#covid still kills people

[tartlette1968]

It's 2023, and we're not post-covid, we're mid-covid,

Nearly 2 weeks ago my sister, in Perth, on her Facebook feed posted something to effect of...

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck faaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrkkk..."

So something was not right.

In actual fact something was very fucking wrong...

My Brother-in-law had covid. My fully vaxxed brother-in-law who is on immunosuppressants to control lupus, has a low functioning thyroid, and diabetes HAS FUCKING covid, from somewhere. He needed hospitalisation in very short time, because of small clots in his lungs, and was released, after being immediately prescribed anti-virals. Then back in hospital again, then released. He is now back in hospital, again, with pneumonia. Now, let me explain this slowly. Lupus is an auto-immune disease, and to control it, you have to suppress the immune system. What they have to do, now, to fight the pneumonia, is to lessen how much they suppress the immune system, which won't be fun for his lupus.

Meanwhile, Huntress and I contracted covid over here in Adelaide. Officially our positive RATs didn't come until Wednesday and Thursday. The RAT I did on Tuesday (when I felt completely shithouse) was negative. There I was sleeping more often than not, smelling literally every bloody smell there was, and finding those smells really awful, my head feeling like it would burst, and the RAT was negative. Huntress did a RAT Wednesday, and Thursday morning showed me the faintest of red lines that showed her to be covid positive. I did another RAT then, and as soon as the fluid from the test dropper hit the line, it turned bright red, for me, no waiting for 15 minutes. I was feeling about 50% better by then, save for my sense of smell being very dull; I still felt like crap, but I wasn't surprised. While I was obviously improving, after Tuesday, Huntress was slowly feeling worse.

But Thursday was the 26th of January, and a public holiday, so there was no calling her GP. We called Huntress' Doctor Friday, and they were eager and insistent on Huntress attending a Respiratory Clinic, to organise a script for the anti-viral meds very quickly. Then the nurse urged us to call the ambulance to monitor her SpO2. That was done, and they were here for hours, but the end result was a script filled for the anti-viral by 6 o'clock that day.

It is day 5 or 6 now, on our own covid journey, and Huntress is improving faster than we hoped after two days of the anti-viral course. I'm smelling things again, and sleeping without waking up coughing every 20 or 30 minutes. Huntress, so far, has managed to avoid an ear infection, and pneumonia, which would cause all sorts of problems, as she is seriously allergic to all antibiotics, save some that really aren't useful at all. She is sleeping, and only experiences the odd coughing fit.

But my Brother-in-law is in a life or death battle, now.

Look, our Government has been defending their slack approach to covid, by trying to reassure us that "Most people are vaccinated, now."

Huntress is vaccinated, with one booster, but the last dose she had, unfortunately, brought on anaphalaxis, which required a day in the ED, and adrenaline shot, and a worry, now. She can't risk another dose, at least not of an mRNA vaccine.

So it's this simple. I was walking around, with covid, breathing this stupid virus... into my mask, because this is exactly the reason why I wear a mask. I get runny noses after one sneeze, all the time. That was no different to what happened on Monday, when I already had covid. My throat feels a little scratchy regularly, and my nose gets blocked weekly, thanks to just stuff in the air. Even if it was just the flu, on Tuesday, I wasn't going anywhere, because I was sick, and I didn't want to infect someone.

People need to remember, we're super infectious before we are even feeling sick, and there are people walking among us who, while they are doing everything they can to prevent being infected, we need to meet them halfway. My sister caught covid a few months ago, and moved into their caravan to completely isolate herself, and keep my Brother-in-law safe. But we need to wear masks, keep washing our hands, get vaccinated, and avoid crowded events and places. Because for some people, even doing all they can do, it isn't enough, and they need us to be brave and step up to do our bit, too.

[runs-4-pinkcupcakes]

My grandmother died this week from COVID pneumonia. My father died 3 years ago from COVID. Both in good health, taken suddenly from me, no goodbye, and who could still be here today.

If you say COVID is no big deal, just like a common cold or the flu, you can go 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻 yourself!

[playingplayer2]

X/Twitter link

[theofreakingbell]

forgive me if I'm a little late to this? but let me get this straight: 

Neil Gaiman asks for fans coming to his events to please mask for everyone's safety

when asked why he isn't mandating them he says he tried but the venues won't allow it

many people don't listen, or don't see the ask bc it isn't official from the venue, and show up maskless

Neil now has COVID (for a second time, which means his risk of complications is higher) along with anyone else who got infected at that event

I just. y'all. please. 

If you are going to a fan event, especially a big one like a con where there will be tons of people, you need to be wearing a mask right now. Actors and other people who work in entertainment who meet with many people and frequent large gatherings or are part of con staff for instance are at significant risk of COVID from the sheer amount they are being exposed to, not only from acute infection but cumulative damage from multiple infections or long COVID and post COVID complications. COVID levels are nearly as high as they were in the first wave in 2020 and being vaccinated does not guarantee u cannot catch and/or transmit it(this study from this year says it's around 1 in five). Please be excellent to each other and do your best to not get your faves, their staff, or other fans sick. 

why and how masks work and what types are the safest (you can get good masks in all sorts of colors now btw if u want to match ur cosplay or stuff, ProjectN95 is a good source, and Jelli has clear masks if u want to have ur face visible)

I wish Neil a speedy and full recovery, and I hope more people listen to him and others trying to keep fans and creators and staff safe right now ❤️

#FansMaskUp

[didnt-hear-idsb-live-again]

I actually feel so sick to my stomach trying to decide between this Free People job and the one I currently have why does the current one have to pay so fucking well and Free People have to pay so fucking bad

[flugame-mp3]

im going to kill with hammers whoever invented the stupid idea of trading musical legboots. girl we are all watching the same illicit shaky iphone recording of sweaty guys on stage LET ME HAVE IT

[voskhozhdeniye]

[comradecowplant]

so things are not going well with my new elderly socdem friend unfortunately.

[docmerlin]

public perception on illness has shifted so far that people think i'm insane for not wanting to hug them when they're visibly sick but if they see a medical mask in any context they freak the fuck out

[juanabaloo]

if you live in the USA and are feeling especially overwhelmed rn, remember we are living through both a modern day civil rights movement (like the 1960s) and a genocide that our govt is funding (like the Holocaust). keep fighting. if you need a break, rest up. take care of yourself. i believe that we will win.

[sealeneee]

siiiiiiigh

[ye-olde-trojan-horse]

I have a cold, and it’s only 3 days into pride month.

this feels homophobic of the universe.

[stellamusing]

Pleased to report that I'm just as insane over the barricade boys as I was in 2012

[autumnalhalcyon]

has anyone else who still masks encountered any whackjobs who scream and berate anyone who isn't delusional enough to believe COVID either no longer exists or "Is Just The Flu" and still wears a mask to protect themselves and loved ones?

bc ive had at least two instances of people nearly having aneurysms over me just. existing while wearing a mask within the past couple of months, and ive no idea what drives these people to act so deranged over a fucking mask lol

[hafwen]

Care about disabled people? Keep wearing your masks, social distancing and getting your vaccines

[countess-of-edessa]

oh yeah it would be good to get covid rn i don't have anything going on atm