[Poll] Do you personally know someone who has Covid-19?

[Scuzz]

I flipped to a yes on Monday when my team lead at work told us she was presumed positive. She is younger (30-ish) and is still working (from home as most everyone at my employer is) but the coughing fits she has on calls can be... disconcerting.

I became a yes last week when a friend from work stayed home because they thought her sister had it. She has been tested but I haven't heard if it was positive or not, although we did get a e-mail saying someone in the area did test positive. Yesterday the woman who sit across from me in my pod apparently tested positive. Her desk was deep cleaned twice yesterday. She does work days while I work evenings so we haven't been face to face.

My wife is not comfortable with all this, but I am not too much worried. So far, based on what we have been told, anyone who has tested positive got it somewhere else more likely.

[naednek]

Well, Friday my wife and I started feeling weird and had a low fever. Its been that way since with headaches thrown in. Its nothing bad but the anxiety is what drives me nuts. Erin is getting tested tomorrow. If she has it, i probably do. So far the kids haven't had any symptoms.

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[Lassr]

I'm starting to know more and more now. My good friend and his wife were tested positive, they are unsure how they got it.
My disc golf partner's son (and fiancee and her mother) tested positive, they got it from a church choir event, as did many others. So no disc golf while he's in quarantine. He only had contact with his son once but it was close contact so I'm not risking it for disc golf. And <sigh> church seems to be one of the top spreaders these days. I often wonder if they feel God will protect them from the virus. If you are religious then I'd say God protects them by giving you a brain to use.

[El Guapo]

Church choir indoors is about as high risk as you can get. Large numbers of people indoors usually close together, and many of them are singing at the top of their lungs, which means more droplets projected. That's a great recipe to give coronavirus to everyone there.

[Lassr]

Church choir indoors is about as high risk as you can get. Large numbers of people indoors usually close together, and many of them are singing at the top of their lungs, which means more droplets projected. That's a great recipe to give coronavirus to everyone there.

Yep and I've seen several reports of 30+ outbreaks at churches around these parts...

[Eel Snave]

I didn't until last week. School board member in our city.

[Eel Snave]

Well, Friday my wife and I started feeling weird and had a low fever. Its been that way since with headaches thrown in. Its nothing bad but the anxiety is what drives me nuts. Erin is getting tested tomorrow. If she has it, i probably do. So far the kids haven't had any symptoms.

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So what's the verdict?

[godhugh]

I'm a nurse, so yeah, I've known quite a few people who have had it, including a few of my co-workers. I've been lucky enough to not catch it yet and, honestly, I'm more worried about being exposed now that the kids are going back to school in a few weeks. We have had plenty of PPE at work and I don't work in the COVID unit so I don't feel like I've been in a terribly high-risk area.

[naednek]

Well, Friday my wife and I started feeling weird and had a low fever. Its been that way since with headaches thrown in. Its nothing bad but the anxiety is what drives me nuts. Erin is getting tested tomorrow. If she has it, i probably do. So far the kids haven't had any symptoms.

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So what's the verdict?

Negative

[Hyena]

I'm a nurse, so yeah, I've known quite a few people who have had it, including a few of my co-workers. I've been lucky enough to not catch it yet and, honestly, I'm more worried about being exposed now that the kids are going back to school in a few weeks. We have had plenty of PPE at work and I don't work in the COVID unit so I don't feel like I've been in a terribly high-risk area.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what have you seen on the Frontlines? Are things as bad as I'm guessing, or are all those videos of docs saying, "This is all a conspiracy! Its no worse than the flu!" the real thing?

My wife's aunt has it and most likely won't recover so I have my own impressions, but as a soldier up front, what are you seeing?

If it's too personal or against regs I understand.

[Kraken]

I'm a nurse, so yeah, I've known quite a few people who have had it, including a few of my co-workers. I've been lucky enough to not catch it yet and, honestly, I'm more worried about being exposed now that the kids are going back to school in a few weeks. We have had plenty of PPE at work and I don't work in the COVID unit so I don't feel like I've been in a terribly high-risk area.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what have you seen on the Frontlines? Are things as bad as I'm guessing, or are all those videos of docs saying, "This is all a conspiracy! Its no worse than the flu!" the real thing?

