Pox?

DisruptedCapitalist

Uh... So how has everyone been feeling? I've been feeling terrible since Saturday myself and I'm hoping that it is NOT because of PAX but then again, you never know what with Jane McGonigal having us touch each other.

Either that or I've killed you all since I was contagious and didn't know it.

emarecksaykay

I kept a small bottle of purell in my pocket all PAX long and used it frequently. I highly recommend it. Got sick after PAX once, but never again. The keynote and a few panels I went to that involved "mass touching" were ill advised, and I saw some people coughing on their hands or into the air, but overall I think most people will indeed survive PAX. Of course, with PAX now over an the next one so many long months away, who is to say the fallen will not be better off?

rnicoll

DisruptedCapitalist wrote: »

Uh... So how has everyone been feeling? I've been feeling terrible since Saturday myself and I'm hoping that it is NOT because of PAX but then again, you never know what with Jane McGonigal having us touch each other.

The smell of cleansing gel wafted through the main theatre moments later. Wow, we really learn...

DisruptedCapitalist

I know, I smelled it too and turned around to see if anyone could lend me some, but no one in my immediate area knew where the smell was coming from. I guess I was surrounded by PAX newbies (myself included.)

Holyyakker

I made it through feeling fine. But I also work in a public school system and that innoculates you to almost everything. I am fricken exhausted, but I think that is from only sleeping 12 hours or so Thursday-Sunday.

Regiment

Holyyakker wrote: »

I made it through feeling fine. But I also work in a public school system and that innoculates you to almost everything. I am fricken exhausted, but I think that is from only sleeping 12 hours or so Thursday-Sunday.

Same here - if my students don't get me sick, PAX can't.

Sepioth

The PAX plague :-)

I knew of the possibility of getting sick at PAX but I didn't bother bringing and Purell. I knew they would have plenty on hand at the event. Between the stand alone stations, the dispensers in the bathrooms, just about every booth having some, other people bringing some and Morgan Webb there was plenty to go around :-)

Maiu

I did not get sick, but I took today off from exhaustion. That convention was HUGE!

EDIT: I lied, I am sick. Starting off with a sore throat, so I'm drinking tons of everything with Vitamin C and taking day/nyquil.

That_Guy

I got pretty violently ill Sunday and ended up not being able to go. I am pretty sure it was food poisoning from when I ate at Legal Seafood, though.

Shayde

I had the flu that has been going around a couple months ago, so I'm fine.

Trion

Does exhaustion count as a disease? 'Cause if it does, I may be dead.

Aside from that I'm fine.

DisruptedCapitalist

That_Guy wrote: »

I got pretty violently ill Sunday and ended up not being able to go. I am pretty sure it was food poisoning from when I ate at Legal Seafood, though.

Legal Sea Foods will do that to ya. I've never had a good experience there.

dirkgently

My throat is sore, don't know if that was from the three days of talking/yelling or from being sick.

rnicoll

I'm a bit warmed-over, but I've been that way since late Saturday, so suspect this is something I came with Sorry all, if it re-assures anyone I've been hand cleaning constantly, and avoiding touching anything...

Edit: I'll be fine with a good night's sleep, so not bad at all.

PAXKAZ

I definetly have PAX Pox. I am however shocked at how many people brought TINY babies the an event with 60k plus people from all over the country. Talk about a great way to get your baby REALLY REALLY sick! O_o

Holyyakker

Regiment wrote: »

Holyyakker wrote: »

I made it through feeling fine. But I also work in a public school system and that innoculates you to almost everything. I am fricken exhausted, but I think that is from only sleeping 12 hours or so Thursday-Sunday.

Same here - if my students don't get me sick, PAX can't.

Dude, you teach in CT too? Where? PM if you want.

Holyyakker

dirkgently wrote: »

My throat is sore, don't know if that was from the three days of talking/yelling or from being sick.

I'd bet it is probably overuse, under hydration, and general fatigue.

dirkgently

Holyyakker wrote: »

dirkgently wrote: »

My throat is sore, don't know if that was from the three days of talking/yelling or from being sick.

