Getting the latest Covid vaccination

[+ Pensant]

5 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

Highly unlikely.

What you mean is you've avoided the symptoms of Covid.

It's highly contagious so eventually most everyone was infected at some point. Fortunately  for most healthy individuals their immune system moved quickly to deal with it and they barely knew they were infected. Or in your case they think they were never infected. This is a common misconception. I hear people saying this all the time.

That’s why I used the qualifier “symptomatic” since I may well have had it without realizing it. 

Edited August 30 by Pensant

[Luv2play]

4 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

Actually reasonably likely (about 20% across all our regions) no exposure as it would elicit nucleocapsid antibodies. Canada continues statistically representative infection seroprevalence surveillance through an immunity task force. It’s a common misconception that only a small minority have escaped infection. Contagion is but one factor.

I myself did suck and fuck for 40 months with Lady Luck 🍀 hovering but acquired infection with incidence at a nadir.

I never gave up sessions with escorts throughout the pandemic. I did hire for weekends mostly and they travelled to me, who lives in a small town. They came from big cities. I vetted for ones who got vaccinated when it was available.
Obviously I cut back on frequency but never abstained longer than 2 months. I never came down with anything even a cold. I did wear masks when in public places like shopping and avoided bars and restaurants except for a few high end restaurants in Montreal and Toronto and hotels there. The 5 star hotels were half empty and cheap. 
I took all the vaccines when available. Combo of Pfizer and Moderna: Maybe I did acquire a asymptomatic infection but it didn’t affect me one iota. 
I count myself as lucky nevertheless and count my blessings. 

[pubic_assistance]

10 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

It’s a common misconception that only a small minority have escaped infection. Contagion is but one factor

What I was referring to is that most people contracted the virus and fought it off without incidence. 

This is a hypothesis of the medical community. There is no mechanism available to work with absolute data from every human. It's also difficult when Covid doesn't leave a marker as other diseases do. You don't know unless you are tested during the contagious period. So many people assume (mostly false) that they never had it. But science says that's unlikely. 

[TonyDown]

The COVID going around SoCal has a very high fever.

Chest congestion/ cough lingers a few weeks to a month.

At least this is what I observe.

Might be worth getting the latest vaccine unless you don't mind getting kicked in the butt for a few days followed by a lingering cough.  Full disclosure, I am not a medical expert 

 

[SirBillybob]

11 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

What I was referring to is that most people contracted the virus and fought it off without incidence. 

This is a hypothesis of the medical community. There is no mechanism available to work with absolute data from every human. It's also difficult when Covid doesn't leave a marker as other diseases do. You don't know unless you are tested during the contagious period. So many people assume (mostly false) that they never had it. But science says that's unlikely. 

Well, no.

Asymptomatic infection and whatever natural immunity results is an occurrence in a minority of the total infected population. The only reason it is of clinical significance is that protective measures within a background of higher community incidence should account for exposure risk that is not overtly manifest. And a proportion of non-vaccinated persons with an inaccurate assumption of previous natural immunity will incur greater morbidity as a result of previously held false belief. There is otherwise little significance at the level of disease immunity because the vast majority have natural, artificial, or hybrid immunity, all of which are unsustainable in the longterm because the virus mutates and re-infects. 

There exist clinical markers of infection that is symptomatic or not. There exist clinical markers that differentiate both infection immunity and hybrid immunity from vaccine induced artificial immunity alone. There is understandably a relation between having had asymptomatic infection and assuming historical non-infection.

Of the approximately 20% with historical asymptomatic infection that have second-guessed infection history (and natural but likely timing-out immunity if infected), according to a combination of spidey-sense and the factor of actual community rates of historical infection to date that have been estimated at 80-85%, then a percentage inevitably less than 20% have misidentified their infection history one way or another.

OK, let’s say then, favouring an overestimate of population infection to date, in keeping with your assertion of a vast majority having been infected, that 100,000 with asymptomatic infection history within a community of one million have incorrectly discounted the reality of true infection history. Why actually bother to attempt to disabuse them of a false notion, as in “Oh, you don’t know it but you have actually been infected”? Other possibilities exist, including “You don’t it but you think you were infected but weren’t”, or “Your assumption of non-infection is correct”. The subgroup absolute numbers for each scenario are quite high and no assumption can legitimately take precedence. 

