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Double Vaccinated, Mask Aware – I Caught COVID

Whether you agree or disagree with our government’s heavy-handed ‘kill the patient’ approach to COVID over the last two years. What many of us haven’t (thankfully) experienced is seeing the effects of a COVID infection up close and personal.

After many months, Hong Kong’s vaccination rate is creeping up and since 1 January everyone is eligible for a third booster shot six months after your second dose.

Being vaccinated DOES NOT stop you from getting COVID, it just helps your body fight off the virus and reduce side effects – most of the time.

A former HongKonger Suzie (name changed) now living overseas, double vaccinated and mask aware recently caught COVID – this is how she describes the first few days of her infection:

“I have worked the entire time through the pandemic. In one job, I am the Director of Operations for a bustling restaurant. And in the other, a Psychiatric Technician working in a COVID unit.

In neither job did I (rather amazingly, I feel) contract COVID. What I was diagnosed with instead was a chronically painful autoimmune disease.

I’ll be honest, at two years in, I had really just started to believe that COVID was side-stepping my system, for whatever reason. I told myself that maybe my autoimmune diagnosis was enough and that the universe was giving me a break on the big Rona, just for some life-balance. Lucky me.

And then, I woke up yesterday feeling in more full-body agony than I can possibly explain. With a fever, my girlfriend hurried me to the ER, where in the two hours I had to wait to be seen, my fever climbed dangerously high and my pain peaked to points where I had to bite my lip not to scream.

When I was finally examined and swabbed, it was determined that I was COVID+ and despite this new variant being “mild”, my case is so severe that I need a transfusion. The amazing hospital staff immediately set to work trying to stop my fever from climbing any higher. An IV was put in, and I could do nothing but close my eyes in my hospital room and pray for relief.

My throat felt like acid had been poured down it, my skull felt as though nails were being driven into it, I couldn’t move my eyes without a pulsing pain that I felt in my brain, my body felt like it had been bludgeoned by a baseball bat and my skin couldn’t even tolerate the touch of my clothing. Yesterday was honestly one of the most unbearable days of my life.

As I lay there with icy cold medicine flooding my veins, desperately working to bring my fever down, shivering so hard that my body was convulsing, I bitterly asked myself “Why me?”.

I had done everything right. Double vaxxed. Masked. Stayed away from big gatherings. I even started ordering my groceries online, just to avoid busy supermarkets.

But, as I lie here, with a brain slightly less clouded by physical agony I’ve realized that the better question is “Why NOT me?”.

Day 2: with COVID: Feel a little more human. I can feel my heartbeat in every bone on my face because my sinuses are so backed up. Blinking hurts so much that I walk around the house to get things with my eyes mostly shut. Everything feels like a baby jellyfish sting on my skin, clothing included. Throat full of razor blades. Able to eat and drink though.

Day 3 with COVID: Regressed. Left lung throbbing. Coughing causes horrible pain, which brings up mucus which I then proceed to choke on because I can’t clear it out of my airway, because there is so much of it.

End up trying *not* to cough because choking on your own lungs is terrifying. Not coughing doesn’t work. Nauseous. Food is starting to lose all taste. Skin slightly less sensitive though. Throat so bad that a sip of soup with spice in it makes my eyes well up in pain.

Day 4 with COVID: All of the above, but it’s also now 4:48pm in the afternoon and I still have yet to be able to eat food or drink any fluids without it coming back up within 3 or so minutes.

Day 10 with COVID:
Still puking.
Still have no taste or smell.
Lungs still on fire.
Debilitating brain fog.

I’ve honestly never felt so ill in my life. My partner is not immunocompromised, but there have been days in all of this where she’s been even sicker than me.

Day 11 with COVID:
Stomach still violently upset, nauseated 85% of my waking life.
Taste returning slowly, smell still absent.
Get horrible dizzy spells just walking around
Zero appetite
Brain fog so bad that I tried to wash my hair twice

And my favorite yet? Tried to put on a bra for shits and giggles, and it felt like my diaphragm was going to explode from the pressure & pain…. Like. I literally can’t even wear a bra because my chest is so sore.

