Corona Virus, Covid and the future

[ExFlyBoy5]

We are in the "thinning the herd" phase. There is absolutely no excuse for not being vaccinated if you live in an urban area in this country. Those that choose not to be vaccinated are doing so with their "eyes wide open". They are putting vulnerable people with compromised immune systems in danger and placing more burden on the healthcare system. What is even more appalling are the talking heads in the media spreading disinformation about vaccines. Right now it's a pandemic among the unvaccinated. Let's hope it stays contained to that segment of the population.

The trends are certainly disturbing to me. I live in a state that has 39% that is "fully" vaccinated and I don't see this number moving too much. The thing that annoys me is that these holdouts are making things worse for everyone else. I would love to stop wearing masks in the airports and in airplanes...but OH NO...not anytime soon.

DW would like to go to Mexico for a month in Oct/Nov but I am hesitant to pull the trigger on any travel plans because there is no telling where we will be in 3 months.

Unfortunately, the decision to not get vaccinated doesn't just affect them...it effects EVERYONE. It's damn selfish if you ask me. But, no one usually asks me.

 

[Chuckanut]

My state his 70% vaccinated this week. That means 70% of those age 16+ have had at least one shot. Full vaccination for age 18+ people - two shots and two weeks is estimated at 68%. Yes, I know. The best protection from Delta needs two shots. Well...... Never let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

Here is an interesting episode of the Post Corona podcast talking about the effect of corona virus on our need to be in groups. Are we getting too skilled at being alone for our own good?

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...with-yuval-levin/id1539292794?i=1000528367796

Social decay in American life - did the pandemic accelerate, arrest, or reverse the path we were on? And where do we go from here?

 

[audreyh1]

Plenty of horror stories for young people! Everyone in the family got vaccinated except this 24 year old who wanted to wait a few years. Got so sick from COVID-19 that he needed a double lung transplant to survive.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...goes-double-lung-transplant-covid/7975676002/

There are apparently many folks who really believe that COVID-19 is over.

 

[ivinsfan]

Plenty of horror stories for young people! Everyone in the family got vaccinated except this 24 year old who wanted to wait a few years. Got so sick from COVID-19 that he needed a double lung transplant to survive.
https://werww.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/15/man-undergoes-double-lung-transplant-covid/7975676002/

There are apparently many folks who really believe that COVID-19 is over.

And even now people are in denial. Family says he was a vaper, which we know is hard on the lungs. Also say he wanted to "wait" to get vaccinated but then threw in the comment "he wanted to wait for a few years", which really means he did not plan to get the vaccine.



This young guy's life will never be the same, but at least he has a life.


A 54 YO woman who grew up on a neighboring farm died from Covid. Organ failure from Covid. The obit said died from an "extended illness". I mentioned to 2 people that if they would have said died from Covid maybe it would encourage others to get vaccinated.


They both told me, She didn't die from Covid, her organs failed. Yep they failed after 3 weeks on a vent fighting Covid. I don't even know what to say to these people.

 

[audreyh1]

A 54 YO woman who grew up on a neighboring farm died from Covid. Organ failure from Covid. The obit said died from an "extended illness". I mentioned to 2 people that if they would have said died from Covid maybe it would encourage others to get vaccinated.

They both told me, She didn't die from Covid, her organs failed. Yep they failed after 3 weeks on a vent fighting Covid. I don't even know what to say to these people.

Truly banging your head against the wall! Can’t get through that kind of denial!

Were they some of the church members you have mentioned?

 

[ivinsfan]

Truly banging your head against the wall! Can’t get through that kind of denial!

Were they some of the church members you have mentioned?

One was and one wasn't..both unvaccinated though and liable to stay that way. My county has low rates. I've mentioned before that sometimes I feel like a fish out of water here. I'm realizing it's not me, it's them...


My DH was hauling corn and saw a 59YO member of church who was hospitalized with Covid in March. He said the guy sounded like a 4 pack a day smoker. (He doesn't smoke) This family had 2 brothers, a SIL and 90+ YO mom and dad catch Covid. No one in that family died, but come on at some point you all didn't think you should pay attention.

 

[audreyh1]

From what I read the lungs can be so ravaged it takes them a very long time to heal.

 

[brett]

The US Surgeon General issued a warning several weeks ago.

The increase in covid cases and deaths over the past week in certain areas prove his comments to be spot on. Places like MIssouri.

