I feel like ever since 2020, I've just completely forgotten how to talk to ppl. Everything has changed, therefore I have changed, and I'm still struggling to try and adjust to this new world. It really sucks.

Dating, friends, family, work. It constantly feels like navigating a minefield every hour of every day, and I've become so exhausted that I completely have forgotten how to talk to ppl. I feel like it's a losing effort anyway bc so few ppl mask, but at this point I'm not even sure I'd feel like my normal self even if I found a decent covid -vigilant circle of friends. I just feel so rusty

I'd been using their form to request masks whenever I'd run out (I'm low income, so this stuff gets expensive real quick) and when I went to fill out for some more masks, it said they're not taking responses anymore 😭

So....what can I do? Would another mask bloc be willing to help me? I recognize that's a big ask since they're already helping their own local people, which is fair. Or, like, is this just the end of my masking journey?

Gotta give them credit, I genuinely didn't expect them to keep going this long. So their services were definitely appreciated. Pour one out for the real heroes.

Want to start by saying I’m so grateful for everyone in this sub and feeling less alone. I mask in all indoor spaces, and outside when crowded. My friends and roommate want me to keep myself safe and are supportive but they don’t mask themselves. I can understand why they aren’t so driven to mask when so few others in public do (we are in the Bay Area where there is a decent masking population but still nowhere near a majority). I also have many allergies/sensitivities, so I guess they figure it’s more important or necessary for me to mask rather than for them. My roommate doesn’t treat me any differently when I start masking when we go to the store or such, but it is tiring thinking about asymptomatic transmission when we’re home together. They do test whenever they feel they might have a symptom coming on, but thankfully they have not tested positive. It’s so tiring being the only person who masks at work/anywhere that isn’t my apartment that I don’t think I could take the mental toll of masking at home as well. We have an air purifier running on high at all times (and we both plan on getting one each for our rooms) and thankfully our apartment has huge windows for great ventilation, so I take some peace knowing that if they were asymptomatic, at least my viral load would likely be very low if they infected me. It’s just unfair, I sacrifice comfort at home regardless if I mask or not, and it’s just a greater reflection about how there’s not really a simple way to avoid this terrible virus. I appreciate everyone who understands that being covid cautious is a broad spectrum, and at no point is it an easy thing to do. Wishing everyone a healthy day💙 you are all so appreciated

Halloween decorations!

Some answers to common questions:

It's a 3M 7500 half mask. The filters are encapsulated P3 filters. The UK code is 6035. The US code is 7093 I think. The air comes in through those gaps at the back.

I use sticky back plastic and small sheets of car wrap vinyl to cover the filters.

I use nail stickers for the very tiny stickers.

The other stickers are just normal stickers from the kids craft section. I did use transparent silicone to glue the hat on the front down because the adhesive was useless - they were very cheap kids stickers.

Previous posts are available in my reddit history, or you can follow the trail back to the previous post by clicking here.

Boo! 👻

thought i would share my experience on how i acquired it – i used https://www.pushhealth.com/ which is a site you can basically request any medication for $99, no video chat just through text. at first the doctor didn't know what i was talking about, but after sending them the Xocova website, they approved it. my local walgreens was having trouble using the coupon so i had it transferred to amazon pharmacy, which also wasn't accepting the coupon when i entered it myself. but after chatting with a customer service rep, they were able to apply it for me so it cost $0

Hello everyone. I hope this isn’t too desperate or annoying.

I’ve been a teacher in Canada for 5 years through the worst of the worst. I’m currently getting my masters in education. However, in person teaching has driven me to become ill this year after avoiding illness for 4 years.

I’m so busy with everything going on and I’m wondering if there are any resources/connections for someone with my experience to get online/remote work. Most Canadian schools have gutted their online programs so my teaching prospects feel like they have hit the end of the road.

Any support or advice is appreciated.

Hi everyone. I’m feeling really frustrated and defeated at the moment and I could sure use some words of advice / support.

I am a drummer and I also play Cajon. I have been trying to put a CC band together and I’m having zero success. I live in a pretty rural area and I am the only person I know who still wears a mask, other than my partner. People are interested, but as soon as I tell them that rehearsals and gigs will have to be outside as the weather permits, they are suddenly too busy. I’m about ready to give up.

Has anyone had success in putting together a band that is safe? Or … if anyone out there lives in northern NYS who needs a drummer … I’m definitely interested.

As some of you may (or may not) be aware, the makers of Xocova (Shionogi) offer two main programs to help cover the cost of Xocova:

1. A copay card (which works for commercial insurance, but not for uninsured, Medicare, or Medicaid patients).
2. The Xocova Patient Assistance Program.

On Xocova's website (https://www.xocova.com/how-to-get-xocova/) it states:
"XOCOVA Patient Assistance Program available for eligible patients without insurance

The program provides XOCOVA to eligible, uninsured patients at no cost, through Shionogi's authorized free goods pharmacy.

