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If you do get shingles, get it diagnosed and get on valacyclovir (Valtrex) without delay. It’s like Paxlovid but for shingles.
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Sep 6, 2022 15:19
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Just sent a message to my doc about a shingles vaccine. My mom had it about three years ago and I thought it was just an over 50s thing. Didn't know it could happen younger.
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Sep 6, 2022 15:47
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Tagra posted:The Aura 9205 is the one I bought at Home Depot, with the blue elastic straps. the straps snap REALLY easily, so I splurged a whole dollar on 6 feet of fabric elastic at the dollar store and stapled backup straps onto it. Aura 9210s seem like the exact same mask with the better straps pre-installed, but I haven't seen a store nearby actually ordering them in. I have a small head and 3M's nylon straps are uncomfortable as poo poo, especially the hard-plastic catches. I had to use a 8214 with those straps and clips for the last year until I reupped my fit test to skim a wave solder pool at work (lol ran out of the other brand that had thick blue elastomeric right when I did the test so I couldn't cert in them last year), do not recommend, especially with how tight I had to make it. The blue elastomeric straps 3M is using now are WAY thinner than they used to be, and WAY thinner than whatever brand of N95 vented welding mask I'm certed in this year, and they snap so drat easy. Still way more comfy than the nylon ones, but especially if you have a smaller head, the seal will weaken earlier than you'd like it to. I usually wear Powecoms for day-to-day at work these days, but 8 hours is really pushing it on the earloop. Thinking about ordering some Powecoms with straps and seeing how that goes. MrQwerty fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Sep 6, 2022 |
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Sep 6, 2022 15:55
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I love the behind-the-head Powecoms. I have a couple earloop ones just for haircuts, and I hate them so much compared to the behind-the-head kind
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Sep 6, 2022 16:05
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i like nice words
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Chainclaw posted:If you are old enough to have gotten chicken pox and not the vaccine as a kid, definitely get the shingles vaccine as soon as they let you. I got shingles in my 20s somehow and it was absolutely miserable. I'm fortunate in that I had no permanent damage, but you do not want shingles it's no joke. My sister's best friend had shingles FOUR TIMES before she hit 20. it was so awful she actually went into medicine because she'd spent so much time in hospitals (I think her mom was also a nurse). Pretty sure she got the shot as soon as it was available.
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Sep 6, 2022 16:16
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MrQwerty posted:I have a small head and 3M's nylon straps are uncomfortable as poo poo, especially the hard-plastic catches. I had to use a 8214 with those straps and clips for the last year until I reupped my fit test to skim a wave solder pool at work (lol ran out of the other brand that had thick blue elastomeric right when I did the test so I couldn't cert in them last year), do not recommend, especially with how tight I had to make it. Does the lower strap actually do anything for anyone? Like it literally just hangs against my neck and does absolutely nothing to secure anything, it almost feels like 'ok if you take it off your head this is what it'll hang from' in usage. Also the top straps always cut the hell out of the tops of my ears on the Auras and my hair is apparently slippery as hell because those elastic straps do NOT stay put.
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Sep 6, 2022 16:19
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Oracle posted:Does the lower strap actually do anything for anyone? Like it literally just hangs against my neck and does absolutely nothing to secure anything, it almost feels like 'ok if you take it off your head this is what it'll hang from' in usage. Also the top straps always cut the hell out of the tops of my ears on the Auras and my hair is apparently slippery as hell because those elastic straps do NOT stay put. The lower strap fits my head and neck fine, but it's also the first one to wear out and my chin seal is the first part that starts going out. Sounds like they're too big for you and you need adjustable/tight straps.
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Sep 6, 2022 16:22
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Trying to figure out when to get the new booster. I had my second booster back in May, but between November and January I have 13 flights booked already, 9 of which are international. It's nice to travel for work again, but I'd like to have the extra protection from the BA.5 booster, and just need to figure out when best to get it.
