‘Living with covid’

[TweenTrauma]

Just wondering if this is it now? Since all restrictions were dropped the cases in my area have gone absolutely crazy. Schools having to close year groups due to staff shortages, and just about everyone I know either having it or recently had it in their household. Myself included, for the 2nd time in 6 months.

I can only imagine cases are going to soar even higher with the imminent end of free testing.

I totally get we’re all sick to the back teeth of covid, and I’m not a supporter of restrictions and lockdowns, but I hate to say that it’s all looking a bit grim. People may not be getting seriously ill, generally speaking, but for many it’s a virus nasty enough to put you on your ass for a week or two. With so many reinfections at the moment I’m also not holding out too much hope for the herd immunity theory, because it just doesn’t seem to be happening from what I’m seeing. It seems quite common for people to be getting it 2-3 months after the last time which is kinda alarming when it makes you ill enough to disrupt everything in your life (and if like me you’re self employed so aren’t well enough to earn any money).

It’s just dawned on me that this could well be it now, just constantly taking turns with covid every few months. I know other bugs existed before covid, but I can’t remember the last time I was ill before covid came along, not for quite a few years.

Sorry for the depressing thread, I’m just lying in the bath with my lungs on fire feeling a bit bleak.

I always thought it was odd that the U.K. were panned all the time on here when they were doing much more than most countries on certain measures.

Ultimately I'm not sure what difference any of it made, post vaccination at least. Everyone ended up riding the same waves at slightly different times.

@Yesiknowyes sorry I acknowledged your 2month chest infection and ongoing shortness of breath you mentioned with compassion. I will slate posters quicker next time/tell you to man/woman up and get over yourself if it helps.
Thank you for assuming we were cushty furloughed. No furlough here and also key workers thanks. I’m not going to get into competitive who had it worse/lost the most through covid as I don’t want to write it down thanks.
Having worked with Asian countries where they do get less staff sickness despite being discouraged to work due to pre covid mask wearing when sick and cultural requirements. But I can see I’m on the wrong thread totally. Time for another name change 😂

@DiamondCushion
In the honest, nice and kind world… I would like to stay in bed and recover from my nasty chest infection. And to not infect people with something that was (personally for me) much harder to recover from than covid. But my bills are nearly twice higher now, and my children need to eat and also my organisation doesn’t have enough money to pay everyone to stay home for every viral infection. I see covid is no different. I can’t see it in any other light, but realistic.

@Lilaclavenders

And privately educated families worrying about missing holidays isn't exactly a huge 'worry' is it?

It is for the people relying on the money they would spend on holiday for their own livelihoods.

Living with Covid didn't work out so well for my relative two weeks ago. They died. They had a terminal illness but Covid meant they died far sooner than they should have.

@EveryCloudIsGrey

Living with Covid didn't work out so well for my relative two weeks ago. They died. They had a terminal illness but Covid meant they died far sooner than they should have.

So sorry to read this. It is a worry. My dh is CEV, trying to carry on as normal but I think he realizes now it is inevitable he is going to get it once it becomes so widespread.

@IcedPurple

If the government accepts it's not going away and it's just going to be out there, then it needs to put in mitigating measures so that public services are not affected by high levels of sickness.

What 'mitigations' would you like to see, and what evidence is there that these 'mitigations' would be effective? This virus is now so transmissible that it's doubtful anything short of a full lockdown would have much effect.

I would like to see additional funding for supply staff in schools for starters. My daughter has sometimes had up to half her lessons in a week covered with multiple collapsed classes in the school because so many staff have been off sick.

I would like to see additional funding for supply staff in schools for starters. My daughter has sometimes had up to half her lessons in a week covered with multiple collapsed classes in the school because so many staff have been off sick.

Have they been 'off sick' or off isolating?

And additional funding for school staff isn't really a 'mitigation', nor is it something that can be magicked up just like that.

If you are CEV get yourself some FFP2 masks and wear those if you cannot avoid public spaces.

It shouldn't have to be this way but it seems that you cannot rely on everyone else to keep you safe so this is the best thing to do.

@EveryCloudIsGrey sorry for your loss.

Covid won’t be as disruptive anymore.. for the majority, it’s a mild to moderate illness. May need a short period off work. But going forwards, we’ll treat it like any other illness. If poorly, stay home. If we’ll enough to do life, off your go. You won’t know if it’s covid. Which will be helpful in schools. DDs teacher said it was really frustrating earlier this month to be stuck at home for 10 days when she felt fine after 4.

I’ve had covid 3 times. It’s been milder each time. I was basically asymptomatic on the 3rd go. That’ll be a likely progression for most people as your body recognises the virus & responds faster.

I’ve been left with parosmia from infection no.2. It’s shit & depressing, I love food & now it mostly tastes like rotten meat. But it is what it is. It’ll get better in time hopefully. Helpful for a diet 🙈

@Daqqe that does sound awful! I have found that since I had covid the last time smells don’t smell the same, it’s like I have one generic smell now that is the same for anything bad - horse shit, people shit, farts, bins - they all smell the same and it’s a smell that didn’t exist for me before covid.

Hopefully you’re right about it getting milder each time, seems to be the case for me, I’m still pretty useless this time but I could barely lift my head off the pillow for a week last time and at least I’m able to potter around this time.

"Covid won’t be as disruptive anymore.. for the majority, it’s a mild to moderate illness. May need a short period off work. But going forwards, we’ll treat it like any other illness. If poorly, stay home. If we’ll enough to do life, off your go. You won’t know if it’s covid. Which will be helpful in schools."
On the contrary. It's precisely because people won't know if it's Covid that means people will stay off with something they might otherwise have struggled in with. Just because there are some people out there who don't care if they infect others, there are still plenty of people with a conscience.
Plus this

OP YANBU to feel the way you do.

