Coronavirus: How dangerous a threat?

[Ultrairon]

IDK - Would we? Maybe Delta has been overrated & overblown, especially for healthy, fit people in society? As I detailed previously here, my 22 yr old son (21 yrs old at the time) & I survived Delta with overlapping cases this past Sept needing no medical intervention whatsoever. For my son, he experienced "cold" like symptoms that didn't slow him down one bit as he was able to keep his training going. My symptoms were similar to flu-like symptoms that slowed me down for a few days & was more of an annoyance than anything (no other immediate family members in the household to compare). And according to the MSM, a 60 yr old stiff like me should have died or at the very least been fighting for my life in an ICU ward (I'm sure CNN would love to a story on me. Lol).

So, is the Delta variant overrated & overblown? Or was it my superior fitness & health status not obese/overweight & not having any preexisting conditions that won the day? Or maybe my son & I experienced "memory B cells" in action with our adaptive immune system from prior infection from the original SARS-COV-2 that we both had way back in early February, 2020? Interestingly, neither one of us experienced any of the symptoms of the "SARS" component of the virus in either cases. And neither one of us have experience any of the "long Covid" symptoms that you hear about with other survivors. In fact, other than my post-traumatic OA, I've never felt better in my life. Either way neither one of us is very worried about "Omicron," or whatever other variant looms on the horizon.

And here's a fellow boomer who survived Covid with flying colors - a 59 yr old Ironman triathlete from NYC:

"Unvaccinated Ex-CRO-MAGS Singer John Joseph Says He Beat Omicron By "Investing" In His Immune System."

Unvaccinated Ex-CRO-MAGS Singer JOHN JOSEPH Says He Beat Omicron By 'Investing' In His Immune System

Former CRO-MAGS frontman John Joseph says that he beat COVID-19 by "investing" in his immune system. The 59-year-old, who is also an author, Ironman triathlete and proponent of a vegan, clean-living lifestyle, shared the news of his diagnosis in an Instagram video earlier today (Monday, December...

www.blabbermouth.net

It almost seems preposterous in this day & age of Covid fearmongering that anyone would want to invest in their immune system to fight off respiratory viruses. Lol.

I considered myself healthy and had a really rough experience with Covid. I do have asthma that I do not need any medication or inhaler for. During the time with covid I had to get an inhaler and roids etc. This was well before any of the other treatments were available. I have had the flu once in my life back in 2006 and the flu was worse for the fever / chills and body aches. Covid was worse with the respiratory symptoms. I never want either one of them again.

Out of the people I know who have had coivd 99+% all had similar experiences as you and your son. I did have one coworker who was mid 30's fully vaxed not booster (was not eligible due to 6 month wait) who was hospitalized with low o2 levels and he was extremely sick, still very sick. That was 2 months ago.

The graphs of data that I have seen show that being vaxed gives you the better outcomes. Either to avoid or to fight it off.

Agree about the media and the stories they chose to run. I also believe the hype about the Delta and now Omnicron was overblown. Last winter was really bad and their was no variant.

 

[jmdirt]

I agree with you about Nomad's post. But what needs discussing is that omicron seems to be replacing delta. All reports I am reading suggests that omicron is massively less virulent (dangerous). If proven to be true across the world this should be a cause for celebration by all of us. For example, let me recopy the article from Ultrairon:

Jubilant South Africa lifts curfew as Omicron wave subsides rapidly with minimal Covid hospital admissions and Delta killed off: 'Expect the same in other countries'

Optimism is growing rapidly in South Africa as Omicron wave of Covid infections seems to subside as quickly as it came.

www.cityam.com

Like I said just above, we don't know if it is less virulent yet, and there might be no way to tell because part of what is making it look less virulent is that people have protection now (vax/prior infection). You stated that it doesn't matter. I don't agree for several reasons, but most importantly, because people will drop their guard "oh, its just the flu now...". People who are still vax hesitant won't get vaxxed, and even some who got vaxxed but were 'iffy' won't see the need for boosters. Then we will be right back here in 3, 4, 6, 8 months.

EDIT: The article about S.A. sounds promising, but...

