Coronavirus

[mamselle]

I got my Moderna booster last Sunday, then promptly felt like crap on a cracker all week--a slight fever Sunday night but then gone. I felt seriously rotten on Monday, Tuesday, and then Wednesday (when I had to take off work to ferry ALHS to Alma Mater Hospital for a relatively scary procedure).  I had to drive to work Tuesday and Thursday, plus teach remotely Monday and Friday as well. Let's just say the students did NOT receive outstanding pedagogical product those days.

By Friday morning, I was feeling somewhat better, enough so that I cared if I might actually live through it. I also first developed a huge (golf-ball sized black bruise) at the needle site. Hopefully this will be as sick as I get this winter; we've all had our flu shots already.

ALHS and my BFF colleague keep telling me, "It's better than getting COVID."  Yes, it is--IF I don't get COVID.  That BFF has had three students with confirmed cases within this past week--ALL after both doses of the vaccine. 

Sigh.

I'm sorry you're dealing with all of that, especially when ALHS has so many issues that you're the go-to for as well.

How long until the end of the semester, did you say???

M.

[Caracal]

I got my Moderna booster last Sunday, then promptly felt like crap on a cracker all week--a slight fever Sunday night but then gone. I felt seriously rotten on Monday, Tuesday, and then Wednesday (when I had to take off work to ferry ALHS to Alma Mater Hospital for a relatively scary procedure).  I had to drive to work Tuesday and Thursday, plus teach remotely Monday and Friday as well. Let's just say the students did NOT receive outstanding pedagogical product those days.

By Friday morning, I was feeling somewhat better, enough so that I cared if I might actually live through it. I also first developed a huge (golf-ball sized black bruise) at the needle site. Hopefully this will be as sick as I get this winter; we've all had our flu shots already.

ALHS and my BFF colleague keep telling me, "It's better than getting COVID."  Yes, it is--IF I don't get COVID.  That BFF has had three students with confirmed cases within this past week--ALL after both doses of the vaccine. 

Sigh.

Well, booster does seem to make it much less likely you're going to get infected in the short term. And breakthrough infections happen, but the odds of ending up in the hospital are much, much lower if you're fully vaccinated.

[OneMoreYear]

We just got the apologetic email from HR stating that because of the government mandate (totally not the university's fault, you see, it's the government overreach), all employees must either get vaccinated or get an exemption.  As it's really easy to get religious exemptions here, my guess is that this mandate will not actually improve vaccinations rates, and anyone who wants to refuse the vaccine will be able to do so. But, let the gnashing of teeth begin. Oh, also, we are still not going to be doing coordinated testing.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I got my Moderna booster last Sunday, then promptly felt like crap on a cracker all week--a slight fever Sunday night but then gone. I felt seriously rotten on Monday, Tuesday, and then Wednesday (when I had to take off work to ferry ALHS to Alma Mater Hospital for a relatively scary procedure).  I had to drive to work Tuesday and Thursday, plus teach remotely Monday and Friday as well. Let's just say the students did NOT receive outstanding pedagogical product those days.

By Friday morning, I was feeling somewhat better, enough so that I cared if I might actually live through it. I also first developed a huge (golf-ball sized black bruise) at the needle site. Hopefully this will be as sick as I get this winter; we've all had our flu shots already.

ALHS and my BFF colleague keep telling me, "It's better than getting COVID."  Yes, it is--IF I don't get COVID.  That BFF has had three students with confirmed cases within this past week--ALL after both doses of the vaccine. 

Sigh.

Sorry to hear it ALH. SO got his booster yesterday and he's feeling crappy too- body aches, fatigue, etc. I got mine on Thursday and haven't noticed any side effects and I'm very thankful for it.

[Puget]

I got my booster Friday after work, had some aches and chills and a bit of fatigue for 24 hours, but nowhere near as bad as after my second dose and then was totally back to normal. Most people I know similarly have had much milder or no real side effects from boosters. Personally, I'm glad for some side effects because that way I know I'm mounting a good immune response (they say it doesn't mean you're not if you don't have side effects, but I'd rather know I am).

