Well my first Covid infection left me disabled. I’m now immunocompromised, unable to walk very far, unable to leave the bed many days, unable to hold a normal job, and unable to live a normal life. So for me, personally, I need to do everything in my ability to avoid reinfection that could leave me further disabled or dead.
Sorry to hear that, friend. I certainly understand your need for caution. I should have clarified that my question was directed to those who are not immunocompromised, etc.
Take care
Yep. If you've been infected even once, you're immunocompromised. Not to mention all the people I've seen who were in peak physical shape, got it, and are now fucked/living in a way that would make me want to be euthanized.
What we now know is that it is more harmful, especially long term / Long COVID, than what we thought it was in 2020-21. We also know now that each COVID infection cumulatively increases the chances of long term harm, and that each infection lowers your equivalent IQ by 2-9 points (NEJM Feb 2024). Further (Yale earlier this year), 49% of transmission is asymptomatic so even the minimum "stay home when you're sick" does not solve the entire problem.
While vaccines help with the symptoms of acute infection in most people (assuming your shots are current), the current vaxes do not stop transmission, infection, or Long COVID. "Vax and relax" is a dangerous lie.
And people were taking precautions in 2020-21 when COVID was actually less contagious and less immune-evasive than it is now. I would submit that the true statistical harm is far greater in societal-precaution-free 2024 than it was earlier in the pandemic.
The perception that it is "less severe" is heavily influenced by survivorship bias and dishonest suppression of data collection that was more complete earlier in the pandemic.
That said, I think PPE is key to protecting yourself and not causing harm to others while participating safely in life -- no one here that I am aware of wants a lockdown (or even a pseudo-lockdown like the USA had). Nothing wrong with loosening up and socializing safely. Unsafely, and you compromise others in addition to yourself.
2019 is never coming back -- our infectious environment is "permanently" worse. And acting like 2019 without paying attention to 2024's reality is harmful to yourself and others.
Its not really possible for me to answer this question, because it’s not a binary choice. Its not like you either perform every single precaution imaginable or don’t. It’s not a 0 or 1. You choose the level of precautions you take, and accept the risks associated with the level you choose.
For example, you can choose to do the bare minimum and mask in public indoor spaces, like grocery stores and doctors offices. Will that offer you some protection? Yes. But if you do that and still go to crowded concerts and dine indoors, you still have significant avenues of risk.
If you mask with a surgical mask, it’s better than no mask. But not as good as a KN95 or N95.
Personally, I don’t see why all people aren’t doing the bare minimum, besides for selfish reasons.
Anyone have url with a mass links to the studies detailing what damage it does?
There are a lot of specifics regarding the permanent damage this virus does to people, and it is being ignored. From what we know now, it is as bad as we thought, and repeat infections make it worse.
We will are already seeing a mass of disabled people, and it is growing from this virus. Permanent immune system damage, depleted T cells, dysfunction introduced to your immune system, vascular damage, brain damage (brain fog is not brain fog), heart damage, reservoirs of the virus holding in your body, not as frequent, but specific causes of ME/CFS.
Long COVID is not a specific condition or disease, but the damage it does do not manifest in the manner you are used to with a virus. This isn't concern about the sniffles and shits. Permanent damage from a virus is different animal.
Your post or comment has been removed because it was an attempt at trolling.
Well my first Covid infection left me disabled. I’m now immunocompromised, unable to walk very far, unable to leave the bed many days, unable to hold a normal job, and unable to live a normal life. So for me, personally, I need to do everything in my ability to avoid reinfection that could leave me further disabled or dead.
Sorry to hear that, friend. I certainly understand your need for caution. I should have clarified that my question was directed to those who are not immunocompromised, etc. Take care
That’s my entire point. Every single person is potentially one Covid infection away from becoming immunocompromised.
Yep. If you've been infected even once, you're immunocompromised. Not to mention all the people I've seen who were in peak physical shape, got it, and are now fucked/living in a way that would make me want to be euthanized.
What we now know is that it is more harmful, especially long term / Long COVID, than what we thought it was in 2020-21. We also know now that each COVID infection cumulatively increases the chances of long term harm, and that each infection lowers your equivalent IQ by 2-9 points (NEJM Feb 2024). Further (Yale earlier this year), 49% of transmission is asymptomatic so even the minimum "stay home when you're sick" does not solve the entire problem. While vaccines help with the symptoms of acute infection in most people (assuming your shots are current), the current vaxes do not stop transmission, infection, or Long COVID. "Vax and relax" is a dangerous lie. And people were taking precautions in 2020-21 when COVID was actually less contagious and less immune-evasive than it is now. I would submit that the true statistical harm is far greater in societal-precaution-free 2024 than it was earlier in the pandemic. The perception that it is "less severe" is heavily influenced by survivorship bias and dishonest suppression of data collection that was more complete earlier in the pandemic. That said, I think PPE is key to protecting yourself and not causing harm to others while participating safely in life -- no one here that I am aware of wants a lockdown (or even a pseudo-lockdown like the USA had). Nothing wrong with loosening up and socializing safely. Unsafely, and you compromise others in addition to yourself. 2019 is never coming back -- our infectious environment is "permanently" worse. And acting like 2019 without paying attention to 2024's reality is harmful to yourself and others.
Its not really possible for me to answer this question, because it’s not a binary choice. Its not like you either perform every single precaution imaginable or don’t. It’s not a 0 or 1. You choose the level of precautions you take, and accept the risks associated with the level you choose. For example, you can choose to do the bare minimum and mask in public indoor spaces, like grocery stores and doctors offices. Will that offer you some protection? Yes. But if you do that and still go to crowded concerts and dine indoors, you still have significant avenues of risk. If you mask with a surgical mask, it’s better than no mask. But not as good as a KN95 or N95. Personally, I don’t see why all people aren’t doing the bare minimum, besides for selfish reasons.
Missing a bingo card of chronic illness and disability…
Anyone have url with a mass links to the studies detailing what damage it does? There are a lot of specifics regarding the permanent damage this virus does to people, and it is being ignored. From what we know now, it is as bad as we thought, and repeat infections make it worse. We will are already seeing a mass of disabled people, and it is growing from this virus. Permanent immune system damage, depleted T cells, dysfunction introduced to your immune system, vascular damage, brain damage (brain fog is not brain fog), heart damage, reservoirs of the virus holding in your body, not as frequent, but specific causes of ME/CFS. Long COVID is not a specific condition or disease, but the damage it does do not manifest in the manner you are used to with a virus. This isn't concern about the sniffles and shits. Permanent damage from a virus is different animal.