Rant away about COVID, the vaccine, etc.

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited September 2021

    I could rant --every-- --single-- --day-- about mask wearing. And maybe I will because at least it lets me blow off some emotional steam.

    I'm at work, hiding in my office while eating lunch. There's a staff member who just refuses to wear a mask (I work in healthcare--so there's mandates here), and the management literally does nothing about it. I don't care that this unmasked person is vaccinated, because the media keeps saying that vaccinated people can still shed virus. If that's the truth (which makes sense with mutating viruses), I don't know what this person has, and I don't want it. It's pure selfishness. In this building, it's the vaccinated staff that are refusing to take further precautions to protect poor little chemo-me and our patients, rather than the unvaccinated. All of our unvaccinated employees are following corporate PPE guidelines (thank goodness).

    Ok rant over. :-)

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    Vaccinated people can transmit the virus. I think the period when they're infectious is shorter, but that doesn't help much if you see them 5 days a week.

    I've complained before about people in healthcare settings not wearing masks. It's irresponsible if an employee is doing it.

    Wish we had rapid tests available everywhere.

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited September 2021

    It takes all the layers, vaccination, distancing, masking, avoiding indoor spaces, staying home when symptomatic.

    The virus is airborne and can linger in indoor poorly ventilated places.

    People who are unvaxxed need to stay home & self quarantine. I just can't see a way around that. No socializing, no shopping, no travelling. Stay home, have contactless delivery, attend only mandatory medical appointments. That's it


    & in local news, critically care trained nurses are getting pulled from post aneshtesia care, cardiac ICU, emerg etc to staff covid ICU. It's not yet quite where it was in the spring, but suddenly over the long weekend schedules were changed at last minute and nurses are redeploying to covid ICU throughout the hospitals here. Some surgeries are being scaled back because the nurses are being sent to covid ICU. They don't volunteer btw. They're *sent*. While goddamn protesters are blocking the streets outside, they're sent to deal with unvaccinated pts who didn't think that they would get it because they're somehow special....

    & to bring it all back to cancer pts..... you know where covid pts get sent over & over again? CT scans. Which need to be disinfected etc etc and which now means that regular scans for cancer pts are delayed.

    BC is doing a big vaccination push and vaccine passports are being launched today. The booking sites reported a strong uptick in people booking vax appointments when the passports were announced so it seems like this might be a strategy that will work to get at least a large chunk of the "I'm waiting for god knows what/a guarantee/a vision" people.

    Oh & there are 20-40 yos on vents here. No pre existing conditions. Fighting the vent, hallucinating. Need to be kept sedated but then their breathing is poor. Try to wean off the vent, they are in mental anguish. Round and round it goes.

    and all the car accidents, ladder falls, heart attacks, strokes, diabetic crisis, overdoses, etc ....they all still keep coming. The ICUs & ERs *are* getting swapmed with covid and that is affecting everyone's care

    Vaccines are the one biggest weapon in our arsenal. It is making me ranty ranty ranty mad that some people are just too stubborn to take them.



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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/mobile/all-health-care...

    image

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited September 2021

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited September 2021

    I'm so angry on behalf of cancer patients (Moth post). I have postponed tests for other medical things since I figure the risk of those things being delayed is less than getting covid but so many people have no choice. They have to go into medical settings. I can't imagine the stress.FU*******

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  • Sadiesservant
    Sadiesservant Member Posts: 1,995
    edited September 2021

    Medical appointments have not worried me actually. I've had lots but the hospitals and cancer agency are taking precautions. It's being around the general public that gets my nerves jumping...

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    I've been going to my medical appointments all this time. Even with my appointments getting delayed, this month I have 3.

    I was getting scans every 3-4 months, but I haven't had a scan in a year due to the pandemic. My MO is relying on my TMs instead. It was my TM rising rapidly that indicated my progression. My CA 15-3 was almost 1400 with all scans clear. It's now around 65.

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited September 2021

    Dr Glaucomflecken did a little thing about the difference a year made https://twitter.com/DGlaucomflecken/status/1435300...


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    Those protesters are idiots. 🤬

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited September 2021

    Just saw this about Ontario " In Ontario, the length of time covid patients spend in ICU has increased dramatically from 10 to 55 days. Likely because there are more young people, who live longer. But they're dying at a similar rate. It just takes longer. "Mortality still very high eventually (30-40%)."

