Could’ve been the couple were protecting themselves from each other.
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I was just sharing my experience. I didn’t say it doesn’t happen.
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Perhaps. I have slapped myself for being judgmental. But in my neck of the woods, it is most likely two family members who wear masks the moment they leave home. That is how we think. There is no need to go back and forth here. I was just sharing my experiences.
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Monkeypox update from YLE:
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We just had our first positive case here in Mecklenburg county.
Agree. On the flight to Orlando from St Louis some wore masks. There were several large family groups unmasked. Solo and older travelers tended to be masked. Flight crew was not.
I heard no recriminations.
At Disney there is some masking. I really haven’t noticed any odd looks.
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Okay COVID experts-dilemma for you.
On Friday night my DH tested positive for Covid, only symptoms were a sore throat and headache. He has since develop a cough but is doing pretty well. With his positive test, I immediately move some things out of our bedroom and have been keeping him isolated in our bedroom/bathroom.
I moved to our mostly unfinished basement. We have furniture down here but no real walls separating the space. We opened all the windows in our house and I have been wearing a KN 94 mask when bringing him meals. (We dealt with this at the beginning of May with my DD9) so we know the drill. No one else got sick then.
My entire family is vaccinated and boosted as appropriate for their age.
So my problem is now this-yesterday I started with a sore throat, took a rapid test it was negative. As the day progresses I had extreme fatigue, fever, and headache. I tested again in the evening, still negative. I had a rough night but am now feeling pretty good. No fever, no headache, little bit of a runny nose. I took a rapid test this morning, still negative. Did a telehealth appt today and then did a send out PCR test but did not do a rapid on any other testing (flu, etc). They told me to self isolate for 10 days and my test my take a week to come back!
I have been staying away from my DH since we know he has COVID but and not sure my isolate is in the best place in my house. For one thing I have no bathroom and have to use the half bath at the top of our basement stairs and our second fridge and freezer is in the basement which the kids have needed to access. Remember no real walls down here so not the most isolated place.
Should I just assume I have COVID and move back in with DH? Should I switch spots with him since he is on day 4 and his symptoms are lessening and I am probably more contagious if I do have COVID? Or should I just stay put for the next few days and hope my PCR comes back sooner than 1 week? Should I keep taking rapid tests?
I am so confused right now on what the best option to keep my kids (2 of which have not had COVID and have a youth group trip in a week) healthy.
Ugh. A week turn-around time on that PCR is not very helpful for household purposes.
I really think you and DH ought to isolate separately. There is a chance your symptoms are from your body fighting off the infection but you are not infected, so more exposure could overcome your defenses.
Is there anywhere nearby to get a PCR with better turnaround? CVS here is almost always under 48 hours to get results. (They do the test using the drive-through.)
How is your supply of rapid antigen tests?
I would keep DH isolated until he’s had 2 negative rapid tests, at least 24 hours apart. Or 10 days regardless if you want to be cautious (or if you are low on rapid tests-the 5 day guidance assumes masking through Day 10).
I would keep you isolated until the PCR comes back and rapid test daily in the meantime. (If it turns positive before PCR returns, you could move back in with DH.)
Since you know for certain DH had Covid and you may or may not, I think I’d keep him in the more isolated quarters. Make sure you are masking anytime you go upstairs and the kids are masking anytime they come downstairs.
ETA: And probably rapid test the kids right before that trip. You probably don’t want them coming up positive once they’ve left.
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Thank you. That is what we have been thinking after talking it out some more. Keep him better isolated since we know he is still positive. He tested again today as part of our decision making process. We figure my viral load has to be lower if the rapids aren’t showing up positive at this point in time.
I will probably test again tomorrow and see what happens but stay isolate anyway. May try to get a PCR somewhere else, I know the hospital has quick turn around but think I might need a doctors order to get one there. I haven’t check the pharmacies lately. Lots of places have stopped doing COVID testing because no one was using them. (Since people think Covid isn’t a thing anymore!)
Definitely testing the kids multiple days times before their trip. I really want them to be able to go but also don’t want to deal with trying to get a sick kiddo home from Houston back to Indiana. (They are going to be attending the National Lutheran Youth Gathering in Houston, so your neck of the woods)
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I’m so sorry! We ultimately also run out of space to isolate people in our house so I completely understand.
Also of note, my sister had symptoms 3 days after exposure - with her husband and kids testing positive - but didn’t test positive until the evening of the 5th full day after exposure. It was a super faint line.
On another note my DD and I were exposed yesterday. Ironically. DD had covid 6 months ago over Xmas break. Just a couple of weeks, if that, before the booster was offered. If she’d had the booster, she’d be cleared for going to her dance class anyway. I can’t figure out how either of those 6 months out would make her any safer to be around right now. (And I’ve heard way too many tales lately of people recently boosted having covid weeks/a month later.)
So. Fourth of July plans now on hold.
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My MIL was shouted at for wearing a mask.
I hope you all feel better soon.
That’s really unfortunate. I’m pretty oblivious to reading people, so I’m counting that character trait as a positive right now. 
But I think everyone needs to be somewhat prepared for it to happen and just roll with it. I mean…
So I’m guessing the pilot did not realize he was talking to the former US Surgeon General. 
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Oh, I hope that goes well for them! If there is any info on the area that you/they need, please let me know. (We’re headed out on a road trip on 7/9, so I can’t personally offer any boots-on-the-ground safety net, but I have strings I could likely pull in a pinch.)
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It’s Tuesday.
BA.4/5 are now officially dominant. At least that’s a new twist…see if BA.5 can stay ahead of BA.4.
And also means, if the pattern holds, we’ll start seeing chatter in the next week or so on whatever the next variant(s) will be. 
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Oh jeez! 
New vaccination tracking graphic on the CDC website. Our lackluster booster game is not helping these surges. 
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FWIW, the UK (specifically England) appears to be 3-4 weeks ahead of us, as usual.
ETA:
Lots of discussion how much of the increase in hospitalizations relative to cases is BA.4/5 being more severe vs how much testing has fallen off.
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Also FWIW, you’ll notice the UK is on its third distinct Omicron wave: BA.1/1.1, BA.2, BA.4/5
In the US, some places, like the NE, are likely going to experience BA.4/5 similarly as a separate wave. In others, like Texas and Florida, the BA.2 wave started later and is rolling straight into the BA.4/5 wave.
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