Covid Getting Closer to Home

[MichealKnight]

Cancelled Trip

We did strict quarantine - kids did virtual school 1.5 years. Only after VAX available....did we send kids to school.

We were so excited to get a vacation after 2 years.....but I just cancelled our Florida trip for next week.

Yeah, I feel it's inevitable to get it. I feel a majority of the world- has moved on and therefore this is gonna spread.

I just need to know I went down fighting. I have an autoimmune problem, wife Asthma.

 

[jj]

Our daughter in high school tested positive with a rapid test on Sunday evening. She wasn't really showing much in the way of symptoms but my spidey-sense was up (we'd been to see the new Spider-man movie that afternoon) and she seemed a little 'off', plus we were notified of 3 classroom Covid cases on the last day of school, the previous Friday. The line on the test showed positive within a couple of minutes. I tested negative. We have been distancing in the house since. I tested her again on Tuesday, still positive (I was just checking to make sure the test wasn't a dud).

I had her notify all her friends as soon as we had the test result and I texted her close friends' parents too. Lots of positive tests are being talked about now - as if my talking about it has allowed people to open up as if they're ashamed to have caught it.

I fear that Omicron has arrived in our little corner of Texas.

 

[Alan]

Our daughter in high school tested positive with a rapid test on Sunday evening. She wasn't really showing much in the way of symptoms but my spidey-sense was up (we'd been to see the new Spider-man movie that afternoon) and she seemed a little 'off', plus we were notified of 3 classroom Covid cases on the last day of school, the previous Friday. The line on the test showed positive within a couple of minutes. I tested negative. We have been distancing in the house since. I tested her again on Tuesday, still positive (I was just checking to make sure the test wasn't a dud).

I had her notify all her friends as soon as we had the test result and I texted her close friends' parents too. Lots of positive tests are being talked about now - as if my talking about it has allowed people to open up as if they're ashamed to have caught it.

I fear that Omicron has arrived in our little corner of Texas.

Thanks for being a caring and responsive parent. Hopefully she will be fine and not pass it onto you folks.

 

[Ronstar]

Niece's husband just tested positive. He and his family were at our house on Christmas. He had been exposed a few days before Christmas, but tested negative twice. Not sure if his infection is from the pre-Christmas exposure or from an exposure since then.

 

[Alan]

Niece's husband just tested positive. He and his family were at our house on Christmas. He had been exposed a few days before Christmas, but tested negative twice. Not sure if his infection is from the pre-Christmas exposure or from an exposure since then.

Hopefully he will have only mild symptoms. Since it has been over a week since you were in close contact then you should be fine, but it is all very worrying.

My wife’s niece was admitted to ER on Dec 26th. 4 days later her Covid app pinged her to say that she had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive and the day she was admitted. Very worrying as she is immunosuppressed having had a recent kidney transplant. Because her mother has visited her after the contact then she, along with my wife’s brother, then had to isolate for another few days. A good thing about the app is that it names the day the contact was made and calculates the isolation period for you. They have since being testing themselves and all clear so far.

My sister is coming over tomorrow morning for a New Year visit. Our son will join us. We will all take the now customary home Covid test immediately prior to the visit.

 

[Ronstar]

Hopefully he will have only mild symptoms. Since it has been over a week since you were in close contact then you should be fine, but it is all very worrying.

My wife’s niece was admitted to ER on Dec 26th. 4 days later her Covid app pinged her to say that she had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive and the day she was admitted. Very worrying as she is immunosuppressed having had a recent kidney transplant. Because her mother has visited her after the contact then she, along with my wife’s brother, then had to isolate for another few days. A good thing about the app is that it names the day the contact was made and calculates the isolation period for you. They have since being testing themselves and all clear so far.

My sister is coming over tomorrow morning for a New Year visit. Our son will join us. We will all take the now customary home Covid test immediately prior to the visit.

Hope your wife's niece recovers smoothly. That app is amazing. Hope you and your family test negative so that you can have a good visit.

