We finally know what a positive Covid test looks like.

[pnwmom]

My husband thought it was a cold yesterday, but agreed to take a test, which was negative.
Last night he felt achy and feverish and congested, but he didn't even want me to get up
and get him some Aleve.
This morning he did agree, without hesitation, to retest. And there it was, the second red line.
So now he has a call in about Paxlovid.

(AND we both had made appointments for Tuesday for the booster, so his, at least,
needs to be canceled.)

IT'S BACK!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. It never really left. It just wasn't as pervasive as in the early days.

It's still evolving.

But we have the vaccines that help us survive . . . until the next round shows up.

Glad he'll get the Paxlovid! That will help him recover more easily.

[OnlinePoker]

28. In Canada, the Feds estimate 80% have had one form of Covid or another

I'm in the 20% and still mask up whenever I'm out in the world. Here in BC, we get our next boosters starting on Oct 10th. Supposedly, it will cover the latest variants.

[MOMFUDSKI]

2. Sorry to hear this.

It is back in spades. Wastewater testing is as high as it was in late 2021 which was a peak. Be careful out there

[wnylib]

21. I still wear a mask indoors because of underlying health issues.

But I don't wear it outdoors.

So, I just got back from a convenience store, close enough that I walked. In the store parking lot, I was pulling the mask over my face when a kid from a passing car yelled out at me, "Hey, covid's over, grandma."

I've had strange looks before, but that's the first comment that I've received.

[Larissa]

30. The kid should pay better attention

Covid has never been over . . . yet. In my state of New Jersey "five New Jersey hospitals are currently reinforcing mask mandates due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases." No one in N.J. hardly gives a second thought to anyone wearing a mask. At one point, New Jersey led the nation with the highest rate for Covid-19 deaths. From March 21st through June 9th, 2020 New Jersey was on lock-down. It effectively broke the back of the infection rate surge almost flattening it completely. At that time, no vaccine was available. All we had were cloth masks, staying home and prayers.

[wnylib]

40. I live in NY. Opposite end of the state from NYC, but

I remember 2020 well.

My county is very rural and very red. Lowest vaccination rate in the state, highest infection rate per 100,000 after the NYC area rate was reduced.

The kid's parents are probably MAGAs.

[liberal_mama]

32. I also always wear a mask indoors. Sometimes if it's crowded or I anticipate running into someone, I

wear it outdoors too.

I have gotten a few looks, and the first week of the pandemic a couple wearing Trump shirts/MAGA hats pointed at my mask in the grocery store and laughed loudly, but I haven't had anyone comment rudely or get aggressive about my mask.

I've read some horror stories from other people about psychos actually trying to rip their masks off or getting spit on. I got so nervous reading some of these stories that I bought pepper spray to keep in my purse's side pocket in case I encounter a right wing nutjob who hates my mask!

I'm glad to hear harassment over your mask has been relatively minimal too.

[wnylib]

41. I am usually the only one wearing a mask wherever I go.

Last edited Sun Oct 1, 2023, 02:21 AM - Edit history (1)

A few months ago in a store, 3 people shopping together stared at me as they passed by. One asked the others, "Hey, are we supposed to be wearing masks again?" The others told him to shhh and then said, "No."

People regard me as an eccentric old lady for still wearing one. A few people, like clerks in stores where I'm a regular, or library employees where I'm also a regular, understand when I say that I have underlying health issues. But some just don't get it. They think it's no big deal to get covid any more and can't comprehend that for some of us, it's still a very big deal.

[GreenEyedLefty]

52. My dad lives in a ruby red, conservative town

Where I grew up in a liberal bubble without a clue (thankfully!)

I go to the grocery store for my dad and wear a mask. No one has ever questioned or commented. And trust me when I say most of the customers there are bona fide yahoos. I'm usually ready to say that I'm recovering from Covid, but the opportunity has never presented itself.

[mchill]

3. Sorry to hear this

I’m always curious how people think they were exposed. I understand I have the ability to avoid COVID almost absolutely so I would be able to pinpoint an exposure (doctor’s appointments is my main vulnetability), so you might not have the answer.

Get well!

