Coronavirus

[Puget]

Things have definitely turned to corner now both in my state and on my campus. The campus test positivity rate has dropped from a high of nearly 8% a couple of weeks ago (when it was mostly just faculty, staff and grad students being tested) to 2% this week, even with many undergrad students moving back in (we are remote for the first 2 weeks of classes, but students can move back any time in there).

I do somewhat suspect that a lot of those positive PCR tests from early January were picking up prior rather than current infections, since most people hadn't been PCR tested since the semester ended at that point. The amount of routine PCR testing on campuses and other major employers around here makes me wonder if that didn't distort the rates a bit, with a holiday lull in those tests followed by everyone getting a read-out of several weeks of possible infections all at once.

[apl68]

An estimated 3% of our state's population have active infections.  Almost a quarter have had some variety of COVID.  At least fatal infections are now far less common.

Still no new tests to hand out at the library today.  The State Librarian tells us that libraries' cooperation in getting the tests out has gained us a good deal of goodwill.  That's good, I know, but I still wish we could do more to help people needing COVID test kits than simply give them directions on how to order tests online.

[apl68]

Found out today that our pastor got COVID late last week, it has now turned into pneumonia, and he has been sent to a hospital in a neighboring county, since there were no beds available here.  Very concerned about him.  He has been fully vaccinated for some time now and has advocated vaccination.  But it has still gotten him.

[namazu]

Found out today that our pastor got COVID late last week, it has now turned into pneumonia, and he has been sent to a hospital in a neighboring county, since there were no beds available here.  Very concerned about him.  He has been fully vaccinated for some time now and has advocated vaccination.  But it has still gotten him.

Ugh.  :(

The omicron variant has been getting to many, many vaccinated and boosted people (including, recently, my next-door neighbors), but on average, they do a whole lot better than unvaccinated folks (both in staying out of the hospital and also in faring better in the hospital if admitted). 

I wish your pastor a speedy and complete recovery of body and of spirit.

[mamselle]

Agreed.

All good thoughts...to you, to him, and to the congregation.

M.

[Parasaurolophus]

We got our boosters today, a couple months ahead of schedule. Moderna.

So far, I have nothing much to write home about. I had a brief spell of heartburn, but it was brief (for the first dose, which was Pfizer, I had bad heartburn for days; for dose 2, which was Moderna, I had the worst heartburn of my life, and it lasted weeks and only went away with a proton pump inhibitor).

[Caracal]

Found out today that our pastor got COVID late last week, it has now turned into pneumonia, and he has been sent to a hospital in a neighboring county, since there were no beds available here.  Very concerned about him.  He has been fully vaccinated for some time now and has advocated vaccination.  But it has still gotten him.

Ugh.  :(

The omicron variant has been getting to many, many vaccinated and boosted people (including, recently, my next-door neighbors), but on average, they do a whole lot better than unvaccinated folks (both in staying out of the hospital and also in faring better in the hospital if admitted). 

Yeah, the anecdotal reports I've seen from doctors are that they are admitting some vaccinated elderly people to hospitals but compared to previous waves, most of these people are in much better shape. They just need some fluids and supplemental oxygen and they can usually go home in a day or two. Hope that turns out to be the case here.

[Puget]

Found out today that our pastor got COVID late last week, it has now turned into pneumonia, and he has been sent to a hospital in a neighboring county, since there were no beds available here.  Very concerned about him.  He has been fully vaccinated for some time now and has advocated vaccination.  But it has still gotten him.

Ugh.  :(

The omicron variant has been getting to many, many vaccinated and boosted people (including, recently, my next-door neighbors), but on average, they do a whole lot better than unvaccinated folks (both in staying out of the hospital and also in faring better in the hospital if admitted). 

Yeah, the anecdotal reports I've seen from doctors are that they are admitting some vaccinated elderly people to hospitals but compared to previous waves, most of these people are in much better shape. They just need some fluids and supplemental oxygen and they can usually go home in a day or two. Hope that turns out to be the case here.

Boosters are key-- new data shows ~90% efficacy of boosters against hospitalization in all age groups.

[apl68]

Our pastor is still in the hospital.  He has made some progress, and has not been in desperate shape.

A staff member who had COVID last week has now recovered.  It was her second bout as well.  She had much less trouble with this variant.

[hmaria1609]

Into the newsroom:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2022/01/moderna-announces-full-us-approval-for-its-covid-19-vaccine/
Posted on WTOP Radio 1/31/22

[apl68]

Our pastor is still in the hospital.  He has made some progress, and has not been in desperate shape.

He came home yesterday!  He's weak and had to bring home supplementary oxygen, although he isn't using a lot of it.  At this point it looks like a case of "long COVID."

[namazu]

Our pastor is still in the hospital.  He has made some progress, and has not been in desperate shape.

He came home yesterday!  He's weak and had to bring home supplementary oxygen, although he isn't using a lot of it.  At this point it looks like a case of "long COVID."

Very glad and relieved to hear it.  Hope his condition continues to improve.



I am anxiously awaiting the outcome of the upcoming FDA meeting re: the 2-dose vaccine for young kids (6 months to <5 years).

[hmaria1609]

Four state governors announce plans to end school mask mandates:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2022/02/governor-ending-new-jerseys-school-mask-mandate/
From WTOP Radio online 2/7/22

[apl68]

COVID continues to spoil things for people.  We have a local cancer charity that raises funds to assist cancer patients with various incidental needs.  They also hold an annual cancer survivors' banquet.  For two years in a row now the "banquet" has been a drive-through event where each participant gets what amounts to a boxed lunch.  Necessary, of course--recent cancer survivors are some of the last people who need to risk undue exposure to COVID.  But what a shame.

[hmaria1609]

Today, Gov. Hogan asked the MD State Board of Ed. to end the mask policy:
https://wtop.com/maryland/2022/02/hogan-asks-md-board-of-education-to-end-mask-policy/
From WTOP online 2/10/22