesterday regarding Pre-exisiting conditions and the risk of Long COVID:
After adjustment of the models for age, BMI, gender, race, and smoking, the following pre-existing conditions were statistically significantly associated with the development of PASC: asthma (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.10–2.15); chronic constipation (OR = 4.29; 95% CI = 1.15–16.00); reflux (OR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.01–2.34); rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 3.69; 95%CI = 1.15–11.82); seasonal allergies (OR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.22–1.98); and depression/anxiety (OR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.17–2.52).
That's a whole bunch of math (OR= Odds Ratio - an approximation of risk; CI = Confidence interval = measurement that our "true" value lies in the measured/observed values from the study). For the OR, the higher the number, the greater the association between the condition listed and the odds that someone will experience post-COVID-19 health impacts.

The first part is quite important as the study is acknowledging and controlling for all types of potential confounding factors.

Again, lots of math, but the summary is:
These findings indicate that numerous pre-existing conditions may be associated with an increased risk for the development of PASC. Patients with these conditions should consider taking extra steps to avoid infection.
PASC = Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, aka "Long COVID".
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 2:52 pm "STUFF"
So uh, sorry for pinging you Smoove, and this may be a dumb question, but if my wife just tested positive for COVID on an antigen test and has had symptoms for three days, and I've had symptoms for two days but tested negative yesterday (but of course it's going to be COVID and I'll test again tomorrow), is there any sense in wearing masks in our 400 sq. ft apartment where we can't self-isolate to try to keep my wife from dumping extra viral load to me? Or do we just strap in and swap spit if want, 'cause we're doomed to the max anyway?

I know you or anyone else here isn't our doctor, but I figured if anyone I knew had a sensible opinion in response to a potentially stupid question, it would be you. We will be contacting our doctor and pharmacist tomorrow.


I'll be inquiring about her (and potentially my) eligibility for Paxlovid. We're only 38, but she has a BMI well over 40, her last, pre-bivalent booster (her third shot overall) was over six months ago, she has a mood disorder, and has intermittent breathing problems (no formal diagnosis I think, but she's prescribed Apo-Fluticasone and teva-salbutamol puffers once or twice a year when it flares up). According to provincial guidelines these are all comorbidities that may make her eligible.

Ironically, she got her first bivalent booster last Thursday. Too little, too late. For all we know it was the unmasked dipshits in the waiting room who gave this to us.


Well, this is the first time I've had a cold/flu of any kind since before COVID. Nice to join the club I guess. :horse:

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Smoove_B »

Not a dumb question at all, and I'm happy to try and help.

I wold probably agree - especially given your living situation - that you're a presumptive positive. In the early days of the pandemic we would have tried to encourage you to wear a mask, have your wife also wear a mask and for you to keep separate from one another in your apartment until you get a positive COVID-19 test result as well, but I'm not sure that's happening anymore.The truth is, you've probably both had it for days now - she's just slightly ahead of you on the timer. For whatever reason testing positive on day three (or later) seems to be quite common (anecdotally); it won't surprise me if you're positive today then.

A doctor (or pharmacist) might tell you both to wear masks indoors until you test positive and there actually would be value in that - keeping the virus out of openly circulating in your apartment. Same with opening a window a crack - all those little things would help. The one thing that keeps getting lost in all the COVID-19 stuff is there's still an infectious dose in play. This means your risk of getting COVID-19 and potentially how sick you're going to get is likely related to how much of the virus you actually breathe in. I do not believe we've officially quantified the infectious dose, but in all cases the fewer viral particles you can inhale, the better. That's where masks (all kinds of masks, but n95 is best) and ventilation (diluting the air) both help.

And yeah, it's entirely possible you were exposed during your vaccination; that is unfortunate. When you're speaking with your doctor I'd ask what this means for the vaccination you just received. This is something else that's not really spoken of, but it's possible then that the vaccine won't work as fully as intended. To be clear, you're still better off, but you might not get the full benefit from the vaccine. In practical terms this means you should be aware of your next eligibility date and be sure to then get vaccinated again. I don't know if your local recommendations are the same, but that's what we're telling people here. Well, mostly.

