Travel during Covid OmicronB

[wearefinishedworking]

Whatever numbers you are seeing it is higher! With everyone having access to test kits now there is no reporting. I had Covid 3 weeks ago and when I called family doc they said no need for PCR testing, just fluids and rest. I am vaxed and have one booster and it was like a very bad cough/cold. This is similar for many people I know right now.

 

[jollystomper]

Whatever numbers you are seeing it is higher! With everyone having access to test kits now there is no reporting. I had Covid 3 weeks ago and when I called family doc they said no need for PCR testing, just fluids and rest. I am vaxed and have one booster and it was like a very bad cough/cold. This is similar for many people I know right now.

Anyone can see the CDC numbers at https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailycases

It is interesting that whenever the official stats are rising, people believe them. But when they start falling, people do not want to believe them.
I have anecdotal evidence of a few friends getting mild cases of covid during this time. But I also have probably ten times the amount of friends/relatives being concerned with coughs/cold/headaches and testing at home repeatedly (hey, the kits are free ) and coming up negative every time. We saw over 100 friends and relatives and were among thousands at a couple of graduations last month... one of the relatives a week later fell ill with symptoms, but both multiple home tests and doctor tests were negative. No one else in our group had symptoms, and all of us tested ourselves at least a couple of times and were negative.

My brother who is a doctor (and among those at the graduations, in fact his daughter was one of the graduates) told me that he reports the data for the ones who tell him they tested home positive but do not come in to see him. the pattern he is seeing with patients is that they are contacting his office to come in if they test negative but have symptoms. So far less than 10% of those that come in, having tested negative at home, test positive with a PCR test.

To bring this back to a travel perspective, I still proceed with caution, but I have optimism that the current trend will not approach what we saw in the early part. but as I said in my previous post, we will have to see what impact the end of May travels/activities had.

 

[Koolau]

Anyone can see the CDC numbers at https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailycases

It is interesting that whenever the official stats are rising, people believe them. But when they start falling, people do not want to believe them.
I have anecdotal evidence of a few friends getting mild cases of covid during this time. But I also have probably ten times the amount of friends/relatives being concerned with coughs/cold/headaches and testing at home repeatedly (hey, the kits are free ) and coming up negative every time. We saw over 100 friends and relatives and were among thousands at a couple of graduations last month... one of the relatives a week later fell ill with symptoms, but both multiple home tests and doctor tests were negative. No one else in our group had symptoms, and all of us tested ourselves at least a couple of times and were negative.

My brother who is a doctor (and among those at the graduations, in fact his daughter was one of the graduates) told me that he reports the data for the ones who tell him they tested home positive but do not come in to see him. the pattern he is seeing with patients is that they are contacting his office to come in if they test negative but have symptoms. So far less than 10% of those that come in, having tested negative at home, test positive with a PCR test.

To bring this back to a travel perspective, I still proceed with caution, but I have optimism that the current trend will not approach what we saw in the early part. but as I said in my previous post, we will have to see what impact the end of May travels/activities had.

Thanks for the update and CDC site. I did struggle to find a browser that would open it. Kinda surprised me.

 

[explanade]

The latest data from the CDC seems to indicate that U.S. cases are now dropping and the 7 day trend is going down. Probably will have to wait another month to see if there was an impact from May graduations gatherings, Memorial Day, and associated travel.

Alas, here on the west coast Covid appears to be rising. I am now wearing a mask more often when inside.

Maybe the BA-2.12.1 will peak soon.

But BA-4 and BA-5 are ready to take up the mantle.

https://arstechnica.com/science/202...-pose-higher-risk-of-breakthrough-infections/

 

[madatrub]

My personal advice: Don't expect masks to do anything for you, and certainly don't let them lull you into a false sense of security in doing things you otherwise wouldnt.

As for covid, its heading out in the Northeast.

 

[Chuckanut]

My personal advice: Don't expect masks to do anything for you, and certainly don't let them lull you into a false sense of security in doing things you otherwise wouldnt.

As for covid, its heading out in the Northeast.

What kind of mask are you talking about?

If you mean the cloth ones or the so called 'surgical' masks, or those that leave gaps around the nose and other areas, I would agree. If it is a snug fitting N95, they do offer a lot more protection, though one still has to be careful.

 

[explanade]

My personal advice: Don't expect masks to do anything for you, and certainly don't let them lull you into a false sense of security in doing things you otherwise wouldnt.

As for covid, its heading out in the Northeast.

What kind of mask are you talking about?

If you mean the cloth ones or the so called 'surgical' masks, or those that leave gaps around the nose and other areas, I would agree. If it is a snug fitting N95, they do offer a lot more protection, though one still has to be careful.

Yeah one-way masking with N95 or KN95 is better than nothing.

But it's summer so it's unpleasant to wear outdoors.

OTOH, it should be easier to avoid indoor dining.

 

[madatrub]

What kind of mask are you talking about?

If you mean the cloth ones or the so called 'surgical' masks, or those that leave gaps around the nose and other areas, I would agree. If it is a snug fitting N95, they do offer a lot more protection, though one still has to be careful.

Any mask. Unless you're fit tested and trained, even K95s are doing very little for a respiratory virus. Cochrane demonstrated that.

 

[euro]

As for covid, its heading out in the Northeast.

