COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:56 pm

Got my teeth cleaned today and -- assuming I didn't get the covid -- I'm glad I didn't put it off any longer, as I need some repairs. Two more visits scheduled for February (a filling and a crown) will deplete my insurance. Then I'll have to decide whether I want to get my July cleaning out-of-pocket. Lots of potential disease exposure coming up! Omicron will be done with us by mid-February, right?

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:09 am

Because of our covid condition my wife's nurse isn't able to come over. I can isolate when she's here but my wife can't of course. I've had two shots and caught it. My wife had a booster too and still caught it, The nurse has had two shots. Our symptoms are pretty light. I wonder if it would be safe if the nurse came over and wore a mask?

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:58 am

Kasey Chang wrote: Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:43 pm I have 40+ N95 masks, and I already ordered another box of 50 "just in case". Should be here in a week. Honeywell.com has them 50 for $30 and there's a discount code DISCOUNT15 on top of that. so basically it's free S&H if you order 2 boxes.

I picked up 20 at Home Depot for shy of $30. 20 is enough for me. I still just wear surgical type masks that have been provided basically for free in most cases. Quick shopping or when I am in open building mostly distanced for most of the time. I bought the N95s for my infusion where there were more people in a smaller space where I would be confined for three hours.

I'm not as cautious as most here, I guess, but I've found my tolerance. My circle of trust is still M&D, redrun, and Remus West, with Remus being the biggest red flag as school teacher and with a kid.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:10 am

dbt1949 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:09 am Because of our covid condition my wife's nurse isn't able to come over. I can isolate when she's here but my wife can't of course. I've had two shots and caught it. My wife had a booster too and still caught it, The nurse has had two shots. Our symptoms are pretty light. I wonder if it would be safe if the nurse came over and wore a mask?

How many days since the onset of symptoms? Here’s the CDC recommendation and perhaps your wife can hold off on a visit until symptoms resolve.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... -isolation

Ending isolation if you had symptoms
End isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving.

Everyone would continue masking of course during the visit. Hope it works out and that your symptoms remain mild! (And also resolve after 5 days)

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:58 pm

Kids have been back to school a week and we are already sitting at 50 out due to positive tests or quarantine due to exposure. That's 12% of the entire school. Fun.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:19 pm

My daughter (vaxxed but not boosted) had some post nasal drip resulting in coughing designed to clear her throat on Sunday. We tested her Monday morning figuring that would be the worst case and give us some confidence to send her to school. Home test was negative. Today, though, she is absolutely exhausted. Thought she didn't sleep well, but she's still wiped out after school so we're getting a PCR test. No line for the test, but the lab is at 3+ days for results. We have two more rapid tests at home, but don't want to burn those as we can't find any others. Should probably keep her home, but there is no virtual option for her classes. This is not a great situation to be in. Be nice if she really does have it if she came down with some clearer symptoms by morning.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:16 pm

stessier wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:19 pm My daughter (vaxxed but not boosted) had some post nasal drip resulting in coughing designed to clear her throat on Sunday. We tested her Monday morning figuring that would be the worst case and give us some confidence to send her to school. Home test was negative. Today, though, she is absolutely exhausted. Thought she didn't sleep well, but she's still wiped out after school so we're getting a PCR test. No line for the test, but the lab is at 3+ days for results. We have two more rapid tests at home, but don't want to burn those as we can't find any others. Should probably keep her home, but there is no virtual option for her classes. This is not a great situation to be in. Be nice if she really does have it if she came down with some clearer symptoms by morning.

Amazon sells at home PCR tests for $39.99.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:30 pm

WalMart have $30 three day shipping "ongo" tests in stock and CNBC seem to check them every morning. Every morning the $20 Binax test are in stock and then quickly out of stock... Actually some are in stock at my local walmart today, right now.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:35 pm

pr0ner wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:16 pm
Amazon sells at home PCR tests for $39.99.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Covid-19- ... 08ZR5XNBM/

Forum software doesn't like naked Amazon links.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:37 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:35 pm
pr0ner wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:16 pm
Amazon sells at home PCR tests for $39.99.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Covid-19- ... 08ZR5XNBM/
Forum software doesn't like naked Amazon links.

