Getting the latest Covid vaccination

[+ Charlie]

Are the older self-tests still reliable? I got my last ones six months ago.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, Charlie said:

Are the older self-tests still reliable? I got my last ones six months ago.

I heard on the news that CDC officials say they are. That being said, you are entitled to four free tests, since you're in the US. So is your husband:

COVID.gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests

WWW.COVID.GOV

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Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests.

I'm picking mine up at my pharmacy (didn't go through the website). The main reason to test, of course, is to take Paxlovid at the first sign of infection if the test is positive. At the last conference I went to last month, I was told that Paxlovid is still being provided at no cost in the US. I've said it before, but this bears repeating: Paxlovid should be taken as early as possible, and definitely not saved until things get bad (at which point it's fairly useless). 

[+ Charlie]

3 minutes ago, Unicorn said:

I heard on the news that CDC officials say they are. That being said, you are entitled to four free tests, since you're in the US. So is your husband:

COVID.gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests

WWW.COVID.GOV

---

Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests.

I'm picking mine up at my pharmacy (didn't go through the website). The main reason to test, of course, is to take Paxlovid at the first sign of infection if the test is positive. At the last conference I went to last month, I was told that Paxlovid is still being provided at no cost in the US. I've said it before, but this bears repeating: Paxlovid should be taken as early as possible, and definitely not saved until things get bad (at which point it's fairly useless). 

I asked because I tested negative a couple of days ago, but my housecleaner tested positive today (with newer tests).

[SirBillybob]

I cannot know for sure what member of the Omicron variant family tree I caught a month ago but the original generation of self-administered rapid tests showed positive, unsurprising due to symptoms. 

Edited October 11, 2023 by SirBillybob

[Luv2play]

5 hours ago, Charlie said:

Are the older self-tests still reliable? I got my last ones six months ago.

You can check on the package.It has an expiry date. Mine says 2024-02-01. I got it a year ago. And still have 2 tests left. I have't tested positive for Covid yet and had all my shots, the last being in June for the second bivalent.

Covid has started to increase in my small town again. Just today I ran into an old neighbour who moved several blocks away two years ago. She was un her garden and told me she got Covid 2 days ago. From singing in a choir at her church. Second time for her. She said the symptoms were headache, soreness all over her body and mild cough.

[+ Charlie]

I went out and bought a new test this afternoon. It gave exactly the same negative result as my seven month old test did earlier in the day. So although I have the same symptoms as my housecleaner, it appears that he has COVID and I do not.

[Marc in Calif]

On 10/10/2023 at 3:10 PM, Vegas_Millennial said:

The store offered a 10%-off coupon per vaccine.  I received two coupons, one each for the flu shot and the booster/vaccine/update/biviralant[sic]/gayvirulant[sic]/covid-19/Caronavirus[sic]/(whatever the current name is of the family of viruses that came out of China a few years back) shot.

No. You definitely did NOT get a member of this family of viruses at Albertson's on Saturday. 

Or maybe you intended to write something else entirely! 🤣🤣

[SirBillybob]

2 hours ago, Charlie said:

I went out and bought a new test this afternoon. It gave exactly the same negative result as my seven month old test did earlier in the day. So although I have the same symptoms as my housecleaner, it appears that he has COVID and I do not.

This changes things because you now added that you have symptoms. Therefore, it is advisable from a public health point of view to behave as though you are infected until you rule out non-infection with either further rapid antigen testing because you may have two false negative results so far, or the more reliable lab-based molecular test (ie, RT-PCR) done at a facility. The assumption alone that you have SARS-CoV-2 without confirmation would be fine unless you are a candidate for the updated vaccination (I assume you are) because you could skip such a dose if you determine you actually are infected and will benefit from natural immunity. Personally, I would pursue the RT-PCR test to assist with vaccination decision-making. If it were Spring 2023, no later than early Summer, I wouldn’t make the suggestion. 

Edited October 12, 2023 by SirBillybob

[+ Charlie]

3 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

This changes things because you now added that you have symptoms. Therefore, it is advisable from a public health point of view to behave as though you are infected until you rule out non-infection with either further rapid antigen testing because you may have two false negative results so far, or the more reliable lab-based molecular test (ie, RT-PCR) done at a facility. The assumption alone that you have SARS-CoV-2 without confirmation would be fine unless you are a candidate for the updated vaccination (I assume you are) because you could skip such a dose if you determine you actually are infected and will benefit from natural immunity. Personally, I would pursue the RT-PCR test to assist with vaccination decision-making. If it were Spring 2023, no later than early Summer, I wouldn’t make the suggestion. 

My housecleaner describes his symptoms rather vaguely as "sniffles," and says his partner tests negative for COVID. This is usually allergy season for me, and as usual I have been suffering from itchy eyes, sneezing fits and sinus congestion. Since we have also had constant "air quality alerts" and "dust advisories," with high winds for the past month, I have been assuming that allergies are the problem. I don't have any other symptoms.  I haven't seen the housecleaner in two weeks, but when he texted me this morning that he had self-tested positive, I decided to test myself again, just in case. I have never tested positive, including the RT-PCR, in the past three years,  have had all the boosters up until the latest one, and I am rarely in situations where I might be exposed, so I think It is unlikely that my current symptoms are due to COVID.

Edited October 12, 2023 by Charlie

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Luv2play said:

You can check on the package. It has an expiry date. Mine says 2024-02-01

... From singing in a choir at her church. Second time for her....