My wife's aunt has it and most likely won't recover so I have my own impressions, but as a soldier up front, what are you seeing?

If it's too personal or against regs I understand.

Not to preempt godhugh's reply, but for the past three years I've edited the Boston Globe's annual "Salute to Nurses" section. My job is to take the raw letters that come in and edit them into publishable English. I don't change the content and I always try to preserve the writer's voice, to the extent that I can (there are 400+ letters, so only the best stories get special attention...and your typical letter writer has a shaky command of language). This gives me a unique, raw, and respectful perspective on patients' and families' experience with nurses and the hospital system in general.

Covid was just getting started when I did this year's package in February and March, so only a small fraction of the letters addressed it. If the Globe survives and does another Salute next spring, the letters are going to be incredible. This job was previously a chore filled with mundane tragedies, but I'm really looking forward to writing the next one.

[Blackhawk]

Maybe someone should suggest a special edition of the piece, given what's going on.

[Paradroid]

My lady took an antibody test and it came back positive. She works in a hospital so no big shock. We're thinking that if she's had the virus, the rest of us in the house probably have too.

That got us thinking as to when it might have been, of course. We both realised that in early March we both had mild cold symptoms. First she had it, then a few days later I had it, and within a week it was gone. We think that must have been it, because other than that we've both been in fine health.

Of course, the test might have been a false positive. Who knows.

[godhugh]

I'm a nurse, so yeah, I've known quite a few people who have had it, including a few of my co-workers. I've been lucky enough to not catch it yet and, honestly, I'm more worried about being exposed now that the kids are going back to school in a few weeks. We have had plenty of PPE at work and I don't work in the COVID unit so I don't feel like I've been in a terribly high-risk area.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what have you seen on the Frontlines? Are things as bad as I'm guessing, or are all those videos of docs saying, "This is all a conspiracy! Its no worse than the flu!" the real thing?

My wife's aunt has it and most likely won't recover so I have my own impressions, but as a soldier up front, what are you seeing?

If it's too personal or against regs I understand.

Yeah, it's as bad as you're probably guessing. I see a bit different perspective of the pandemic than a lot of nurses, because I work in the NICU. We've had mom's who haven't been able to hold their babies for weeks because they were sick with COVID, father's who haven't been able to come in when their baby is having surgery because they have it. Grandparents will go months and months without ever seeing their grandkids because we can't allow extended family to visit. Even if they're healthy, parents can only visit one at a time so they struggle to support each other during the incredibly stressful experience that is an extended stay in the NICU. Everyone is just on edge, even more so than they usually are.

The COVID units in our hospital are running pretty short-staffed, especially the last month or so (I live in Dallas so it's gotten much worse over the last little while). Pediatric nurses are having to work on the COVID floors, completely outside of their comfort zones or areas of expertise, just so that every patient can have a nurse.

It's been rough, not going to lie. And with no end in sight to the pandemic, flu season approaching, and all the schools starting to reopen (my kids went back yesterday), I don't see it getting better any time soon.

[LordMortis]

NICU? That's gotta take its toll on your soul. I'm glad there are people like you strong enough to bear it.

[ImLawBoy]

Even if they're healthy, parents can only visit one at a time so they struggle to support each other during the incredibly stressful experience that is an extended stay in the NICU.

Oof. My oldest was in the NICU for the first 28 days of his life, and my wife and I were there with him for 12+ hours a day. It would have been incredibly hard to have had to do shifts.

[em2nought]

My mom decided she absolutely couldn't live without an I.V. so she went to the hospital for four days. Negative going in, I hope negative coming out. No visitors allowed, kinda hard to make sure things are going properly when they only talk to the ninety-four year old and not to anyone else. I forced her to take her hearing aid along as she usually won't for her fear of losing it, so at least she could hear what the doctors or nurses are saying(except she can't understand anyone with an accent who doesn't speak WASP English so....) She has no idea what's even being said on Downton Abbey. I always get her back from there fuzzy brained.

