Apologies for the off-topic comment. Perhaps a topic for the future. I'm seeing numbers in Europe going back up again, even though they're still very high from Omicron. I can't find any coverage. Is it a new BA.2 wave reinfecting the previously infected? Some new variant? Here in the US our numbers have come way down, so we're relaxing, although home testing may be obscuring the true covid rate. But Europe is looking scary!
it is looking scary and i have some insight. many of us are waiting on a UK report that comes out every Thursday (so tomorrow). I'll report back once we get some more insight on the numbers.
Here in TX where there is minimal-to-no masking and there is no wastewater testing in our city, what is the best dashboard statistic or way to determine whether our family (with an immune-compromised child) should be extra cautious vs living life (eating out outdoors, large outdoor gatherings with other kids, etc).
Our kids would be masked and were vaxxed in Nov but the stats on waning for 5-11yo from that recent preprint are concerning.
You can still use cases. While this metric will become more and more unreliable with antigen testing, it's still a good metric right now for relative transmission in a community. I always like using the NYT site more than the CDC site because it's just easier and has really nice dashboards for each county.
I think the next question is at what case rate can you relax. I can't answer what you should do because everyone has a different risk tolerance. But if I had an immunocompromised child, I wouldn't "relax" until my county reached 5-10 cases per 100K. This is *really* low transmission and the probability of being infected is then equally as low.
The numbers in my county look good (Baltimore) but I only hear people in my community using home tests (not reported) or no longer bothering to test at all, even with symptoms, since covid is "over". Workplaces (including Healthcare) are relaxing the regular testing requirements as well. My kids are the only ones masked at their schools and are asking if they still need to. I just feel like the numbers don't tell us much anymore and I have no idea what to do. 2 of my kids are too young to be vaccinated. My husband has long covid (severe leg pain) since January. I really don't want to risk my kids having long covid and who knows what effects on multiple organ systems.
Wow I don’t think if we’ve ever been that low here in Austin. What about outdoor swim team?
And to clarify he is not on immunosuppressants, just has had bad responses to prior viral upper respiratory infections (oxygen in the ambulance on way to ER with lips turning blue).
Austin did reach those numbers last summer. And I think they will soon again too. I am in Dallas and we are at 5 per 100K. I think what you bring up, though, is important. it *really* matters too at the level of immunocompromised.
Thank you for this series. I send a link to each new installment to the coronavirus Reddit sub for my state, and they are much appreciated.
I have some info I'd like to share with people here, and also ask for your opinion of. (I'm sorry info and question are unrelated to Long Covid, but don't know any way to ask you about this other than to share the info and question here.) I found what I think are the current NIH guidelines for risk stratification regarding Paxlovid -- that is, the guidelines for who gets priority. They are here: https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/statement-on-patient-prioritization-for-outpatient-therapies/
It seems like the guidelines are:
First priority immunosuppressed people + unvaccinated age 75+ -- next, unvaccinated 65+ -- then vaccinated 75+ -- then vaccinated 65+.
Questions: Is this accurate? If so, any estimate of how long before Paxlovid is available to all who qualify for it by having a risk factor (either age or a relevant health problem)?
Well written
Apologies for the off-topic comment. Perhaps a topic for the future. I'm seeing numbers in Europe going back up again, even though they're still very high from Omicron. I can't find any coverage. Is it a new BA.2 wave reinfecting the previously infected? Some new variant? Here in the US our numbers have come way down, so we're relaxing, although home testing may be obscuring the true covid rate. But Europe is looking scary!
it is looking scary and i have some insight. many of us are waiting on a UK report that comes out every Thursday (so tomorrow). I'll report back once we get some more insight on the numbers.
Here in TX where there is minimal-to-no masking and there is no wastewater testing in our city, what is the best dashboard statistic or way to determine whether our family (with an immune-compromised child) should be extra cautious vs living life (eating out outdoors, large outdoor gatherings with other kids, etc).
Our kids would be masked and were vaxxed in Nov but the stats on waning for 5-11yo from that recent preprint are concerning.
You can still use cases. While this metric will become more and more unreliable with antigen testing, it's still a good metric right now for relative transmission in a community. I always like using the NYT site more than the CDC site because it's just easier and has really nice dashboards for each county.
I think the next question is at what case rate can you relax. I can't answer what you should do because everyone has a different risk tolerance. But if I had an immunocompromised child, I wouldn't "relax" until my county reached 5-10 cases per 100K. This is *really* low transmission and the probability of being infected is then equally as low.
The numbers in my county look good (Baltimore) but I only hear people in my community using home tests (not reported) or no longer bothering to test at all, even with symptoms, since covid is "over". Workplaces (including Healthcare) are relaxing the regular testing requirements as well. My kids are the only ones masked at their schools and are asking if they still need to. I just feel like the numbers don't tell us much anymore and I have no idea what to do. 2 of my kids are too young to be vaccinated. My husband has long covid (severe leg pain) since January. I really don't want to risk my kids having long covid and who knows what effects on multiple organ systems.
Wow I don’t think if we’ve ever been that low here in Austin. What about outdoor swim team?
And to clarify he is not on immunosuppressants, just has had bad responses to prior viral upper respiratory infections (oxygen in the ambulance on way to ER with lips turning blue).
Austin did reach those numbers last summer. And I think they will soon again too. I am in Dallas and we are at 5 per 100K. I think what you bring up, though, is important. it *really* matters too at the level of immunocompromised.
Thank you for this series. I send a link to each new installment to the coronavirus Reddit sub for my state, and they are much appreciated.
I have some info I'd like to share with people here, and also ask for your opinion of. (I'm sorry info and question are unrelated to Long Covid, but don't know any way to ask you about this other than to share the info and question here.) I found what I think are the current NIH guidelines for risk stratification regarding Paxlovid -- that is, the guidelines for who gets priority. They are here: https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/statement-on-patient-prioritization-for-outpatient-therapies/
It seems like the guidelines are:
First priority immunosuppressed people + unvaccinated age 75+ -- next, unvaccinated 65+ -- then vaccinated 75+ -- then vaccinated 65+.
Questions: Is this accurate? If so, any estimate of how long before Paxlovid is available to all who qualify for it by having a risk factor (either age or a relevant health problem)?