Possible Covid 'protections'

[oped]

I know we are wearing masks and social distancing, but are there any other things you are doing to try to minimize your chances of getting Covid or at least severe covid? 

I lost 45 pounds since it started and am almost off all blood pressure meds... although the latest research actually says ACE inhibitors might be protective or at least no difference, so I guess I'm ok with that. I'd eventually like to get off of it just because. 


We take vitamin D every day. We actually always struggle with D, especially in winter, but have kept up daily use for months now. 

Anyone else? 

[wvugurl26]

I saw something that said use humidifiers this winter and keep your indoor humidity up. Lots of research supporting this reducing transmission of other illnesses. Not fully studied in covid of course. Keeping the humidity up will keep those big droplets as big droplets that drop down instead of splitting and hanging around in the air.

Probably not going to make a huge difference. No bloody noses though!

[resolution]

I still wash my groceries with dish soap and leave mail outside in a tub for 24 hours before I bring it in the house. It probably doesn't do much to reduce risk, but it makes me feel better to be doing something.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

I was kidding my wife that I can't get it because I sneeze all the time because I'm allergic to air. Any Covid germ wouldn't have a chance in my nose.

We've used a little humidifier/cold vaporizer some Winters in the bedroom if we start getting dry sinuses. It is a pain because it needs filling often.

[Lizard Queen]

My whole family has been taking a multivitamin every day. They have zinc, so helpful to stay healthy and fight off illness. My vitamin has biotin, and I noticed it has been making my nails too strong, if you can believe that. I can't even grow them out any more because the curve where it meets my fingers on each side is hurting my fingers, if that makes sense. It's kinda crazy, but I've never been so consistent with vitamins before.

We also have an essential oil diffuser that we use as a humidifier in colder months. It helps your nose to stay moist. Dry membranes make it easier to catch bugs.

Oh, also 3 of us are taking allergy pills every day. It sucks to sneeze or have a runny nose inside a mask. My older son also gets a cough from his allergies. He's already had friends ask if it was covid, but he's had this problem every year once it gets colder, for 6 years straight now.

[giramomma]

We are really reducing our "pod" and how much we go out in public.

We're also choosing to frequent places that we know our safe.

So, we shop at the grocery store my son works at. There were  a few covid cases in Spring, but nothing since.  I feel like our risk of DH Covid from spending 4 hours a month in the store is low. I feel like my son's risk of bringing covid home is low.

DD1 was "exposed" to covid once, at her cheer gym, since May. A coach was asymptomatic. But, again, they were more than 6 feet apart, masked up, and fans are going to improve ventilation. There have been no cases of Covid at the martial arts location we use for the peanut. Everything is sanatized, everyone is masked up 6 feet apart.

I feel these are safe places. Much safer than my kids' school, to be honest.

If we are only doing indoor activities 2-3 times a week, (grocery shopping, DD1's cheer, once a month target pilgrimage and once every 6-8 weeks costco trip). I'm just not sure how likely it is that we'll get covid, KWIM?

[jerseygirl]

Limiting trips to mostly grocery store
Taking 5000 units D3 daily, just started taking a zinc pill
Zinc tastes nasty!
I worked with an endocrinologist who really encouraged taking D3. Had my blood levels tested and I’m right in middle of acceptable range 50 with normal being 28 - 80 my/ml

[Tiny]

I mostly try to not be in situations where I have to breathe other people's exhaled air (even if that air has gone thru their mask and my mask) or be in their "cloud of exhaled air" for long periods of time.

I have a handful of people who's air I'm willing to breathe and we all kind of try to limit who else's air we're breathing outside the group.

I'm willing to go to 'businesses' when there is something there I must do or need. I was just at the bank to go thru some "complicated" steps with some CDs I was closing/renewing/etc... I was there for 20 minutes. I was masked - everyone in the bank was masked. I had my own pen for signing stuff.

When I shop for groceries I try to get in and get out as quickly as possible - I'm not there for entertainment or "to get out of the house" or to "kill some time".

And, I don't really think it matters how healthy you are. That's not to say "don't do things that help you to feel better/healthy". They might not save you from Covid19 - but they may make your life experience better over all. And that's a good thing.

