Brought Home a Disney Souvenir- COVID

[DisneyFan32WI]

This was second time getting COVID. The first was approx. a year and 9 months ago. The first strain was worse. I remember feeling like I couldn't breathe (like I was a fish out of water). I had some congestion with this strain, but nothing like the first. I had 2 COVID vaccines but I chose not to get boosters. I was really sick after getting both vaccines (felt just like COVID itself).
I had a prescription for Ivermectin both times. I was also given Plaxovid this time, but I can't swallow pills and this particular drug cannot be crushed. I loaded up on vitamin C.

 

[Scouter]

I am not sure that is correct - getting Covid might give some protection, for some period of time, for that particular strain - and they'd want to discuss with their health provider - but I have personally seen people repeatedly get Covid, sometimes it was actually worse the second or third time.

I know people who were vaccinated that got it twice. I don't remember if it was as bad both times but so much for immunity. I'm trying to remember to mask up for my upcoming surgery but also don't want to catch anything before my Disney trip in November. I take a train in to work twice a week and besides chance of illness, the amount of women wearing heavy perfume that I have to smell for an hour, which gives makes me sick and gives me a headache, the mask serves multiple purposes.

 

[Scouter]

See below from CDC today... just when you thought all you needed (as a senior) was flu, covid, pneumonia, and shingles shots - here comes the RSV vaccine advisory

I'm not a happy camper about the idea of More vaccines, but I did dash down to get a shingles shot series (on my own dime at about $400 total) when I saw a neighbor dealing with months of misery over shingles. And she kept saying, she "meant" to get the vaccine, just ran out of time.

Oh those shingles shots were the worst! But I had chicken pox twice as a kid so don't want shingles. My arm hurt so badly for days after that first shot. I couldn't even sleep well as every time I moved that arm I was in pain. The second shot made me feel like I had the flu for a day. I hope I never have to repeat those.

 

[jo-jo]

Exactly. It's really hard to pinpoint most of the time, unless you have a known close contact.

I had a medical test last week. Have you been around anyone with Covid In the last two weeks ? I answered not that I know of. Of course, who knows, church, grocery stores, drug store, etc. I passed about a thousand people walking through all the stores.

 

[magik]

Oh those shingles shots were the worst! But I had chicken pox twice as a kid so don't want shingles. My arm hurt so badly for days after that first shot. I couldn't even sleep well as every time I moved that arm I was in pain. The second shot made me feel like I had the flu for a day. I hope I never have to repeat those.

I also had chicken pox twice as a child and have already had shingles once (in my 30’s) and it was horrible! Even getting antiviral medication a couple days after symptoms started, it still lasted a month! I wish I the shingles vaccine wasn’t age restricted because I would have much rather had the vaccine than actually get shingles.

 

[anniemae]

Well, sort of. Just like immunity from the flu, having the disease doesn't mean you won't get it again.

No of course it's not life long immunity or covid would be gone. I believe it's roughly 3 months then it begins to wane.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No of course it's not life long immunity or covid would be gone. I believe it's roughly 3 months then it begins to wane.

It depends. People have gotten reinfected several weeks later. Bulk of people will have better protection though.

 

[Minnesota!]

No of course it's not life long immunity or covid would be gone. I believe it's roughly 3 months then it begins to wane.

My poor husband got it around Thanksgiving last year and then again mid-January No fun.

 

[Christine]

Yeah a coworker of mine had it over Thanksgiving last year. Recovered and traveled to Australia and got it again about 6 weeks later. I'm sure it was an entirely different strain which made it so easy to catch it again.

 

[leahgoogle]

No of course it's not life long immunity or covid would be gone. I believe it's roughly 3 months then it begins to wane.

Anecdotally, in my cohort of unvaccinated, but immunity acquired from covid (11 close family members we are around frequently) infection from natural immunity lasts over a year depending upon the strain caught. For example, we all had the original strain (Alpha). We were closely exposed to Delta, but none of us caught it. We did get the original omicron 15 months after Alpha and have not caught the latest variant as of 1 year and 8 months after the original omicron infection. I think our protection from the original omicron is protecting us from this variant. I'm sure at some point it will mutate enough that we will get infected again, but for now we are good. Covid is all over DH's and my brother's work and neither mask, nor have caught it. Anecdotal for sure, but that has been our experience as the unvaccinated naturally immune.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Let’s remember that up until a few years ago there were still some people alive that survived the Spanish Flu epidemic from 1918 -1920. Medical researchers studied their blood and found that many still had immunity from that virus from all those years ago, and surmised that even if it wasn’t complete immunity (given mutations and such), some of the immune pieces still fit together for other germs, so the thought was that it would help them fight off subsequent viruses. How this applies to Covid today I think they are still looking at everything.

 

[leahgoogle]

Let’s remember that up until a few years ago there were still some people alive that survived the Spanish Flu epidemic from 1918 -1920. Medical researchers studied their blood and found that many still had immunity from that virus from all those years ago, and surmised that even if it wasn’t complete immunity (given mutations and such), some of the immune pieces still fit together for other germs, so the thought was that it would help them fight off subsequent viruses. How this applies to Covid today I think they are still looking at everything.

Yes, and descendant strains of the Spanish Flu remain today. I read an article early on in covid that said that some people might actually have had some natural immunity to covid based on exposure to specific coronaviruses in the past. That could tie into why it's very mild for some people. It's interesting for sure.

 

[TinkAgainU]

I believe all the variables for each individual is one of the reasons I am comfortable that everyone just needs to pick their own comfort level. I'm very focused on avoiding collecting any (more) long-term issues I can avoid, so probably more "cautious" of covid for that reason, than I am concerned about dealing with the few days recovery.

I also find it interesting to go away from the parks, in California I found away from the Parks people were oblivious to whether I wore a mask or not, while in Florida there were times I got "the stare" lol. I am a little sad to wear the mask at Disney because, I too, would prefer a world without masks or concerns about health - but away for the Park I simple don't care what people think... my health for the next twenty years could well be affected by my exercise, what I eat, drink, and if I mask up.

P.S. This would be a great time to mention - I think all the walking at Disney (and hopefully, pre-walking before a trip) is soooo good for my health. A real motivator - makes buying my Annual Pass a "health benefit" in my mind lol.

 

[tink2424]

Anecdotally, in my cohort of unvaccinated, but immunity acquired from covid (11 close family members we are around frequently) infection from natural immunity lasts over a year depending upon the strain caught. For example, we all had the original strain (Alpha). We were closely exposed to Delta, but none of us caught it. We did get the original omicron 15 months after Alpha and have not caught the latest variant as of 1 year and 8 months after the original omicron infection. I think our protection from the original omicron is protecting us from this variant. I'm sure at some point it will mutate enough that we will get infected again, but for now we are good. Covid is all over DH's and my brother's work and neither mask, nor have caught it. Anecdotal for sure, but that has been our experience as the unvaccinated naturally immune.

Just to add another anecdotal experience - I had COVID in March 2020 so likely the original strain as I lived in NJ. I have not masked or anything (unless required by government or a business) since then and have traveled all over the world and have not gotten COVID again. So over 3 years later and no additional infection. I'm not saying I will never get it again by my infection acquired immunity seems to be holding up.

One reason that those that are vaccinated may be getting COVID over and over again could be from the fact that the antibodies that are produced from the vaccine are very narrowly focused on just one aspect of the virus present in the vaccines. Then when exposed to the wild virus the immune system only makes antibodies to that one narrow aspect instead of many different types of antibodies which is likely more protective.

Ultimately there is certainly more to learn but it likely that immunity from infection lasts a relatively long time, way more than 3 months.