People, Just ashout out here. I believe Covid is coming back.

[bluestarone]

I've had EVERY vaccinations and for the first time tested positive. Mild symptoms. I was on a trip through Montana Wyoming South Dakota.Had a chance to get Paxlovid but decided not to. (cost $1400, but with Humana it would have been free) If the symptoms would have been worse, i would have gotten it. Since returning home, ive heard of 3 more people testing positive. Be Careful all.

[niyad]

1. Be safe and well. And thank you for the reminder that the plague is still

with us.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. Wifey's oncologist agrees with you.

[GoCubsGo]

3. It never went away.

This is just the latest mutated strain, made worse by all of those who refused or couldn't be bothered to keep up their vaccinations. I know a few people who had it, and say they've never felt sicker in their lives.

[bluestarone]

7. Won't disagree here. But i just wanted to

Maybe give a refresher heads up to all!!

[GoCubsGo]

17. Yes, definitely worth reminding people!

Especially given that the latest iteration is such a doozy.

[PeaceWave]

34. Advice from someone who has NEVER had Covid...

Over 4 1/2 years into this thing and, yes, there are folks who have yet to get Covid. My Mom - who is 90 - and I are both among that small group. Everyone else in my immediate and extended family has gotten it. So, what did we do different?

(1) We have both been on an airplane only once during the Pandemic and that was a relatively short flight to Vegas. If you fly, your chances of contracting Covid are extremely high. A lot of people in a confined space for at least an hour is a recipe for infection. If you fly, I absolutely recommend wearing a mask.

(2) If you regularly attend events where a lot of people are physically exerting themselves (and that includes going to the gym or singing in church), your chances of contracting Covid will rise dramatically. However good the air conditioning system, these activities are putting too much particulate matter into the air too fast for the AC to keep up.

(3) Carry sanitizer either in your car or on your person at all times. This is the single biggest change I have made to my daily routine since the pandemic began. Go shopping, handle a grocery cart? First thing back in the car, sanitize your hands. The reason being...

(4) Your hands and fingernails are extremely efficient vehicles for pathogens. For that reason, once you're outside the house, quit touching your face unnecessarily. Your face isn't going anywhere. It'll be just fine without you messing with it.

That's it. I no longer wear a mask in most public spaces, including stores. And, quite frankly, I seldom think about Covid - other than when I read a story that begins with..."I was on a trip through Montana."

[Ms. Toad]

40. Not to mention those who pretend COVID is gone,

Who don't test when they have symptoms, and continue to go to work, and companies that have returned to pre-COVID sick-leave policies (requiring employees to choose between being paid and coming to work sick (with the potential of being fired if you choose your health, and that of others).

And don't get me started on the complete abandonment of masks . . .

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. Lol it never left. Keep masking.

[brewens]

5. Thanks. I'm still avoiding crowds for the most part unless I'm outdoors. Like I make sure and be the first in the door

at Costco and stuff like that.

I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these cruise lines shutting down or a nightmare plague ship again. I keep hearing of people coming back from cruises with COVID.

[GoCubsGo]

18. The ones I know who had it probably caught it on airplanes.

And, or the crowded sporting events to which they were flying. Most likely, it was the plane flights. If you're flying, mask up for your own good.

[Native]

21. that's how i got it, and I'm hearing the same from others

[phylny]

39. We went to the US Virgin Islands in March

and I wore a mask going and coming. I haven’t had Covid yet, knock on wood.

[bullimiami]

6. I agree it seems to be making the rounds right now.

Guess it’s endemic.
Curious that it seems to be surging in the summer.
Hopefully most have mild symptoms
.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. The two people who I know that have it right now, have it pretty bad.

[bluestarone]

10. Yea, Fall , winter could be a bad.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Yes. I think you're right.

I am hearing people who have had their vaccinations and have had prior Covid infections are getting it.

[Freddie]

43. That's me

Recently had my 2nd bout of Covid and I’m fully vaccinated. Didn’t get terribly sick either time. Like a common cold with more fatigue and weakness.
Covid tests are no longer free, but Paxlovid still is.

[Takket]

11. the numbers hit an all time low since start of the pandemic a month or two ago...

but yes, the latest variant is now circulating and numbers are on the rise. though to be clear they are nowhere near as high, nor the virus as deadly, as the earliest versions of the virus.

Get vaccinated. it never makes things worse

[haele]

12. People at work are dropping; around two a week the last four weeks.

We were given the "if you feel sick or someone in your house is sick, stay home" speech last Monday at the office staff meeting. One of the PMs wife just had major surgery two weeks ago and a couple of us are immunocompromised due to medication, so it's better to work from a home office than it is to deal with traffic and show your face in the office if there's no critical reason to be in.
Haele

[cachukis]

13. We have worked hard, travel in trailer, mask up,

avoid crowds and caught it from friend who refused to acknowledge that a test would matter.
Luckily, we have both been vaxxed and my symptoms were minor, but my wife more extensive.
It is out there.

[bluestarone]

14. Yea sorry to hear about your wifes symptoms.

Take care and good luck.