So, yeah. Surviving COVID, one absolutely miserable day of existence at a time…

Why am I writing about my COVID experience, two reasons:

Firstly, if you haven’t contracted COVID yet, please don’t let your guard down. This new variant is just as serious as the ones before it. And, it’s far more contagious. I could be experiencing a severe form of this virus because of my immune system, but, if we have learned anything about COVID it’s that everyone is hit differently, in ways we are still struggling to understand. Young healthy people are dying, while older patients with comorbidities are going home, healed. It doesn’t matter what your status is. It could come for you, and hard.

And secondly, if you’re an anti-vaxxer or someone who no longer wears a mask…. I really want to appeal to your humanity, as an immuno-compromised individual. Please be better. I can only do so much to protect myself… And even that wasn’t enough.

I suspect that it’s going to be a while before I feel okay again. Today, I can sit upright without the pain making me nauseous. I can just about bear the weight of my blanket against my skin. It took me a long time to type this out because I keep having to stop and rest. We will see what tomorrow brings.

I know we are bored of hearing about COVID two years in, trust me, I was too. And then I got sick, and this has been a terribly brutal lesson in what happens when vigilance slips.

Like….Imagine not being able to taste your COFFEE.

Yeah.

This sucks.

Please be safe out there and PLEASE take this seriously. Because trust me, when you’re lying in the ER praying for unconsciousness because it hurts so badly, you will wish you did too.

image: dariaserdtseva

Cathay Pacific Vaccination Draw Scam

With little confidence in the government’s Covid-19 response, too many HongKongers have still not got vaccinated. Quite why, when the Pfizer/Biontech Comirnaty vaccine is produced and tested in the regulatory intense European Union and is free, I don’t understand.

Rather than make vaccination mandatory pressure was put on companies to ‘bribe’ HongKongers with lucky draws and prizes for getting vaccinated. Among those deciding to participate was Cathay Pacific who offered “25,000 free tickets to over 50 destinations. You can enter the lucky draw between 16 September and 30 September, 2021.”

Not one to turn down the chance of a free flight ticket I entered. With the entry closing date the 30 September 2021 and the Cathay website indicating “The results will be drawn on 5 October, 2021 and announced on the Cathay website.”

So I was more than a little surprised this morning (29 September) to receive an email from Cathay informing me that I was not a winner, but that they would keep sending me promotional material – something I specifically opted out of.

unfortunately, you weren’t chosen as a winner on this occasion.

“weren’t chosen” in the email also seems to imply that the draw is not random, but prizes are issued to Asia Miles members (needed to enter the draw) with accounts that Cathay wants to reward.

bc has approached Cathay for comment and will update this article if one is recieved.

The draws maybe a scam for your personal data, but getting vaccinated will reduce your chance of getting Covid-19 and reduce in most cases the seriousness of the infection. Get Vaccinated!!

Fosun BioNTech Batch No 210102 – Update

At today’s daily press conference the Secretary for Civil Service Patrick Nip said the Hong Kong Government had received notice from Fosun Pharma/BionTech that there may be a problem with the packaging with Comirnaty batch number 210102.

BioNTech requested that vaccinations stop during the investigation period, while stressing that this is just a precaution. The Department of Health (DoH) and the CHP have decided that all local vaccinations in Hong Kong using Fosun BioNTech vaccine known as Comirnaty will stop until further notice.

Director of Health Dr. Constance Chan said the DoH has stringent protocols to monitor the distribution of medications locally.

Hong Kong has imported two batches of BioNTech vaccine:
585,000 doses on 28 February 2021 – Batch Number 210102.
758,000 doses on 7 March 2021 – Batch Number 210104.
150,000 doses from batch number 210102 have been used as of 23 March.

Dr. Chan said since these vaccinations have begun health staff have filed the following reports:
8 incidents when staff found cracks in the container.

22 incidents of leakage due to overpressure in the vile.

16 incidents of loose caps or caps that were not straight were found.

