Starting this topic to cover new and resurgent infectious diseases we need to know about and what to do about them, if anything, beginning with Monkeypox, the return of polio to NYC, and anything else.
Putting some info here, but had wanted to start a new thread regarding all viral resurgences (@jeanne-mayell - couldn't see how to do that, sorry). Specifically replying to @lovendures re: polio found in NY
Everyone in the US, as far as I know, is vaccinated and boosted for polio as a young child with only very few exceptions, usually religious in nature. It's unclear whether immunity is lifelong. Here is what I found from CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/polio/hcp/effectiveness-duration-protection.html
Good news is that in NY in particular, the anti-vax community is most strongly in the Orthodox Jewish community, which sticks to themselves, so it's unlikely to spread beyond that. More good news is that polio boosters should not be too hard to find, as we still give that one to young kids here.
As for MONKEYPOX - Some facts I uncovered:
- chickenpox infection or vaccination is NOT protective
- smallpox vaccination is more than 85% protective
- according to article linked below, smallpox vax protection may last for decades (like 8 decades)
- smallpox vax in the US is currently only given to military members in case of bioterrorism
- smallpox no longer exists 'in the wild' globally, so in US we stopped immunizing for it in 1971
- monkeypox & small pox are very similar, and not related to other viruses like chickenpox, measles, etc.
- Smallpox vaccine is actually live Vaccinia virus - aka cowpox (and it always has been!)
- monkeypox (smallpox) vaxxes are being offered to members of the LGBTQ+ community who have been exposed first. General public is not currently eligible.
- Highest number of cases is in CA currently, especially in San Francisco, and highest rate of infection is in men who have sex with men (this is not a slur-this stat can be located on the CA Dept. of Health site).
- The US government has not acted quickly enough to react effectively to this next long-expected pandemic.
- Monkeypox really is droplet based (unlike COVID, which is both droplet and true airborne but mostly airborne).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2610468/
I for one am not yet terribly worried about either disease right now. Keep up with your precautions. I continue to:
- Travel less, and target areas with lower infection rates (definitely avoid Rockland/Orange county area of NYS)
- Wear a mask indoors in public spaces always
- Socialize outdoors when possible, same for concerts, etc.
- Wear a mask outdoors in crowded areas
- Wash all groceries - my family started doing this in 1918, and I have re-embraced the practice
- Wear gloves outside the house in public areas where I touch stuff (e.g., stores, gas stations, office buildings, etc.)
If you want to know what the OLD precautions for avoiding polio were, they consisted of:
- Avoid travel to infected areas (right now that is mostly Africa & Asia but may include the Middle East))
- Avoid public spaces involving water - i.e., waterparks, pools, amusement parks, etc.
- Make sure you and your kids got the full series as youngsters.
A modern precaution that may end up helping all of us:
Doctors can order titre blood tests for all of these viruses to see if you are still immune, so ask if you are worried.
Found a good link to info re: California Monkeypox Emergency
https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2022/08/01/emergency-declaration-monkeypox-vaccines
Thanks Laura, great thread!
Regarding polio vaccinations, it really depends upon the state. I know in AZ, vaccinations have had not only religious beliefs exemptions here , but also person belief exemptions. Personal could really be anything from "I believe they actually do harm" to well, almost anything. Not sure what they are currently but I wonder if ANY will be mandated here after Covid. There are some other states like that though I don't know how many.
Today Pres. Biden declared Monkeypox a national emergency. Spoiler alert: no extra precautions being taken, so this will end up another public health fail. It may free up some vaccine and funding, but not enough.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/04/politics/monkeypox-public-health-emergency/index.html
Apologize that I never seem to have great news to share here, however there is a new virus emerging in China that has jumped from animals to humans, called Langya.
No need for alarm, but it bears watching, because with climate change, this is how things are going to be going, and even though right now Langya is not an international threat, it could mutate, as could many other viruses.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/langya-virus-china-1.6550062
Thank you, we do need to be alert. There is some good news on tick borne disease front that I am happy to impart; a vaccine that protects against multiple, terrible diseases is on the horizon.
