Am I being too cautious about covid?

I'm only suggesting alternative and more realistic ways of calculating your risk. So what I said is true.

As far as I know smallpox is the only disease where your chances of getting it are nil, because it has been irradicated. Although polio is getting close to that point.

Whenever we go out we are in danger of catching all kinds of infectious and contagious diseases. Life is not and never has been risk free.

COVID is a new disease.It is with us and we just have to learn to live with it. As with flu, pneumonia and umpteen other similar diseases. Most people who get flu/pmeumonia/COVID etc etc, will have it mildly, or it can be very quickly treated, an unfortunate few will get it seriously or may die.

We have to balance the risks of the threats to our lives that surround us all the time in the home, garden and outside and work out to balance them with living a normal active life.

As far as I know smallpox is the only disease where your chances of getting it are nil, because it has been irradicated. Although polio is getting close to that point
Smallpox may have been eradicated but fortunately we still have supplies of the vaccine.
Does anybody remember a discussion some years ago about the proposal to destroy remaining vaccines/smallpox virus to prevent them falling into the wrong hands?
Or have I imagined this? (Possible)
At any rate, I understand the smallpox vaccine will be of massive importance should monkeypox look like spreading.

I think there are so many variables when weighing up risk that it is very much an individual decision.
To add to volver’s post about modifying risk, I would also say it depends how well ventilated the indoor venue is you are visiting, and also how long since your last (if any) vaccination, or infection. It is known that immunity offered by MRNA vaccines wanes over time, but are still likely to protect against serious illness and death.

M0nica

As far as I know smallpox is the only disease where your chances of getting it are nil, because it has been irradicated. Although polio is getting close to that point.

Whenever we go out we are in danger of catching all kinds of infectious and contagious diseases. Life is not and never has been risk free.

COVID is a new disease.It is with us and we just have to learn to live with it. As with flu, pneumonia and umpteen other similar diseases. Most people who get flu/pmeumonia/COVID etc etc, will have it mildly, or it can be very quickly treated, an unfortunate few will get it seriously or may die.

We have to balance the risks of the threats to our lives that surround us all the time in the home, garden and outside and work out to balance them with living a normal active life.

That’s true. But I spoke to a friend of mine who caught covid on holiday. Had it very mild but has suffered from unbelievable tiredness ever since. Which is exacerbated by the fact that her husband has ME. Most of us might be safe from dying of it now but it doesn’t mean it won’t result in having an adverse affect on our lives.

Yes, but any infectious disease can have an affect on your life, flu, Lymes Disease. My father died because an infection that wouldn't clear stopped him having a life-saving operation.
It is thought diseases like rheumatiod arthritis and MS are triggered by an infection. I used to suffer from PVS which could knock me out for months after a mild infection of some kind.

We are surrounded by all kinds of infections and the fact that they could have long term, possibly life long effects. We just have to accept it and strike a balance between leading our normal lives and taking precautions where we think they are needed, but it seems to me that, for so many people, it seems they are in a constant state of fear, their systems constantly on the alert. Unable to realise what the risks are and how, for COVId, they have decreased to being similar with other infections it never occurs to them to worry about.

I agree about long term effects triggered by diverse infections MOnica and another poorly understood one is ME.

However I think Covid differs because covid is a novel virus and long covid research is still in its infancy, and the numbers affected are not insubstantial, and long term effects may have additional implications for the NHS.
The latest ONS figures I saw was that there are 1.8 million, 2.8% of population, self reported cases of long covid in the U.K. The main symptom being fatigue. In these reported numbers over 791.000 had had symptoms for over a year.

The risk as I see it is still small, but not negligible.

I’m not aware of eg flu causing the long term tiredness that covid dies. And Lyme disease is something people take precautions against…the people that do catch it are often those that are unaware of the danger and don’t take necessary precautions or don’t get the correct treatment as soon as symptoms become more apparent ( which can then be mistaken for other things). And who’s to say that covid infection won’t lead to things like rheumatoid arthritis in the long term? My friend found her arthritis flared up very badly when she had covid.

Post viral syndrome certainly can follow a flu like illness. It can be very incapacitating. I was wondering if that was 'Long Covid'?

