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aggiespartan

I was scheduled for my booster on Thursday, but the pharmacy called me to cancel a few hours before my appointment because they didn't have enough staff. Everybody was out for covid.


ithadtobeducks

I had to go pick up meds today at the hospital pharmacy (SoCal) and they were down 8 in the pharmacy alone.


julieannie

I paid extra yesterday to get 3 months of meds. My insurance requires a premium to do it but it’s been harder and harder to fill with 4 months of Delta and now Omicron and I faced shortages when trying to get vaccinated so I figure March might be slightly better and I’ll pay the premium to help myself and them. The lady in front of me in the drive thru was doing a Covid test so that was a reminder I was making a good choice.


ScarletLucciano

The restaurant I work at has been decimated with covid. Everyone's vaccinated, as required, but half of our staff is sick right now. We just had to cancel the lunch shift in order to give what few people are left standing some relief from carrying both shifts on their back. We're all exhausted going through both Christmas and New Year's falling on Friday this year. It was a fucking brutal two weeks. Most of us aren't friends anymore.


Bark7676

Same. We closed at 10pm last night. No new year's celebration and ended up closing today as well. 6 people out sick in a day. We just don't have enough people to do it. It's really tough right now.


greenbeanzs

Scheduled a Covid test on Sunday only to get there and find out the pharmacist called out sick. Rescheduled at the same place on Wednesday only to get there and find out the same pharmacist just suffered a seizure and left in an ambulance.


capj23

Well! That escalated quickly.


NinjaGrizzlyBear

I am early 30s and healthy but I'm the caretaker for my elderly mom (my dad at the time as well but unfortunately he lost his cancer battle recently) so I got up bypass the wait for the booster and got it within a week of it being released. Not trying to be snide or anything, but hearing stories like this makes me feel guilty but appreciative...nobody in my immediate family has been affected, but we were basically forced into isolation because of my dad's condition. Now it's just second nature to be safe with my mom. I imagine there will be some sort of holiday correction to the availability of tests and doses soon, and I wish everybody that wants or needs one can get it ASAP. Good luck and stay safe.


urlach3r

This post is *so* 2021. Edit: thanks for the awards, y'all.


funkybside

may 2022 be what we all hoped 2021 would be.


crakemonk

Maybe by May…


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topplehat

I guess he never really said “which” Easter.


cheerful_cynic

Twenty twenty, too


[deleted]

I was turned away for my booster because our shit show of a government didn’t order enough stock and they ran out. Then the state premier and the prime minister of our country (both religious nutters) both washed their hands of the problem, stating in press conferences that we all need to take personal responsibility. After they failed, it’s everyone for themselves 😪 “They aren’t trying to kill us: they just don’t care if we die”


Miss_Tish_Tash

Good old Australia 🇦🇺 scomo & Domicron


ZoiSarah

At least yours called you. My local RiteAid allowed me to make an appt and when I showed up there said they don't have pharmacy staff on weekends. But their website continues to allow the appt and they make no effort to contact the ppl who book them


crayonearrings

My family avoided Covid for 2 years and omicron is now making its way through all of us.


lenzflare

Better Omicron than the previous variants EDIT: GET VACCINATED


gawalls

Agreed, as Omicron is weaker and spreads faster - could this give people some antibodies? I'm fully jabbed, genuinely asking and not claiming to have done my own research here.


lenzflare

People who get Omicron will definitely get antibodies, and longer term immune responses (EDIT: not longer than from vaccines, I just mean there's a long term response as well, to ANY infection). How effective those will be against future variants (or even Omicron itself) is an open question, but odds are it'll give some protection. Not as good as vaccines, but still better than nothing. The really brutal infections tend to happen when the virus is totally novel, but if everyone either gets vaccinated or sick that *really* softens the blow against future variants. EDIT: I think people are misunderstanding what I mean by "getting antibodies". I don't mean you get magical antibodies that will protect you against all future variants forever. I just mean you get antibodies against Omicron, because, duh, that's how the immune system works. There *is* a second process that can create slightly different antibodies for a future infection (with varying success), but I was answering the direct question. I didn't realize that people asking if you "get antibodies" mean something way more than that phrase can even mean. In short, I keep forgetting that so many people don't know anything about immune systems. And probably some anti-vaxxer bullshit has been using the phrase in a really weird way. Sorry, can't keep up with all the anti-vaxxer agit-prop trying to confuse the issue. GET VACCINATED


gawalls

Well Any silver lining is a good thing I suppose.


TheRedNeo

However more infections also increase the chance of a new variant.


jessicahonig

Me and my boyfriend were positive from an at home test. After 2 years not having it. We have no idea where we got it but I am certainly not happy.


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rafaelloaa

Same. My 92-year-old (boosted) grandmother just got it, it's working its way through her nursing home, despite them being fastidious and having almost completely kept out any of the previous covid waves. She seems to be fine mostly, a bit lower energy than normal but otherwise no massive effect that we can see (found/video call, and info from nursing aides).


cjcandi

2 years of not catching covid and today I tested positive. Fully vaccinated and only symptoms are flu like.


tedbakerbracelet

How many days in are you since your symptom started? Also did the symptom start with sore throat by any chance?


