My niece, her husband and her best friend (my honorary niece) paid me a surprise visit, yesterday

[Siwsan]

Everyone is fully vaxed and boosted but after they left it dawned on me. I was the ONLY one, out of the 4 of us, who has never (symptomatically, at least) had Covid.

I have a cousin whose family, including her children, are all fully vaxed. They have gone through TWO breakthrough infections. One of them was very recent.

I've also noticed that I'm one of the few people in the stores who still wears a mask. And those that do are pretty much all in my age group.

We're never going to get past this, are we. At least not during my lifetime. This is among the many things, lately, that discourages me. Pardon me while I snuggle little Arthur. I don't know if he needs it, but I sure do.

[Dorian Gray]

1. It feels overwhelming at times, I know

though once my daughter and husband got it a month and a half ago, I've stopped focusing on it so much. I still wear my mask in shops and on public transport. I will wear my mask when flying to the west coast in a few weeks. But I'm not worried about covid all the time anymore.

So in a way, I'm past it.

2/3 of us got it after being vaccinated and boosted. It was quite mild. Our doctors told us to keep up with boosters. Take realistic precautions. And try to avoid stress bc stress is bad for you.

Cases are going up. Keep protecting yourself, but also, don't give in to despair. Do things that bring you joy, just tweak them so they're safer. (Outdoors/increase airflow indoors/mask if appropriate/vaccinate and boost)

[Siwsan]

3. My increased anxiety was triggered by this information. I'm calling Covid a 'Groundhog Day Plague'

'The worst version' of COVID is spreading. Can we update our vaccines in time?

(this is mid way through the article. Link for whole article posted)

For anyone who hasn’t been paying attention, the Omicron strain that triggered last winter’s massive COVID wave (BA.1) is now extinct. In March, it was supplanted by the even more transmissible BA.2 … which was supplanted in May by the even more transmissible BA.2.12.1 … which is now being supplanted by the (you guessed it) even more transmissible BA.4 and BA.5.

Experts say BA.5 is the one to worry about: “The worst version of the virus that we’ve seen,” as Dr. Eric Topol, the founder of Scripps Research Translational Institute, recently put it. Together, the closely related BA.4 and BA.5 now account for the majority of new U.S. COVID cases, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — but BA.5 (36.6%) is spreading a lot faster than BA.4 (15.7%). By early July, it will be the dominant strain in the U.S.

That’s troublesome for several reasons. To our immune system, the distance from BA.1 to heavily mutated BA.4 and BA.5 is “far greater,” Topol writes, than the distance from the original BA.1 virus to previous blockbuster variants such as Alpha and Delta — which makes them harder to recognize and respond to. According to the latest research, that could mean:

More breakthrough infections, especially among people who previously had BA.1. Compared to BA.2, BA.2.12.1 is only modestly (1.8-fold) more resistant to antibodies from vaccinated and boosted individuals. But BA.4 and BA.5 are substantially (4.2-fold) more resistant.

More symptoms. BA.4 and BA.5 are also better at replicating in lung cells than BA.2 — a shift that could mean, according to one experimental model, that they’re more “pathogenic” as well (i.e., more likely to make you sick).

More resistance to treatments. At the same time, BA.4 and BA.5 appear to be 20-fold more resistant than BA.2 to Evusheld — an important monoclonal antibody treatment that has been providing preemptive protection for immunocompromised people.


https://news.yahoo.com/the-worst-version-of-covid-is-spreading-can-we-update-our-vaccines-in-time-131933423.html

[malaise]

2. I go nowhere without a mask

It’s that simple

[2naSalit]

5. +1

We have a constant flow of tourists through here so it makes sense to wear a mask.

Right now there's a lot going on locally, the 4th celebrations, an art fair and the rodeo is in town. There's a rodeo "circuit" and several towns in the county are notable events and well attended by thousands. I had to go into town yesterday and there were huge, elaborate horse trailer rigs everywhere. Seriously, these things can carry five or six horses, their saddles and everything, hay and a bunk! That would be the main purpose for having one of those big pick-up trucks, you almost need a semi tractor for that.

I am staying home, digging up holes and trenches and planting flowers instead. I am up on a tall hill so I can see the fireworks from my front room window or my yard/porch so I will have them whether I want to see/hear then or not.

[agingdem]

7. vaxxed and twice boosted and I've had covid twice

in six months...my symptoms were tolerable but far from mild..I have no problem wearing a mask, in fact, I prefer to...it keeps hugging acquaintances at a distance...last week my senior neighbor and her daughter tested covid positive, as did their housekeeper...I know this because of the note they left in my mailbox...

Covid is here to stay...if I have to get jabbed every six months until I die, I'm ok with that but the mask stay on...

[mgardener]

4. My family has had it too

Fully vaxxed and wear masks.
Daughter and SIL think the got it from my asymptomatic grandson, large outbreak at school and other parents got it too.
Son in Hawaii went out to dinner.

Everybody recovered.

[Emile]

6. My wife's cousin son and his wife a registered nurse both

work at a nursing home. Big time republicans and neither one is fully vaccinated. The nurse had one shot and it made her feel bad for one day. So she never had the second shot or boosters. Her husband is the maintenance man at the nursing home and.has never been vaccinated. They are both off work now trying to get over covid

[wendyb-NC]

8. I know, can't trust Covid

If I get out of my car without my masks on, alert bells go off, in my head or acute awareness centers. I do an about face, and mask up.
I'm usually headed to the store. That's about the only place I go.

I'm fully Vaccinated, and boosted twice. My children and grandchildren have all had their shots and have had at least 1 booster.

My middle son had Covid, a couple of weeks ago, thankfully it was mild. His roommates came down with it first, and theirs was mild, too.

Don't give up the mask, at least for now, be safe. Snuggle Arthur, his sweet vibrations will boost your immunity and well being.

[Joinfortmill]

9. I think you're right.

[mucifer]

10. At least the current wave isn't leaving as many hospitalized But, who knows about the next wave

[brer cat]

11. I had a medical appointment last week, and

I was the only person including both staff and patients who was wearing a mask. Both the nurse and PA questioned why I was still wearing a mask. The staff should know better, but obviously they don't. I kept my mask on.

[Siwsan]

12. I'll be setting up my yearly check up at the end of the month

It will be interesting to see how they are handling things. I suspect masks will still be worn since it is a Medicare focused practice. I know I'll be wearing mine.