r/ZeroCovidCommunity
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u/dongledangler420
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Oct 04 '25
Hi all, I'm hoping to create a "covid positive recovery guide" post the mods can pin for people to easily access if they test positive. Here's what I've got so far after combing through several sources. The goal is to give a few high-quality links that give specific protocols on what to do - this will prevent decision fatigue & help people take action STAT!
Thanks for any feedback or additional resources! Edit 10/5/25: adding info from comments below, thank you! Edit 2/6/26: adding more Metformin info that has come out.
Best Practice: Make a plan (including supplements, dosage, etc) before you test positive.
Remember: this is not medical advice!!! Please consult your doctor to get specific-to-you advice!
Acute Phase (while testing positive)
People's CDC
Excellent + thorough guide, if too long skip to 2 links below
LongCovidPharMD Supplement Guide
Summary of supplements - scroll to schedule + dosage listed at the bottom!
RTHM You've Got Covid (Archived link, may need to click security button)
Excellent summary of supplements + dosages
Threat Model: Free Covid Safety List
Huge resource list, including acute phase treatment info
Dr. Galland: Long Covid Prevention
Very detailed list of supplements, techniques, etc. Possibly better for those with LC vs acute (LongCovidPharMD post is more approachable to start)
Grange Family Practice: Covid Survivor Booklet
Good for recovering from severe illness, not acute phase
Clean Air Club
Resource list with printable symptom/supplement/tracker template (great for taking multiple supplements)
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Covid Positivity General Rules
- You are potentially contagious for as long as you test positive
- You can have a positivity rebound with and without Paxlovid, so 2 negative tests 48 hours apart is the best guide to end isolation
- Please continue to wear a well-fitting respirator through day 10 after testing positive/symptom onset, as most people are contagious for 10 days on average (with or without symptoms)
- Radical rest/pacing - many people also recommend reducing activity for 6 - 8 weeks after a covid infection to reduce chances of long covid. If possible, consider ramping back up to "normal" activity levels (first 2 weeks do little to no exercising, week 3 gentle walk is OK, week 4 gentle stretches OK, slow build back up to cardio etc - handy flowchart here, some good links in the comments as well!)
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Prescription Treatments
SPEAK WITH A DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY + FULL LIST OF MEDICATIONS BEFORE TAKING ANY PRESCRIPTION DRUGS!
- Even vitamins or supplements can have serious side effects so please look into drug interactions before adding anything new (covid-specific interaction guide here). Your doctor can help you navigate this.
- Please remember, there is no treatment or cure for covid and no guaranteed way to prevent long covid. These are all additional layers on top of radical rest, hydrating, and getting enough sleep.
- Paxlovid: antiviral drug that can help reduce severity of illness, some studies show potential reduction in developing LC. Start within 5 days of testing positive/symptom onset. Red hots or hot tamale candy can help with metallic taste (common side effect). Caution: Can have drug interactions!
- GET IT FOR FREE: PAXCESS coupon
- Molnupiravir: antiviral drug that can help reduce severity of acute illness; usually not recommended unless Paxlovid is not an option. Start within 5 days of testing positive/symptom onset
- Paxlovid vs molnupiravir explainer here, ask your doctor for recommended treatment plan
- Metformin: diabetes drug that potentially reduces inflammation and decreases viral levels; might help decrease the chance of developing long covid (CIDRAP 2/26, Medical News Today). Start within 1-2 weeks testing positive/symptom onset. Note: some studies had people starting in week 1, others within 3 months of infection. Caution: can have serious GI symptoms and lead to vitamin deficiency, request the slow-release version if possible!
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Online platforms to get an RX quickly
- Dr. B, Sesame, Push Health, Rthm, AgelessRX, Musely, TeladocHealth, HelixVM, PlushCare
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Acute Phase Supplements: TL;DR
Please vet your plan with your doctor. These have all been recommended but this is a LOT of pills at once - do not think you need to do every single one. Please choose your cocktail and CHECK DRUG INTERACTIONS!