[ab_grp]

My husband and I each got our Pfizer boosters and flu shots and basically had the same side effects as for dose two.  He also had hopes to have more of a reaction but just felt tired again.  I had a mild fever again that lasted a bit longer this time (two nights) with the chills, skin sensitivity, and fatigue. With the second and third doses, I got a rash on my arm.  Last time it was more diffuse and didn't itch too much.  This time it's a big itchy red baseball-sized rash with a very itchy, swollen (golf-ball sized?) center.  Luckily, that's almost gone, but it's been nearly a week.  There was also some lymph node activity, which I don't think happened last time.  Overall, not too bad despite the description, and nothing really unexpected.  We just planned to take it easy and do the same kinds of self-care that worked with dose two, and we rode it out.  I am still dealing with a bit of fatigue, though.

[AvidReader]

Planning to get my COVID booster in the next week ahead of a visit from a stubbornly unvaccinated parent. I've just seen that my state will let me get the same vaccine (Pfizer) or mix and match. Does anyone know of any research on the effectiveness of keeping the same vaccine vs. switching to another brand?

AR.

[Puget]

Planning to get my COVID booster in the next week ahead of a visit from a stubbornly unvaccinated parent. I've just seen that my state will let me get the same vaccine (Pfizer) or mix and match. Does anyone know of any research on the effectiveness of keeping the same vaccine vs. switching to another brand?

AR.

There is some very limited research on antibody levels, but none I know of on actual efficacy. The limited antibody research may *hint* at some benefit of mixing, but it was done with the full Moderna dose and the booster is a half-dose, so I wouldn't put too much stock in that. What is clear is that for folks who had J&J, they are much better off with an mRNA booster. Between the two mRNA vaccines though, I think there isn't really a basis to say. I ended up mixing (Pfizer primary, Moderna booster) just because that's what the local CVS had.

[Anselm]

I suppose that you can find a local street preacher to sign a vaxx exemption form.

What I want to know is what might happen with the current rise in daily infections.  Is there any chance that we might see schools shutting down again and restrictions on international travel?

[secundem_artem]

Planning to get my COVID booster in the next week ahead of a visit from a stubbornly unvaccinated parent. I've just seen that my state will let me get the same vaccine (Pfizer) or mix and match. Does anyone know of any research on the effectiveness of keeping the same vaccine vs. switching to another brand?

AR.

https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/what-booster-should-i-get-data-from

[Caracal]

I suppose that you can find a local street preacher to sign a vaxx exemption form.

What I want to know is what might happen with the current rise in daily infections.  Is there any chance that we might see schools shutting down again and restrictions on international travel?

I doubt it. Schools stayed open when infections were pretty bad in September. Vaccinations do make a big difference in terms of the risk calculations. Presumably, vaccinated students who are exposed wan't have to quarantine unless they show symptoms.

At some point what are you supposed to do?

[ab_grp]

Several school districts have shut back down in my area due to the rising infection rates. 

[AvidReader]

Thanks, Puget and secundem_artem! I am grateful for the feedback & the link.

AR.

[AmLitHist]

K-12 in the city (and many in the county) where I work shut down for this whole holiday week because numbers are rising.

I know was complaining about my booster, and I shouldn't have.  I'm very glad to have gotten it, and I'm fortunate to have a light F2F teaching schedule for the remaining couple of weeks and for the spring.  I'm hoping all of us--IRL and those friends here on the Fora--will remain safe and healthy!

ALHS got his booster Sunday and feels fine.  I'm glad.

[Anon1787]

With news about the Omicron variant and spikes with the Delta variant even among the highly vaccinated, does your university have good contingency plans in the event of the situation getting much worse? At my university requiring proof of vaccination (but not a booster as of yet) and masks plus a lot of hope seem to be the extent of the plan.