Coronavirus - General Chat - No statistics

[Julian]

You are "just starting" to go into shops again?

Seriously?

The only place I see people wearing masks now is on crowded tube trains, and even then most do not.

I always imagine the occasional person wearing a mask has some ghastly disease and is wearing the mask as a courtesy to people nearby. So I steer well clear of them.

The other possibility is that the person wearing the mask is immunocompromised in some way (chemo, transplant, some other auto-immune condition etc). Your reaction is still valid in that case though, albeit for the mask-wearer's benefit rather than yours.

I confess that it is sufficiently rare to see people wearing a mask now that when I do see it my instinctive reaction (that does me no credit) is to think it slightly odd but then my reasoning kicks in a fraction of a second later and I remind myself that there are a number of good reasons for someone to really need to still wear a mask.

- Julian

P.S. Loved the meme about the plague.

[scotia]

Yesterday both of us received the Spring Booster vaccination for those over 75. I have a sore arm if I lift it above my shoulder. From past experience this should disappear in a couple of days. The vaccine was Spikevax XBB.1.5 - which I was told was the same as that used for the Autumn vaccination. (Previously called Moderna)
We also had mild Covid infections before Christmas (possible source? - workmen in and about the house for several weeks)
The vaccination centre is not particularly easy to get to (two bus journeys for a few miles ) - however we are still driving, so it is not a problem. I wonder how many oldies are put off by this journey.

[terminal7]

I also had my booster (Spikevax) yesterday early morning. Initially little side effects but since last night very painful arm with headache and muscular pains. I do not remember having such a painful reaction previously - maybe memory loss given over 75.

T7

[Steveam]

I’m not eligible for the booster (approaching 75, other health conditions but nothing dramatic) having checked with both the GP and the vaccination centre.

I’ve decided to have the vaccination privately - £65 - at a local pharmacy. Booked for Saturday.

Best wishes,

Steve

[tjh290633]

Yesterday both of us received the Spring Booster vaccination for those over 75. I have a sore arm if I lift it above my shoulder. From past experience this should disappear in a couple of days. The vaccine was Spikevax XBB.1.5 - which I was told was the same as that used for the Autumn vaccination. (Previously called Moderna)
We also had mild Covid infections before Christmas (possible source? - workmen in and about the house for several weeks)
The vaccination centre is not particularly easy to get to (two bus journeys for a few miles ) - however we are still driving, so it is not a problem. I wonder how many oldies are put off by this journey.

Community Transport may be the solution for them. Ours is 6 miles away and the bus would involve a half mile walk from home. Closer near the centre. I shall drive, but for someone less mobile without their own transport, our Community Transport will do door to door at a small cost. (Disclosure - I'm a Trustee of our local Community Transport CIC).

TJH

[scotia]

Yesterday both of us received the Spring Booster vaccination for those over 75. I have a sore arm if I lift it above my shoulder. From past experience this should disappear in a couple of days. The vaccine was Spikevax XBB.1.5 - which I was told was the same as that used for the Autumn vaccination. (Previously called Moderna)
We also had mild Covid infections before Christmas (possible source? - workmen in and about the house for several weeks)
The vaccination centre is not particularly easy to get to (two bus journeys for a few miles ) - however we are still driving, so it is not a problem. I wonder how many oldies are put off by this journey.

Community Transport may be the solution for them. Ours is 6 miles away and the bus would involve a half mile walk from home. Closer near the centre. I shall drive, but for someone less mobile without their own transport, our Community Transport will do door to door at a small cost. (Disclosure - I'm a Trustee of our local Community Transport CIC).

TJH

Interesting - currently we are both driving, so we are not aware of such Community Transport Schemes. We should check this out for possible future needs. Although I fear such a scheme would not take me up a dirt road and through a ford to the fishing loch. But if I got there, we have a boat for accompanied wheelchair anglers

[Steveam]

A first for everything! I’ve just tested positive for Covid. Seems pretty mild so far. I was (privately) vaccinated with the Novavax booster two weeks ago.
I’m hopeful that the vaccine booster will have primed the immune system to make short shrift of this.

