Can we talk COVID and how it affected you financially, emotionally, physically, etc?

[disneysteve]

she said the hospital was slammed with covid.

It seems like there is a lot more of it going on than people are currently recognizing.

For sure. So many people have "moved on" from COVID but that hasn't changed the reality that COVID is still very much with us with thousands of new cases daily. I believe nationwide there are about 27,000 hospitalized COVID patients currently. Not nearly as high as it was before but it's certainly not gone. I just checked today and the transmission rate here in NJ is back over 1.0 which is the problem level when it's spreading faster and more new cases are occurring. It had been down around 0.8 a week or two ago so we're already starting to see it tick back up and it's only late September.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I work for big government and they announced that beginning Oct 1, unvax'd no need weekly testing.

[ua_guy]

I get my next covid shot tomorrow (Booster #2, 4th shot in the series).

The company just announced mandatory flu vaxx by November 15th. My strategy last year was to wait as long as possible hoping for greater efficacy in the heat of flu season in early winter.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Wow flu too now that's the 1st time I've heard about flu being mandatory.

[ua_guy]

Wow flu too now that's the 1st time I've heard about flu being mandatory.

It's very normal when working in healthcare.

[disneysteve]

Wow flu too now that's the 1st time I've heard about flu being mandatory.

Has always been required at my job. Very common in healthcare.

[myrdale]

My strategy last year was to wait as long as possible hoping for greater efficacy in the heat of flu season in early winter.

I'm not sure how effective that strategy is in general. I understand it's a different virus or different combination of viruses used in the shot year to year, but I am not aware that they adjust the vaccine on the fly.

Also keep in mind vaccines are not instantaneously effective. It takes several weeks for your immune system to process the vaccine. During that period, you're still vulnerable.

[ua_guy]

I'm not sure how effective that strategy is in general. I understand it's a different virus or different combination of viruses used in the shot year to year, but I am not aware that they adjust the vaccine on the fly.

Also keep in mind vaccines are not instantaneously effective. It takes several weeks for your immune system to process the vaccine. During that period, you're still vulnerable.

Right. That's why I will wait until just before 11/15 to get it. No, they don't adjust the vaccine on the fly. But immunity does peak. The current recommendation (CDC) is to get vaccinated for flu by the end of October. I'd be waiting an additional two weeks. I'm well aware of how vaccines work and considering the timing of just two weeks later, probably not something to worry yourself about.

[rennigade]

Mandatory flu and covid vaccines. Big pharma and the government know what's best for us peons

[ua_guy]

Well, actually, this is a private (non-government) business, and they can make those things a condition of employment if they wish.

[QuarterMillionMan]

TB is highly contagious and should be mandatory if there is a vax for it. About 15 years ago a woman I knew told me she had it. So I went to get tested and sure enough I got it too. I was put on a drug where I had to take it everyday for 1 year. I didn't have any symptoms but you know test where they inject the test on the arm and if a bubble appears it is positive. My bubble was big and no doubt I had it.

Edit to add: it should be manadatory for health care worker is what I meant.

[disneysteve]

There is no vaccine for TB.

[ua_guy]

TB is highly contagious and should be mandatory if there is a vax for it. About 15 years ago a woman I knew told me she had it. So I went to get tested and sure enough I got it too. I was put on a drug where I had to take it everyday for 1 year. I didn't have any symptoms but you know test where they inject the test on the arm and if a bubble appears it is positive. My bubble was big and no doubt I had it.

Edit to add: it should be manadatory for health care worker is what I meant.

TB testing has been a condition of employment for every healthcare employer I've worked for, and it definitely is for clinical providers.

[QuarterMillionMan]

TB testing has been a condition of employment for every healthcare employer I've worked for, and it definitely is for clinical providers.

This explains it. Upon doing my internship for the master's in social work in 2007 at the VA hospital in Long Beach, CA, they required the TB testing which came up positive from that woman who infected me. At one point in time I thought colleges & universities required a TB test as well but maybe not.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Disneysteve, I know this forum does not have much international participation, but there are TB vaccines in some countries. My Chinese friend who works in medical research (in the US) tests positive for TB due to the kind of TB vaccine when was given as a child. She has no TB disease, but has TB antibodies.