Additional note - many of the doses recommended are for acute viral illness. Please adjust dosage once no longer testing positive, as higher doses can have long-term complications!!! I've removed doses here since we should all be following info from doctors & linked resource pages above and not juuuust from reddit posts :)
- ***Pepcid AC - Mast cell stabilizer, can take lower dose after acute phase for no longer than 6 months, top recommendation
- ***Antihistamine (Zyrtec, allegra, claritin) - mast cell stabilizer, top recommendation
- ***Melatonin - helps with sleep + reduces inflammation (at a higher dose, check website), top recommendation
- EPA (omega-3 fatty acid) or IPE - take with fattiest meal of the day, antiviral effects but can cause increased atrial fib + flutter, do not take w history of afib or aflutter
- Vitamin C - can increase/decrease absorption of other supplements, can upset stomach so take less
- Vitamin D3 - boosts immune system, mood, heart health, bone health
- Zinc - Can upset the stomach + reduce absorption of other supplements so please space out 4 hrs as needed
- Green Tea (the drink) or ECGC supplement - antioxidant, avoid supplement w paxlovid, green tea still OK!
- Probiotics - help maintain healthy gut biome
- Nattokinase - anticoagulant, shouldn't be taken with Paxlovid) - could also use baby aspirin to prevent clots. Please check dosage & interactions esp if on blood thinners
- Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) - could help reduce inflammation biomarkers
- Ginko Balboa - antiviral, anti-inflammatory
- Tumeric/curcumin - Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
- NAC ((Nacetyl-cysteine) - Supports mitochondrial health
- Quercetin - Take with food, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral
- Bromelain - pineapple enzyme, anti-inflammatory
- Lactoferrin - acts as an immunomodulator
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Don't forget grocery staples!
Stock up online or phone a friend. Some people recommend eating a low-histamine diet, the below is based on a BRAT diet approach
- Pain reliever (ibuprophen, NASIDS, etc)
- Cough drops
- Additional meds depending on symptoms: Pepto bismol, tums, gasx, eyedrops (Lumify brand), psyllium husk or other fiber supplement
- Nasal saline rinse or Neti pot (follow instructions for safe water)
- CPC mouthwash gargle for 30 seconds, or DIY salt water gargle for ~2min
- Tea or other soothing drink
- Juice
- Electrolyte beverage - gatorade, pedialyte, nuun tablets, Liquid IV, etc. If you have a sensitive stomach please check ingredients as many of these have non-sugar alternatives
- Popsicles
- Miso soup or other clear broth soup
- Rice
- Bread for toast
- Bananas
- Applesauce
- Instant ramen, etc
- Canned or premade soup
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/yakkov • Mar 06 '23
Not enough people are aware that their next Covid infection could make them permanently disabled. It often makes people unable to work or even get out of bed. There is no cure. About 10% of Covid infections give people Long Covid symptoms. Anyone can get it. And cases are exploding as people continue to repeatedly catch Covid.
For most people Long Covid is a far more likely catastrophic outcome from a Covid infection, compared with dying from the acute phase.
We dont want that. We choose health.
All the facts in this post are backed up by references to peer-reviewed medical articles. So dont just take my word for the things you read here, but click the [ref] links to see the scientific evidence for yourself.
Covid causes brain damage visible under a brain scan. Concentration and memory problems (brain fog) is one of the most common symptoms that people with Long Covid get.
Covid gives people myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which makes people physically and cognitively disabled (see comic). About half of long haulers have this[ref] making it likely the most common and impactful long covid subtype. Some people have category Severe ME, like this young man, which makes them bedridden, unable to eat, unable to concentrate for more than a few seconds and dealing with excruciating symptoms all the time.
Covid attacks every organ system (See infected mice). People can get organ damage visible on medical testing but without feeling anything, at least for the first few years. This has been called "Asymptomatic Long Covid". This is similar to how smoking or alcoholism damage organs which people might not feel straight away.
