This was my post re covid and other viruses, in response to a question about covid and vulnerable people. I'm now just over a month on from this last bout of covid and definitely not fully recovered.
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Flu is generally less transmissible most years. I have a flu vaccine annually. I've only knowingly had flu once in my life, before I was classed as immunosuppressed. I know it can be asymptomatic so may have had it since but clearly not enough to be affected by it.
I've had plenty of colds. I teach little ones so come into contact with them lots, They may make me feel poorly for 3 or 4 days but generally not too bad. I might need a day or two off if it's a particular bad cold.
I've had pneumonia once, before I was diagnosed though would have been in early stages of developing my health condition. But not talking the medication. I was in hospital, had about 8 weeks off work and took nearly a year to be fully better. I now have the pneumonia vaccine.
Sickness bugs don't really affect me any worse than anyone else tbh, though obviously I try to avoid them. I wouldn't knowingly visit someone who had a tummy bug, though invariably I'm in contact via school. I do practise good hand hygiene though (always have pre covid) and I've always kept my spaces in school fairly clean too.
I've had covid twice now.
October 2020, pre vaccines. Was in hospital. Developed a complication which left me with a life long issue with blood pressure, which required two extra tablets daily for life. Never had any issues before covid with my blood pressure, but it affected me in that way so bad I had to be rushed there with a very real risk of imminent heart attack or stroke. Was off work for 7 weeks, under the long covid clinic still, some 16 months later.
Caught covid again last month. Now triple jabbed, I know when I caught it I did have some antibodies, as was tested at the time. Managed to get antiviral infusion on day 5. Felt dreadful for a week then the antivirals kicked in. Had 10 days off work then returned. It's been really hard though - I'm breathless and tired all the time, I get aches and pains in my chest, my heart races at times. On top of this I've not been able to take my arthritis medication for a month due to covid so I also have an arthritis flare up which makes the fatigue and pains worse. I was certainly less ill this time round, either due to vaccines or antivirals, or a combination of both, but even so I'm still nowhere near right.