To actively want to be infected and get Covid out of the way...

[treeflowercat]

This might sound crazy but I'd actually quite like to get Covid over the next few weeks.

I'm triple jabbed and have never had it (even though everyone in my house has) but I hate the anxiety of planning events and holidays knowing that an infection could ruin them (a colleague recently had to postpone their long planned trip abroad due to a positive Covid test.

I also hate the feeling that I may be infected (without knowing it even after a negative LFT) when visiting my elderly parents, especially when staying with them for a few days.

I know that getting infected won't give me immunity forever, but I'd likely be at extremely low risk of infection over the spring and summer if I got Omicron now... That would be a massive relief to me.

I know I could get it severely but that's extremely unlikely, and I could get long Covid, but all in all, i'm very unlikely never to get Covid so it seems far better for me to get now and to isolate with what will probably just be a cold now in January when I've got little planned, than run the gauntlet over the spring/summer with all the anxiety this will cause.

All things considered it seems a rational weighing up of the risks, but I'm sure not everyone will see it that way.... Am I crazy?

@Blubells

According to US epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding, an Omicron reinfection is certainly possible if the first Omicron infection was of a 'low-dose' that did not stimulate the immune system enough.

That guy is a nutter

That guy is a nutter

Why?

[quote Blubells]@LyndaLaHughes

Your link actually offers conflicting evidence. The following sentence is a direct quote from your linked article:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-do-vaccines-protect-better-than-infection-induced-immunity

The Israeli study found that “natural immunity confers longer lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease, and hospitalization caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 [than] the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccine-induced immunity.”[/quote]
You've conveniently missed out the explainer for that part.
The most up to date evidence is that natural immunity alone is NOT better than vaccine induced immunity.

Also a study published in December, by researchers from Imperial College London, concluded that the protection against Omicron, if you have had a prior Covid infection ‘may be as low as 19 per cent’. A course of vaccines — the double dose plus the booster — on the other hand, offers something like 75 per cent protection.

The infographic on the link below provides a clear overview of natural immunity v vaccine acquired immunity.
*
"Likely that for must people vaccination will induce more effective and longer-lasting immunity compared to natural infection"* (British Society of Immunology)

www.immunology.org/coronavirus/connect-coronavirus-public-engagement-resources/covid-immunity-infection-vaccine

www.devon.gov.uk/news/study-shows-vaccine-immunity-is-stronger-than-natural-immunity/?amp=1

I know I could get it severely but that's extremely unlikely, and I could get long Covid

Fiddledeedee!

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/12/long-covid-wife-suicide-give-others-hope

@treeflowercat

This might sound crazy but I'd actually quite like to get Covid over the next few weeks.

I'm triple jabbed and have never had it (even though everyone in my house has) but I hate the anxiety of planning events and holidays knowing that an infection could ruin them (a colleague recently had to postpone their long planned trip abroad due to a positive Covid test.

I also hate the feeling that I may be infected (without knowing it even after a negative LFT) when visiting my elderly parents, especially when staying with them for a few days.

I know that getting infected won't give me immunity forever, but I'd likely be at extremely low risk of infection over the spring and summer if I got Omicron now... That would be a massive relief to me.

I know I could get it severely but that's extremely unlikely, and I could get long Covid, but all in all, i'm very unlikely never to get Covid so it seems far better for me to get now and to isolate with what will probably just be a cold now in January when I've got little planned, than run the gauntlet over the spring/summer with all the anxiety this will cause.

All things considered it seems a rational weighing up of the risks, but I'm sure not everyone will see it that way.... Am I crazy?

This comes from a place of extreme privilege, really. You're suggesting that you are an example of perfect health; you have access to health services whenever you require them; you don't have anyone that depends upon you; you have sufficient resources to see you through a period of ill health; and you are vaccinated, unlike many millions around the globe. The fact you are even considering such a thing shows the advantages you inherently have. A person in a third-world country would likely never take such a risk as their earning potential could be lost - let alone their life - and then what would happen to their family?

Your post reeks of moral, ethical, and cultural tone-deafness.

[quote treeflowercat]@Flaxmeadow

I appreciate that it's "possible" to get re-infected in a shorter timeframe if the precise circumstances align (slight initial infection followed by very heavy subsequent exposure coupled with innate susceptibility), in the same way it's "possible" for a fit and healthy person will die from Covid even after vaccination, but as the article you linked stated, omicron is similar in this regard to other variants. And given there have been 10s of millions of omicron infections, some re-infection exceptions aren't surprising.

It's all about probabilities... Nothing is certain, but an infection now would dramatically reduce my chances of a further omicron infection over the next six months or so.[/quote]
You go girl.

Novel virus with unknown long term effects.

COVID affects your blood vessels (can cause PE, Stroke, myocarditis)
COVID can cause reinfection
Long COVID (auto immune disorders)
Studies showing neurological compromise

How will these affect the children and their future?

