Health and Sanity Check-Ins

[sprocketta]

Things are crazy now. I think we are all trying to stay healthy and maintain sanity as well. I thought I would start this thread so folks can check in and discuss how they're doing. I want all my BIC friends to be okay. I will kick this off with a first post. Take care of yourself lovelies.

[WhereYouStand]

thank you @ather. I'm hoping so too it's taking longer than I'm liking so far though as long as it heals i'm happy. 

[SportyGirly125]

@WhereYouStand Sorry this happened to you.  Hoping for a speedy recovery.

[WhereYouStand]

thank you @SportyGirly125  also side note I always look forward to your TJ's hauls on the TJ's thread. ^_^

[SportyGirly125]

@WhereYouStand Aww thank you.  Glad you like the thread and the hauls.

[Samtian]

@WhereYouStand Awe man! I hope you get better soon!

[WhereYouStand]

thanks!

[Titian06]

@WhereYouStand - Sending positive vibes your way ~~~!  (((HUG))) 💖💖💖

[WhereYouStand]

thank you!

[GG84]

@WhereYouStand 

Wishing you a speedy recovery and tons of good vibes for the 9th. 

[WhereYouStand]

thank you! 

[tsavorite]

The more people who are effectively vaccinated worldwide, the better chance we have to slow down and prevent new mutations of the Coronavirus.  That may prove to be very important to all of us.  The sooner that we are effectively vaccinated, one by one, the better.  It cuts down on the danger for everyone. 

[pocketvenus]

@tsavorite @niki172 You're both correct! 🙂 The virus can cross species where there's the possibility of mutation AND every time the virus replicates, there's room for slight, accidental variations in the process so the more we do to reduce spread and chances for the virus to mutate, the more we decrease risk of new strains. Although eradicating any disease entirely is a very tall order and as noted, not realistic, at least at this point ;_;

You both made me curious since we still do not know how the virus originated or how the new strains came about. I learned one current hypothesis for the new strains is that more chronic human cases allowed for the virus to reproduce more in their bodies and thereby, mutate more.

From National Geographic

[The UK and S. Africa strains]'s origin involves chronically ill patients treated with experimental therapies like convalescent plasma donated by recovered COVID-19 patients. In such lengthy illnesses, the virus has more opportunities to replicate, increasing the odds for mutations. The consistent use of the therapies, meanwhile, may put more pressure on the germ to evolve.

“Some of these people who are chronically infected have some quite big shifts in the virus,” says Ravindra Gupta, a virologist at the University of Cambridge. “Some are immune-suppressed. Some of them have had convalescent plasma. Some of them have had [the antiviral] remdesivir.”

If this suspected origin story does prove to be the case, it could have implications for treatment, says Muge Cevik, a clinical lecturer in infectious diseases at the University of St. Andrews. Earlier in the pandemic, the best path for helping patients was unclear. That led hospitals to give patients a buffet of therapies, with the hope that some combination might work. But if new-wave medicines like antivirals and antibody therapy contributed to the development of viral variants, it will be “a reminder for all the medical community that we need to use these treatment options carefully.”

While mutations edit genetic code, they don’t always lead to outward changes in a germ or organism. That’s why these newfound variants have garnered so much concern. It’s as if the virus entered a dressing room and came out with a new outfit, rather than the normal circumstances where it would only change its hat...

Other reputable sources like BBC share this theory about the new strain "incubating" for a long time in a patient, possibly immunosuppressed. But we don't know. Possible for it to have passed to animal and back, I'm guessing there's not much research being done into risks like house pets?

[niki172]

@tsavorite unfortunately that's not necessarily true with a virus like this. Since it's been proven that animals can contract Covid (for example there was that tiger in a US zoo that tested positive) and also cases of cats and dogs having Covid if a virus mutates enough it can jump species (that's actually still the working idea of how Covid came to be that it did come from a bat originally).  And since this would be a mutation of the virus it's not a guarantee that the current vaccines that are rolling out (and soon to be booster shots) would provide 100% protection against a new strain that jumped species. This is how viruses such as Ebola work - it came from primates and jumped into the human population with mutations of variant strains along the way. There are even new mutant strands of the Polio virus in South Africa to this day that are affecting children.

I agree with you that to vaccinate is extremely important, and who knows maybe the virus never gets to that point of new mutation, but people and the scientific community needs to be vigilant as this is one nasty virus.

[tsavorite]

@niki172 ,

Thanks, I will edit.  😊 

I'm worried about the dangers from variants or mutations.   Vaccinations and more vaccinations are our best hope.  I'm willing to mask, double mask, distance, isolate, or quarantine as long as necessary to not end up on a ventilator in an ICU.  There is a problem that many people will get their shots and immediately think that the pandemic danger is all over.  It will take more time than that.

[niki172]

@tsavorite trust me when I say that I really hope that you are right and it is eradicated from the human population for good very soon 💜. The analytical pessimistic side of me always bubbles to the surface - it never fails sadly. I just want everyone to be safe and not think that since there's a vaccine(s) now we can throw the masks and caution to the wind. I'm very concerned that is going to happen. After having 5 deaths these last 2 months between family and friends trust me when I say I really want this post-Covid world badly.

[tsavorite]

@niki172 ,

I agree with you.  I'm very sorry for all the losses that you have suffered from this pandemic. 

[niki172]

@tsavorite thank you.

[tsavorite]

I would like to celebrate January 20th, 2021 as a beginning of a return to sanity for the United States.   We have a long way to go, but this is a beginning. 

We have such a long way to go to get this pandemic under control, and the worst days of the pandemic are probably yet to come.  We are in very deep water.  We didn't need to go in this direction with the pandemic. There were choices that were made, and we are now living and dying with the results.  Now, there is hope, if everyone gets vaccinated.

[faeriegirl]

Today is definitely a day to celebrate @tsavorite!

[Nickelliebear1]

Just a Canadian stopping by to say my heart is going out to all of the Americans who are part of the BIC community.  We're not a perfect country but we hide it well and despite what it seems like the media is trying to do, it seems like many people are trying to hide a blatant disregard for domestic terrorism.  I'm so floored that people are holding that ideal close to the idea that he/they could make America *great* again.  

I'm safe in my corner of the world and not to brag but I feel blessed.  We've been in our second wave for a while and there are provinces who are still super locked down, with curfews in place, we've had a day where there's 0 new cases.  My boss let me know that our company has decided to finally follow their claim of closing 200+ locations but our store is safe.  My father got his negative covid result from his pre-holiday shopping exposure. 

While I'm aware of how fortunate I am, I still can't shake the night terrors that wake me up in the middle of the night.  They're not Covid/white supremacist related but it's just one of the telltale signs that I'm stressed out.  I'm still lonely?  I'm just choosing to focus on the positive right now and still searching for the lights at the end of the tunnel.  

[ather]

@Nickelliebear1  I’m so sorry you are so stressed out. I totally understand the lonely feeling. I feel it too. I am very grateful for my family but it’s sometimes nice to be able to see people outside your household. We got locked down another 14 days. I am soo hoping this allows down soon. If you every feel lonely and need someone to talk to I’m always here to listen.