Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[KarynVA]

This is one of those side effects of covid that can last far beyond the illness itself, and has a big impact on quality of life for folks who suffer from it. This is not a disease you want to risk getting.

The loss of smell or taste for COVID-19 survivors who experience those symptoms frequently leads to depression, a loss of appetite and a decreased enjoyment of life, according to an ongoing Virginia Commonwealth University study.

In the study of quality of life and safety for those with loss of smell or taste related to COVID-19, 43% of participants reported feeling depressed.

Of the 322 respondents to the ongoing COVID-19 smell and taste loss survey who had tested positive for COVID-19 and reported a loss of smell or taste, 56% reported decreased enjoyment of life in general while experiencing their loss of smell or taste. The most common quality-of-life concern was reduced enjoyment of food, with 87% of respondents indicating it was an issue. An inability to smell smoke was the most common safety risk, reported by 45% of those surveyed.

While the majority of COVID-19 survivors’ sense of smell and taste improves or returns within one or two months, those who lose their sense of smell for longer than two months — approximately 33% or more, according to the group’s previous research — may experience problems even if it comes back. Data from the center’s study shows that over 45% of respondents indicated alterations in odor perception.

More about the VCU Study

 

[casportpony]

Today is the big day! In ~3 hours we're off to get our second Pfizer jab!

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

Today is the big day! In ~3 hours we're off to get our second Pfizer jab!

How are you feeling?

 

[HollyBerrie]

Just as a thought experiment: the absolute WORST that can happen in both these cases is death. One risks dying from covid without the vaccine; or if one is of the extremely rare cases, they may suffer death from the vaccine.

In the case of having the vaccine, at least they have done their part as a member of society in looking out, not just for themselves, but for others who are at risk of death from covid.

In the case of not having the vaccine, the person may still die of covid in the end. Without having helped anyone else.

Just a thought experiment, that's all. Oh, and it's not about making others "FEEL" safe; it is a fact that our planet is more safe if we achieve herd immunity, which requires 80% or so of people to be vaccinated.

You didn't read my post very well. I said the person has a risk of a reaction to the vaccine much, much worse than the disease. So I'll try put this in a way more understandable (hopefully):

Suppose this person has a 90% risk of having a SEVERE reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine. This person also has an immune that is very likely to take care of the Covid-19 virus relatively quickly without much negative effect (there are treatments also).

Get Covid-19 disease---this person would likely get over it just fine.

Get the Covid vaccine---this person has a condition that makes the vaccine very, very risky.

 

[Hayden Goseek]

You didn't read my post very well. I said the person has a risk of a reaction to the vaccine much, much worse than the disease. So I'll try put this in a way more understandable (hopefully):

Suppose this person has a 90% risk of having a SEVERE reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine. Also suppose this person has already had Covid-19 with symptoms not worse than a bad head cold. Should they still get the vaccine?

Already had Covid-19---not much worse than a head cold.

Get the Covid vaccine---this person has a condition that makes the vaccine very, very risky.

Allergic reactions are one of the counterindications of ANY medication. I am not sure how you would know beforehand you were " 90% " allergic to anything unless you had been tested for all the ingredients or had had a reaction to a medication with very similar ingredients. Even then I see people all the time who may be allergic to a specific drug ( say codine) but can take morphine, dilaudid, fentanyl, etc without a problem. And these are slight variations of the same basic compound.

 

[KarynVA]

IF A PHYSICIAN WARNS A PERSON TO NOT GET THE COVID VACCINE THEY SHOULD NOT GET IT.

I can't believe it's even necessary for anyone to make that statement, but there you go, GG.

 

[h2oratt]

I got a digestive version of it and yes, I was quite sick. I could not swallow anything. I became dehydrated and was in the ER twice. Was sick all of January. Had to have potassium via IV and that stuff BURNS. I was admitted and kept a couple or three nights. My senses were affected and everything smelled like sewage or worse, even water. Yes, thank you, I'm mostly well now, but still tender from my esophagus down. I'm careful what I eat.

I wish everyone would get vaccinated for this simple reason: the more people that get Covid, even a very mild case that does not affect them much (like my grand- daughter, who gave it to me), the more it can mutate. And the more it mutates, the more likely it is to become resistant to vaccines, and/or even more deadly. Yes, coronaviruses have always been around. But why did this one cause a pandemic and why is it killing so many people? Because it is a NOVEL, or NEW virus. It is a mutation. The only way to stop it is for everybody to get vaccinated and keep it from mutating even further. That is my plea.

Blue how do you know you got it from your gd? I thought she go5 sick after you.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Blue how do you know you got it from your gd? I thought she go5 sick after you.

There's no one else we could have gotten it from. She was our only contact with the outside world. She works out of the home, and after work she socializes with an ever-changing group of strangers. I was basically quarantined in the home with The Kud and had been since the start of the pandemic. DH works in an isolated office where he has no contact with co-workers or the public. And GirlChild insisted on a hug every day before leaving for work and upon getting home. She had to have been asymptomatic when I got it. After DH and I tested positive, the county health dept called us and told us to bring the kids in for testing. They both tested positive and had mild symptoms for a few days.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Not everyone can safely get a vaccine. For those the vaccine is worse (much, much worse) than the disease. Would you suggest that those get the vaccine anyway to make others feel safe?

Of course not. Those people are the ones who will benefit from herd immunity. Which will only be reached when all those who CAN get vaccinated, do.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This is one of those side effects of covid that can last far beyond the illness itself, and has a big impact on quality of life for folks who suffer from it. This is not a disease you want to risk getting.

The loss of smell or taste for COVID-19 survivors who experience those symptoms frequently leads to depression, a loss of appetite and a decreased enjoyment of life, according to an ongoing Virginia Commonwealth University study.

In the study of quality of life and safety for those with loss of smell or taste related to COVID-19, 43% of participants reported feeling depressed.

Of the 322 respondents to the ongoing COVID-19 smell and taste loss survey who had tested positive for COVID-19 and reported a loss of smell or taste, 56% reported decreased enjoyment of life in general while experiencing their loss of smell or taste. The most common quality-of-life concern was reduced enjoyment of food, with 87% of respondents indicating it was an issue. An inability to smell smoke was the most common safety risk, reported by 45% of those surveyed.

While the majority of COVID-19 survivors’ sense of smell and taste improves or returns within one or two months, those who lose their sense of smell for longer than two months — approximately 33% or more, according to the group’s previous research — may experience problems even if it comes back. Data from the center’s study shows that over 45% of respondents indicated alterations in odor perception.

More about the VCU Study

My ex experienced a loss of taste and smell as a side effect of his bone marrow transplant for treatment of leukemia. I believe it took over a year to come back and was possibly permanently altered. I think he thought it a minor price to pay in exchange for his life. I never heard him complain about it.