Request for Covid Advice

[artemisia1]

I had two serious, but non-hospitalization, cases of COVID last year. Aside from vaccination -- which I took -- what recommendations do DU members have to avoid exposure and boost my immunity? Asking here because I don't trust contamination on health sites from HHS Kennedy batshoot crazy nonsense.

Thanks.

[lapfog_1]

1. I had COVID twice

first time was pre-tests and pre-vaccines... and left me with symptoms I still have now 5 years later.

The second time I was fully vaccinated and had a test kit. It hit me even harder than the first time. I had a friend go to a pharmacy for me and get Paxlovid. The cost was $1200 ( which my insurance might have covered it but didn't at the time - experimental ), so I paid using my savings. I started the 5 day 3 pills a day course of medication... I didn't feel better at all until... the 5th day and I woke up... feeling weak but no fever, no cough, etc. I highly recommend it. I hope it still works against the current dominant strains of COVID.

I am late 60s with a few underlying conditions... defective heart from birth ( WPW ) and type 2 diabetes.

[multigraincracker]

2. Thought I just had Covid, wife, an RN, made me go to

ER. 3 test and it wasn’t Covid, it was sepsis. She saved my life that day.

[Marthe48]

3. You might looking at WHO, or Canadian Health sites

I checked WHO the other day, just to see if I could still access it. It is posting North American info, but not U.S., that I could find.

Try to use any of the curbside or delivery services you can afford. If you go out, mask up. When you get home, change your clothes, wash your face and hands, or shower. I wipe my face off with alcohol, and have a shot of vodka any time I return from the store or other inside space. I heard Covid is surging, so I'm staying home as much as I can.

Good luck.

[womanofthehills]

5. You can gargle with Betadine

Also rub some on the inside of your nose to kill Covid bacteria. I always do this as soon as I leave dentist office or a busy place.

[dutch777]

4. Before you go out in public, swab inside your nostrils will dilute iodine solution. When out, always use alchohol...

...or hand sanitizer after you are in a store, restaurant or wherever touching surfaces, hand shaking and things before getting back in your car. When you are out, until you sanitize, don't touch your face with your hands. My brother in law has gotten Covid like 5 times despite being vaccinated. I recently observed him with an old habit that when in a restaurant, if he drops some food or drink on the table, he immediately uses his napkin to wipe it up. Then he keeps using his napkin to dab his mouth. Bad bad. A mask can't hurt but is not absolute protection.

[Niagara]

6. I still sanitize cleanable packages and items when they come into my home

For example if I go to the store and pick up a sealed package of toilet paper, a sealed package of fresh green beans and a box of aluminum foil...all these items get a wipe down with a cotton ball or two that's been coated with rubbing alcohol.

Sometimes the rubbing alcohol discolors the box, sometimes if I don't give the item enough time to dry the lettering or coloring of the packaging gets transferred to the skin on my hand. It comes off with rubbing alcohol...eventually.

I'm habitually touching my face and eyes. I wash my hands frequently, especially after using the restroom and before prepping meals.

I also carry 70% Isopropyl alcohol wipes in my vehicle. These come in a package exactly like baby wipes are packaged in. I wipe down the handles of grocery carts before handling them. I use these wipes to disinfect my hands, key fob, steering wheel and other high touch areas in my vehicle.

Way before Covid become an issue, I carry washable garden/work style gloves in my vehicle and put them on before touching gas station pumps. I still do this because some people have gross habits.

I gave up the mask a long time ago, I should still wear a mask but I'm so over it.

I still avoid ridiculously large crowds.

[catbyte]

7. Always wash your hands first thing when you come home. Also, hand sanitizer in your car.

I've managed to avoid it even though I've been around people who were contagious. I've read some anecdotal (ie, suspect) articles that antivirals can help. I don't know if it's my immune system, the hand washing, dumb luck, or the Valtrex I take every day to stave off Singles (I've had multiple attacks) but I haven't had so much as a cold since 2018.

Knock on wood.

[area51]

8. Possibly consider masking

with an N-95 or KN-95 respirator.

[markodochartaigh]

9. I've been vaxxed and boosted all along,

and with Asperger's social distancing is my superpower. I was keeping my shopping to one or two stores a week, less than thirty minutes total exposure time. In the first week of August 2022 I was in Publix for twenty minutes and that was my only exposure. I got covid and it almost killed me. I have not had it again. But now I have long covid. Physically and mentally I feel that I have lost at least a decade. I was in fairly good shape for my mid 60's and now I'm in worse shape than I expected to be in at 80.

When I got covid I had stopped wearing a mask and stopped taking zinc. It is impossible to know if what I was exposed to had changed, but I think that conditions were about the same. (I'm in Southwest Florida and people here at no time have taken covid seriously). As a retired registered nurse the only preventative steps I feel confident recommending are: Limiting exposure. Taking zinc (I take 50 mg of zinc the day before I go out in public and each day that I'm out. If you take it every day consider a low dose copper supplement since zinc inhibits copper absorption.) Wear an N-95 mask properly. Take a vitamin d supplement, several variables control how much you need. The free dminder app is useful to check how much vitamin d your body is making from sunlight exposure. And always wash your hands. Good Luck!