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Sep 6, 2022 16:36
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binge crotching posted:Trying to figure out when to get the new booster. I had my second booster back in May, but between November and January I have 13 flights booked already, 9 of which are international. It's nice to travel for work again, but I'd like to have the extra protection from the BA.5 booster, and just need to figure out when best to get it. At least two weeks before your first flight, you're eligible now. Previous boosters have supposedly been good for four months before fading into the sub 70% range but I think omicron has rather thrown that out the window and they're functionally useless if noone else is masking up along with you. Note: the boosters will NOT mean you can just run around maskless like a time traveler with a smallvox vaccination in the middle ages. You'll still want to take precautions on flights/restaurants/etc. Omicron is just that virulent.
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Sep 6, 2022 16:39
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I mean yeah, wearing a mask by myself is easy enough. On a 10-12 hour flight I'm going to need to eat/drink at some point though, and business meetings usually lead to lunches/dinners.
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Sep 6, 2022 16:52
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Oracle posted:Does the lower strap actually do anything for anyone? Like it literally just hangs against my neck and does absolutely nothing to secure anything, it almost feels like 'ok if you take it off your head this is what it'll hang from' in usage. Also the top straps always cut the hell out of the tops of my ears on the Auras and my hair is apparently slippery as hell because those elastic straps do NOT stay put. The top strap is supposed to go across the crown of your head (not just above your ears - quite a bit higher) and the the bottom strap goes just below your ears:  If the top strap is slipping down to your ears, you should place it higher initially. It shouldn't require any friction with your hair to hold the top strap up.
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Sep 6, 2022 17:02
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The Oldest Man posted:The top strap is supposed to go across the crown of your head (not just above your ears - quite a bit higher) and the the bottom strap goes just below your ears: Yeah I know, but it does, and it constantly slides back down before my ears stop it. If I put it higher than where I normally have it, it doesn't stay and just pops off the top of my head. The lower strap just hangs, my head/neck is not big enough for it to do anything below my ears, I have to angle it above my ears for it to do anything and at that point the mask kind of crunches in on itself because of the odd angle. I'm assuming the entire drat thing is just too big/straps too long at this point.
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Sep 6, 2022 17:10
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Oracle posted:Yeah I know, but it does, and it constantly slides back down before my ears stop it. If I put it higher than where I normally have it, it doesn't stay and just pops off the top of my head. The lower strap just hangs, my head/neck is not big enough for it to do anything below my ears, I have to angle it above my ears for it to do anything and at that point the mask kind of crunches in on itself because of the odd angle. I'm assuming the entire drat thing is just too big/straps too long at this point. If you're just tiny of head you might try the vented aura which is weirdly smaller than the nonvented one for no particular reason or the VFlex which fits pretty much everyone and as a bonus makes you look like a cybernetic duck 
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Sep 6, 2022 17:19
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Oracle posted:Yeah I know, but it does, and it constantly slides back down before my ears stop it. If I put it higher than where I normally have it, it doesn't stay and just pops off the top of my head. The lower strap just hangs, my head/neck is not big enough for it to do anything below my ears, I have to angle it above my ears for it to do anything and at that point the mask kind of crunches in on itself because of the odd angle. I'm assuming the entire drat thing is just too big/straps too long at this point. Then I'm afraid the mask just don't fit. You'll need to try something else. The Oldest Man posted:If you're just tiny of head you might try the vented aura which is weirdly smaller than the nonvented one for no particular reason This is a good suggestion. Can confirm the vented Auras are much smaller/tighter on the face. I can't stand to wear them at all.
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Sep 6, 2022 17:45
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I broke out with shingles in my early 30s after an extremely stressful period of my life and it was misery. I had blisters under my fingernails and one of my nails still has a weird groove in it, lol. I was extremely sensitive to temperature and touch while the nerves in my hand healed but I thankfully didn't have any long-lasting issues. It didn't help that the doctor misdiagnosed me despite my insistence because I had an atypical presentation that started on my hand first and never went higher than my shoulder. Delayed my getting on antivirals to where they probably weren't effective. Anyway, if they fit your head the 3m Auras are super comfortable, I've worn them for hours at a time, and I've even fallen asleep in them.
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Sep 6, 2022 18:33
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McCracAttack posted:Then I'm afraid the mask just don't fit. You'll need to try something else. The vented Auras are the 9211s? Just looking to make sure I get the right thing.
