God knows. Logically it would indicate the restrictions were working previously, but knowing our government it could all be crap anyway. Like how the death figures are 'died within 28 days of a positive test'. So if I go get hit by a bus tomorrow do I count? Not that I've reported it, only done an LFT. Still, deaths are down majorly so even with the high case rates we need to be back towards normal somehow.

Anyhoo, we're doing ok. Took our temperatures today and we don't have a fever or anything so that's good. Both feel ok in ourselves, just coughing and sneezing a lot. We sound way worse than we feel so let's hope that's going to be it, even if it lingers. Still sucks, no one enjoys having a cold and this feels like a bad cold. More worried about a friend who has just tested postive today because his 75 year old dad he lives with caught it from his steam railway he volunteers on. He's jabbed but he also had a stroke last year so not in great health. And then they also have his mum there who is very ill anyway so if she gets it... well who knows.

Satis, I think in your case giving me ice cream would make you feel better. Get rid of that evil dairy.

Some of them definitely were, but Omicron clearly is the game changer. The ICU numbers relative to the number of cases was astronomical with the previous iterations of covid, but they are pretty much consistently dropping since Omicron came along. Everyone's getting it but very few people are getting very seriously ill. It's the right time to let go of most of the restrictions imo.

I still wear a good mask on long trips on public transport or in very crowded indoor spaces when it's viable, but otherwise I'm kinda done with it. I've been extremely careful for 2 years, first because it was unclear what the virus did and then because I had a very vulnerable person in my family and I wasn't gonna cough covid on them if I could avoid it. I still am careful around that person of course but I'm done for myself. I want to get back to normal. I can't imagine I haven't already had a brush or several brushes with covid considering how widespread it seems to be...so fuck it.

Pev, how are you doing now?

Personally I think the masks in shops could stay in place since they don't actually inconvenience anyone (those exempt excepted of course), having a mask on for 20 minutes while you do the grocery shopping is not going to ruin your life, though I'm rather fed up of them but I also don't go out much due to the rest of my health issues so it's less of an issue. If you're in and out of shops every day it might get more annoying. But restrictions can't and shouldn't continue forever. I saw an article comparing some of the 'big' countries like UK, US, Brazil, China, NZ, Germany, France, Italy and the UK is the only one of them that has actually gotten rid of all restrictions (there were 3 but I forget what they all were, 1 was mask wearing).

I can see how it messes people up work-wise. Niall is self-employed so now restrictions for isolating are over he gets nothing for calling in sick. Which I think is fine because you don't if you called in sick for flu or a cold or a broken ankle if you're self-employed. But due to this he ended up going to London yesterday to take a stand down. He's feeling much better but he could well have infected people there or set himself back in recovery. Odds are anyone there isn't going to be vulnerable or they wouldn't be there working, or at least would be taking their own precautions, but it's a tough call for some. We're lucky in that we do actually save so Niall being off for 3 days once he tested positive hasn't exactly dented much but for those who are struggling already I can completely see why they feel they need to go into work even at the height of an infection.

Anyway I realise I never said I did indeed test positive the day after Niall, on Weds and rather strongly so, as the line was bold within 3 minutes meaning I was very infectious. Good job I didn't go to my hospital appointment (which I now have to wait until 27th April for, so nearly 3 months after my surgery, what a nuisance). We've both been fine with it really; other than the one night Niall was burning up in bed, neither of us have had a temperature and we've just been coughing, sneezing, and feeling tired. We both had one day where we felt exceptionally exhausted and lethargic but otherwise it's been more of an annoyance. You know how with a normal cold you just get annoyed for coughing and blowing your nose constantly? Niall sounds like he's coughing his guts up even with a regular cold so he sounds far worse than me but he's felt fine in himself for days and I've been feeling fine since yesterday. Still coughing and sneezing but less so. I can feel it on my chest a little, a pocket of wheeziness at the top but that's about it. I'm starting to drop my steroid dose; I've only been on the 80mg for 4 days so if I drop it sooner I won't have to taper so slowly and deal with withdrawal again but I have to be careful to bump it back up if needed. That's more hassle than actually being ill to be honest. Steroids are a pain in the arse.

We have both just done another LFT each as Niall potentially has to go down to London again this week to stay overnight and obviously his colleagues want to know if he's infectious or not before letting him in the van and hotel room! One has a wife who is recovering from multiple cancer treatments (though she's had covid and it understandably knocked her about) and the other one has a vulnerable wife too so they're being cautious. Both tests have the tiniest, faintest second line. Mine took 20 minutes to pop up this time so I'm pretty sure within the next day or two neither of us will be infectious at all. Just hoping there's no residual effects for either of us.