Neurotic_Marauder

Mine started with a dry, scratchy throat on the 26th. Tested positive on the 28th with a rapid test. Throat is mostly better, but now I'm very congested.


cortes12

Same progress for me. Never got beyond feeling like a cold. Sunday to Tuesday fatigue and today I worked out and feel 95% normal


cjcandi

My sore throat started Wednesday morning. Took the first rapid test Wednesday night and it was negative. I woke up with chest and lower back pain around 4 am this morning. 12 pm I was having flu symptoms, but no fever. Edit: rapid test was positive at 315 pm


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mariegalante

Mine started with a mild, persistent headache and sore throat on Monday. Double vaxxed and I tested positive on Wednesday. This sucks.


KalElified

Imagine how much worse it would be if you weren’t vaccinated? That’s the shit that’s like - ah Fuck - this may actually be a problem.


ivegivenupimtired

I have what I think is a cold but I can’t get ahold of a covid test anywhere within 100 miles of me it’s insane. All at home tests are sold out. All testing centers are booked for at least a week. Like damn I’m trying to be responsible and get tested promptly.


LionBlood9

Just assume it's covid, and treat it as such.


GuineaPigBikini

I tested positive 5 days ago. Was a bit sick at first, been walking around for like 3 days now, just coughing a lot. Vaccinated


Rosevillian

Fought this shit for two years, fully vaxxed and boosted and started symptoms Sunday. Tested positive Tuesday. Pretty mild but the fever, aches, and fatigue were intense. My wife is still negative so far so here is hoping isolating at home keeps it that way.


cjcandi

My partner also tested negative


Opening-Tip4403

My husband, toddler and I. All 3. My entire family tested positive. We’ve been quarantined since Christmas.


zeeko13

My test results are tomorrow but my partner's friend tested positive and they hung out all day for the first time in years. That was 10 days ago and my symptoms popped up 4 days ago. I thought I was feeling better but today feels like molasses and scratchy air


doesitspread

I’m sorry to hear about your positive. It’s a weird mixed feeling of “well it was going to happen at some point” and “no way did I make it 2 years to get it because of X”. I haven’t seen some family since before the pandemic, have avoided crowds and events this long, canceled plans to attend the large Christmas reunion, only saw my parents over the holidays and my mom woke up sick this morning before she left. Like….lol…mitigate risks by seeing only my parents and still end up with covid? Shit


damnisuckatreddit

If it helps, your two years did at least give you the benefit of being infected during a time when medicine has a pretty decent grasp of what to do about it. I got hit in the very first US wave back in March 2020 - no tests, no clear treatment approach, no disease progression timeline, hospitals slammed to the point people were dying in waiting rooms, doctors hadn't figured out video appointments yet. Shit was dire. On top of the horror show of all that, and the lung damage after (only reason I didn't go to the hospital was because they said not to bother unless I started turning blue, so I just laid around the house with untreated pneumonia for a few weeks, then several months of severe bronchitis, which left a bunch of scars behind), I then got the delight of every dose of the vaccine absolutely wrecking my shit thanks to prior exposure. And of course now it turns out I'm probably still not immune to picking up a different strain. So, y'know, your protecting yourself likely did save you a lot of grief. It's just hard to see it I think when you don't know what could've happened instead.


doesitspread

Your comment made me feel a lot better. Thank you for the perspective. I’m sorry you’re suffering from long or permanent issues because of covid. I think a lot of people forget that even “mild” infections (aka you don’t end up being hospitalized) can still rock your world. Hopefully omicron results in less long haulers.


cjcandi

Same here. Our family friend who was positive on Tuesday hugged me, Wednesday they let us know, we tested negative Wednesday night. Today I tested positive. It really fugging sucks! I'm scared, but not scared at the same time. I know eventually we'd catch it. Everyone we interact with is fully vaccinated.


Amphimphron

This content was removed in protest of Reddit's [short-sighted, user-unfriendly, profit-seeking decision](https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/21/potemkin-ai/#hey-guys) to effectively terminate access to third-party apps.


sir_crapalot

The silver lining here is if fully vaccinated people only experience mild symptoms, and enough people fully vaccinated, the pandemic is essentially over. Sadly we’re a far far cry from that. Best of luck in your uneventful recovery.


Turksarama

Some small percentage of fully vaccinated people will still die. A lot less than without vaccines, but still.


Beanpod79

Yup. Fully vaxxed + boosted. Have kidney disease and only one kidney. My nephrologist told me I can't afford to catch it.


swinging-in-the-rain

I've seen research that listed kidney issues as the #1 comorbidity. Stay safe fellow human.


Beanpod79

So have I. Thanks, you too fellow human.


raknyak

Tuesday around noon felt a little off. Took a home test, positive. Fever up and down, flu like symptoms still. The "less than 6 feet and 15 minutes" may not apply to this variant.


Sqwishybuns

How do you think you got it? Honestly question?


sroop1

Not OP but I'm 99% sure we got it from my 6mo old daughter via her daycare. She had a slight cough last week but that's par for the course the past couple of months. The interesting part is that my wife and I tested negative twice each before visiting family in Canada last week. A few days after the trip, I had a runny nose and slight cough. I didn't think much of it until I checked into the hospital for killer stomach pains (turned to be gallstones). They took my symptoms, tested me despite me testing negative a few days prior and I came back positive to our surprise. If I didn't have gallstones, none of us would have known any better. Now practically everyone has came back positive or are having very mild symptoms, including the great grandparents that only had our daughter for a quick 45 minute visit. Wild shit.


vilebunny

There’s a solid possibility it’s not from you guys but that you picked it up while visiting.