Why is it so difficult for people to follow his scientific advice in preference to the advice from their face book friends?

It may be too late for some who finally decide to follow science over conspiracy theories.

 

[ivinsfan]

We don't know if people's lungs will ever heal, that's the problem in a nutshell . Covid can ruin your life without killing you.

 

[Sunset]

I have a relative in Canada, he is old and totally convinced from reading weird websites that it's all just a flu, and the deaths are fake, etc..

I cannot even argue with him as he is so far out there in his belief.

It's very weird as in many other respects he is normal, so I feel a little sad/resigned that one day he will get sick from it.

 

[audreyh1]

We don't know if people's lungs will ever heal, that's the problem in a nutshell . Covid can ruin your life without killing you.

Super scary! (And scarry)

But from what I’ve read, many doctors think COVID lung damage is reversible, just a very slow process.

 

[Alan]

Super scary! (And scarry)

But from what I’ve read, many doctors think COVID lung damage is reversible, just a very slow process.

Fortunately our son’s lungs seem to be completely recovered as evidenced by a chest x-ray a few weeks after being released from hospital, plus he has no symptoms whatsoever.

We watched a documentary last night on long Covid and it looks like a blood test for it may be available soon.

https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/features/long-covid-blood-test/

Research carried out at Imperial College London, UK, suggests that long Covid could soon be diagnosed by a simple blood test.

Pilot data has identified autoantibodies in the blood of long Covid patients. These autoantibodies were not found in the blood of people who recovered quickly from the virus or had never tested positive for the disease.

Unlike regular antibodies that help to fight off infections, autoantibodies mistakenly target and react with a person’s own tissues and organs. They have been linked to a number of autoimmune conditions, such as Grave’s disease, arthritis and some cases of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/***).

 

[pacergal]

I am so glad to be retired. I would have such a hard time being in the medical field right now, I know nurses are supposed to give the best care with out regard, but I would have a very difficult time not saying 'WTF is wrong with you?" for those who came in ill with covid and not being vaccinated. My bias, I trust science.
My heart goes out to all of those in the medical field who have worked harder than ever for the last 1+ year and still being asked to continue. ER and ICUs are filling up by the minute again.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

We don't know if people's lungs will ever heal, that's the problem in a nutshell . Covid can ruin your life without killing you.

Exactly. We don't know what we don't know about this virus. There is still a lingering question as to its origin so I think that leaves open the possibility that the long term effects are simply not known or what effects that *might* have been intended if it came from a nefarious source (perhaps this a 'way out there' thought although I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility).

My SIL/BIL both got it about 6 months ago and have been suffering since...and these are folks that were generally healthy and in their early 50s. Even more significant is that neither are obese or even over weight yet they both say they feel like they are 80 years old.

It's a damn scary thing and I do NOT want it. Hell, I have even considered getting a second round of vaccines shots.

 

[audreyh1]

Fortunately our son’s lungs seem to be completely recovered as evidenced by a chest x-ray a few weeks after being released from hospital, plus he has no symptoms whatsoever.

We watched a documentary last night on long Covid and it looks like a blood test for it may be available soon.

https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/features/long-covid-blood-test/

I’m really hoping that long COVID is extremely rare in those vaccinated whi experience a breakthrough infection. One of the reasons I was so eager to get vaccinated was because I was particularly concerned about the damaging “cytokine storm” as I have some minor autoimmune disease. I also hoped to avoid long COVID. If long COVID turns out to be an autoimmune disease - that’s even scarier.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I am so glad to be retired. I would have such a hard time being in the medical field right now, I know nurses are supposed to give the best care with out regard, but I would have a very difficult time not saying 'WTF is wrong with you?" for those who came in ill with covid and not being vaccinated. My bias, I trust science.
My heart goes out to all of those in the medical field who have worked harder than ever for the last 1+ year and still being asked to continue. ER and ICUs are filling up by the minute again.

You illustrate a very important point. There is significant burn out and there are a lot of folks getting out of the field of practice. There is already a shortage of physicians and nurses and this certainly isn't going to help anything.

A good friend of mine who has been an ICU nurse for about 10 years just left the field to take a totally unrelated job in corrections administration. He said that if he kept up the pace, he knows he would be dead within a couple of years.