[pnwmom]

5. We're not sure. He did have an appointment to get an anti-venom shot last week,

but you'd think most people getting allergy shots wouldn't go unless they were well ...

Other than going to Costco, most of his activities were outdoors, so we don't know. Maybe it was someone at Costco.

Just when we'd finally gotten comfortable not wearing masks . . .

[mchill]

55. I bet COSTCO

My neighbor works at one and early on COVID was getting to the employees one by one. I have not been in a COSTCO since 2019 and no plans to go in one. If I did, only with a mask, but it is one of my sacrifices. The last time I was in one, I could not believe how crowded. I couldn’t imagine getting out of their disease free these days.

[hlthe2b]

4. Yeah, don't I know... Seems it is all around me, but just got a booster Wednesday. 24 more hours

and I can finally feel good about resuming Naproxen for my chronically painful ankle. (NSAIDs 24 hours prior and as much as 3 days after COVID vaccination can reduce the immune response and I'm not about to take a chance). The one thing is that I've never been bothered with any injection site pain--LOL--probably because all I can feel is my damned ankle

[pnwmom]

6. Good to know about not taking NSAIDS before or after. But that's annoying!

Sorry about your ankle!

[Rebl2]

25. Never heard

that before. I know I can’t take my methotrexate for a week afterwards.
It’s also showing up in nursing homes again-at least my mom’s.

[roamer65]

7. Seems like it is becoming more like a bad cold.

Similar to symptoms of existing human coronaviruses.

[pnwmom]

8. It hit him harder and more suddenly than a bad cold.

More like a serious case of the flu.

[roamer65]

10. Hope he gets better soon.

[pnwmom]

11. Thank you!

[KS Toronado]

44. Don't know about using the word "guarantee"

Covid affects everybody differently, our best defense is getting all the recommended vaccine shots.
Welcome to DU.

[herding cats]

45. Hey, you!

Tick-Tock.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. My Wife Is Getting Over A Cold Right Now

It lingered a whole so we retested her, too.
Both negative.
We shouldn't be surprised because she had no symptoms other than a stuffy head & a slight fever. No cough, no aches, no chest pressure.
Better to be safe than sorry, though.

[pnwmom]

12. If you're like me, you probably have a bunch of tests still sitting around.

Might as well use them!

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Especially Since The Expiration Dates Got Pushed Way Out...

...and they're still considered good. We've still got 2 Binax Now tests that are good until May 2024.

[pnwmom]

16. Ours don't expire till Jan - March, 2024, and we have a bunch of them. nt

[LetMyPeopleVote]

14. My oldest child tested positive three or four weeks ago

The bright red line showed up after 7 minutes. Paxlovid works and my oldest child is now testing negative

[Sancho]

15. I showed my positive test stick to the doc...

...he said, "Congrats, it's a boy!"




I got a prescription for Paxlovid...

[DelMar dem]

17. Costco

My husband and I went to Costco last week, and we were surprised at the number of shoppers and employees who were masked. We decided that Costco needs to remain on our "must mask" list, given the ever-present crowds of people.

[pnwmom]

31. I'm guessing that's where my husband was exposed. Just when we were finally

starting to feel safe!

[Lemon Lyman]

18. Hope He Feels Better Soon!

It really bums me out that Costco & Trader Joe's won't add store pickup like almost every other store has now.

[oregonjen]

24. Agree. We use Instacart for Costco.

[Lemon Lyman]

33. Sweet!

I don't think that works for us b/c we don't live where we shop. You can get stuff delivered to your house from the store. We have to stop along the way and load up, then take it home.

Costco did a test market of store pickup in Albuquerque, NM a few years ago. They must not have liked it b/c they decided not to expand it or even keep doing it in that city. The stores I use that offer store pickup are usually fairly busy with people waiting for the employees to bring stuff to them. Then again, those stores also busy with people walking in to do their shopping. Costco & TJ's figure they don't need to offer store pickup. I guess they really don't b/c their stores are always packed.

