[plague diaries] adventures in agoraphobia

[kaberett]

The good news is that the agoraphobia has at least a tenuous connection with reality.

The bad news is that it is deeeefinitely acting up again, now that we've gone from <20 active cases in the borough to >1250.

So, okay, action plan: resume wearing masks when using pavements to get to the allotment. Don't push myself too hard on any of this, because the tenuous-grip-on-reality means that it is susceptible to reason and means that I can use stats to stop it fretting, at least to some extent.

And possibly look the data for vaccine efficacy up again. (I had Pfizer, on Wednesday the 12th of May and Tuesday the 8th of June, on the grounds that given that it had been more than 21 days and I was getting invited back I wanted to get to Full Immunity sooner even if it was perhaps a slightly less robust Full Immunity, but -- looking up the numbers so I know rather than Just Having A Vague Sense would probably be good for me, given the givens.)

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

Glad to see you're recognizing the issue and you're Making A Plan.

(Standard reminder that we're living in epically shitty times so it's okay to freak out a little.)

[kaberett]

Yup. <3

[halojedha]

I imagine it must be reassuring to be able to track the connection between the fear and Actual Reality, and know that you aren't totally beyond the sanity horizon, you're just wigging out a little about an actual legitimate thing. The plan sounds wise!

[kaberett]

Yup! Knowing that it is actually tractable and isn't a Forever Thing I'm gonna have to do a Whole Bunch of work unlearning is... useful.

[davidgillon]

And remind your subconscious that the stats show extremely high resistance to serious disease even if infected - ie combine all the probabilities rather than just look at them individually?

[rydra_wong]

Seconded; good call.

[kaberett]

That I was already bearing in mind. ♥

[rydra_wong]

In case it's helpful:

Meaghan Kall of PHE strongly recommending that people get their second dose of Pfizer a.s.a.p. if possible:

https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1409114703700402178 (thread)

There's one study showing improved results after a longer interval in over-80s (who have a much lower immune response), but otherwise it's just not dependent on maxing out the interval in the way that AZ is.

Also it's being administered with a 21-day interval in most places in the world, so most real-world data will be on that. Israel does 21 days and I believe is almost exclusively Pfizer, so if you're looking for real-world data on how Pfizer at 21 days does against Delta specifically, that'd be where I'd look first.

[kaberett]

Thank you, that is reassuring and helpful. As elsewhere: I am very grateful to you for curating all of this information, and very grateful that you have done the first-pass reasonability-check, because I am not sure I could cope with wading through... The Nonsense... to find the useful stats right now. <3

[divulge]

<3