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  • AlwaysMeC
    AlwaysMeC Member Posts: 167
    edited September 2021

    Illimae, I get the frustration with vaxxed folks letting their guard down. I'm 42. The majority of the people posting pics on Instagram are friends and family in the same age range. I see all the get togethers, family picnics, family camping trips, day trips, kids sporting events, don't get me started on Vegas! It's ridiculous. Pics with masks on and then a couple of swipes later the same group of 5 to 15 squeezing in for a selfie with no masks on. They post videos of family get togethers with people singing karaoke unmasked, kids playing ball.... We know all the younger kids are not vaccinated.

    It's selfish. They feel they protected themselves, and are okay with taking risks using themselves as collateral. There's no thought to who they might infect, if by any small chance they could get Covid.

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited September 2021

    Not everyone who is unvaccinated has the luxury of staying home and quarantining though. Some people kind of need to go to work, and not all jobs can be done from your living room.

    I would love to stay home and hide out, but FMLA only goes so far. I like my paycheck and not paying over 2 grand for COBRA. It's not as simple as just staying home.

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited September 2021

    those who are unvaccinated because they have confimed PEG allergy with documentation from an immunologist/allergist are in a tough position for sure.

    Ideally they self quarantine because not only are they at risk themselves, they are putting others at risk. Next best option is N95s, minimal contact. If you absolutely must work, then I see it... But also, I would not spend any time in a room with a colleague who unmasks. That is an unacceptable and avoidable risk. Leave the room.

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  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited September 2021

    gb2115, those unvaccinated people can stay home. If they're truly allergic to the vaccine or have reduced immunity, maybe mask + face shield if they're in a workspace, for their own protection, but anyone else can just stay home. I don't care if it's inconvenient. It's a lot more inconvenient to get Covid.

    I've gone to my PCP, oncologist and urologist since Covid Times, but none of them get up in my face and everybody is masked. I'm avoiding my eye doctor and dermatologist so far because they get their faces too close to mine, even though I have one eye with more problems than just my life-long bad vision, and I have had several skin cancers and pre-cancers in the past. I'm not sure how long I can go without seeing them.

    We went to a fairly large family gathering Sunday. I didn't mask, but I kept away from the probably-unvaccinated youngest relatives and stayed outside the entire time. I'm the cranky old bat the kids avoid anyway. The only kiss was a pooch smooch on my neck from an adorable dog.

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited September 2021

    Moth, I very politely disagree on staying home other than medical reasons but agree on most other things.

    Since the beginning of this, I’ve kept my circle tiny, only interacting with 5 friends, who only see us if they have been reasonable themselves and then only is spacious outdoor places and only a few times in the last 18 months.

    Alwaymec, I wouldn’t dare try Vegas, which is where I had 3 day punk rock bowling festival tickets. But I refuse to fly and had to sell them. Even with the festival rules of proof or either vaccination or negative test, it is not worth the risk.

    Personally I’ve had no issues with my cancer center and I am happy MDA is strict. I go alone for treatment every 3 weeks, I’m safe in a private pod and their medical masks are required (no fabric or pre used), I put it on over my N95.

    I have been camping but DH and I have a travel trailer and errands are minimal and always with good distancing and protection.

    I can’t wait to get out of Houston though, even with a 99% vaccination rate in my zip code, there’s too many people and I don’t trust any of them.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    gb - If a staff member is not following corporate guidelines, can you ask management to enforce the mask mandate? Are they aware that even vaccinated people can spread the virus? That the virus is airborne? Has your ventilation system been altered for COVID? Can you open windows? Eat outside? Work from home part time?

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  • Chowdog
    Chowdog Member Posts: 236
    edited September 2021

    just want to share this article.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/weve-never-protected-the-vulnerable/619981/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_term=2021-09-05T10%3A00%3A56


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    Good article.

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited September 2021

    I could do partial work from home if they'd let me, but we're not technologically equipped for me to fully do that right now. I would still have to come in. I would expect management knows about it being airborne and able to spread, I mean, they're all nurses. I would hope so...but everyone is quick to whip the masks off, even the doctors and whatnot. I just think they're so focused on the fact that they're all safe because they're vaccinated, they're not thinking of others.

    But no, no windows, ventilation changes, etc. And I get what everyone is saying about just stay home and quarantine, but really, that means legit quitting my job. If someone wants to share their trust fund with me so I can make that happen, I'd be all about that...lol.

