How prevalent to have not caught COVID after long term exposure?

Everyone in the below post is vaccinated and boosted (where applicable)

Anyway:

My wife is a nurse and lasted up to the summer before finally contracting it.

I was recovering from serious medical so she couldn't really isolate. Neither the kids nor I contracted.

Seperately my mother contracted but my father never did.

My sister and her family have had it several times.

Now we may all have been asymptomatic and had it without knowing but, assuming we were not, how many others are in a similar boat where they've been in immediate contact for extended periods but never contracted?

looksee

I seem to recall there was research being done in the UK to try and get this info. There seems to be a suggestion that there is a genetic link to likely-hood of getting it.

The only people in my extended family - a mixture of a few unvaccinated, mostly fully vaccinated - who have had it are my pre-teen/early teen grandchildren. Even then their parents did not get it. The two (vaccinated) children were very mildly sick for a couple of days. I haven't had it, but I have not been exposed afaik. My daughter who lives with me has been exposed several times at work, but she hasn't had it either.

zg3409

It's very likely you were asymptomatic. The only reason I knew I had it is because I tested myself before visiting relatives. The car was loaded, we were ready to go, no symptoms. Line appeared in about 3 seconds after home test. It's also common for one person in house to get it, others not, but the others get it later in the year. I was the only one in my family, the rest got it later in the year. There was a test you could do to see if you ever had COVID, they did some sample studies and lots of people already had it in the past and had no idea.

You really need to test weekly to be sure.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119743967#Comment_119743967

I was testing, as were the kids. All negative while using the same box of tests which showed positive for my wife and different brand to be sure (wife still positive and us negative)

looksee

On that, I did not test particularly but son and dil went through three different boxes of tests while the children had it and all came up clear for them and positive for the children. It is possible that I may have been asymptomatic, is it possible to know /test for if you have had it, having been vaccinated? (does the vaccination create a positive?)

Goldengirl

Oxford scientists have been doing studies to find out if it's part of a person's genetic makeup that prevents them from catching Covid , which might explain why some groups of family members never caught it , and they found just that ....

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63243679

So you guys may have the 'lucky gene " HLA-DQB1*06 !

zg3409

There is a test to see if you EVER had covid within testing limits. It's a special test that can be performed in Ireland.

https://www.better2know.ie/page/covid-19-antibody-clinic-test

We got it for free at work early in the pandemic and lots of staff had had covid and had no idea. At the time years ago it was something like 18% of adults had already had covid.

No test is 100% accurate but it should show your body has fought covid.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267460/how-prevalent-to-have-not-caught-covid-after-long-term-exposure

The vast majority have been infected at this stage. A large number of people don’t get symptoms. Also, a negative antigen test does not mean you are not infected. This means that never having symptoms and never failing an antigen test is no indication that you never had Covid.

slumdogemillionaire

My partner had it and we are pretty sure it was at a hen party on the Saturday. She was hungover on the Sunday and still not feeling the best on Monday but nothing out of the ordinary for a heavy night. Tuesday was the same and then Wednesday she was done, she could barely get out of bed and was positive.

So throughout the Sunday, Monday, Tuesday we were normal, cuddling on the couch etc. in close quarters and I somehow didnt get it. I should say neither of us had got it to this point and this was August so we were thinking we were invincible! And especially after this I thought I was invincible.

Then the next month I somehow picked it up (and was absolutely dying) for the first time just doing day to day stuff. So weird.

Jim_Hodge

All our immediate family had it last year but keep away from us at the time. My wife finally caught it at a family wedding six months ago, as did everybody at our table at the reception except me. We didn't isolate from each other at all and did daily tests. I just didn't get it. I keep thinking its only a matter of time but looking at this thread maybe I'll never get it.

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842130#Comment_119842130

Question in total ignorance - does the vaccination not create the same effect as having had it?

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842403#Comment_119842403

No it doesn't create the same effect as having it.

Flinty997

Avoided it for ages. Didn't get while in close contact with some of the family. But then recently one of us got it, and it swept through the rest of the family who hadn't had it yet. I think similar happened to most families I know.

Chris_5339762

I thought we were immune somehow - I haven't exactly been careful recently (Careful being the word to keep well boosted 75+ year olds as covid free as practical). I had been to clubs/pubs, on planes, trains, everything you can imagine. Finally caught it and brought it into the house without really realising. Both caught it, within a day of each other.

So we thought we were immune, we weren't. Would love to know what variant got us in the end.

looksee

The recent version is apparently more virulent but less serious than previous versions I think. I have also done all the plane/train/meetings/restaurant things as a fully vaccinated, now mask free person in the same age-group, and am now under the impression that I am totally invulnerable.

Stark

Still in the covid free club *touch wood*. Vaccinated (had the one booster last December) but not following any other precautions.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842403#Comment_119842403

Yes.

Stark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842403#Comment_119842403

Vaccination will produce antibodies to the spike protein (which is the part of the virus it uses to enter your cells so makes the most sense for the vaccines to focus on that). Getting infected with the actual virus will produce a wider spectrum of antibodies which they can test for.

kazamo

A couple of years ago, I went for a test and it came back negative.

About a week later, I had to get blood tests done and took all the precautions re mask, social distancing etc. I said to the nurse about my recent covid result. Her reply was, “the test didn’t prove that you didn’t have Covid, you may have been positive but it just didn’t detect it”

I have had the four shots that are available to me(second booster in Sept) but that comment has stuck with me.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119844471#Comment_119844471

It does not have the same affect and is easily discriminated in tests.

