Brought Home a Disney Souvenir- COVID

[Jennasis]

Anyone who compares Covid to "the flu" has likely never actually had influenza. I've had the actual flu twice in my life and both times I felt like death was imminent. The actual flu is NOT a cold. It is NOT an upper respiratory infection. Influenza sucks so much. My freaking hair hurt!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Anyone who compares Covid to "the flu" has likely never actually had influenza. I've had the actual flu twice in my life and both times I felt like death was imminent. The actual flu is NOT a cold. It is NOT an upper respiratory infection. Influenza sucks so much. My freaking hair hurt!

I hear you. I had the flu over Thanksgiving one year. I was hosting the family (some 30+ people) and I was 5 months pregnant. I was miserable and I couldn't really take any meds.

Thankfully, while the dinner still went on at my house, everyone else pitched in while I laid on the sofa being miserable.

I also had COVID (after having 3 shots). I had it pretty hard. I coughed 24/7, so much that I couldn't catch my breath, for 2 weeks solid. And I was totally wiped out for a couple of weeks after that before I started feeling more "normal".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Anyone who compares Covid to "the flu" has likely never actually had influenza. I've had the actual flu twice in my life and both times I felt like death was imminent. The actual flu is NOT a cold. It is NOT an upper respiratory infection. Influenza sucks so much. My freaking hair hurt!

Covid for my husband was about the same for when he had the flu in 2020 but he said the really bad part of covid was overall shorter than the flu but it lasted overall the same. A cold to him is less than the flu but for me it was about the same as my sinus infections except the fever with the flu that was not there with a sinus infection.

The covid vaccine side effects in various ways were worse overall than when I felt when I had the flu (same time as my husband), my fever was the same high level (103) and prolonged like when I had the flu but the nausea was so incredibly bad and my body felt worse, I bounced back faster when I had the flu (aside from the cough that didn't happen with the vaccine). For sinus infections the sinus pressure is so immense for me normally, my teeth hurt for days and days, along with muffled hearing. I didn't quite have that with the flu as badly as I have depending on the sinus infection, body aches were bad with the flu and I did throw up but the nausea with the covid vaccine was way worse in its punch. Flu, sinus infection, covid vaccine all knock me out just in slightly different ways, the flu I had (likely B as the person we were with the whole day tested as that) and sinus infections I usually have a lingering cough for a month to a month and a half, don't tend to get colds as it usually hits me as a sinus infections.

Because everyone's body is different it's hard to tell someone they must never have had the flu if they compared it to covid. Both IMO are serious things to pay attention to, that's where people focus when they compare them as if to shrug it off. I think that point is where you try to work with people's perception.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Covid for my husband was about the same for when he had the flu in 2020 but he said the really bad part of covid was overall shorter than the flu but it lasted overall the same. A cold to him is less than the flu but for me it was about the same as my sinus infections except the fever with the flu that was not there with a sinus infection.

The covid vaccine side effects in various ways were worse overall than when I felt when I had the flu (same time as my husband), my fever was the same high level (103) and prolonged like when I had the flu but the nausea was so incredibly bad and my body felt worse, I bounced back faster when I had the flu (aside from the cough that didn't happen with the vaccine). For sinus infections the sinus pressure is so immense for me normally, my teeth hurt for days and days, along with muffled hearing. I didn't quite have that with the flu as badly as I have depending on the sinus infection, body aches were bad with the flu and I did throw up but the nausea with the covid vaccine was way worse in its punch. Flu, sinus infection, covid vaccine all knock me out just in slightly different ways, the flu I had (likely B as the person we were with the whole day tested as that) and sinus infections I usually have a lingering cough for a month to a month and a half, don't tend to get colds as it usually hits me as a sinus infections.

Because everyone's body is different it's hard to tell someone they must never have had the flu if they compared it to covid. Both IMO are serious things to pay attention to, that's where people focus when they compare them as if to shrug it off. I think that point is where you try to work with people's perception.

I had pretty much the same experience as your husband. Covid was as bad as the flu, maybe a bit worse for me because with the flu I did take tamiflu, the worst of it was only a bit more than a day. Then just days of coughing and feeling generally crappy. But the fever, body aches and chills of both were awful. I never had any shortness of breath with covid (or the flu), which I'd imagine would be pretty scary.

