COVID-19 as a Health Issue

[Coriolis]

I'm surprised we don't have a thread for this already. The focus here is the medical/health aspects of coronavirus: if you had it, what was it like and how did you handle it? If you have had a vaccine, how did it go? Which one did you get, and did you have any side effects? Have you lost anyone due to COVID? Please save political and public health concerns for the appropriate threads in Politics.

I'll start. I had dose 1 of the Moderna vaccine last week. The only side effect was soreness at the injection site for several days, which is longer than for a flu shot. My INTP had the Pfizer vaccine one week earlier. He complained of fatigue for 2 days after getting it. I'll post again after we have received the second dose.

 

[Totenkindly]

I had never tested positive for COVID, after a test in June 2020 and one in February.

I had the Moderna shot #1 on Friday. The shot itself was over before I knew it.

The next day I had a bit of pain at the injection site. Over the next few days I felt a little more pain in my arm which went away. I also had a touch of nausea and general fatigue which seemed to get better by the 3-4th day.

I lost a coworker who was only 34 to COVID back in November. She got COVID, got better, but then died 5-6 weeks in her sleep from heart failure, despite being very healthy, eating well, active. She had an enlarged heart and other complications typically related to COVID, when they did the autopsy. It was devastating to her family and her coworkers. We still feel her loss. I think of her daily, since I often spent time with her walking during lunch, or just stopping to see her (when we were on campus) or working with her in IM. I don't think I'll get over it, I'll always miss her.

 

[ceecee]

I had both Moderna vaccines in February. I had a slight headache with the first one and nothing with the second one. My husband had his first one on Monday and is doing well with some mild fatigue.

I've lost 6 people in the last year, coworkers and colleagues. My next door neighbor, already on oxygen due to other health issues, ignored all protocols, died last week. So 7 people. I think the normalizing and insistence (by a large and concerning number of Americans) that there is absolutely nothing that could have stopped nearly 550K deaths, is something that's not getting enough attention. It's really painful for me to talk about some of the losses so I don't say a lot.

 

[Abcdenfp]

hugs for all of you who have lost people.

I have had 3 family members test covid positive. They are all still with us. My mother and father have received their first dose with minimal symptoms (head ache and dizziness)

I am waiting patiently for my age group to have access. Our little islands have mandatory mask requirements and curfew's still in place.

 

[Red Memories]

I appreciate you all sharing your experiences. I have been lucky enough to not get covid and not really know anyone thus far who has died of it. One of my online friends got it and it hit her pretty hard at first with wheezing and all. I was very worried for her as she's had health issues all her life despite being quite young.

I do think too many people have a bit of reckless abandon about it. I cannot get the vaccine appointment until April 5th but I intend to take it. I've never even taken a flu shot let alone this sort of vaccine, so I am appreciative of everyone sharing what it is like. It eases my "omg I've not done this" anxiety a bit.

 

[Frosty]

I have an appointment scheduled to get the pfizer vaccine tomorrow. A little nervous but I figure if its “poison” I mean, that sucks but I have to make the most informed decision and this seems to make the most sense. Covid sucks. The vaccine so far seems to suck less. Ill get the vaccine

 

[Frosty]

I just got the vaccine (I think?). I only say I think because I didnt even feel the needle going in. One second she says “ok a little poke” and then the next second I feel a bandaid and Im like wait really?

Too early for side effects but my throat isnt swelling up so thats a good sign

 

[Totenkindly]

I just got the vaccine (I think?). I only say I think because I didnt even feel the needle going in. One second she says “ok a little poke” and then the next second I feel a bandaid and Im like wait really?

Too early for side effects but my throat isnt swelling up so thats a good sign

Yeah, I almost missed the injection as well. It's a very thin needle. I was kinda surprised at how easy it was.

 

[Frosty]

Yeah, I almost missed the injection as well. It's a very thin needle. I was kinda surprised at how easy it was.

Yeah I mean it was way easier than a blood draw (my veins are notoriously shitty so they usually suck and thats sort of what I was preparing for here) and the covid test was like 10 times worse (even though that wasnt that bad either- people are wimps man).

I am glad I got it, its checked off the list, now I have to wait a few weeks for the next one and then DONE and with a much less likelihood of ending up on a ventilator

 

[ceecee]

I just got the vaccine (I think?). I only say I think because I didnt even feel the needle going in. One second she says “ok a little poke” and then the next second I feel a bandaid and Im like wait really?

Too early for side effects but my throat isnt swelling up so thats a good sign

Yes it's a very painless vaccine.

 

[ceecee]

 

[Frosty]

Yes it's a very painless vaccine.