It shows up on my end, on multiple browsers/devices, with a clickable picture of the product that goes directly to Amazon. Not sure why you'd say the forum software doesn't like naked Amazon links.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:41 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:35 pm
pr0ner wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:16 pm
Amazon sells at home PCR tests for $39.99.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Covid-19- ... 08ZR5XNBM/
Forum software doesn't like naked Amazon links.

More likely your browser, VPN, or AV doesn't like the link. My firefox and Fortigate combo of software combo hate a lot thing the forum software does. If I remove one or the other completely from the picture, a lot of things just start working.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:41 pm

Turns out AdBlock doesn't like them. My error. Thank you for the feedback.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Tue Jan 11, 2022 6:45 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:41 pm Turns out AdBlock doesn't like them. My error. Thank you for the feedback.

It is weird to think of that as an ad, but I suppose I can see why AdBlock might think so.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:04 pm

Don’t use this at-home COVID test, FDA warns. It could give you a false positive

...But with variety of testing kits on the market, the Food and Drug Administration is now warning of a brand that could give inaccurate results.

“Stop using the LuSys Laboratories COVID-19 Antigen Test (Nasal/Saliva) and the LuSys Laboratories COVID-19 IgG/IgM Antibody Test,” the agency urged on Jan. 11 in a news release.

Both versions have a “high risk of false results” and are believed to have been distributed as at-home testing kits and for lab use, according to the FDA. However, they were never “authorized, cleared, or approved” by the agency for U.S. distribution.

These tests might also be sold under names including Luscient Diagnostics, Vivera Pharmaceuticals and EagleDx.

Getting a false positive from the company’s antigen test (the nasal and saliva version) when you don’t have COVID-19 but are still feeling sick might delay “both the correct diagnosis and the initiation of an appropriate treatment for the actual cause of a person’s illness,” the FDA warns.

Additionally, getting a negative result when you’re actually COVID-19 positive “may lead to delayed diagnosis or inappropriate treatment of (COVID-19), which may cause people harm including serious illness and death,” the agency said.

If you or someone you know have used LuSys Laboratories antigen and antibody tests, the agency suggests raising concerns about the results with a health care provider.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:15 am

Can you get two versions of covid at the same time?

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:21 am

My son's school just hit 10% of the student population in quarantine. They're now seriously contemplating going remote next week.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:33 am

My daughter's bus has dropped from 28 kids to 9. Her core classes have dropped from 30 kids to 17. She normally has 6 teachers a day - this week has been a minimum of 3 subs a day. There was an email that went out that select schools might go virtual due to teacher staffing shortages but we'd get a separate communication if that happened to us. Also, we get daily emails of another kid in the class being positive, but my daughter masks at all times (expect band) and by the rules, can never be a close contact as a result. Fun times.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:07 pm

As someone with no background in immunology, I found this article from ArsTechnica very interesting.

Right from omicron's first description, researchers were concerned about its variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Looking over the list of mutations it carried, scientists could identify a number that would likely make the variant more infectious. Other mutations were even more worrying, as they would likely interfere with the immune system's ability to recognize the virus, allowing it to pose a risk to those who had been vaccinated or suffered from previous infections.

Buried in the subtext of these worries was a clear implication: scientists could simply look at the sequence of amino acids in the spike protein of a coronavirus and get a sense of how well the immune system would respond to it.

That knowledge is based on years of studying how the immune system operates, combined with a lot of specific information regarding its interactions with SARS-CoV-2. What follows is a description of these interactions, along with their implications for viral evolution and present and future variants.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:36 pm

stessier wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 11:33 am My daughter's bus has dropped from 28 kids to 9. Her core classes have dropped from 30 kids to 17. She normally has 6 teachers a day - this week has been a minimum of 3 subs a day. There was an email that went out that select schools might go virtual due to teacher staffing shortages but we'd get a separate communication if that happened to us. Also, we get daily emails of another kid in the class being positive, but my daughter masks at all times (expect band) and by the rules, can never be a close contact as a result. Fun times.

sun times wrote: Frustrations went beyond fears of getting the virus at school. In some buildings, particularly the city’s largest high schools, dozens of teachers were either out sick or quarantining because of an exposure, leaving classes packed into auditoriums with minimal instruction. Many other schools reported uneventful days with minimal disruptions — CPS officials said 88.7% of CTU teachers reported to schools Wednesday.
...
“In some cases, especially at the high school level, students may be moved to an auditorium if a specific class, such as physical education, can’t be offered due to a staff absence,” CPS spokeswoman Mary Fergus said in a statement. “However, the majority of our students who are in auditoriums are logged into remote classes and are receiving instruction from their teachers who are teleworking due to COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.”
...

