[conspire] Actual confirmed round of COVID

[Rick Moen]

----- Forwarded message from Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> -----

Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2022 16:43:25 -0700
From: Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com>
To: skeptic at linuxmafia.com
Subject: Actual confirmed round of COVID (was: I haven't gotten any SKEPTIC
	list mail in a few days)
Organization: If you lived here, you'd be $HOME already.

Thursday, June 2nd, I had dinner with my sister Michele, her younger son
Chase, and my biological mother at a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona.  The
following Tuesday, June 7th, the day after my airline flight home, I had
the world's mildest occasional cough.  Two days after that (Thursday
June 9th), my sister Michele e-mailed me that she has been
COVID-positive and was having oral antivirals and a monoclonal antibody
infusion, to alleviate moderate respiratory distress.  That day, I did a
rapid antigen test, got a faint positive, and began isolating.  Saturday
morning (June 11th), I got a more definite positive test result, but
still had almost zero symptoms and felt normal.

My wife Deirdre, around that time, starting having somewhat worse
cold-like symptoms including (again) loss of her sense of smell that we
hope and trust will be temporary, but fortunately not very alarming.
(Update: Deirdre says it's returning.)

The timing of my symptoms relative to Michele's (to the extent she was
specific) suggest, more likely than not, direct transmisson from her to
me, the evening of Thursday, June 2nd, in that restaurant.  Most
authorities suggest that a mild infection lasts, at most, about 9-10
days from first symptom (if any).[1]  E.g., my HMO Kaiser Permanente
said I could consider myself absolutely clear of infection by Friday,
June 17th at the latest (10 days after 1st symptom), or earlier if I had
a negative test.  So, I just isolated until that Friday.

I am of course vaccinated (Moderna) and had both boosters (Moderna),
which may account in part for why I had nothing disinguishable from
the world's most polite headcold, and Deirdre got off almost the same,
while my sister (who is less healthy, and I really don't know if she's
stayed current on boosters) had some distress.  Meanwhile, my
83-year-old mother-in-law Cheryl, who lives with us (and is, like the
rest of us, 2x boostered) didn't get the infection, AFAIK.

Anyway, on the plus side, Deirdre and I now are chock-full of optimised
antibodies to the current SARS-CoV-2 strains.  Go, hybrid immunity!


[1] Kaiser Permanente's guidelines about this are quoted (in part) 
below:


HOME ISOLATION 
 
COVID-19 is a highly contagious illness. The virus most likely spreads 1
to 2 days before you develop symptoms (if they occur) and 2 to 3 days
after symptoms begin. After a positive test result:
 
-  Stay home and isolate for 10 days from first day of symptoms, or date
   of positive test if you remain without symptoms*. This includes
   separating from any household members as much as possible and wearing a
    mask.
-  If you must end isolation after 5 days, test again (an at-home
   antigen test should be used to end isolation) on day 5 or later. PCR
   test results are not recommended to end isolation as they may take
   several days to come back and remain positive for up to 90 days after
   infection.
     -  If you test negative and have no symptoms or your symptoms are
        improving, you may end isolation.
     -  If you test positive or your symptoms aren’t getting better,
        continue to isolate until symptoms improve or until after day 10
        of isolation.
     -  If you have a fever, wait until it resolves before ending
        isolation. 
     -  If you’re unable to retest on or after day 5, you may end
        isolation after day 10 but only if you don’t have symptoms or
        they’re improving.
-  Wear a well-fitting mask around others, especially in indoor
   settings, for a full 10 days after a positive result (even if you
   ended isolation earlier than 10 days).
 
* Please note some patients with certain underlying conditions such as
  moderate to severe immune compromise or those with severe COVID-19
  requiring hospitalization should self-isolate for at least 10 days and
  up to 20 days. Per advice of treating physician.


----- End forwarded message -----