 

[karen1972]

Lungs can heal, but it also has potential to damage the heart and kidneys which don't heal. The thing I'm monitoring though is the Oxford study that still needs peer review that talks about damage to the brains grey matter which could explain the brain fog people are discussing as part of long haul symptoms

 

[ivinsfan]

Lungs can heal, but it also has potential to damage the heart and kidneys which don't heal. The thing I'm monitoring though is the Oxford study that still needs peer review that talks about damage to the brains grey matter which could explain the brain fog people are discussing as part of long haul symptoms

Lungs can heal yes, but can they heal back to pre Covid function?

We also had a local 65ish electrician who almost died 2 or 3 times on a vent with Covid. He did recover but had to turn his business over to his kids because of fatigue/brain fog issues.


I think there is a distinction between long haul Covid and having such a severe case of Covid that it left you with long time damage. I wonder how they can break out those numbers.

 

[ivinsfan]

I am so glad to be retired. I would have such a hard time being in the medical field right now, I know nurses are supposed to give the best care with out regard, but I would have a very difficult time not saying 'WTF is wrong with you?" for those who came in ill with covid and not being vaccinated. My bias, I trust science.
My heart goes out to all of those in the medical field who have worked harder than ever for the last 1+ year and still being asked to continue. ER and ICUs are filling up by the minute again.

MY DH just got his 3rd letter from the VA in about 90 days informing him of yet another "change in providers" he never even saw the first two. Let's hope this one sticks.



PG were you a pacemaker nurse? Those nurses are as sharp as a tack. Basically cardios docs in the making...

 

[sengsational]

But why is that? Everything I have read says that you get more immunity with the vaccine than being infected. The vaccine is free, readily available, the side effects are minimal so why would someone who has been infected not want the vaccine too?

The idea that a vaccine gives "more immunity" than having recovered from the disease is far from proven. Lots of people are saying it, but without proof. The idea that developing immunity against a tiny portion of a virus is "better" than developing immunity against the whole thing goes against historical observation of other pathogens, so would require some hard facts to overturn what one would expect to observe.

That being said, I don't think the risk of getting any of the vaccines is that high, but IMO, if you have had the disease, you're not getting much, if any, benefit.

 

[Alan]

The idea that a vaccine gives "more immunity" than having recovered from the disease is far from proven. Lots of people are saying it, but without proof. The idea that developing immunity against a tiny portion of a virus is "better" than developing immunity against the whole thing goes against historical observation of other pathogens, so would require some hard facts to overturn what one would expect to observe.

That being said, I don't think the risk of getting any of the vaccines is that high, but IMO, if you have had the disease, you're not getting much, if any, benefit.

When we went for our last blood tests in the mixed vaccines trial I noticed that the lady coordinator had a band aid on her arm so I asked if she was in the trial as well. She said she was in the “Siren” trial where NHS staff who have had Covid are being monitored to measure the levels of their Covid antibodies. They will be followed for at least a year. So much about Covid is still unknown.

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and...nity-and-reinfection-evaluation-covid-19-uph/

Research summary
The aim of this study is to find out whether healthcare workers who have evidence of prior COVID-19, detected by positive antibody tests, compared to those who do not have evidence of infection (negative antibody tests) are protected from future episodes of infection.

 

[explanade]

Lungs can heal, but it also has potential to damage the heart and kidneys which don't heal. The thing I'm monitoring though is the Oxford study that still needs peer review that talks about damage to the brains grey matter which could explain the brain fog people are discussing as part of long haul symptoms

Lungs can heal yes, but can they heal back to pre Covid function?

We also had a local 65ish electrician who almost died 2 or 3 times on a vent with Covid. He did recover but had to turn his business over to his kids because of fatigue/brain fog issues.


I think there is a distinction between long haul Covid and having such a severe case of Covid that it left you with long time damage. I wonder how they can break out those numbers.

There are also people who need double lung transplants so lungs don’t always heal.

 

[audreyh1]

I think the double lung transplants are because the lungs were so badly damaged the patient can’t survive off life support.

 

[braumeister]

I think the double lung transplants are because the lungs were so badly damaged the patient can’t survive off life support.

Probably. I read long ago that a smoker's lungs can heal completely after quitting for about six years, but there must be a tipping point where healing is no longer possible.

 

[Freedom56]

Maybe they should do this here.

"Almost 1 million people booked a COVID-19 vaccine on the day France announced a 'health passport' for non-essential places like restaurants"

https://www.businessinsider.com/fra...e-after-health-passport-for-dining-out-2021-7