I agree that everyone is different, but I am suspect when someone says..."I think I had the flu". If you've truly had a nasty flu, you don't forget it. I suppose the flu is like covid though....affecting everyone differently. For me it goes from mildest to severe...cold, covid vaccine, sinus infection, flu then covid.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I had pretty much the same experience as your husband. Covid was as bad as the flu, maybe a bit worse for me because with the flu I did take tamiflu, the worst of it was only a bit more than a day. Then just days of coughing and feeling generally crappy. But the fever, body aches and chills of both were awful. I never had any shortness of breath with covid (or the flu), which I'd imagine would be pretty scary.

I agree that everyone is different, but I am suspect when someone says..."I think I had the flu". If you've truly had a nasty flu, you don't forget it. I suppose the flu is like covid though....affecting everyone differently. For me it goes from mildest to severe...cold, covid vaccine, sinus infection, flu then covid.

Yeah I agree you don't forget if you've have a really bad flu but someone can have a worse covid infection than the flu or worse flu than covid or about the same so I guess it all depends on how someone's body reacted. One of the things I used to hear about the flu was the body aches that often came with it compared to a cold (back when the public only compared those two). The flu for sure had different symptoms than my sinus infections so I wouldn't be able to say that thought I had the flu but that is different than asking me (or telling me) that one was worse than the other in how I felt which would be the same for covid.

That was sorta why I mentioned about the symptoms in an earlier post talking about comparing. People get stuck on not wanting to compare them. But they can help someone look at should they do a certain test or seek out different care. Remember in the very beginning they wouldn't give you a covid test if you tested positive for the flu? That kind of thing and now we know you can have both. We use covid tests as a first line a lot of times when people seek medical care. Last year my sister-in-law had strep but tested for covid and the flu as just what the place did (both were negative). I remember getting my food poisoning during the swine flu pandemic and them point blank asking me what makes you think it's that and not the flu because the symptoms can overlap depending on what they are. Now my nausea and throwing up was light-years worse with the food poisoning and my body much weaker with the food poisoning than with the flu. The fevers were close (103 with the flu, 102.5 with food poisoning). For a lot of people they don't even realize they've had food poisoning for me I was in the hospital with it. You never forget it if you have food poisoning  that bad but for many it's not like how I experienced it so just goes back to how we all experience things differently.

 

[disneydreamer781]

DH got it last May and start getting crappy the last couple of days of our trip. Since we drove I spent 3 days in the car with him in addition to the same hotel room and never got it. I have never had Covid so I'm hoping I never do. By the way, we masked up but I believe table service dining was the issue. This past May numbers were down and we very rarely masked and never got it. Now I'm a bit concerned about our trip in December. Hopefully, things will get better by then. I believe we may also be due for a shot this October since we're in our 60s.

 

[anniemae]

DH got it last May and start getting crappy the last couple of days of our trip. Since we drove I spent 3 days in the car with him in addition to the same hotel room and never got it. I have never had Covid so I'm hoping I never do. By the way, we masked up but I believe table service dining was the issue. This past May numbers were down and we very rarely masked and never got it. Now I'm a bit concerned about our trip in December. Hopefully, things will get better by then. I believe we may also be due for a shot this October since we're in our 60s.

Just curious why you thing table service was the issue? Were the restaurants crowded? I felt it was those attractions where they jam you in and keep telling you to step forward when you are inches from the person in front of you (think haunted mansion, muppets. At US we did the Bourne show and man we were packed into the pre show room. It was like HM times 10).

The new covid vaccine should be out by the end of Sept. If for some reason it isn't ready you can at least get the flu shot. I would just wash hands a lot and wear a mask if you are in a crowded place

 

[ronandannette]

And part of the problem is the cost of tests. When tests first came out, I heard news stories about how inexpensive they were in other countries, just change in US money. Those countries had them inexpensive so people would test regularly, even every day, before they went out. But at $10 a test, there’s no way for families to do that before work & school.

Packets of them are still available in Canada free-of-charge from many pharmacies. Those are at-home tests, of course. If one wanted or needed a professional test with certified results (like you used to need to fly or board cruise ships), I'm not even sure that type is being offered anywhere anymore.

 

[tvguy]

Anyone who compares Covid to "the flu" has likely never actually had influenza. I've had the actual flu twice in my life and both times I felt like death was imminent. The actual flu is NOT a cold. It is NOT an upper respiratory infection. Influenza sucks so much. My freaking hair hurt!

I agree, but I haven't had the flu since I started getting yearly flu shots 20 years ago.
I got covid in April, despite 5 vaccinations, however it clearly was mild.

 

[tvguy]

Packets of them are still available in Canada free-of-charge from many pharmacies. Those are at-home tests, of course. If one wanted or needed a professional test with certified results (like you used to need to fly or board cruise ships), I'm not even sure that type is being offered anywhere anymore.