Dream on - it may be fluctuating, but it is not on its way out, I assure you! IT will be back

 

[braumeister]

MOD NOTE:

For the 873rd time, please, please, please let's not argue about masks.

Thank you.

 

[bobbyr]

vaccine question

i had COVID around 11/10/20 (pre vaccine)

I had the first two pfizer vaccines in spring 2021 (which was probably overkill with the natural immunity I then had).

I had vaccine #3 last fall I think...

Now curious about whether I should be getting another vaccine for what I am reading are two active new variants (our local COVID numbers are up about 200% from early spring).

I shoulda asked my pcp when i went in for my annual, but forgot to. Anyone have wisdom on this (or opinion)? I am all for anything that will make surviving COVID more possible and believe in the vaccine in this regard.

 

[Chuckanut]

Moderna has announced an updated version of their vaccine that supposedly works better against Omicron. Perhaps, if approved, that will be a shot in the arm for those who wish to travel. (Pun intended)

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/moderna-says-new-covid-19-vaccine-protects-against-omicron

Moderna’s preliminary study results show people given the combination shot experienced a higher boost in omicron-fighting antibodies than if they just got a fourth dose of the original vaccine.

 

[madatrub]

Dream on - it may be fluctuating, but it is not on its way out, I assure you! IT will be back

You misunderstand. Im referring to this spring seasonal bump. Obviously covid is here to stay as it ends up as the other 4 human coronaviruses in circulation.

 

[oiseux]

an acquaintance just returned from a trip, where they were summoned mid flight. An emergency RN, she had to take care of someone in respiratory distress, and had to apply oxygen. Yes, symptoms of probable COVID.

Just like the prior examples in the thread, the sick individual boarded the plan only to find out what happens when someone with compromised oxygenation encounters the lower pressurization of a cabin.

 

[Koolau]

^^^^^^^^^^^

I've mentioned elsewhere that I have friends ( a couple from Africa) who were traveling on a flight when the wife's heart stopped. Fortunately, her husband is a doctor. He kept her alive for 2 hours with CPR - don't know if they had access to a defib machine at that time.

It was theorized that the lack of movement on the aircraft lead to a blood clot which traveled to her heart. She is okay now, on blood thinners and other meds. When she comes to the USA now, we pay for her to fly in business class (heh, heh, hubby has to ride in cattle car like we do when we fly.)

 

[lajolla]

Youngest daughter's friend just returned from a trip to Spain and now has Covid. This same daughter has a friend in Italy right now and my daughter said when he returns she is going to wait at least a week before they get together in case he gets Covid too from traveling.

 

[becca]

I know 5 different couples who took trips to Europe this summer, 3 went to Spain/Portugal, 1 to Greece and 1 to England. 4 of the couples returned from their trips with Covid. All were vaccinated, no one was seriously sick. I think the odds are pretty good you are going to get Covid if you travel abroad right now.

 

[Jeffman52]

DW and I are spending a couple of weeks on Vacation but will be more local and we are driving...heading to Michigan from Ohio. I am not so worried about Covid on this trip



However after I get back its a W**K trip to Dallas that I am not looking forward to. Just a couple of days but haven't w**k traveled in a couple of years and I find that I don't miss it. This trip... I am not worried about Covid but I do feel it raises the risk.

 

[Chuckanut]

I think the reality is if a person spends significant time in a crowded place with a bunch of unknown people, then Covid has a good chance of infecting a person. Tourists are in airports, planes, buses, trains, restaurants, etc. This is far more contact with potential virus shedding people. And this virus loves to infect us.

FWIW, South Korea just approved a new type of Covid vaccine. One huge advantage is that it only requires normal refrigeration. How well it works with Omicron is not yet clear.

According to UW Medicine, SKYCovione is made of proteins that form tiny particles studded with fragments of the coronavirus.

 

[athena53]

I think the reality is if a person spends significant time in a crowded place with a bunch of unknown people, then Covid has a good chance of infecting a person. Tourists are in airports, planes, buses, trains, restaurants, etc. This is far more contact with potential virus shedding people. And this virus loves to infect us.

It's a crapshoot. DS and DDIL are vaccinated (maybe not boosted), the kids (8,5 and 3) are home-schooled and they mostly go to church, where they've taken appropriate precautions from the beginning (after having on-line services only for a long time). Her father was being treated for colon cancer (he lost the battle in January) and her SIL's father, who lives with her DB and DSIL, was elderly and frail so they were careful not to put them at risk. DS has been working from home for over 2 years. COVID- mild, thank God- has hit DS, DDIL and the kids twice, last November and in early June.

In the last 2 years I've been on an Alaskan cruise in 8/21 (cut short when one passenger tested positive), a 5-day trip to Ohio last October by plane to go to a class reunion, Europe last month where I had to take a total of 17 trips with Bolt/Uber drivers and was once stuck in a crowded, unventilated bus for 20 minutes from a plane to the airport terminal. I went to a classroom weekend for an on-line class in November and an attendee (vaccinated) later tested positive. I attend church weekly (mine also closed and later required masking) and BF and I eat at a couple of restaurants we like weekly.

I'm vaccinated and double-boosted. To my knowledge (and I test when there's a possibility I was exposed) I have not yet had it. Neither has BF.

Go figure.