Covid-19 miscellany

[lpetrich]

Guess who's celebrating the return of in-person concerts to New York City. Hint: it's a well-known socialist ogre.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Last night we held NYC’s FIRST in-person concert of 2021. 100% vaccinated crowd!

️The Strokes + John Mulaney for @mayawiley️

Sundays are great for early voting. Grab a coffee, find your pollsite, and vote today: (link)

Text your friends & fam for Maya! (link)" / Twitter

The Strokes on Twitter: "It’s the dawn of a New Age!

@mayawiley @AOC by Johann Rashid (link)" / Twitter

 

[ZiprHead]

I used to use an N95 mask but then the elastics broke. I have another spare one I forgot about.

I started fixing mine. Even though I have a bunch of them. I just hope they are effective even after long use.

What did you use to fix yours? i tried super glue and that doesn't work. I used two-step epoxy and that works but then you have to contend with the smell.

 

[barbos]

I used to use an N95 mask but then the elastics broke. I have another spare one I forgot about.

I started fixing mine. Even though I have a bunch of them. I just hope they are effective even after long use.

What did you use to fix yours? i tried super glue and that doesn't work. I used two-step epoxy and that works but then you have to contend with the smell.

Mine use metal staples to attach bare rubber bands to mask and for some reason it always breaks in the same place near mask.
So I just loosen up staples and put remaining rubber band back and press it back.
I will try to replace bare rubber bands with the one with fabric, these should last longer.

 

[thebeave]

We have a pretty high vaccination rate in my area, so it is a bit of a mystery why pretty much 100% of people I saw in the stores were wearing masks. People still driving around by themselves in their car wearing masks as well.

The vaccine can't stop Delta, sensible people are still wearing masks.

As for masks when in the car by themselves--you don't understand why people do this. Of course there's no danger in the car, but there are two reasons not to remove it:

1) Convenience. You're going to A and then a short distance away B. Why bother to remove it between?

2) Removal safety. While in theory you should not be touching your mask to remove it the practicality is another matter. I can perfectly well remove mine only touching the straps--but there's a decent chance I snap a strap in the process. Since we don't have the level of supply that permits treating them as single use I'm forced to remove it by lifting the mask off and up--which means I'm touching my face in the process. I only do that after I have cleaned my hands, either by washing or with hand sanitizer.

If Delta is a significant threat in California at this time, even to vaccinated people, then the "reopening" of California should be reconsidered, and the mask mandate put back in place. But, I've not heard about any such plans. So, not sure what's going on there.

I generally remove my mask in between short stops, as its a bit annoying to have it on. I also remove my wallet and put it in the center console on short trips as its quite uncomfortable to drive with the wallet lump on one side. So, to each his own I guess. I have had a couple of mask straps snap, but they were usually well worn anyway and due for replacement. As far as using hand sanitizer, didn't all that kind of go away quite a while ago? It used to be in the early days that people where scared of catching the virus from touch, e.g. grocery carts, and gas station pumps, but I thought the science showed that getting the virus that way was pretty remote. I recall you saying once you wipe down your incoming snail mail with sanitizer. Are you still doing that?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57431420

If the vaccine were perfect protection then you would need 80% immune to get herd immunity if the R0 were 5. At 8 (the upper end of the range) herd immunity requires 88% immune. Note that in reality the vaccine doesn't even provide 88% protection against Delta, let alone 100%.

Wrong.

That only holds true in a population that has no protection from a vaccine.

Your numbers are garbage.

Of course they're for no protection. They're going to be a lot lower when facing the vaccine--but it's still going to be greater than 1.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

10 days ago from now I was getting my 13 year old vaccinated at a pharmacy. There were unvaccinated people in line and around the store. Since they were doing vaccinations all day, there were probably clouds and droplets about at a relatively high concentration. After my son got the shot, the Vaccinator said to stay close by for 15 minutes, like in the store shopping. I had not thought of that customer acquisition gimmick, nor was I thinking to go to the car. I was just thinking instinctively to keep my son close to medical professionals.

When my wife got hers it was sit for the 15 minutes. They don't really care what you do during that time, just that you stay near people prepared to deal with an allergic reaction. For her they didn't make her wait after the second shot (said that since she didn't have a problem with the first there was no need), I was expected to wait but I was in a FEMA setup, not a drug store, and they had gobs of space (they were using part of the convention center.)

 

[Swammerdami]

I have to wait anyway; by the time I'm eligible for vaccine I may have my choice of vaccines! What is TFT wisdom on the relative efficacy of the vaccines? (I could Google, but end up with irrelevancies and confusions.)

From reportedly best to worst, the choices seem to be
Pfizer
Johnson & Johnson
Moderna
AstraZeneca
Sinevac

Is this correct? What of the rumors that some vaccines are ineffective against the Delta variant?

 

[repoman]

The vaccine manufacturers are not using the same criteria for their reported effectiveness and did not even collect the same type of data in their trials.

That makes it a rat's nest to disentangle what is exactly going in.

Who has done good solid work at getting all of these vaccines on the same equal footing for evaluation?

 

[repoman]

Don, which medicines are you getting to prevent the potential problem of massive platelet activation that can happen with covid, mostly after the patient has beaten the virus?



