Elderly mother in care home has just tested positive, one week after the vaccine - all advice gratefully received!

[loveyouradvice]

I just learnt this afternoon that my mum, now 83, has tested positive. She's feeling unwell and is a bit disorientated so the care home gave her a test, in addition to their weekly one. She doesn't have a temperature. And did have the vaccine a week ago, when I breathed a huge sigh of relief...

I'm so hoping that the vaccine, although I know it doesn't come into effect until two or three weeks after its given, is offering her some protection? Anyone know or have any experience?

And what else might be helpful for me to do? The care home monitor her temperature and fluids and give lots of TLC - though I suspect that will reduce a bit with her being positive.

I'm going to top up her Vitamin D .... any other thoughts?

And love to know if you know what other care homes have done for their residents with Covid....

So sorry, that’s awful.
I know this is not ‘flu! But one thing that stuck with me from the Christopher Eccleston narrated documentary about the 1918/19 ‘flu pandemic was that, despite not having the treatments available to us today, those who took to their beds and stayed there had a far higher recovery rate than those who tried to soldier on. I don’t know, but they’re both viruses, so I would suggest bedrest , bedrest and more bedrest plus fluids. Keeping calm and carrying on as many of her generation are wont to do just doesn’t apply now.
💐

That's so lovely ... yes rest rest and more rest!

But move out of bed frequently to avoid blood clots, which covid makes you more susceptible to.

Yes, very good point. Maybe some support stockings, like the ones they give you when you’ve had surgery. Amazon stocks them for next day delivery (if her home doesn’t have them?)

Kakfor that's wonderful... so very glad for you

And Jeremy I didnt know that - thanks

Yes movement is important with COVID.

My Grandmother is 94 and tested positive in her nursing home last week. She's currently stable in hospital but didn't go for the covid, it was because she developed Pneumonia on top! Bed rest, fluids, and occasional exercise is how they've been managing positive cases.

Lots and lots of rest, even on her good days, interspersed with a little bit of moving around.
JVT said (paraphrasing) that the vaccine take up to 3 weeks to kick in, but it can be seen to be taken effect after 8 days. Also, he talked about a couple of cases in trials when vaccinated patients went on to contract Covid in the week after vaccination, although they were poorly, they had good outcomes.
I do think that at the end of the day, however bad Covid is, it is a virus. And like any virus, it hits us when we fight it, so yes, rest and lots of it and fluids too.
I wish you both well

Can you send her some really delicious drinks/real fruit juice to encourage her to keep her fluids up?

good thinking bazookas`...... there are some she likes! Havent been in her room for almost a year so no idea what she's been drinking and she can't tell me whether her tastes have changed but Ill give it a go.....

Could the vaccine have caused a positive test if taken so soon after it?

@Hugoslavia

Could the vaccine have caused a positive test if taken so soon after it?

I don't think that's possible

My understanding is not too....

According to Gupta Lab in Cambridge, vaccine is not eliciting an effective antibody response in approximately 50% of people of the over 80s they tested. Single dose wasn’t enough for them.

twitter.com/guptar_lab/status/1350131626240598019?s=21

Thank you ClimbDad very intesting ... and also exposes my main worry at the moment - that my Mum is fighting double the virus - the one she's contracted and the one that's being manufactured by her own cells in response to the vaccine 6/7 days earlier.

I'm going to top up her Vitamin D

I suspect you will need to ask her GP to prescribe this. Care home staff won't be allowed to administer medications without a prescription, and vitamins are usually included in that. Surgical stockings too, depending on the staff.

I really hope your mum is okay

@loveyouradvice

Thank you ClimbDad very intesting ... and also exposes my main worry at the moment - that my Mum is fighting double the virus - the one she's contracted and the one that's being manufactured by her own cells in response to the vaccine 6/7 days earlier.

But she isn’t manufacturing any virus as a result of the vaccine. That’s impossible. The vaccine makes her develop antibodies to the vaccine. Antibodies are good.

The virus itself also makes the body develop antibodies, but as hopefully your DM already has a head start this will be better for her, not worse.