[cachukis]

16. Thanks. Slowed her down, but we are still on the road

1200 hundred miles from home trying to hide from heat wave. So far so good.

[bluestarone]

15. Gotta leave for awhile. Everybody have a good day!!

[NutmegYankee]

19. It's endemic. nt

[Native]

20. Caught Covid for the 1st time a few months ago (mid-May), and now I have it again!

after flying from Florida to Ohio and back. My doc here in the Tampa Bay area said that everybody is getting it now, and my pharmacist said he has been filling prescriptions for Paxlovid left and right. All the people I know who have gotten it recently are convinced they caught it in an airport. With my first bout of it a couple months ago it was brutal, and I took Paxlovid. I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't I would have wound up hospitalized. I had a high fever for a week and was pretty much sick for a full month, with my cough lasting another couple of weeks. After just a short reprieve of a few healthy weeks, I hopped on a plane and Bam, got it again. Doc wanted me to take Paxlovid again even though my symptoms weren't as bad as last time. Basically, they don't know if Paxlovid will help with regard to Long Covid, but I'm taking it just in case it does.

[bullwinkle428]

22. I realize I'm talking about Europe here, but several competitors in the

Tour de France have been forced out of the race in the past few days after testing positive for COVID.

So much for the MAGA-loons who claim their "excellent physical condition" is what prevents them from coming down with it.

[Mountainguy]

23. Covid is just a thing now

It's what it always will be.

[yardwork]

24. COVID never left.

I know several people who had it recently.

[Blues Heron]

25. Summer surge - reports were coming out of Hawaii a few weeks ago about 20 percent positive test rate

It looks like it will be a Summer/winter thing from here on out with maybe fall and spring thrown in for good measure. Mask on public transportation, avoid parties and restaurants etc. etc. Stay safe yall!

[mahina]

41. True

[evemac]

26. Yep. I think it's pretty virulent

And coming from the East Coast. My son had it after coming back from DC and New York a week and a half ago. 2 other adults I know here in Colorado who just returned from NY also have it.

[JCMach1]

28. It's a vacation/airline flight thing now in Summer

Last 2 times I had it anyway. Has me paranoid now as I am going on vacation to Austria later this week.

[Maru Kitteh]

27. Ahhh. You came to Montana. We have covid every July like clockwork.

Hope you had a nice time. We had some nice weather for you and minimal smoke so that's nice.

[Ace Rothstein]

29. Never went away and never will.

Once it got out of Wuhan it was here forever.

[ZonkerHarris]

30. My wife is an RN and there is a particularly strong strain of Covid that is going around now

[bluestarone]

33. What state, if i might ask?

[ZonkerHarris]

37. Los Angeles CA. Just found out a neighbor of mine was hospitalized with it for a week too.

Tested positive and then in the middle of the night his lungs started filling up with fluid and had to go to the ER
Just released a few days ago.

[bluestarone]

38. TY

Crazy how Covid affects different people in way different ways. Just never know until you get it.

[marmar]

31. I had it a couple of weeks ago - basically just the symptoms of a mild cold, honestly.

[Swede]

32. I had it in March. Second time for me.

I believe I caught it at a funeral.

[phylny]

35. It is.

My two brothers and sisters-in-law traveled by air to Minnesota at the end of June for a wedding. I had surgery June 25 and I did not go. All four of them came back with Covid. They are doing well as they are all fully vaccinated.

[bluestarone]

36. Wow!

Glad they are doing ok.

[mahina]

42. In the Fall the new vaccine will protect against the strain that's going around now

[NickB79]

44. I had it exactly 2 years ago. It was not fun, and I still have issues

Background: I was 42 at the time, no health issues, no medication, healthy diet, listed at an overweight BMI but that was due to lots of muscle from regular weightlifting and working on my hobby farm. Had all my shots and boosters beforehand.

It took me a week to recover from the initial illness, which was brutal. The days-long headaches were the worst I've ever experienced. Then I had shortness of breath for a couple of weeks afterwards which progressed to severe bronchitis bordering on pneumonia. Almost ended up in the hospital. My daughter still makes comments about how scared she was that I was going to die, because she'd never seen me sick like that before.

In the past 2 years, I've now had bronchitis 3 more times. Every little cold goes straight to my lungs, necessitating days of bed rest, an inhaler and prednisone. It sucks, bad. I can't stand not working for extended periods of time, especially when there's farmwork to be done during the spring, summer and fall. My doctor says he's seen this a lot as a long COVID issue.

[BigmanPigman]

46. I have never had it

since I never go out and I'm always fully vaxxed but I do NOT want to go through what you are still going through. I had bronchitis a lot, especially while teaching 1st grade so my lungs aren't too good.
My niece travels all the time and I am supposed to see her this week when she visits. Do you think if she were tested first I would not need to be as careful when we meet? I have a lot of home test kits.

[ananda]

45. I was in a bridge tournament last week where Covid spread.

Several people I know got it, but I didn't.

Still, I can't wait till the next vaccine.