 

[Koronin]

The second part of this story talks about both the vaccines and Covid with cancer patients.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/covid-science-drugstore-rapid-tests-192631309.html

 

[Cookster15]

EDIT: The article about S.A. sounds promising, but...

I get the bit about vaccines. But can you elaborate on the S.A story? But what? That article includes quotes by people who should know. S.A. has very low vaccination - and yet cases have plummeted and hospitals are in no danger of being overwhelmed. I don't post to disrupt. I post to get answers to questions not being asked.

 

[jmdirt]

I get the bit about vaccines. But can you elaborate on the S.A story? But what? That article includes quotes by people who should know. S.A. has very low vaccination - and yet cases have plummeted and hospitals are in no danger of being overwhelmed. I don't post to disrupt. I post to get answers to questions not being asked.

But I/we have had several promising times in the last two years.

 

[movingtarget]

Very good news for the world, not just South Africa. A few western nations showing the usual covid hesitancy. I hope the UK gets held to account for prematurely placing South Africa on its red list causing economic losses.

But what is also very interesting is South Africa's vaccination rate which shows just 26.6%.

Google Search

According to a report I read somewhere, SA has a younger population than many countries and the previous high rate of infection gave them a certain amount of protection without vaccines. I'm sure researchers will have more to say about their situation soon.

 

[Cookster15]

But I/we have had several promising times in the last two years.

I just prefer to be more optimistic. Too much pessimism since this began. I can’t recall anything as promising as we see now.

 

[jmdirt]

I just prefer to be more optimistic. Too much pessimism since this began. I can’t recall anything as promising as we see now.

Here in the USA July looked pretty good. I'm a pessimistic person by nature, and a realist at heart so I'll have to hold my optimism for now. That doesn't mean that I'm not hoping for the best though.

 

[Oldermanish]

IDK - Would we? Maybe Delta has been overrated & overblown, especially for healthy, fit people in society? As I detailed previously here, my 22 yr old son (21 yrs old at the time) & I survived Delta with overlapping cases this past Sept needing no medical intervention whatsoever. For my son, he experienced "cold" like symptoms that didn't slow him down one bit as he was able to keep his training going. My symptoms were similar to flu-like symptoms that slowed me down for a few days & was more of an annoyance than anything (no other immediate family members in the household to compare). And according to the MSM, a 60 yr old stiff like me should have died or at the very least been fighting for my life in an ICU ward (I'm sure CNN would love to a story on me. Lol).

So, is the Delta variant overrated & overblown? Or was it my superior fitness & health status not obese/overweight & not having any preexisting conditions that won the day? Or maybe my son & I experienced "memory B cells" in action with our adaptive immune system from prior infection from the original SARS-COV-2 that we both had way back in early February, 2020? Interestingly, neither one of us experienced any of the symptoms of the "SARS" component of the virus in either cases. And neither one of us have experience any of the "long Covid" symptoms that you hear about with other survivors. In fact, other than my post-traumatic OA, I've never felt better in my life. Either way neither one of us is very worried about "Omicron," or whatever other variant looms on the horizon.

And here's a fellow boomer who survived Covid with flying colors - a 59 yr old Ironman triathlete from NYC:

"Unvaccinated Ex-CRO-MAGS Singer John Joseph Says He Beat Omicron By "Investing" In His Immune System."

Unvaccinated Ex-CRO-MAGS Singer JOHN JOSEPH Says He Beat Omicron By 'Investing' In His Immune System

Former CRO-MAGS frontman John Joseph says that he beat COVID-19 by "investing" in his immune system. The 59-year-old, who is also an author, Ironman triathlete and proponent of a vegan, clean-living lifestyle, shared the news of his diagnosis in an Instagram video earlier today (Monday, December...

www.blabbermouth.net

It almost seems preposterous in this day & age of Covid fearmongering that anyone would want to invest in their immune system to fight off respiratory viruses. Lol.

Yes and you ask if the risk is overblown or some "superior fitness and health...won the day?" in your lifestyle.

Or "maybe...": My Son is fairly fit, vaccinated and was, in my estimation; exposed to a risk environment he underrated. He appears to be done with Omicron but it could have been Delta. .

