COVID-19 thread

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

agate ~

So very kind of you to deliver your neighbor's package to him. Anything labeled "critical" and "refrigerate" should receive special treatment. At the very least the delivery person should have contacted him by intercom, as you said. You may have saved his life. What if no one had seen the package or had made the effort you did to be sure he received it? Your neighbors are very blessed to have you living there.

It must be difficult for people, who are used to being out and about, to adjust to the restrictions of isolation. For me, living in isolation and ordering on line have been my way of life for about 20 years, so it's not a change. I'm just grateful that the internet exists, with all of its faults and flaws, so that we can all have access to what we need.

When John put the tags on my van, he observed, "There, now, in case you have to go somewhere, you're legal."

I laughed, "Where am I going to go, John? I'll probably never step into a grocery store, or any other store, again. If I have an appointment, you'll insist on driving me, and if I have an emergency, I'll call you, as you've instructed me to do thousands of times. Where am I going to go?"

Nonetheless, I want the knowledge that I have the freedom to drive, if I just want to drive for the sake of driving. Writing that, it sounds odd. Oh well ... I'm a tad bit odd, so it works for me.

Virginia ~

Very good news that your brother is feeling better and has an appetite! Prayers are working.

I hope you know that my comments about him having access to O2 are based upon my concern for him. And just because he doesn't need it now doesn't mean that he might not need it in the future. As with Jonathan, Michael, and Jim, who were not O2 dependent, when they needed O2, they needed it immediately. So anyone, who has respiratory or cardiac problems should be entitled to at least have a couple of O2 tanks and cannulas in their home.

Since your brother has had O2 at home previously, his doctors might align with my thinking that it's better safe than sorry and prescribe it for him to use PRN (as needed).

As I mentioned, access to O2 in any setting right now might be difficult. So, if he can get a couple of tanks now, just in case COVID continues to spread, and O2 may become scarce, that would be best for him.

I'm running low on nitrile gloves, so I tried to order from the same supplier I've used for, well, also 20 years. They are out of all of their nitrile gloves. So, it's best to be prepared. I ordered a couple of boxes from Amazon, because I use a LOT of gloves. I order them by the case.

In all of this, I am just so grateful that you didn't contract COVID.

May it continue to be so for all of us, and may the vaccine work to reduce cases and give us hope that we'll be free of this plague soon.

Prayers, hugs, and love to all ~ be safe, well, and find a little joy everyday.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Today, I watched an interview with Dr. Sanjay Gupta by Stephen Colbert. Dr. Gupta stated that the COVID vaccine will not prevent people from getting COVID. The vaccine is designed to reduce the severity of symptoms, if one gets COVID. This might result in more people, who are COVID positive, being asymptomatic but still contagious.

For this reason, masks, hand washing and social distancing continue to be necessary.

I did a little search, and I found this interview with Dr. Fauci from October 2020, in which he states the same thing:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fauci...195051568.html

If I heard or read this previously last year, I can't recall it, but that's not unusual for me these days. To me, it was a little surprising, as I thought a vaccine was intended for prevention, not reducing symptoms. Evidently, the immediate need for the COVID vaccines meant that they would only lessen the impact of the virus.

So, we should all be cautious in our interactions with others, as if they didn't get the vaccine, even if they did.

The roll out of the vaccines has been pathetic. Far fewer Americans have been vaccinated than was anticipated at this point. We have a long way to go.

Here's a terrifying fact I heard on the news today: Every 33 seconds, someone dies from COVID.

Let us all remain vigilant about protecting ourselves and each other. Everyone in the country has to commit to: No Super Bowl parties, Valentine's Day parties, St. Patrick's Day parties, Spring Break, Easter gatherings. When I see planes flying over my home, I think,"That is a COVID and every other infectious disease super spreader."

Our state's slogan is: "Stay home. Save lives."

In addition to being terrorized on January 6, our Congressional leaders were exposed to COVID while in lock down. A certain group of people were not wearing masks during lock down.

A vaccine can only do so much, if people continue to ignore the recommendations of our top physicians and scientists. What part of "plague" don't they understand?