Yeah, remember those who advocated for herd immunity because it's criminally stupid.

This is frightening how do we protect our children if we are unable to vaccinate them?

[quote milkyaqua]I know I could get it severely but that's extremely unlikely, and I could get long Covid

Fiddledeedee!

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/12/long-covid-wife-suicide-give-others-hope[/quote]
That's a sobering read.... and out of all the posts on this thread the one that has given me most pause for the thought regarding my attitude to catching Covid.

@Dishhh

Yes, I recognise I am privileged to be able to have posted what I did, and I'm sorry in that I can see how that would have pissed off those who aren't as privileged from a health or economic perspective.

@RenGreen

This is frightening how do we protect our children if we are unable to vaccinate them?

I believe the risks for those under 12 are very low indeed - RSV and flu are comparable risks - hence why they aren't being vaccinated.

I don't think being "frightened" is a proportionate response. Besides, around 3/4s of children have already been infected based on estimates.

Fiona Denison
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/8261147/fiona-denison-covid-suicide/

Last summer Dh and dc got delta but I didn't. I was going to see my parents abroad and hoped that I would get the delta so no cancellation of the plan and also it would be safer to see my elderly parents. But no luck I didn't get it but the trip went fine.

RSV and Flu are low risk? How do you know that?

Polio can lead to post polio syndrome
Rheumatic Heart Fever

Epstein Barr Virus to MS www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abj8222

[quote All4Love]RSV and Flu are low risk? How do you know that?

Polio can lead to post polio syndrome
Rheumatic Heart Fever

Epstein Barr Virus to MS www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abj8222[/quote]
They are risks we live with for us and our children, and shouldn't be "frightened" about. Living a life full or anxiety and fear isn't much of a life.

Being frightened is a valid response other wise there is no fight and flight body mechanism.

There are numerous evidence that people can get reinfected beyond the 90 days.

There's a current thread where posters have recently been reinfected.

Also, talk of their LFTs continuing to show as positive still weeks later. If a child requires a negative LFT as evidence for an event or whatever, then I'm not sure what they would do if LFTs are not negative.

This was my point earlier. It's not necessarily fear of the virus, it's the disruption and inconvenience.

You might be all set for an event, but the staff might not be, or there might be an outbreak at a hotel etc, so the event gets cancelled anyway, or a child has to isolate due to school, or classes in school are impacted. Contracting Covid is no guarantee your plans - or even your kids' schooling - will be on track because this doesn't just impact you.

@All4Love

Being frightened is a valid response other wise there is no fight and flight body mechanism.

There are numerous evidence that people can get reinfected beyond the 90 days.

Fear should be proportionate to risk. If fear dominates life - and there's always something you 'could' be fearful of - then it's a dysfunctional and sad life.

Quite sad to see the level of fear on this thread. Plus so much ‘can lead to’ ‘may lead to’.

It’s just a basic lack of accurate risk assessment and as a result a sorry state of a life lead in fear. For what is a mild illness for most.

I asked what steps people were taking to avoid infection as I’m interested to know the levels of restrictions people are putting on themselves now we have had three vaccinations. Other than avoid crowded places and ventilation there’s no answer. What does avoid crowded places mean? You’ll never go on public transport? To the theatre? To a gig/ a restaurant. How sad.

By the same measure I’m sure the OP isn’t going to go out and lick infected peoples faces. She probably will just live her life as normal and not worry too much if she gets Covid. Which sounds sensible to me.

Do some people still think they will avoid this every year? Do you think Covid will be a problem for our children growing up (it won’t)?. We don’t need to protect them from anything. There’s a reason we are not currently vaccinating under 11s. Most of them have had it anyway.

I don't live in fear despite DH being ECV and me having pre existing conditions. We are going about just lives as normal as it can be. We are however taking precautions such as DH WFH and still masking up and keeping our distance in queues etc.
I don't want any of us to get COVID because of the unknown about it but that is not living in fear.

My husband and kids had COVID in the summer, they now have it again but are totally asymptomatic. I didn’t get it in the summer and I’m miserable with COVID symptoms. Presumably we have Omicron now and it was delta in the summer.

I’m with you OP. We’re all going to get it anyway, I’m glad we have it now as we’re unlikely to get it again before we go skiing in a couple of months

Weird how taking sensible precautions, like wearing masks in stores and on public transport, is seen as 'living in fear'

Nobody said that. Wearing masks in certain places is the law so no, I don’t see that as living in fear. That has little impact on my life so I’m happy to wear a mask when I go in a shop. (For all the good it does when I can equally spend hours unmasked in a pub).

I’m asking what other ways people are avoiding infection other than the current rules.

Delatron

You've accused people posting about the long term effects of covid infection/repeated infection of 'living in fear'. What makes you think those of us pisting this are 'living in fear'? What do you think we do? Sit in an air filtered bunker 24 hours a day?

*posting