Keep not worrying about any of it because of "superior fitness and health..". I've already mentioned several tri-doctors that have suffered and several still have lingering affects. For the rest of the folks that need to commute and work a day among others I ask: do you really think pumping iron and substituting an extreme aerobic program is an option?

Your questions and experience are valid and worth discussion but IMO are not a prescription for general behavior by a tired and increasingly taxed populous. We'll see what comes from the New Year's celebrations and, hopefully, it's all an Omicron headache along with the champagne(ish) hangover and nothing more.

Happy New Year to the rest of Us!

 

[Unchained]

The second part of this story talks about both the vaccines and Covid with cancer patients.

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/covid-science-drugstore-rapid-tests-192631309.html

I read this and I know you are looking at it w personal interest that maybe not everyone understands. It is not good news to see that breakthrough cases effect an already vulnerable sub group. I hope that you and your family are plugging through the holidays as best you can,
The new variant is a game changer in my life, I don't think that I could have imagined anything positive from it's emergence,but I am wrong. One family close to me had 2 infections and previously they were strong anti- vax folks. The virus caused a sudden shift after they witnessed it up close and now the majority are getting vaccinated a complete shift from 2-3 weeks ago.

I returned yesterday and during holiday small talk with my neighbor, I asked about a good Christmas,she said that 2 of the 3 families she planned to spend time with came down w Covid and her plans were quashed. She had previously told me I was uninformed and her church encouraged protests,T-shirts and bumper stickers that say something to the effect of " vaccine is the mark of the Devil". After our brief exchange it sounds like she is expanding her thought on who,and how the virus effects.
The reason I include her in the post, she begged me not to get any vaccines because it would complicate my cancer treatment. At that time,I thanked her for her concerns and said I would ask my doctor if she thought I could forego my skin cancer treatment because of Covid vaccine side effects worries.I didn't ask my doctor about vaccine technologies adversely affecting my procedure..I have an 830 tomorrow and another appointment on January 28th..maybe I will ask then.
always praying for your husband by the way..

 

[djpbaltimore]

You should check what is happening in Australia - delta is ancient history and that is what the trained professionals are saying. The cases explosion is omicron. Hospitalisations are not exploding. Modelling in Australia has proven to be less than accurate and mostly extremely pessimistic. With very high levels of full vaccination not sure how hospitalisations can explode?

Well, delta is still very much around in the northern hemisphere. Worth remembering when discussing omicron in South Africa or Australia is that it is summer there. Very different conditions than it is here or in NYC. And the data suggests that children hospitalizations are very much increased in NYC and they represent mostly unvaccinated people. I mentioned the situation in Maryland recently. I don't think it is 'exploding' here, but it is worrying. And the higher the case count there is, the greater the likelihood that the immune naive will get infected.

Do you have a basic understanding of statistics?

I'm against the constant super-warnings myself, but no, just because you survived unharmed, doesn't mean everyone does, and no, it doesn't mean everyone who's healthy does. Dude.

Survivorship bias is real. People should read this article about how some people who thought they were healthy fared. Really eye-opening. A big mistake is how much we have compartmentalized the true horrors of covid.

Intimate portraits of a hospital COVID unit from a photojournalist-turned-nurse

Alan Hawes hopes his photos of health care workers and COVID patients will show the toll of this pandemic — and persuade the unvaccinated to get their COVID shots.

www.npr.org

 

[Nomad]

Keep not worrying about any of it because of "superior fitness and health..". I've already mentioned several tri-doctors that have suffered and several still have lingering affects.

Okay, so some experience lingering effects but I can counter that with the fact that many don't suffer any long Covid symptoms. Aside from son & I, a 48 yr old accomplished triathlete & good friend of mine who lives in my neighborhood had a bout of the Delta variant this past August. She had no previous exposure to the virus & was hit pretty hard sidelined for about 10 days or so before she felt significantly better. She told me even though it was the sickest she's ever been in her life, she needed no medical intervention and just "toughened it out." She said her recovery was 100%, no noticable lingering effects 4 months post-infection, and she's back in heavy training for a competition slated for next Feb.

