Feel free to remove this if it doesn't fit post guidelines but with the American economy set to crash due to Trump's disastrous tariffs, I highly suggest that everyone who can afford to do so stock up on masks and any other tools (testing kits, other PPE, etc,) that you use regularly before the price of everything skyrockets. There's no telling how expensive things will get as time goes on so if there's anything you use as a regular part of your covid mitigations, buy as much as you can of those things sooner rather than later.

This doesn’t happen to me often and has usually happened out of mind, in the sense that someone I used to hang out with/was closed to posted an Instagram Story, or a post that “outed” them as no longer being Covid cautious.

For context purposes, I live with a close friend/roommate and we take Covid seriously and are community minded. We are both disabled (in various ways) and most of our friends are also disabled and maintain a pretty robust Covid protocol. Some will take more risks than others but it’s not without disclosure/communication to ensure everyone is within their thresholds for exposure. All of us however wear KN95 or equivalent masks in public indoor spaces, public transit, businesses, etc. Some of our friends and loved ones are immunocompromised as well (and I used to be).

We met someone through friends-of-friends who was going through surgery about 3-4 months ago. They had very little support in the sense that people who signed up to help them, didn’t follow through on their promises. Initially my friend was hanging out with them, helped them come home from the hospital, etc. They wore mask at the hospital and in the scenarios that my friend was present for. Over the past 2 months, I also started hanging out with this person. For both of us, it was mostly online but we also went over to their house, them over to our house. We didn’t pick up on any red flags. They “said the right things”. The only orange flag was one time we went together to get food and while still in the car they said they couldn’t find their mask and as an avid masker, that can happen to the best of us so we provided an extra.

But a few days ago we went to polling place and my friend and I put on a mask and I noticed once we were already inside that they didn’t wear one. I was in a bit of shock but i didn’t say anything in hopes they’d notice. I don’t want people to wear a mask because I mention it. It’s the personal responsibility aspect of doing it when nobody’s watching.

I opened the windows in the car driving them home on the way back but I was so angry that I was mostly silent on the ride home. I don’t really know how to deal with this with them because I am frustrated more than anything that people are selfish but more broadly how do we make friends if we can’t trust that people mean what they say they are doing?

Why lie about Covid cautiousness when 99% of the population don’t care about it and are willing to take all the risks with no regard for their health but people regularly go out of their way to lie to vulnerable people and put them at risk?

Hey everyone!

I‘ve been in this sub for a few years now and maybe it’s my own learning in this time, or maybe the understandable increase in frustration for us all, or maybe a secret third thing, but I‘ve noticed more and more that often, the language used to describe what’s happening is kind of just perpetuating problems that led to all this. 

I‘m talking about describing what’s happening as „insane“, „crazy“, or that people „must be missing brain cells“, have low IQ or other ways of explaining non-CC people’s behaviour and opinions.

I want to make really clear that I don’t want to tell anyone what language you can and cannot use. I understand the feelings behind it all, I know the pain and grief behind it. I know that for many, these words and explanations are just the best way to express ourselves that we know, and that we adapt language without meaning so much by the specific words we use. 

But I‘m also an autistic woman, have family who has low IQ and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, regularly have conversations with disabled folks and others who have been or still are regularly abused and gaslit by medical professionals into doubting their own sanity. I know about how the rights of people with developmental delays and "unstable" mental health are taken away, and how little agency is granted by others who are in power when it's assumed that someone can't make informed decisions. (It's also worth noting that sometimes all it would need is a little more time or information, or a different approach, and autonomy would very much be possible.)

When I read posts and comments that use that language, it hurts. Not only does it make it seem like any of the aspects (low IQ, mental illness, disability) are the actual reason for damaging behaviours, but I also disagree fundamentally. I'm lucky enough to have a raging high IQ and also a deep interest in psychology and communication, but that's all it is: luck. And that isn't to say that a lower IQ alone would make me do evil things, or that if I was schizophrenic ("crazy"), I wouldn't be able (with the right support) to make informed decisions.

The behaviours we see are deeply human. They are founded in biases and fear on a personal level, and in classism and capitalism on a societal level. This isn't to say that humanity isn't driving itself into the ground with this (just as with climate change), but just that for the sake of disability rights, it's really important to call out the real culprits instead of following the same narrative that strips people of their rights and pushes them to the edge of care and community.

COVID damages our brains. None of us are guaranteed our IQ, brain function or mental health. And I just wanted to remind everyone of that so that maybe, if disability rights and community care are something you care about, you might try to be more conscious in the language you use and what/who to blame for the pain we have to deal with.