Yeah my arms a little sore but besides that I feel fine. It hasnt been very long though so I guess well see

 

[FemMecha]

I've had two negative COVID-19 tests during the pandemic year: one in January, and the other August I think. Today I had my second Pfizer shot and I had chills and fever last night with sweating, my arm is still sore at the injection site, and I've been very tired today. After the first shot it was similar, but not the pronounced chills and fever. The vaccine is rougher than the flu vaccine for my experience.

I'm not sure what this is about but I had very extreme allergies last year at this time of the year and I'm fine this year. I had extreme asthma and also eye swelling that started after a week of fevers the end of last March. People tended to dismiss it as allergies, but I think there was a viral component, although perhaps not COVID-19, but I didn't get a test until several months after I had those extreme 'allergy' issues. It might have been adenovirus or something. It was a bizarre year for physical symptoms for myself without explanation.

 

[Abcdenfp]

I've had two negative COVID-19 tests during the pandemic year: one in January, and the other August I think. Today I had my second Pfizer shot and I had chills and fever last night with sweating, my arm is still sore at the injection site, and I've been very tired today. After the first shot it was similar, but not the pronounced chills and fever. The vaccine is rougher than the flu vaccine for my experience.

I'm not sure what this is about but I had very extreme allergies last year at this time of the year and I'm fine this year. I had extreme asthma and also eye swelling that started after a week of fevers the end of last March. People tended to dismiss it as allergies, but I think there was a viral component, although perhaps not COVID-19, but I didn't get a test until several months after I had those extreme 'allergy' issues. It might have been adenovirus or something. It was a bizarre year for physical symptoms for myself without explanation.

I also experienced strange symptoms in march last year right before everything closed down here, i had teribble vertigo which i had never had any experience and very extreme fatigue but testing wasnt even being discussed it was so early on.

 

[Red Memories]

I can say I'm still not sure I did not have it considering the antibody test is flimsy at best, but if I did I definitely had a "long" covid because I had waves of symptoms from late February to early April.

 

[Totenkindly]

Giant supermarket apparently just started doing J&J vaccinations in MD, according to a FB post for my neighborhood group.

Pretty much everyone in this area seemed to be only getting Moderna up to now, based on distribution to the pharmacy chains.

 

[Mole]

Of course the virus is a health issue, not a political issue, or a religious issue as with the anti-vaxers.

Everything has risk, and we need to balance the risk against the benefits, however we are blessed with evidence based medicine, free for all. And the risks from the vaccination are small, with small consequences.

I was asked the other day whether I wanted the vaccine, and I replied without hesitation, "I insist".

 

[Tellenbach]

Got my second Moderna dose last week. It was much worse than the first one. I had soreness at the injection site and a high fever that started at night and lasted for about 18 hours. Unlike the first shot, this second one made my whole body ache and sapped my energy. Two days later and I'm back to normal. I think the b-vitamins I took might have helped.

 

[cascadeco]

I am extremely happy and thankful to report that as of less than an hour ago, I got the single-dose J&J vaccine. They've started opening a few new state-run mass vaccination sites here, and the one I went to opened a little over two weeks ago. I got myself on the waiting list the day it opened and received an email to make an appt about four days later. I was in the last group of folks eligible for the vaccine before it was opened to everyone (technically became eligible on March 19 but waiting lists, etc etc). As it turns out, they decided to open it up to everyone only about a week after I became eligible, even though there are still tons of people from the early groups that still need to be vaccinated and have been on waiting lists for weeks/nearing two months. I feel lucky and relieved. The people who have the energy/bandwidth to 'hustle' this whole process and who are spending a lot of time actively trying to find availability are opting to drive 2+ hours away to get it.

I'll update if I end up having any significant side effects this evening or over the next few days. But, I know too it can be highly variable by individual.

Regarding whether I had it or not previously, if I did, I was asymptomatic or it mirrored allergies exactly. There was also really bad air quality for several months in the second half of 2020, so that caused some symptoms that matched the virus/ threw more variables into the picture. I think it would be highly unlikely if I hadn't come in contact with it over the past year, since I work at a sbux. Even though we do and have been wearing masks the whole time.

I know one person who has died from it (she was around 50) so far.

 

[cascadeco]

As an update, unfortunately I am knocked out flat today with a consistent 100+ fever and symptoms that go with that, so I guess I'm an unlucky stat who is experiencing worse effects ( or maybe this is more of a norm). I am hoping I start to feel better by tonight or tomorrow. I have had many types of vaccines and this is the first time I've experienced anything other than a prolonged arm ache.

Also FYI the single dose Jannsen vaccine feels more like other vaccines when injected. It's not unnoticeable.

As a contingency I'd suggest when you get whichever vaccine, to have it in place beforehand that you may not be working the next day. My boss is doing that with folks so we were prepared.