I have never paid for a home test or a PCR test. Every time someone offered free home tests, I signed up.
PCR tests may not be free anymore. That changed in May. HOWEVER, if you have Medicare Part B, they are still free but have to be ordered by your PCP, you can no longer just walk up and get a free test.
Everybody here still offers the PCR professional test. CVS and Carbon, you just may have to pay $69.95 if your insurance doesn't cover it.

 

[robinb]

Anyone who compares Covid to "the flu" has likely never actually had influenza. I've had the actual flu twice in my life and both times I felt like death was imminent. The actual flu is NOT a cold. It is NOT an upper respiratory infection. Influenza sucks so much. My freaking hair hurt!

I've had influenza a couple times too. The last time, it turned into pneumonia. Delta Covid in 2021 was much, much worse.

 

[mousefan73]

I have never paid for a home test or a PCR test. Every time someone offered free home tests, I signed up.
PCR tests may not be free anymore. That changed in May. HOWEVER, if you have Medicare Part B, they are still free but have to be ordered by your PCP, you can no longer just walk up and get a free test.
Everybody here still offers the PCR professional test. CVS and Carbon, you just may have to pay $69.95 if your insurance doesn't cover it.

Honestly, I personally don’t see the point of a PCR test anymore. Back in the day I guess they really wanted 100% more accurate testing and most people that got PCR tests It was because of travel requirements. nowadays the antigen tests are pretty accurate. I could maybe see a PCR test being prescribed if let’s say one where to go into some surgery with risks and you wanted to be sure that the person didn’t go into surgery with Covid

 

[dvcgirl67]

Yeah I agree you don't forget if you've have a really bad flu but someone can have a worse covid infection than the flu or worse flu than covid or about the same so I guess it all depends on how someone's body reacted. One of the things I used to hear about the flu was the body aches that often came with it compared to a cold (back when the public only compared those two). The flu for sure had different symptoms than my sinus infections so I wouldn't be able to say that thought I had the flu but that is different than asking me (or telling me) that one was worse than the other in how I felt which would be the same for covid.

That was sorta why I mentioned about the symptoms in an earlier post talking about comparing. People get stuck on not wanting to compare them. But they can help someone look at should they do a certain test or seek out different care. Remember in the very beginning they wouldn't give you a covid test if you tested positive for the flu? That kind of thing and now we know you can have both. We use covid tests as a first line a lot of times when people seek medical care. Last year my sister-in-law had strep but tested for covid and the flu as just what the place did (both were negative). I remember getting my food poisoning during the swine flu pandemic and them point blank asking me what makes you think it's that and not the flu because the symptoms can overlap depending on what they are. Now my nausea and throwing up was light-years worse with the food poisoning and my body much weaker with the food poisoning than with the flu. The fevers were close (103 with the flu, 102.5 with food poisoning). For a lot of people they don't even realize they've had food poisoning for me I was in the hospital with it. You never forget it if you have food poisoning  that bad but for many it's not like how I experienced it so just goes back to how we all experience things differently.

Yup, very true that symptoms can overlap. And food poisoning....is *the* worst. I've never had it, but my husband has and it was the sickest he's ever been. This was in 2000, so he was about 31 years old. He was at a business retreat at Pebble Beach in California and partook in a breakfast buffet. He and two other people got violently ill. I felt terrible because I wasn't there and he did end up in the ER. They kept him there for hours and treated his symptoms, but didn't admit him.

 

[ChrisFL]

Anyone who compares Covid to "the flu" has likely never actually had influenza. I've had the actual flu twice in my life and both times I felt like death was imminent. The actual flu is NOT a cold. It is NOT an upper respiratory infection. Influenza sucks so much. My freaking hair hurt!

I had the flu in 2019 confirmed by a test at the doctor's office but I was over it in like 1.5 days with major symptoms...felt 100% better within 3 days, and that was without a flu shot before... I had never had the flu before that. I was glad too because 5 days later I was going to California to visit Disneyland

I got COVID last August, also got over that in like 2 days (Moderna vaccinated 2 shots before the bivalent was available).

also had mononucleosis once (parting gift from an ex-gf who had just kicked me out of her house) and was fine within 4-5 days where some people it takes weeks to recover.