 

[sheehs1]

We had to cancel a gathering for the other side of the family Dec. 18th because my almost 3 year old grandson came down with a stomach bug and we didn't want to expose the 6 month old from my youngest stepson's family. Rescheduled for New Years Day. In between, my daughter, son-in-law and 3 grandchildren came for a short visit on Christmas Day to my home. All vaccinated except for the 3 year old who is immunocompromised having been diagnosed with Neutropenia last spring/summer. (it started with a virus and we are hoping he outgrows this as some children do).

On Dec 22nd, my oldest stepson (vaccinated) was notified that he had been exposed during a 1 and 1/2 hour meeting at work with 8 others-one of them had tested positive. Their Xmas plans canceled. Oldest stepson tested negative for 4 days and tested positive on the 5th day after exposure. New Years Day plans to gather were cancelled. We've rescheduled again for Jan 15th but honestly, I expect that to be canceled as well.

Oldest stepson so far is having a very mild case.

 

[iloveyoga]

We had to cancel a gathering for the other side of the family Dec. 18th because my almost 3 year old grandson came down with a stomach bug and we didn't want to expose the 6 month old from my youngest stepson's family. Rescheduled for New Years Day. In between, my daughter, son-in-law and 3 grandchildren came for a short visit on Christmas Day to my home. All vaccinated except for the 3 year old who is immunocompromised having been diagnosed with Neutropenia last spring/summer. (it started with a virus and we are hoping he outgrows this as some children do).

On Dec 22nd, my oldest stepson (vaccinated) was notified that he had been exposed during a 1 and 1/2 hour meeting at work with 8 others-one of them had tested positive. Their Xmas plans canceled. Oldest stepson tested negative for 4 days and tested positive on the 5th day after exposure. New Years Day plans to gather were cancelled. We've rescheduled again for Jan 15th but honestly, I expect that to be canceled as well.

Oldest stepson so far is having a very mild case.

My large family Christmas did not ever happen due to some sort of stomach bug that one brother and two SILs had. Everyone is very jittery. So far, DH and I have avoided contact and getting sick, but there is all sorts of stuff going around here in central IA in addition to Covid.

 

[tmm99]

If you get infected now, do they tell you if you're infected with omicron or delta?

 

[disneysteve]

If you get infected now, do they tell you if you're infected with omicron or delta?

No. The testing sites and your doctor do not have that information. And, of course, if it's a rapid test there's no way to know.


Identifying strains happens in the background with the central labs and CDC and such.


All of that said, the vast majority of cases today are Omicron.

 

[tmm99]

No. The testing sites and your doctor do not have that information. And, of course, if it's a rapid test there's no way to know.


Identifying strains happens in the background with the central labs and CDC and such.


All of that said, the vast majority of cases today are Omicron.

Thanks for clarifying.

Does the US report positive cases only after they are confirmed with PCR tests? The rules have changed in Ontario, Canada and those who test positive on a rapid antigen test will no longer need to confirm they have COVID-19 through a PCR test, which makes me think that going forward, the positives reported will become quite inaccurate as people who test positives for antigen tests have no responsibility to report their results. This is all because PCR testing is backlogged by days. (We're told not to get the PCR tests if you are fully vaccinated and you don't fall in some special categories, even if you're symptomatic.) And we can't seem to get a hold of antigen test kits here. I could go to a nearby pharmacy to be tested by them for $40CAD (about 32USD).

 

[disneysteve]

Does the US report positive cases only after they are confirmed with PCR tests? The rules have changed in Ontario, Canada and those who test positive on a rapid antigen test will no longer need to confirm they have COVID-19 through a PCR test,

Rapids done at a healthcare entity get reported (or at least they should), but not ones people do themselves at home. It's not necessary to do a PCR if a rapid is positive. We don't.



Because self-reporting isn't a thing, the actual number of cases is probably a fair bit higher than the official reports, which are already outrageously high.