Those of us here, who know what to do, will continue to do it. We can't be responsible for the rest of the people, who are reckless. All we can do is try to protect ourselves from them.

Be safe, stay strong, and keep the faith.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[agate]

Rose, according to the CDC, the vaccine does keep a person from getting COVID-19:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...nes/facts.html

They'll be lining people up soon in this building to get the vaccine. Maybe. CVS "has been gracious enough" to offer to do a vaccine clinic here if enough people sign up.

Enough people might not sign up, though. There's a rather elaborate form to fill out, and each resident has to present the form along with the health insurance ID card for copying at the office.

Many won't want to bother. Half the people here won't be able to read the form because their English is very sketchy. I doubt that the paperwork went around in Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Uzbek, and other languages we have represented here.

Some will be suspicious of the vaccine. Others won't like having to get this going quickly. They'll need to dig up some information to put on the form, and for some that takes time and energy they don't feel they can spare, I guess.

I'm turning my form in along with the card and hoping that they'll set up the vaccine arrangement here. It's a lot better than having to ride the paratransit van twice for the vaccine.

[Virginia]

Brother and SIL tested negative yesterday. SIL says she feels fine and is ready to go to the grocery store. Brother is getting better, but still not feeling well. I am glad he tested negative.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

agate ~

Thank you for sharing the CDC link about the vaccines preventing COVID. It seems that there is conflicting information from a variety of sources as to whether the vaccines do prevent the virus. I feel that Dr. Fauci and Dr. Gupta are credible experts, so why their viewpoint differs from the CDC is curious.

The Mayo Clinic states:

A COVID-19 vaccine might prevent you from getting COVID-19. Or, if you get COVID-19, the vaccine might keep you from becoming seriously ill or from developing serious complications.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...e/art-20484859

In an interview today, Dr. Vin Gupta (different doctor than Sanjay) stated that the CDC needed to change their wording about extending the time between the first and second dose of the vaccine. Here's what the CDC says:

There is no maximum interval between the first and second doses for either vaccine. Therefore, if the second dose is administered >3 weeks after the first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine dose or >1 month after the first Moderna vaccine dose, there is no need to restart the series.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-1...derations.html

So, I don't know which authorities are correct. It should either be a unanimous "yes" or "no" among experts.

Nonetheless, we should all continue to wear masks, social distance, and wash our hands frequently, with or without being vaccinated.

For you, and the residents, who are able to fill out the form and provide ID, I hope that the vaccine comes to you. Would it be helpful if you contacted the CVS near you to explain that many of your residents might be unable to fill out the form? Perhaps there would be another way for CVS to serve your community, without the form, or adapt the forms to make it easier for residents to complete it.

A language barrier, or a disabling condition or serious medical issue, shouldn't mean that a person is denied a vaccine during a pandemic. In my book, that is discrimination. One size does not fit all.

Virginia ~

That is great news that your brother and SIL are negative now. It may take longer for your brother to recover given his heart condition. That said, what a blessing it is that he is recovering. I'm sure that you and they are relieved. May they continue to improve.

Stay safe and well everyone ~

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[agate]

Rose, my guess is that the vaccine clinic in this building won't ever happen. It will be like a couple of attempts at a flu vaccine clinic--these often didn't happen because "not enough people signed up for it."

This time the sign-up process is almost impossible even for someone as used to filling out forms as I am. I filled it out as best I could and was going to take it to the office--but when I got there it was closed. Our manager often has to work at a different building because the company sends her there as needed.

To fill out the form I had to look at and bring to the office not just one medical care ID card but 3, and had to get information from each card that many people don't know how to find. The form wants not just your client or membership number by your RX bin number, group number, and several other numbers. I have Medicare and Medicaid (that's 2 cards) but United Health Care is handling all of the Medicare, including Part D (and so that's a third card).

Many people here will have similar situations. The manager is going to have to find the information and fill in the forms for many people.

She isn't going to want extra work, plus organizing and scheduling not just one but two sessions for administering the vaccine. If not enough people sign up, she can just call the whole thing off. Or she can even lie to us and say not enough people signed up but I hate to think that she'd do that.