At this higher estimate of genpop infection history there will still be a proportion, in the thousands, that could be swayed into falsely assuming a history of infection because the science has been misrepresented.

How do the implications of such a narrative lean? How avoid the unforced error of unintended maleficence? The best theoretical assumption scenario is for everybody to believe that they are vulnerable to infection. If you had to choose an assumption binary, such as nobody was infected versus everybody was infected, the former would be more responsible.

Because past infection is not durably protective, there is no point asserting to your neighbour their infection history actually occurred yet is denied, the reason being that a person falsely assuming infection history is potentially vulnerable in a particular way, for example, bypassing vaccination. In contrast, a person assuming that infection was evaded when it actually occurred is not subject to the same level of harmful consequences in the longer term; the liability was transmission during unknown contagion. 

In fact, older persons are less inclined to have asymptomatic infection. Therefore, the coherence between their assumption of non-infection history and actual genpop infection rates to date, with measurable nucleocapsid antibody seroprevalence, and with transient natural immunity is much greater. In sum, there is often no discernible benefit for one to assert that they are on to something that might be of interest to another for whom the idea didn’t occur and it suffers from misguided logic deficiency in the first place.

Edited August 31 by SirBillybob

[pubic_assistance]

15 minutes ago, SirBillybob said:

Asymptomatic infection and whatever natural immunity results is an occurrence in a minority of the total infected population.

You are discussing natural immunity and I am simply discussing sheer numbers of people who contracted Covid 19. 

I'm also not talking about opinion. I am discussing the scientific community gauging the rate of infection across the entire population based on what data they have. As I stated there is no possible way to KNOW for sure, because Covid leaves no marker. But the current opinion is that unless you live alone in the Ozarks and don't come into contact with other people ..you've probably caught Covid at some point since 2020. 

[SirBillybob]

22 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

You are discussing natural immunity and I am simply discussing sheer numbers of people who contracted Covid 19. 

I'm also not talking about opinion. I am discussing the scientific community gauging the rate of infection across the entire population based on what data they have. As I stated there is no possible way to KNOW for sure, because Covid leaves no marker. But the current opinion is that unless you live alone in the Ozarks and don't come into contact with other people ..you've probably caught Covid at some point since 2020. 

I have referred to both the population proportions having caught the virus and the science that grounds the reality that a substantial minority, irrespective of regional population density and breadth of human interaction, did not catch it. There was never a good reason to suggest that the few older persons upthread misconstrued their history of not having been infected. They are not particularly outlier cases. The virus does leave measurable biological footprints; in fact, that has been central to related vaccine research that excluded volunteers based on such a scientific marker in order to eliminate outcome bias. I fail to understand why you insist on refuting that reality. 

Edited August 31 by SirBillybob

[+ Charlie]

Every day I am hearing about more and more of my neighbors, gay and straight, who are testing positive, including a 92 year old straight woman who just returned from a cruise to Alaska, which was probably the source for hers. My gated retirement community sounds like a cesspool. Meanwhile, I am very slowly recovering from what feels like the worst head cold I have ever experienced.

[SirBillybob]

11 minutes ago, Charlie said:

Every day I am hearing about more and more of my neighbors, gay and straight, who are testing positive, including a 92 year old straight woman who just returned from a cruise to Alaska, which was probably the source for hers. My gated retirement community sounds like a cesspool. Meanwhile, I am very slowly recovering from what feels like the worst head cold I have ever experienced.

At some point in the future the claim that most people from 2020 on caught SARS-CoV-2 will be an assertion more valid than currently. Perhaps the non-infected to date gap will close more rapidly if incidence patterns surge going forward. It will be as relevant as the question of how many folks have had a common cold. 

Edited August 31 by SirBillybob

[pubic_assistance]

16 minutes ago, SirBillybob said:

I have referred to both the population proportions having caught the virus and the science that grounds the reality that a substantial minority, irrespective of regional population density and breadth of human interaction, did not catch it. There was never a good reason to suggest that the few older persons upthread misconstrued their history of not having been infected. They are not particularly outlier cases. The virus does leave measurable biological footprints; in fact, that has been central to related vaccine research that excluded volunteers based on such a scientific marker in order to eliminate outcome bias. I fail to understand why you insist on refuting that reality. 

