Covid-19

[sally maclennane]

I feel like perhaps I should plunge myself into a seething mass of infected to get it over with. I say that from the plastic bubble I'm currently in.

I've thought this a few times, mainly because I could have a few months of not worrying about getting it/ passing it on. It's just the unpredictable nature of it, and also thefear of long Covid.

[Texaco Shirley]

I had it after my second jab and it was like flu. The main symptom was tiredness, I had 4 days off work for the first time in years, and also ran a temperature for a solid 48 hours. The cough wasn’t too bad but I had a fair amount of chest pain.

Second time round I’d had the booster as well as protection from the previous infection and I could barely tell I had it at all.

[cluefree]

I feel like perhaps I should plunge myself into a seething mass of infected to get it over with. I say that from the plastic bubble I'm currently in.

I’ve thought this too but if I hadn’t had it I know I would have kept away still, Rick Grimes style.

[Texaco Shirley]

I feel like perhaps I should plunge myself into a seething mass of infected to get it over with. I say that from the plastic bubble I'm currently in.

I've thought this a few times, mainly because I could have a few months of not worrying about getting it/ passing it on. It's just the unpredictable nature of it, and also thefear of long Covid.

I tested positive twice in 3 months.

[Texaco Shirley]

I’m glad your girls are improving Cluef. Hope you can get some sleep soon.

[nineseven]

I feel like perhaps I should plunge myself into a seething mass of infected to get it over with.

I'd probably want to do that if getting it meant you wouldn't get it again.

[Squirrel]

Okay my son’s best friend now has it (again! Having only had it in Nov) and G stayed there at the weekend, so if he doesn’t get it now I’m really going to start thinking he’s a miracle of science.

[Little My]

Are you going to test him, Squirrel?

I'm wondering if Mr LM will bring it back from the states as a lovely present.

[Dutchie]

Joe has just got a positive PCR test result. I'm so relieved it's Covid. Does that sound weird? Poor thing is really poorly and has been running a high temperature all day. He has bright red cheeks and just looks really ill. Jake has started feeling shite too - unsurprising, considering they share a bedroom. I really hope he has it too.

I've read in several places that taking a throat swab is better for tracking down Omicron. Those that have done that, how far down the throat do you go?

[Pippedydeadeye]

You swab the tonsils, or where they would be.

[cluefree]

Poor chaps, Dutchie. I hope they don’t suffer with it.

[Ismee]

I have felt very tired, sore throat, had bad headache first two days. Day three now and I feel better but very wiped out if I do anything. I am a bit chesty but feels like a mild asthma attack rather than anything worse.

I am boosted etc. Have felt sick at times and bit of an upset stomach today. The time I had flu on my 40th birthday was worse than this.

[Margo]

I’m wondering… and I’m not trying to be controversial… but should we be able to chill out a bit now?

An awful lot of people have had both jabs plus a booster, so presumably will be protected. I accept that there’s still a risk but at some point should we accept that covid will become just something else we have to deal with, alongside colds, flu, etc?

There’s 1170 pages of this thread so it’s entirely possible this has already been discussed and I’ve missed it but it seems to me that at some point we all need to get back to living our ‘normal’ lives…

J (my partner) currently has covid. He’s now off work despite feeling absolutely ok. I was with him at the weekend and don’t have it, I’ve no symptoms, have had negative tests, and feel fine. I can’t help thinking that I shouldn’t really take any extra precautions now.

I know a lot of us here are taking covid extremely seriously and all power to you, but, should we relax about it, a bit?

[cluefree]

You don’t have to take any extra precautions, Margo. As long as you’ve got negative LFTs then you’re good to go.

I think when covid becomes endemic then we will have no choice but to crack on with it as normal, but that’s not a choice that every person has, yet. Also it depends on your perspective. I suppose that if everyone you know who’s had it has had a very mild case and you’ve had it yourself and not suffered or not caught it at all then I imagine you would feel that it’s time to crack on as normal. But if you were very vulnerable or scared for someone you love who’s vulnerable (or even infecting vulnerable strangers) then it’s sensible and “normal” and natural to want to protect those people too.

I think the whole aim of all of this is to learn to live with covid but it’s a gradual thing. It will take time. And let’s not forget that there are countries without our incredible vaccination programme. For me, until every country has the opportunity and access to vaccines that we do, the pandemic is far from over and it’s foolish and reckless to behave as though it is.

A lot of people’s behaviour now/soon will be down to personal choice and if you don’t want to mask up or take any extra precautions then you won’t have to.

[bramblerose]

I think the whole aim of all of this is to learn to live with covid but it’s a gradual thing. It will take time. And let’s not forget that there are countries without our incredible vaccination programme. For me, until every country has the opportunity and access to vaccines that we do, the pandemic is far from over and it’s foolish and reckless to behave as though it is.

Absolutely this. I cannot express how angry I get when politicians start spouting on about COVID being endemic. It's still a pandemic and will be until all countries have access to vaccines. If we don't look after other countries, variants will continue to emerge and the next one may not be just like a cold or flu (which if you have ever had, you don't ever want it again).

[Ella77]

Yes, agreed, and endemic doesn’t mean harmless, it just means it’s really common. So many muppets are saying “it’s endemic” like that’s a good thing.

As for relaxing, fine, sure, whatever, but every person that can’t be fucked any more makes it slightly worse for everybody else.

[Lola]

I do think it is very slowly starting to head that way, Margo. I think test & trace will be ditched by summer & free tests will end in this country. There are new anti viral treatments that sound very positive & could be an answer for when it gets to the stage where only the most vulnerable get vaccinated every few months.

[Mountain Goat]

And living with it means using masks where appropriate, ventilating buildings and having a booster programme as needed, not just ignoring it.

I'm sorry for everyone with it at the moment, and your children. It's really hitting children hard at the moment and it's so unfair.

[Texaco Shirley]

Isn’t the rumour it’ll be considered pretty much done with in March?

Does it know?

[nineseven]

I've read in several places that taking a throat swab is better for tracking down Omicron. Those that have done that, how far down the throat do you go?

You don’t go down the throat - you just swab the tonsils.