An overview of opinions and observations for the month.
Tuesday, 31 August 2021
Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Covid: Expectation vs. Experience
I caught Covid; hello organic acquired immunity.
It was inevitable that in the course of a global pandemic, I would sooner or later be exposed to the pathogen. I've been very vocal about my opposition to the vaccine program for Covid, so the only way I was ever going to acquire immunity was via catching the actual virus; and though I did not actively pursue this, it was always in the back of my mind that it would undoubtedly occur at some point. Here is how the experience compared with my expectations.
I like to think my health is good, which has been a huge factor when assessing my risks where Covid was concerned. For clarity, I'll give a little overview below.
Age: 33
Height: 6'1
Weight: 185lbs
BMI: 24.5
RHR: 60
Blood Pressure: 115/73
SpO2: 98-99%
Allergies: None
Underlying Conditions: None known.
Blood Profile: Taken 23/06/20
All my blood markers were within expected parameters, except for Eosinophil count, however I was advised this was nothing to be concerned about. "low eosinophil count can be the result of intoxication from alcohol or excessive production of cortisol" and by the very fact I felt it necessary to get blood work done indicates I was stressed at that time which would explain the low count.
Regarding activity levels, I walk over 5 miles at least 5 days a week and play competitive football weekly; my total step count for the preceding 12 months was 3,644,710 with a daily average of 9,986. That's 1,766 miles traveled by foot in the same 12 month period.
I vape frequently, and I also drink alcohol socially (heavily on occasion).
My symptom progression was very mild. At no point was I bedridden, unable to function, or worried about hospitalisation. I presented with throat irritation on August 2nd and an infrequent cough. Over the following days this slowly worsened reaching it's peak on August 5th-7th where the cough was more pronounced, and accompanied by feeling achy and run down. As my cough subsided, it was replaced by nasal congestion and anosmia (loss of smell) which resolved around a week after it began as my congestion cleared. My cough returned a little more on August 10th as I developed some phlegm that I had to cough to clear. The chart below shows how my temperature fluctuated, as did my resting heart rate; notice my SpO2 levels never fell outside a healthy range according to my pulse oximeter. All in all, the experience was comparable to a moderate flu. I also did not require any medication (including painkillers) during my illness, and relied on lemon, ginger, garlic and honey instead.
I still have a residual cough lingering after all other symptoms have resolved, although this is mild and infrequent and likely exacerbated by the fact I vape.
I received a positive PCR test on August 16th after having negative LFT tests on August 3rd, August 5th and August 9th. My daughter also caught Covid (likely from myself) and despite receiving a negative LFT test on August 13th, also received a positive PCR on August 15th. Suffice to say I have zero faith in LFT tests.
My daughter is 8 years old. Her symptoms were minor and were originally overlooked as being hay fever related which she suffers with seasonally. Her cough was comparable to throat irritation, she developed a persistent headache that lasted a couple of days, along with loss of appetite. She also experienced mild nasal congestion and sneezing. Again some of these symptoms could be hay fever. At no point did she develop a fever. She did later develop parosmia which was admittedly frustrating for myself, and distressing for my child, however this resolved by itself within a few weeks.
In conclusion, after experiencing Covid first hand, I remain reassured that my existing perception and opinion of this pandemic are justified. The response has been overkill, the vaccine program is farcical and the disease progression is akin to the flu.
My symptom progression was very mild. At no point was I bedridden, unable to function, or worried about hospitalisation. I presented with throat irritation on August 2nd and an infrequent cough. Over the following days this slowly worsened reaching it's peak on August 5th-7th where the cough was more pronounced, and accompanied by feeling achy and run down. As my cough subsided, it was replaced by nasal congestion and anosmia (loss of smell) which resolved around a week after it began as my congestion cleared. My cough returned a little more on August 10th as I developed some phlegm that I had to cough to clear. The chart below shows how my temperature fluctuated, as did my resting heart rate; notice my SpO2 levels never fell outside a healthy range according to my pulse oximeter. All in all, the experience was comparable to a moderate flu. I also did not require any medication (including painkillers) during my illness, and relied on lemon, ginger, garlic and honey instead.
I still have a residual cough lingering after all other symptoms have resolved, although this is mild and infrequent and likely exacerbated by the fact I vape.
I received a positive PCR test on August 16th after having negative LFT tests on August 3rd, August 5th and August 9th. My daughter also caught Covid (likely from myself) and despite receiving a negative LFT test on August 13th, also received a positive PCR on August 15th. Suffice to say I have zero faith in LFT tests.
My daughter is 8 years old. Her symptoms were minor and were originally overlooked as being hay fever related which she suffers with seasonally. Her cough was comparable to throat irritation, she developed a persistent headache that lasted a couple of days, along with loss of appetite. She also experienced mild nasal congestion and sneezing. Again some of these symptoms could be hay fever. At no point did she develop a fever. She did later develop parosmia which was admittedly frustrating for myself, and distressing for my child, however this resolved by itself within a few weeks.
In conclusion, after experiencing Covid first hand, I remain reassured that my existing perception and opinion of this pandemic are justified. The response has been overkill, the vaccine program is farcical and the disease progression is akin to the flu.
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