    I hope those who are able to just stay home realize what a true luxury that is. It used to drive me crazy at the beginning of Covid how people would complain about being stuck in the house all day. Lucky them...


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    Before COVID I've quit a job to take one that allowed me to work from home. I know it's not for everyone. My family has been fortunate to be able to work from home all this time. Now they're going in more often, but they're all vaccinated and masked.

    I would still ask management to enforce the mask mandate. Remind them you're at high risk due to chemo.

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  • Chowdog
    Chowdog Member Posts: 236
    edited September 2021

    gb2115,

    Here is a recently published study of airborne transmission of covid. I follow several of the authors on twitter. they typically recommend N95 mask + good ventilation. Good ventilation means open window or MERV13 ventilation system with a HEPA air purifier on top of it. Is it possible to bring a HEPA air purifier to your work?

    https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abd914...


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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited September 2021

    Chowdog, I'm not sure if I can take something like that in. I feel like all appliances in the building have to be inspected and whatnot. We're pretty regulated as a medical facility. I don't know.

    I'm just trying to not let myself get too stressed out over what I honestly can't control.

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  • runor
    runor Member Posts: 1,798
    edited September 2021

    I've been away from home for a bit and away from the computer. Coming back and reading and we're still where we were when we started. A slugfest. I don't mean that we're having a festival of small, crawling creatures, rather there is a whole lot of slugging going on. It has been brutal for some. Yeah, yeah, I know, they were anti-maskers or anti-vaxxers and they richly deserve everything they got.    The mother's milk of human kindness is strong.  Although I don't recall anyone here being anti-mask or anti-vax, but the truth in a label does not seem to be important. Just that we get to give labels. (yes, I have said I hate and resent masks. This is totally true. I still have one on my face everywhere I go)

    Nothing has changed for me. I still think this pandemic was not a crisis and should have been downgraded in emergency status about 2 months in when we knew our kids were not dying. Is it okay for frail elderly to die? I guess if you expect another 100 years out of your frail elderly then  you might be shocked and freaked out to learn that old people die. But to me, no, the deaths of those who had one foot in the grave already is not a global panic. A family sadness yes, an emergency, no. To get on board with the narrative  I would have to believe that we had a chance of stopping this virus. I did not believe it then and sure as hell do not believe it now. I would have to be confident that these vaccines were safe and effective to MY standard of safe and effective and the answer to both of those is ... I am still uncertain. It's not looking good. That could yet change and I may yet get vaxxed. I am watching the development of different vaccines and still waiting to hear if the J&J will come back online in Canada, but so far there seems to be little info about that. The divisions in families and friends and even here on BCO have been ugly and for many a brutal betrayal. I know that several people who used to feel supported and at home here no longer do, and that might be because they are too sensitive. It is equally likely that there has been some really savage conduct here and people have acted and spoken in very judgmental and close minded ways. We should never forget that the biggest atrocities in human history have been committed by self avowed good guys, convinced of their rightness, inflicting on someone else a degradation  'for their own good' or the greater social good. It's like no one has learned a fucking thing from human history. 

    So I bow out for now.  I will continue to watch this global event unfold and feel a loss over the ugliness it has unleashed. The ugliness that we all, yes, even the good guys, hide just below the surface waiting to boil forth. I did not feel it was right to just pop off without a word, so this is my official announcement of exit from this topic, for now. Stay well everyone.

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited September 2021

    "The mother's milk of human kindness is strong" she said. Irony?

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  • Chowdog
    Chowdog Member Posts: 236
    edited September 2021

    May want to explain to the at least 2 million kids who lost a parent or both from covid that it's not an emergency.

    https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/at-leas...

    Also this pregnant woman who left behind 5 kids with her husband still on vent coz of covid.

    https://ktla.com/news/local-news/socal-nurse-dies-...

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  • kathindc
    kathindc Member Posts: 2,042
    edited September 2021

    Damn, I just felt an artic blast come off this page. I resent those who think the elderly don't count. Such a callous statement

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited September 2021

    Obtuse

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2021

    runor,

    Good idea to bow out before more people who identify with those you deem expendable speak out.

    Take care, Slugger.

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited September 2021

    I have one foot in the grave. Again, the entire Stage IV forum apparently does not matter because whatever, we're doing to die anyway, some of us quite a bit sooner than those seniors who were pushed off by covid.

    That is savage conduct indeed.

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