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The founder of one of my favorite charities--a BC TNR organization called Tiny Kittens--is allergic to cats. She has several of her own and usually hosts another 10-20 convalescents or animals awaiting homes. The allergies don't seem to slow her down much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tammy
Cat allergies can be pretty awful.Quote:
Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
as a child .I had asthma, and no cats were allowed in our house because of that. I loved cats! At age 11 a well meaning family friend gave me a kitten. By then, my asthma had disappeared and my mom let me keep the cat. . I’ve had cats since then for 50+ years. Only when I get my fingers in my eyes after deep contact with cat is there a problem.
My current problem seems to be fall plant allergies. Or maybe something in a closed house, so yeah, I guess it could be dog allergy. But November was bad last year and this year.
Last year I was severely sick 4-5 times and those instances were when I was shut up in a closed room with 50-100 plants for garden club shows and workshops.
I'm allergic to penicillin, and I wonder about a dairy sensitivity. Otherwise, any allergic symptoms I have are negligible.
I have a friend who's had a few anaphylactic reactions to triggers she hasn't been able to identify. I'm wondering how she'll be able to handle the COVID vaccine.
Jane, she may be OK. Moderna, for one example, uses a different approach to develop vaccines. The story of the covid 19 vaccine from Moderna is really interesting.
https://www.bostonmagazine.com/healt...virus-vaccine/
The NIH’s confidence stemmed from Moderna’s early-stage human trial data from 2019. In fact, that data was so encouraging that Bancel was set to announce in a few days’ time that the company would be doubling down on its vaccine-development program in 2020, with hopes of getting the world’s first mRNA vaccine—and what would be Moderna’s first licensed product—onto the market in the next few years.
The platform’s potential seemed limitless. If ultimately proven successful in large-scale human trials, mRNA vaccines would herald nothing short of a revolution akin to the advent of the steam engine when it comes to preventing infectious disease. For one thing, because mRNA vaccines don’t contain a pathogen, they are thought to be safer than traditional vaccines. They are also relatively easy to scale and produce—you can design any mRNA vaccine in the world on a computer and manufacture it in a single facility regardless of what disease it is for. Most important, using mRNA is a much faster way to make vaccines, which can normally take up to a decade to develop and test.
There is a new strain of covid in the UK that is 70% more contagious but has travel from the US to the UK been shut down? No, because elites like to travel.
Thanks for the info, Razz--that sounds very promising.
It would be reasonable to expect that the AstraZeneca vaccine will be approved. It's a traditional vaccine more like the flu vaccine and not an mRNA vaccine like Moderna and Pfizer. And there could be others. Whether this would have a higher risk of allergic or other reaction may be different or better. I think by the time a vaccine trickles down to us in the general population we will know more. It seems like prioritizing rest homes and assisted living with the most frail of populations could be a good indicator of safety, although it does seem either bold or overconfident.
My SIL was part of the phase 3 Pfizer trial. She just found out this week that she got the vaccine back in August. Only minor side effects (pain at injection site). She's a school nurse in St Louis county and is now probably going to be trained on administering it so that she can help with getting all the teachers and staff for the schools vaccinated.
Yes, there’s a lot of variability between people. My sister has a car allergy but can’t give up her cats. She takes daily allergy pills and inhalers, and seems to do ok.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
If I tried to live with a cat, even with meds, I would eventually end up in the hospital. That was the one allergen that was most difficult fir me to treat with allergy shots. I now at least can hug friends who own cats, when we visit somewhere without cats, without reacting. But I can’t ride in the same car as them unless the windows are open. In the past I had to sit several feet away from them or I would react. So I got slight improvement with shots. All the other allergies are greatly reduced.
I love cats and they love me but haven’t been able to be around them for the last 35 years.
VUI-202012/01 is a new strain. Transportation into France via the Chunnel is shut down (but unaccompanied trailers or freight containers still are allowed into Calais). I understand that normally 10,000 trucks went through the Chunnel daily. London is "Tier 4" which in effect means stay at home... one member of a household may meet with one member of another household (as I understand it).Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
In British terminology VUI is an abbreviation for Variant Under Investigation. This variant was first identified in December, and the new strain is involved in more than 1,100 COVID-19 infections in the UK. It has also been reported in Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Australia.
The UK government raised the threat level to Tier 4 in London and surrounding counties. As of midnight 12/20-12/21 it is illegal to leave the Tier 4 area, except for essential travel. Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said in a BBC interview: the goal is to "keep the virus within London." He said "the new variant is out of control", and everybody in the Tier 4 area should act as though they have the virus.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that NYC has "about 6 flights per day coming from the UK, and we have done absolutely nothing". He said the federal government should either test all UK arrivals or institute a travel ban. Currently the U.S. government bans travelers from most European countries, including the UK. But the ban does not apply to U. S. citizens returning to the USA.
"This Week in Virology" podcast from 12/20 referred to the more contagious strain in England as unsubstantiated speculation. They said it is possible, but lacking evidence, and could just be a combination of a few of the usual super spreader events that have been seen everywhere.
DH is getting his first vaccination shot today at the hospital where he works!
This may be morbid to some but I feel very relieved and much better prepared. As I have mentioned previously, we have our estate plan in order. Yesterday DH and I had a discussion about what we should do if the other dies. Where to live, what needs to be done, and generally, how to make the best decision on how to care for ourselves. It was a way of helping each other cope and having foresight on what needs to be done. I cannot imagine having to think about these things when grieving. It really was very cathartic.
I am finally seeing active cases for my state being reported, which I think is a much more useful number than total cases.
RR do you know which vaccine he got?
Well I just got lectured by a stranger for not wearing a mask taking a walk outside from someone on the other side of the street. We were on parallel sidewalks with a two way (just your usual suburban residential) street between us.
