How Long Will Covid Restrictions Remain In Place...?

[ABNAK]

I think at this point we can safely admit that SARS-Cov-2 is not airborne outside of intubation/extinction/BIPAP and that transmission risk is relatively low otherwise for those either transmitting virus or being infected by it. The problem is that the droplets can be passed around or through a surgical mask, but not an N95. Combine that’s with a face shield, and it’s going to be extremely low risk. I know, there are “studies” that say cloth and surgical masks are “just as effective” but if that were to be true we wouldn’t be dealing with it in “mandated” states.

At our institution, there are about 30 bearded physicians, nurses, and RTs that opt not to be clean shaven; some of which have been working on the COVID ICU ward since it opened and we are yet to get an infection. I think if it were truly airborne, unlike all other coronaviruses, we’d see more getting sick or at least being in the group of mythical “asymptomatic positives”.

We have had two patients become symptomatic that had negative tests at admission. Both were in the hospital over 14 days prior to onset of symptoms in units which require patients and staff to wear hospital provided cloth masks or surgical masks. Neither had visitors.

For several months I have wondered about just how truly "contagious" COVID is. Yes, I work at a hospital and we all take precautions. At my buddy's "gun shop" in late June three of us were sitting less than 6 feet apart (roughly) at the workbench for an hour and a half drinking a few beers and fixing the world's problems. Two days later one of them gets a COVID test just for shits and giggles (I asked him "So you felt sick and were over Hank's shop? WTF?" He said "Nah, just thought I'd get one done") Well he was positive. A few days after that he was in the hospital and got sent home on oxygen for a couple months. Neither of the other two of us got sick. Now maybe he was in the early stages of infection and wasn't shedding much virus? I dunno.

So yes COVID is contagious, but just how much I think depends on a number of factors: how sick at that point the infected one is, the distance, and the length of time. Certainly in the case I mention above the distance and the time meet the "known" qualifications, but he didn't feel "sick" yet so perhaps wasn't shedding much virus at the time (?).

I just can't fathom that with all our technological advances in medicine in 2020 we still have a LOT to learn after 9+ months of this shit. You would think we'd have it down pat by now.

[ABNAK]

How much does mask fitment actually matter? I mean the majority of people aren't sitting in a broom closet talking to a sick individual for hours on end.

So I'm walking through a supermarket. They have like 30ft ceilings and like 20k sq ft! We all walk by each other in a matter of seconds while not necessarily breathing in each other's direction, or even taking a breath at that moment!

I'd wager in that scenario you would not get infected.

Nonetheless COVID is indeed transmitting quite a bit though. The question is how? I think the keys are A) viral load (or "shedding" rate), B) distance, and C) time. I am beginning to think A is the most critical.

[Arik]

For several months I have wondered about just how truly "contagious" COVID is. Yes, I work at a hospital and we all take precautions. At my buddy's "gun shop" in late June three of us were sitting less than 6 feet apart (roughly) at the workbench for an hour and a half drinking a few beers and fixing the world's problems. Two days later one of them gets a COVID test just for shits and giggles (I asked him "So you felt sick and were over Hank's shop? WTF?" He said "Nah, just thought I'd get one done") Well he was positive. A few days after that he was in the hospital and got sent home on oxygen for a couple months. Neither of the other two of us got sick. Now maybe he was in the early stages of infection and wasn't shedding much virus? I dunno.

So yes COVID is contagious, but just how much I think depends on a number of factors: how sick at that point the infected one is, the distance, and the length of time. Certainly in the case I mention above the distance and the time meet the "known" qualifications, but he didn't feel "sick" yet so perhaps wasn't shedding much virus at the time (?).

I just can't fathom that with all our technological advances in medicine in 2020 we still have a LOT to learn after 9+ months of this shit. You would think we'd have it down pat by now.

I know about 20 or so people that got sick. Varying in age from 5 to over 70. No one died. Two went to the hospital for 3 weeks. One guy got sick from somewhere but neither his kid nor wife got sick. He had double pneumonia and was still running several miles a day.

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[ABNAK]

I know about 20 or so people that got sick. Varying in age from 5 to over 70. No one died. Two went to the hospital for 3 weeks. One guy got sick from somewhere but neither his kid nor wife got sick. He had double pneumonia and was still running several miles a day.

You know, I always laughed at that phrase "Just walk it off" but I think there is quite a bit of merit to it. As long as you weren't sick enough to be laid flat I am firmly convinced remaining active will be to your benefit. I'm talking even workout-level activity, not just getting up to go to the bathroom or walking out to your garage.

[Arik]

You know, I always laughed at that phrase "Just walk it off" but I think there is quite a bit of merit to it. As long as you weren't sick enough to be laid flat I am firmly convinced remaining active will be to your benefit. I'm talking even workout-level activity, not just getting up to go to the bathroom or walking out to your garage.

He said he felt "off" and knew he was sick but not sick enough to be bed ridden so his theory was your mental state will make it worse if you dwell on it so while taking precautions he acted like nothing happened

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[PracticalRifleman]

You know, I always laughed at that phrase "Just walk it off" but I think there is quite a bit of merit to it. As long as you weren't sick enough to be laid flat I am firmly convinced remaining active will be to your benefit. I'm talking even workout-level activity, not just getting up to go to the bathroom or walking out to your garage.

I made my friend go hunting and hiking when he was infected. He pulled through ok. My BIL ended up with sever clots, as well as my coworkers. One required interventional radiology and three days in the ICU. All those with clots? Sedentary.


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[ABNAK]

I made my friend go hunting and hiking when he was infected. He pulled through ok. My BIL ended up with sever clots, as well as my coworkers. One required interventional radiology and three days in the ICU. All those with clots? Sedentary.

I have a workout regimen that, because I'm OC about stuff, I rarely veer from. As long as I wasn't puking (I hate puking!), running a temp, or couldn't breathe, I'd push through just feeling crappy or achy. Point is I don't look for excuses not to do something. Now I'm sure knowing you had COVID would be a big mental hurdle, but do your best to suck it up and drive on. I have little doubt it would be to your benefit.

[chuckman]

I know about 20ish people who have it/had it, two of whom died. The others were literally "a bad cold".

[SteyrAUG]

You know, I always laughed at that phrase "Just walk it off" but I think there is quite a bit of merit to it. As long as you weren't sick enough to be laid flat I am firmly convinced remaining active will be to your benefit. I'm talking even workout-level activity, not just getting up to go to the bathroom or walking out to your garage.

I think the reason my grandmother lived to be 96 is because she literally walked everywhere. That activity probably got her 10 to 15 bonus years that most people don't get. Also she was generally in better condition than most people over 65 who mostly drove everywhere.

[Arik]

I think the reason my grandmother lived to be 96 is because she literally walked everywhere. That activity probably got her 10 to 15 bonus years that most people don't get. Also she was generally in better condition than most people over 65 who mostly drove everywhere.

Also they didn't have time to make a big deal about insignificant things

My great grandma died in 2004. She lived through the Russian revolution, Ukrainian famine, ww2 taking two small children on horseback through several countries, moving to a foreign country in her 50s....etc... Even in her 90s she was ready to go for whatever you needed!

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