What would you have done?

[ronandannette]

If every time someone was exposed and people stayed home, life as we know it would shut down.

JMHO

You mean like in the fall and winter of 2020? That’s what the rules were here - complete with mandatory testing and government contact tracing.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I would be permanently housebound if I didn't go out after being exposed to whatever is going around. I feel I am exposed daily.

It's a balancing act for sure ... I'm not going to stay home because someone was coughing a bit in the gym and I don't know anything about the situation other than hearing some coughing in the same large room. People cough and sniffle for all kinds of reasons, and not all of them involve contagious illness. But, if I do know I had close contact for any length of time with a known case of strep, flu, covid, whatever, I would probably err on the side of caution, especially with having close family that are immune compromised. I don't want to get sick, but for me it's largely a discomfort & inconvenience. More than not wanting to get sick myself, I don't want to get others sick that may have more complications.

 

[ronandannette]

While I know this isn't statistically significant, I have 4 friends who all flew for vacation this summer. All 4 ended up with covid within a few days of flying, either while on vacation or home.
If you come down with covid and are "older" I'd suggest you specifically ask your doctor for the antiviral. Everyone who has taken it has felt that their symptoms were more mild, and of a shorter duration, than for those who didn't have it (such as spouses or kids who got covid from them). I'd honestly be very concerned if I had a PCP who prescribed an antibiotic to treat a virus.

To this day there are still no anti-viral treatments available to the general population here in Canada. Paxlovid exists but is only prescribed to the immune-compromised. No way could you get it simply on request. And who knows who has what, really, or how many cases are circulating? Hardly anybody tests anymore and a quick google search didn’t turn up any recent local statistics.

 

[dvcgirl67]

It's a balancing act for sure ... I'm not going to stay home because someone was coughing a bit in the gym and I don't know anything about the situation other than hearing some coughing in the same large room. People cough and sniffle for all kinds of reasons, and not all of them involve contagious illness. But, if I do know I had close contact for any length of time with a known case of strep, flu, covid, whatever, I would probably err on the side of caution, especially with having close family that are immune compromised. I don't want to get sick, but for me it's largely a discomfort & inconvenience. More than not wanting to get sick myself, I don't want to get others sick that may have more complications.

I agree. The real issue is the person who goes to the gym while coughing. For sure, that person could be suffering from allergies, causing sniffles and a mild cough, but if we all should have learned anything from the pandemic it's to stay home if you're sick.

 

[Moliphino]

I agree. The real issue is the person who goes to the gym while coughing. For sure, that person could be suffering from allergies, causing sniffles and a mild cough, but if we all should have learned anything from the pandemic it's to stay home if you're sick.

I get exercise induced asthma, so it's the working out that actually causes me to cough and wheeze sometimes. It might sound bad to those around me, but I'm not at all sick or contagious.
If I was just around someone who was coughing I wouldn't take extra precautions, but with a known Covid exposure I would've probably stayed home.

 

[dvcgirl67]

I get exercise induced asthma, so it's the working out that actually causes me to cough and wheeze sometimes. It might sound bad to those around me, but I'm not at all sick or contagious.
If I was just around someone who was coughing I wouldn't take extra precautions, but with a known Covid exposure I would've probably stayed home.

Right, I get that..and I said the person could be suffering from something like allergies. People who are sick...should stay home.

I am reminded of a trip that my husband I and took...pre-covid. We were going on a sunset sail cruise and the catamaran company sent a van to pick you up at your hotel. Two other people had been picked up by another resort for the same cruise. We got into the van and the gentleman was really coughing his head off, so much so, that his wife made a point to turn around to let us know that he wasn't contagious. He had some other disease process going on. If I was the person coughing on the treadmill, I'd probably turn to the person next to me and just let them know it was only allergies.

 

[Once.Upon.A.Time]

Thank you for making the right decision. Now if only more people had the common sense to do that.

Thank you!

 

[Smugpugmug]

I agree. The real issue is the person who goes to the gym while coughing. For sure, that person could be suffering from allergies, causing sniffles and a mild cough, but if we all should have learned anything from the pandemic it's to stay home if you're sick.

I agree but sometimes people don't have a choice. Back when I worked at a retail job, it was almost impossible to stay home every time you were sick. You couldn't get someone to cover your shift due to how understaffed we were (which yes, I know that was my job's fault). Sometimes you just had a slap a mask on and come in anyway.

As for the OP's question, yes you did the right thing. I would be very upset if I was hosting an event and someone showed up knowing they were exposed to Covid.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Healthy prayers for you and your coworkers Once Upon a Time and all, of course, too in this thread

 

[leebee]

You mean like in the fall and winter of 2020? That’s what the rules were here - complete with mandatory testing and government contact tracing.

To this day there are still no anti-viral treatments available to the general population here in Canada. Paxlovid exists but is only prescribed to the immune-compromised. No way could you get it simply on request. And who knows who has what, really, or how many cases are circulating? Hardly anybody tests anymore and a quick google search didn’t turn up any recent local statistics.