(I get the zinc thing... just keep in mind more is not better. You can take too much and it will mess with your digestive system (as in gas/cramping/diarrhea). Sure would suck if the thing you thought was "healthy" wasn't. )

[Tiny]

I think the biggest problem/issue is the asymptomatic people. I suspect that's where a lot of the spread is coming from.

Most of the people in my real life who have had covid19 (coworker/coworker family, friend/relative of a friend) either felt funky for a couple of days (and didn't think twice about it) or were sick and on the couch/bed for a couple of days and then recovered. Some of the 'sickies' family/housemates tested positive and had nothing amiss. They said they felt fine.

I wish someone in science would talk about what they know about when Covid19 is most contagious. Good thing we've got that government task force supplying us with info.

[anciana]

Nov 20, 2020 13:32:58 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I think the biggest problem/issue is the asymptomatic people. I suspect that's where a lot of the spread is coming from.

Most of the people in my real life who have had covid19 (coworker/coworker family, friend/relative of a friend) either felt funky for a couple of days (and didn't think twice about it) or were sick and on the couch/bed for a couple of days and then recovered. Some of the 'sickies' family/housemates tested positive and had nothing amiss. They said they felt fine.

I wish someone in science would talk about what they know about when Covid19 is most contagious. Good thing we've got that government task force supplying us with info.

I can't get you the link as I don't remember where I read it but it said they believed that people are most contagious 2 day before they start showing symptoms and then 2-3 days afterwards. Since this is a new disease there's no guaranties that's a complete picture, hopefully we find out more as time passes by. No idea about the asymptomatic people.
I was wondering about all those people who recovered and they continued to test positive on PCR because they continue to shed the virus. Does that mean that they're still infectious? 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Nov 20, 2020 14:33:32 GMT -5 anciana said:

Nov 20, 2020 13:32:58 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I think the biggest problem/issue is the asymptomatic people. I suspect that's where a lot of the spread is coming from.

Most of the people in my real life who have had covid19 (coworker/coworker family, friend/relative of a friend) either felt funky for a couple of days (and didn't think twice about it) or were sick and on the couch/bed for a couple of days and then recovered. Some of the 'sickies' family/housemates tested positive and had nothing amiss. They said they felt fine.

I wish someone in science would talk about what they know about when Covid19 is most contagious. Good thing we've got that government task force supplying us with info.

I can't get you the link as I don't remember where I read it but it said they believed that people are most contagious 2 day before they start showing symptoms and then 2-3 days afterwards. Since this is a new disease there's no guaranties that's a complete picture, hopefully we find out more as time passes by. No idea about the asymptomatic people.
I was wondering about all those people who recovered and they continued to test positive on PCR because they continue to shed the virus. Does that mean that they're still infectious? 

No.  They continue to shed virus, but it is dead virus.  PCR cannot differentiate between dead and live virus, PCR only sees RNA and RNA is not alive.  

The problem arises when you try to test whether the virus is dead or alive.  Classic testing is a pathology test where the sample is put on live, susceptible cells in a lab to see if it destroys the cells in culture.  Not sure if this has been changed in the decades this test has been around, but the last article I read about it, it looked like not.

[anciana]

Nov 20, 2020 14:46:11 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Nov 20, 2020 14:33:32 GMT -5 anciana said:

I can't get you the link as I don't remember where I read it but it said they believed that people are most contagious 2 day before they start showing symptoms and then 2-3 days afterwards. Since this is a new disease there's no guaranties that's a complete picture, hopefully we find out more as time passes by. No idea about the asymptomatic people.
I was wondering about all those people who recovered and they continued to test positive on PCR because they continue to shed the virus. Does that mean that they're still infectious? 

No.  They continue to shed virus, but it is dead virus.  PCR cannot differentiate between dead and live virus, PCR only sees RNA and RNA is not alive.  

The problem arises when you try to test whether the virus is dead or alive.  Classic testing is a pathology test where the sample is put on live, susceptible cells in a lab to see if it destroys the cells in culture.  Not sure if this has been changed in the decades this test has been around, but the last article I read about it, it looked like not.

