COVID-19 (Corona virous) and your home game? (4 Viewers)

upNdown said:
Not to argue, but just a different perspective. I went to the card rooms over the summer, a bunch of times. As soon as I was fully vaxxed, I was there, with a mask first, and then without. I’m not living in fear. But then they started talking about delta and I took a break, to see how that would pan out. And now it’s omicron and almost certainly a huge surge, so I’ll hang back for a while. Just trying to be sensible.
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FWIW it seems like Miami is one of the launching points for Omicron in the US. I am hearing about half a dozen to a dozen friends a day getting it. Almost all of these people are in some form vaccinated. I am double vaxxed and boosted as of two months ago and I got Covid over the weekend after avoiding it all this time despite working in environments of mass gatherings. Anecdotally this is way more transmissible (especially among vaccinated) but also appears to cause much less severe illness. I expect this to be the biggest wave in the US within just a couple weeks. If you are concerned about contracting it I would be take precautions. That said as a vaxxed and boosted individual it is nothing more than a light cold. I would be out and about and working if I knew it wasn’t Covid and didn’t want to pass it along.
 
Eloe2000 said:
FWIW it seems like Miami is one of the launching points for Omicron in the US. I am hearing about half a dozen to a dozen friends a day getting it. Almost all of these people are in some form vaccinated. I am double vaxxed and boosted as of two months ago and I got Covid over the weekend after avoiding it all this time despite working in environments of mass gatherings. Anecdotally this is way more transmissible (especially among vaccinated) but also appears to cause much less severe illness. I expect this to be the biggest wave in the US within just a couple weeks. If you are concerned about contracting it I would be take precautions. That said as a vaxxed and boosted individual it is nothing more than a light cold. I would be out and about and working if I knew it wasn’t Covid and didn’t want to pass it along.
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I actually got it about two weeks ago... just a few days before I was scheduled to be boosted. I've been very cautious up until vaccinations and fairly cautious since Delta. Must have gotten it eating out despite all good habits being followed (spaced tables, ventilation, masked when you get up/waiter). Symptoms for me were nothing more than a light cold for a few days but was easily identifiable when I noticed I couldn't quite taste my lunch all that well (then confirmed with a rapid test). Following that I lost it completely for the next 2.5 days (an odd and more annoying than anything experience). Besides some fatigue the most inconvenient part of the whole ordeal was quarantining in a 650sqft apartment with one bathroom for 10 days :D.

I'd just suggest people get tested before they see family if at all possible. If it wasn't for the loss of taste, I'm not sure I would have recognized it as Covid for another day or two.
 
ReallyGoodUsername said:
I actually got it about two weeks ago... just a few days before I was scheduled to be boosted. I've been very cautious up until vaccinations and fairly cautious since Delta. Must have gotten it eating out despite all good habits being followed (spaced tables, ventilation, masked when you get up/waiter). Symptoms for me were nothing more than a light cold for a few days but was easily identifiable when I noticed I couldn't quite taste my lunch all that well (then confirmed with a rapid test). Following that I lost it completely for the next 2.5 days (an odd and more annoying than anything experience). Besides some fatigue the most inconvenient part of the whole ordeal was quarantining in a 650sqft apartment with one bathroom for 10 days :D.

I'd just suggest people get tested before they see family if at all possible. If it wasn't for the loss of taste, I'm not sure I would have recognized it as Covid for another day or two.
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I wonder what the increase on your eBay time was that week and how many packages are showing up this week?! That’s the real question.

Seriously glad you are better though and it wasn’t too bad.
 
upNdown said:
Not to argue, but just a different perspective. I went to the card rooms over the summer, a bunch of times. As soon as I was fully vaxxed, I was there, with a mask first, and then without. I’m not living in fear. But then they started talking about delta and I took a break, to see how that would pan out. And now it’s omicron and almost certainly a huge surge, so I’ll hang back for a while. Just trying to be sensible.
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The upside to the Omicron variant is the symptoms are not as severe.

My poker life consists of a weekly full ring $1/$2 NLHE home game where half of the players are rabid anti-vaxxers, two of whom have already caught Covid. The ease in which the Omicron variant is spreading makes it that much more difficult to avoid. I still have to go to work, buy groceries, etc. I have tried to do everything right, including living like a hermit for months last year and getting vaxed and boosted, however at some point you have to wave the white flag and move on with life by accepting the risks others around you are willing to take in the name of freedom.

Staying at home isn't an alternative that is going to bring measurable positive results in light of the new treatments that are now available. The Joe Rogan Ivermectin embracing crowd loves pills. What are the vaccinated hoping to win by self isolating? The anti-vaxxers aren't going to help break the curve.

And why should they? They face no deterrents other than catching the virus, which is of no consequence to them. Prove me wrong.
 