 

[Koolau]

Locally, cases have exploded and the news is that it is primarily Omicron. The good news is that hospitalizations have only risen slightly. Here is hoping the original thought that Omicron is mild will hold true. YMMV

 

[Alan]

My wife’s niece was admitted to ER on Dec 26th. 4 days later her Covid app pinged her to say that she had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive and the day she was admitted. Very worrying as she is immunosuppressed having had a recent kidney transplant. Because her mother has visited her after the contact then she, along with my wife’s brother, then had to isolate for another few days.

Today, January 3rd, she has been confirmed to have Covid and has now developed symptoms. She had already been moved to a Covid ward because of the close Covid contact she had, so she is in the right place. By now she should have had 4 doses of Covid vaccine but because of her transplant complications followed by serious infection(s) over the past few weeks, she has still only had 2 jabs, the last being back in April.

 

[disneysteve]

Today, January 3rd, she has been confirmed to have Covid and has now developed symptoms. She had already been moved to a Covid ward because of the close Covid contact she had, so she is in the right place. By now she should have had 4 doses of Covid vaccine but because of her transplant complications followed by serious infection(s) over the past few weeks, she has still only had 2 jabs, the last being back in April.

I hope she has a smooth recovery. She'll likely get monoclonal antibody treatment if she hasn't already. She certainly qualifies.

 

[Alan]

I hope she has a smooth recovery. She'll likely get monoclonal antibody treatment if she hasn't already. She certainly qualifies.

Thanks.

I'm sure she will get the best treatment for her circumstances. Our son received MABs, among other things, when he was hospitalized with Covid in April.

 

[harllee]

Where I live if you test positive on a home Covid test you are asked to notify the local health department. But I doubt that many people do.

 

[Chuckanut]

Today, January 3rd, she has been confirmed to have Covid and has now developed symptoms.

I hope she makes a quick recovery and will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[pacergal]

Alan--I am praying for a speedy recovery for your niece.

 

[Alan]

Thanks folks. I’ll let you know if she gets significantly worse. So far she is not needing oxygen.

 

[W2R]

Thanks folks. I’ll let you know if she gets significantly worse. So far she is not needing oxygen.

That is VERY encouraging!! IIRC, I think they had me on 8+ liters of oxygen from the time I first showed up at the ER, the first day I was sick. I am not a doctor and know less than nothing about this, but my thoughts are that it sounds like she is doing pretty well under the circumstances. Either way, I'm glad she doesn't have to have oxygen. Best hopes for a speedy and easy recovery for her!

 

[audreyh1]

We just switched to a graveside service only for next weekend instead of a memorial service inside the church for DF. We wanted to make the call today, and county cases were quite low until recently but have now seriously spiked.

I’m quite relieved actually. I was becoming increasingly concerned about the inside church service which would have been packed. With Delta only we were all well protected including my young nephews recently recovered from Covid. But Omicron has changed everything in terms of gathering safely, and a local big jump in cases is likely Omicron.

Plus another sibling became ill over New Years and needs to be tested for Covid.

 

[Alan]

That is VERY encouraging!! IIRC, I think they had me on 8+ liters of oxygen from the time I first showed up at the ER, the first day I was sick. I am not a doctor and know less than nothing about this, but my thoughts are that it sounds like she is doing pretty well under the circumstances. Either way, I'm glad she doesn't have to have oxygen. Best hopes for a speedy and easy recovery for her!

Yes, our son was on oxygen immediately after arriving in hospital, so this is very hopeful.

Audrey, I hope your sibling gets well soon.

 

[Chuckanut]

A young relative who works at a local big hospital reports that her BF may have developed Covid. Alas, home tests are tough to find. Test centers have long lines. Thankfully, everybody I know who has been near them in the past week has been vaccinated. But not everybody has been boosted. I am personally not in danger via them. But.... who knows next time?

She also reports that Covid is making its way through the hospital staff. She has been told that they fully expect virtually everybody who works there to get infected at some point in time. Some, more than once. Thankfully, Omicron seems to be less virulent.

 

[pacergal]

just found out a former co worker tested positive and she said almost every employee at the clinic was positive! They are either closing the clinic or trying to get other staff moved in.