I wish there was a Jiffy Lube for I.V.s.

[ImLawBoy]

My mom decided she absolutely couldn't live without an I.V. so she went to the hospital for four days. Negative going in, I hope negative coming out. No visitors allowed, kinda hard to make sure things are going properly when they only talk to the ninety-four year old and not to anyone else. I forced her to take her hearing aid along as she usually won't for her fear of losing it, so at least she could hear what the doctors or nurses are saying(except she can't understand anyone with an accent who doesn't speak WASP English so....) She has no idea what's even being said on Downton Abbey. I always get her back from there fuzzy brained.

I wish there was a Jiffy Lube for I.V.s.

There are (at least in many areas, including Chicago). They're typically marketed as hydration centers and are used to help with hangovers or jet lag. I've even seen some that advertise they'll come to your home.

Of course, I'm guessing they're not covered by insurance or medicare.

[em2nought]

My mom decided she absolutely couldn't live without an I.V. so she went to the hospital for four days. Negative going in, I hope negative coming out. No visitors allowed, kinda hard to make sure things are going properly when they only talk to the ninety-four year old and not to anyone else. I forced her to take her hearing aid along as she usually won't for her fear of losing it, so at least she could hear what the doctors or nurses are saying(except she can't understand anyone with an accent who doesn't speak WASP English so....) She has no idea what's even being said on Downton Abbey. I always get her back from there fuzzy brained.

I wish there was a Jiffy Lube for I.V.s.

There are (at least in many areas, including Chicago). They're typically marketed as hydration centers and are used to help with hangovers or jet lag. I've even seen some that advertise they'll come to your home.

Thanks, I'm going to look into that.

[ImLawBoy]

See, I can be downright friendly and useful in some contexts.

[El Guapo]

But damn, going to get an IV to deal with hangovers and jet lag? People are crazy.

[Isgrimnur]

At least start with 100% oxygen first!

[Punisher]

At least start with 100% oxygen first!

^^^^this^^^^
This was the go to choice for 90% of my EMS squad back in the day.
I never drank so I don’t have personal experience with it, but it apparently worked like magic and was free...

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I'm surprised the "yes" vote is only at 53%, although I guess I'm not sure if that's because people haven't changed their initial vote. We've already had three positives in our work group of ~15 people, despite all of us working remotely/taking cautions outside of work.

[Paingod]

I'm hoping to not have to change my vote. I interact with a very limited number of people.

[TheMix]

Not sure if I'd voted before. But I definitely know someone now. So I recast it, I believe, as a Yes.

[coopasonic]

I'm surprised the "yes" vote is only at 53%, although I guess I'm not sure if that's because people haven't changed their initial vote. We've already had three positives in our work group of ~15 people, despite all of us working remotely/taking cautions outside of work.

Thanks for reminding me. I switched my vote back to no. My team lead that was presumed positive did finally test negative. She had a fairly bad cough for a a little over a week but only missed one day of work.

[Xmann]

I'm a nurse, so yeah, I've known quite a few people who have had it, including a few of my co-workers. I've been lucky enough to not catch it yet and, honestly, I'm more worried about being exposed now that the kids are going back to school in a few weeks. We have had plenty of PPE at work and I don't work in the COVID unit so I don't feel like I've been in a terribly high-risk area.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what have you seen on the Frontlines? Are things as bad as I'm guessing, or are all those videos of docs saying, "This is all a conspiracy! Its no worse than the flu!" the real thing?

My wife's aunt has it and most likely won't recover so I have my own impressions, but as a soldier up front, what are you seeing?

If it's too personal or against regs I understand.

Yeah, it's as bad as you're probably guessing. I see a bit different perspective of the pandemic than a lot of nurses, because I work in the NICU. We've had mom's who haven't been able to hold their babies for weeks because they were sick with COVID, father's who haven't been able to come in when their baby is having surgery because they have it. Grandparents will go months and months without ever seeing their grandkids because we can't allow extended family to visit. Even if they're healthy, parents can only visit one at a time so they struggle to support each other during the incredibly stressful experience that is an extended stay in the NICU. Everyone is just on edge, even more so than they usually are.