My county is out of control right now. Sports are more important that safety, and after the schools postponed all indoor athletics, the parents were outraged. All indoor sports resumed immediately. Such BS. MD was at about 1000 cases per day for the last few weeks. Now we’re @ 4000+. Mask mandate back in effect starting Dec 26.

I’m not willing to have 30+ people in my basement during this. My Jan game is cancelled. Strangely, I’m completely ok with that!
 
Currently 1 in 35 in the UK have covid. In London it’s 1 in 20.

Good news is that around 5 labs over here have agreed with the South Africans that Omicron does seem to be a lot milder. Death rate is remaining stable although hospital admissions are now back to February levels.
 
I'm waiting to see the next two weeks of hospitalization/ICU data before determining for myself the likely trajectory of impact of Omicron vs. Delta. Certainly our local daily case number rate is up 2-3x from a couple weeks ago. At the moment, hospitalizations/ICU utilization are stable or falling slightly. Recent death counts (over past few months) are definitely up, and definitely linked to Delta. Hospitalization rate for unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated are higher than for breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated persons, but the gap appears to be slowly closing.

Is Omicron really that much weaker than Delta, or are we seeing less hospitalizations and death because Omicron appeared in a population that already has high vaccination and an increasing booster rate? It's a valid confounder. The only things people can do to minimize their risk of catching it or minimize their long term risks after catching it are the same old universal measures we've been using. Masks are going to be around for awhile. Vaccine passports are going to be around for awhile. Booster shots are probably going to be around for awhile.

My overall opinion? Live poker should be played (if at all) with fully vaccinated participants that wear masks, not share food, and with frequent hand washing/sanitizing. Playing surface should be cleaned after every session. Cards and chips should probably be rotated out for at least 2 weeks after use, or at least cleaned in between (good excuse for multiple sets or guest sets, I suppose).
 
JScott said:
Why? Everyone already has it. A border closure would do nothing. And if anything omicron is a godsend being so mild and contagious
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Why do I ask? To manage expectations, with the first wave I had to postpone then cancel my travel plans due to the 20 month of borders closure. If there are new signs of another travel ban I will not bother to made reservations or buy tickets
 
allforcharity said:
I'm waiting to see the next two weeks of hospitalization/ICU data before determining for myself the likely trajectory of impact of Omicron vs. Delta. Certainly our local daily case number rate is up 2-3x from a couple weeks ago. At the moment, hospitalizations/ICU utilization are stable or falling slightly. Recent death counts (over past few months) are definitely up, and definitely linked to Delta. Hospitalization rate for unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated are higher than for breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated persons, but the gap appears to be slowly closing.

Is Omicron really that much weaker than Delta, or are we seeing less hospitalizations and death because Omicron appeared in a population that already has high vaccination and an increasing booster rate? It's a valid confounder. The only things people can do to minimize their risk of catching it or minimize their long term risks after catching it are the same old universal measures we've been using. Masks are going to be around for awhile. Vaccine passports are going to be around for awhile. Booster shots are probably going to be around for awhile.

My overall opinion? Live poker should be played (if at all) with fully vaccinated participants that wear masks, not share food, and with frequent hand washing/sanitizing. Playing surface should be cleaned after every session. Cards and chips should probably be rotated out for at least 2 weeks after use, or at least cleaned in between (good excuse for multiple sets or guest sets, I suppose).
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I thought covid doesn’t really spread through surfaces?



1A25R said:
Why do I ask? To manage expectations, with the first wave I had to postpone then cancel my travel plans due to the 20 month of borders closure. If there are new signs of another travel ban I will not bother to made reservations or buy tickets
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Yeah I agree, my comment was not so much directed at you, more then politicians. And you’re right, they may close again even if it means nothing to stopping any spread.
 
upNdown said:
Hopefully the only footnote to this post - one (unvaccinated) family who were supposed to be at that party, all came down with Covid in the week before the party. As of last night, the father was just put on steroids - his seems to be the most serious case, and hopefully he heals up at home.
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And now he's in the hospital. It's a damn shame. Hopefully they take care of it.
 
I don't think cleaning surfaces multiple times is necessary, it's an airborne disease? But good hygiene/cleanliness is great nonetheless. My home games are on hold until winter is over....prayers up to anyone who is currently at home sick or in the hospital.

P.S. What's a good food to serve at poker games that doesn't involve using your hands so much! Not hot dogs, pizza, chips etc. All I can think of is maybe chili?
 
JScott said:
I thought covid doesn’t really spread through surfaces?
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It's not the primary mode of transition, for sure. I'm somewhat hesitant to dismiss surfaces outright, especially surfaces where the same individual or small group of individuals spend a lot of time sharing, or sharing in sequence, even with a somewhat delicate virus capsule. Data from contact tracing allows for possibility of surface transmission, like sharing seats in the same church but separate services conducted hours apart, when aerosol particles should have settled/dispersed.

