22 thoughts on “C-19 Chat Post – February 9 2021”

    1. I’m feeling the effects I just took my first medication so I lasted 24 hours from shot but my head is throbbing . I can say I feel like I have a mild flu I forced myself out of bed at 10 ( obviously I’m home ) when I called the nurse to check in at 10 she said stay home tomorrow & I should be fine tomorrow. The hospital is giving me administrative pay which is nice of them . This is a good sickness nothing I can’t handle but for workers I’d plan on a day or two off when you’re chance comes . Thanks Vicki . Tk good luck & mark hope family is well . All effects I’m having is exactly what everyone else has described headaches, body aches . Not having to much chills or sweating & my arm today is pretty sore .

        1. I did at 10:30 this morning & my headache has improved I took Tylenol ( I use Advil ) but heard multiple doctors on tv say Tylenol. They also said hold out as long as you can which I did I lasted over 24 hours ( my shot was at 10am yesterday so that part was great . I’m very confident I will be much better tomorrow.

          1. Good to hear. Most of the people I know who got their second shot had similar symptoms but they were gone within 1-2 days.

    2. Things are going pretty well here Vicki and SSK, thanks for asking. Cait is still a bit run down but everyone else is feeling pretty good now. I went Friday to get tested and was negative. Went again yesterday for a second test and should have the results tomorrow.

      1. Good news and sending positive thoughts that you stay negative, Mark. Positive thoughts that Cait improves quickly also.

  4. Such great news TK!!

    So Very happy you are inoculated and your Mom soon to be – with all the crazy unknowns on the cardio side with this virus I’m so relieved you will be safe from anything frightening happening in terms of covid in just 21 days!!

  5. Good news, TK!

    Also, good news, Mark.

    SSK, glad that you’re on the mend – the effects of the 2nd dose.

  6. Quick recap of today’s data:

    In spite of snow and cold in the Northeast still vaccinated about 1 million people (well, with 1 dose) yesterday. The pace is much better than it was 3 weeks ago.

    The cold appears to have caused some testing disruption. Numbers of tests have decreased sharply since last week.

    New daily cases continue to decrease, but … test positivity is stuck at 7.5% nationwide. This is much better than it was 4 weeks ago. But, it’s been stuck at around 7.5% for about 1 week.

    After 3 weeks of declining numbers of ICU patients, that also is stalling. Fairly similar story with hospitalizations. That number is decreasing, but at a much slower pace than 10 days ago.

    I don’t know precisely what is going on. Yet, I have a hunch we’re starting to confront the B117 variant, which is 30-40% more lethal. The older variant is on the way out, to be displaced by B117 as we move forward. The vaccines WILL work to neutralize B117, but at slightly diminished efficacy. My biggest concern is B117 linking up with the South Africa variant. That would not be good. It’s also THE reason Tirol, Austria, is now cut off from the world, as 300 cases have been found there of that combination variant. Most European nations, by the way, are seeing improving Covid-19 indicators. Very strict lockdown is one reason, vaccinations another, perhaps herd immunity still another? Greece is the exception, as its numbers are now increasing rapidly and it is entering a 3 week strict lockdown. My guess is Greece is dealing with the B117 variant, which impacted Portugal so badly a couple of weeks ago. Notably, Israel is having a lot of trouble containing cases and reducing hospitalizations, in spite of an incredibly rapid vaccination campaign. The elderly – most of whom have been vaccinated – ARE showing sharp declines in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. But, it’s the group between the ages of 45 and 70 that’s concerning.

  7. John Barry’s The Great Influenza offers a fascinating account of the Spanish Flu of 1918-1920. I learned so much from reading the chapters on virology and the history of medicine.

    Essentially viruses are `smarter’ than bacteria. We’ve got plenty of weapons to fight bacteria, even if overuse leads to resistance. For viruses, we have some weapons. But, they’re imperfect and that’s putting it mildly. For most viral based diseases, we have limited weapons at our disposal. Viruses outsmart us all the time. As my father used to say – he was a doctor – “mother nature is in constant battle mode, out to get you sooner or later.” As the ultimate parasite, viruses must find hosts to procreate, and they must `learn’ methods – through mutations – of evasion of our immune system, or the neutralizing effects of vaccines.

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