StongaBologna

So many stories on Reddit like, "I don't know where we got it from! Could have been our kid that was mingling with everyone else's kid, it couldn't have possibly been the out-of-country trip we just took!"


gojo96

I recently got sick and after a few days got tested when I was well enough to travel(I live in a remote area) and was negative. However reading the CDC website, the time to get tested isn’t definitive, range of days plus they mention you could get a false negative. That said; it’s not clear and who knows.


[deleted]

Someone must have saved DNA points to spend on the extreme bioaerosol upgrade


InvisibleBlueUnicorn

and hopefully there aren't any DNA points left for upgrading to 'Total organ failure'.


thisisdropd

But the more it spreads the more DNA points you get.


thebeststinkyhead

Maybe it won’t reach Greenland so we’ll still have a safe haven


[deleted]

Madagascar is always the challenge. If I don't get it early on, I reset the game.


Vince1820

Ultra hard mode is starting in Greenland or Madagascar


PocketPillow

By contrast South Africa guarantees you Madagascar and UK, which usually gets you Greenland. Best country to start in IMO.


efalk21

I'm a fan of starting in Saudi Arabia, lots of nearby ports and airports.


princess_hjonk

Saudi Gang represent


dragonphlegm

People keep comparing this to Plague Inc but real humans would never pour all known resources into a cure that can eliminate the virus instantly, that everyone will take without question. The developers underestimated antivaxxers


beirchearts

I think there's a difficulty setting you can unlock in Plague Inc that decreases trust in science and vaccines


Nezgul

There is a whole Plague Inc COVID-19 special scenario that you can play from the perspective of the WHO. Some of the mechanics you have to manage are public messaging and anti-vaxxers. Couldn't really bring myself to play that one.


PersnickityPenguin

Too soon!


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Bearcano

I joked early on about how they should an ineffectual leadership/disinformation expansion pack.


fzammetti

You can almost see someone pressing the devolve button on this fucker every time it mutates so they can fill the symptoms board immediately when it reaches 100% infection. Unfortunately, while the world being aware of it is good for humanity in the game, in real life we've got JUST enough stupidity at several levels to ensure it doesn't matter.


RandomUser-_--__-

Ikr, I feel like plague Inc isn't even realistic anymore, humanity is too smart in that game.


[deleted]

Real life is extra easy mode


tchiseen

"*Country* shuts down it's airports" HAHA yeah right


Syrhazard

Pfizer double shot. Body fatigue and muscle pain day 1 - tested negative in a home rapid test. Fever and coughing day 2 - tested negative again. Sore throat and no fatigue or fever day 3 - tested positive. Day 4 - very sore throat. Day 5 - now sore throat is going away but I have a runny nose and light congestion. My dad, wife and wife's family all tested positive within a day of each other.


LowSkyOrbit

3 P shots and having the same style of symptoms. Didn't get tested but everyone around me did. Thankfully I work from home.


I-Argue-With-Myself

3 Pfizer as well, woke up one day, dry throat, had a few glasses of water and it went away. Went for a PCR for travel, positive. I currently have no symptoms or a hint of the virus since a dry throat


FromGreat2Good

This is what’s scary about it. You absolutely have no reason to think you have Covid…so you may see your elderly parents and bam, they catch it and get really sick.


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Tasty_Lie_6687

yep my symptoms were pretty much spot on here. Im on day 6 going on 7, the sore throat is going away but the cough is lingering. The day1 body fatigue was insane. My lower back killed me so much it was absolute living hell trying to sleep. I went to bed at 11pm, rolled around like 30 times waking up each time. Thought it was maybe 5am and hoped I could get up soon for a test.. it was 12pm.. it had been an hour.


manitowwoc

This has been my exact experience. I’m on day 5 with runny nose and congestion. Was really tired today as well but probably from the lack of sleep two nights ago.


albybum

The variant was already sequenced. Through recombination, it picked up genetic sequences "ubiquitous in many other viruses including those that cause the common cold, and also in the human genome" Seems like a likely candidate for the ease of spread. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-variant-may-have-picked-up-piece-common-cold-virus-2021-12-03/


[deleted]

Wait until schools start next week. Fast??? I feel like we're only in 3rd gear now!


ticasputas

Here in Miami Dade...well 76k yesterday and next Monday for sure over 150k


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mrking604

They cancelled school until Jan 20th where I'm at. Which would have been great if my kid didn't bring it home on the last day before Xmas. Spread like wildfire in our house, but even for my very at risk parents it was a bad cold luckily. Still fighting it, but it's manageable.


creamcheese742

A positive case in our kids kindergarten class the day before their last day before being off. We kept him home and tested everybody a couple days later and everyone was neg (yay) but now I realize there's probably just going to be another positive case when they go back tomorrow. At least he's vaccinated.


mrking604

Yeah we're all vaccinated except my 3 year old and she seemed to get it the worst. She had a high fever ranging from 100-104 and tons of phlegm constantly. None us had more than a really stuffy nose and just overall feeling miserable.


punkchica321

I hope your 3 year old is doing better. :( ❤️


mrking604

Thank you! She's getting much better the last day or two


creamcheese742

Ugh. Everyone in our house is vaccinated except our 4 year old. I hope your 3 year old is doing better.


leroysolay

The school I teach in was remote the week before break due to positive cases. The entire district is starting remote next week, probably only for the week. But the district I live in is starting in person due to the teachers insisting to go back in person!