So I think it still makes sense to clean surfaces where people are expected to spend a lot of time in constant contact with, such as restaurant seats and tables, and poker tables, too.
 
allforcharity said:
It's not the primary mode of transition, for sure. I'm somewhat hesitant to dismiss surfaces outright, especially surfaces where the same individual or small group of individuals spend a lot of time sharing, or sharing in sequence, even with a somewhat delicate virus capsule. Data from contact tracing allows for possibility of surface transmission, like sharing seats in the same church but separate services conducted hours apart, when aerosol particles should have settled/dispersed.

So I think it still makes sense to clean surfaces where people are expected to spend a lot of time in constant contact with, such as restaurant seats and tables, and poker tables, too.
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Was just wondering.

Looking forward to playing with you guys again. :)
 
COVID-19 shame post....

I have COVID-19. I'm double vaccinated, Pfizer. I was 5 days overdue for my booster and went out to eat at a bar, and see the new Matrix flix, with a buddy. A few days after that, I went out for Mexican with my sister and my wife. Pretty sure I picked up COVID-19 from that first outing as I didn't wear a mask at the bar while eating, or in the theater while watching the movie. My buddy who saw the movie with me got boosted the day after seeing the movie. He did not test positive.

I should have played it tighter until getting that booster.

Wednesday I had some weird digestion issues. Friday (NYE) we were supposed to go to my FIL's for a Christmas/NYE celebration (small, just his family and ours). My wife had some minor cold-like symptoms, so she self-tested Friday morning, BAM. I tested after her, BAM. It's been like a bad cold for us I'd say. She had congestion, some chest pain while breathing (for 1 day), coughing, 1 day with a low-grade fever, fatigue, and now she's lost her smell & taste. She was double vaccinated, not eligible for the booster yet, Pfizer. I had stomach issues, congestion, 1 day with low-grade fever, fatigue, joint pain, and coughing. We are both on the mend now, I think certainly through the worst of it, and hopefully feeling near 100% in a few days. Others in our household who are not eligible for vaccines somehow never showed symptoms (knock on wood).

Anyways, COVID sucks, don't wish this on anyone, even the more mild cases like what we had. Go get your vaccines and boosters! Omicron is coming for you! LOL.
 
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Vaccinated here. Got it over the holidays. Cough (which I already had due to GERD), headache, Body aches, fatigue, and some upset stomach. Wife got a cough, son (8yrs and 1 vaccine) had a cough and headache for 2 days, Daughter (6yrs and 1 vaccine) got nothing.

We've had worse colds run through our house.
 
JScott said:
Vaccinated here. Got it over the holidays. Cough (which I already had due to GERD), headache, Body aches, fatigue, and some upset stomach. Wife got a cough, son (8yrs and 1 vaccine) had a cough and headache for 2 days, Daughter (6yrs and 1 vaccine) got nothing.

We've had worse colds run through our house.
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What was your booster status, and which vaccine?
 
legonick said:
What was your booster status, and which vaccine?
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Both of us are boosted (I have one style wife has the other) and fully vaxed kids. We all got it but very minor symptoms. I actually felt fine but tested before going to kids hockey because we had some cases after our holiday gathering.
 
I had a game yesterday and of course my daughter gets sick last night and tests positive today.

I had to send the text of shame to the 9 guys :(

She's double jabbed with Pfizer but not yet boosted.
 
CraigT78 said:
I had a game yesterday and of course my daughter gets sick last night and tests positive today.

I had to send the text of shame to the 9 guys :(

She's double jabbed with Pfizer but not yet boosted.
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Reinfection?
 
liftapint said:
Omicron doesn’t seem to give a crap about vax status.
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Not true, but it can probably get past even fully vaccinated (unboostered?) persons about 30% of the time.

This really means (in the long run) that we're all going to get it sooner or later, quicker if you're unvaccinated, somewhat slower if you're vaccinated.
What continues to be true is that vaccinated individuals are much less likely to have symptoms/illness severe enough to require hospitalization and/or admission to the ICU, whether it be Alpha or Delta or Omicron.
 
I was just getting into live poker again, but sadly cannot justify it. I am vaxxed and boosted along with all my family but one (she is 15 and just got eligible...she gets her booster Sunday). Hopefully, the numbers will drop as fast as they went up, but my family is back to taking social distancing and masking seriously again.

To all those that have got this recent bout, I hope that you continue to heal quickly and without too severe of symptoms. It seems that those that are vaxxed and get this come out fine on the other side....I hope that continues to be true.

Below is a graph of the virginia numbers. Note the spikes are usually from Mondays when they combine data from the weekend when they don't release the data.

rona.JPG
 

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