Hopefully everything is mild and they get you that Paxlovid. Here in the US I've heard such mixed things about access - it really seems to be connected to your doctor and if they think you need it.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Max Peck »

In Ontario, it's been possible to get a paxlovid prescription directly from a pharmacist since last month.
Starting December 12, 2022, pharmacists will be able to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible individuals in-person or virtually (such as by telephone) at no cost. Eligible individuals should contact their local pharmacy to confirm if they prescribe Paxlovid and how to get a prescription for Paxlovid.

Eligibility for Paxlovid includes:
  • Symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19;
  • A positive lab-based PCR, rapid molecular, or rapid antigen test (including rapid tests done at home);
  • The prescribing occurs within five days of symptom onset;
  • The individual receiving the prescription is;
    • 60 years of age or older
    • 18 years of age or older and is immunocompromised
    • 18 to 59 years old and at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes including having chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes, heart or lung disease) or inadequate immunity against COVID-19 (i.e., not up-to-date on vaccines).
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Daehawk »

For the heck of it I asked my pharmacy when the next new covid shot would be available and they had no clue.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Kraken »

When I went in for my colonoscopy this morning they required me to replace my N95 mask with one of their surgical masks. Since their mask has to go on the outside and I was wearing a duck mask, I couldn't double up. Oh well, I'm sure the risk of infection there was lower than anyplace else that I go, even though their masks are mostly theater. Both nurses wore theirs under their nose, for example.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

Thanks Smoove, Max.

I phoned the pharmacy about getting my wife Paxlovid this morning, but they said they can only prescribe it if she's immunocompromised, and to talk to our doctor. I called the doctor's office but he's not in until tomorrow, so they had a nurse call back and screen her. Despite her comorbidities, the nurse thinks she doesn't need Paxlovid as it seems her symptoms are "on the mend" (?) due to having less sore throat and no fever at this point. She's still having mild-to-moderate chest congestion/breathing difficulty which we'll continue to monitor. The doctor will also get a report once he's back in the office and I'm hoping he'll follow up. (He's good.) Hard not to be a little frustrated though. I don't believe in getting unnecessary treatment, but she ticks several of the boxes on the province's own site for being high-risk, even with minimal active symptoms.


I on the other hand tested negative for the second time. I continue to have mild cold symptoms, but they're nothing to write home about. I was last vaccinated a month ago, and based on my superficial research it's common to pass an antigen test if your immunity is doing its job even if you have some symptoms. Due to visiting my parents over the weekend (alone), it's possible that I instead picked up a non-COVID cold from my dad, but it seems highly improbable. Or even if it's the case, I should expect to get COVID up from my wife now that I'm home. My family took tests and got negative results, but returning to stay with them isn't an option as my mom has severe chronic respiratory illness, so we just can't risk infecting her if I haven't already.

I'm getting a new filter for the air purifier and some N95s, though. I learned last night that wearing a surgical mask to bed isn't practical though, and I'm certain an N95 would be less so. :lol:

Thanks again for your insight and opinions!

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Zaxxon »

Just popping in to say good luck, Sudy. That sucks, all around.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

Zaxxon wrote: Tue Jan 10, 2023 4:32 pm Just popping in to say good luck, Sudy. That sucks, all around.
Thanks man. While I started to believe we'd dodge it forever, I guess it was our time. At least I'm current on shots so if she gets it bad I can take care of her.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Kraken »

OK, now it's personal.

The new, more contagious COVID subvariant XBB.1.5 that's believed to be New England's most dominant strain of the virus has acquired a dramatic nickname: "the Kraken."
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Max Peck »

Not everyone is a fan of the unofficial Twitter nicknames for Omicron subvariants.

Maybe Don’t Unleash the Kraken
These days, it’s a real headache to keep tabs on the coronavirus’s ever-shifting subvariants. BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5, three Omicron permutations that rose to prominence last year, were confusing enough. Now, in addition to those, we have to deal with BQ.1.1, BF.7, B.5.2.6, and XBB.1.5, the version of Omicron currently featuring in concerned headlines. Recently, things have also gotten considerably stranger. Alongside the strings of letters and numbers, several nicknames for these subvariants have started to gain traction online. Where once we had Alpha and Delta and Omicron, we now have Basilisk, Minotaur, and Hippogryph. Some people have been referring to XBB.1.5 simply as “the Kraken.” A list compiled on Twitter reads less like an inventory of variants than like the directory of a mythological zoo.