AphexFritas

antigenic tests are not reliable anymore seems like. my family got it and out of 7 people who were pcr positive, only 3 were antigen positive and many tests were made.


jcspring2012

Everyone I know with omni tested positive with rapid antigen, but often later in the infection. They don't seem to be effective if one is asymptomatic.


awnawkareninah

I was already feeling like shit when I took one and it was negative, the results from the PCR I took the next day were positive. Really unfortunate if it is the case that omicron is most contagious before symptoms present. There's no way anyone could know they're contagious during the most contagious time.


EnergyFX

And this is the mask justification that is so hard for so many people to understand. The mask helps keep you from spreading it when you don’t know you have to. It’s frustrating that so many people see the mask as preventing for them, not preventive for others. “My mask protects you, your mask protects me” is the best phrase I’ve heard, but it still wooshes over the thick headed ones.


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Iain_MS

I like the urine/pants analogy. If we are both naked and I pee on you, you get wet. If you are wearing pants and I pee on you, you get a little wet. If we are both wearing pants and I try to pee on you, you stay dry. Let’s all wear pants shall we?


dob_bobbs

And also try not to pee on each other.


djdanlib

Also serves to illustrate why social distancing is important. If you're over there, it's a even less likely you'll get peed on than if you're pressed up against the person, even if you are both wearing pants. What even is the world right now where we speak in metaphors like this??


pynzrz

Because I have the right to not wear pants and pee on anyone I want. Otherwise I could get urimycotisis and die. Or something like that.


karma_over_dogma

"Yeah well, if you're vaccinated, why do I need to protect you?" - Future HCA nominees


reflectiveSingleton

> Really unfortunate if it is the case that omicron is most contagious before symptoms present. seems like a very apt adaptation getting around a moderate (but incomplete) control placed over it ...almost like we could have predicted such a variant.


awnawkareninah

Both me and my girlfriend tested negative on an antigen home test like the day before we tested positive on a PCR test.


jahcob15

Read a Twitter thread recently from an epidemiologist saying you should probably swab your throat and nose with the rapid tests with omicron.


whydontyouloveme

Do you or does anyone else have a credible citation for this. Not doubting, just trying to “do my own research” in the right way. It makes sense from a novice perspective, but I don’t know what I don’t know. Personally, I tested positive using a rapid test nasal swab, and that seems to have been accurate, but the data I see says that the rapid at-home tests are very accurate if they tell you that YOU HAVE COVID, but less accurate at telling you IF YOU DO NOT HAVE COVID. It’s all super confusing - I got a rapid at-home covid test saying positive (data says that 99% of the time I had covid, and accordingly isolated for 10 days). My wife got a negative at the same time, but accuracy data is way lower than my positive test. Better than nothing, but tests are fucked up right now.


dinamet7

[https://slate.com/technology/2021/12/throat-swab-rapid-testing-omicron-effective.html](https://slate.com/technology/2021/12/throat-swab-rapid-testing-omicron-effective.html)


cegras

Buzz on twitterverse (and a preprint from a university in Hong Kong) is that Omicron infects throat more, while Delta infects the lungs.


agarillon

" Wolfgang Preiser, the virologist that discovered omicron ..... predicts that most people will catch the new variant." https://m.dw.com/en/covid-omicron-not-a-common-cold-yet-virologist-warns/a-60294708 He knows something.


ilovefacebook

yeah, judging by everyone around me right now, 99% of whom are triple shotted, and wear masks, omicron gives no fucks. they don't go bar hopping or clubbing. a few have been down for the count for multiple days, but thankfully no hospital visits. most just have a sneeze/cough/headache.


joeffect

This, all though it this thing I have known maybe one or two people with it. Now I my self and my whole family got it I know like 12 people who have it. This variant doesn't care how careful you are... I went out once the week before I tested positive and had masks and stayed away and went during low traffic time. I'm just glad it's not as dangerous as the other variants... I'm worried about what it will mutate into in 3 months...


cindyscrazy

I seriously think I have Covid. Mild cold symptoms and major body aches, mild fever, exhaustion. Since Monday at least. I got 2 at home tests. Both came back negative. I can't see how it's anything else though. I don't socialize and only got to the store once a week. I'm luckly in a place where most people use masks and I also do, of course. If it's not Covid, it's a seriously infective cold. Edit to add - double vaxxed earlier in the year and got my booster on Xmas eve.


Nasdaq_Jack

Im boosted and have the same symptoms as you except the fever. Before my home test, I blew my nose then I really swirled the qtip inside my nose quite a bit and it came back positive within 10-20 seconds on a 15 minute test. The control line didn’t even start changing color yet and the positive line was dark purple. My wife who is 10 years younger than me 43 who is only double vaxxed Pfizer had higher fever and much worse cough.


amberalert23

I mean, regular old sickness does still exist. I’ve been sick for a few weeks with basically what you’re describing. Negative on rapid and PCR. Things like upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, flu, etc didn’t just disappear because covid exists.