One way of showing your disapproval of the government mismanagement is via the ballot box, in May if you have an election. Tory defeats might focus the mind of the government, and perhaps push the Tories to replace Mr Johnson with a less incompetent leader.

OP - I feel exactly the same. I realised reinfections were going to be high a few months back and was told I was lying as I explained that lots of people had been infected twice and sometimes three times. It is depressing. In my job as a teacher it is particularly depressing as staff and children are off on a permanent carousel. And they do get ill - I’d be less depressed if I saw a pattern of milder illnesses each time but there is no pattern so no predictability.

I know others won’t wear masks for my sake but I will continue to wear N95s in crowded places (like school assembly and the school dining room) and would really hope teachers (who want it) are prioritised for the booster this time. I’ve seen some people really struggle with Covid and Long Covid and don’t fancy it looming over me as the vaccine wanes. I do think ventilation in schools should be improved too. Axing the useless HS2 and diverting more money would be a start.

@balalake

OP YANBU to feel the way you do.

One way of showing your disapproval of the government mismanagement is via the ballot box, in May if you have an election. Tory defeats might focus the mind of the government, and perhaps push the Tories to replace Mr Johnson with a less incompetent leader.

God knows the man’s incompetent, but his incompetence isn’t the reason there is a lot of covid around at the moment. It is all over the world.

I’m in Australia and my state is going through a big BA.2 wave. It’s disruptive and as one of the ‘reliable’ child free employees that has yet to catch Covid or be a close contact it’s exhausting. We also have usual cheeky fuckers taking sick leave for non Covid reasons.

On the other hand out of over 30,000 active cases in the state there is only one person on a ventilator. That’s actually pretty great.

Masks go here before Easter and while some people are scared I think it’s going to be fine and personally can’t wait. My office is still doing the ridiculous no mask at your desk but wear a mask to walk around the office routine. I’m counting down the days for it to be over.

The one thing I’m going to be doing different this year is get a flu vaccine. I don’t usually get one but it seems very sensible in the current climate.

‘ I’ve had covid 3 times. It’s been milder each time. I was basically asymptomatic on the 3rd go. That’ll be a likely progression for most people as your body recognises the virus & responds faster. ’

That isn’t a universal experience. My daughter has had it twice, it was much worse the second time round.
My son, who usually gets over things very quickly is still suffering from exhaustion 2 weeks on.

Not to mention the fact they’ll be no more boosters now and it could easily mutate into something more worrying.

[quote Yesiknowyes]@DiamondCushion
I’ve had NON COVID cheat infection for 2 months. I wanted for it to be covid, just for it to be legitimate so to speak. But no one cared. I still can’t breath properly. Would you like a lockdown for my kind of a chest infection?[/quote]
This reminds me of some really bad colds I’ve had pre Covid. Ended up at work with coughing fits so bad I’d vomit sometimes but you can’t miss work every time you’ve got a cold and a post viral cough. If someone returns to my office post Covid with the same cough now I’m sure they’d be described as ‘terribly sick with post Covid symptoms’.

If I’m honest right now I’m almost hoping for a mild Covid case so I can use some sick leave and have a break from doing everyone else’s work while they’re off. It’s still 7 days mandated isolation where I am if you’re positive. We’re meant to work from home if we don’t have symptoms anymore but I’ll be taking every day I can’t leave the house as a sick day.

@bluetongue, "We also have usual cheeky fuckers taking sick leave for non Covid reasons."

What do you mean by this? Why shouldn't someone take sick leave for a reason that's not Covid.

@CallmeHendricks

"Covid won’t be as disruptive anymore.. for the majority, it’s a mild to moderate illness. May need a short period off work. But going forwards, we’ll treat it like any other illness. If poorly, stay home. If we’ll enough to do life, off your go. You won’t know if it’s covid. Which will be helpful in schools." On the contrary. It's precisely because people won't know if it's Covid that means people will stay off with something they might otherwise have struggled in with. Just because there are some people out there who don't care if they infect others, there are still plenty of people with a conscience. Plus this

And the ability to continue paying for bills and food even if they don't go into work.

[quote CallmeHendricks]@bluetongue, "We also have usual cheeky fuckers taking sick leave for non Covid reasons."

What do you mean by this? Why shouldn't someone take sick leave for a reason that's not Covid.[/quote]
I mean these are two people in the office that take more sick leave than anyone else and always for a different reason. They’re both on the same team and the poor remaining person on that team is stressed out of her mind when the worst of the two offenders is lucky if she’s in half the time.

This is civil service (Australian version) and it seems almost impossible to get of such people who would have been let go long ago in the private sector.

We’ve all worked with someone like that. It’s the last thing you want in a workplace already stretched thin from Covid absences.

@EveryCloudIsGrey so sorry for your loss

@Babyroobs I sympathise as I'm also CEV. I wear a FFP3 mask in situations where I feel at risk, obviously this may not be possible for your DH but they make me feel a lot safer.

Yes it does seem very random as to whether the next time you get it will be milder. That’s my experience, although I’m now on day 6 of feeling like I’m really not capable of doing a lot at all, so it’s still had a big effect on my life. DD2 had it when we all did in September and she just had a very slight cough, otherwise fine, but when she had it again a month ago she was pretty unwell/feverish for a good 6 days before she started picking up again.

My anecdotal experience (at school) is that people are feeling more unwell with this one and people with excellent work ethics and attendance records previously, who have always staggered into work regardless of diagnosis, are needing at least a week to return.