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Sep 6, 2022 19:00
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Just to explain and clarify about what shingles is and why you get vaccinated against it, and why you should seek treament immediately if you suspect you have it: A lot of viruses that infect humans are in the general category of herpesviruses. This includes not only genital herpes and oral/facial herpes (the ones that cause "cold sores") but also the chickenpox virus (known as varicella) among many others. These are generally lifetime infections once contracted, because they live in a dormant state in your nervous system, sometimes for years or decades, where your immune system cannot easily access or eradicate them. The typical appearance of a herpesvirus infection on the skin is a series of tiny blisters that eventually crust over. A herpesvirus may never recur, or take years or decades to recur. Because the viruses are harbored in nervous tissue, they usually recur along the pathway of a nerve which is why shingles, which is the common name for a recurrence of a varicella/chickenpox infection, tends to have a characteristic "band" like appearance along the pathway of the nerve. This is probably the source of the name "herpes" which I believe means "to creep" in Greek and is also associated with snakes (hence a snake/reptile expert is a herpetologist IIRC). People vary in their susceptibility to recurrences but anything that tends to suppress or impair the immune system, notable examples including HIV, cancer chemotherapy etc., are a big risk for recurrence. A common theme in shingles and other herpesvirus recurrences is the person being run down physically, fatigued, stressed or perhaps having some other illness, all which can impair your immune system. Old age is also associated with recurrences because immunity generally declines with advanced age. You can get a bout of shingles as a young person without any special event happening but these instances of being run down, under stress, otherwise ill are very common elements of a recurrence. Because the infection involves nerves, they are very symptomatic, often involving pain, a burning sensation, intense itching etc. The big problem with shingles is the fact that permanent damage to the involved nerves can occur and lead to permanent painful syndromes. The pain persists long after any active virus is gone because of the damage. This is really what you are trying to prevent with shingles vax, and treating shingles should it happen despite efforts at prevention. The main antiviral drugs available against herpesviruses, acyclovir and valcyclovir (trade name Valtrex), are pretty effective, and they substantially decrease the risk of painful syndromes developing, especially if started early. So if you suspect you have or are developing shingles you should see a doctor ASAP. It should not require a fancy specialist, these are problems that are common enough that any decent primary care practitioner should be able to recognize and prescribe and treat them appropriately. But starting treatment within the first day or two makes a big difference rather than starting it after a week etc.
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Sep 6, 2022 19:13
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Oracle posted:The vented Auras are the 9211s? Just looking to make sure I get the right thing. Yep.
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Sep 6, 2022 19:49
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Zwabu posted:Because the infection involves nerves, they are very symptomatic, often involving pain, a burning sensation, intense itching etc. Yep. My own experience was aside from the rash, the main symptom I had was a pins and needles sensation as if my arm was on the verge of falling asleep. That kind of prickling, tingling feeling that's hard to picture but really obvious when it's happening. Made it really distinct from contact dermatitis or something else that looks similar because my nerves were literally starting to go all screwy.
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Sep 6, 2022 20:38
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covid-19 thread: now featuring herpes i also got shingles in my early 30s during a time i was under high work stress. sounds like i lucked out because it was super mild. felt a burning, uncomfortable band for about a week on the left side of my abdomen. eventually a rash broke out and i went to a doctor who diagnosed it instantly. gave me generic valtrax, although it may have been too late since i was 1 week+ into symptoms by then. though maybe it stopped it from getting worse. either way, never got any fever or other symptoms except pain/burning/itching along the breakout. no scarring or recurring effects thankfully. at the time the doctor told me the vaccine was not very effective and also only for 50+. sounds like there may be something better now, so i’ll make a reminder to ask again at my next checkup. i didn’t even miss any work, because i didn’t realize at the time it was a serious enough infection that i could’ve called in sick for a week and nobody would’ve questioned it. missed opportunity.
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Sep 6, 2022 20:50
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Just walked in to a Walgreens and they sat me down to get both the flu shot and omicron booster. Gonna do both in the left arm!