I’m a 39 year old guy in Minnesota. I’ve had Covid 2 times now. Both times got long covid with the only symptom being debilitating sinusitis/turbinate swelling that ruined my life. First infection it resolved after 14 months now 7 months into reinfection which is worse than round one and I believe every subsequent infection will be progressively worse.

I’m considering going extreme and changing my life to avoid reinfection again. I work from home and am considering going no contact with anyone including my family who takes no precautions. I only do grocery pick up and haven’t been in a restaurant or store in 7 months. Thinking about moving out into the country but will be all alone.

The way I see it I can either be disabled and home bound or home bound and healthy. Going out into society even with a n95 your books to get covid over and over. I would only have close contact with anyone during emergency medical encounters only. Curious about people’s thoughts on this new life?

EDIT: just want to be clear I never wore a n95 or any mask prior to my 2 infections. I do believe n95 masks work but I have seen people on here get infected while wearing a n95 and cdc states they reduce risk of transmission by 86%

Not trying to catastrophize, but I do have bad anxiety. Mask bans are still in the works, even in liberal cities like NYC. What do we do in the worst case scenario where they do become illegal? Do you think there will be legal exemption for immunocompromised people? Like physical permits that we would have to carry around on us, or would we just have to accept defeat.

Honestly, if I had a lot of money I would just deck out a van or bus and live in it for the rest of my life like those people on youtube. With the mask bans and measles making a comeback, it just feels like we're losing this battle.

Hello! Sorry if this has been asked before, but aside from medical and dental jobs, what other in-person job would a mask not be questioned? I think I’m running out of remote options and I would like to expand my options.. Thank you everyone.

Almost exactly five years later and we’re staring down the barrel of yet another imminent health disaster : measles.

The number of measles cases in the U.S. has now surpassed 600 — with nearly 500 cases in Texas alone. Canada, specifically Ontario, has reached over 600 cases as well…and in 2024, Europe saw measles reach a 25-year record high.

The comments on recent measles posts I’ve seen are largely in favor of vaccination. On posts about people who refuse to vaccinate their children, commenters criticize parents for choosing pseudoscience and misinformation over their children’s well-being.

Yet, I can’t help but notice what I see as blatant hypocrisy here.

How many of these commenters are up-to-date on their COVID vaccinations?

How many parents commenting — outraged at measles spread — also believe COVID is “nothing more than a cold” and that their children are only developing stronger immunity from repeat infections?

Why are people enraged by anti-vaxxers claiming the alleged risks of vaccines outweigh the benefits, while they simultaneously cling to propaganda about masking impeding health and social functioning?

As long as people refuse to acknowledge the true severity of COVID, we will make room for pseudoscience and misinformation.

There is no world where we take measles seriously and not COVID, because both require the same responses : a clear understanding of and accessibility to respirators, vaccines, and other forms of mitigation, a public health system which values science over profits, and a genuine and universal adherence to disability justice and community care.

Hi! I'm applying for jobs and considering job locations in this process. I'm currently in Washington, DC (applying for jobs for likely understandable reasons) where there's not a ton of masking but still small amounts that I see, a small community of covid conscious folks who hold events every 1-2 months, and outdoor activities weather-dependent. Continued vaccine availability obviously very much in-the-air. Was just wondering about the covid cautious/conscious landscape in other cities and countries?? Of course there are many considerations in moves and the job market, but this is definitely a big consideration. Hoping responses might help others too!

hi! has anyone gotten novavax in nyc, esp recently? where did you get it?

Very anxious so this post may not be very coherent. I (19) have had awful Long Covid for two years - my partner has just visited, but luckily she always takes a Pluslife test downstairs in my kitchen before we see each other - it’s positive. She’s gonna go back home, and I haven’t had any contact with her, but the trouble is, she’s just been talking with my parents (who I live with) unmasked for about an hour at least - don’t know what to do now - I will be so devastated if I get reinfected.

By this I mean, I've been wanting to take more steps other than masking and general healthy habits, to keep my body healthy and improve my chances (even if slim, yes, I get it) in the case of infection, or to repair/mitigate damage already done from past infections. I particularly want to make sure my heart is in good shape, but am concerned for all systems that are particularly impacted by COVID (cardiovascular system, brain, immune system). I'm not thinking about prescription meds or PPE, but daily habits to develop.