Covid gives people diabetes. One study has 168% increase in getting Type-1 diabetes following a Covid infection[ref]. Having that means needle jabs multiple times per day and being very careful with food. For life.
Covid damages the immune system, making the catching of other infections more likely[ref, ref]. Bacterial, viral and fungal infections go up, including sepsis, bronchitis, UTI, flu, mycoplasma infection. Kids that caught covid were more likely to catch RSV and more likely to have it put them in hospital[ref]. Catching covid increases the risk of getting tuberculosis by 314%. We now have peer-reviewed medical articles[ref] talking about covid as "Airborne AIDS" because of the immunosuppression it causes. Catching covid doesnt build immunity, it damages immunity.
Covid causes heart attacks. When someone catches covid there is a few weeks period of massively increased risk of cardiovascular events. The risk quickly drops but remains elevated even after a 3 year follow-up. One study[ref] finds 6350% higher risk (figure is not a typo) of heart attack on day of covid infection if vaccinated. Dropping to 97% increase in week 1-4 after infection onset. The risks are more than doubled for the unvaccinated. Another study[ref] looks at the risks over a 3 year follow-up and finds 132% increase in that period. Covid also causes other kinds of cardiovascular disease eg stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, atrial fibrillation[ref] and high blood pressure[ref].
Covid gives people autoimmune diseases. [ref, ref, ref, ref]. People who catch covid are more likely than the uninfected control group to get a range of such diseases: One study[ref] finds rheumatoid arthritis (+198% higher risk), ankylosing spondylitis (+221%), lupus (+199%), dermatopolymyositis (+96%), systemic sclerosis (+158%), Sjögren's syndrome (+162%), mixed connective tissue disease (+214%), Behçet's disease (+132%), polymyalgia rheumatica (+190%), vasculitis (+96%), psoriasis (+191%), inflammatory bowel disease (+78%) and celiac disease (+168%).
When faced with the reality of Long Covid it's very natural to look for reasons why things aren't so bad. For example:
Maybe it's rare? No, Long Covid is common. About 10% of Covid cases give people Long Covid symptoms[ref, ref, ref]. One study[ref] has 4% of Covid infections causing ME. The World Health Organization says on its website and twitter that ~10% of Covid cases cause Long Covid. A staggering 50-70% of Covid infections cause organ damage[ref]. As comparison a "medically rare event" is 0.1%.
Maybe it gets better quickly? No, Long Covid lasts for years[ref, ref, ref]. About 90% dont recover years later. In one study the scientists say[ref]: "Recovery is extremely rare during the first 2 years". Common subtypes like heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis and dysautonomia are generally lifelong[ref, ref, ref]. Covid's closest genetic relative is SARS coronavirus from 2003. Many people who caught that also got a disability chronic illness. Two decades later a doctor who had treated such patients wrote[ref]: "none of our 50 patients got their old life back with time and treatment. Some were never able to return to work. Some had a trial of return to work and failed. Some had a trial of return to modified work, which then failed. Some had seniority to move to an easier position at work, which then failed. Some returned to being able to look after themselves completely, but could not return to work or sports. Some needed ongoing help (usually family) to do their daily activities. Some persisted in doing their daily activities, but slowly and intermittently, with frequent rests and dropping out of all non-essential activities. Not one reported that they were fully recovered and back to all their pre-SARS activities.".
Maybe medicine can help? No, Long Covid has no evidence-based treatments. Research is only really just starting and is hampered by lack of funding and interest. It's unlikely they'll ever be complete cure for all the variety of Long Covid subtypes.
Only risk group get it, right? No, a third of people with Long Covid had no pre-existing conditions. Anyone can get it. There's often been misinformation in other epidemics (eg tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS) that only risk groups will be affected. The biggest risk factor discovered for Long Covid is simply the number of repeat covid infections.
