On Boxing Day evening The Light and I headed to a local pub to meet with a group of old friends. There were about 10 of us, but a couple of others couldn’t make it as they were either suffering or just recovering from Covid.
I spent most of the evening chatting to Margaret as we hadn’t had a catch up for a while. For 90 minutes or so we sat haunch to haunch on a pub bench as we chatted, laughed and occasionally burst into song. Two days later Margaret messaged to warn me that having felt ropy on the 27th (she doesn’t drink alcohol so it wasn’t the after effects of the pub) she had tested positive for Covid on the 28th.
So far I’ve had no sign of the slightest cough or ache. I realise I’m possibly in the incubation stage, though from what I’ve read people with Omicron variants typically know about it within a few days. Indeed, to the best of my knowledge I’ve never had Covid. It’s possible I’ve been infected but asymptomatic and spreading disease like a mid-Essex Typhoid Mary but if so it’s entirely unknowingly.
I wore masks and so on when mandated but I’ve never stopped using public transport or going to gigs and other crowded environments, I’m in my mid 50s and in reasonable health so I haven’t had a Covid booster since autumn ‘22, The Light works in a major hospital (and had Covid in spring ‘23), but to date I’ve had the good fortune to seem invulnerable while other people I know have had their 3rd dose. Anyone else?
As with most infections, including even HIV, some people are just immune. Probably to do with complex generics. Darwin, of course, knew all this, but misnamed his thesis, as Survival of the Luckiest might have been a better fit. As in all things, choose your parents carefully.
Yes, to the best of my knowledge my mother hasn’t had it. My father was regularly tested as he spent his last days in a care home. The first time he had Covid he was asymptomatic, though that wave of infection was horrific and killed 15 residents in the home in the space of 3 weeks. He was of course elderly and vulnerable, that along with Alzheimer’s is why he was in the home, and his next Covid infection led directly to the pneumonia that killed him.
I haven’t had it. My daughter has had it a couple of times and didn’t pass it on.
Just had my 6th vaccine 3 weeks ago (together with the flu one) so that will help. Seems they are not bothering with that any more in the UK?
It’s not automatic for (I think) under 65s unless they are at risk for another medical reason. Last year it was over 50 so I qualified.
The new booster targetting the latest variant was initially available here (Ontario) for over 65s only, but for all since about Nov 1. Hospitals are nevertheless overwhelmed as usual at this time of year with flu, Covid and RSV cases.
Most people in the UK were given an ‘old’ booster.
I see
Don’t count your chickens!
Sitting side to side is safer than face to face. Though pubs, buses and gigs are not great places to be if you want to avoid airborne infection.
We need new vaccines. The ones we’ve been using aren’t effective against the current Omicron variants. JN.1 is on the rise.
Stay safe, everyone, and a Happy New Year. 😀
I read the latest booster works well against JN.1 even if not specifically developed for that.
Like Dai, I have an autoimmune disease, but I’ve gone one better and had seven jabs (I’m 53 and take immunosuppressants).
Like Dai, I have so far avoided Covid, but I did have the ‘flu about six weeks ago (despite having a had a ‘flu vaccine two weeks before) for the first time in seven years.
I avoided Covid by Shielding, but Offspring the Younger had it. Mrs F has avoided it by being lucky.
Another autoimmune disease , covid avoider here.
I had my last jab in November (can’t remember the number of them I’ve had by now) alongside the flu jab. I never shielded, in fact I worked as usual in a busy supermarket, and we didn’t wear masks at work, just gloves. Never got covid.
Two Christmases ago I had a bad cold that went down to the lungs and became bronchitis, but the covid tests were all negative.
I suspect I’m one of the lucky ones, genetically, as I don’t think anyone in my family ever got it, apart from in-laws and half-siblings.
Is there a Doctor in the house?
I can understand how we with autoimmune diseases are at greater risk of the covids, especially as my immune system is chemically suppressed (to stop it attacking my intestines) which means picking up coughs & colds is easier, and shifting them is harder.
But, out of curiosity (a colleague is T2), why does Diabetes mean a Covid risk?
There also appeares to be a link between Covid infection and new instances of Type 2 diabetes, skin cancer, etc. It seems that while the immune system is fighting off Covid, these others can get a hold.
Please use simple language an electronics engineer might understand.
But is it a higher risk of getting covid, or is it that if getting it you will get worse complications?
I know that since I developed LADA, when I get sick (the flu especially, but even a bad cold) I find it difficult to keep my blood sugar levels where they need to be. Have gotten dangerously low in such situations.
That might explain it, and I can sympathise.
When I get flu, I have to stop taking my immunosuppresant meds to give my system a chance to fight off the virus, but I have to start taking them again before my guts start playing up. If I don’t stop taking them, I get pneumonia, and have to take steroids to clear my lungs, which wreck my guts. Catch 22!
