Well, I have been feeling unwell over the past few days so decided to do a covid test and it is positive. You don’t really hear much about it anymore but based on some posts on this forum before Christmas, I am not the only person to have caught it recently.
There are some statistics online but they seem very low which is probably because there doesn’t seem to be any way of reporting that you have it now. I am assuming the figures they are quoting are only from people who have been so ill that they have had to go to hospital.
Oh well, hopefully it won’t last too long. I’ve had it twice before, neither of which was really awful, so hopefully this will be the same and at least I can work from home!
I wasn’t eligible for the autumn vaccination but my husband was and decided not to get it so he will probably be down with it next.
If you are experiencing loss of smell and taste, I would strongly recommend sniffing your herbs and spices as it helped me to regain mine in the past.
Covid is very much alive and kicking, as reported by friends and colleagues in UK and Europe.
I caught it in July 2023 after a work trip to Europe, however, the symptoms were mild, like a very bad cold.
Perhaps this and the subsequent booster vaccine I had in September 2023 managed to boost my immune system, as I had been out and about as normal, and had been in some very crowded places such as public transport and theatres!
I purchased and keep a stock of LFTs as I would like to know if I have Covid or not, and would self-isolate for 5 days if tested positive, as my social circles include peeps who are very old and/or immuno-compromised.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
There is no routine testing and reporting now, so the statistics are likely only showing those recorded through NHS services, and are going to be very low and not representative of the actual cases out there.
I know quite a few people who've had it of late (and self tested with positive results), so it certainly hasn't gone away!
Thankfully the vaccines have done their job, and most people only feel a bit rough for a few days and don't become serious hospital cases.
The new strain (at least the 'new' one before Xmas) was showing signs of being easily caught and spreading quite quickly, but not having particularly bad effects on people. Too early for a definitive opinion on it though.
A relative’s care home in NZ has gone into lockdown with 2 cases. I’m going to wear a face mask to transit through 2 busy airports to get out there this week; for peace of mind.
The JN.1 variant seems to be the main culprit. According to today's 'I' 4.3% of the population (only those cases that have been reported) had the virus on 13th December 2023 and it will have risen since then. It's still pretty frisky!
------------- Always edited for sloppy typing - when I spot it!
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 08/1/2024
A relative’s care home in NZ has gone into lockdown with 2 cases. I’m going to wear a face mask to transit through 2 busy airports to get out there this week; for peace of mind.
Take care, my cousin's family flew to the USA for Xmas, a few days into holiday they went down with Covid and were confined to hotel room! Timing suggested Airport or Aircraft as the point of infection!
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 08/1/2024
A relative’s care home in NZ has gone into lockdown with 2 cases. I’m going to wear a face mask to transit through 2 busy airports to get out there this week; for peace of mind.
Take care, my cousin's family flew to the USA for Xmas, a few days into holiday they went down with Covid and were confined to hotel room! Timing suggested Airport or Aircraft as the point of infection!
According to a couple of friends of mine who are both airline pilots you are far more likely to get it in the terminal than on the aircraft, which rather surprised me. Apparently the air inside a plane is changed far more frequently than people generally realise, including me. Air inside the terminal is hardly changed at all, and people are often tightly packed in, especially in the queues.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 08/1/2024
According to a couple of friends of mine who are both airline pilots you are far more likely to get it in the terminal than on the aircraft, which rather surprised me. Apparently the air inside a plane is changed far more frequently than people generally realise, including me. Air inside the terminal is hardly changed at all, and people are often tightly packed in, especially in the queues.
I reckoned I got it from being in very crowded and stuffy public transport when I was in Amsterdam in July 2023.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 08/1/2024
A relative’s care home in NZ has gone into lockdown with 2 cases. I’m going to wear a face mask to transit through 2 busy airports to get out there this week; for peace of mind.
Take care, my cousin's family flew to the USA for Xmas, a few days into holiday they went down with Covid and were confined to hotel room! Timing suggested Airport or Aircraft as the point of infection!
According to a couple of friends of mine who are both airline pilots you are far more likely to get it in the terminal than on the aircraft, which rather surprised me. Apparently the air inside a plane is changed far more frequently than people generally realise, including me. Air inside the terminal is hardly changed at all, and people are often tightly packed in, especially in the queues.
That is my understanding too, plus hepa-filters on the plane’s air circulation. Hence my plan to wear a mask in busy Dubai, maybe not in Melbourne or Sydney as they don’t feel so elbow to elbow.
Anyway, there’s an online article about the 3 respiratory viruses around at the moment - Covid, flu and another. Just look after yourselves folks, if symptoms don’t go, see your GP.
I had it at the beginning of December, the same week I was due a booster. It was a bad one and I'm still not right, not helped by catching some sort of flu virus.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 08/1/2024
A relative’s care home in NZ has gone into lockdown with 2 cases. I’m going to wear a face mask to transit through 2 busy airports to get out there this week; for peace of mind.
Fiona, this is only anecdotal, but a friend of mine has to fly quite regularly and was very worried about catching covid in the airport/airplane. She started to use Vicks ‘First Defence’ nasal spray before she entered the airport and while on the plane. This is supposed to stop the cold virus from taking root in the nasal passage and her reasoning was that covid is another virus similar to the cold so why shouldn’t it work for it too. So far she has not had covid after a trip so she feels like it works for her.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 08/1/2024
According to a couple of friends of mine who are both airline pilots you are far more likely to get it in the terminal than on the aircraft, which rather surprised me. Apparently the air inside a plane is changed far more frequently than people generally realise, including me. Air inside the terminal is hardly changed at all, and people are often tightly packed in, especially in the queues.
That is my understanding too, plus hepa-filters on the plane’s air circulation. Hence my plan to wear a mask in busy Dubai, maybe not in Melbourne or Sydney as they don’t feel so elbow to elbow.
Anyway, there’s an online article about the 3 respiratory viruses around at the moment - Covid, flu and another. Just look after yourselves folks, if symptoms don’t go, see your GP.
I hate crowded places anyway, even without the infection risk, and this is one of the reasons we haven't flown for nearly 10 years. From what you say about Dubai, I don't think I'll be going there any time soon!
Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 09/1/2024
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 08/1/2024
A relative’s care home in NZ has gone into lockdown with 2 cases. I’m going to wear a face mask to transit through 2 busy airports to get out there this week; for peace of mind.
Fiona, this is only anecdotal, but a friend of mine has to fly quite regularly and was very worried about catching covid in the airport/airplane. She started to use Vicks ‘First Defence’ nasal spray before she entered the airport and while on the plane. This is supposed to stop the cold virus from taking root in the nasal passage and her reasoning was that covid is another virus similar to the cold so why shouldn’t it work for it too.
Thank you.
There is some research evidence for that, indeed, though not necessarily that particular nasal spray as ingredients vary. I’d have to be careful because Dubai doesn’t allow certain medications (so I can’t take the paracetamol with codeine that I use for migraines, codeine is prohibited). But I’ll note it for next time as my 100ml bag is now stuffed full of the lotions & potions & contact lens gear that I need for almost 30 hours in the air. There is a nasal spray there, but it’s for sinuses in case my ears hurt badly on take off or landing.
Back to Covid - it makes you wonder if the folks who refused to wear a mask in the supermarkets would have sprayed their nostrils instead… Maybe we should do it while cases are rising again?
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Topic: Covid Again
via mobile 08/1/2024 at 9:06am