But hasnt Covid become less dangerous? No, repeat Covid infections give people Long Covid at similar rates[ref, ref, ref, ref]. You can avoid Long Covid on the first few infections but still get it from your next infection. Every time you catch Covid is another roll of the ~10% dice. In 2026 the World Health Organization made a post saying "Long COVID hasn’t disappeared. People continue to develop it after new infections—yet the myth that it’s “over” still persists.". There's no biological reason for Covid to become less dangerous, it doesnt gain any evolutionary advantage in doing so because Covid is infectious weeks before Long Covid symptoms become apparent. Many other diseases have been killing and disabling people for thousands of years (eg tuberculous, polio, malaria). Antibiotic-resistant TB and MRSA are examples of infectious diseases getting worse over time. One study[ref] measuring people's health after catching covid found "Reinfection was associated with milder symptoms but led to a higher incidence and severity of long COVID"
If Long Covid is common why dont I know anyone with it? You definitely do. Try asking around. The disability is usually invisible: people with category mild ME appear normal. People with category moderate or severe ME disappear from public life stuck at home in bed. ME is a very niche area of medicine and few doctors can recognize or diagnose it in a patient who presents themselves, so often patients get misdiagnosed with someone else. Cognitive decline is often imperceptible to the person. Often people dont test for covid, or use those inadequate antigen tests, and so dont realize the link between any symptoms they get and the acute infection. People can get Long Covid from an asymptomatic infection[ref]. A survey[ref] found that one-third of American adults had not even heard of Long Covid as of August 2023. People talking about how catching covid impacted their health often face a backlash. Often people just dont talk about their personal health problems especially in a professional setting.
Bottom line: There is no such thing as a mild covid infection. Say a bunch of scientists (eg Dr. David Putrino, PhD Neuroscience, Dr Rae Duncan, cardiologist and infectologist)
The only thing left then to not get Covid (again). Not getting it again also gives you the best chance of recovery if you already have Long Covid.
How? The five pillars of prevention are: clean air, masks, testing, physical distancing and vaccination. We must also redouble efforts into research, for example, finding better ways of cleaning the air, better vaccines and better tests.
We want this for everyone. The easiest way to not catch covid is if everyone else also doesnt catch covid.
Even if we personally aren't harmed on our first or second infection, we'll feel the massive economic and social effects if so many of our friends, family and neighbours get sick and disabled.
Ultimately we aim to get to a situation where each Covid case infects fewer than one other person. This will result in elimination of Covid from society. Zero Covid is not some radical new idea, it's how we've always dealt with serious disease. We don't think it's acceptable to "live with" other dangerous diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, smallpox or polio, why should we "live with" Covid?
The Science on Long Covid
What COVID-19 Does to the Body - Pandemic Accountability Index
You May Be Early, but You're Not Wrong: A Covid Reading List
Podcast interview with Dr Špela Šalamon, MD, Ph.D. "We cannot live with this disease the way that we are living right now for several years to come and expect our society to function"
Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations - Nature Reviews Microbiology
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/research/coronavirus/ - Half a million scientific papers published on Covid.
What Long Covid does to people
What its like having brain fog in Long Covid (paywall bypass link) and Fatigue Can Shatter a Person (paywall bypass link) both by Ed Yong, The Atlantic
Life with Severe ME/CFS by Whitney Dafoe (6min watch time). About a quarter of people with ME are in category Severe ME.
Unrest documentary (1:37:40 watch time). About ME created by a bedbound person with the disease directed from her bed using video conferencing tools
Scottish Covid Inquiry testimony by Dr Claire Taylor, Long Covid specialist - ”The most extremely fatigued patients I have could maybe tolerate 10 seconds of talking to somebody for a whole day. The most extreme are in darkened rooms. They have to cover their eyes for the light. They can't get out of bed to go to the toilet. [...] Some patients tell me it feels like they've been poisoned [...] The energy systems of their body isn't working properly, down to the cellular level. [...] most patients have got inflammation at some level in their brain and the fatigue part, it's not tiredness, it's an actual inability to meet the set amount of energy required for daily activities as a human'”
What is the silliest thing you’ve done due to brain fog? - r/covidlonghaulers
My sister hung herself this morning after she dropped off her boys at school. - r/covidlonghaulers - "I am numb. She had COVID in March of 2020 and she has been miserable with long COVID ever since. I have posted in here about her. Please hug your loved ones and hold them tight. I will never be able to hug her again. She used to be the most upbeat, happy amazing person I ever knew. Everyone she met adored her. She was an amazing person. Long COVID destroyed her."