Best wishes, Steve

[Hallucigenia]

For those who still think that Covid is "just flu", here's a paper on the current state of knowledge about its effects on neurobiology :

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 7322009102
Headings :

• Respiratory inflammation can cause neuroinflammation and neural dysregulation
• Auto-immune mechanisms
• Direct brain infection
• Reactivation of latent herpesviruses
• COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and cerebral vasculopathy
• Hypoxia and other aspects of critical illness
• Concluding thoughts and future directions

Neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments experienced by people with both acute and long COVID (neuro-COVID) have led to decline in quality of life and inability to return to previous levels of occupational function, affecting (at least) tens of millions of people. We highlight a number of possible underlying disease mechanisms that could contribute to CNS dysfunction, including neuroinflammatory effects of distal inflammation, autoimmunity, direct CNS infection, herpesvirus reactivation, neurovascular disease, and hypoxia. What accounts for the persistent nature of cognitive dysfunction in neuro-COVID remains to be fully elucidated. Continuing neuroinflammation could reflect a lasting state change in CNS immune and glial cells that perpetuates neural pathophysiology, ongoing endotheliopathy with microvascular disruption and blood-brain-barrier breakdown, autoimmunity, response to ongoing peripheral inflammation— attributable to latent herpesvirus reactivation (Su et al., 2022), possible persistent reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 infection outside of the nervous system (Gaebler et al., 2021; Tejerina et al., 2022), or persistent circulating spike protein (Swank et al., 2022)—or a combination of these possibilities. A deeper mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiology of long COVID in general and neuro-COVID in particular will be required to develop effective therapies to ease the suffering of millions of people affected by the often-debilitating long-term consequences of COVID-19.

Advances in neuroscience, glial biology, immunology, and the intersection of these fields have laid important groundwork in understanding neuro-COVID. Lessons from cancer-therapy-related cognitive impairment, aging, and neurodegenerative disease studies are particularly instructive and highlight emerging common principles that will accelerate understanding and the development of therapeutic interventions for neuro-COVID. Similarly, scientific progress in the areas of acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and cancer immunotherapy helped identify the role of cytokine storm in the pathophysiology of severe COVID-19. These advances highlight the need for both multidisciplinary collaboration and for investment and support for basic science research in all disease areas.

In the future, basic insights will inform therapies that can be tested in randomized clinical trials. For instance, therapies that show promise in the treatment of cancer-therapy-related cognitive impairment (Riggs et al., 2017; Gibson et al., 2019; Geraghty et al., 2019; Ayoub et al., 2020) should be tested for neuro-COVID. Strategies to reset microglia to homeostatic, non-reactive states are urgently needed and would benefit a wide range of neurological disorders. Specific anti-cytokine and anti-chemokine agents may also prove therapeutically useful. Alternatively, strategies to promote mechanisms of neural plasticity despite ongoing neuroinflammation may also alleviate cognitive symptoms. If inflammation is caused by persistent virus infection or viral remnants in the lung, intestinal tract, and other reservoirs, vaccines and antiviral therapies should be able to help alleviate the neurological long COVID burden by removing the source cause of distal inflammation. On the other hand, immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatments may be needed to block autoimmune T and B cells. Neurovascular disease and thrombosis may require careful use of anticoagulants and thrombolytics. Biomarkers are needed to determine who will benefit from each of these potential therapeutic strategies, and clinical trials are urgently needed to test the safety and efficacy of potential therapeutic interventions for neuro-COVID.

[bruncher]

A first for everything! I’ve just tested positive for Covid. Seems pretty mild so far. I was (privately) vaccinated with the Novavax booster two weeks ago.
I’m hopeful that the vaccine booster will have primed the immune system to make short shrift of this.

Best wishes, Steve

I also have Covid for the first time. I've had five jabs, the last was in Sept 2023. Perhaps should paid for a sixth vaccination this spring.

I was so careful previously, but i almost feel now what's the point? The lateral flow kits tell me that I should confirm the positive result by having a PCR test, but where can you even get one of these and why is the NHS not interested in following the new variation data?

[dionaeamuscipula]

A first for everything! I’ve just tested positive for Covid. Seems pretty mild so far. I was (privately) vaccinated with the Novavax booster two weeks ago.
I’m hopeful that the vaccine booster will have primed the immune system to make short shrift of this.

Best wishes, Steve

I also have Covid for the first time. I've had five jabs, the last was in Sept 2023. Perhaps should paid for a sixth vaccination this spring.

I was so careful previously, but i almost feel now what's the point? The lateral flow kits tell me that I should confirm the positive result by having a PCR test, but where can you even get one of these and why is the NHS not interested in following the new variation data?

Because the Government told them not to, in effect. The UKHSA is doing a little testing which suggests an uptick in infections.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck5g2jk0730o

Having read the article and felt a bit under the weather this morning I did a test and I too have COVID, not the first time but the first for two years AFAIK.

I am not a healthcare professional, but there is no need to do a PCR test, that advice is out of date. If the LFT says you have COVID then that is good enough. There are no rules in place now, you can act as you would if you had flu, ie find someone you dislike and cough on them.