I also know several bodybuilders/powerlifters at my gym who had Delta at various times over this past summer who say they've recoverd 100% with no lingering effects. Granted, these are all young bucks (20's) & friends of my son, but not one of them needed any medical treatment & experienced only mild symptoms. So, it's just "tit for tat" & we can go around in circles all day with this.

For the rest of the folks that need to commute and work a day among others I ask: do you really think pumping iron and substituting an extreme aerobic program is an option?

Of course not for the average person, but FFS how about improved nutrition & some daily exercise?

How Nutrition can help to fight against COVID-19 Pandemic - PMC

Currently Covid-19 pandemic is a leading challenge across the globe. It is mandatory to attain and maintain good nutritional status to fight against virus. Nutritional status of individual is affected by several factors such as age, sex, health ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Remember the vast majority of hospitalizations are people with at least one of four of these preexisting conditions; heart disease, hypertension, diabetes & OBESITY. This was established early on & hasn't changed. Why do you think the South was hit so hard during that massive Delta wave? The Southern states have the most outrageous obesity rates in the country!

And what pisses me off is you never hear the chief medical advisor to the WH, Fauci, talked about this obesity problem with Covid and encourage people to eat better, excercise and LOSE weight! Never over the past 2 yrs now does he ever mention this & encourage people to change. And he's an avid runner/fitness enthusiast himself! He would know the benefits of excercise & healthy nutrition - and since so many people worship him, he could have an influence on them to change! But instead he just continually fearmongers this virus pushing vaccines on every man, woman & child regardless of any other circumstances acting as if he's merely a foot soldier for the industry.

We'll see what comes from the New Year's celebrations and, hopefully, it's all an Omicron headache along with the champagne(ish) hangover and nothing more.

Not if the vax czar has his way - everyone will be too scared to celebrate. Lol.

Fauci says to cancel New Year's Eve parties, as millions struggle for normalcy nearly two years into pandemic

Fauci told CNN that the risk of getting the omicron COVID-19 variant at a New Year's Even is too high and Americans should stay home.

www.google.com

 

[Koronin]

I read this and I know you are looking at it w personal interest that maybe not everyone understands. It is not good news to see that breakthrough cases effect an already vulnerable sub group. I hope that you and your family are plugging through the holidays as best you can,
The new variant is a game changer in my life, I don't think that I could have imagined anything positive from it's emergence,but I am wrong. One family close to me had 2 infections and previously they were strong anti- vax folks. The virus caused a sudden shift after they witnessed it up close and now the majority are getting vaccinated a complete shift from 2-3 weeks ago.

I returned yesterday and during holiday small talk with my neighbor, I asked about a good Christmas,she said that 2 of the 3 families she planned to spend time with came down w Covid and her plans were quashed. She had previously told me I was uninformed and her church encouraged protests,T-shirts and bumper stickers that say something to the effect of " vaccine is the mark of the Devil". After our brief exchange it sounds like she is expanding her thought on who,and how the virus effects.
The reason I include her in the post, she begged me not to get any vaccines because it would complicate my cancer treatment. At that time,I thanked her for her concerns and said I would ask my doctor if she thought I could forego my skin cancer treatment because of Covid vaccine side effects worries.I didn't ask my doctor about vaccine technologies adversely affecting my procedure..I have an 830 tomorrow and another appointment on January 28th..maybe I will ask then.
always praying for your husband by the way..

Thank you. It is worrying that a vulnerable sub group are still very vulnerable.
I am going to address the bolded section. My husband's doctor had him get the booster the day he started chemo. He's had no complications at all from the vaccine. He's had the typical side effects and it took them about a month and a half to get the right medications to offset the side effects, but they are side effects that are expected.
We're halfway through the treatments and so far so good. The cancer is reacting well to the chemo and with his side effects minimized he's now starting to try to get some stamina and strength back.
Thank you, and praying for you with what you're going through as well.

 

[Nomad]

Desperation?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1473361517856927749

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1473361517856927749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1473361517856927749%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturalnews.com%2F2021-12-28-nyc-vaccination-teams-house-bribe-covid-vaccine.html

 

[Keram]

Desperation?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1473361517856927749

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1473361517856927749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1473361517856927749%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.naturalnews.com%2F2021-12-28-nyc-vaccination-teams-house-bribe-covid-vaccine.html

In Slovakia if you are 60+ you get 300 eur for booster.