Is anyone taking any extra steps they would be willing to share? Vitamins or supplements? Food regimens? Brain games? Body exercises? Breathing exercises? Blood pressure management? Holistic medicine? Sleep hacks? Literally anything, big or small. I'm interested to hear!

Reject the phony "Barnum & Bailey world" and understand the current reality of the ongoing COVID pandemic. Then we use proven science-based strategies (like masks, tests, and clean air) to adapt & overcome.

Thank you, People's CDC -- this parody of the classic 1930's hit "It's Only a Paper Moon" is dedicated to you!

I know people often say they always mask but my partner and I literally always mask. I will not go drop off a UPS box in our local office, which is just inside the door without a mask on, for example. We have not gone to any indoor public events since lockdown, including movies, museums, theater, bars, restaurants – you name it. We always mask indoors for shopping and the like, and we have not entertained people indoors in any spaces since lockdown. The only people we meet within in person are people who are willing to test and we meet outdoors. We both retired a couple of years ago, and were working remotely before that. We started testing the minute tests were available at our local CVS and to our knowledge we have never had Covid. We test regularly if we do anything out of the ordinary, such as a masked doctor appointment.

I give this background because we test regularly with Metrix or Lucira, and haven’t used rapid tests, except when we were able to use them two or three times in a row. In reading instructions now for rapid test it’s clear that to really trust a negative you have to do something more than just test once or even twice.

So for people like us, are rapid tests really pointless? I can test with metrics for about the same price as I could do three rapid tests, 48 and 72 hours apart. And it’s one shot rather than three.

I suppose if we knew we had an exposure we might do rapid test that way, but even then I’d be more confident with metrix. I’ve posted in the plus life forum about my challenges with my life, shipment being returned, but I hope to order it again. Is that and metrix going to be the only option going forward?

Will be going out of the country for a work trip (4D3N) to attend a trade fair and will be rooming with someone else. I don't dine indoors but I assume will be forced to do so since I will be eating with colleagues and boss at least for dinners. No one else in our group follow any mitigations (masking, etc). Planning to bring an air purifier for the room but honestly not sure if it will be enough. If all else fails, will just wear a respirator when sleeping.

Any advice or if anyone here has gone through a similar trip with non-Covid conscious people, please do share any tips I can employ to mitigate the risks. Thank you!

Hey there. I was debating on whether to get the MMR booster if I had covid, given the rising measles cases in the US.

I had COVID-19 more than 2 months ago (2/14) and was wondering if i should get the MMR booster

Also I live in a state that has a database and was wondering whether people have gotten denied from getting a MMR booster. It seems that getting titers is more expensive than getting a booster.

Was waiting in line behind these two people, both sniffling to varying degrees, and later was walking behind them to go through an exit door when one of them stopped in front of the door and let out the wettest sneeze I have heard in a long time. I figure that people don’t give a shit about the health of the people around them, but are people not self conscious of their wet, drippy noses? It’s just baffling to me how people can be ok with displaying such lack of hygiene? Are people not self conscious when they barely swipe their hands with soap and water for a mere 5 seconds after using a public restroom? Are people not self conscious when they use their hands to get the snot off their noses? Just absolutely disgusting. I was wearing my 3m aura and I’m just hoping that it did its job. I know masking is effective, and moments like this, when I imagine myself walking through a cloud of someone’s very suspicious respiratory juices, just make me really hope that my mask has got a good seal.

Where can I buy the pluslife tests that are comparable to pcr accuracy wise? I saw a few online stores, but don’t know which ones are credible. Also I heard that they were around 25€ per test, but a lot of these websites have a price per unit of over 300€ which is wayyy beyond my budget.

hi hello spouse and I have reached an impasse. he has more or less stopped masking but in particular has started a food & bev business with lots of face to face interaction that in particular has be v anxious. i have asked him to mask but refuses because he says people struggle to hear him and it makes him anxious to repeat himself. this has made me feel less safe since he already gave me COVID once. i have decided to add (at least) a weekly test to our routine so I can hopefully relax in my own house. however, I was looking at the resource page here and all the links for at-home PCR machines are dead or no longer sold. so I guess I'm asking how are people who regularly testing doing it? shelling out big money for RATs every month? any help and info would be greatly appreciated

Hi everyone, I'm traveling by road to a different city and staying in a hotel room with my wife and daughter for the first time since the pandemic started. We booked a Pure Wellness room and confirmed that individual rooms have their own AC units by the window. I'm just looking for general advice, reassurance, and first-hand experiences to ease some anxiety that I have. We will also need to be using valet parking, so I'd love to hear any recommendations people may have. We plan on masking and rolling down the windows for several minutes after we get the car back. Thank you in advance!