I remember reading a story about Target a couple of years ago. I misremembered it. I remembered it as drive up orders being 30% of their total sales. Reading it just now...it was 30% of their digital sales. It must be working though, b/c stores around here like Dubuque, IA and Coralville, IA have added 8 billion drive up spots. This is what stood out (and what I misremembered) from the article:

Target has put its nearly 2,000 stores at the centre of its online strategy. Drive Up, through which customers order online and collect from stores, has been very popular during the pandemic. The service, which contributed only about 5 per cent to the company’s digital sales two years ago, now produces more than 30 per cent.

It was from an article on Financial Times. This appears to be paywalled:

https://www.ft.com/content/4029a256-9653-4859-b5da-4e4c0ad22c52

But when I clicked on the link in the Tweet it opened fine:

Link to tweet

[Lilaclady]

19. Keep a logbook

Since the beginning of Covid I have maintained a logbook with the name of the day in the margin then I write the month and date, who went out, where they went, the time they left and the time they returned. I still keep the logbook. It has come in very handy when we need to recall things like the last date we shopped, or visited someone.

[JanMichael]

20. For posts that are saying it's more like a cold now, you don't know about long-term

That's the only thing that's ever bothered me about covid is long-term debilitating crap they we're just finding out about now. Just because this one doesn't go into the chest like Delta then doesn't mean it still couldn't do long-term damage.

Plus from every time I've heard about it even these weaker covid still put three times more people in the hospital than the regular flu.

[XanaDUer2]

29. This

I truly worry about the long- term effects of this scourge.

[Pompoy]

22. One thing to keep in mind regarding Paxlovid

I'm 61 and obese, and I tested positive for covid back in January or February. A little fever, not high, but the reason I noticed that I was sick so I would take the test was that I didn't get good sleep because I was getting up/waking up every hour or two to urinate.
We had tons of tests as the pharmacy kept giving them to us.
So I called the doctor for a Paxlovid prescription, I got it but I was told that if I wasn't too sick or worried, that I might consider not going on the Paxlovid, because the Paxlovid would impair my immune response to covid in the future.

If I let the covid run its course, I would benefit more as far as future immunity response.
The problem is that Paxlovid is effective if you get it early enough.
I am fully vaccinated, I'm not afraid of medications, I certainly didn't want covid to do a number on my organs/body, but I made the decision to not take the Paxlovid even though I had it handy, and since there were no feelings of sickness past the first day I experienced them other than testing positive for almost a week, I didn't take it.

I feel much more confident about my body's ability to deal with covid exposure for a while.
I will get the next vaccine soon after bariatric surgery next week.
Just info for others, not advice to refrain from taking Paxlovid. I wouldn't hesitate to take it if my symptoms were worse than they were back then.

[mountain grammy]

23. Damn. I'm sorry. We've got to get our boosters.

[Permanut]

27. Sorry for hubby, all the best to him for recovery..

Your timing was "almost" right.

I've been luckier; just got the booster this morning.

[dembotoz]

34. also had to cancel my appt for today. or more accurately they canceled it for me

estranged wife had/has it.
I run for her groceries and stuff.....Never in same room but close enough apparently to disqualify my shot
just another plan of mine she screwed up..

[Delmette2.0]

35. My sister had it.

It was a very mild case. Now she has a light case of pneumonia. This is a woman who has been faithful for shots, masks and hand sanitizers.

We will all get covid but for the rest of us mostly it will be mild, thanks to doctors and scientist.

[pnwmom]

39. I have asthma, so I'm always susceptible to viral pneumonia. I'm glad Paxlovid exists

if it turns out I get this next.

[Delmette2.0]

48. I know how you feel.

I have COPD and I worry about this all the time.

[Tickle]

37. Get plaxlovid,

Someone on this board told me the first time I got COVID was to get plaxlovid. I did and I was almost symptom free. I tested positive yesterday for COVID and went to the clinic for my plaxlovid hoping for the same results.

Best wishes to your husband

[pnwmom]

38. Thanks, Tickle. Yes, he's started it. And so far even the taste isn't bad (as he'd been warned). nt

[DJ Porkchop]

42. Got my first case today.

Cruuuuddy.

[Maru Kitteh]

47. Please inform your vaccinator about your close contact.

They may have specific guidelines they would like you to follow.


Stay well and tell the hubby DU wishes him the mildest of illness followed by the fastest recovery ever.