What he says about anti clotting medicine

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

I have been feeling better today. Less coughing, runny nose, and body aches. I have an occasional cough that hurts which I think is sore muscles in abdomen and chest. Today I had a lot of rest. I took advil cold and sinus. I haven't taken other meds.

 

[crazyfingers]

I have been feeling better today. Less coughing, runny nose, and body aches. I have an occasional cough that hurts which I think is sore muscles in abdomen and chest. Today I had a lot of rest. I took advil cold and sinus. I haven't taken other meds.

Are u planning to get tested?

 

[untermensche]

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57431420

If the vaccine were perfect protection then you would need 80% immune to get herd immunity if the R0 were 5. At 8 (the upper end of the range) herd immunity requires 88% immune. Note that in reality the vaccine doesn't even provide 88% protection against Delta, let alone 100%.

Wrong.

That only holds true in a population that has no protection from a vaccine.

Your numbers are garbage.

Of course they're for no protection. They're going to be a lot lower when facing the vaccine--but it's still going to be greater than 1.

The problem is the unvaccinated people.

They will be the victims too.

 

[repoman]

I have been feeling better today. Less coughing, runny nose, and body aches. I have an occasional cough that hurts which I think is sore muscles in abdomen and chest. Today I had a lot of rest. I took advil cold and sinus. I haven't taken other meds.

Aspirin is better for THIS disease:

https://www.ebmconsult.com/articles/how-does-ibuprofen-aspirin-drug-interaction-thrombotic-effect

How Ibuprofen (Advil; Motrin) Inhibits the Antithrombotic Activity of Aspirin

Summary:

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warning to healthcare professionals states, "Patients who use immediate release aspirin (not enteric coated) and take a single dose of ibuprofen 400 mg should dose the ibuprofen at least 30 minutes or longer after aspirin ingestion, or more than 8 hours before aspirin ingestion to avoid attenuation of aspirin's effect." The FDA went on to also say, "In addition, there are a number of studies with conflicting findings."
The reasons for all of these conflicting findings, in our opinion, has to do with numerous inconsistencies among studies in the doses of ibuprofen used, the duration of ibuprofen use, the timing of ibuprofen dosing in relation to the administration of aspirin, the dose of aspirin used, the formulation of aspirin used (enteric or non-enteric coated), the patient population studied (healthy volunteers vs. patients with known cardiovascular disease (CVD)), whether surrogate laboratory markers were used versus tests that actually assess platelet aggregation, and lastly the study design used by the investigators to generate their findings.
As with all of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ibuprofen is a reversible, competitive inhibitor of the catalytic site for AA metabolism within the hydrophobic channel of the COX-1 enzyme. The presence of ibuprofen within this hydrophobic channel competitively blocks the access of aspirin to acetylate the serine residue close to the catalytic site.

 

[barbos]

I have been feeling better today. Less coughing, runny nose, and body aches. I have an occasional cough that hurts which I think is sore muscles in abdomen and chest. Today I had a lot of rest. I took advil cold and sinus. I haven't taken other meds.

Could be vaccine working and this could be the end of it.

 

[barbos]

Delta+ variant was discovered in India. it has a mutation is spike protein. Makes you wonder how soon current vaccines will become ineffective.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

I have been feeling better today. Less coughing, runny nose, and body aches. I have an occasional cough that hurts which I think is sore muscles in abdomen and chest. Today I had a lot of rest. I took advil cold and sinus. I haven't taken other meds.

Are u planning to get tested?

I tried but hit a couple of snags. I am going to call my primary doctor tomorrow when her office is open.

 

[crazyfingers]

I have been feeling better today. Less coughing, runny nose, and body aches. I have an occasional cough that hurts which I think is sore muscles in abdomen and chest. Today I had a lot of rest. I took advil cold and sinus. I haven't taken other meds.

Are u planning to get tested?

I tried but hit a couple of snags. I am going to call my primary doctor tomorrow when her office is open.

Just before my recent whirlwind trip to Canada over the weekend I learned that I needed a test before entering. I was able to get one the same day no reason required and free. Massachusetts. I don't know where you live so I guess things may be different.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

I tried but hit a couple of snags. I am going to call my primary doctor tomorrow when her office is open.

Just before my recent whirlwind trip to Canada over the weekend I learned that I needed a test before entering. I was able to get one the same day no reason required and free. Massachusetts. I don't know where you live so I guess things may be different.

I hit a couple of snags yesterday. This morning after some time, phone calls, and yada yada, I was able to schedule a test and I got my result minutes ago. They said it was negative. Also, my wife and older son have started developing symptoms now, too. We have all had Pfizer 2 doses (except my youngest) which would make it odd for it to be covid. So, we probably all have a cold/flu and since my younger son and I developed symptoms days sooner and simultaneously, it appears we acquired it at the same time, which would be the pharmacy most likely...but not covid. A common cold or flu. I've never had a common cold like this give me chills all night, though, but anyway it's not covid, whatever it is.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I had something last week. I have a tendency of going through 6 or 12 hour bugs, but with Covid, went most the year not catching anything. Last week, I woke up with aches and chills. Tried working from home, but then said, 'screw it'. Then had a fever for a few hours, and then the problem became digestive for a couple days. Wife and daughter didn't catch it, but we weren't getting too huggy.

 

[blastula]

Don may be patient zero for the next pandemic.