[funnylegs4]

UPDATE: My coworker still feels some tiredness and weakness but her COVID19 symptoms are going away and now she just has flare ups of her other conditions which she says is normal for her during and after being sick. Keep praying?

It's my understanding the vaccine indeed prevents coronavirus disease but if you happen to be one of the unlucky ones who gets a higher more intense viral loud it would only lessen the severity. If it only lessoned the severity in all cases they would call it a treatment not a vaccination. People will refuse the vaccine if people just say it will lessen severity and not have some preventative aspect because they will figure what the heck is the point. A lot of people seem to also mix up RNA with DNA and are therefore scared of the vaccine. The vaccine will not be available to children until 2022. Theaters are being converted to vaccination sites.

[Virginia]

Thought I would add that my brother and sister-in-law came over this way today and SIL brought a few groceries in for me. They were out of some things when I ordered through Instacart yesterday. She said that COVID is just awful. She says she would not want anyone to get it. She said they told her she had a light case and she just didn't understand how people who had a bad case got through it. I told her they didn't, that they die. She is wearing her gloves and mask when she goes out. My brother again stayed in the car. She says he is weak and still not feeling well.

So, everyone take every precaution you can. She is not a complainer, and today when she talked about how bad it was I knew it really is.

[funnylegs4]

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Thought I would add that my brother and sister-in-law came over this way today and SIL brought a few groceries in for me. They were out of some things when I ordered through Instacart yesterday. She said that COVID is just awful. She says she would not want anyone to get it. She said they told her she had a light case and she just didn't understand how people who had a bad case got through it. I told her they didn't, that they die. She is wearing her gloves and mask when she goes out. My brother again stayed in the car. She says he is weak and still not feeling well.

So, everyone take every precaution you can. She is not a complainer, and today when she talked about how bad it was I knew it really is.

I'm so sorry he is still weak like my coworker. :( Yeah seems like a very unpleasant disease. But so glad they are getting better.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

agate ~

It's sad that your manager isn't more concerned about the well being, safety and health of the residents in her building. It's unfortunate that COVID might cause her some extra work to protect the residents from getting the virus through vaccination. This is her Job, for which she is paid. It's not like the residents created this extra work for her. It goes with the territory of her job during a pandemic.

As you said, you have rules about social distancing. I suspect that all of the residents are vulnerable, and having to go out to a CVS or somewhere may put the residents at risk. Some residents may not be able to go out, such as those, who are home-bound. And, some may be like you, who have to depend upon transit to get you to/from a vaccine location. That is a lot for you to go through, every time you do it, by all of your accounts, even when it goes "well."

If the objective is to vaccinate people, who are in long-term care facilities, then it should also include the residents of your community, who live independently, but need assistance to be independent.

It seems as if there isn't anything you, or any of the residents, can do to persuade your manager to assist you to ensure that you're vaccinated. I'm truly sorry that you all have to deal with this.

funnylegs4 ~

I hope the vaccines do prevent COVID, of course. My concern is that there are differing expert opinions on whether they do.

With Jonathan and Michael, I've "worked with" many infectious disease specialists, and I've always found them to be the most diligent researchers and detectives in treating my sons. So, I'm inclined to believe Dr. Fauci.

Given the substantial amount of disinformation and misinformation we've received since COVID was first announced to us in March 2019, I am cautious with government officials advising us on COVID.

I agree with you that people are confused. I'm one of them. I know the difference between RNA and DNA, as I'm sure the medical experts do. But, we've been fed so much garbage since this began, it's natural for people to be confused. Unless someone has had extensive experience with health and medical issues, as all of us have, it's all Greek.

It's good to hear that your friend is recovering, and as I said to Virginia, her pre-existing conditions may contribute to lingering fatigue and flare ups. My prayers for her complete healing continue.

Virginia ~

It's ambitious of your SIL and brother to go out, and to shop for you after all that they've been through. I hope they take it easy though, because it's quite clear that COVID is horrible, and side effects can continue for awhile.

Thank you for reminding us of how important it is for us to keep wearing our masks, washing our hands, and social distancing. There is no such thing as "being too safe."

Prayers, healing, positive energy to all ~

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!