School districts in Kentucky and Texas are closing due to “widespread illness,” including cases of COVID, seasonal flu and other respiratory diseases including strep. Schools in Lee and Magoffin counties switched to virtual classes yesterday and today. In Magoffin County, attendance fell more than 15 percent by Wednesday. “Lee County had a surge of cases and attendance dropped below the threshold needed to stay open, so they closed,” said Scott Lockard, public health director for a school district in the county. He added that it’s unclear how many cases of illness are due to COVID, because home tests are not being reported to local health departments.
Paraphrasing my Microbiology Advisor - The "bugs" don't give a damn what you think. People may want to ignore COVID and believe it's "over" but COVID really won't care.
I'm in Texas. I went to a dance competition on Aug 11, Friday. Lots of people and lots of close contact. By the following Tuesday I felt awful. Tested positive and got a Prescription for Paxlovid. Took it for 5 days, felt much better, and tested negative last Monday. Felt okay on Tuesday and Wednesday. By Thursday I was feeling awful again, congestion and repeatedly sneezing. Tested positive again today Friday. Feel miserable. Apparently, I am part of a small minority of people who test negative but then get hit with a rebound. I thought my first go-round was pretty mild. This second one - not mild. I feel worse than the first time. I'll get through it, but I think this surge will be as bad - if not worse -as Omicron. Mask up and isolate from large groups. If schools are closing, you know it's out there and probably widespread. Just for the record I am healthy, 81 years old and have had all the shots and boosters. My last booster was in May.
Oh, please take good care of yourself. I have enjoyed being maskless for the most part for a month or so (we live in CA, thank goodness), but I am masking up again. If only Democrats had been in power when the pandemic began, I feel our response would have been so much more successful. I am 81, as well. Glad you are still out having a good time!!
I had no idea it was starting to spread again like that and some schools beginning to close. Nothing in our local news yet. My daughter is a teacher at a private school. I will let her know to be extra careful and to watch out for breakouts when the kids return next week. Of course I have to be extra careful too at almost 91. So far I have escaped the virus.I always feel pretty good, no health problems at all, not on any medications, so I'll know immediately if any change at all.
I caught it for the first time about a 6 weeks ago despite having had all the shots. I've been healthy for years not even the flu. I think if I hadn't been vaccinated it would have killed me dead! You do NOT want to get this disease...
And consider taking a drug like Paxlovid if you test positive for COVID. Early research is showing it may help to prevent COVID longhaulers symptoms (e.g. chronic fatigue, memory gapping, anxiety...). I got the symptoms in November. You don't want 'em.
I'm in Redmond, WA, next to Bellevue where Lucian's sister lives. Seeing an uptick in people wearing masks. I'm eager to get the next vaccination. Something is definitely "up."
We have seen an uptick in Northern CA also. My hubs and I are waiting for the booster to be offered to us as well as the RSV and flu vaccines. Will not get everything at once but get them one-at-a-time. It’s a nice idea of yours to remind people that we are not out of the woods yet with Covid. Thanks!
For anyone not yet aware, I strongly recommend the "Your Local Epidemiologist" substack by Katelyn Jetelina. She supplied invaluable factual health info that cut through the misinformation and bs throughout the pandemic, and has provided some about this new Covid variant a few days ago.
Thank you so much for the link to her substack. I have shared it on my FB page and recommended to a friend in Hawaii who keeps up with all things Covid related. I'm sure she will share it widely as well.
I read the CDC's weekly hospitalization and death rates for the past two weeks, and I did not like what I saw.
The uptick is real, I'm masking again, and starting to be very wary of being outside of my house. I'm looking forward to calling Walgreens next month to get my booster, but I found out tonight in an article that the RSV vaccine is NOT covered by Medicare part B, and if you have part D it may not be either-and it's a whopping $300 per shot.
The reason that it is not covered? The CDC has not officially put in their list of "necessary" vaccinations so nobody is covered until that happens.
I'll stick to the Covid and Flu vaccines this year.