DM

[Lootman]

I also have Covid for the first time. I've had five jabs, the last was in Sept 2023. Perhaps should paid for a sixth vaccination this spring.

I was so careful previously, but i almost feel now what's the point? The lateral flow kits tell me that I should confirm the positive result by having a PCR test, but where can you even get one of these and why is the NHS not interested in following the new variation data?

Because the Government told them not to, in effect. The UKHSA is doing a little testing which suggests an uptick in infections.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck5g2jk0730o

Having read the article and felt a bit under the weather this morning I did a test and I too have COVID, not the first time but the first for two years AFAIK.

I am not a healthcare professional, but there is no need to do a PCR test, that advice is out of date. If the LFT says you have COVID then that is good enough. There are no rules in place now, you can act as you would if you had flu, ie find someone you dislike and cough on them.

I think I have had Covid for the last 2-3 weeks and, if so, it would be my first time. Felt a bit under the weather, with a persistent dry cough, but otherwise fine.

And you know what? I didn't even bother getting tested for it. Because what is the point? I am not going to behave differently whether I have it or not. I have had a few vaccinations, the last one 9 months ago. And it is getting better on its own.

I guess this is what a mature infection looks like, irritating and inconvenient, but not debilitating or deadly. It's really just another variant on the common cold at this point. And I say that as someone who has turned age 70 and so is supposedly at a higher risk, although I think vaccinations now are only for the over 75s - another sign that we are all sanguine about Covid.

[Tedx]

I think I might have it. I didn't even consider that it was COVID until I read this thread.

[y0rkiebar]

Myself + partner tested positive yesterday. Both had cold-like symptoms and after seeing a BBC News website article on a summer uptick in Covid decided to take a test. First time positive for both of us. Hadn't thought of Covid until the beeb article.

[MuddyBoots]

Sorry to hear that @yorckiebar. Since I ran out of the free tests I haven't bought any so don't know if any of my cold-like symptoms during the last 6 months or so were covid or not. And most of family & friends too - nobody seems concerned about it, we just wait for the "cold" to go away with the usual traditional remedies. But I keep hearing about covid cases; what is happening, does this mean the pandemic isn't over yet? Is the current covid strain less dangerous than previous ones which triggered the emergency response? Is it because most people had the first 2 or 3 jabs and the authorities aren't worried enough to make it headline newsworthy, especially during an election campaign? Or have we achieved the herd immunity which was Boris' original plan before all those lockdowns etc?

[servodude]

Sorry to hear that @yorckiebar. Since I ran out of the free tests I haven't bought any so don't know if any of my cold-like symptoms during the last 6 months or so were covid or not. And most of family & friends too - nobody seems concerned about it, we just wait for the "cold" to go away with the usual traditional remedies. But I keep hearing about covid cases; what is happening, does this mean the pandemic isn't over yet? Is the current covid strain less dangerous than previous ones which triggered the emergency response? Is it because most people had the first 2 or 3 jabs and the authorities aren't worried enough to make it headline newsworthy, especially during an election campaign? Or have we achieved the herd immunity which was Boris' original plan before all those lockdowns etc?

It is not novel any more; (just about) everyone's been exposed and had their immune system prepped so that if/when it infects you it is likely to be much less serious than it was originally.

[daveh]

Sorry to hear that @yorckiebar. Since I ran out of the free tests I haven't bought any so don't know if any of my cold-like symptoms during the last 6 months or so were covid or not. And most of family & friends too - nobody seems concerned about it, we just wait for the "cold" to go away with the usual traditional remedies. But I keep hearing about covid cases; what is happening, does this mean the pandemic isn't over yet? Is the current covid strain less dangerous than previous ones which triggered the emergency response? Is it because most people had the first 2 or 3 jabs and the authorities aren't worried enough to make it headline newsworthy, especially during an election campaign? Or have we achieved the herd immunity which was Boris' original plan before all those lockdowns etc?

Most people will now have had one or more vaccinations, plus may have caught the disease one or more times. The immune system will therefore have some experience to fight off the infection, either from an antibody response or a T-cell response or both. So any infection is likely to be less severe than when it was novel and the body had never seen it before.

So far what little evidence I've seen (I haven't really been looking) is that the new mutations in the virus are (fortunately) not causing increased disease severity they are just allowing the virus to escape the immune system, so making the vaccines or immunity due to prior infections less effective at blocking infectivity.

However all the above doesn't mean that some people aren't getting seriously ill from it and ending up in hospital (or dying) just that numbers are no longer such that it is causing serious problems for the NHS. It also doesn't mean that some people aren't developing long covid, I think that may remain a problem too.