Current covid resources for cyclists?

[makoti]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

I’ve always taken the approach of when sick, if I don’t want to ride, I don’t. If I do, I will. That wouldn’t change if i were diagnosed with Covid or a common cold.

Above the neck issues, ride if you feel like it
Below the neck issues, no, even if you feel like it
Been working for me for years

[bigbill]

I had it in January of 2020, before it was a thing. Totally destroyed me for five days, thought it was the worst flu ever, and felt weak for two weeks before it got better. I took it easy because I thought it was the flu. I tested positive for antibodies in July of 2020. I had the Moderna shots in the spring of 2021 and a booster in November. My wife had the J&J vaccine (hates needles) but still got it in September of 2021 but I tested negative. My son got it in the fall of 2020 at Annapolis and was moved to the "already had it" floor of Bancroft Hall. It messed him up for two months, no workouts at all. Everyone is different and I think the vaccine lessens the effects, but there's so much more at play.

[benb]

I went for a ride.. FWIW it's day 9 since I first had any symptoms and Day 7 since I tested positive.

I basically never had a fever so following the CDC guidelines is pretty murky. The worst days I had were 6-7 days ago.

I still have a little bit of congestion.. but it's pretty darn close to what I get from allergies, and the pollen levels are off the wall right now.

I also still have a little bit of throat irritation. Sore throat was the absolute worst symptom I had.. very sore throat some nights.

Anyway I took my MTB out and deliberately rode a pancake flat super easy trail and kept my HR well within aerobic limits, only about 45 minutes.

All seemed fine, I wasn't even riding slow, didn't get out of breath, didn't see any weird HR spikes, if anything my HR stayed low and took a long time to climb but that might have just been me being careful.

All in all fine, but it's going to be interesting what happens the first time I try to ride harder.

Definitely good for the spirits!

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by makoti

If you are going to start Plaxlovid, now's the time. A word of warning that I didn't get.
It may give you a serious metal taste for a few days. Everything will taste like trash.
That was my only side effect. It did seem to help, but I was pretty sick

My doc prescribed Paxlovid for me in January. What she didn't prescribe were mints, which would have been helpful as that metallic taste is awful.

Someone else said it tastes like "ass"...which is probably accurate but also led me to respond with - "how do they know?"

Take it easy for two full weeks afterwards. I was winded from going up stairs two weeks later. Back to my normal by four weeks...

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by thwart

We still don’t know much about how to avoid long COVID.

Seems a prudent approach is to resume strenuous physical activities more slowly than you would from a bad cold or mild case of the flu.

Although I’m not aware of any hard science to support that.

The current consensus is that low risk (younger, healthy, non-immune suppressed) people don’t seem to benefit by taking Paxlovid.

Take this advice. Stay away from exercise for a while. There is enough early data to suggest that not doing so increases your risk of long covid symptoms. Anecdotally I know several people that were very fit and healthy and started exercising as soon as they felt ok then developed long covid symptoms. Give yourself time to clear the virus completely. Felling normal does not mean that you are clear. Both times I had Covid I gave myself the better part of a week after felling good before I jumped back on the bike then eased myself back. Best wishes for your recovery.