The COVID units in our hospital are running pretty short-staffed, especially the last month or so (I live in Dallas so it's gotten much worse over the last little while). Pediatric nurses are having to work on the COVID floors, completely outside of their comfort zones or areas of expertise, just so that every patient can have a nurse.

It's been rough, not going to lie. And with no end in sight to the pandemic, flu season approaching, and all the schools starting to reopen (my kids went back yesterday), I don't see it getting better any time soon.

I'm a nurse manager in East Tennessee. March, April, and May our numbers were around 4 to 5 patients daily with 9 being the highest single day total.

Since late June and July, I would guess our numbers are averaging about 25 patients with a daily record of 52.

Our administration is still bracing for a surge they are predicting for the first week of September. When flu season rolls around, things have the potential to be very ugly. I can see us becoming nearly maxed out with patients in the hallways and some being turned away.

I've had to work shifts on the floor to cover nurse shortages. I can tell you our dedicated Covid floors have nurses nearly at breaking points having to deal with this day in and day out with no end in sight. The burnout is real and I'm concerned about staffs mental health. We are losing nurses daily because they can't take it any longer. I think this is one of my biggest concerns that the public truly has zero understanding on the toll it's taking on healthcare staff.

It also sickens me to my stomach the attitude that since most deaths are 65+, for some reason it's not that big a deal. Tell that to the families and loved ones losing a husband, uncle, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, etc when they otherwise had a decade or longer to live. AND, these people are dying with only their nurses and other healthcare staff at the beside. Imagine that emotional toll.

[gbasden]

It also sickens me to my stomach the attitude that since most deaths are 65+, for some reason it's not that big a deal. Tell that to the families and loved ones losing a husband, uncle, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, etc when they otherwise had a decade or longer to live. AND, these people are dying with only their nurses and other healthcare staff at the beside. Imagine that emotional toll.

I can't fathom it either. I was in the hospital with both of my parents when they each passed away, and while it was incredibly difficult, I can't imagine not being able to be there for them.

[Skinypupy]

I'm a nurse, so yeah, I've known quite a few people who have had it, including a few of my co-workers. I've been lucky enough to not catch it yet and, honestly, I'm more worried about being exposed now that the kids are going back to school in a few weeks. We have had plenty of PPE at work and I don't work in the COVID unit so I don't feel like I've been in a terribly high-risk area.

I hope you don't mind me asking, but what have you seen on the Frontlines? Are things as bad as I'm guessing, or are all those videos of docs saying, "This is all a conspiracy! Its no worse than the flu!" the real thing?

My wife's aunt has it and most likely won't recover so I have my own impressions, but as a soldier up front, what are you seeing?

If it's too personal or against regs I understand.

Yeah, it's as bad as you're probably guessing. I see a bit different perspective of the pandemic than a lot of nurses, because I work in the NICU. We've had mom's who haven't been able to hold their babies for weeks because they were sick with COVID, father's who haven't been able to come in when their baby is having surgery because they have it. Grandparents will go months and months without ever seeing their grandkids because we can't allow extended family to visit. Even if they're healthy, parents can only visit one at a time so they struggle to support each other during the incredibly stressful experience that is an extended stay in the NICU. Everyone is just on edge, even more so than they usually are.

The COVID units in our hospital are running pretty short-staffed, especially the last month or so (I live in Dallas so it's gotten much worse over the last little while). Pediatric nurses are having to work on the COVID floors, completely outside of their comfort zones or areas of expertise, just so that every patient can have a nurse.

It's been rough, not going to lie. And with no end in sight to the pandemic, flu season approaching, and all the schools starting to reopen (my kids went back yesterday), I don't see it getting better any time soon.

I'm a nurse manager in East Tennessee. March, April, and May our numbers were around 4 to 5 patients daily with 9 being the highest single day total.

Since late June and July, I would guess our numbers are averaging about 25 patients with a daily record of 52.