Because one of my best friends is a text-book immunology professional. I read an article that stated that 85% of the population had caught covid at least once since 2020. I asked him how that was possible when I lived in NYC, took the subway traveled by airplane and never caught it. (I assumed). He explained the article as being based on the rate of contagious movement of the virus and the eventual elimination of masking mandates compared to community spread in early mask elimation (& refusal) communities. The rate of positive cases increasing at a rate that left a hypothesis that only 15% of the population were isolated enough between 2020 and 2024 to have avoided coming into contact with Covid.

[+ JamesB]

After my first vaccine dose, I contracted a mild case of COVID, which only made me feel unwell for a couple of days, but it delayed my second dose. If I got COVID again after that, it must have been asymptomatic.

[SirBillybob]

1 hour ago, pubic_assistance said:

Because one of my best friends is a text-book immunology professional. I read an article that stated that 85% of the population had caught covid at least once since 2020. I asked him how that was possible when I lived in NYC, took the subway traveled by airplane and never caught it. (I assumed). He explained the article as being based on the rate of contagious movement of the virus and the eventual elimination of masking mandates compared to community spread in early mask elimation (& refusal) communities. The rate of positive cases increasing at a rate that left a hypothesis that only 15% of the population were isolated enough between 2020 and 2024 to have avoided coming into contact with Covid.

Getting somewhere, maybe.

It’s conceivable based on these metrics that many folks have accurately assessed their infection history. The basis of information for known yes/no infection incidence to date is based on lab measurable markers among subpopulations tested for those markers within immunity task force projects, eg blood donors, and extrapolated to genpop.

Isolation is relative as its own state as well as in a context of other protective measures. It is one component of exposure risk. Pure chance is a major determinant. For a population single-infection history of 850,000 within one million persons over 4 years the estimate of 2-week contagion within interaction is 1%, 8500. You can estimate exposure risk from that. Non-exposure is 99%, as it is the pool from which infection could not occur. Over 4 years, a single-infection transmission potential from an infected person to a virus-free person is roughly 1%.

Let’s assess the interaction exposure that yields a 15% chance of infection evasion. The number of unprotected single-event person interactions irrespective of closeness, intimacy level, etc, that nevertheless results in a 15% probability of non-exposure simply because infection and its transmission is impossible due to no pathogen present is approximately 189, minimally, a higher number in fact when accounting for one in seven persons within the total pool having not been capable of transmission because they never acquired infection.

A lot of random or planned encounters could occur in Ozarks or wherever without incurring infection. That is why some of us were spared infection for a lengthy or total period of pandemic time while retired from lighthouse-keeping and canoodling with objects of affection. 

Edited August 31 by SirBillybob

[SirBillybob]

Follow current vaccine guidance. Gone fishing. 

[TonyDown]

6 hours ago, Charlie said:

Every day I am hearing about more and more of my neighbors, gay and straight, who are testing positive, including a 92 year old straight woman who just returned from a cruise to Alaska, which was probably the source for hers. My gated retirement community sounds like a cesspool. Meanwhile, I am very slowly recovering from what feels like the worst head cold I have ever experienced.

A Long Beach friend caught COVID on a recent Alaska cruise.

She is back on her feet but sounds terrible, the cough and congestion.

 

[Luv2play]

7 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

At some point in the future the claim that most people from 2020 on caught SARS-CoV-2 will be an assertion more valid than currently. Perhaps the non-infected to date gap will close more rapidly if incidence patterns surge going forward. It will be as relevant as the question of how many folks have had a common cold. 

The common cold does not leave a certain percentage experiencing it with dreadful symptoms such as chronic fatigue and brain fog as COVID does. 

[pubic_assistance]

2 hours ago, Luv2play said:

The common cold does not leave a certain percentage experiencing it with dreadful symptoms such as chronic fatigue and brain fog as COVID does. 

No...but influenza does and we don't go around panicking about that, even though it kills half a million people per year, every year.

 

Edited September 1 by pubic_assistance
spelling

[+ Charlie]

4 hours ago, TonyDown said:

 

She is back on her feet but sounds terrible, the cough and congestion.

 

Tell me about it😩

[Luv2play]

21 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

No...but influenza does and we don't go around panicking about that, even though it kills half a million people per year, every year.