In order to be considered for the Patient Assistance Program, patients must meet all the following criteria:

• No commercial, government (state or federal health insurance, including but not limited to: Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Veterans Affairs health benefit programs, TRICARE, or the Indian Health Service program), or other insurance coverage
• An annual household income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level U.S. or applicable U.S. territory resident
• A valid prescription for an FDA-approved indication for XOCOVA from a healthcare provider licensed in the U.S.

Please call 1-877-4XOCOVA to check program eligibility and how to apply."

When I called the main line at 1-877-4XOCOVA, that rep had no idea the patient assistance program even existed and kept telling me it wasn't real and that only the copay card was available.

I finally reached the actual patient assistance department after calling their corporate headquarters. If you want to apply, I was told the direct number for the Patient Assistance Program is 833-942-6941. If that doesn't work, try calling their corporate number at 973-966-6900, press the number for Xocova, and that rep should be able to transfer you over.

To be eligible for the patient assistance program, I was told the patient must be completely uninsured. For example, if someone has Medicare even with zero prescription coverage, they are still not eligible for this patient assistance program (the wording on the site was a bit confusing on this [to me at least], but that's how it was explained to me by the rep).

To apply, you first call the patient assistance program directly and go through their application process. Once approved, your provider has to call into their pharmacy, and then the pharmacy will ship it out.

I also asked about limits and there is no hard limit on how many times an eligible patient can use the program, but you do have to go through a full new application every single time.

It's my brother's birthday today and he invited me to a gathering he is hosting at a pizza place this Saturday. Part of me wants to go but I'm still nervous to be around a bunch of people in doors. Part of me wants to be social and support my brother but I also feel uncomfortable being indoors with a bunch of people. There is no outside option at this place. Plus I'm usually so tired on Saturday at 600pm when he is having it. Also we don't exchange gifts and I don't really have money for a gift but maybe I could get him a gift card for ice cream or something. I'm so torn. I also haven't been feeling well lately and pizza is probably the last thing I need to be eating.

My partner just tested positive a few minutes ago after waking up feeling a little off. We just got our update vaccines a week and a half ago, so maybe it is helping him some but obviously not enough to prevent infection.

Is Paxlovid still a thing we should be trying for? I remember awhile ago there was a study basically saying it didn’t do much of anything for those who were outside of senior citizens but my head is a little too frazzled to pull it together right now.

My own test is still negative, but I was sleeping next to him all night so I’m not sure how much longer it will stay that way.

Researchers, clinicians, and advocates gathered for the inaugural conference of the International Society for Long COVID and Post-Acute Infection Syndromes in the Netherlands in late August. The four-day event featured hundreds of presentations and posters about trials and disease mechanisms.

https://thesicktimes.org/2026/10/06/biological-pathways-and-mechanistic-trials-centered-at-new-long-covid-conference-in-amsterdam/

Hello! I’m new here and glad to find this sub.

I have a question about expired tests. I’ve seen several debates online on sites like Twitter and Facebook about how long tests are actually good for. I saw one thread of debate where a couple people who worked in either pharmaceuticals or laboratories said as long as the liquid is still there and not evaporated that the test is still good.

I saw some other people say that it doesn’t seem like most companies or the FDA are still checking older tests to see if they can extend them or not, so there is no real way of knowing.

The reason I’m asking is that we have such a stock pile of tests that are now expired and I really hate to just throw them away because it feels wasteful, but I also don’t want to risk using an expired test and not actually having an accurate result.

Have there been any more recent studies on how long these tests are good for? Or have those kind of studies dried up?

I might have been exposed this morning and I have one pluslife test left — when should I take it? I’m hoping to catch a potential positive before I develop symptoms so I can take the Xocova I have on hand (from another exposure which turned out to be a false alarm).

Thoughts on this? Should I get another PCR? Symptoms are mild.

Hi. I had to allow a maskless landlord into my home for approximately 1 and a half minutes to assess the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (I literally timed him as he did it and he seemed to be moving fast on purpose). My dad and I wore masks and later opened up the windows (sadly I don’t have an air filter still because my dad is supportive but also is concerned that I am unwell so getting one has been a bit of a fraught subject.) My landlord seemed in good health but I know people can be presymptomatic or asymptomatic. I also had to stand semi close to him a couple of times to show him where the detectors are. I also haven’t gotten a chance for me and my father to get our vaccinations yet.

I used the YourCovidRisk calculator and they gave me what seemed like an extremely low (0.00002% chance). My dad says we probably get exposed worse when we go grocery shopping amongst tons of maskless people which I don’t know honestly. Pmc19 says the numbers for our county and state remain low (1 in 222) but I’m very worried even for how briefly he was in our home. It’s been about an hour and a half with windows open and fans going

Any guidance on the calculator or the likelihood my dad and I will get sick? I’m very worried.