General Chat

I guess the testing protocols will be adapted to account for those who are:

Free of covid markers

Currently infected with covid markers

Indications they were infected

Indications (hopefully) immunity has developed.

It's an incredibly complicated set of testing for which there doesn't appear to be an agreed International standard.

My personal experience of TB shows just how little understood some diseases are.

My BCG was positive. At that time it either meant I was currently infected or had immunity. I was sent for chest X-Rays and other tests and i was pronounced immune as I had probably had undiagnosed TB as a young child. That did fit in with some health problems I had experienced.

In 1981 I had some lung tests performed using radioactive tracers. The result found damage consistent with historic TB in my lower left lung.

Now thinking how well understood TB is just look at the URL and imagine the more complicated the current research is! We can only hope that by labs sharing their results (very unlike them in the world of big pharmaceuticals) a vaccine can be developed quickly.

https://www.immunopaedia.org.za/immunology/special-focus-area/3-immunity-to-tb/

There are two of us, Maggie, but we've both said how much we like the slower pace.

At last, on the news a short while ago, someone has spoken what I've written about and what I've been feeling for some time. A medical man (virologist, I think) has said that tests for positivity and tests for immunity are not failsafe.

A test to see whether you have the virus can only reveal that you have it at the particular time the test was taken. Hopefully your contacts will be traceable if your test is positive - by phone or manpower. The drawback is that this test will not reveal whether you are incubating the virus, the time period for such could be up to seven days.

A test for immunity would be slightly better but no one yet knows for certain that your immunity is 100% effective. That could be a 'suck it and see' situation.

Personally, I'd put my money behind research for a vaccination first and an immunity test second.

Not sure what everyone else thinks.

I'm on my own - and loving it!
Fortunately, apart from a creaking knee (which occasionally sounds like I'm f*rting), I'm physically active.
Now that Betty has stopped pulling her fur out, I'm having a massive de-furring and spring clean of the hidden corners of the house - and redecorating (using paint in the cupboard). I dislike housework, so redecorating is a major spring clean!
So far I've repainted the kitchen and living room, and am now tackling a deep clean of the bathroom - which, as it sits between the kitchen and living room - means the kitchen and living room are now a bit messy :-(

Once I've finished (if I ever do), I shall go back to creating my doll houses - three of which are only partly done.

Or more - especially for the oldies and, with MSIS appearing in children, perhaps for the very young too.

My pals and I believe Boris will think differently now he's had the virus. Previously he may well have listened more to businessmen and economists but now we think he will listen more to health specialists and will definitely want to avoid a second wave.

Gird your loins because our group of oldies think it may well last until Christmas and we have reconciled ourselves to foregoing our coffee get-togethers until then at least.

There, I've committed the cardinal sin of mentioning the C word before we've even reached summertime. :-D :-D :-D

The thing that may make the difference will be successful trials of an effective vaccine followed by a nationwide inoculation programme - no quick feat by any means.

Time to grit your teeth. This might go on for another month :-|

My OH isn't the easiest to live with no football at the moment so he is fed up aren't we all He is just nit picking everything I do is wrong he wants to go out but as he is 79 & i drive our car its no from me .we have food. plenty off cleaning things. dog & bird food .I do family tree & searching DNA info .keeps me happy will carry on hope sometime there will be an easing in lockdown Stay safe All :-) Barbara ( six years younger than him but feels we are so different now i enjoy music watch TV read books .gardening. x

AnnMarie, you are allowed a rant on here, we will always listen and it is difficult to always be patient. sorry your husband is unwell, it must make it worse for him being shut in as it is for you. We are in our 6th week too, no underlying health problems but part of the over 70s group told to stay at home. So far we have not fallen out big time, but there have been a few niggles. Mostly on days like today when it is raining and he can't get out into the garden.

It must be double difficult for those who are living with or coping with relatives with dementia and awfully confusing for those suffering with it.

Keep safe everyone.

Linda
, I really feel for you being on your own. I hope you have as Happy a birthday as possible.

There are so many out there having such a hard time, much harder than me but at times it just gets to me.

We are ok now and I really should have much more patience with OH.

OH and I are not doing so bad but one of my old biddies is holed up with a husband who has dementia and all those men he accuses her of having in her bed!

I'm struggling somewhat with Mum (96 and with a form of dementia).

She has convinced herself that we're going away and rings me several times a day, asking when we're going.

It's hard to keep patient, she's so confused by everything as her normal routine (tea with friends from her block of flats, bingo, hairdresser) is gone.

O AnnMarieG I think it's getting us all down a bit I'm a widow and and it's my 70th next week and my brother and soster in law were going to have me down there last weekend and treating me so am feeling a but down missing my grandchildren although I facetime them don't worry about your husband I'm sure be will be delighted when be see what you have done for bis birthday and what I tried to do when my husband bad had a argument is try not to go to bet angry and if ae did when I got up the next I'd give him a kiss and say this a new day and if started I would smile and walk away hope this helps and you feel better tomorrw

How are you all coping.

We are in our 6th week of shielding due to OH health problems.

Its been fairly fine up till now as we have a garden so can at least get outside so are a lot better off than a lot of people.

OH and I rarely fall out or argue but yesterday we had are right humdinger.

My phone is constantly pinging with messages ( he dosnt have one) and as its his 80th birthday next week and I am trying to sort out some sort of mini (just us) celebration instead of the party we were going to have.

He wanted to know why I never tell him who is messaging me and what about.

Well one thing led to another as it usually does in tiffs and lots of things were said.

We have made it up but result is that neither of us has hardly slept last night and today I really feel very down. (He's asleep on the sofa now lol)

He has many health problems and rarely feels very well so I suppose I should take that into account.

Sorry, Rant over.

How are you all coping
.
Hopefully better than me.

Take care everyone and stay safe. <3 <3