The district didn’t share Wednesday’s student attendance figures. The first day back from winter break last week, only 65.7% of CPS kids went to school — significantly lower than the first day after break in January 2019, when 92.3% showed up.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:23 pm

https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status ... 8350855168

New: Starting Jan. 19, Americans will be able to order free, at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests online at COVIDTests. gov. Tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 4:28 pm

It would be pretty great if they became a One-Stop Shop and didn't have a super limited inventory.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Jan 14, 2022 8:26 pm

My daughter had to get tested twice this week (would have to today and Monday, but they're off) because she was considered exposed. Her teacher was out for 10 days because of it, and they announced 30 positives among students and staff just this week.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:31 am

Well, I guess it's our turn up. My wife tested positive on a couple rapid tests yesterday. Feels fine (only symptom is a scratchy throat) and she's vaccinated and boosted. So far my kids and I have tested negative. My wife's going to get a PCR test this morning. Otherwise she's going to essentially quarantine in the living room with attached half bath.

So, should be a fun long weekend.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 1:30 pm

So far it's been pretty mild for us and almost gone for me. (two weeks)

Default · Post by **Default** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 2:21 pm

Waiting for my results. The kid tested positive on Wednesday, and we all had dinner Sunday together.

<edit>

Bullet dodged! Unfortunately, neither of my sons got the booster, which the one is paying for now.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:58 pm

in addition to the brother and the sister-in-law getting it, their goldendoodle also apparently got it. he spent the weekend coughing at the same time they were having symptoms

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 12:32 am

OK, just came across this video and it made me smile. If it is inappropriate, please let me know. I'm putting it in spoiler tags just so you don't have to look at it if you don't feel this humor is appropriate in this thread.

Spoiler:

Fardaza · Post by **Fardaza** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:42 pm

The Liberty and Health Alliance sponsored a health symposium in Phoenix last weekend. It is a religious organization, but the doctor who was the main speaker is not a member of the group. I've heard him speak before. His M.D. credentials are longer than my arm. In the video linked below, he shows the results of numerous research projects from around the world. These include many well respected, non-religious, peer-reviewed, scientific papers.

His findings are eye-opening to say the least. I hope you'll watch it. As someone who had Covid early on and was physically devastated by it, I appreciate his frankness and willingness to tell it as he sees it.

If you want to skip the "churchy" parts, his introduction begins at 45:15. His speech concludes at 1:45:43.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF4svzqiFHw

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:27 am

Independent

Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan has welcomed a doctor on his show who is known for pushing debunked and misleading claims about Covid-19 and the vaccine.

Dr Peter McCullough appeared on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, where he claimed that health officials withheld treatments for Covid-19 in the early days of the pandemic in order to spread fear among the population and push the public to take a vaccine.
...
Mr McCullough also claimed that The Gates Foundation, major pharma companies including Moderna, and the lab in Wuhan where some have argued the virus originated had together predicted the pandemic and were working on a response to it long before the virus was discovered.
...
Back in September, he posted a video message on social media where he called on Malaysia to stop its vaccination rollout, claiming that the vaccines were unsafe and cause mutations in the virus.

He also claimed that people under 50 who contract Covid-19 do not need treatment, that the virus does not spread through asymptomatic people, and that people who have contracted Covid-19 in the past have a "negligible risk" of becoming infected again.

Each of these claims has been exposed as misleading.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:33 am

Whatever medical board licenses him should be revoking it for spreading disinformation. That video is offensive.