I’ve always thought that glandular fever was the thing that led to ongoing problems. Used to drum it into my kids not to share drinks with their friends. Didn’t tell them not to kiss anyone, though.

It does, Maybe. Gave me epilepsy and I almost had to have my spleen removed.

How awful. I think it can cause depression as well.

I have suffered from depression for many years but it started as post-natal depression almost 20 years after the GF, which never went away. I don’t think it’s linked to glandular fever but who knows - the brain is such a complex thing. How can someone who thinks their baby is the most wonderful thing in the world be depressed? Lord knows. But medication is equally wonderful!

I think that depression from glandular fever is short lived. I also had a friend who had a heart attack who developed depression but, again, that didn’t last. He said it was over a year before he had any interest in the things that he used to love. Post natal depression must be awful. As you say it happens when you should be at your happiest x

It is truly horrible but in hindsight and with medication, worth it for such a wonderful gift! I would go through it all again tomorrow as I have always been very close to my son. I will gladly take the pills for probably the rest of my life, rather than be without him. The medication is only almost as wonderful! x

volver

^Anybody spending more than a few minutes in an enclosed space with more than 55 people stands a good chance of being infected.^

There are a couple of problems with that.

1 in 55 are infected but a proportion on them will be ill and at home, so it's not really one in 55 of the people who are out and about who are infected.

Also being vaccinated reduces your chance of being infected compared to others in a group who are not infected.

"Good chance" implies that it's more likely than not, which is not known. "Possibility" might be a better description.

I agree that everybody has to decide for themselves.

Hopefully, infected people do have the good sense to stay at home, but there will be infected people who are asymptomatic and are out and about without knowing they're infected. I have no intention of playing avoidable Russian roulette with my health.

To me, "a good chance" doesn't imply "more likely than not", but if I were in a crowded train (for example) there is a chance far higher than I would be willing to accept of being next to an infected person.

I'm not paranoid, but I haven't had Covid and I will still do what I possibly can to avoid catching it. My risk of being seriously ill is still higher than average, even though I'm triple vaxxed. As far as I'm concerned, wearing a mask isn't a big imposition, nor is avoiding poorly ventilated, crowded spaces or having people I don't know breathing all over me. If others want to accept the risk, it's up to them. I'll "live with Covid" the way I want.

I don't disagree with anything you have written growstuff, except maybe the interpretation of "a good chance". People have to decide for themselves.

I’m with you Growstuff, but it really is up to individuals to assess the risks and decide if it’s worth it. A lot of people do however think the vaccine protects them and have thrown caution to the wind, only to catch Covid and be quite poorly. I’ll carry on being extra cautious even if I am the only one in the shop with a mask.

My dog walking friend has just returned from a two week cruise and is feeling poorly, he told me to stay across the road this morning. His wife is a nurse and has now had Covid twice, poor woman.

Finally got me yesterday! Temp, achey and sore throat/runny nose. I'm triple vaccinated, still wear masks in shops so no idea where from. Trying to keep away from DH and opening windows!

I am CEV and obeyed instructions to stay at home and shield. It has resulted in me becoming much weaker. I have been having physiotherapy and it has shocked me to discover how unfit I am.
My doctor gave me a two week supply of doxycycline to keep at home in case I caught covid. My husband caught it and gave it to me. I stayed in bed, propped up on three pillows to try and keep my chest clear. The NHS was very good, delivering an oximeter on the day I reported a positive test and texting me every morning for a reading.
I didn't need the AB, probably because I had had three jabs and have since had a fourth.

Oh,great.
We are in a new covid wave with hospitalisations increasing.

youtu.be/kWrU0lF0CF8

Yes, talk about modifying risk.

In Devon last week and for the first time we entered a premises - well more a beach hut really without a mask to have a coffee.

Am now sat in bed with covid.

Hope you get better soon Whitewave.

My daughter and her partner have been quite poorly with Covid for the last two weeks.

After originally going to my GP with breast pain last August, it's finally looking likely that I'll be having a mastectomy in the next few weeks. There is no way that I'm risking catching Covid and delaying the op any more and/or prejudicing my recovery. I'll stay at home as much as possible and wear a mask in enclosed spaces.

So sorry to read this Growstuff look after yourself