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Sep 6, 2022 20:54
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Also getting flu + booster this Thursday at Walgreens. The reservation page had a Moderna option but all the Modernas are next week and way across town. The stores with Pfizer were much closer to me, so it looks like I'm getting the 4/4 Pfizer set bonus. I also bought some 3M Auras recently and the fit is much nicer and more comfortable than Powecom KN95s. My only complaint is that the straps are a little more annoying to fiddle around with before entering a building, especially with glasses.
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Sep 6, 2022 22:44
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Just signed up for an Omi booster at the end of the week. Thanks, Biden!
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Sep 6, 2022 22:56
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are there standalone variant vaccines/boosters coming too, or is the combo shot the only one on the horizon? it seems like if immune imprinting is part of why BA5 has such good escape from earlier variant vaccines or infections, combining the BA5 vaccine with the vanilla vaccine that is known to produce an immune response that doesn't help as much for BA5 is a bad idea. i would think a vaccine would have a higher chance of triggering a unique immune response and memory for new variants if delivered on its own. that's just thinking out loud, though, don't know without a trial.
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Sep 6, 2022 23:08
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it8vJ03E8c8
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Sep 6, 2022 23:28
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Bad Purchase posted:are there standalone variant vaccines/boosters coming too, or is the combo shot the only one on the horizon? I seem to recall they did test omicron on its own and the difference was negligible.
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Sep 7, 2022 04:34
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I had shingles when I was 9 
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Sep 7, 2022 04:35
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Oracle posted:Yeah I know, but it does, and it constantly slides back down before my ears stop it. If I put it higher than where I normally have it, it doesn't stay and just pops off the top of my head. The lower strap just hangs, my head/neck is not big enough for it to do anything below my ears, I have to angle it above my ears for it to do anything and at that point the mask kind of crunches in on itself because of the odd angle. I'm assuming the entire drat thing is just too big/straps too long at this point. If the only problem with otherwise good masks is that the strap is too loose, you can tighten it by tying a little knot to shorten the strap.
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Sep 7, 2022 05:02
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Got an appointment to get my Pfizer Omicron booster of Friday.  EDIT: Shingrix kicked my rear end for three days, to the point where I won't get the second one. It was way worse than any side effects I've experienced from any other vaccinations. I'm not saying don't get it, just relaying my experience. YMMV of course. The Hambulance fucked around with this message at 12:36 on Sep 7, 2022 |
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Sep 7, 2022 12:34
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How does Shingrix actually work? Like, what's the mechanism for shutting down shingles? Is it like the vaccine hangs little "wanted" signs of varicella-zoster all over and the immune system reads it then turns around to see varicella-zoster sweating nervously in the corner, then goes and beats the poo poo out of it for the next few days and that's why everyone reacts so badly to the vaccine? Or is it some other mechanism 
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Sep 7, 2022 14:48
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It’s a protein subunit vaccine, featuring glycoprotein E. The virus that causes chickenpox/shingles is studded with this stuff, not all that different from coronaviruses and their spikes. The body’s strong reaction is probably related to the adjuvant, AS01B, and the fact that the vaccine is intended for elderly folk whose immune systems need stronger encouragement to do their jobs.
