As Queen sang it: This is the real life.. no escape from reality

Thank you Coastie that is a very informative account.

But Urmston don't take it too much to heart. Many people, and friends of mine have recovered with no after effects.

Well, most of these posts are far too long for me to process these days as my Alzheimers progresses. However as a retired medic, with close relatives working in intensive care units both here and in the USA I am well aware of the situation. I also realise there are an awful lot of people without my knowledge who put their own needs first - and that will always be so.

How are you feeling now postie?

Thankyou coastiepostie.
I think the affects of LongCovid have been very much under reported. If I was being generous I might think that was due to it being early days and we are still discovering information about the virus.
Unfortunately I also feel there is a big element of it wouldnt fit with the back to work agenda.
The initial coverage implied the virus was flu like. Its implied that only the sick and old die and those that are not vulnerable will be fine.
Research shared on Independent Sage however discussed long Covid as you have shared. There are also implications that you may be asymptomatic or have a mild case but once the virus is in your body it can cause problems later down the line including problems with fertility. You may have it mildly the first time but catch it again with more devastating consequences. The author Micheal Rosen survived intensive care but is left with permenant damage to sight and hearing.
Yes,damage caused to the economy is of tremendous concern.
For me the only blessing were that my childeren and grandchilderen were safe as the risk is so low.
Now I'm not so sure,and I don't think anyone can be.
Do the government realise? Who knows. Maybe they are just hoping it wont be as bad as worse case scenario. Maybe they dont care but carry on regardless. There are very few options. To make schools,social care,workplaces fully functioning in a Covid safe way can not happen overnight, these areas were hanging on by their fingernails due to a decade of austerity.
People will bicker,accept or dismiss the risk,even deny the virus exists. They will hear what they want to hear. Time will tell.

Thank you coastie for sharing your personal experience.

Well that was depressing, however for those people who still think it’s ok to have friends over for a meal,Or go to cuddle a GC, it might make them stop and think.
On the other hand there must be thousands of people who do only get ‘mild flu symptoms ‘ and if people know any of those personally I think they are less likely to take it seriously.
Me? I’m still staying at home (mostly) and wearing masks, gloves and using hand sanitizer whenever I’m out, so I think if you have the mindset that you will do all you can to protect yourself And your loved ones, then you will carry on being careful, but there are still those who think that they will do whatever they want, despite what we are being told is safe and sensible.

I read your post coastie and what you said is very perceptive. You have drilled down into the signs and symptoms very well.

I’ve recently come to believe it’s easier to catch than I used to think.

Such a nasty, nasty virus.

That was very interesting so thank you for taking the trouble to post.

I know from family and friends that there is much in what you wrote. My SiL, a fit and healthy 47 year old, caught it from a pupil and months later is still not 100%.

But worse than that my neighbour, a very fit (marathon runner) 35 year old, hospital consultant caught it in her frontline work. She still cannot walk more than a 100 yards without getting out of breath - and that was six months ago at the very start of the outbreak. She has not been able to return to work.

Do not dismiss the above post. We are hearing more and more of this longCovid and I suspect it will become a long term health problem for many who ‘recover’.

A long read Coastie and depressing or realistic, depending on your point of view.
However you speak from experience when you say:

Statistics are a nonsense, if you ARE the statistic, you are it 100%
I suggest you think about your loved ones and before you make each choice you ask yourself
Would I be happy for me or them to become that statistic?
Is this the Christmas gift you want to give

Couldn’t get through that lot, so sorry ciastiepostie you lost me after the first paragraph

Well that’s made my day

Thank you coastiepostie.