8 incidents where marks or dirt were found on the bottle

To be extra cautious whenever staff found abnormalities, they did not use these viles and threw them away.

Dr. Chan commented that those who have been vaccinated should not worry as there are very strict protocols for the staff to follow. This was echoed by Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan who wanted to remind people that there is no evidence of any problems with the doses already administered to people in Hong Kong.

Thru their distributor Fosun Hong Kong, the Government submitted feedback to the manufacturer BioNTech. The manufacturer recommended Hong Kong suspend use of Batch Number 210102 temporarily. Batch Number 210104 is still in the warehouse and Fosun recommended that this batch not be used for the moment too. Dr. Constance Chan said that they will await the report from BioNTech as to whether batch 210104 can be used. If not, this batch will be returned, and HKGOV will request a new batch from BioNTech.

 This morning an investigation was launched by the DoH. Fosun will request BioNTech to review the procedures inside their manufacturing plant. While locally Fosun will review the arrival procedures to see if their handling in Hong Kong had anything to do with these events.

Beyond those waiting for their first dose are those waiting for the second dose. The first group of which are scheduled for this Saturday, 27 March. The DoH is pressuring BioNTech for a prompt response and report. Currently, the DoH procedure is to administer the 2nd doses on day 21. Although there are studies and recommendations that suggest the second dose be effective up to Day 42. Dr. Chan said the DoH preference is to continue with day 21 but this all depends on what the manufacturer says.

Statement from Fosun Pharma

Fosun received written notice from BioNTech on the evening of 23 March 2021 informing them that there may be a “small number of defects related to the cap of the vial” in batch number 210102.

Fosun added that “As, at the date of this announcement, there is no evidence to suggest that the safety of the relevant batches of product may be at risk.”

Fosun BioNTech Batch No 210102

The Governments of HKSAR and Macao SAR have temporarily suspended Covid-19 vaccinations using Comirnaty.

A press release issued by the Hong Kong Government at 10am 24 March, read below or here, said that it had received notice from the manufacturer that there may be a packaging defect with the closure of the medicine bottle.

For the sake of caution, the government has decided to suspend all vaccinations using this type of vaccine during the investigation period.

BionTech and Fosun Pharma have not found any reasons to believe safety has been compromised. The Department of Health will be having an emergency meeting with the distributors to understand the incident.

Hong Kong currently has two batches of vaccine including Batch Number 210102 (expires 21 June) and 210104. Batch number 210104 will remain sealed and unused until an investigation has been carried out.

For those already vaccinated, which includes bc magazine staff, there has been no notification from the manufacturer that the improper closure is harmful. It may though affect the efficacy of the vaccine.

Suspension of BioNTech vaccination

*****************************

The Government received written notification from Fosun Industrial Co., Limited this morning (March 24) that as notifications of observed deviations in the vial seal of Comirnaty vaccine (BioNTech) product (batch 210102 (Expiry 06/2021)) were received, BioNTech and Fosun Pharma have initiated an investigation to identify the root cause of these packaging issues. For the sake of prudence, the concerned vaccination should be suspended immediately for the time being while investigation is ongoing.

So far, BioNTech and Fosun Pharma have no reason to believe that there is a risk to product safety. However, for the sake of prudence, vaccination of the batch 210102 should be suspended until the investigation is completed. Meanwhile, batch 210104, another batch of BioNTech vaccines procured by Hong Kong, should also be put on hold and not be administered. This is a precautionary measure to continuously ensure vaccine safety.

As BioNTech vaccines procured by Hong Kong belong to the above batches, all Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) stopped vaccinating BioNTech vaccine with immediate effect today until further notice. Those who have made appointments to receive BioNTech vaccination from today onwards need not go to CVC for vaccination.

The Department of Health will hold an urgent meeting with Fosun Industrial Co., Limited today to obtain further details of the incident and discuss on the follow up measures.

This post will be updated as more information is available:
Edited 13:42 added English press release and link

For more information on Covid-19 in Hong Kong see the government website www.coronavirus.gov.hk