Excellent! Thank you very much, that's good to know! I knew that the virus they're shedding is dead but was unsure if that dead virus somehow found its way inside someone's nose, could it become an undead zombie (you know, like the dormant viruses from the Egyptian pyramids and all the stories of curses) and cause an infection.

[Miss Tequila]

Nov 20, 2020 14:33:32 GMT -5 anciana said:

Nov 20, 2020 13:32:58 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I think the biggest problem/issue is the asymptomatic people. I suspect that's where a lot of the spread is coming from.

Most of the people in my real life who have had covid19 (coworker/coworker family, friend/relative of a friend) either felt funky for a couple of days (and didn't think twice about it) or were sick and on the couch/bed for a couple of days and then recovered. Some of the 'sickies' family/housemates tested positive and had nothing amiss. They said they felt fine.

I wish someone in science would talk about what they know about when Covid19 is most contagious. Good thing we've got that government task force supplying us with info.

I can't get you the link as I don't remember where I read it but it said they believed that people are most contagious 2 day before they start showing symptoms and then 2-3 days afterwards. Since this is a new disease there's no guaranties that's a complete picture, hopefully we find out more as time passes by. No idea about the asymptomatic people.
I was wondering about all those people who recovered and they continued to test positive on PCR because they continue to shed the virus. Does that mean that they're still infectious? 

I can only speak to what I was told by my infectious disease doctor. He said I was considered contagious for 21 days. The problem is that they don’t really know. He admitted that. Is the cutoff 18 days or 25? They don’t really know. So while i had to quarantine for 21 days I was still extra careful in my house.

I was also told that the 48 hours prior to my first symptom was critical time for exposing others.

It’s also been 4 months now so I’m not sure if anything has change

ETA: I was told I would pop positive for awhile but it was not an active virus and no indication that I was contagious

[laterbloomer]

Nov 20, 2020 7:57:23 GMT -5 oped said:

I know we are wearing masks and social distancing, but are there any other things you are doing to try to minimize your chances of getting Covid or at least severe covid? 

I lost 45 pounds since it started and am almost off all blood pressure meds... although the latest research actually says ACE inhibitors might be protective or at least no difference, so I guess I'm ok with that. I'd eventually like to get off of it just because. 


We take vitamin D every day. We actually always struggle with D, especially in winter, but have kept up daily use for months now. 

Anyone else? 

Way to go!!

[laterbloomer]

What seems to be having the most impact in my area is how quickly people that have it quarantine themselves. We had an outbreak of about 40 cases a couple of weeks ago that seems to have been interrupted. In particular 23 cases were traced back to a Halloween party. The local Health unit put out the word for anyone that attended that party to isolate immediately and get tested. (A few people here got the week off work ) But we haven't had word of any new cases so far this week so it seems to have had a positive impact.

[TheOtherMe]

My sister said she felt off--tired and like her allergies were acting up.  She only got tested because DN1 and his wife required a negative covid test to visit their newborn (and quarantine after test until visit).  

She drove me to and from my medical procedure then went to be tested.  She tested positive.  

Thankfully I had insisted on both of us wearing a mask in the car, but who knows how long she had been positive.

[gs11rmb]

Nov 20, 2020 16:06:16 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

My sister said she felt off--tired and like her allergies were acting up.  She only got tested because DN1 and his wife required a negative covid test to visit their newborn (and quarantine after test until visit).  

She drove me to and from my medical procedure then went to be tested.  She tested positive.  

Thankfully I had insisted on both of us wearing a mask in the car, but who knows how long she had been positive.

My sister said she felt like she was starting to get a cold.  Her husband felt the same way but then came home and said someone at work had tested positive.  They both got tested and were positive and immediately quarantined.  What's scary is neither of them thought it was COVID and they didn't get really sick.  If they hadn't known about the co-worker they would not have got tested and would have carried on as normal.  

Our grandmother is 94 with COPD so although my sister lives just a couple of miles away she hasn't been visiting for months.  She works from home right now but her husband is an engineer who is still working on building sites.  They also have two children in primary school and one in nursery.  My sister didn't want to take the risk of 'taking' something to Gran and is very glad that she's been staying away and instead Facetiming.  To put it bluntly, for our grandmother, COVID would be a death sentence.