Default · Post by **Default** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:59 am

Fardaza wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:42 pm The Liberty and Health Alliance sponsored a health symposium in Phoenix last weekend. It is a religious organization, but the doctor who was the main speaker is not a member of the group. I've heard him speak before. His M.D. credentials are longer than my arm. In the video linked below, he shows the results of numerous research projects from around the world. These include many well respected, non-religious, peer-reviewed, scientific papers.

His findings are eye-opening to say the least. I hope you'll watch it. As someone who had Covid early on and was physically devastated by it, I appreciate his frankness and willingness to tell it as he sees it.

If you want to skip the "churchy" parts, his introduction begins at 45:15. His speech concludes at 1:45:43.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF4svzqiFHw

Can I have the two minutes that I spent skipping through insanity back? What about my freedom to not be infected by an arrogant douchebag?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:44 pm

Ooof, that was not something I'd show people outside the context of "this nutjob really believes this".

Post by **FishPants** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:30 pm

Fardaza wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:42 pm The Liberty and Health Alliance sponsored a health symposium in Phoenix last weekend. It is a religious organization, but the doctor who was the main speaker is not a member of the group. I've heard him speak before. His M.D. credentials are longer than my arm. In the video linked below, he shows the results of numerous research projects from around the world. These include many well respected, non-religious, peer-reviewed, scientific papers.

His findings are eye-opening to say the least. I hope you'll watch it. As someone who had Covid early on and was physically devastated by it, I appreciate his frankness and willingness to tell it as he sees it.

If you want to skip the "churchy" parts, his introduction begins at 45:15. His speech concludes at 1:45:43.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF4svzqiFHw

I dunno man, I don't think you're reading the room right - that conspiracy theory anti vax crap doesn't sit well with me.

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:10 pm

Default wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:59 am
Fardaza wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:42 pm The Liberty and Health Alliance sponsored a health symposium in Phoenix last weekend. It is a religious organization, but the doctor who was the main speaker is not a member of the group. I've heard him speak before. His M.D. credentials are longer than my arm. In the video linked below, he shows the results of numerous research projects from around the world. These include many well respected, non-religious, peer-reviewed, scientific papers.

His findings are eye-opening to say the least. I hope you'll watch it. As someone who had Covid early on and was physically devastated by it, I appreciate his frankness and willingness to tell it as he sees it.

If you want to skip the "churchy" parts, his introduction begins at 45:15. His speech concludes at 1:45:43.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF4svzqiFHw
Can I have the two minutes that I spent skipping through insanity back? What about my freedom to not be infected by an arrogant douchebag?

I don't understand what compelled you to click it in the first place.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:11 pm

The power of Christ?

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:12 pm

Amen.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:27 pm

Alefroth wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:10 pm
Default wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:59 am
Fardaza wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:42 pm The Liberty and Health Alliance sponsored a health symposium in Phoenix last weekend. It is a religious organization, but the doctor who was the main speaker is not a member of the group. I've heard him speak before. His M.D. credentials are longer than my arm. In the video linked below, he shows the results of numerous research projects from around the world. These include many well respected, non-religious, peer-reviewed, scientific papers.

His findings are eye-opening to say the least. I hope you'll watch it. As someone who had Covid early on and was physically devastated by it, I appreciate his frankness and willingness to tell it as he sees it.

If you want to skip the "churchy" parts, his introduction begins at 45:15. His speech concludes at 1:45:43.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF4svzqiFHw
Can I have the two minutes that I spent skipping through insanity back? What about my freedom to not be infected by an arrogant douchebag?
I don't understand what compelled you to click it in the first place.

Jesus: Not in my name!

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:42 am

AP News (Hong Kong)

“We cannot exclude the possibility that the shopkeeper was in fact actually infected from the hamsters,” said Edwin Tsui, a controller at the Centre for Health Protection.
...
“Do not kiss your pets,” he added.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 1:23 pm

You have got to be shitting me.

Detainees at an Arkansas jail who had Covid-19 were unknowingly treated by the detention center’s doctor with ivermectin, a drug that health officials have continually said is dangerous and should not be used to treat or prevent a coronavirus infection, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of four detainees.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 1:26 pm

And it wasn't some misguided attempt to cure them. It was to test the efficacy of the drug and any side effects. Some received 4x the on-label recommended dose.