I've been thinking over the symptoms Eris produces and it makes me believe my boss has recently had this variant. They rarely sneeze, but last week they did so repeatedly through the week. This week, they said they weren't feeling well, went home and slept for over an hour, which is a rarity for them. They also told me their youngest kid (18yo) has had covid repeatedly, and just had it the previous week; I'm furious, because this is the first I've heard of it and that kid has been in the shop a few times, sans mask.
I do my best to protect myself, but I have no doubt that- with that behavior- I'll be getting it sooner than later.
Do you mask at the shop? Or run a little personal HEPA filter? Or both, or something else protective? Or are you required to just cross your fingers and hope?
I wish I could say I don't understand why your boss would be so careless about exposing you to this, but it has gone beyond political posturing or idiocy. Even cautious people can lose their caution after going through a bout.
The way this virus meddles with the brain is as horrifying as what it does to the immune system. I have watched people I know be careful, careful, careful... until they've had COVID at least once. From then on, even though they still know the facts, they don't mask any more, don't avoid crowds, don't avoid indoor gatherings. Some of them actively pressure people like me to stop masking. It isn't survivor bias etc doing this. It's brain damage. It is much like mice with toxoplasmosis losing their fear of cats...
The longer you can postpone catching it, the better. The fewer times you catch it, the better. If you do catch it, I hope you can dose yourself to the gills with whatever you can get your hands on that can improve your chances. Paxlovid (which is only a myth in the UK, but maybe you can get it), metformin, remdesivir, nattokinase, NAC... But I hope your precautions will keep you from catching it despite things like your boss and their kid spreading it everywhere.
I've been masking all along, despite being asked when I plan to stop a few times. I personally purchased a hepa filtration unit for the smaller room at the back of the shop, and will stand directly over it whenever I grab a quick drink. I sit beside it while I eat, and am hoping it provides sufficient protection; I used to sit outside (on the ground, because there's nothing available to sit at), but with these summer temperatures of 103-106F, it's just too hot to continue, not to mention uncomfortable.
CVS apparently despenses Paxlovid if a positive result is found; I'm not sure if they have to test for it, though.
As far as my boss is concerned, covid is over, it's not much more than a cold, and does not want to hear anything otherwise. I've mentioned some of the issues that it causes, and they've politely listened and disagreed.
In some ways, I think the vaccine has done humanity a grave disservice. By reducing the appearance of an infection to something minor, it has allowed people to pretend that it IS a minor illness and ignore the fact that it is still deadly and does serious damage to the body.
Don't take me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the vaccinations and will continue to take them as long as they're available!
It sounds like you are doing all you can to be safe. Paxlovid isn't perfect, just as the vaccines aren't perfect. Like you, I'm grateful we have anything that helps. I get boosters when they are available. But I know better than to "go back to normal." Pre-2020 normal is gone.
I was in the midst of writing a much longer piece when this penny dropped. I sat bolt upright, set aside what I was working on and did this instead. I hope the hypothesis is wrong. If it's right, we're in a bigger pickle than we thought.
It isn't being talked about much in mainstream media here either, and the major outlets have said as little as possible. A regional website had a better article about it than national media. Science people are talking about it, but not many people listen to them.
I've been thinking over the symptoms Eris produces and it makes me believe my boss has recently had this variant. They rarely sneeze, but last week they did so repeatedly through the week. This week, they said they weren't feeling well, went home and slept for over an hour, which is a rarity for them. They also told me their youngest kid (18yo) has had covid repeatedly, and just had it the previous week; I'm furious, because this is the first I've heard of it and that kid has been in the shop a few times, sans mask.
I do my best to protect myself, but I have no doubt that- with that behavior- I'll be getting it sooner than later.
Do you mask at the shop? Or run a little personal HEPA filter? Or both, or something else protective? Or are you required to just cross your fingers and hope?
I wish I could say I don't understand why your boss would be so careless about exposing you to this, but it has gone beyond political posturing or idiocy. Even cautious people can lose their caution after going through a bout.
The way this virus meddles with the brain is as horrifying as what it does to the immune system. I have watched people I know be careful, careful, careful... until they've had COVID at least once. From then on, even though they still know the facts, they don't mask any more, don't avoid crowds, don't avoid indoor gatherings. Some of them actively pressure people like me to stop masking. It isn't survivor bias etc doing this. It's brain damage. It is much like mice with toxoplasmosis losing their fear of cats...
The longer you can postpone catching it, the better. The fewer times you catch it, the better. If you do catch it, I hope you can dose yourself to the gills with whatever you can get your hands on that can improve your chances. Paxlovid (which is only a myth in the UK, but maybe you can get it), metformin, remdesivir, nattokinase, NAC... But I hope your precautions will keep you from catching it despite things like your boss and their kid spreading it everywhere.
Thanks.
I've been masking all along, despite being asked when I plan to stop a few times. I personally purchased a hepa filtration unit for the smaller room at the back of the shop, and will stand directly over it whenever I grab a quick drink. I sit beside it while I eat, and am hoping it provides sufficient protection; I used to sit outside (on the ground, because there's nothing available to sit at), but with these summer temperatures of 103-106F, it's just too hot to continue, not to mention uncomfortable.
CVS apparently despenses Paxlovid if a positive result is found; I'm not sure if they have to test for it, though.
As far as my boss is concerned, covid is over, it's not much more than a cold, and does not want to hear anything otherwise. I've mentioned some of the issues that it causes, and they've politely listened and disagreed.
In some ways, I think the vaccine has done humanity a grave disservice. By reducing the appearance of an infection to something minor, it has allowed people to pretend that it IS a minor illness and ignore the fact that it is still deadly and does serious damage to the body.
Don't take me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the vaccinations and will continue to take them as long as they're available!
It sounds like you are doing all you can to be safe. Paxlovid isn't perfect, just as the vaccines aren't perfect. Like you, I'm grateful we have anything that helps. I get boosters when they are available. But I know better than to "go back to normal." Pre-2020 normal is gone.
Dang.
My words were stronger than that, but... yeah.
This is the first I'm hearing of Eris; have you heard of it, Cindy? I believe you're here in the US, too, correct?
I was in the midst of writing a much longer piece when this penny dropped. I sat bolt upright, set aside what I was working on and did this instead. I hope the hypothesis is wrong. If it's right, we're in a bigger pickle than we thought.
Nobody is talking about Eris on NPR.
It isn't being talked about much in mainstream media here either, and the major outlets have said as little as possible. A regional website had a better article about it than national media. Science people are talking about it, but not many people listen to them.
What an absolute mess this is and it seems to me that any chance to turn it around is miniscule, if not long gone.