Sometimes I forget that this is an international website! Lots of things were shut down here during 2020, but many places were considered "essential" and stayed open, including some that I found hard to rationalize, but that wasn't my call. Socially, nobody was "locked down." You could still go outdoors in your yard, out walking, etc. I think I saw more people out walking, "coffee" mug in hand, wearing their masks, during the summer of 2020 than I've seen this summer! We had people "drop by" our yard, all of us keeping our distance and wearing masks, but we'd hang out, enjoy BYOB beverages, etc. Our neighbors put up a projection screen outdoors and angled it into our backyard so we could all watch movies together, masked and distancing. Was it the same as in the "before times?" Of course not, but we weren't locked down in our homes at all.

It's my understanding (although this may have changed) that there are more vaccinations and antiviral doses available in the US than there are people are willing to take them. I'm not saying it's the same everywhere in the USA, but here (in rural, northern Maine) everyone I know who's tested + for covid, or who lives with someone who had covid and are having symptoms themselves (even if the home test is -) has called their PCP and asked for the antiviral. DH has had this twice, and found the Molnupiravir to work better for him than did Paxlovid. YMMV, depending on where you live, of course, especially in different countries.

 

[tcufrog]

My husband got Covid last month but for some reason, he didn't pass it on to the rest of us as far as we know. He's had 3 Covid shots but the rest of us have had 4 shots.

 

[RangerPooh]

Stayed home.

 

[wvjules]

Stayed home. You did the right thing

 

[john7994]

Agree with a previous poster, stay home when you are sick (or think you might be) - no one wants your ick regardless of what it might be.

Yes, some people may not have that luxury based on job/financial situations where this may be a more difficult decision (requiring disclosure) - but a birthday party or something very elective - it’s the right thing to do - clearly people are going to do what they want to do - kind of where we are at these days.

 

[mom2rtk]

I believe that the experts would say that some strains are more contagious than the others. But I think I get what your'e saying....that for there to be a new "wave" caused by a new strain....that strain would have to develop many more mutations in order to "outcompete" the dominant strain at the time. So in that context, I guess that each strain would have to be slightly more contagious than the last.

The good news is that because they all derive in some way from the original strain, we all have some baseline immunity...either from the virus or the vaccine. The boosters add some of the latest mutations to the mix, to literally "boost" our immunity.

Well, now they would say that in retrospect. But at the time, every time a new strain was announced and talked about it was always vastly more contagious than the last one. I remember thinking that either they overstated the early strains or they were just ramping up the rhetoric each time to influence compliance. But along the way, they lost a lot of credibility.

Never once did they identify a single strain as "slightly more contagious".

 

[Minnesota!]

thank you for being cautious and considerate.

i wish that the person who knowingly exposed my fully vaccinated son and his co-workers last september had possessed a modicum of your compassion and common sense b/c then prior to falling terribly ill my son would'nt have unknowingly exposed myself, my husband and my younger son. we were exposed in september last year and 3 of us have long term covid (not one of us is immunocompromised and we all had been fully vacinated). i've recovered faster from multiple strokes than covid. i envy those who say it was a simple short term inconvenience of an illness, for far too many it's not.

Just wanted to acknowledge your struggle. My dear friend is in the hospital, for the 30th time, with long-Covid issues. It was 2 years in May since she had Covid, and this is her 30th time being admitted. Almost all of them were due to sepsis due to infections relating to long-Covid. It is terrifying and it is not talked about enough. No, Covid is not over...no matter what people think. People are still very, very sick from it, in large quantities.

But, since the media says its over, I guess...can't expect the general population to know better.

 

[tink2424]

Hi,

Just wanted to get your opinions on what you would have possibly done in this situation. Friday night, I went out some of my co-workers. This morning, one of my co-workers called me and told me she is very sick with the Covid (she tested positive this morning). Today, I was supposed to go to one my close friend’s birthday party. I told my friends in the group what happened and they all still wanted to me to come (so far I feel ok and tested negative with an at home test), but I went with my judgement and decided to stay home. It costed me a little money as I contributed towards the party, but I didn’t want to take any chances. What would you have done?

Thanks as always.

I would have gone... You tested yourself and you were fine and in addition you friends were happy to take the risk. I think we all need to move past COVID being the big bad it once was.

That said at the end of the day you have to do what makes sense to you. But for me, I would have gone.

 

[tink2424]

While I know this isn't statistically significant, I have 4 friends who all flew for vacation this summer. All 4 ended up with covid within a few days of flying, either while on vacation or home.
If you come down with covid and are "older" I'd suggest you specifically ask your doctor for the antiviral. Everyone who has taken it has felt that their symptoms were more mild, and of a shorter duration, than for those who didn't have it (such as spouses or kids who got covid from them). I'd honestly be very concerned if I had a PCP who prescribed an antibiotic to treat a virus.

The antibiotic would be to prevent a secondary infection. I disagree with how often doctors just prescribe antibiotics (this is where drug resistant strains come from... Well this and the over medicating of cattle/meat as well).

I agree. The real issue is the person who goes to the gym while coughing. For sure, that person could be suffering from allergies, causing sniffles and a mild cough, but if we all should have learned anything from the pandemic it's to stay home if you're sick.

Depends on how sick you are. Sometimes a mild cold is fine to be out and about with. I don't think we need to stay home for every minor cough & sniffles...

 

[DCLMP]

Not the Covid debates again!

 

[DCLMP]

I would have gone... You tested yourself and you were fine and in addition you friends were happy to take the risk. I think we all need to move past COVID being the big bad it once was.

That said at the end of the day you have to do what makes sense to you. But for me, I would have gone.

Who does Covid tests anymore? I would have gone without a second thought.