[TheOtherMe]

Nov 20, 2020 16:34:24 GMT -5 gs11rmb said:

Nov 20, 2020 16:06:16 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Our grandmother is 94 with COPD so although my sister lives just a couple of miles away she hasn't been visiting for months.  She works from home right now but her husband is an engineer who is still working on building sites.  They also have two children in primary school and one in nursery.  My sister didn't want to take the risk of 'taking' something to Gran and is very glad that she's been staying away and instead Facetiming.  To put it bluntly, for our grandmother, COVID would be a death sentence.

Sadly there are too many people who are in this situation.

[Deleted]

Nov 20, 2020 17:36:49 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Nov 20, 2020 16:34:24 GMT -5 gs11rmb said:

Our grandmother is 94 with COPD so although my sister lives just a couple of miles away she hasn't been visiting for months.  She works from home right now but her husband is an engineer who is still working on building sites.  They also have two children in primary school and one in nursery.  My sister didn't want to take the risk of 'taking' something to Gran and is very glad that she's been staying away and instead Facetiming.  To put it bluntly, for our grandmother, COVID would be a death sentence.

Sadly there are too many people who are in this situation.

This is my worry with my Mom. She has COPD and other health issues.

When I talked to her today, I told her to ask her doctor about taking vitamin D, and if he says it’s ok, I’ll get her some. She’s literally only been outside 3 or 4 times since the spring, not even to sit in the patio, which I’ve always encouraged her to do. The few times she has been outside, she was getting in the car with me to go to a Doctor. So, she hasn’t been outside in the sunshine to help her body make vitamin D on its own. Plus with her dark skin, she’d need to be in the sun for longer than a fair skinned person to benefit from it as far as vitamin D.

My vitamin D levels have been low for a few years now, my PCP has been telling me to take supplements for a while. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. For no reason besides I forget. I do a lot better remembering lately and if it’s something that could possibly help my Mom protect herself, I want her to take some too.

[Deleted]

In my area, the rule is 14 days of quarantine from the day of known exposure (if you are asymptomatic) Or, 14 days from the date you test positive. 

After 14 days, you can do whatever you want and are told you aren't contagious. 

I can't help but wonder about the long-haulers or reinfected people. If this rears back up like lupus, are you then contagious during the flares? 

[Opti]

Nov 20, 2020 7:57:23 GMT -5 oped said:

I know we are wearing masks and social distancing, but are there any other things you are doing to try to minimize your chances of getting Covid or at least severe covid? 

I lost 45 pounds since it started and am almost off all blood pressure meds... although the latest research actually says ACE inhibitors might be protective or at least no difference, so I guess I'm ok with that. I'd eventually like to get off of it just because. 


We take vitamin D every day. We actually always struggle with D, especially in winter, but have kept up daily use for months now. 

Anyone else? 

I do not know for certain, but this is what I've done because of my own health susceptibilities.

Vitamin D everyday
Whole Foods Zinc + Elderberry chewables

More later, I think its time to eat dinner and take my eye meds.

[raeoflyte]

My parents wipe down groceries and anything that comes into the house. They wear gloves, mask, and typically goggles (mom now has a face shield), but my mom is in the death sentence camp. She only leaves the house for doctor appt. Dad gets out for bike rides, runs the required errands, etc. We have stopped even our outside visits with them.

Much more lax at our house. Mostly focused on who we share space with, wash hands, etc.

We are closing our bubble more. I was letting ds go to in person music lessons but switching to zoom. I caved and let dd play outside with the neighbors but masked and distanced. One of the other kids went and got a mask when dd wore hers, so hopefully that will be a trend.

My biggest question right now is dsis. She has been babysitting for us and has been ds life line. She isnt working and never leaves her house except to come to our house. Her roommate is also not working and painfully homebound. But dh still has to go to work in an environment that frequently can't distance and no amount of ppe can fully protect him so we are definitely a risk to them. Dsis struggles and I can't reconcile the risk between having her come over or not.