 

[Oldermanish]

Okay, so some experience lingering effects but I can counter that with the fact that many don't suffer any long Covid symptoms. Aside from son & I, a 48 yr old accomplished triathlete & good friend of mine who lives in my neighborhood had a bout of the Delta variant this past August. She had no previous exposure to the virus & was hit pretty hard sidelined for about 10 days or so before she felt significantly better. She told me even though it was the sickest she's ever been in her life, she needed no medical intervention and just "toughened it out." She said her recovery was 100%, no noticable lingering effects 4 months post-infection, and she's back in heavy training for a competition slated for next Feb.

I also know several bodybuilders/powerlifters at my gym who had Delta at various times over this past summer who say they've recoverd 100% with no lingering effects. Granted, these are all young bucks (20's) & friends of my son, but not one of them needed any medical treatment & experienced only mild symptoms. So, it's just "tit for tat" & we can go around in circles all day with this.

Of course not for the average person, but FFS how about improved nutrition & some daily exercise?

How Nutrition can help to fight against COVID-19 Pandemic - PMC

Currently Covid-19 pandemic is a leading challenge across the globe. It is mandatory to attain and maintain good nutritional status to fight against virus. Nutritional status of individual is affected by several factors such as age, sex, health ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Remember the vast majority of hospitalizations are people with at least one of four of these preexisting conditions; heart disease, hypertension, diabetes & OBESITY. This was established early on & hasn't changed. Why do you think the South was hit so hard during that massive Delta wave? The Southern states have the most outrageous obesity rates in the country!

And what pisses me off is you never hear the chief medical advisor to the WH, Fauci, talked about this obesity problem with Covid and encourage people to eat better, excercise and LOSE weight! Never over the past 2 yrs now does he ever mention this & encourage people to change. And he's an avid runner/fitness enthusiast himself! He would know the benefits of excercise & healthy nutrition - and since so many people worship him, he could have an influence on them to change! But instead he just continually fearmongers this virus pushing vaccines on every man, woman & child regardless of any other circumstances acting as if he's merely a foot soldier for the industry.

Not if the vax czar has his way - everyone will be too scared to celebrate. Lol.

Fauci says to cancel New Year's Eve parties, as millions struggle for normalcy nearly two years into pandemic

Fauci told CNN that the risk of getting the omicron COVID-19 variant at a New Year's Even is too high and Americans should stay home.

www.google.com

Nomad; we in absolute agreement that most of the medical costs in this and other developed countries is due to self-inflicted neglect. We also agree the best course of action is always stay active and mindful of what you do to your body. It wouldn't be a stretch that US society has lost that sense of obligation to our family members and community to stay healthy. It's the best course of action.
Now comes the Pharma industry and they have identified afflictions aplenty that are lockstep with self abuse. They trademark an encouraging product name and build a marketing program that encourages you to "consult your physician..." and, my favorite they follow with the open-handed marketing hook: "if you can't afford (insert product here) we can assist you in....". Then the disclaimer runs in the background to soothing music so you almost don't hear "side-effects can include; blahblahblah....and death" The word death is never emphasized and you should have been put off by the side-effects anyway. Sheeeyut!

As for WH spokesfolks and their emphasis; I recall multiple occasions in both Presidential program presentations where maintaining health and identifying risk conditions as a practice were presented. It should be common sense now but like anything that people hear more than they want to the tendency is to ignore it. Worse yet; many seek alternative realities that endorse their abuse rather than curtail it. All I can say is the sh*t ton of taxes I've paid up to date adds to the sense that we are our own worst enemy and we're trying to spend our way out. I can't imagine how public health workers and officials get up each day and face the same challenge and stupidity.

I'm really looking for rays of hope but cautiously. That, because folks, including direct family take any sign of daylight and jump on a Disney cruise. Another holiday gone and unenjoyed because of that situation.

Keep fit. It's the best way to live anyway, right?

 

[djpbaltimore]

Remember the vast majority of hospitalizations are people with at least one of four of these preexisting conditions; heart disease, hypertension, diabetes & OBESITY.