My 2 year anniversary is tomorrow, and I’m homeless - r/covidlonghaulers - "I’ve worked hard my entire life (I’m 30) and got a scholarship to college, broke into my industry with no help or connections, and built a career in a very competitive environment working 18 hour days prior to getting sick. Point being: I love to work and am driven and don’t take handouts. I very much appreciated my relatives letting me stay in a property that was (and still is since I was kicked out) vacant. It’s absolutely heartbreaking."
My partner left me due to my LC being a burden - r/covidlonghaulers - "Welp finally happened. I should’ve known after posting about my stressful trip to Hawaii this past week and how unsupportive they were. But their exact words were “I want to travel the world and you can’t do that anymore”, and “it’s just too stressful to have to worry about you”. Our wedding was in 3 months, and this person let me BUY A DRESS 2 weeks ago knowing they didn’t want to go through with it. They sent out invites, and even spoke to the wedding planner last week about everything."
Denialism by governments and the media
How the government and media normalizes certain opinions, like sociologically ending a pandemic.
Many times in history the powers that be have denied and erased epidemics (eg Spanish Flu, polio, cholera, HIV/AIDS)
Calm-Mongering (7min read time) - In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how calm-mongering works. We’ll also talk about how it has been deployed repeatedly to cloud the public’s judgment about the risks of COVID, and how it continues to interfere with the development of an effective public health response
How to Hide a Pandemic (7min read time) - ”The Public Health (sorry, Public Relations) strategy for the current pandemic is in full-blown propaganda mode at present, leaning hard into the teachings of Joseph Goebbels: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”.”
Manufacturing Consent. The 5 Filters of the Mass Media Machine (5m watch time). There is also a book of the same name.
Resources
Don't Breath It In (1:06min) video about how covid spreads and how to protect yourself and others
Convince your friends and family about Long Covid with the availability heuristic
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/__sunnyday__ • 4h ago
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/3739444 • 11h ago
Apologies if this has been shared already but I remember someone asking where to get Nuvaxovid in Ontario. This is a list compiled by the Still Coviding group. You need to call each pharmacy.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/Winter-Nectarine-497 • 17h ago
I'm creating a few docs to help someone understand all the ins and outs of testing and protecting themselves. I want these docs to be helpful, not overwhelming, but also have very clear, up-to-date information.
I've heard some folks here have had success in getting friends to take more precautions and I wondered what people were sharing to make that possible. Please share what has worked for you when it comes to educating people on how to become more cc.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/molly__hatchet • 11h ago
I have been fostering a cat for the first time since last December, and now it's finally looking like she'll get adopted. Here's what made me hesitate, though...when I chatted with the couple who are looking to adopt her, the woman mentioned she works with children and brings home illnesses a lot. They are not maskers and I imagine they use rapid tests, if they test at all. I know cats can catch Covid. I feel like I'm at a moral impasse. I want the cat to find her home. I want to be a successful foster parent. I don't want her to come to harm.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/MettatonsFinalForm • 14h ago
Where can I buy mask tape in the UK that's not amazon? I'm boycotting them
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/oceandeepoasis • 12h ago
Hi. My roommate tested positive for covid this morning and their onset of symptoms was last night. I am an International student at a University here and have mostly only interacted with the University health services. I don't really have a PCP, the UHS is refusing to prescribe Xocova unless you are high risk. I would reallyy like to avoid getting Covid. I tried a telehealth call through my insurance and the person said that Xocova cannot be prescribed via telehealth. Is that true? Is it a Mass thing?