PUTTING BACK POSTS THAT GOT DELETED:
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08/28/2022 6:22 pm
I am not feeling well and decided to take an at home covid test to give myself peace of mind. It was positive, so I took another one. It was positive. I am sitting here sweating- literally- in my mask and am freaked out. I went to a wedding Friday, spent time at my boyfriend's mothers (she never got vaccinated and is 82), swam at his brother's. I am so scared about his mom. Two of my sibs I talked to said she might have given it to me. I don't know but this is my NIGHTMARE. They told me not to blame myself. I am terrified that I got people sick this weekend. One of my sibs pointed out that somebody at the wedding got Me sick. Having anxiety, bipolar, PTSD and doctoring for another condition, it's a lot.
I had applied for a new job today, which is a concern, as I don't know what to say or do if they contact me. I am having trouble paying my bills but won't be able to work this week at any of my jobs, maybe my one online I could still do probably. Maybe. Bills come in and I barely break even.
Please pray for me.
Lauren, Unk p and lenor reacted
(@laura-f)
08/28/2022 8:21 pm
Will do @ghandigirl - we're still infectious out this way. I'm still negative, but hubby is pretty sick. If it helps, he was able to get a Paxlovid prescription via an urgent care telehealth appointment. And it cost $0, so maybe see if that is a resource you can access. 36 hours in on the Pax he says he can feel he's starting to turn the corner.
EVERYONE is getting this variant regardless of prior infection or vax status or even maintaining basic precautions.
I believe, based on my limited research, that here in the US the primary strains right now are Omicron 2.2A and 2.2B
Map: https://nextstrain.org/ncov/gisaid/global/6m
Lauren, Unk p and lenor reacted
08/28/2022 9:28 pm
Thanks.
I will telehealth with my doc first thing tomorrow. Spent today conferring with sibs and coping.
(@unk-p)
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08/28/2022 10:05 pm
@ghandigirl sorry you are going thru this. Take care of yourself, and know that we are all rooting for you. ❤️
Takes a long time for many of us... hang in there and remember not to push it, take things easy.
UPDATED COVID VACCINES ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE!
CVS and Walgreens have them, I am on deck to get vax number 5 this Friday (cuz I know it will make next weekend suck).
You can make appointments online.
Note about flu shots: yes, get them, but it's a little early in the season and they only last a few months anyway, so maybe wait til October. Also the prospect of getting both at the same time, knowing I react to both, yeah no- not for me.
CDC is being very vague, I looked. Antibodies may or may not last as long as 6 months, though I suspect not that long. My husband's docs said he could conceivably get the next vax 2 weeks after testing negative, but said it's ok to wait another month or 2.
Basically it's your choice. If it was me I'd wait 8-12 weeks after testing negative but not more than that.
@laura-f I am on deck for Friday as well. I plan to hold off on the flu vax until around Oct-Nov.
I don’t come in contact with a lot of influenza, and the two times I have caught it in the past, I was in direct caretaker contact with someone who had it. But since the early COvID studies indicated that other vaccinations may help to protect again catching COvID due to the increased immune response (ie immune activity in relation to a non-COvID vaccine), I figure spacing it out won’t hurt.
I don’t come in contact with a lot of influenza, and the two times I have caught it in the past, I was in direct caretaker contact with someone who had it.
I'm curious-- those times you had the flu, had you been vaccinated that year?
I predate the era when the flu vaccine was routine, and I had the illness several times growing up.
When the vaccine *first* became readily available and publicized, I was thinking, "Oh why bother, I've had the flu before and dealt with it." Later on it dawned on me that "dealing with" the flu had been quite miserable, and why go through that if a vaccine would prevent it? LOL
(My mother used to say, "The difference between a cold and the flu is that with the flu, you feel like you're going to die and kind of wish you would. ")
@laura-f Lalabella, When I saw your post that the vaccine was ready, (I had known it was going to be ready after labor day but forgot, so when you mentioned it in a post, I got right on line yesterday and found a CVS that would take me that afternoon, and went over yesterday and got the shot. No side effects except mildly sore arm and a tad achey. I learned to drink a lot of water before and after the shot and took an Ibuprofen at bed and woke up strong and clear. Am overjoyed to now be building antibodies for omicron and its cousins. I had gotten an antibody test last March two weeks after receiving a booster, and my antibodies were through the roof. :-)
Next week, I will go and get a flu shot. Maybe shingles too, but one shot at a time.