And what pisses me off is you never hear the chief medical advisor to the WH, Fauci, talked about this obesity problem with Covid and encourage people to eat better, excercise and LOSE weight! Never over the past 2 yrs now does he ever mention this & encourage people to change.

Never?

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/dr-fauci-said-people-more-111512123.html

 

[Ultrairon]

Never?

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/dr-fauci-said-people-more-111512123.html

Now lets go find the mainstream media link where he tells the public? Not just on Hugh Hewitts radio show. Say like on Cnnnnn or msnbcccbeeSEA.
Fauci the anti obesity warrior? ROFLMAO not at all.

 

[Ultrairon]

These case numbers keep getting better. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-cases-per-day-jhu-ecdc?country=~ZAF

 

[Ultrairon]

Deaths are higher and the people in the USA can't even test at the pace of the UK? What is going on.

 

[djpbaltimore]

Now lets go find the mainstream media link where he tells the public? Not just on Hugh Hewitts radio show. Say like on Cnnnnn or msnbcccbeeSEA.
Fauci the anti obesity warrior? ROFLMAO not at all.

Are you suggesting that CNN has not discussed obesity and Covid?

Covid-19 death rates 10 times higher in countries where most adults are overweight, report finds | CNN

The risk of death from Covid-19 is about 10 times higher in countries where more than half of the population is overweight, according to a report released Wednesday by the World Obesity Forum.

www.cnn.com

He has called obesity an epidemic in this country. But he is not stupid enough to think that you can solve obesity on a time scale that is relevant to the mitigation of a virus. Unlike a vaccine. You all act like the people who won't get a vaccine as he has practically begged people to do will lose 100 lbs if just says the word 'obesity' on TeeVee. Beyond parody.

And he isn't the head of NIDDK, he is the head of NIAID.

This should be pinned to this thread.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1475872682830929924

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjySarlin/status/1475872682830929924

 

[Ultrairon]

Are you suggesting that CNN has not discussed obesity and Covid?

Covid-19 death rates 10 times higher in countries where most adults are overweight, report finds | CNN

The risk of death from Covid-19 is about 10 times higher in countries where more than half of the population is overweight, according to a report released Wednesday by the World Obesity Forum.

www.cnn.com

He has called obesity an epidemic in this country. But he is not stupid enough to think that you can solve obesity on a time scale that is relevant to the mitigation of a virus. Unlike a vaccine. You all act like the people who won't get a vaccine as he has practically begged people to do will lose 100 lbs if just says the word 'obesity' on TeeVee. Beyond parody.

And he isn't the head of NIDDK, he is the head of NIAID.

This should be pinned to this thread.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1475872682830929924

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/BenjySarlin/status/1475872682830929924

You found a link. They need to press it more than ever now. Instead they move along to bigger and brighter things like who will play Dr. Fauci in any upcoming movie or television series.

 

[Ultrairon]

From what I am reading and seeing many people getting covid this makes the 2nd and in some instances the 3rd time. I know some who had covid in March of 2020 and now are positive for covid again. That would mean for certain the immunity gained from previous infection does not last near 2 years. It seems the best you can hope for on infection immunity would be around 6 months? If that?

 

[Mayomaniac]

From what I am reading and seeing many people getting covid this makes the 2nd and in some instances the 3rd time. I know some who had covid in March of 2020 and now are positive for covid again. That would mean for certain the immunity gained from previous infection does not last near 2 years. It seems the best you can hope for on infection immunity would be around 6 months? If that?

I guess those who get it again might only have mild symptoms because their immune system already knows how to deal with the virus, but that's just my take.

 

[Ultrairon]

I guess those who get it again might only have mild symptoms because their immune system already knows how to deal with the virus, but that's just my take.

There was quite a bit of talk on natural pre-infection immunity before but I am beginning to think its not worth much. I agree with you that the cases seem to be milder. I only say that based on what my friends have said after getting it the second or third time.

I am so tired of this disease. I am planning to race a couple of marathons and an 100 miler and every step I take during this current training phase is cautious about getting infected. I don't want to derail my training. Selfish I know but its what I worry about.