I never had Covid despite working in a vaccination centre for most of the first year and a shop for most of the second year of Covid.

I had both doses of AZ and was extremely ill for 10 days after both vaccines. I have never been boosted. Never got Covid (AFAIK)

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119844442#Comment_119844442

Just reading.. . You mean "more infectious" rather than "more virulent", I venture ?

Think it is, more infectious, that is, and better at getting around immunity but less serious hopefully.

You are all so lucky.. Donate your genes to medical science!

looksee

Yes, slip of the brain.

Minier81

I have been working in a hospital throughout and have not caught it either. In a dept of 30, 2 of us have not had it. I suspect my lack of social life due to young family helped!! I would be interested to see if I ever had it. My own family (hims3lf and the crèche going toddler) have not had it either,and I would find it an amazing coincidence if none of us had symptons.

Strumms

I’ve not caught it, I am fairly certain. Since the start of the pandemic I’ve haven’t had so much as a sniffle. Touch wood that continues.

Both Pfizer vaccines and the Moderna booster which is a combination that has proved very successful.

I’ve been spending a lot of time around or near people in gyms, some family occasions and the odd social meet-ups. So I’m sure to have ‘been around’ covid.

Hard to quantify ‘ long term ‘ exposure though.

davehey79

Up until yesterday was in the hadn’t gotten it since it arrived in these shores. Double vac and one booster. At a loss where I picked it up as anyone I was in company with is negative yesterday and today

323

No.

8 weeks on a ship with last year, 50% testing +Ve every second day, over 30 PCR tests no +ve. Sinuses stif fu*ked up.

lawred2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119743967#Comment_119743967

Test weekly? For something that doesn't even register with you! Why exactly?

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119858738#Comment_119858738

To avoid spreading to relatives.

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119855113#Comment_119855113

Testing negative doesn't mean much. Does anyone have symptoms? Like cold/flu/cough. People can have symptoms and not test positive for a few days after symptoms start. It is so so dangerous to self diagnose as not having covid if you have cold or flu symptoms and that has been happening in my workplace and I'm sure other places as well.

ELM327

No infection yet. Spent 2 hours in a car with someone who tested positive for Covid that same day and was actively unwell at the time.

Fully vaccinated (not the latest one but 3 vaccines)

davehey79

Nope none have symptoms and they’ve tested negative each day since

fun loving criminal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119863305#Comment_119863305

Covid is airborne. You could pick it up in the shop, so you you won't always know where you caught it from.

AmberGold

After spending lots of time travelling, flights, eating out, etc. since COVID began I was convinced I was invincible. Tested positive Tuesday for the first time.

Supercell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119946984#Comment_119946984

We were the same until a few weeks ago then all five of us in the family got it. At least it made isolating easy! The latest variants seem to very infectious indeed.

20/M/4 jabs

In a house of 6 I'm the only one who has never had it. We were all tested.

antodeco

I have it at the moment as does my son. My daughter doesn't. Their mam and her partner are all negative. My partner and her son don't have it. None of her family have it (all love with her). So it makes it harder to try and figure out who got it first.

Second time for me to get it since March. First for my son (that he has tested positive for. May have had it before as he's currently asymptomatic).

Triple vaxxed

Breeal

Didn’t have it at all untilacouple of weeks ago, a massive nothing burger. Pureblood.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119954430#Comment_119954430

🙄🙄

amacca

How would you know if you got it or not if you were unsymptomatic would be my question

Unless you had a lab on your doorstep and were PCR testing all day every day etc

I mean to the best of my knowledge I never contracted it but how can I be sure that's actually the case.

Breeal

Asymptomatic diagnosis is something only backed up by PCR tests and PCR tests were never meant for doagnosis, especially at the cycle threshold the tests are run at.

Mars Bar

My Dad and I are still trooping along and proud members of the no-covid club. My sister has had it twice, once in the first October in England then a few months ago in S. Korea. My mother also had it twice and it's a mystery how Dad hasn't had it.

I live in the UAE so I was being tested every week/two weeks for a very long period of time (in triple figures of testing 🤪) so I think I would have caught it even if asymptomatic. I'm now living life as if it's not a thing.

But I've noticed so many people getting it for a second time.

Carodh

Avoided it at work surrounded by children who don't have boundaries as it went through the room so many times.

Avoided it when husband & 2 kids had it last year.

Avoided it when I was a close contact so many times.

Until today. Faint line on antigen test. Thankfully just a slight headache & hopefully that's all I'll get.

Cluedo Monopoly

I know a guy in late 40s who is unvaxxed and has never tested positive for Covid despite being surrounded by it. His family are all vaxxed and have each had 2 bouts of Covid. He is a fit man but he swears by Vitamin D supplements.

I know one other young adult who has never tested positive for Covid but some people held out until very recently.

looksee

One member of the family had a very bad cold for most of a week after having been on antibiotics for infected sinuses the previous week. Testing negative all along. Then after a week of the cold she tested positive, but is less sick now than over the past couple of weeks. Confusing.

Stark

Jinxed it after posting in this thread. Caught it in November. Thankfully it was very mild.

Beasty

No one can reasonably know they have not been infected at all given how asymptomatic this virus can be

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043629#Comment_120043629

Worth a read of this on interplay of covid and rhinovirus

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-56483445