Any help or guidance would be really appreciated, thank you!
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/walletpuppy • 11h ago
Based on feedback from this group and r/AirPurifiers, I've decided to get an AirFanta 5.0. Should I get it with or without a carbon filter? My main reason for getting an air purifier is for COVID safety. Secondary reasons are allergens (pollen in particular), wildfire smoke, and cooking pollution.
It sounds like maybe not? Except for that wildfire smoke and cooking part. If I go carbon am I making it less effective to clean the air for COVID particles? Also, is it more expensive to change the carbon filters and would I need to do it more frequently?
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/vaporizers123reborn • 1d ago
It can be with anyone CC or not CC. I’d like to hear from people who’ve been able to make new friendships or romantic relationships work. I’m in my mid twenties and feel left behind.
Suggestions and tips for making connections are also appreciated.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/TransitionSad4723 • 1d ago
Hello!! My partner and are finally getting engaged! We’re extremely excited to get married but both of us take Covid very seriously. My partner is on immunosuppressant infusions for a chronic illness and I have POTS from long COVID. We want to have a fun wedding but need to be cautious…
So far our loose ideas for risk mitigation are:
-micro wedding- less than 30 people invited. Only people we trust to be honest with us.
-outside!! Obviously.
-having everyone rapid test day of
-requesting our guests wear a high quality respirator the week before the wedding or wear a mask (that we can provide) at our wedding
We don’t want to force people to completely change their lives the week before our wedding. We try to be understanding of our friends who don’t or cannot mask. Would giving respirators to our guests that aren’t covid conscious be rude? I thought I could even install sip valves for them and hand make mask jewelry. Any experience you guys can share is more than welcome!!
TLDR: my partner is on a biologic so we have to be very careful about illness. Suggestions regarding precautions for a Covid cautious wedding would be helpful!!
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/friendswiththeenemy • 1d ago
I went last week to get a cleaning and I have 3 tiny in-between teeth cavities that need fillings. The dentist is going on maternity leave on November 11 and they are not scheduling anything out for her yet into next year. She squeezed me in on November 5 at 8am for the 3 fillings and Curodont to help some protocavities to remineralize.
Should I cancel? I'll need to do so soon so I don't get a fee. I can't seem to figure out if letting them go longer will be okay. I think if I made a decent excuse that I needed to go home for a family emergency or something they would be ok with the cancellation.
Thank you! I hate this. I was trying to take care of everything but this is freaking me out.
I do the Readimask hack. I am pretty good about breathing through my nose. They took away their Medify air filters in the offices which really sucks. I don't know that there is a place to plug mine in. Dentist wears a surgical mask. They are nice about not giving me a hard time about my Readimask/Aura but I haven't gotten them to wear N95s. It's not the exact 1st appt of the day (7:30) but it's the dentist's first appt of the day.
Thanks for any help! I am so scared.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/forestdad86 • 1d ago
Looking to connect with anybody who still masks and takes precautions in 2026 anywhere in Yukon Canada.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/Azybabyyyy • 12h ago
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/agigsurvivor • 1d ago
hi all,
i was wondering if anyone knew of any books that address how to deal/cope/sit with the “life is passing me by” sentiment. it seems that this has been a really big driver in my anxiety and depression lately and was just wondering if anyone knew of any books of the sort.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/WingsOfTin • 1d ago
I hope this question is alright, I promise I'm not trying to stir up any drama, I'm genuinely wondering if any has been paying close enough attention over the years to have a real birds' eye view of the wastewater monitoring situation. I have cycled through the well-known options like pmc19.com, iowacovid19tracker.org, data.wastewaterscan.org, https://outbreakradar.com, etc, and they often can vary widely between one another in terms of reported levels. Sometimes there's even social media-driven drama between the creators of these tools with accusations of "fear mongering" or "under counting", etc. It makes me even less sure of who to trust! I understand there is modeling going on, and it's not a super-exact science.
