Corona - what does help you? Your fears, thoughts, everything

[Penthesilea]

At the very best, I expect we will need to get shots for coronavirus every year, just as we do flu shots, and that's no so bad.

Like you said: that'll be totally ok with me. Even if the SARS-COV19 virus is here to stay, we shouldn't forget that people can be killed by thousands of reasons. If it comes down to a manageable level, comparable with the flu, I think we could and should and will go back to the world of 2019.
Another aspect is that pandemics work themselves out over a couple of years anyway. Not sure of the medical term, but compare it with the black death, even that one didn't ravage forever and ever, but came in waves with long times in between.



I had my first vaccination shot with AstraZeneca on March 9th. For two days I felt like cr*p: fever, shivering, a bad headache and overall fatigue. Still beats getting (a possibly severe case of) Covid by a mile.
The good news is that with the AstraZeneca vaccine you have a reaction to the first dose, but not to the second (most people). With the Biontech vaccine it's the other way round for most people. So I don't await a strong reaction next time.

[serious crayons]

For two days I felt like cr*p: fever, shivering, a bad headache and overall fatigue.

Slightly OT, but here's what I've always wondered. A fever means your immune system is fighting the invader, right? Maybe this is too literal, but I've imagined it heating up your body up until the invader is killed off or driven away by the heat. But if that's the case, should we be subduing fever with aspirin or ibuprofen? Shouldn't we just let the fever do its work?

I wonder -- my scientific theory based on complete lack of knowledge -- if maybe we're so used to not having to experience discomfort that we're too quick to feel better in the short run? Not you, of course, Chrissi -- I don't know if you do that, but most Americans do for sure, both for themselves and their children. If you call a nurse advisor line about a fever, they'll tell you to take aspirin.

Also, I think historic fatal diseases with the word "fever" in them -- scarlet fever, yellow fever, etc. -- imply the high fever itself is what's deadly. I bet the fever is a symptom, not a cause, and people were killed by the invading whatever it was.

[serious crayons]

I think we could and should and will go back to the world of 2019.

I don't want to go back to that world completely. I want to continue working mostly from home and wearing relaxed and comfortable clothing. I don't want to waste an hour a day, not to mention gas, etc., driving back and forth from downtown, parking in a ramp, walking to the building, going up the elevator and so on.

Not everybody can do that, of course. And I can't do my work from anywhere -- I don't have to go into the office every day, but I have to be close enough to go out and see people in person occasionally. But the pandemic has shown a lot of people they could do their job literally from anywhere. There's some indication those people will move, or already are moving, out of expensive cities and downtowns. Rising crime is also part of that.

A one-year virus, bad as it was, might not have made enough of an impact for dramatic permanent societal change. And some will always want to live amid the excitement of cities, which is partly why cities exist in the first place. But I do think it might shift things a bit.

[Front-Ranger]

Slightly OT, but here's what I've always wondered. A fever means your immune system is fighting the invader, right? Maybe this is too literal, but I've imagined it heating up your body up until the invader is killed off or driven away by the heat. But if that's the case, should we be subduing fever with aspirin or ibuprofen? Shouldn't we just let the fever do its work?

Yes, up to a point. I've heard that you shouldn't let a fever get above 104 degrees F; if that happens, bring it down with a cold water bath or something like that.

I wonder -- my scientific theory based on complete lack of knowledge -- if maybe we're so used to not having to experience discomfort that we're too quick to feel better in the short run? Not you, of course, Chrissi -- I don't know if you do that, but most Americans do for sure, both for themselves and their children. If you call a nurse advisor line about a fever, they'll tell you to take aspirin.

Yes, that's true, taking a fever reducer will suppress your body's natural reactions to heal itself. But there's also white blood cells to do the work as well. Side note, children should not take aspirin; they should take a different pain reliever.

Also, I think historic fatal diseases with the word "fever" in them -- scarlet fever, yellow fever, etc. -- imply the high fever itself is what's deadly. I bet the fever is a symptom, not a cause, and people were killed by the invading whatever it was.

I think you're right. PS: I'm not a doctor, I only play one on BetterMost!

[serious crayons]

PS: I'm not a doctor, I only play one on BetterMost!

Of course, we do have a certified doctor in the house, but I'm not sure he frequents this thread.

I can't remember what I did or didn't give my children for fevers. But Bayer makes a specifically labeled children's aspirin. Is that to be avoided? I know a lot of adults do take it for heart conditions, and that's doctor-recommended if appropriate.

And good point about the white blood cells, maybe you should take the MCAT.

[Penthesilea]

For children paracetamol was advised before we had ibuprofen. Nowadays of course it is the latter.


I remember that the Nurofen Sirup was the brand new sh*t when my youngest was Kindergarten age. It wasn't available when my daughters were small; they had paracetamol.

[Penthesilea]

I don't want to go back to that world completely. I want to continue working mostly from home and wearing relaxed and comfortable clothing. I don't want to waste an hour a day, not to mention gas, etc., driving back and forth from downtown, parking in a ramp, walking to the building, going up the elevator and so on.

Agreed. I was thinking along the lines of social stuff: going to restaurants, movie theaters, celebrating birthdays, hugging friends, coworkers and extended family, being social in general. And something I miss terribly: travelling!

[brianr]

On the Australian Tripadvisor site we have complaints from people, one guy from Ireland in particular, about Australia not likely to allow tourists before 2022 at the earliest (and NZ is the same). The replies are that we are quite happy even if we cannot travel.
This week, on Thursday  I went to Tennessee Williams  play "The Glass Menagerie" and I have just come home from a Musical evening of 1970's songs. After 2 full hours, it finished with most of us standing and clapping and many dancing in the aisles to 'YMCA'.
Yes I miss travel and long to go visit my sister and friends in Sydney but I am also thankful that we have no community cases of Covid and, except for travel, life is as normal. From April 6 to 24 we have the Biennial Arts Festival postponed from last October and I will be going to lots of plays and musical evenings.

[Jeff Wrangler]

For children paracetamol was advised before we had ibuprofen. Nowadays of course it is the latter.


I remember that the Nurofen Sirup was the brand new sh*t when my youngest was Kindergarten age. It wasn't available when my daughters were small; they had paracetamol.

Incidentally, the U.S. name for paracetamol is acetaminophen--that is, Tylenol.

[CellarDweller]

I got my first vaccine today.