The endless joys of chronic disease!
(Yours definitely seems worse than mine)
I live life on a (dull) knife edge!
Here is a summary paper on the subject.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8292635/
Thanks, Tiggs. You had me at “Diabetes mellitus (DM) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are public health issues worldwide, and their comorbidities trigger the progress to severe disease and even death in such patients.”
Yikes!
Cast your mind back to April 2020. We could see that the Italians on the ventilators were predominantly male, obese and diabetic. Metabolic syndrome is central obesity that increases blood pressure and increases resistance to insulin, leading to type 2 diabetes. The kind of abdominal fat involved increases inflammation and impairs the immune response. No wonder Covid 19 wreaked havoc in those patients. Then, our ITUs filled up with similar people.
These days, ITUs are far less busy with covid, thanks to vaccines, increased immunity and better treatments. It helps to keep sugar levels under control and stay trim around the middle.
From what I can gather from your posts on here, you aren’t the classic, metabolic syndrome type 2 diabetic. Plus, you are a sensible chap. I think you’ll be okay.
That makes sense.
I’m not (yet), but my mum is pre-diabetic (eats all the wrong things, doesn’t exercise, is overweight: catch 22) and I’ve been on a low-fat, low-fibre, carbs-and-protein diet for 10 years for my Crohn’s. I think it is only a matter of time. Putting weight on with dodgy intestines is hard for me, so that’s a bonus…
Being female helps in the acute infection phase. However, 60% of people with Long Covid are women between the ages of 35 & 65. (Take that HRT, ladies!) They do say women suffer and men die. 😉
Not had it – did have a huge chest infection in July that may have been covid (or not?), but other than breathing problems no other symptoms.
Daughter who lives in London got it Christmas Day, and other daughter (who came to see me on 27th) tested positive on 28th. But no signs showing for me or Mrs D so far.
Maybe we’re both immune (or just lucky)
Not only have I not had Covid, but since 2019 -the year of my first Covid vax and my first ever anti-flu vax- I’ve not had a cold. I used to get colds every winter, though they never lasted long, which I’ve always ascribed to my massive winter consumption of clementines, but since 2019 I’ve had nary a sniffle. And that’s despite swimming every day in the local pool, taking several flights, having sex with multiple strangers etc. etc. I’m beginning to think I’m immune. Perhaps even immortal. Here’s hoping!
I don’t think I have. 2 weeks ago the two people I share a house with tested positive. By the time they tested I’d shared a 20 minute car ride with 1, and use the same kitchen etc so the masks and handwipes may have been too late. Either way I seem to have dodged it. I was vaxed back in November but so was 1 of the people who got it here.
If you think I’m commenting here you’ve got another think coming.
frankly amazed that I haven’t had it … during the peak Covid years i conducted 501 funerals so met up with a large number of people (not as many as should have been at services as they were limited) but I took sensible precautions … as I continue to do … neither of my parents who are in their mid -eighties have had it either so we may just have good genetics
My wife caught Covid early in the pandemic, March ‘20. She went on to get Long Covid which I wouldn’t even wish on somebody like Trump & Johnson*
It’s a horrible disease, the number of conditions suffered by my wife that are caused by L.C. are too many to go into here. She attends various clinics but none can really offer any help. The government’s funding into research into L.C. is the lower than any country in the EU and way behind that in the US
I just hope that none of you or your family/friends ever get L.C.
*OK I would
I’m sorry to hear this about your wife. I hope the local Long Covid Clinic is looking after her.
If several hundred dollars worth or RAT tests and four or five lab tests are to be believed, I have not yet had COVID, despite having a couple of stonking cases of the flu in the last few years. I have a susceptibility to Influenza, so everyone assumed I would drop quickly in 2020. My wife and both of my kids have had mild cases of it. Fortunately, my 81-year old mother who has severe asthma and other respiratory conditions has been spared. My father died at the peak of COVID from leukaemia. He was so immunosuppressed that he was a sitting duck, yet he also managed to avoid it.
Can you buy a lottery ticket for me Pods?
Four years in, still haven’t had covid. Living in Sydney I haven’t been particularly risk averse, just followed the standard protocols during the height of the pandemic and had the vaccines and boosters. I work in a busy office and use public transport so not sure why I’ve dodged the virus up till now. Am very grateful though for being covid free, having lost two UK friends to complications of the infection.
And a happy new year to you too.
Oh bugger, Junes. Get well soon, eh?
Also a lucky one – never had Covid or flu for that matter and rarely get serious colds. This despite being Type 2 diabetic which supposedly makes your immune system weaker.