 

What I was trying to say from the earlier post was that public health officials are saying expired tests should work fine. And nothing good can come from going to church. 😉

[SirBillybob]

8 hours ago, Charlie said:

My housecleaner describes his symptoms rather vaguely as "sniffles," and says his partner tests negative for COVID. This is usually allergy season for me, and as usual I have been suffering from itchy eyes, sneezing fits and sinus congestion. Since we have also had constant "air quality alerts" and "dust advisories," with high winds for the past month, I have been assuming that allergies are the problem. I don't have any other symptoms.  I haven't seen the housecleaner in two weeks, but when he texted me this morning that he had self-tested positive, I decided to test myself again, just in case. I have never tested positive, including the RT-PCR, in the past three years,  have had all the boosters up until the latest one, and I am rarely in situations where I might be exposed, so I think It is unlikely that my current symptoms are due to COVID.

Ah, I took it that you had a typical household exposure more recent than a few weeks ago, or you thought you may have. With the allergies and all, and in that you likely go about your business when your home is serviced, less concern after all. He likely caught it some time following his last visit. 

Edited October 12, 2023 by SirBillybob

[samhexum]

Appointment

October 17, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.

Walgreens

Vaccine(s)

• RSV
• Pneumonia (Pneumococcal)

[+ BobPS]

I had a three way yesterday. I received RSV, Covid, and Flu vaccinations.No side effects today other than my left arm is slightly sore.

[EZEtoGRU]

I got the Pfizer COVID vaccine today. I had the flu shot about a week ago. I’m undecided on RSV. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, EZEtoGRU said:

I got the Pfizer COVID vaccine today. I had the flu shot about a week ago. I’m undecided on RSV. 

It's not necessary to split them up, but if you do, next year I'd advise getting the COVID update first, since COVID tends to be more prevalent in the Fall, and influenza in the Winter. Though RSV tends to be less serious than influenza, it's a once in a lifetime shot, so one might as well. No rush, though. CDC recommends it for all 60+. I'll have to figure out if my insurance covers it, though. 

[Luv2play]

11 hours ago, BobPS said:

I had a three way yesterday. I received RSV, Covid, and Flu vaccinations.No side effects today other than my left arm is slightly sore.

When I have a three way, it’s my ass which is slightly sore the next day.

[TonyDown]

Two members of one of my teams at work had COVID this month.  

I was not exposed.

I called the Walmart pharmacy to schedule vaccination but they were out of vaccine.

The demand is rising.

[+ bashful]

Was at Dr. on Monday.  Got the flu shot.  The office didn't have the Covid, or RSV shots in stock.  There're at all the pharmacies.  He advised for me waiting a week or two between shots, and then get Covid next, then RSV..

Just realized my covid card is not on the fridge door.  Probably fell off and under the fridge.  Now I gotta move it out.  Jeez.

Edited October 15, 2023 by bashful

[Luv2play]

1 hour ago, bashful said:

Was at Dr. on Monday.  Got the flu shot.  The office didn't have the Covid, or RSV shots in stock.  There're at all the pharmacies.  He advised for me waiting a week or two between shots, and then get Covid next, then RSV..

Just realized my covid card is not on the fridge door.  Probably fell off and under the fridge.  Now I gotta move it out.  Jeez.

Interesting comment about your card. Do you still need a card or is your history of vaccinations online? Here in Canada it’s all online with the provincial health authorities since health is a provincial (state) responsibility.

[LFABWC]

When I got my vaccines CVS gave me a paper card, but also you could log in into the CVS system and they appeared on your profile, date manuf etc etc.

When 🇨🇦 opened their border the paper cards were good for the vaccination control system that they had in place at their border @ that time until it was discontinued a few months later.

Edited October 15, 2023 by LFABWC

[+ robear]

Regarding the CDC cards, in NYC Walgreens said bring your card, but nobody asked for it and this round wasn't recorded on it. They did ask verbally when my last booster was. If you've gotten previous from the same provider, they should have that record, but my guess is the cumbersome hand-written cards have been abandoned, the crisis conditions that gave birth to them having passed.

[SirBillybob]

Say goodbye to the COVID-19 vaccination card. The CDC has stopped printing them - Bowen Island Undercurrent

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

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It's the end of an era for a once-critical pandemic document: The ubiquitous white COVID-19 vaccination cards are...

 

[+ bashful]

Another excuse not to clean under the fridge.

[+ Pensant]

On 10/10/2023 at 2:15 PM, SirBillybob said:

Those old vaccines should not longer be given, as they probably don't do anything useful

Are you referring to the spring 2021 double doses and the late 2021 pre-bivalent booster?

[SirBillybob]

3 hours ago, Pensant said:

Are you referring to the spring 2021 double doses and the late 2021 pre-bivalent booster?

I did not write that sentence, so I don’t know how the quote could be mine. However, at this point, only the current updated Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines are legit going forward. A bivalent booster administered earlier thIs year may offer some protection in the meantime as the updated versions relate to coronavirus descending from the Omicron family tree.

It stands to reason that anybody waiting for the new vaccine but has not received a bivalent dose in a long time, example 9 months, should perhaps exercise greater exposure caution within the current landscape. That said, I personally know two people in their 70s that came down with COVID this summer not long after having had bivalent booster doses; one had a pricey bucket-list holiday ruined due to symptoms like a bad cold, and the other had quite a debilitating course in spite of Paxlovid uptake at the recommended stage. 

Actually, an updated vaccine can be used as a primary 2-dose series (prime + boost) for those never vaccinated, as was also the case for those that had never been vaccinated at the time the bivalent doses emerged about a year ago.

Edited October 16, 2023 by SirBillybob