The nicknames are not official. They were coined not by the World Health Organization but by an informal group of scientists on Twitter who believe Omicron’s many rotating varieties deserve more widespread conversation. The names have, to an extent, caught on: Kraken has already made its way from Twitter to a number of major news sites, including Bloomberg and The New York Times. Unofficial epithets have come and gone throughout the pandemic—remember “stealth Omicron” and the “Frankenstein variant”?—but these new ones are on another level of weirdness. And not everyone’s a fan.
To decide whether a new lineage deserves its own name, Gregory told me, he and his colleagues consider both evolutionary factors (how different is this lineage from its predecessors, and how concerning are its mutations?) and epidemiological factors (how much havoc is this lineage wreaking in the population?). They’re trying to make the process more formal, but Gregory would prefer that the WHO take over and standardize the process.

That, however, is unlikely to happen. When I asked about this, Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesperson, told me that the organization is aware of the unofficial names but that, for the moment, they’re not necessary. “Virologists and other scientists are monitoring these variants, but the public doesn’t need to distinguish between these Omicron subvariants in order to better understand their risk or the measures they need to take to protect themselves,” he said. The WHO’s position, in other words, is that the differences between one Omicron subvariant and another simply haven’t mattered much in any practical sense, because they shouldn’t have any effect on our behavior. No matter the sublineage, vaccines and boosters still offer the best protection available. Masks still work. Guidance on testing and isolation, too, is the same across the board. “If there is a new variant that requires public communication and discourse,” Jasarevic told me, “it would be designated a new variant of concern and assigned a new label.”

The WHO isn’t alone in objecting. For Stephen Goldstein, an evolutionary virologist at the University of Utah, the new names are not just unnecessary but potentially harmful. “It’s absolutely crazy that we’re having random people on Twitter name variants,” he told me. For Goldstein, dressing up each new subvariant with an ominous monster name overplays the differences between the mutations and feeds into the panic that comes every time the coronavirus shifts form. In this view, distinguishing one Omicron sublineage from another is less like distinguishing a wolf from a cow and more like distinguishing a white-footed mouse from a deer mouse: important to a rodentologist but not really to anyone else. To go as far as naming lineages after terrifying mythical beasts, he said, “seems obviously intended to scare the shit out of people … It's hard to understand what broader goal there is here other than this very self-serving clout chasing.”
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Kraken »

When do we move from omicron to omigod, or whatever the next Greek name is? When does a subvariant become a new variant and why did we burn through alpha to delta so fast?

I'm not complaining because I get $0.01 every time someone types "kraken." (Relax, I won't bill you until you hit $1. But I do have a spreadsheet and some of you are getting close.)
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

:lol:

I shall henceforth refer to you as K-dog in an attempt to skirt accruing fines.

I saw a commercial on late night TV. It said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were. -- Mitch Hedberg
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Pyperkub »

Moderna booster data shenanigans?
Some vaccine advisers to the federal government say they’re “disappointed” and “angry” that government scientists and the pharmaceutical company Moderna didn’t present a set of infection data on the company’s new Covid-19 booster during meetings last year when the advisers discussed whether the shot should be authorized and made available to the public.

That data suggested the possibility that the updated booster might not be any more effective at preventing Covid-19 infections than the original shots.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!

Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Smoove_B »

...and in response


The Covid bivalent vaccine booster works better than expected. I've reviewed the cumulative data....That's in contrast to a @NEJM
essay today and 2 lab studies that used a pseudovirus assay without assessing the XBB variants
You can read the article he wrote here:
Bivalent boosters work well to prevent severe Covid, as manifest by reduction of hospitalizations and deaths. They are not a panacea, by any means—their efficacy against infections is limited and of short duration, which has been the case for shots since the Omicron variant came along in late 2021.

The spike protein of the BA.5 bivalent more closely resembles XBB.1.5 than the Wuhan ancestral spike. The lab studies with live virus assays are strongly supportive. The clinical data are unequivocal. While it would be far better to have a “universal” pan-β-coronavirus vaccine that worked against all SARS-CoV-2 variants, and nasal vaccines to help block infections, the bivalent BA.5 booster has helped to bridge the big antigenic distance gap from the Wuhan strain to current Omicron subvariants. We’re lucky in the United States to have a big supply and it’s frankly disappointing to see the divisiveness, cherry picking of data, and detractors that defy the body of evidence that has now accumulated. The bivalent booster impact of broadening our immune response has exceeded expectations.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Daveman »

Our perfect streak is broken... our 12 y/o daughter tested positive this Monday after having a headache, runny nose and a slight fever Sunday. Fortunately she's been OK and doctors instructions of treating with Tylenol and Robitussin have worked, but she's still testing positive so she's banished to her room much of the day. We're all still testing negative so yay for that.