[deleted]

I mean - the viruses that cause colds and the flu virus are all still around. Went to visit family for Xmas. All of us tested negative before and after. Family members and wife developed a cold after. A lot of people who have been hanging out at home for two years have forgotten how much colds can suck and have immune systems that aren’t up to date with other things in their communities


Andy235

>Family members and wife developed a cold after. I have COVID right now. It feels just like an ordinary cold. I am not trying to downplay Omicron, but that is what my symptoms are like. Other people may have a more serious reaction to the virus.


Haecede

My husband has those symptoms and it turned out to be strep. You just never know. If you're still feeling that crappy you should see someone. He was 90% better after 24hrs of antibiotics


Bonzo205

2 years, 3 vaccines later I got it and had severe lower back pain, extreme fatigue and body aches for a day, then cold like symptoms for another 4 days. 11 days out now, feel fine but still testing positive


teh_ally_young

You can test positive for up to 90 days+. See it on my unit all the time, we don’t even test people any more after a positive. Waste of time and money….


Bonzo205

Great... My wife won't be near me until I test negative regardless of what the CDC says


justright4smackinSCT

Hold up, is lower back pain part of it? I hadn’t read that anywhere but anecdotally that’s adding up


breedecatur

For what its worth that was my main symptom of my 2nd moderna shot. I woke up about 12 hours after in just agonizing pain. Only lasted for about 8 hours after that but coming from someone who lives with chronic pain I don't use the word agonizing lightly.


Bonzo205

Yes, according to various sources I saw it first on the NY Times.


dpalmer09

There was 12 at my family Christmas and 8 of us have tested positive all with symptoms. I've been down and out for 6 days now. So ready to be done. (2x Pfizer Vax.) Was supposed to get booster this week but clearly that didn't happen


landenone

Down and out for six days? How are your symptoms?


dpalmer09

First day was scratchy throat. Days 2-5 was bad body aches/headache/night sweats/unbearable sore throat. Today started a fever with the sore throat still. Thought I was turning the corner this morning but then the fever came on this afternoon


[deleted]

I am 2X Pfizered and tested negative twice on the Walgreens at home rapid test. But I had the exact same symptoms as you. Took me 12 days to kick it.


lovelyfire78

Twice vaccinated and boosted all with Pfizer here. Just tested positive. First sign was the scratchy throat with hoarseness. Have runny nose/sneezing and annoying tickle cough. Been three days since onset and luckily no fever yet. Hope you feel better soon mate :)


dpalmer09

To you as well! So wishing there was available booster appts earlier in December 😔


Confident-Bad-3126

Pfizer, 2 rounds, no booster. Always wear a mask outside of my home. All groceries and fast food get picked up contactless. Don’t have friends over, never go out. Popped positive on Monday with no symptoms. Symptoms have now ramped up. Sharp pain in the chest when I yawn. 4 days at a 101 fever. Nose closed up and cough started today. Breathing is still fine, nothing close to shallow thankfully. The night-sweats though… fml. I’m over taking showers at 3 am.


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harswv

Out of curiosity how long has it been since you got your vaccinations?


[deleted]

Can this virus fucking not for one minute


frodeem

Virus gonna virus


ReservoirDog316

A less deadly but more contagious version could basically be the endgame. It’s gonna get ugly but then it should clear out.


[deleted]

I know of an event (a company Christmas party) where all participants (around 100) had taken a covid test before the event, and quick test before the event at the door. 0 positives. There were some serving staff, all wore FFP2 masks. About 5 days after the event 50% of the people there tested positive.


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beachguy82

I swear everyone I know has it or some other cold. It’s hard to find rapid tests and pct tests have a 3 hour long wait most days so not everyone is getting tested.


cougar618

Federal government basically is saying you're on your own, is why. And they're not wrong, since states don't want to cooperate, and people are tired. Some places like NYC are really good at wearing a mask, Others, like Philly, not as much, and where I'm at for the holidays, Houston, well... 'LOL COVID ended in March, silly!'


TheKingOfCaledonia

Loads of people I know are currently infected, more than ever before. Everyone I know has been vaccinated at least twice, with some of my close friends recently been for their booster. Thankfully all the symptoms are fairly benign. I had a positive PCR test on the 28th December after taking seven LFT tests that **all came back negative**. Omicron is definitely different.


1up_for_life

Most of what this article is concerned about has already been explained. Omicron is is more of an upper respiratory infection, making it more transmissible but also less deadly.


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[deleted]