 

Influenza kills many people, especially those with underlying conditions. But unlike COVID it doesn’t leave people with long lasting deleterious effects, which I have read up to 10 percent experience. 

[pubic_assistance]

18 minutes ago, Luv2play said:

unlike COVID it doesn’t leave people with long lasting deleterious effects,

Correct. Influenza doesn't do that.

Unfortunately there are no drugs that PREVENT you from catching Covid. Only a vaccination that helps boost your own immune system's response time to help fight the disease once you catch it. You also are not provided a guarantee against "Long-Covid". Just a 50-50 chance you may still end up with Long-Covid after being vaccinated. Additionally even if you've been vaccinated you can still SPREAD Covid.

Essentially Covid is going to continue to take-out a lot of people with underlying conditions. Same as influenza does every year. 

[BSR]

My eyes popped when I read the recent entries in this thread because I had no idea anyone still cared about Covid.

I got the initial 2-shot vaccine in Mar&Apr 2021, got the booster in October 2021.  I got Covid in Feb 2022 (got tested) and then probably again in Nov 2022.  The first bout took a while to get over, ~3 weeks, but I've had colds that were worse.  I think I got it again Nov 2022 because my mom got it and needed more help than usual.  I never bothered to get tested because my symptoms were just a day of the mildest cold symptoms.

Since then, I figured I had natural immunity.and never thought about Covid again until I saw this thread.  When I told my rheumatologist about my 2 bouts, he didn't even mention getting additional boosters, nor did my primary care physician.  Wow, Covid's still a thing ... who knew?

Edited September 2 by BSR
Typo

[+ The Big Guy]

I have had all of the covid vaccines and boosters and have had covid at least twice.  My PCP recommends the flu shot but no longer recommends a covid shot so I am not sure what I will do this year.  He also does not recommend RSV shots in spite of me being over 65.  Not sure what I will do yet.  I am thinking of going ahead with the Covid shot again this year since I have not seen any side effects from the shot. 

[+ nycman]

34 minutes ago, The Big Guy said:

I have had all of the covid vaccines and boosters and have had covid at least twice.  My PCP recommends the flu shot but no longer recommends a covid shot so I am not sure what I will do this year.  He also does not recommend RSV shots in spite of me being over 65.  Not sure what I will do yet.  I am thinking of going ahead with the Covid shot again this year since I have not seen any side effects from the shot. 

Does your doctor provide any reasoning for these recommendations?

I don’t know your medical history or risk factors, but your physician appears to be at least partially out of step with the most current CDC guidelines. That’s never a smart place to be, without good reason. 

CDC Updates Vaccine Recommendations

WWW.CDC.GOV

---

CDC updates vaccine recommendations after an expert advisory panel met June 26-28.

 

[pubic_assistance]

4 hours ago, BSR said:

I figured I had natural immunity.and never thought about Covid again

Think of it like the Flu.

It keeps metamorphizing and each variation requires a new vaccination to give you the most rapid response to help your immune system battle it.

You will never be "immune" to it. But you can be better prepared.

It's making it's rounds through NYC the last couple of weeks. I know dozens of people who tested positive after feeling malaise and muscle ache. This one apparently causes long covid in many people. So worthwhile getting vaccinated if you want to reduce your risks.

[+ Charlie]

I have gotten vaccinated regularly ever since the first vaccines appeared, and I have never been sick or had a positive result since the first tests were available. But I was reading the articles about when to get the newest vaccine when I got sandbagged by the virus last week. My brother-in-law flew in ten days ago for a 3-day visit, and he said while he was here that he was feeling peckish, so he did the test and it was negative. Two days after he left, I woke with a fever and a terrible headache, took the test, and it was positive. My symptoms have improved somewhat, but I still test positive every day. While walking the dog this morning, I ran into my 92 year old neighbor who has had COVID three times, and is testing negative again; she looks better than I feel.

[+ sync]

Got the latest COVID and flu shots today.  So far only usual low-level soreness in my upper arms.

I planned my visit with the hope of snagging that super hot twunky Asian pharmacist, but he was not there today.  😟

All was not lost, I was "serviced" by a very cute, long-haired caucasian twink who was just flirty enough for me to fantasize beyond my capabilities.  😛

I expect I'll be needing those fantasies tomorrow when the reactions to those shots come on full.  😵‍💫

 

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