Our administration is still bracing for a surge they are predicting for the first week of September. When flu season rolls around, things have the potential to be very ugly. I can see us becoming nearly maxed out with patients in the hallways and some being turned away.

I've had to work shifts on the floor to cover nurse shortages. I can tell you our dedicated Covid floors have nurses nearly at breaking points having to deal with this day in and day out with no end in sight. The burnout is real and I'm concerned about staffs mental health. We are losing nurses daily because they can't take it any longer. I think this is one of my biggest concerns that the public truly has zero understanding on the toll it's taking on healthcare staff.

It also sickens me to my stomach the attitude that since most deaths are 65+, for some reason it's not that big a deal. Tell that to the families and loved ones losing a husband, uncle, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, etc when they otherwise had a decade or longer to live. AND, these people are dying with only their nurses and other healthcare staff at the beside. Imagine that emotional toll.

I'm consistently horrified every time I read sentiments like this from healthcare professionals, then compare them to the "it's just the flu, everyone gets it" narrative that is spouted so many of my friends and family. The idea that a good chunk of the population is simply expendable because they don't want to be inconvenienced is utterly infuriating.

And thank you (and your teams) for all the incredible frontline work you're all doing.

[Scuzz]

While I have known several people who have died during the past months (FIL, brothers MIL, a cousin to my wife) none of them, as far we know, involved Covid. However the Obits in Sunday's paper listed an architect my old company had used and his death was blamed on Covid.

[Jeff V]

My wife had to go into work at noon (when she's usually asleep) for a Covid test today because last week two employees (which she had no contact with) tested positive then this week 2 patients that they did (but not my wife) have contact with tested positive. And today my little disease-vector went back to full time school!

[Zarathud]

Dealing with an elderly new client who survived but is still not well and needs home care treatment.

My uncle was diagnosed several months ago and recovered after hospitalization. My cousin was on the floor caring for him. My aunt from Arizona was complaining about the shutdown saying that no one was affected -- despite her brother still being in the hospital in Illinois. Her excuse is that he was the older, elder brother, and was bound to be in the hospital at his age anyway.

[Paingod]

What's the stipulation for "know someone" ... ? Asking for a friend.

I finally talked with my first "first-hand" survivor from the beginning of the outbreak in Maine. A tech working some cabling in our building. He described it as the worst 15 days of his life, and easily one of the top-3 worst things he's ever experienced. Apparently his whole family got hit at once, but they all survived.

Just talking with someone shouldn't change my vote, I don't think. I'll never talk to him again.

[TheMix]

What's the stipulation for "know someone" ... ? Asking for a friend.

I finally talked with my first "first-hand" survivor from the beginning of the outbreak in Maine. A tech working some cabling in our building. He described it as the worst 15 days of his life, and easily one of the top-3 worst things he's ever experienced. Apparently his whole family got hit at once, but they all survived.

Just talking with someone shouldn't change my vote, I don't think. I'll never talk to him again.

I would think it counts. I took the purpose of this poll to be along the lines of "is this really a big deal and everywhere? or is this just minor thing being blown out of proportion?" The fact that you have now spoke with someone who had it means that you can definitively say that it has spread enough for you to bump into it.

Not that I think anyone here is in the "HOAX!!!!" bucket. But when you know someone, it makes it more serious. Think of it as degrees of separation (from Kevin Bacon). Now the degree of separation is one. Which, as I took it, is all the poll is asking.

[Paingod]

Fair enough. I was hoping to save myself for someone I was close to (maybe it's better this way).

[Jeff V]

My wife mentioned several times in the past two weeks that residents of her nursing home that recover from Covid are waking up dead about 120 days later.

[Daehawk]

I thought it was 28 days?

[Jeff V]

I thought it was 28 days?

I believe that's to become zombies.

Also, the nurse who, until last week, was in charge of screening the residents became positive. She found out after a test last Thursday. Wife last had contact with her Friday (she's the one who got her the job there). Wife had another test today, but results won't be given until next week.

[Daehawk]

residents of her nursing home that recover from Covid are waking up dead about 120 days later.

You did imply zombies there.