Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#21

Post by okareaman » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 12:54 PM UTC

danhak wrote: post #16

okareaman wrote: post #3

I'm a retired programmer who does ride sharing in Silicon Valley. I often pick up people at the San Jose airport. Sometimes they are coming in from China or Seattle. I live in a Chinese neighborhood. I gave a woman who couldn't breath a ride to the emergency room. When I got sick in February, I figured it was the flu, but now realize it was probably Covid-19 based on symptoms. I recovered nicely and have been quarant…

Would you mind sharing your age?

I'm 62 and very healthy according to my recent physical. No drinking, drugging or smoking.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#22

Post by Bootvis » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 12:57 PM UTC

rendall wrote: post #18

benrrio wrote: post #12

I have had a fever for a week and difficulty breathing. I have asked my doctor about getting tested for Covid19 and they have declined to test me because I don't meet the critical criteria: age > 60, around large groups of people, etc. I run in circles with someone that returned from Italy and has been confirmed to have Covid19. I'm assuming I have it. The fever isn't so bad for me but there have been a few times whe…

I would appreciate the advice about the old wives tale, even if I don't after all use it. I promise to upvote every supportive comment and downvote every mocking comment!

A good strategy in any situation!

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#23

Post by okareaman » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 12:57 PM UTC

cageface wrote: post #10

okareaman wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I don't like taking over the counter meds. The main thing is just get rest and try not to aggravate the coughing, which was a somewhat painful. I quit smoking last year, thank goodness. Chicken Noodle soup was really good for my sore throat and trouble swallowing.

From what I've read sore throat is relatively rare as a symptom of covid-19: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-sympto... Notably, the COVID-19 infection rarely seems to cause a runny nose, sneezing, or sore throat (these symptoms have been observed in only about 5% of patients). That doesn't mean you didn't have it, of course, but does suggest it might have just been a cold.

No, every cold I have ever had involved nasal congestion and runny nose. There was none for me. At the time, I remember thinking that it was unlike anything I had experienced before, which later led me to conclude it was Covid-19.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#24

Post by yamrzou » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 12:59 PM UTC

benrrio wrote: post #12

I have had a fever for a week and difficulty breathing. I have asked my doctor about getting tested for Covid19 and they have declined to test me because I don't meet the critical criteria: age > 60, around large groups of people, etc. I run in circles with someone that returned from Italy and has been confirmed to have Covid19. I'm assuming I have it. The fever isn't so bad for me but there have been a few times whe…

I'm also curious about the old-wives tale, you are not claiming it's a scientific fact and if it worked for you, it might work for others.

There is no reason someone mocks you about it, they will be downvoted as it's against HN guidelines.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#25

Post by ComputerGuru » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 1:02 PM UTC

cm2012 wrote: post #15

jsjddbbwj wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any major differences between this and the annual, regular flu?

Death rate is between 5x-25x higher, hospitalization rate even higher than that. Regular flu has a .01 death rate, Covid is at .08 right now in Korea and like 4% in Italy.

> Regular flu has a .01 death rate, Covid is at .08 right now in Korea and like 4% in Italy.

Dude. You can’t mix units like that. The flu has a 0.095% death rate, S. Korea’s current Covid-19 death rate is 0.7%, and Italy’s rate is around 5%.

You made both the flu and South Korea’s situation out to be ten times worse than they were.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#26

Post by thawaway1837 » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 1:05 PM UTC

benrrio wrote: post #12

I have had a fever for a week and difficulty breathing. I have asked my doctor about getting tested for Covid19 and they have declined to test me because I don't meet the critical criteria: age > 60, around large groups of people, etc. I run in circles with someone that returned from Italy and has been confirmed to have Covid19. I'm assuming I have it. The fever isn't so bad for me but there have been a few times whe…

Old wives tales can often be helpful. At the very least, they will probably be good at soothing symptoms.

The key is to (a) avoid stuff that could be dangerous (eating exotic stuff that may be potentially poisonous), (b) don’t use it as a replacement for actual proven treatments and what your doctor recommends.

The old wives tales I occasionally follow are stuff like having a ginger turmeric tea, something that would probably sell for $7/cup if a coffee shop put it on their menu.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#27

Post by playpause » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 1:07 PM UTC

cm2012 wrote: post #15

jsjddbbwj wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any major differences between this and the annual, regular flu?

Death rate is between 5x-25x higher, hospitalization rate even higher than that. Regular flu has a .01 death rate, Covid is at .08 right now in Korea and like 4% in Italy.

It’s worth noting Italy’s much higher death rate is because the hospitals are full, and this is likely to happen in other countries soon. The proportion of Covid-19 patients that require intubation is much higher than that of flu.

Several other European countries and the US are on roughly the same infection rate trajectory as Italy, just a few weeks behind. Unless they significantly slow it down, it seems likely their health systems will be overwhelmed too, and their death rates could start looking more like Italy’s.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#28

Post by styrmis » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 1:09 PM UTC

benrrio wrote: post #12

I have had a fever for a week and difficulty breathing. I have asked my doctor about getting tested for Covid19 and they have declined to test me because I don't meet the critical criteria: age > 60, around large groups of people, etc. I run in circles with someone that returned from Italy and has been confirmed to have Covid19. I'm assuming I have it. The fever isn't so bad for me but there have been a few times whe…

There can be wisdom in old wive’s tales or otherwise home remedies. As someone who knows very little about such things in relation to helping with breathing I would also be interested to hear what worked anecdotally for you.

Glad to hear that your Mother-in-law managed to get off the ventilator despite the odds.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#29

Post by jacquesm » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 1:09 PM UTC

okareaman wrote: post #21

danhak wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you mind sharing your age?

I'm 62 and very healthy according to my recent physical. No drinking, drugging or smoking.

Smoking is a very big indicator for having extra complications with diseases like these, you will need every bit of lung capacity that you've got.

Re: Ask HN: Have you been infected by Covid-19? What is it like?

#30

Post by AznHisoka » Sat, Mar 14, 2020, 1:18 PM UTC

benrrio wrote: post #12

I have had a fever for a week and difficulty breathing. I have asked my doctor about getting tested for Covid19 and they have declined to test me because I don't meet the critical criteria: age > 60, around large groups of people, etc. I run in circles with someone that returned from Italy and has been confirmed to have Covid19. I'm assuming I have it. The fever isn't so bad for me but there have been a few times whe…

“ There is only one thing I did that helped with the breathing but it fits in the old wife's tales category so I wont post it here since I don't want to be mocked for it. ”

Hearing this makes me both mad and sad that you think it will get you downvoted. And who cares if it gets you downvoted? Hearing personal health experiences is extremely valuable. It’s what I missed the most about the internet these days with most conversations moving away from forums and message boards.