[sky_masterson]

49. I caught Covid for the first time 3 weeks ago

My last Covid Booster shot was 4/23/23
My business partner and Girlfriend both caught it for the first time.
He had two shots over a year ago and She was a shot behind me.
We didn't know we had Covid because the Symptoms I've read about for ages weren't there right away.
No loss of taste or runs, not much phlegm. No high temperature.
But there were signs if we only noticed them.
First, the girlfriends mom caught the Flu (it was covid)
She caught it next, started feeling sick, no high temp, slight bathroom issues, then about a week end she lost her sense of taste.
Tested twice. Both times Negative.
Another bizarre thing happened.
My cat started throwing up, losing its appetite , sneezing.
Took him to the Vet.
They didn't test him for covid, but when I looked up symptoms for feline covid.. He had Covid.
He was a clue.
Two days after the vet, I started feeling the symptoms that felt like a sinus infection, no high temp, not a lot of phlegm, no bathroom issues, headachey , still didn't know I had Covid
By Business partner catches it 3 days later and has a rough time with it.
Girlfriend is doing miserable, we go to her doctor for blood teat, Doctor Ask " do you want us to run a Covid test" , "Yes"
She had full blown covid.
Everyone involved are over it and fine now, but for weeks we were unknown spreaders.
Now I didnt go many places besides work and home, but I was part of the problem.

My advice: Check your Allergies and sinus infections. They may be more. Pay attention to your cat.
They may let you know something is up.
Did I mention that I was on my way later to get my Booster the same day I found out I had Covid?
Because getting a booster while infected could have made my immunocompromised ass real sick.

[GreenEyedLefty]

50. Hope your hubby feels better soon

Anyone around me who claims these days they have "just a cold," "the sniffles," "sinus issues" or "allergies" I assume have Covid. "But I tested negative." Doesn't matter - false negatives are very common, especially with home tests. It's rampant right now.

I've had all the shots and boosters to date, and unfortunately had Covid several times. After reading about Covid's effect on the immune system, I now believe the first time having Covid made me vulnerable to it. I also firmly believe that being immunized and boosted has prevented serious illness and even kept symptoms at bay when exposed at various times.

[XanaDUer2]

53. I was infected in a waiting room by a woman

Telling me she had allergies

[CoopersDad]

54. I am told that it's not a "booster" that we get now, it's a new vaccine

My wife and I also tested positive and I made appointments for the vaccine.

But CVS explained that it's not a booster for prior vaccinations, it's just a new vaccine.

Like our flu vaccines, we don't get boosters, we get annual vaccinations.

PS all those boosters and I still got Covid, but it's a new strain, presumably.

[XanaDUer2]

58. We were told it's a new vaccine, too

Not a booster

[area51]

56. Covid never went anywhere.

Please consider masking if you haven't already been doing so.

[maxsolomon]

57. Congrats on making it this far.

Most people I hear of catching it are back at work in 3-4 days as they're not infectious after that. Takes weeks to test negative, however. - at least it did for me last December.

I still mask on airplanes or the light rail. I'm in a distinct minority.

[CoopersDad]

59. Not a doctor, BUT, I got the new vaccine despite still testing positive.

Over 65 with a couple of special conditions, I researched the CDH and CDC recommendations AND contacted my physician.

It's recommended though not required to wait 90 days from a COVID infection before getting the new vaccination.

Well, I have to travel on the 12th on a plane and I don't want to sit the hell around for 90 days just to be reinfected, never mind infecting others.

The physician's assistant explained over the phone: "they think you will develop stronger immunity from the infection without the vaccine than if you get the sooner."

What I learned, I will test at the slightest sign of what I think is a cold-- sniffles, sneezing, sinus congestion, get the test right away and avoid the uncertainty.

I did not use the Paxlovid because I was 5 or 6 days into the infection by the time I took the first test, Paxlovid needs to be taken within the first 5 days, I think.

PS, I feel better now, test #6 yesterday still has a very faint pink second line, BinaxNow says that's still a positive.

[pnwmom]

60. Thanks for sharing this.

It gives us something to think about , with regard to the timing of my husband's next booster.