Covid deaths still happening

[EastWest Gal]

We lost a friend to complications from Covid two days ago. He was in reasonably good shape until acquiring Covid in November. The lung damage was severe, and he developed pulmonary fibrosis. He was 85 and had repaired congenital heart disease as comorbidities. Before Covid, he was a performing musician and very involved in his college as a professor emeritus.

He was up to date with his vaccines and got Covid at a large family gathering when someone who was ill with Covid came to the event. I hope their profound guilt knowingly going to such an event while ill lasts for years. I'm closer to his wife who is also a performing musician. They were married 61 years.

 

[harllee]

So sorry about your friend. And yes I agree Covid is still out there and probably will be for a long, long time.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

I'm sorry about your friend. Very sad.

Showing up at an event when you know you have Covid is really bad. Multiple family events over the last six months were blown up over someone or a household having Covid.

I do think it will be a hard societal habit to break. For most of my life, we "toughed it out" when we weren't feeling well. Showing up at work or a family event when you were under the weather was generally seen as stalwart behavior.

The script has flipped and people need to chanage that mindset.

 

[Gumby]

The young wife went to this past Christmas at her family's by herself, because I was sick at home. It wasn't Covid (I tested), but no one needs any type of respiratory virus from me, especially her 88 year old mother and infant great-niece.

 

[audreyh1]

Large family gatherings are really tough these days.

 

[Aerides]

knowingly going to such an event while ill

This is so terrible. Even the most doubting, down-playing, denying of the world, one would hope, would not knowingly spread to others.

 

[GaryInCO]

I got two cancer diagnoses just before Covid hit. One in particular (a form of lymphoma) made me EXTREMELY susceptible to Covid. Research at the time said Covid had a 2-3% fatality rate, but someone in my situation had a FIFTY percent fatality rate. So I basically hid in my house for 2 years. Not fun for a social person like me, but it beats dyin'. I missed several family events like my favorite niece's wedding, and with our small family we don't have many big get-togethers.

For the last 2 years I've been much bolder. Covid seems to be weaker, and my doc says the treatments are much better, so the prognosis is much better if you get it. Case rates are nearly as low as mid-2023, which were the lowest since the start of the pandemic. I haven't worn a mask in years and I attend a lot of social gatherings. A few weeks ago I got on a plane for the first time in 5 years and went to my nephew's wedding. I got exposed to Covid 10 days before the wedding and almost canceled, but my brother said I'd been the "invisible uncle" for too long. (I live 900 mi from the rest of my family so I don't see the nieces/nephews very often.)

It all went smoothly, except I decided flying SUCKS these days. Especially since I'm not a privileged United Silver member any more... (first world problems)

 

[I am He]

Sorry. Thanks for sharing.

We're the nutty outliers in our family and community. But with a 15YO, it's hard to know where he'd go in the (unlikely but possibility) of a COVID demise? So we're still locked down/masked with N95s other than if we can see it's a contained situation. Something like a family gather isn't one of them. Staying/visiting for a week is.

 

[CaliKid]

... I hope their profound guilt knowingly going to such an event while ill lasts for years. ...

While I am sorry for your loss it seems a bit petty to wish ill on someone like this but perhaps that's just me.

 

[CaliKid]

Sorry. Thanks for sharing.

We're the nutty outliers in our family and community. But with a 15YO, it's hard to know where he'd go in the (unlikely but possibility) of a COVID demise? So we're still locked down/masked with N95s other than if we can see it's a contained situation. Something like a family gather isn't one of them. Staying/visiting for a week is.

Seriously!? Wow. That surprises me a bit but we each do what we do. Obviously we each have to make choices that we think are right and/or are right for us. For me my choice was, early on, to live my life and not worry about Covid. I have gotten all my shots and just live life. In the early days I wore a mask when required and that was it. Have not worn a mask since 2021 sometime. So far we have not gotten Covid... or at least never tested positive. I would be much more concerned about the emotional damage I was doing to a child by locking them up but, again, to each their own. The odds are below miniscule of two parents both dying from Covid. Although, by staying locked down you also reduce chances of dying from car crash, plane crash, etc... so there's that too! I just can't imagine living a life of lockdown for four years even if the risk was more material. I truly find your post fascinating. Best wishes with everything.

 

[pacergal]

I am sorry for the loss of your friend.
Covid continues to kill, just read in the Wall Street Journal this morning that over 1.2 million have died, in the last four years, way more than opioid and gun violence.

We have received all boosters, will get the "Spring" booster recently recommended next month.
We still mask up(N95) in crowded areas (shopping, etc) and still do more online shopping than pre-covid.
Travels have been by car so far and hotel stays with no housekeeping coming into the room.
We are flying to Hawaii this summer with the kids , we will wear our N95 masks.

We(and our doctor) believe we had covid very early on, late 2019, early 2020, but no way to test at that time. Have not gotten it since, thankfully. Being a public health RN, I was extra cautious and continue to be.
There is no rhyme or reason as to who may get long covid, even after one case.

 

[athena53]

There is no rhyme or reason as to who may get long covid, even after one case.

That's what scared me from the beginning. I think that the people most vulnerable now are those who are vulnerable to everything else as well- the elderly, the immune-compromised and the very young. When I see masked people in my church or working with the public I figure they have their reasons. Of the two in my church, one has a son with a blood cancer starting chemo for the second time (she's about to quarantine with him) and the other has a husband in late stages of breast cancer.

I'm 71 and healthy other than mitral valve prolapse and I'm up-to-date on vaccinations. I will be taking N95 masks with me when I do some traveling in April and May; the planes don't make me as nervous as the public buses, buses from planes to the terminal and trams between terminals. I'm far more nervous than I was 4 years ago about being in close quarters with others in badly-ventilated areas.

 

[EastWest Gal]

We'll be wearing N95 masks on the plane and the airport next week. I wore a KN95 mask traveling to and from Hawaii, and in a poorly ventilated van on a tour there. Everything else was outside-hiking, snorkeling, kayaking. Ate outside in restaurants too. Probably picked up Covid on the tour. Started with symptoms part way home, tested negative for 2 days. I definitely masked on the way home.

Can't mask all the time and stay healthy. I swim laps, so go when the pool isn't crowded. Other exercise is outside or at home. Also, playing in a wind band is impossible wearing a mask, so we take our risks.

Our friend decidedly did not get Covid playing in the wind band. People skip if they are the slightest bit ill.

 

[Nash]

Never vaxxed, never masked, never covid. I have not taken any covid precautions ever. I live life the same before covid was a thing.

Some say it's selfish to live as I do. Perhaps that's correct. But it's also selfish for old folks to demand that I stop living life to protect them.

Stay well everyone.

 

[GenXguy]

Never vaxxed, never masked, never covid. I have not taken any covid precautions ever. I live life the same before covid was a thing.

Some say it's selfish to live as I do. Perhaps that's correct. But it's also selfish for old folks to demand that I stop living life to protect them.

Stay well everyone.

It's not just selfish, but pretty ignorant as well. The fact you think it's just about "old folks" proves you are not educated on the facts.

 

[Gumby]

MODERATOR NOTE:

There may come a day when we can discuss Covid issues without rancor and discord, but it is obvious that today is not that day. Once a thread devolves to the point where we feel we need to malign others, it ceases to be useful or enjoyable. Unfortunately, Covid seems to bring out the worst in us. As has been mentioned several times before, whether in respect to vaccines or isolation, you make your choice and live your life. Let others make their choices and live their lives. On these topics, there is really no need to proselytize. So the thread is now closed.