Third time covid positive since July

[alpenguin]

I can’t actually believe it. This is my third time with covid since July this year. Each spaced out around 6 weeks. I only just got my booster but it won’t have had time to work. Fingers crossed it does something as I’m not sure I can tolerate the antivirals again.

If Society are happy to support me being persistently ill without putting the fear of god into me with government assessments then I’ll accept society’s desire for the clinically vulnerable like me to stay at home. Then they can all continue get each other sick every few months.

Otherwise I need to work to support my family and cannot afford to keep catching this “just a little cold” that has permanently damaged my heart and lungs, left me with extreme fatigue and now floors me with acute symptoms due to a new variant every 6 or so weeks.

I’m going to lose my job and no one will take me on. I know those telling me it’s my responsibility, as someone with a medically suppressed immune system to keep away from people, are the same who’d call me a scrounger if I claimed sickness benefits to survive and support my kids.

I just wish people had some consideration for others. I wish people understood what it’s like being considered collateral damage so they can go to work and spread their germs freely. My life is clearly worth nothing. I hope someone explains that to my kids when this disease finally kills me.

I totally agree that mask wearing when you are out and about while ill should be the norm and a common courtesy- maybe even a rule!

But no-one is suggesting you isolate or wear a mask if you are symptomless or even test if you are ill. I

t is however polite and considerate to wear a mask if you have even mild cold or flu symptoms and are going out where people are gathered for any reason . You might even consider wearing a mask for a few days or a week after recovering from a flu like illness . You could even avoid crowded indoor spaces if you have mild cold or flu symptom whenever possible, or wear a mask when you can't. This would barely restrict your life at all and if everyone did at least this, then maybe things would not be so bad

A member of staff I work with was off with Covid last week .. it floored him ..

There are 2 problems which means people will continue to work.

ssp is woefully inadequate- very few have decent sick pay policy

secondly those on Zero hours contracts don’t even get that ..

sorry you are struggling 💐

@alpenguin "If Society are happy to support me being persistently ill without putting the fear of god into me with government assessments then I’ll accept society’s desire for the clinically vulnerable like me to stay at home. Then they can all continue get each other sick every few months."

But that wouldn't solve it OP as you have a partner and kids who presumably would carry on mixing so may bring covid back into the home.

I agree people should wear masks in public spaces if they are unwell, but I think you will struggle to impose this in schools. I also feel everyone should be able to access the covid jabs rather than just the elderly/clinically vulnerable/their carers. However presumably the Government/NHS have done some cost benefit analysis and decided it's not worth giving it to everyone! We should be given the opportunity to buy one, like you can with the flu jab. Apart from this I'm not sure there's much more that can be done.

I'm sorry that it feels you are permanently ill with covid and having to take time off, it's definitely worse for some people unfortunately. If you're immunosuppressed and have a disability you will be covered by the Equality Act. So you have protection from unfair treatment from your employer relating to your medical condition, subsequent sickness leave and they should be understanding. In reality I know this isn't always the case with some employers.

It is the vaccines and boosters you are pumping yourself with!!!

No vaccine here. Covid once which amounted to a cold. Mild and that...

You are screwing your immune system!!!

Yanbu. It's grim.
We vaccinate and understand the side effects of flu and can manage bad colds.
But covid is just left to trickle around society left right and centre with very few attempts to stop it or concern about long term vascular effects.

I’m really sorry you’re having a rough time. Genuinely. If you have an immune condition it’s that really that’s the problem isn’t it? I wish covid hadn’t happened and it’s obviously made things harder for you as it’s a new and additional illness to deal with. But it has and wishing things were different won’t make it so. I followed all covid rules but I am glad to not be following them any more. The rules also had a huge negative impact on people including children who were mostly low risk.

I hope you’re feeling better soon.

Also CEV, immune suppressed and work a zero hours contract with no sick pay. Somehow have managed to dodge it (unless I’ve had it and been with no symptoms). Re; Metatone (b vits and iron) I’ve always used it when run down and pharmacy told me it was ok with the immune suppression. I also use Vicks First Defence or Boots equivalent as soon as I feel ropey. Hope you feel better soon x

@grayhairdontcare sorry I meant not normal in that impact on health, education, mental health, workforce, economy etc is not normal. This much short term illness is not normal. The longer term impacts on people's lives and health is not normal. Maximising the spread so much that we shrug and exclude swathes of people from society is not normal. Pushing more people into poverty as they can no longer work as a direct result of covid infection is not normal. This is mandated infection and it is far from normal.

OP: do you want everyone to go back to daily, or at least 3x/week testing?
Because covid can be passed on by people who are completely asymptomatic. It seems likely you can't be sure that the persons who gave you C19 so many times had any symptoms at the time.

In last 3.5 years I've had only one symptomatic 'cold-like' illness, about 8 weeks ago, very mild, lasted about 3 days. So apols if it was me gave C19 to you. Do you want everyone with symptoms like mine to test &/or isolate, just in case?

I'm assuming you also don't have any long-term health conditions and aren't immunosuppressed 🙄 In which case it's easy to say leave it to your immune system to fight. More vulnerable people would be in hospital if everyone followed this advice.

Can you find a job working at home? Reducing the chances of you catching it? Although appreciate kids carry germs back home and you can’t stop them participating in activities so hard to avoid ‘the public’ all the time.
Even pre Covid I had a partner with a suppressed immune system due to other medication/illness and it was a never ending cycle of catching cold/flu and it was really hard for him. He had a lot of time off sick but had a supportive employer fortunately.