Had 4 jabs plus flu jab and pneumonia jab. Don’t intend to have the 5 th jab as concerned about that apparent increase in heart attacks related to Covid jabs.
As I understand it the risk of heart complications is higher if, that’s if, you catch Covid than the real but slight risk from any Covid vaccine. Of course you must make your own decisions based on your assessment of various factors.
Here is a summary article on the subject.
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/coronavirus-vaccine-your-questions-answered/myocarditis-and-covid-19-vaccines-should-you-be-worried?trk=public_post_comment-text
Myocarditis occurs rarely in young people after mRNA vaccination (typically Pfizer or Moderna). However, it is generally mild and the vast majority make a full recovery after some weeks. The Oxford Astro Zeneca vaccine is an non-mRNA that was withdrawn because of clots, some of which included cardiac events.
The risk of cardiac events with a Covid infection is, relatively speaking, huge, especially in middle aged men who have diabetes.
😊
I remember only too well the aspersions cast upon my cognitive ability by some bullies and ruffians on the AW just for raising the issue of vaccine related clots. I still bear the mental scars and find it difficult to meditate without smelling.
It was exceedingly rare and far less common than those caused by Covid, which, at the time, was running rampant.
That’s scant comfort to my PTSD.
Bummer! Got antivirals?
Not as yet. Will see about them tomorrow.
Get well soon Junior
I have never had Covid to the best of my knowledge, at least never had any of the most common symptoms. And I’ve only ever had one Covid test, back in the very early days of the pandemic. Either immune or very lucky.
I haven’t had it. Mrs M has had it twice. One reason for this could be that she’s much more sociable than me and meets up with friends and so a lot more than generally solitary me
And Daughter No 2 also hadn’t had it, and she works in hospitality so – who knows?
I’m also vaccinated to the hilt and while I know it’s mainly airborne I’m fastidious about hand-washing
My 2c worth….
Uninfected, thus far, despite only taking the minumum of precautions. But I’m not a sociable type and normally spend the majority of my time completely on my tod. Also 5-times-jabbed, as I’m an oldie.
It’s possible I had a mild dose of Covid in December ’19, as I had an annoying and persistent cough around then, with some feverishness.
Had plenty of jabs and get tested on a regular basis because I work with vulnerable people, but it must love me – I’ve had it 5 times. The last time in about September was the worst, like a bad case of flu.
Not had Covid, I had the jabs for the first couple of years but haven’t lately. I never used to catch any of the bugs but this last year I was laid low three times; I guess it’s an age thing. I have easy access to the tests though tested negative each time.
Here the latest vaccine plus flu jab is available to all. I took up the offer a few weeks ago. I had covid in the summer of 2022 after a trip to Greece. A lot of coughing, a fever and just feeling rough for a week. Not as bad as a flu. It seems impossible to avoid catching the latest variant. My mother back in the UK hardly goes out or meets anyone, especially when there were restrictions. She’s in her mid 80s and still got it. She has taken all the jabs. She was similarly ill as I was. We haven’t had so many restrictions here in Sweden as elsewhere but I personally know of no one who has died or suffered long term. My wife worked in ICU and experienced the worst. Mostly it was tough because of the relentless influx of those affected. She has since found another job after that unhappy experience. Now in these later, less serious stages, when there is no longer a pandemic, people don’t bother with testing. Inevitably some with mild symptoms will come to work and infect others. Many will have it and not know or maybe think they could have it but will not really be concerned. I should think you could believe you’ve not had it when you have, despite your best efforts at avoidance.
I caught Covid in hospital in the summer after the Trust dropped its mask mandate. Thankfully I qualified for antivirals and had the emails to prove it, although I had to argue long and hard with a registrar half my age to get them (“The Trust has its own policy!” ), so didn’t get too ill, and got a room to myself as a bonus.
My oldest friend’s wife has caught it three times – the first being easily the worst – without him succumbing. He visited me for some ninety minutes a few days before Xmas, then emailed apologetically a few days later to announce that he was infected. When I spoke to him a couple of days ago he sounded dreadful, and said the only time he’d previously felt as bad was when he discovered he couldn’t tolerate penicillin. This time, having tested negative several days in a row, it seems I’ve dodged the bullet.
Got covid for the very first time now I’m feeling hoarse. It’s June.
Just had it – first time. It was so similar to the throat infection I’d had in November, which wasn’t covid, that I didn’t do a test for nearly a week.
Haven’t had any kind of jab for nearly two years and my workplace, where there are a lot of never-vaccinated members of the great unwashed milling about in the normal course of events, hasn’t operated any kind of restrictions since March ’22 so it’s hardly surprising.
I come back to work and both it and (presumably related) flu have scythed through the workforce like a… thing that makes loads of people be off sick. It’s like the Marie Celeste in here.