What I wish I knew about COVID before I had it
Tune: CDC (real covid how-to link)
Title: Emergency Meeting
I found out there's a treatment for COVID when I got diagnosed and BAM! I got monoclonal antibody injections. So, I park in the upper lot, carrying my security blanket (aka bottle of propel), and start to think about all the other things I could be doing besides this. I want to slip away. I get pulled back by everything busy and humming. I stumble on. . . my backpack. I talk to the ones wearing the biggest masks who point out where to sit. So I take a deep breath and put on my A game while I got poked in my muffin top. Under? I joked and laughed and had a good time with my hand on my heart.
So I asked the kind CDC workers all the way in from Washington, DC my burning questions about how to handle the holidays, school, & my kids now that I tested positive. Here's what I learned about covid vaccinations, quarintinations, and incubations in all of it's unauthorized and summarized glory:
Q: Is there a Federal Policy for the quarantine period of the kids whose parents have covid?
A: (Internet was better)
Internet's A: Yes, cdc.gov says that unvaccinated kids should do a full quarantine for 14 days. Vaccinated kids should wear a mask in public places indoors for 14 days or until a negative PCR test result comes in. Sick parents need to wear a mask around kids and, "if possible stay away from people you live with, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19." (Everyone in the tent was high-risk in some way).
Q: I love my crew of 3. I've exposed my unvaccinated one and my vaccinated ones. Maybe it's vice-versa! If any are positive, could testing today shorten quarantine time?
A: If they have had symptoms prior to your diagnosis and either did rapid or didn't get a test, get them a PCR (24-hour saliva) test ASAP and it will shorten their quarantine time if it is positive. It will push their date back to their symptom start date instead of the day they were exposed to you.
In kids under 11 with no symptoms, you can wait through the incubation period of 3-5 days from the time your own symptoms started and then do a PCR. The full 5 days is recommended to really rule it out, friend. In older kids, the incubation period is 5-7 days, so waiting the 7 is the needed rule out.
Q: The kids had a negative rapid test before my positive rapid test. Is that reliable enough? and what does that mean for retesting?
A: Did they have symptoms? The rapid test (nasal swab, 10 times in each nostril), is only 44% accurate in determining the evil crewmate if there are no system breakdowns. If there are symptoms, however, it is more like 79%.
The PCR is 92% sensitive to catching the disease and 100% specific meaning no innocent crewmates booted into outerspace but 1/10 times it skips the vote.
Q:
A: Yep.
Summary and tidbits:
- Your result will be false negative during the incubation period.
- The incubation period is different for different ages.
- Your kids will need to retest if they test during their incubation period/right after exposure.
- 5 days after you manifest symptoms, take your child 11 and younger for a PCR test to be 92% sure they didn't get COVID from you.
- It's 7 days after for people 12 and up.
- You could choose to do a PCR test ASAP for your children after your positive test to shorten their quarantine period.
- This shortening will only happen if they are positive
- Don't use the rapid test.
- Especially if you're not symptomatic.
- It's just sad in that case.
- Like worse than a coin flip.
Meter: 144
Tune: Annie Mae
Title: The chosen
Sticky Sticky Lemon Poke
What a sight to see!
The wheel is not aborted
till you win the lottery.
Dashing doors and open floors
no need to be pedantic
crashing symbols? bring it!
serving up the winery.
For the children, one more round
I'll ask just 12 more times.
Women, Men, confusion dread
A Priesthood so refined.