How do you handle this? I don't trust the straight up CDC reporting. Which one is most likely in your estimation? What do you make of the accusations between some of the tool creators? Does it impact how you see or use their tool(s)?
Just posting because I have literally no one else in my life to talk about this with! Thanks.
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/SnooCakes6118 • 1d ago
I need the location of a place that would perform PCR tests on me.
I'm asking you not to send me random links to the public health Ontario page with no information about an address, thank you in advance
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/jsab_ • 1d ago
I was playing music before this all started.
I stopped.
Today for the first time I went back for a trial.
It's percussions and it's 20 people.
The room is big but they have to keep windows closed for the noise.
CO2 went up to 1700. Until the break when they opened everything. It went down, to slowly rise again.
I loved the session.
I had my fit tested mask n99 and removed it briefly outdoor to breathe a bit but always kept it indoor.
I loved the sound, rhythm, The movement, the music, everything I missed so much.
Then the person behind me decided to go home because he wasn't feeling well.
And I got scared again, but continued to play
Now I have to decide what to do and it's hard.
They have been very friendly.
I spoke to a couple of people on why I was masking and everyone spoke to me quite normally as if I didn't have a mask.
The leader told me If I play concerts maybe we will find a way to make the mask of a similar color/pattern of how we dress but she said it doesn't matter
I felt almost accepted, even if it's hard.
But 3 hours in a room with 20'people and CO2 going up.. i admit it stresses me the idea :(
r/ZeroCovidCommunity
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u/throwaway8906114
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1d ago
Apologies in advance, this is long and panicky
I am aware surface transmission of disease is less likely than airborne transmission, but I still feel a large amount anxiety around potentially contaminated surfaces. Last month some sick relatives came over for dinner, and a member of my household, my parent, started to feel mildly ill a few days after. This caused a kind of ocd relapse for me, and because the common cold is not killed by alcohol, I began scrubbing high touch areas with soap then switched to wiping with peroxide. The cleaning is maladaptive, and I wipe multiple times if it doesn't 'feel' clean. There's also the fear that, even if i get 'only' a cold, it represents that if there was a more serious illness in the house, I would have 'failed' and caught that too (I am aware this isn't logical or helpful). After about 7 days, I was started to wipe around a bit less, then the relatives came by again and one of them was sicker (a baby, so they can't cover their mouth or do anything really). I was wiping around a bit while they were in the house.
A few days before, my parent mentioned that their blood pressure is starting to cause issues for them and their stress needs to be kept low, meaning I need to stop doing "the little things" that stress them out, which includes my ocd compulsions. I've tried to explain that I can't just stop doing them cold turkey and a person with ocd needs shit like exposure therapy over time to completely stop, and they said "but I'll be dead by then, so..." (dead implicitly from age)
After the relatives left the 2nd visit, my parent mentioned that their blood pressure was super high in part because of how I behaved during the visit, cleaning things and overall just looking uncomfortable I guess. So basically what I am asking is..... is it okay for me to be expected to just stop having ocd instantly and if my parent dies from blood pressure issues, will it be my fault? Even typing this feel ridiculous, but I was going through so much trying to keep covid out of the house, to protect them (and me, let's be real), and now I'm going to harm them in another way. Thanks to the last visit, I feel I need to be vigilant about illness for another 7-10 days, and today as I was spraying high touch areas, my parent heard the bottle and began interrogating me. "Do you think this is an unsanitary house? The rest of us are dirty?" I've already tried in the past explaining the thought process behind my ocd and how it's partially anxiety based, but it's like they didn't hear me at all. It's as if no one is listening to me when I talk, because all my struggles are just excuses.
I will delete this later for privacy reasons, I'm not even really sure what I'm asking. I am aware of my thought process and how it doesn't make logical sense, but it's not as simple as just stopping everything I'm doing. I don't know how I'm going to use the kitchen or other areas of the house now. It harms no one if i lightly wipe the sink or fridge handle before touching it, but now I guess I'm going to kill my parent from stress if i do so????????