This isn't over, won't be over for a very long while. The Bubonic Plague hung around for about 400 years and came out in intervals that killed millions of people each time. It's still here, too.
Take care and mask up, everyone. This is going to be a long winter.
"[T]he RSV vaccine is NOT covered by Medicare part B, and if you have part D it may not be either-and it's a whopping $300 per shot."
Just think how different things would be if we had heeded Bernie Sanders and other politicians, activists and reformers on the single issue of enacting "Medicare for All," rolling it out in phases so everyone involved can plan.
Thanks, Lucian. Hopefully, most clear-headed folks will heed your warnings & advice. However, we all know there are those out there in MAGA-land who still don't believe it's real or that it's still here. As in the past, they will ignore the warnings & advice and may well pay a steep price for doing so. And I suppose there are a few Repugnant governors who will tell folks there's nothing to be concerned about and to go about their daily business. If he can spare the time from his campaign, DuhSantis will downplay any concerns from the CDC and tell Floridians this is a Democrat plot to . . . . well, fill in the blank. You're right -- we've been here before, and it's unlikely anything will change in MAGA-land. At least the Dumpster has a few things to keep his pea-size brain occupied for the immediate future.
The first thing that comes to mind is "Everything old is new again." (Although attributed to many people, it was actually Jonathan Swift, the "Gullivers Travel" guy.)
My downstairs neighbor, of a certain age, has been out in the world daily, cautiously, throughout covid's run, never got it. Well vaxxed, she quit masking a couple months ago. Got it. Her case was mild enough the doc advised against Paxlovid. I've ducked it so far—at least I assume I have. (Never tested, lifelong sinus infection.) I alone in my downtown Manhattan nabe still mask in stores. It's all so tiresome. Anyway, thanks for the heads-up.
Paraphrasing my Microbiology Advisor - The "bugs" don't give a damn what you think. People may want to ignore COVID and believe it's "over" but COVID really won't care.
I'm in Texas. I went to a dance competition on Aug 11, Friday. Lots of people and lots of close contact. By the following Tuesday I felt awful. Tested positive and got a Prescription for Paxlovid. Took it for 5 days, felt much better, and tested negative last Monday. Felt okay on Tuesday and Wednesday. By Thursday I was feeling awful again, congestion and repeatedly sneezing. Tested positive again today Friday. Feel miserable. Apparently, I am part of a small minority of people who test negative but then get hit with a rebound. I thought my first go-round was pretty mild. This second one - not mild. I feel worse than the first time. I'll get through it, but I think this surge will be as bad - if not worse -as Omicron. Mask up and isolate from large groups. If schools are closing, you know it's out there and probably widespread. Just for the record I am healthy, 81 years old and have had all the shots and boosters. My last booster was in May.
Oh, please take good care of yourself. I have enjoyed being maskless for the most part for a month or so (we live in CA, thank goodness), but I am masking up again. If only Democrats had been in power when the pandemic began, I feel our response would have been so much more successful. I am 81, as well. Glad you are still out having a good time!!
Oh how awful!
I had no idea it was starting to spread again like that and some schools beginning to close. Nothing in our local news yet. My daughter is a teacher at a private school. I will let her know to be extra careful and to watch out for breakouts when the kids return next week. Of course I have to be extra careful too at almost 91. So far I have escaped the virus.I always feel pretty good, no health problems at all, not on any medications, so I'll know immediately if any change at all.
Appreciate the advice, Mr. Truscott…
I caught it for the first time about a 6 weeks ago despite having had all the shots. I've been healthy for years not even the flu. I think if I hadn't been vaccinated it would have killed me dead! You do NOT want to get this disease...
My story exactly! I thought i was bionic having had 6 shots! But as Greg said Covid doesn’t care!
Take care.
Thank you…if more parents and legislators believed in science and urged families to get vaccinated, etc., this would be less of an issue.
And consider taking a drug like Paxlovid if you test positive for COVID. Early research is showing it may help to prevent COVID longhaulers symptoms (e.g. chronic fatigue, memory gapping, anxiety...). I got the symptoms in November. You don't want 'em.
