Does anyone think about Covid anymore?

[ouchmyteeth]

Feels like measures have sort of.. disappeared. Virtually no precautions whatsoever anywhere these days , not even light measures

My CEV mum doesn’t even mention it or bother with a mask anymore.

It’s like it’s gone away but obviously it has not.

I have to work with people who have covid now, it’s just like any seasonal illness now that counts against your sickness record. People don’t want a disciplinary so if they’re well enough to work, you do, but just wear a mask. I think many people would be shocked at how many people they come into contact with now in shops etc who are actively infected.

DH and I are pensioners. Because of underlying health issues, we were both on the CEV/shielded list in 2020.

So, we were careful, and when available, had all the vaccines.

Life has moved on, so we weren't giving it much thought at all now - we saw it as just another thing that happened.

Sunday night, my DH was extremely unwell, and was taken by ambulance to hospital. He was tested and has Covid.

He's so ill the hospital don't think he will survive. He's now contracted hospital acquired pneumonia on top.

So, yes, I am thinking about it at the moment. 🙁

I am CV so I still think about it a lot. Because I've seen what it has done to the "healthy" members of my family and would prefer to avoid that if possible.

My 62yo Uncle had a full private health checkup via work in Jan '22. They did MRI scans, heart scans etc (he had a v well paying senior-ish role in a huge multinational corp so no expense spared). No cardiac issues at all. He got Covid a month later, then again four months after that. Developed heart failure and died in November. His specialist said it was caused by Covid, but that wasn't on his death cert.

My mother got Covid on a plane last summer, developed pneumonia, has been on antibiotics, steroids and inhalers ever since and her general health/mental state has gone way downhill.

My ex had severe Covid in April 2020 and ended up with neuro, kidney and optic nerve damage. He is still exhausted and had to close his s/e business down.

My 17yo had no sense of smell or taste for 18m and it is only back to 30% now. Sometimes food tastes like vomit, petrol or rotten to him.

All my kids have had it either 3 or 4 times now and I hate it. My 10yo is still coughing and tired after his bout in December! School refused to allow me to donate air filters for classrooms though (I have them at home and they work so well I haven't caught it from my kids yet).

I totally get that everyone wants to be back to normal, and for most it is like a crappy cold. But for some of us it has massively affected our lives and continues to do so.

Sending a handhold, @Zebedee55 - you and your husband will be in my thoughts.

We still think about it because my lovely father-in-law, my best friend, and two of DS's friends are CEV. FIL has managed to avoid it so far by continuing to shield as much as possible, but he has severe COPD and heart problems and has been told he would be unlikely to survive it. My best friend also has major heart problems and was extremely unwell when she caught it. We test before seeing either of them and will continue to do so.

Yes for vaccines and anti virals
Still immunocompromised so I get boosters and have had antivirals previously
I don't tend to say CEV, just that I'm immunocompromised

Thanks, I knew there were still some groups in that category but not that the CEV description was used, also that the number of the people in your situation was a lot less now due to the vaccine situ. I suspect a lot of people still describe themselves as CEV because they were in 2020, but actually aren’t any longer.

I wouldn’t be shocked at all. I had it for the second time 3 weeks ago. It presented just like a cold and I tested negative the first day. I only tested again the following day as I had tests nearing their expiry date and it was positive. Where if as it did with me, presents just like a cold, people won’t be thinking anything of it - especially if they (as I did) test negative at first!

People still think about covid, yes, but that doesn't necessarily look like observing 'light measures' (a controversial term) that we know didn't work on a societal level. You're right that the majority are no longer doing that part but YABU to conflate the two.

Yes, I do. I don't want to be infected every few months by a vascular virus which is known to cause autoimmune issues, brain damage etc.. We have no idea what the long-term effects of multiple Covid infections will be, so I'm still cautious. I wear an N95 in crowded indoor situations and have been able to adapt my life to living with sustained high transmission of Covid- no kids so it's probably easier for me. I'd like to carry on doing the things I enjoy for as long as possible before becoming chronically ill- exercise, walking holidays in the Alps etc...

I almost wish I didn't know so much about Covid and had let the government and media gaslight me into believing that it is now 'mild' and 'like the Flu' as I'd probably have a more exciting life!

Good points @Nutella22
No-one will listen if it doesn't affect THEM though, as I see from all the posts on here. :-(
I too wear N95's.

Nope, not at all, same as I don't think abouts colds, flu or any others bugs.

Only time I mention it, is when I show my proof of vaccination whilst checking in for flights (U.S), and that stops next month.

I tested a few days back as felt awful and didn't want to take Covid to the office. Was another lurgy. My mum still makes us test or keep our distance.

Yes, because it has impacted my health a lot. I had Covid last Feb, was fully vaccinated, not vulnerable, but was very poorly with it for 6 weeks, in hospital twice. Developed long Covid and asthma as a result, and unbeknownst to me and had been missed by multiple doctors and consultants, coronary heart disease. Only found out about that one when I had a heart attack a few weeks ago...at 35.

Along with the increased risk of stroke mentioned and life long respiratory problems, more and more evidence points to evidence or Covid causing or accelerating cardiac and vascular diseases. I read about one study that found people who had had Covid were 60% more likely to develop cardiac symptoms, even a year after infection. This was across age, sex and race.

You could become chronically ill with anything. 50% of us will develop cancer.

This. It's now up there with colds, flu and norovirus.

Not really, it is quite hard to get excited about it anymore.

Excited about?

You read all these tales of prolonged illness and death and use that term. You are an utterly disgusting person.

But this is the same for lots of illnesses - I had a gall bladder removal- I unfortunately had a major complication which has only a 1% chance of occurring- it does not mean that no-one else should have a gall bladder removed despite the hospital stays, pain and 7 weeks recovery I endured.

The lack of empathy by some on this thread is astonishing.

You might never think about it. Fair enough. But to not understand why others do…?

Yes.

I can't say too much without being too outing, but the two people I was closest to in the whole world were and are so terrified of Covid they have imposed their own extreme restrictions which have in turn impacted on our relationship.

It's irreparably fractured. We are still on talking terms but things have been done which can't be undone.

I understand their fear but I have never felt so hurt and alone in my life. It is a daily wound that doesn't heal.

Really sorry to hear that @Babdoc . My bro got a bad dose in March 2020. An awful month. And 3 years later he is much improved. He suffered fatigue and fever / palpitations for well over a year . Even modest exercise was tricky.

But there is hope as he can attest.

I am more careful now if I am ill. Better hand washing etc and won’t go to work with a cold. it has changed my life for the better. More appreciation of my friends and family. I can flexibly work from home now as previously I’m office. Better technology st work to save travel. But ….

I had Covid and had a tough time. I don’t want it again. Being in lockdown and living alone made me realise how important social interactions are and what I was missing in life. I missed out on a lot of things and people.

@User3456 thanks for sharing the petition, I was going to do the same.

The fact that around 30% of covid cases in hospital are hospital-acquired infections is staggering, I live in dread of me or anyone in my family ever needing any healthcare. Hospitals should be a safe space, can you imagine having a newborn in NICU and unmasked (potentially infected, or knowingly infected) staff treating them?

The country has completely lost the plot with regards to public health.

Is there a reason you're living like a recluse?

@Zebedee55 I'm so sorry to hear your husband is ill, I guess that's the whole point of this thread- you don't think about Covid until something happens to make you think about Covid and your situation illustrates that. Hope he is ok.

People never think they will be the one (to get something, to have something bad happen). We have been the one several times in my family and it's always such a shock.

I don't mean we should live in a state of fear, I don't and I have post-Covid fatigue. Just that the state of things can change very quickly.