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Sep 7, 2022 14:57
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U.S. plans to shift to annual coronavirus shots, similar to flu vaccine White House coronavirus coordinator Ashish Jha said Tuesday the newly reformulated omicron-targeting boosters mark an “important milestone” in the U.S. pandemic response, moving the country to a point where a single annual coronavirus shot should provide a “high degree of protection against serious illness all year.” The cadence would be similar to that of the annual flu shot, which could be administered at the same time. “I really believe this is why God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the other one for the covid shot,” Jha said. Heading into the third fall of the pandemic, Jha and other Biden administration health officials urged eligible Americans to get an updated booster now. The shots are available for people as young as 12, following approval last week of boosters from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech that target the dominant circulating strain of the virus, BA.5. Staying up to date on coronavirus vaccination can get the country back “to a more normal set of rules,” Jha said, allowing businesses and schools to stay open. Barring curveballs from new variants, “it is reasonable to expect, based on what we know about immunology and science of this virus, that these new vaccines will provide better protection against infection, better protection against transmission and ongoing and better protection against serious illness,” he said at Tuesday’s news briefing. Jha said this latest round of shots will offer protection during the busy cold and flu season and that the government hopes to transition people to getting the vaccine yearly. Typically, at least half of U.S. adults get a flu shot. Moving to yearly coronavirus shots would be a shift from the current practice, where high-risk Americans have been urged to get boosters every few months, but uptake has been disappointing. (The elderly and those with weakened immune systems may need more frequent doses.) All Americans must do their part to get the shot, if not for themselves, then for “your grandmother, or your vulnerable uncle or for your friend,” Jha said. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cited modeling projections that were presented last week to the agency’s vaccine advisory committee showing that if the public embraces the boosters early this fall at a rate similar to that of annual flu shots, about 100,000 hospitalizations and 9,000 deaths could be prevented. Even without a new variant, coronavirus cases likely to increase this fall Some experts have said that may be an optimistic assumption given that more than half of Americans eligible for boosters have yet to receive their first dose. Given waning immunity of the coronavirus vaccines, it’s also not clear whether an annual covid shot will provide protection that lasts a year. The federal government has purchased more than 170 million doses of the updated boosters, and doses began shipping last week, following authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. Like other coronavirus shots, the boosters will be free. Pharmacies and other retail locations are booking appointments, and health officials urge people to check availability on vaccines.gov. Officials said appointments will be widely available within the next week. Health officials have said people who have had a recent infection or were recently vaccinated should wait at least two months before getting the updated booster. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said the administration plans to work with community-based organizations, including parent-teacher organizations, pastors and groups focused on racial equity to host pop-up clinics this month in hopes of reaching diverse groups of Americans, including Black and Latino communities. Anthony S. Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, said if BA.5 stays dominant, or even if it exhibits minor changes, the updated booster will “very likely hold a substantial degree of protection.” But officials warned on Tuesday that dwindling funds threaten the government’s ability to respond as effectively if a new variant emerges. The Biden administration last week asked Congress to approve more emergency funds, including $22.4 billion for the coronavirus response, much of which would facilitate the development and purchase of next-generation vaccines and treatments. The money also would help restart programs that recently ran out of funds, including an initiative to provide free tests that the White House said it had to wind down Friday after months of congressional inaction. If Congress waits until another variant arises to approve additional funds, it will likely cost taxpayers “twice as much and will be less effective,” Jha said. “Congress is aware that if we do not continue to fund the response, we can easily go backwards.”
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Sep 7, 2022 18:04
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“I really believe this is why God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the other one for the covid shot,” Jha said. This is quite the statement.
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Sep 7, 2022 18:38
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Barring curveballs from new variants,
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Sep 7, 2022 18:45
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Salt Fish posted:“I really believe this is why God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the other one for the covid shot,” Jha said. I really believe this is why God gave us two arms - one for masturbating and the other one for holding our phone
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Sep 7, 2022 18:53
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Salt Fish posted:“I really believe this is why God gave us two arms — one for the flu shot and the other one for the covid shot,” Jha said. Dorky poo poo people say out loud all the time but don't always have a reporter dutifully writing it down.
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Sep 7, 2022 19:07
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Dicknosing now officially approved, lower those masks https://twitter.com/MTA/status/1567541665652523011
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Sep 7, 2022 19:24
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QuarkJets posted:U.S. plans to shift to annual coronavirus shots, similar to flu vaccine Oops. I wasn't aware of this until now. I had Covid that started around July 7th (tested negative by the 17th) and my appointment is Sept 8th. Is that enough of a window? Also, why is it recommended to wait two months?
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Sep 7, 2022 19:46
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Snowglobe of Doom posted:Dicknosing now officially approved, lower those masks Lmao Jesus Christ
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Sep 7, 2022 19:53
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Snowglobe of Doom posted:Dicknosing now officially approved, lower those masks I see very few people wearing masks anymore but I still can't believe a government agency would make light of improper mask wearing like this. If you're going to lift the requirement then whatever, just do it, I don't think it's really something to joke about.
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Sep 7, 2022 19:56
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