I'm in Redmond, WA, next to Bellevue where Lucian's sister lives. Seeing an uptick in people wearing masks. I'm eager to get the next vaccination. Something is definitely "up."
We have seen an uptick in Northern CA also. My hubs and I are waiting for the booster to be offered to us as well as the RSV and flu vaccines. Will not get everything at once but get them one-at-a-time. It’s a nice idea of yours to remind people that we are not out of the woods yet with Covid. Thanks!
For anyone not yet aware, I strongly recommend the "Your Local Epidemiologist" substack by Katelyn Jetelina. She supplied invaluable factual health info that cut through the misinformation and bs throughout the pandemic, and has provided some about this new Covid variant a few days ago.
https://open.substack.com/pub/yourlocalepidemiologist/p/a-new-variant-ba286?r=8u0q8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
I encourage subscribing to receive (not too frequent) updates regarding important health matters affecting America and the world.
https://open.substack.com/pub/yourlocalepidemiologist/p/what-will-this-fallwinter-look-like?r=8u0q8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Thank you so much for the link to her substack. I have shared it on my FB page and recommended to a friend in Hawaii who keeps up with all things Covid related. I'm sure she will share it widely as well.
Seconded! I'm a huge fan of hers. She provides truly lifesaving information.
I also recommend "Your Local Epidemiologist"
I read the CDC's weekly hospitalization and death rates for the past two weeks, and I did not like what I saw.
The uptick is real, I'm masking again, and starting to be very wary of being outside of my house. I'm looking forward to calling Walgreens next month to get my booster, but I found out tonight in an article that the RSV vaccine is NOT covered by Medicare part B, and if you have part D it may not be either-and it's a whopping $300 per shot.
The reason that it is not covered? The CDC has not officially put in their list of "necessary" vaccinations so nobody is covered until that happens.
I'll stick to the Covid and Flu vaccines this year.
This isn't over, won't be over for a very long while. The Bubonic Plague hung around for about 400 years and came out in intervals that killed millions of people each time. It's still here, too.
Take care and mask up, everyone. This is going to be a long winter.
"[T]he RSV vaccine is NOT covered by Medicare part B, and if you have part D it may not be either-and it's a whopping $300 per shot."
Just think how different things would be if we had heeded Bernie Sanders and other politicians, activists and reformers on the single issue of enacting "Medicare for All," rolling it out in phases so everyone involved can plan.
Thanks, Lucian. Hopefully, most clear-headed folks will heed your warnings & advice. However, we all know there are those out there in MAGA-land who still don't believe it's real or that it's still here. As in the past, they will ignore the warnings & advice and may well pay a steep price for doing so. And I suppose there are a few Repugnant governors who will tell folks there's nothing to be concerned about and to go about their daily business. If he can spare the time from his campaign, DuhSantis will downplay any concerns from the CDC and tell Floridians this is a Democrat plot to . . . . well, fill in the blank. You're right -- we've been here before, and it's unlikely anything will change in MAGA-land. At least the Dumpster has a few things to keep his pea-size brain occupied for the immediate future.
This is exactly why we need to be more diligent.
Scheduling 4th booster
The first thing that comes to mind is "Everything old is new again." (Although attributed to many people, it was actually Jonathan Swift, the "Gullivers Travel" guy.)
I wish you all are the lucky ones.
My downstairs neighbor, of a certain age, has been out in the world daily, cautiously, throughout covid's run, never got it. Well vaxxed, she quit masking a couple months ago. Got it. Her case was mild enough the doc advised against Paxlovid. I've ducked it so far—at least I assume I have. (Never tested, lifelong sinus infection.) I alone in my downtown Manhattan nabe still mask in stores. It's all so tiresome. Anyway, thanks for the heads-up.
It feels like we novids are becoming a global minority.
This novid certainly feels like one.
Novid! I love it—even if it feels like tempting fate big-time.
Thank you Lucian. You're saving lives right Here. I've been masking up since 2020 in any public place I go.
Me, too. Still got it from a family member last year though. Be Careful Everyone.