I'm somehow very lucky SO FAR with any sicknesses, but that doesn't mean I'm over confident. I got the bivalent booster in December

 

[tvguy]

Honestly, I personally don’t see the point of a PCR test anymore. Back in the day I guess they really wanted 100% more accurate testing and most people that got PCR tests It was because of travel requirements. nowadays the antigen tests are pretty accurate. I could maybe see a PCR test being prescribed if let’s say one where to go into some surgery with risks and you wanted to be sure that the person didn’t go into surgery with Covid

I had covid for the first time in April. As my PCP put it, those home antigen tests are pretty good at telling you when you need to get a PCR, but not very good at telling you when you actually are no longer contagious. Certainly was the case with both my wife and I. Our home tests were negative for a week before we got a negative PCR. PCR is much much more accurate. PCRs are important enough that Medicare Part B now pays for them, and some employers require specifically a negative PCR test before you can return to work.
And now the First Lady has Covid.....again. 20% spike in hospitalizations in August, covid is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[disneydreamer781]

Just curious why you thing table service was the issue? Were the restaurants crowded? I felt it was those attractions where they jam you in and keep telling you to step forward when you are inches from the person in front of you (think haunted mansion, muppets. At US we did the Bourne show and man we were packed into the pre show room. It was like HM times 10).

The new covid vaccine should be out by the end of Sept. If for some reason it isn't ready you can at least get the flu shot. I would just wash hands a lot and wear a mask if you are in a crowded place

Because for our trip before in December 2021 during a worse period of Covid, we didn't do any TS, washed our hands and used wipes frequently, remained masked, and never got as much as a sniffle which was a first for our December trips which we do regularly. We always end up with colds or flu when we return. Continued the same routine for our May 2022 trip with the addition of table service. Chances are since we don't do very many park days anymore and very few attractions during these trips in particular it was the only change from our previous trip. We also avoided crowded areas (attractions, stores, congested park areas, etc.) on both trips again except for table service restaurants on our May 2022 trip. That was where we were unmasked for any extended period of time. I would also say it was 50-50 with servers wearing masks also.

Yes, we have every intention of getting Flu and Covid shots before our Christmas trip. I believe I heard October for COVID-19. I don't look forward because the Covid shot wipes me out a bit for at least 24 hours but it's worth it.

 

[Ricguz]

Because for our trip before in December 2021 during a worse period of Covid, we didn't do any TS, washed our hands and used wipes frequently, remained masked, and never got as much as a sniffle which was a first for our December trips which we do regularly. We always end up with colds or flu when we return. Continued the same routine for our May 2022 trip with the addition of table service. Chances are since we don't do very many park days anymore and very few attractions during these trips in particular it was the only change from our previous trip. We also avoided crowded areas (attractions, stores, congested park areas, etc.) on both trips again except for table service restaurants on our May 2022 trip. That was where we were unmasked for any extended period of time. I would also say it was 50-50 with servers wearing masks also.

Yes, we have every intention of getting Flu and Covid shots before our Christmas trip. I believe I heard October for COVID-19. I don't look forward because the Covid shot wipes me out a bit for at least 24 hours.

We do the same. I don’t wait in lines, avoid congestion, mask in airport, on plane, in resort. Eat at CL on balcony at YC. Don’t go to parks much anymore other than to walk around. Do more resort vacationing, go to pool and walk around the boardwalk. Still have fun in our way.

 

[mom2rtk]

Because for our trip before in December 2021 during a worse period of Covid, we didn't do any TS, washed our hands and used wipes frequently, remained masked, and never got as much as a sniffle which was a first for our December trips which we do regularly. We always end up with colds or flu when we return. Continued the same routine for our May 2022 trip with the addition of table service. Chances are since we don't do very many park days anymore and very few attractions during these trips in particular it was the only change from our previous trip. We also avoided crowded areas (attractions, stores, congested park areas, etc.) on both trips again except for table service restaurants on our May 2022 trip. That was where we were unmasked for any extended period of time. I would also say it was 50-50 with servers wearing masks also.

Yes, we have every intention of getting Flu and Covid shots before our Christmas trip. I believe I heard October for COVID-19. I don't look forward because the Covid shot wipes me out a bit for at least 24 hours but it's worth it.

That assumes of course that masks are actually effective against such a small aerosolized virus like Covid. I'm not sure you can make assumptions without knowing that for certain.

I actually felt more "at risk" in some masked places than I did unmasked at TS meals. We did a number of them on our January 2022 trip and didn't catch it.

 

[disneydreamer781]

That assumes of course that masks are actually effective against such a small aerosolized virus like Covid. I'm not sure you can make assumptions without knowing that for certain.

I actually felt more "at risk" in some masked places than I did unmasked at TS meals. We did a number of them on our January 2022 trip and didn't catch it.

It was the only thing different so that's what I'm going by.

 

[mom2rtk]

It was the only thing different so that's what I'm going by.

It doesn't work that way.