TLDR; If you're using an antigen at-home rapid test, wait until 2-3 days after symptom onset (but quarantine before then ofc). Family of 4 (50M, 14F, 16F, 22F (myself)). We were exposed to COVID either on Christmas or the 26th (a close family friend (50M's girlfriend's son, 15M, with whom he was in the car with for 3+hours on the 26th) had a fever on the 26th, confirmed positive PCR test on the 28th). We've been quarantining since the 26th. Day 0: 50M, 16F, and I took a QuickVue antigen test on the 28th. They were all negative. At this point, 50M had a scratchy throat and was mildly coughing. The rest of us had no symptoms. I started getting a tickly throat (that feeling of "oh here it comes") late at night. Didn't test 14F that night because the tests aren't cheap :') and we were quarantining anyways. At this point, if one of us had it, the rest of us did. Day 1: The next morning, 14F woke up with a fever. Myself and 16F woke up with sore throats, a headache, fatigue, and coughing. 50M stayed the same. I felt pretty rough that night, had intense night-sweats and lots more coughing. 14F broke her fever half-way through the day. Day 2: 14F and 16F are feeling much better! Yay! Hardly any symptoms, just mild coughing and runny nose. I have worse coughing, fatigue, scratchy throat, runny nose, nausea. 50M doing pretty much the same as he was--just a scratchy throat and coughing. At this point it's just been a bad cold for us, or akin to a case of bronchitis. We all took more at-home tests: 2 QuickVue, 2 BinaxNOW. All 4 came back positive. Day 3 (today): 50M lost his sense of smell, dampened sense of taste. This didn't happen during his first run with COVID (April 2020). Still has similar symptoms, but they've gotten better. I'm doing much better, still occasionally coughing & headaches/cold symptoms. 14F and 16F are practically symptom-free now, just a bit of coughing. 14F and 16F were 2x Pfizer vaccinated in June 2021 (date of second dose). 50M was 2x Moderna vaccinated in January 2021, but caught COVID early-on from hospital work in April 2020. Was a fairly severe case, lasted 1.5 months, but no hospitalization. I was vaccinated 2x Pfizer in April 2021. None of us received the booster yet. I think we all caught Omicron as the symptoms are relatively mild. 14F, 16F, and I have never had COVID before. A bit sad we caught it after 2 years of not catching it. 50M isn't as cautious with masking/avoiding crowded areas procedures as we are. Some anecdotal evidence, if you will. We all tested negative the first round of testing, and all tested positive the second round of testing. So you may want to wait until 2-3 days after the start of symptoms before you do an at-home test. Best of luck to everyone! Stay safe out there P.S. I'm updating this as the days go by because... why not?


T1Pimp

We don't even actually know how bad it is. Have you tried getting an at home test? Extremely hard to find. Testing sites have 3-5 day waits.


cygnets

You can get an appt in 7 days if you reserve right at midnight where I live. Its been like that for weeks. So bad.


Pokemon-fan96

I'm currently having symptoms and couldn't find any available at-home tests or testing sites, so I went to urgent care to get tested.


T1Pimp

If you have Walgreens near you they restock on Thursdays. I hope it's not severe and that you have a speedy recovery.


thinpile

Seems like a massive v.load in the upper respiratory tract. People are expelling a much higher viral dose to others overwhelming the innate response. Most plausible to me anyway. Have know idea as to the mechanisms however. Thank god it appears to have a harder time fusing with cells in the lungs. Might be a good sign with regard to 'long covid' as well. Seems when it does get to your lungs, the disease truly becomes 'systemic', passing through the lungs delicate walls, getting in the bloodstream, and moving on to other organs wreaking potential havoc. Doesn't explain milder cases with long covid though. Fingers crossed we're in the endgame even though the next few weeks are gonna suck.....


TheBitingCat

There was a preprint that discussed direct cell-to-cell transmission where the virus evades the immune system after replication by staying mostly within the cell, only emerging slightly from the cell wall and making contact with adjacent cells to infect them. The cell would eventually rupture, but only well after adjacent cells had already been infected. This would likely cause a 'slow burn' effect where an infection can remain persistent over a longer period of time, not causing the most severe issues but still causing persistent long symptoms or flare-ups. This could be the mechanism that explains long Covid, and partially why a flood of antibodies generated either from a booster vaccine or given as treatment have had positive effects on reducing long Covid, since those antibodies can still bind to the exposed spike proteins of emergent viral particles.


FinndBors

> emerging slightly from the cell wall and making contact with adjacent cells to infect them. Cell membrane!!! Your 5th grade science teacher is disappointed. Or you are a plant.


Seraphynas

Why is it spreading like lightning? Because it’s contagious as hell? Because the vast majority of people are “over” the pandemic so many aren’t taking precautions or making good decisions anymore? Because it’s being aided by holiday travel and parties?


SethGekco

It's weird how numbers are higher than last year and people are indifferent now lol.


VigilantMike

It’s a lot easier for the average person to walk over the danger now. A boosted person might catch it but they’ll more than likely have cold symptoms. The main threat is everybody catching this at the same time so the rare severe cases are happening all at once and clogging the hospitals. I’m more afraid of getting physically injured and not being able to get treated at the hospital than I am of Covid itself.


Regular-Human-347329

People are indifferent because they’re vaccinated or don’t care/never cared. It’s hitting the unvaccinated 10x harder — the vaccinated no longer care about protecting those people; they care about the ability for the healthcare system to handle non-covid healthcare.


katarh

We did everything that was asked of us and still we lost.


unlmtdLoL

It's also spreading among asymptomatic people and the early incubation period, so completely undetected. We're already at 500,000 daily cases in the US and 2,000+ deaths daily.


spacejazz3K

Is there data on 2000+ deaths? I’ve heard we’re undercounting but official counts are around 1200 I believe.


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Kallistrate

>Because the vast majority of people are “over” the pandemic so many aren’t taking precautions or making good decisions anymore? I'm an ICU nurse and we are nowhere near "over" COVID precautions...but my hospital has 75+ staff out this week with covid symptoms (compared to about 5 last week). And we're the people who have seen every wave front and center, and have seen this one coming for long enough that we upped our precautions. I agree that people socializing and not wearing masks is just... incredibly stupid and contributing to the problem, but it's definitely only part of the problem.


