quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
So, I am going back to prior precautions, as I think what may be going on is the vaccine is not very long-lasting.

No, current data shows that the ones used in the US are long-lasting. However, it is still possible to catch COVID after being vaccinated. 90 whatever percent isn't 100%. And Delta variant brings efficacy down into the 80something% range.

Sounds like it may be a good idea to realize we aren't "home free" yet!

quote:

Originally posted by RealPlayer:
Sorry you are sick, and hoping it’s nothing!

+1!

quote:

Originally posted by rontuner:

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
So, I am going back to prior precautions, as I think what may be going on is the vaccine is not very long-lasting.

No, current data shows that the ones used in the US are long-lasting.

Mostly true. Pfizer has been proven to be long-lasting, and they believe Moderna will have the same duration. However, the suspicion is that J&J will not last as long, in part because it's a single shot.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/0...ccines-immunity.html

Just as before, we all have to decide how much risk to tolerate.

I do not mask unless required to do so.

If I went to a movie, I would mask. Same for mass transit.

And I will start masking again everywhere indoors when my shot is 6 months old.

Restaurants are open at full capacity - no masks for those with vaccines, but I still mask when going to the restroom... We choose our times so we aren't visiting at peak times. (gotta love those senior specials, or happy hour!)

We try to go to restaurants with patios. (Although I did walk in to talk to the hostess without a mask ... it felt weird.)

We've had a couple of people work on the house, and we haven't worn masks. But I still stand back and feel weird.

quote:

Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
Just as before, we all have to decide how much risk to tolerate.

I do not mask unless required to do so.

If I went to a movie, I would mask. Same for mass transit.

And I will start masking again everywhere indoors when my shot is 6 months old.

That was my plan too. But now, based on the new info I have, I'm thinking three months.

Last night my blood oxygen level dropped to 81 and stayed there. My doc has told me to go to the emergency room if it drops below 90. I didn't go. It didn't seem necessary. I wasn't short of breath.

This morning I decided to go let the horses out to graze. Involves a lot of walking up and down hills. Got back inside and my blood ox was 99!

More concerned about the resting heart rates of 80-100.

How trustworthy are those little plastic finger devices from the drug store?

Don't let the lack of shortness of breath deceive you. One of the characteristics of COVID is silent, or "happy" hypoxia.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/06...-wellness/index.html

As the article points out, some people don't feel shortness of breath but start to breathe faster without realizing it. The fact that you were at 99 percent post-exercise actually makes sense; your heart rate and breathing increased and re-oxygenated your blood. Have you checked your resting respiration rate, especially since your resting heart rate seems to be elevated?

I hadn't heard anything about the vaccine not being long-lasting; in fact just this morning there was news of a study published in Nature that said that the mRNA vaccines may be good for several years.

rontuner makes a good point about the reminder that the vaccine is not 100% effective; people still can get the virus even if they are vaccinated. And today's news about the studies at Washington U describes how scientists are only starting to understand what various levels of antibodies and T- and B-cells mean as far as protection against the virus is concerned.

Is it possible that what the health department said is the antibodies wane in three months? They are only one part of immune response.

As for the pulse oximeters, they may vary some but I haven't heard that the home ones are wildly inaccurate. I have two of them and they always read within one or two percent of each other.

I'm a chicken when it comes to risk, so I'm continuing to mask and we have no desire to go to restaurants. Mr wtg has enough on his hands dealing with his cancer without worrying about getting the virus. But I recognize we are probably outliers and others will make different decisions.

Possible mechanism behind silent hypoxia:

https://www.bu.edu/articles/20...ause-silent-hypoxia/

edit to add:

And an article that explains vaccine effectiveness. I had a couple of friends who have science/medical PhDs review it and they said it was spot on.

"Effectiveness" might not mean what you think it means.

https://www.livescience.com/co...source=pocket-newtab

Those are excellent articles, wtg. Thank you. According to the first one I should be on supplemental oxygen. I got an inhaler yesterday. That seems to bring the numbers up.

Sorry you're so sick, pique. I think of you as healthy as a horse so to speak, so I know this hits you hard. Hard to remember what it's like to be really sick when you're used to being in such "robust" health (new vernacular has me in its clutches)

The low oxygen is scary - glad you got the inhaler (wtg seems to always be on top of things). Hope you knock it away ASAP.

Also that it's not a sign that those with only mild reactions to the vaccines (especially the second one) are indeed mounting a less "robust" response to the vaccines (how DOES modish new vocab capture us??).

Get well, you! Hope you two knock it out fast, whatever is it. (Any way to turn it into an article?).

piqué, any updates? How are you feeling today?

Update with good news: my second, more definitive Covid test came back negative. But the nurse told me they are seeing some horrific non-covid upper respiratory tract infections. I'm to monitor for fever and act quickly if there are any signs of bacterial infection.

Still can't clear my lungs but have a little more energy. Getting by with plenty of fluids, humidifiers, Sudafed, and mucinex dm. Going to bake this out of me in the sun this afternoon as best I can.

Well, thank goodness it’s not Covid!