Coronavirus: Avoid getting a breakthrough case

Will Stone, a Kaiser Health News reporter who is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, reports on his experience with a breakthrough Covid-19 case. Spoiler alert: It has a happy ending, but it provides reason to remain super careful, even if you are doubly vaccinated. The odds of getting a breakthrough case are far lower if you’re vaccinated than not, but you still need to be very careful.

In short, notwithstanding the reporter’s two Pfizer vaccinations, he came down with Covid. His first symptom was a headache hitting him hard in the back of his head. Next up, aching eyeballs. Shortly thereafter, he lost his sense of taste. And, then, aching arms and legs, high fever and night sweats. It took a full month before he felt ok again.

He had been able to stay healthy and Covid-free for 18 months. Then, he unwittingly exposed his family to the virus. He has no clue where he got it. Here’s his advice:

1. The vaccine reduces your risk of getting really sick from Covid-19. But, vaccines are not bullet-proof. So take simple precautions.
2. With the delta variant, there’s much greater likelihood of getting a breakthrough symptomatic case, even if you’re vaccinated. That said, we have such poor data, it’s hard to know what that likelihood really is.
3. Wear a mask indoors and avoid travel if you can.
4. The reporter had a “mild” case because he was not hospitalized; you can have a mild case and be bed-bound for a week. If you’re vaccinated, you’re much less likely to have a fever, spend a lot of time in bed, or require hospitalization.
5. Keep in mind that the delta variant is twice as contagious as the original Covid-19 virus.
6. You can transmit the virus if you are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.
7. You can get long Covid even if you are fully vaccinated–headaches, fatigue, brain fog. There’s not enough data to know how often this occurs, but far less often than if you’re unvaccinated.
8. My advice: If you test positive for Covid and don’t feel great, ask your doctor about getting monoclonal antibodies. For many people, these antibodies help people recover quickly.

Here’s more from Just Care:

• Coronavirus: What will your COVID-19 test cost you?
• Coronavirus: Why you should get a booster shot
• Coronavirus: Why aren’t at-home tests easily available and inexpensive?
• Coronavirus: Pfizer puts profits ahead of public health
• Coronavirus: Physical therapy can help reverse the toll of isolation