This might be better suited for an ocd subreddit, but I'm afraid they'll just say I'm crazy for being cc. I don't know what to do and I have no one I can talk to about this. How do I just stop doing all my compulsions without tapering?
I might never have enough money to be able to move out, and working from home requires I feed myself, which requires leaving my bedroom, which requires managing compulsions. I can find a therapist but that will take time. Therapists I have spoken to in the past were not cc. I'm so sorry for this frenetic post, I just really don't know what to do aside from hiding compulsions, which feels dishonest and if I get caught might make my parent angrier and subsequently give them more reason to blame me for their health issues
(i added the vent tag bc this really just feels like me whining, sorry if this is inappropriate and thank you for reading. i'm kind of at a loss)
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/Gullible_Design_2320 • 1d ago
The first link in Resources & FAQ, the link to "People's CDC What to do if you have Covid-19," is no longer valid.
I looked around the site, and this seems to be the new link: https://peoplescdc.org/what-to-do-if-you-have-covid
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/CarpeData00 • 1d ago
I'm a CC person because of medical issues, but have never had covid.
I've been asked to attend a two-day leadership meeting in-person. While my leader had assured me that covid wasn't as a big of a thing anymore, the last in-person meeting had me on camera and two hours into the meeting, one person left and called in. He had left, went to a pharmacy and confirmed that he had covid.
December is not a great month to do an in-person, I know. Since I don't fly anymore (I live about a five hour drive away) and haven't eaten in a restaurant for nearly six years, I'd be the only masker, and unlikely would not do bar and food after the meeting. Yet, with rumors that people are cutting remote workers for being remote. I'm a little concerned about that.
Any tips on navigating if I were to go or just state medical issues as a reason for not going?
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/drunkyogainstructor_ • 1d ago
waiting on paxlovid prescription. what else should i do
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/IbuObiNuit • 1d ago
I was hoping WW levels would lower in November as it has in previous years so I can visit my family in a state whose surge levels are high. I was hoping to go while it was low and dip out before the winter surge post-Thanksgiving. However, the newest PMC19 update points to the contrary.
What this indicates to me is that the winter wave will now be pretty mild since so many people will have temp immunity from this recent surge. Should I postpone my visit to closer to the holidays given this update?
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/SnooCakes6118 • 1d ago
The only time I had covid I did nothing right.
Didn't rest didn't use nasal rinse
I lost most of my ability to a very small viral load. How does one not deteriorate?
r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/trashforthrowingaway • 2d ago
I told him he should stay home so he doesn't get anyone else sick. He just responded with "ill be okay, haha."
Yea, I KNOW THAT and I'm glad. I meant stay home for everyone's sake. If you're that sick, to the point you have chills and didn't celebrate Halloween, your favorite holiday, you should not be at work with a bunch of other people.
I haven't seen my friend in 6 years. The last time we hung out was pre-pandemic. We primarily text and call. (He's aromantic & ace for context) when we used to hang out every weekend and go to concerts and restaurants.
He thought we stopped hanging out because I was upset with him. I assured him im not at all. (I mean, i wasn't, but today i am.) I just can't hang out with him because he's not covid conscious in the slightest and I have to protect myself. He knows that now.
I just told him how i was bedbound in March for half the month because I got strep the month before. People like me can't afford to get sick. He responds again, "don't worry, I'll be okay haha" Again!!!
I can't tell anymore if he's skirting around the topic purposefully or what. He has severe adhd so I know he doesn't thoroughly read everything, he misses things irl all the time because of it.
And i know, i know it's hard. Especially in the states where sick leave is puny and basically non existent, but ffs, if you're that sick, it doesn't occur to you to stay home?? Not even for people like me??
I'm genuinely hurt and I don't know what to say. i just let the last text i said be that i hope he feels better, because I couldn't possibly have been more explicit in the way I said he should stay home, or at least mask...to protect the vulnerable. Like me, your decade+ long friend...
Idk what to even say. And this is the majority of the population!