Yes fine, whatever, maybe I'm the reason there is a coronavirus pandemic, taking walks maskless and avoiding people (and avoid them I do - I cross the street to avoid people up ahead, it's not that dense this apartment and single family houses suburbia so yea I don't get within 12 or maybe more like 20 feet of people generally - outdoors). But sure maybe it turns out I AM the reason there is a coronavirus pandemic (perhaps I've infected the whole state with asymptomatic shedding from 20 feet away outdoors), just not from any experts I've followed.
Though 2020: we had to wear masks, but we didn't have to wear bras! (working from home that is)
Jeppy: It was the Pfizer vaccine.
ANM: I guess there are extremists on both sides. I usually have my mask off until I see someone approaching, unless I'm in an area with a lot of pedestrian traffic (which I usually avoid).
With the new highly contagious UK variant of the virus combined with the vaccines we should get to herd immunity sooner rather than later. I call it the UK variant but experts believe it has already spread around the world.
I didn't even wear pants!Quote:
Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore
The outside mask standard here, both in suburbia and when I’m hiking, is that most people pull them frown if no one is around but pull them up as needed. In the city more people, including me, just leave them on for the entire time they are outside their home unless they are just standing in their driveway or something.
I can't think of any particularly good reason to bother with the mask when outside away from other people.
I have it handy in case I have to walk past someone. APN, that person was being stupid since you weren’t near them.
Away from other people is key. On thanksgiving a lot of non hikers were out on the trail I hiked that day. None of them thought to bring a mask. It was the same sort of "amateur hour" experience that one has when one goes to an Irish pub on St Patrick's day or to a mexican restaurant on cinco de mayo and experiences all the non-big-drinkers acting like idiots. I ended up walking off into the brush several times to keep away from the ignorant fools.Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
I heard on NPR today that the Moderna vaccine is 95% effective after one dose. But of course the pharmaceutical companies want to sell more product so they are insisting two doses are needed, and the politicians who take their special interest money are falling in line.
In a local news story homeless people are now being vaccinated and this is one example of a group it will be hard to track down for second doses. One dose should be headline news. We can double the number of people we vaccinate quickly, and just in time as a worse strain than the UK one is spreading around from South Africa. But if the crisis ends soon, and things return to normal, politicians can no longer control people with fear.
Good god.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yppej
Here is a news story on getting just one dose:
https://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/20...le-dose-debate
Just heard on the news that 85 million Americans are going to be traveling this weekend. Ignoring the public health recommendations. This is why we need the ability to assess penalties against people as opposed to trusting people to do the right thing. 25% of the population thinks it’s more important to visit family and friends than keep themself and others safe. The selfish stupidity of so many Americans is astounding.
It’s like some people live in a cave and don’t watch the news. I don’t know anyone that’s traveling or gathering for Xmas. It’s depressing with the cases so high.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jp1
“Stay home now, so that when we gather next holiday, no one is missing.”
Local news story "tips for how to travel safely" rather than "don't travel it's not safe".
Blind faith in “assessing penalties “that’s what I find absolutely astounding. As if.Quote:
Originally Posted by jp1
Oh also, I have friends who are in Austria right now. They are in Austria, wagging their fingers at dumb Americans who are just dumb because we are stupid.I know they’re in Austria because I was emailing one of them about canceling our May event because I think it’s delusional to continue planning for it and he said he agreed with me. Then he said oh yeah we’re in Austria and when we get back we’ll un-plan the event.
Ha Ha Ha. This stuff, Can’t make it up.
That’s surprising to me that you don’t know anyone who is traveling. I know Many.Quote:
Originally Posted by Teacher Terry
It's depressing not just that cases are high but that here hospitals have had no capacity for weeks and no doubt weeks more to follow the holidays. It's such a background psychic strain on top of whatever other stresses life throws, knowing not just that covid is everywhere, but that there is no hospital capacity not only for covid but for ANYTHING. One re-thinks things like taking a drive to nowhere (which I've done out of pandemic boredom) because if one got in a car accident well there is no room at the hospitals etc.. Even non-emergency care is impacted as the line for urgent care is hours.
Why access penalties on people though, rather than shut down the airports? How seriously can anyone take potential penalties, when the airlines are booked up and flying in and out? There are other ways to travel but it certainly would send a message they were actually serious. Only 20% or so of people plan to travel for the holidays here though according to the news. But we have enough covid to give the rest of the country another wave if those vaccines don't come fast. Have some covid! It's on us. Cheers.
But everything is against public health recommendations including all human contact. Seeing my boyfriend even though we are a bubble of two, and I have stayed away when there have been covid outbreaks at his work, as we don't live together, ergo it's illegal. Visiting with anyone outdoors and distanced which I have done here and there etc.. And I'm a criminal, and have been nothing but a low down dirty criminal in the pandemic for seeing my partner etc. It is what it is, we all turn to a life of crime if we have to.
I know many also and they have no shame. They write about it in their Christmas cards.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
I know far too many, and they seem to be people of all different political outlooks.Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
Everyone thinks they are special, and are immortal.
We will visit outside with masks on in 39 degrees with my kids and exchange food to take home . They made goodies and I lasagna. My best friend dropped off dinner to her 86 year old mom and zoomed with her daughter and grandchildren who live in the same town. Her husband works in a casino.
I think I would happily sleep for 3 days :). My bf can join me in bed if he wants :laff:
Oh I will probably get dragged in to meeting with people outside and distanced which is against the public health recommendations and in fact illegal, but also very low risk as things go. But I'd also be ok with not leaving my bed.
Speaking of super-spreaders:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...35&si=22991368
Note how no one feels it's their responsibility to contact-trace. We're just pathetic all around.