So update for all of you not living in the US or UK: in most European countries masks are now gone except in hospitals and pharmacies. No longer mandatory in supermarkets, buses, metros, trains, planes...or anywhere really. I still wear masks on long and busy train rides but otherwise I don't really bother anymore, except when I'm planning to visit my parents 2-3 days later.

Of course being the only person still wearing a mask on a train with 150 other unmasked people probably won't be very helpful, but y'know. I still haven't gotten covid yet as far as I know. It seems entirely impossible that I haven't been exposed to it several times already though - I've been at weddings, family gatherings, taken public transport, planes, been around my nephews and niece....and at work of course. Let's hope I'm just one of the lucky asymptomatic ones!

Shiny and I still wear masks when we occasionally venture into public (grocery stores etc). We're in the minority, but not alone. My mom, her dad and stepmom, and the two of us haven't gotten covid yet. Pretty much everyone else we know has. Looks like we're topping out a very small spike in the US right now. I really hope it drops to record lows in a month or so.

Hope you all stay lucky/are asymptomatic if you get it.

Niall and I recovered from it without long covid but it was weird. Niall tested negative on an LFT after about 6 days, I took until day 15, but both of us basically felt better since about day 5. Until 4 weeks after we'd caught it when it suddenly returned with a vengance. Up to that time we'd both had a very slight lingering cough but suddenly Niall got a really bad, hacking cough and had a fever which kept him in bed for 48 hours. I avoided the fever but got the cough. It was worse than the start of the infection. Lasted maybe 3 weeks before finally going. I actually ended up getting checked out as I had asked my endocrinologist about my steroids and how/when to drop the dose and she was concerned over my history of lung clots. Luckily the GP said my lungs were clear. Seems it's quite a common thing as I know a few people who had it mildly, felt they had recovered then 3-4 weeks later felt worse than they had initially.

My parents and Niall's mum have still avoided it too. His mum only goes out once a week, if not less, so no wonder she's ok and she wears a mask on the bus or in shops. Niall and I still wear masks in shops too even though we don't have to. For 15 minutes I'd rather that, especially as people round here have always been gross and don't mind coughing or sneezing all over you. My parents being in the middle of nowhere are generally going to be safe and they still wear masks in shops too (I'm pretty sure they still have to down where they are).

Dad is coming over on Weds (first time in 3 years) so hoping he doesn't catch it on the plane or in the airport. Especially without Mum with him to nag him; he constantly got told off for forgetting to put his mask on as he entered the supermarket for most of the pandemic. And then hoping I don't pick it up as I'm flying back over with him (first time in 4 years!) when he goes back.

I wish you the best in your visit with your dad, and certainly hope nobody comes down sick as a result. I hadn't heard of the resurgent covid thing, where you get sick again a few weeks later. That sounds like amazing fun! Stay safe.

Oh yeah, great fun haha. Thanks Satis, I'm sure it will be like every family visit ever; amazing for the first few days then drive me crazy for the rest

Yea, sounds like my family. Love my sister... everything else is a chore. Good luck regardless.

Well we can ditch the theory that I'm immune. My wife caught covid again last week, roughly 5 and a half months after her previous infection. And yesterday i tested positive as well. Had a very feverish night, feeling pretty okay now. I'm tired but that's partly because i didn't sleep well the last 2 days.

So i'm not a superhuman after all.

Don't rule that out yet, as we all know super beings tend to have some sort of weakness.

You never know, the covid infection could be the catalyst to make him a superhuman. CovidMan! He's gained the ability to... err... develop a high fever and body aches at will.

Oh no J! Hope you and the wife are feeling better now.

Just got back from France yesterday. Virtually no one was wearing masks on either plane journey, each time there was me and maybe 2 others (around 200 passengers). But there's a big difference in France. Probably 90% of people are still wearing them in shops, whereas in the UK there's virutally no one with them anymore. And it's no longer law in either place.

Dad avoided it thankfully. He went up to see his sister who is in a home while he was in the UK. He stayed with his niece and they both caught something, but he tested 3 times and it wasn't covid. A very nasty cold though, he's just about getting over it now (2.5 weeks on) so parents are still 100% covid free so far.

Yeah the worst part is over, but i can't believe how easily fatigued i get now. Like if i walk 10 minutes from work to my car, i'm exhausted. It doesn't help that it's 30 °C out here, but just today i fell asleep watching television at home, just tired as fuck.

I wasn't in great shape, but this is ridiculous. Will take a while to get it out of my system. And no other superhuman powers detected either.

Ha, guess I'm in the lead then. My superpower of making stupid mistakes and totally inappropriate comments is as strong as ever .