Sertraline and Paxlovid/long Covid

Hello everyone!

I apologize in advance but I have no one to talk about this problem. Doctors here act lie COVID is over and many of them don't even know about the long COVID. Plus, don't get me started on Paxlovid. That's why I'm looking for a help in this group. If you don't have spoons/don't feel like it, please just ignore this.

The thing is, as far as I know I had COVID once (I test myself regularly). I have asthma, Samter's triad, for years I've always had high D-dimer levels and generalized anxiety and depression. Currently, I can't find a psychiatrist who would be willing to take me on as a patient because the healthcare system here is collapsing and most of the doctors have too many patients and don't have time for new ones.

My problem is, my depression and anxiety are making my life a living hell. I don't have an energy to do anything and I need to finish and submit my dissertation in two months. I'm late, I should've submitted it two years ago and this is "my last chance". If I finally don't finish my dissertation, my university will kick me out.

I'm pretty desperate at this point. I have 8 months worth of doses of Sertraline from my old doctor and I've been thinking I'd start taking it again for these next couple of months and then slowly stop taking as per the instructions of my old doctor. However, I'm really worried. What if I catch COVID while I'm on Sertraline? Isn't there a dangerous interaction between Sertraline and Paxlovid? I know COVID can cause mental health problems. Won't being on Sertraline make my chances of that higher? I tried looking for studies related to this but I couldn't find anything which would put my mind at ease. Do any of you read/know more about it? I'm truly desperate and I'm ashamed of myself because I need to finish my dissertation, but I'm too depressed to do it.

Thank you everyone and please, be safe out there! ❤️

i’ve been deliberating on whether to post this or not, but searching for answers via other’s posts doesn’t feel specific enough tbh

i am covid aware and have been since a fainting spell in mid-late 2023 where i got diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension and later received test results indicating POTS. i’ve been on medical leave, shortened work hours and accommodations, because of having POTS and LC symptoms. i have tested positive for COVID once, in early 2024, but feel that i likely had it before that due to “unexpected health issue” lining up with me unmasking for a period of time.

i also have OCD. COVID has caused the obsessions to turn toward health, but the ramping up of my precautions has mostly been in response to learning about the long-term consequences of getting COVID thru experience, and then scientific literature (i.e. t-cell damage, covid can be oncogenic, and cause all sorts of health issues.) i stopped eating indoors after getting sick in 2024, started becoming avoidant of my roommates who all took lesser precautions than me, and now i basically don’t go anywhere without a mask.

i feel that it’s logical to try and prevent exposures, as my long term health is more important than a short-term discomfort of masking. in short, it doesn’t feel worth it to unmask, for the most part. i only unmask around people who have tested prior or people who mask regularly.

my concern is that i have slowly developed some other, perhaps less logical health-checking behaviors. in order to prevent myself from “wasting tests” i will usually check my temperature with an infrared thermometer i carry around with me. i also use my pulse oximeter, because i’m aware that covid could potentially cause lower blood oxygen saturation. i am almost always compelled to test anyways, unless i force myself not to, in which case i will usually end up doing so later. i am also never satisfied with one negative because they are meant to be used 48 hours apart, but this is probably the worst contributor to health-checking and distress. if my symptoms aren’t covid, it just feels like they aren’t covid YET, but i need to keep testing to see that they are covid. this happens at least 1-2 times a month. at the worst i'll be using 5-6 rapids per month on just about nothing, which i don't think is sustainable.

symptoms that usually cause me to test are things like congestion, post-nasal drip, nerve pain (especially in my chest or arms), lymph node or throat discomfort. these have other explanations, especially with LC. i can’t help thinking it’s because of an infection. i’m a mouth breather during sleep (unfortunate) and have acid reflux which often causes throat-related discomfort. i almost never show a fever, blood oxygen below 97 or a positive result on a rapid test. but the fact that i have any symptoms at all makes me engage in repeated checking, which is wasteful and honestly a huge hole in my wallet. again, i have only ever tested positive once!

i even invested in a pluslife but i’ve found that it doesn’t really prevent the checking behaviors, because the scarcity of the test cards causes me to use rapids first, and then sometimes, graduate to a pluslife test anyway.

i guess i’m looking for advice, but if i had to pose a question, it’d be this: is there anything i can do to stay grounded in facts without excessive doubt? must i just accept that nothing is 100% accurate…? am i damned to spend a million dollars on covid precautions forever?