A growing COVID-19 variant has taken off this holiday season...

[TNtoTaos]

Just saw this article from USAToday:

A growing COVID-19 variant has taken off this holiday season...
It's a subvariant of the Omicron strain, called JN.1, and is very contagious, although doesn't seem to provide a greater risk. According to Dr William Schaffner, of Vanderbilt U (whom I know personally and have worked with): "Vaccination and previous infection also appear to help reduce the risk of serious illness from JN.1."

Also, don't through out those test kits you got last year -- many of them have had their expiration dates extended. Here's the website to check on the lots you may have (it's a very long list): At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

 

[skibum4ever]

We were planning a trip to Colorado this week. However I woke up yesterday with a really sore throat.

Covid? IDK. I tested negative yesterday and will test again tomorrow if I don't improve. In the meantime I have no problem with isolating as I really don't feel up to going anywhere.

Feeling sorry for DH as his ski activity was severely curtailed these past 2 seasons by my injury. OTOH conditions are pretty poor in the West right now.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I just self infected via hubby during Thanksgiving week (he came home from 24hr work trip sick) with what was likely that variant and my only symptoms at first was a sore throat. Then a head cold with sinus congestion. Mildest covid infection of the three.

I hate it that I can not afford to get sick during my short work window and would actively seek to get infected with a virus that caused and continues to cause such misery. But that, is another topic entirely.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I hate it that I can not afford to get sick during my short work window and would actively seek to get infected with a virus that caused and continues to cause such misery. But that, is another topic entirely.

Can totally relate, but remember, even the mildest Covid infection can develop into Long Covid, so be careful what you wish for!

 

[RachelV]

(It is my duty to provide a gentle no politics / hot topics reminder in this thread. Carry on. )

 

[TNtoTaos]

(It is my duty to provide a gentle no politics / hot topics reminder in this thread. Carry on. )

Thanks, Rachel. Just a health reminder for everyone traveling this season

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Can totally relate, but remember, even the mildest Covid infection can develop into Long Covid, so be careful what you wish for!

I am sadly well aware. I also know that unless I revert to my 2021 winter approach to work I will get the virus every winter. Living and working in a town of 10k people with 2 plus million visitors a year, I have resigned myself to catching viruses each amd every winter if they remain this contagious. Never did get the flu.

 

[contesstant]

I’ve known several folks who have had Covid just recently. Wide variety of symptoms. Some all head cold, some all coughing and “run over by truck”. More with fairly mild symptoms overall, I’d say. Sewage testing shows high Covid levels in Utah, and the peak season of ski travelers hasn’t even started. I’m going to encourage my instructor husband to avoid the gondolas as much as he can. Talk about a germ Petri dish…

 

[racetiger]

I fear Work bathrooms. They're are petri dishes. I got the flu from someone at a previous job. I knew it was her because we were the only females there at the time.
At my current job there's a couple people who started wearing masks to the office. Thankfully I spend most of my time out in the warehouse.

 

[MissySki]

I fear Work bathrooms. They're are petri dishes. I got the flu from someone at a previous job. I knew it was her because we were the only females there at the time.
At my current job there's a couple people who started wearing masks to the office. Thankfully I spend most of my time out in the warehouse.

Just curious, how would you know you were infected from the bathroom specifically in the past? Were you not around other people in other spaces and only exposed to germs in the bathroom?

I believe I almost always got sick from work in the past, cubicle land and people’s germy kids which they would spread from home to work constantly seemed to be the culprits. Since starting to work from home in 2020, I almost never get sick. Another perk of work from home life! Lol

 

[Christy]

My sister just got it for the first time! Our family is small and her absence will be felt at Xmas.

 

[TNtoTaos]

My sister just got it for the first time! Our family is small and her absence will be felt at Xmas.

I hope she has a mild case and recovers quickly!

 

[racetiger]

Just curious, how would you know you were infected from the bathroom specifically in the past? Were you not around other people in other spaces and only exposed to germs in the bathroom?

I believe I almost always got sick from work in the past, cubicle land and people’s germy kids which they would spread from home to work constantly seemed to be the culprits. Since starting to work from home in 2020, I almost never get sick. Another perk of work from home life! Lol

She had the flu a few days before I did.
I had one of those 24 hour sicknesses last fall and of course I picked it up from work. (Different workplace than now with lots of close contact with a lot of people who have children) I haven't been sick since.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I think kids are the worst little walking Petri dishes! And they just about never cover their coughs & sneezes! I try to stay as far away from them as possible during cold/flu season!

 

[MissySki]

I think kids are the worst little walking Petri dishes! And they just about never cover their coughs & sneezes! I try to stay as far away from them as possible during cold/flu season!

Me too! Lol You’d think a snake snuck up on me in public spaces when I hear a child hacking or sneezing. I’m out of there!!

 

[TNtoTaos]

Me too! Lol You’d think a snake snuck up on me in public spaces when I hear a child hacking or sneezing. I’m out of there!!

I once had a toddler sitting on a plane in the seat right in front of me, hacking and sneezing, sometimes thru the seat spaces! I pulled my jacket up around my ears and sat like that for the entire flight. The flight attendants must have thought I was a lunatic!

 

[MissySki]

I once had a toddler sitting on a plane in the seat right in front of me, hacking and sneezing, sometimes thru the seat spaces! I pulled my jacket up around my ears and sat like that for the entire flight. The flight attendants must have thought I was a lunatic!

I love the commitment there! That would be awful in such a confined space.

 

[TNtoTaos]

I love the commitment there! That would be awful in such a confined space.

I actually had to exercise great self control to keep from getting up and slapping the parents silly!

 

[MissySki]

I actually had to exercise great self control to keep from getting up and slapping the parents silly!

I could see that too!

 

[SarahXC]

To the good there’s a very high rate of changeover in the cabin air on commercial aircraft.