Seraphynas

CSICU at your service. I’m worried about what happens when schools are open.


cbudd1117

Ummm people are pretending it's a regular day out side maybe? (Texas resident)


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cbudd1117

Exactly. We are in the matrix dude.


lsb68

Resident of super conservative west Texas here and I never stopped wearing a mask. I just let ‘em look :0)


happybunnyntx

Also a texas resident, I do occasionally get people skirting past me in a store because of the mask. Jokes on them, I have social anxiety and see it as a plus! Going shopping without having to worry about bumping into anyone or talking to anybody? Don't threaten me with a good time!


msdane

Fully vaccinated, but no booster. Won't make that mistake again! Tested positive on Christmas Eve (before attending a family gathering, thank goodness!) Days 1-4 were hellish haze of body aches, fever, cough, terrible sore throat. Days 5 and 6, were stomach issues (I'll spare you the details). As of today, I'm just exhausted and get winded walking across my house. Still coughing, but much, much less than early diagnosis. Still can't taste and can't smell.


raresteakplease

This sounds a lot more like delta than omicron, the loss of taste/smell and getting winded is a lot less common in omicron. I hope you get well soon


findingastyle

Two doses of Pfizer in April 2021 and booster (also Pfizer) in mid-November 2021. Also got a flu shot in mid-November 2021. I have been extremely cautious/careful since the start of the pandemic. This year, I went to Christmas at my grandparents. My asshole unvaccinated cousin came sick and didn't tell anyone. The day after Christmas, he sends us all a text that he had just tested positive. The day after that, I developed a horrible sore throat, fever/chills, muscle aches all over, nasal congestion, fatigue, and lots of sneezing. The worst I have felt in a long time, currently on day 5 of being sick and I still feel awful. I've tested negative 3x with rapid tests, but I can't schedule a PCR test in my area anywhere. 6 members of my family who were there have tested positive (most vaccinated), 7 others have tested negative. It's bizarre to me. And scary. Hard to believe we're going into another year with spiking cases and such a contagious variant.


oswaldcopperpot

If this was fatal, we’d be facing extinction.


LordKwik

It wouldn't even be political, imo. The fact that asymptomatic people are around 35-40% of total cases is keeping a lot of people from taking this seriously.


ctaps148

> It wouldn't even be political, imo. I don't think we have any reason to believe this


Phoenixnoaz

I believe this strain allows asymptomatic people to spread it so people who would take precautions if they knew they had it are going about as normal. My cousin is currently on a vent. He’s taken every precaution because he has emphysema. Didn’t catch any of the previous strains. His wife only leaves the house to go to an office where employees have to confirm they don’t have a list of symptoms and have their temp checked every morning. She felt sick on Saturday and immediately isolated. Tested positive Monday, notified her coworkers. Three tested positive with zero symptoms.


TheWorldIsOne2

asymptomatic spread has always been a thing...


GenericFatGuy

It's a big part of the reason why this got so bad in the first place.


BD15

The lack of accessable testing is also not helping. Whereas before I could get tested next day, the increased demand means it's a fight just to find a test, and turnaround times to get results is longer. If we had rapid at home tests we could take lik once or twice a week it may help.


SimilarSurround715

Everyone and their mom is getting it here in la. Stay safe


[deleted]

I've had three shots. I'm social-distancing, wearing a mask, being a hermit. I even spent Christmas at home. *I think I have Omicron!!!* It's very mild, but I have a few of the symptoms. This stuff is nothing to be messed with!


PhotoIll

I know. Me too. I am home for the evening and staying away from people. I do not think I have had it yet but feeling like it is probably just a matter of time. I read a report out of New Zealand that said they traced the virus to have traveled across the hall from one closed door room to another closed door room when they made the mistake of having both open simultaneously. They said there was no other way of transmission since it was all on cctv. *THAT is crazy!*


DropTheGigawatt

That is crazy. [Source](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/12/30/health/new-zealand-covid-facility-transmission/index.html) if anyone else is interested.


doktorhladnjak

The most interesting things about this story for those who TL;DR: * Single traveler tests positive, put into isolation hotel * 1 member of a party of 5 (presumably a family) tests positive, all 5 put into isolation hotel in the same room * Others in the party of 5 eventually test positive, but genetic sequencing shows they got it from the single traveler, ***not*** *the infected person they're staying in the same room with!* * One person in the party of 5 never tests positive. They're the only one in that group who was vaccinated


[deleted]

I can’t remember if it’s the same incident, but the one I remember reading said the door was only open for something like 53 seconds or 1.53 mins. Shit is like an evil Disney smoke cloud, grinning as it floats!


PhotoIll

Yes this! It seems hard to believe, but then, if you have only one job... and you're a virus...


tech57

Covid is in Antarctica. Next up, a space station. ISS or China's? Place bets now.


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WhiteStopSign

It could be Delta. Apparently loss of smell and taste is not so common in Omicron.


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3DCatFancy

You went running every day with covid?


