A year into the pandemic, the coronavirus is messing with our minds as well as our bodies

[UpInArms]

How the virus turns us into the unsick

It is the unsick who spread the virus most readily. About 40% of those with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic spreaders, never showing symptoms at all. And those who do show symptoms are most contagious in the two days before symptoms appear. Why people don’t feel sick earlier – or sick at all – might be part of the evolutionary strategy of SARS-CoV-2.

A look under the hood of the virus reveals more about that manipulative machinery. SARS-CoV-2 interferes with a person’s immune response; this is why people don’t necessarily feel sick and withdrawn as they would in a typical viral infection. Instead, SARS-CoV-2 silences the body’s alarm signals that otherwise would orchestrate anti-viral defenses. It blocks interferons, a set of molecules that help fight viruses. Interferon activity makes people feel more depressed and socially withdrawn – so when the novel coronanvirus impedes interferon activity, mood is lifted, sociality is increased and you feel less sick.

The virus also decreases pain perception. Normally, pain motivates us to hunker down when we need to heal. But SARS-CoV-2 blocks this response by preventing the transmission of pain signals. This is why people feel fine even when they are teeming with virus before the onset of symptoms.

At the same time, SARS-CoV-2 dampens the body’s response to infection. It hinders pro-inflammatory cytokines, molecules that help spur the immune response. This too makes hosts feel better than they should. Typically, feeling sick helps our bodies prioritize healing by making us reduce our energy expenditure. With SARS-CoV-2, unsick hosts have the energy to do as much as they used to, maybe more.

... snip ...

We believe that it is critical to consider the possible “anti-symptoms” of this virus: temporary reduction in pain, feeling more energetic than normal and perhaps even wanting to be around people more than usual. With all this in mind, here’s some advice, likely the most ironic you’ve heard in the last year: If you’ve been feeling surprisingly good the last few days, you might want to get a COVID-19 test.

https://news.yahoo.com/pandemic-coronavirus-messing-minds-well-133553223.html

[Moostache]

1. It kills me (maybe literally) that people are starting to relax again on this already...

EVERYTIME the numbers slow or dip in this moron banana republic, the GQP 'leaders' start trying to out do each other to see who hates science more.

Yes, the initial waves of the virus are in recession due to practices, vaccines and seasonal changing...but if this is not seen through to the end, what we risk creating is a mutation that takes these incredibly dangerous traits and adds increase mortality or increased virility or worse BOTH. We risk losing the war because everyone wants to spike the ball in the 3rd quarter and go straight to the post-game party.

IF society is not careful, not prudent and not overly cautious instead of wildly careless we will reach next March as just another drop in the endless cycle of COVID infections/hospitalizations but in the grasp of a mutating virus that makes vaccinations ineffective and causes nearly total shut downs on a rolling basis. Once this thing gets to the point that it kills more younger and more healthier people, it is TOO LATE. By the time it becomes apparent that we have lost the war, there won't be any miracle arrows left in the quiver to fire at it.

If the stories are true about the origins coming from a laboratory manipulated strain of this virus in the first place we just might be scooting along the razor's edge to oblivion if we're unlucky. We are in the midst of blowing our best chance to end this without the impact getting exponentially worse than the current tragedy...and still people won't wear a goddamn face mask...humanity may squeak past COVID this time, but long term? We're a shit hole species doomed to extinction by our own hands.

[Initech]

4. I haven't heard anything that suggested a lab manipulated strain.

Even the WHO themselves has given up on this idea. I personally am more optimistic than I was at this time 7 months ago. I would like to think the worst is behind us. We'll see a spike and maybe even a 4th wave, but everything that I have read has suggested that we'll finally start seeing the end of the pandemic around August. That is if everything goes right.

There's plenty of ways it could go wrong but for the most part I don't think it's going to. J&J, Moderna, and Pfizer have all said that the vaccines can be adapted to combat variants, and they're working on boosters for B117 and the South African variant. I think the worst is behind us and we'll start seeing better days toward the end of summer.

[Moostache]

9. I truly hope you're right...

The fact that non-vaccinated people are starting to believe they stop masking and social distancing is still what keeps me from getting too optimistic yet.

Hope we dodge this bullet. Not sure the lessons are being internalized for the next barrage that will come around soon enough.

The lab-manipulation stories are recirculating today, as always appropriately salt required!

[Initech]

10. The one thing that's giving me hope...

Is that I am trying to get an appointment for my first vaccine shot even though I know I won't be eligible for a couple of weeks. But checking every pharmacy and every available place to get a shot, every single place I found had every single appointment booked, and that's from where I live all the way to the whole state of California.

I think we're going to find that anti-vaxxers are going to be a very small minority, and the people who don't get the vaccine should be told to fuck off.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

2. It's affecting my brain for sure, I been having this unholy desire to buy a boat, and a convertible

Talk me down

Yes, I have been vaccinated

[frazzled]

8. I'll talk you down

You may not have Covid, but you might have early onset mid-life crisis.

My son bought a sailboat several years ago. It’s great. But probably the stupidest thing he’s ever done. Whole lotta work, not enough time to really use it. (Found out they were pregnant with twins shortly after he got it, and they already had two young ones at home. Then the pandemic came. Really kills your leisure time.)

Twenty years ago my husband bought a sort of convertible, a crazy Gordini with a retractable roof. Truly the stupidest thing he’d ever done.

Don’t be stupid like the men in my life!

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

11. Already done stupid, had a boat and sold it, lol, its just spring fever, magnolia blooming

I usually get over it, 75 degrees today, lol

[nolabear]

3. Smart little bugger. Don't let it win.

We have to tap into the right areas of our thought processes. THINK about what is the most efficacious way not to infect others, no matter how you feel, and FEEL concern and empathy for your fellow man, because that’s the only way we win.

I know what others do; all we can do is help ourselves and those we might help.

[Hugin]

6. +1

Nothing to add.

[Hugin]

5. Early on in the pandemic...

Before I found watching apocalyptic movies untenable.

I happened upon H. G. Wells story of "Things to Come" in the form of an excellent film of the same title directed by William Cameron Menzies.

One of the strifes inflicted on humanity is an illness called the "wandering sickness". Which had many of the same characteristics of the COVID virus. Interesting that H. G. Wells came up with the concept before viruses were even known as pathogens.

[Initech]

7. I've hated every second of every day since this started.

I hope we're finally seeing the end of this but it has messed with my brain and I haven't even contracted it. Living in a pandemic royally fucking sucks.