I worked with a woman with Bell’s palsy that was permanent. Glad to hear it usually isn’t.
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If it was permanent, it was probably caused by a stroke. I think we technically call that facial paralysis something other than Bell’s palsy, but I can’t remember what exactly (maybe just “facial paralysis secondary to ischemic stroke” 
) I think it might be part of the definition of Bell’s palsy that it’s transient? I need to go re-up my stroke eval credentials, clearly. I’m drawing too many blanks.
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Y’ALL. An old friend of mine has a tiny preemie. He is I think over 5 months now but still very small and was in the NICU longer than they hoped. Then they found out he has craniosynostosis- the bones of his skull are prematurely fusing- and he needs surgery on his skull.
THE POOR BABY HAS COVID. He and his three-year-old brother are both symptomatic. The rest of the family (2 adults and 2 teens) is vaxxed and boosted. The surgery is time-sensitive and has to be postponed, of course.
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Fuck. That is so shitty.
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OMG, that poor kid and family.
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(drama + grace)I’m sorry; I bet your friend and their family are so worried!
I don't know if it helps, but
This is happening a lot where I am. Timing can be important for a “perfect” result, but needing to change the plan is something the craniofacial teams around the country have discussed and planned for in the past couple years. The plan might be a little different over the next year than it would have been, but the long-term result will likely be the same.
I hope everyone remains asymptomatic or super mild and that baby and brother get over their symptoms soon 
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No one can get rapid tests here even though there is a factory 10 minutes down the road producing them at a rate of 100 000 per day. All for export. Wtf is our government doing?
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I had it as a teenager, and I think I’ve been slightly less symmetric ever since, but otherwise recovered in several weeks. In my case we traced it back to a flu that had leveled my family a couple weeks prior (like we were all sick in bed, no one died!)
Anyway… Always seems unfair to me to count Bell’s Palsy or Gilliam-Barre as vaccine side effects. Like, technically? But any virus can trigger it, even common cold. And I’m not certain but I expect probablility is higher from an actual infection.
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Yes and no… I think what we need to do is teach people that these are side effects that can also occur from the disease itself, and the frequency, and how to get help if it happens.
A HUGE driving force behind the overall antivaxx movements is people who’ve seen loved ones have scary vaccine responses and haven’t been listened to or supported.
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Absolutely this. This is the stuff that makes for great public health systems. If you have it happen or a friend of a friend but you hear it’s temporary, they’re hugely well supported and listened to, that the treatment was managed with nuance and empathy, people feel safe and get their vaccines.
Otherwise they don’t, because the trust is broken.
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UK says they’re ending free lateral flow tests and umm…that the pandemic is gonna last 6 years. (Can only find the BBC free shot of the article, it’s from the Sunday Times)
The distribution of free lateral flow tests [in the UK] could end as part of a government strategy to start living with Covid, according to the Sunday Times. The paper says Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce new plans within weeks, with free tests potentially only being provided in high-risk settings, such as care homes, hospitals and schools, and for those with symptoms. The paper quotes a Whitehall source as saying: “I don’t think we are in a world where we can continue to hand out free lateral flow tests to everybody.”
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Please no. nO
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I can’t in good conscience “like” this. 
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Cousins husband stuck in Egypt because he has covid. Cousin just recovered from covid and all her 3 kids under 7 just tested positive. It is a nightmare.
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I mean… obviously bojo is very wrong.
And I haven’t looked yet.
But the sense of ridiculous availability of tests and the (ineffective) strategy of test and play, including.mass events…that needs tweaks
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I’m so sorry.
I agree. The test-and-play method is not working for this variant. Like, I get tested annually for TB (as do most health care workers and immunosuprressed people) but I don’t get tested every single week for TB. As covid is endemic, we gotta figure out new solutions.
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I got a notification that I was exposed to covid on Monday or Tuesday and should get tested. My rapid home tests seem useless because I don’t have symptoms. Kaiser doesn’t seem to have any appointments and wait times for results are 2-5 days. Any brilliant ideas? I obviously mask in public anyway except for eating in the lunch room at work. It doesn’t seem worth getting tested.
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I know there are some drive up test centers around that friends have used. I think one might be at Jeffco fairgrounds? Some require appointments and others don’t, but that’s as much as I know. Friends had appointments for a rapid test a few weeks ago and waited for their results 30min-ish before coming to dinner at our house
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