We're a family of home bodies so pandemic life hasn't bothered us too much. We've been up to date with COVID shots, mask wearing, etc. I've worn a mask every day, every indoor situation since the beginning and still do but that definitely marks me as a weirdo now it seems.

She admitted this school year she eased up some on mask wearing at school (I'm sure she was one of a few still wearing them at all). I just want to strangle the school board or anyone else not willing to take the most basic precaution of wearing a mask.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Pyperkub »

Thanks Smoove!

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk

Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!

Also: There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by ImLawBoy »

FWIW, when my younger kids were positive last school year, we kept them largely isolated to their rooms but we would do zoom meetings during meal times so that everyone would still be "together". I think it helped with feelings of isolation.
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Daveman
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Daveman »

Yeah, she comes down after dinner and we all watch some TV, all masked and she's in the far corner. We nuke the site with Lysol when she goes to bed, just to be sure.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Sudy »

I finally tested positive on Friday, on my sixth day of symptoms (though hadn't tested since day three). For the first five days I'd rate the symptoms as 2-4/10. Since Friday it's been more like 7/10. Still nowhere near the worst flu I've had, but the fever, aches, and fatigue have started to hit me hard. My appetite's gone, or at least I'd rather starve than cook. :horse:

Very hard to get sustained sleep with the fever dreams. Been watching King of the Hill and playing Vampire Survivors lately, but have to resist to keep those from running in my mind on repeat when I try to sleep. Thankfully very little nasal congestion, which is probably my most hated cold symptom. Mrs. Nym is no worse.

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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Zaxxon »

Bonus gaming time?

Seriously, best of luck.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by ImLawBoy »

So, apparently I've gotten woefully out of shape. I'm not sure how this happened. I suppose it's possible that going 12+ years without any sort of exercise regimen might have something to do with it, but who's to say? I'd hate to speculate . . . .

So I'm considering joining a gym/fitness club of some sort. The problem is, there's this little known virus circulating around that makes me not want to spend a ton of time around other people breathing heavily. I was googling masks for exercise, and it seems that regular surgical masks are right out, as they get too wet too quick. N95s and KN95s are reported to be very uncomfortable for exercising (and I'm guessing the KN95s would deteriorate pretty fast, too). Everything I'm finding is focusing on cloth masks (usually ones that are designed for exercise), but I thought cloth masks were about as valuable as breathing through a chain link fence.

Any thoughts on this? I see that some will accept N95 filter inserts and overall the masks seem better than just the plain cloth ones from Etsy or the like, but I don't know how much of that is just for the affiliate links on the sites I'm reading.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by LordMortis »

The N95s I bought from Home Depot are more comfortable on my fat big eared head than are the blue masks every doles out. (3M 8210 Plus)

I still mainly used blue disposable masks because... they're cheap and disposable. :oops: I save my N95s for special longer engagements.

I am under the impression that snug cotton three layer masks are supposed to be pretty good comparatively. Of course data changes and changes and I'm too lazy to keep up. Internet says...

https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/epa- ... t-covid-19

I'm not wearing the mask right so I am not seeing this additional protection you speak of. And honestly, I'm not about to. Those masks already hurt my ears. Putting more pressure, nope. Not happening.

Also the the three layer cotton mask style I am thinking of is listed as "folded surgeon style bandana"
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by stessier »

I can't say anything about the efficacy of this mask from Under Armour, but I can say it stays cool even when you feel warm.
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Max Peck »

LordMortis wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 4:24 pm I am under the impression that snug cotton three layer masks are supposed to be pretty good comparatively. Of course data changes and changes and I'm too lazy to keep up. Internet says...

https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/epa- ... t-covid-19
I was going to say that 3-layer cotton masks are so 2021, and sure enough that article is from spring 2021. :lol:

I don't know if there are good respirator options that will actually provide a useful level of filtration with a good fit, while standing up to a lot of moisture and having good breathability. My personal preference is to exercise at home (treadmill, stationary bike, weights, etc) so that I don't need to worry about masking, so I've never really looked into it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Re: COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Post by Zaxxon »

Smoove wouldn't like my answer, so I won't say it.
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