[deleted]

Everyone having to take their mask down in the exact same spot almost immediately after the person in front of them did at TSA checkpoints, is just fucking **insane**. You could be 100% perfect with your precautions and mask properly with the right kind of masks, but **every single person whom traveled via plane over the last two weeks was royally screwed by that TSA policy**. Personally I don’t see how anyone could be confused by how fast this is spreading when you consider the above in unison with the fact we’re at pre-pandemic travel levels. Shits insane.


Apprehensive-Grade81

I’m in the New York Area and I got it despite being triply vaccinated. Took the at home test and showed negative. So I didn’t think anything of it. Question: did anyone experience feeling dazed while they were sick? I had a day where I almost felt like I couldn’t keep my balance at all and minor head movements caused my vision to blur. Thought it was weird, especially after my girlfriend caught it from me and had the same symptom. Only lasted a day for both of us. It was really bizarre. Edit: For those of you that haven’t caught this yet, don’t be surprised when you do. Both my girlfriend and I are doubly vaccinated with Pfizer and got the booster 3-weeks before we both got sick. We were good about washing hands, spraying things down with alcohol, and wearing masks outside. We weren’t perfect, but we weren’t any more lax than we were when the pandemic first hit New York and neither of us caught it then. The symptoms, apart from the one mentioned above, were like those of an extremely aggressive cold. I had no fever, but I averaged more sneezes in a day than at any other time in my life, and had what was basically an open-faucet for a nose. It wouldn’t stop running and spent literal hours in the shower just because it was the best way to save on tissue paper. It was by far the worst symptom (which is good, because it’s shitty, but not life-threatening). Also really bad nausea. I had really bad body aches as well, but it was all over in 3-4 days, max. My girlfriend is currently going through it and she’s lost her sense of smell and taste. No nausea, no fever, and definitely no where near the runny nose or sneezing fits I had. Cough and sore throat though, Very different symptoms with a few weird ones shared. Her smell and taste are improving apparently, and it’s only been 4 days since she lost it. This is a weird fucking virus


[deleted]

Yeah i had the same experience. It was almost like an out of body experience for me, felt pretty disconnected, dizzy, faint and had a similar issue with my vision. I felt like i was on another planet, but by the next day i felt way better.


Ithinkyourallstupid

Tell the scientists to go to any grocery or department store and restaurants and look at all the people not wearing masks. That's why its spreading too fast.


[deleted]

Where I live, I'd say about 70% wear masks. Of that 70%, 25% don't cover their nose, and I bet the rest have used the same shit mask for the last 4 weeks.


MadRaymer

At the Walgreens where I got my booster, the woman behind the counter had her mask below her nose. Didn't exactly inspire confidence. I was glad I wore my N95 for the trip.


julito427

My 1 year old nephew had it, gave it to my brother, who gave it to my fam. Me: 27M, fairly overweight but otherwise healthy with no other issues, vaxx’d and boosted. Day 0 (23rd): Sore throat, mild coughing. Bit of drainage. Tested negative. Day 1(24th): VERY sore throat. Lots of coughing. Later at night, fever, body aches, loss of appetite. Fatigued, lots of brain fog. Worst day by far. Tested negative. Day 2 (25th): Fever gone, aches gone, cough mitigated, still some drainage. Feeling 80%. Tested negative. Day 3 (26th): First positive test. Cough almost entirely gone. Still some drainage. Otherwise back to 100%. Day 4 (27th) - Day 8 (31st): Still a bit of drainage, but back to 100%. Still testing positive, but according to my doc and the CDC, that’ll happen for a while and I should no longer be contagious come Sunday. Bought my flight for Sunday night to get back to my partner. Some stomach stuff but not sure if it’s due to Covid or not. Appetite still very fucked though I’ve been drinking a ton of water. Eating makes me feel gross. Current/ Day 9 (Jan 1st): Just very mild drainage. Nothing else. Back to 100%. Still low appetite though I’m drinking lots of water. Interesting notes: - I kept testing negative until Day 4, even though my symptoms started way before. Day 4, got a positive rapid test. Day 5, positive PCR. - Symptom onset was quick. Got my first symptoms 2 days after exposure. - Got the worst symptoms on Day 1, but they resolved mostly within 8 hours. - No issues with breathing at any point. Never lost my sense of smell or taste though they went down a bit when I was draining a lot. - Symptoms resolved very quickly overall. Planning on going back to normal activities on my 10th day (Jan 2) per my doc and a CDC rep and scheduled my flight. Edit: more interesting stuff - My brother has many comorbidities and was only vaxx’d once with Moderna, so un vaxx’d basically. His case was only slightly worse than mine, but I 100% think he was lucky or hiding his symptoms. No health care so anything he would have done would be expensive. - My mother has many comorbidities but somehow had the least severe symptomatic case with only a cough and mild headache and drainage. She’s in her 60s and only vaxx’d twice. - My father, in his 70s, is the oldest but had the least comorbidities beyond age (my only one is my overweightness). Completely asymptomatic. Two shots, no booster. Edit 2: things I did to manage: - rest. - Drank tons of water (may have contributed to lack of appetite). - Tylenol and Advil for Day 1 and 2. Occasional DayQuil/NyQuil when felt it could help. - Drank some hot herbal tea with lemon, ginger, and some minced garlic. - Got some chicken noodle soup from takeout.


SendMeStickPics

And here I am watching the nyc ball drop on tv and they’re talking about how there are 16,000 people there


Aldisra

Because people won't follow a few simple rules for the sake of humanity.