I'd bet it is probably overuse, under hydration, and general fatigue.

i'll agree with you 100% there. After friday I carried my 1L nalgene on me all day and refilled, but definitely general fatigue. I don't think I have walked that much in any one day since last PAX.

SoberChef

As I went in through the rotating doors and put my hands on the bar to push it, I thought to myself "How many thousands of people have touched this already today?" Good thing I'm not a germaphobe, nor am I sick!!!

kropotkin

I followed the rules of washing my hands after entering the expo hall and playing any games. I especially did that when rummaging around a bin looking for dice. As much as I like the dice I got, they were probably contaminated with who knows what, so I will be washing them when I get home.

adester

I've been wondering how many of the purell or any hand sanitizers users use it on a daily basis outside of pax.

On a joking note though, I wonder if pax will be one of the reasons why super germs are going to keep evolving. lol

TheLawinator

I got sick as hell last year, which may have made me immune to all subsequent plagues. Also some vitamin c megadoses are good.

Themiscyra

I have con crud for sure. I blame exhaustion and a whole lot of touching. Should've gone full Iron Guard.

emarecksaykay

adester wrote: »

I've been wondering how many of the purell or any hand sanitizers users use it on a daily basis outside of pax.

On a joking note though, I wonder if pax will be one of the reasons why super germs are going to keep evolving. lol

I use purell all the time, as I'm an EMT. I encourage the use of it in my daily life though, so most people I know use it at least occasionally. Washing hands is just as fine, but I keep a bottle of purell in my car and keep some with me anywhere I'm not going to have a lot of access to soap and water.

Super germs evolve when you have antibiotics used all the time. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers use lysis to kill germs, which isn't really something a germ can become immune to. I know you were joking, but there you have it.

The more you know ==========

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*

rnicoll

adester wrote: »

I've been wondering how many of the purell or any hand sanitizers users use it on a daily basis outside of pax.

On a joking note though, I wonder if pax will be one of the reasons why super germs are going to keep evolving. lol

I have bottles because it's convenient if I want to eat food and can't wash my hands, but usually just stick with soap...

Soyduck

I have been feeling under the weather slightly since Sunday morning, but last night's 4 pm - 5 am drive from Boston to Ohio made me feel even WORSE ... I'm coughing up some phlegm and got the sniffles ... I don't feel fatigued other than walking around for three days. Got some Mucinex and zinc to kill it ...

Holyyakker

I'll admit it... Sunday I went around licking door handles hoping to get sick so I could legitimately call out sick today. As it was I got lucky and chipped a molar on my breakfast cereal so tomorrow is a dentist day.

adester

emarecksaykay wrote: »

adester wrote: »

I've been wondering how many of the purell or any hand sanitizers users use it on a daily basis outside of pax.

On a joking note though, I wonder if pax will be one of the reasons why super germs are going to keep evolving. lol

I use purell all the time, as I'm an EMT. I encourage the use of it in my daily life though, so most people I know use it at least occasionally. Washing hands is just as fine, but I keep a bottle of purell in my car and keep some with me anywhere I'm not going to have a lot of access to soap and water.

Super germs evolve when you have antibiotics used all the time. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers use lysis to kill germs, which isn't really something a germ can become immune to. I know you were joking, but there you have it.

The more you know ==========

---

*

I said it because there is still a debate over it.
If it causes an lysis on the cell walls of bacteria then that would only prove only the strong germs will survive at the end. Now I know most brands say they kill up to 99.99% of germs.
Would that mean if there was to say only a million germs on your hand when you used it.
That would mean there would still be close 100 germs that survived.
EDIT: Please note: I'm not an expert on this matter. :F

Whats the real difference in using antibiotics and hand santizers? Do they both kill germs through lysis?

I'm not against hand santizers at all or soap. I use both and used both during the convention. I just don't use hand sanitizers on a daily basis like I would soap.


Sorry didn't want to get into a debate and I knew I shouldn't of made the joke. -.-

emarecksaykay

Antibiotics work through a variety of means, but most of them (the kind you put into a pill and swallow) act through means that don't kill the host. Drink a bottle of rubbing alcohol and, well, don't. But hey, if you get it in your blood stream, it'll kill bacteria in you along with all your blood cells. Antibiotics are tailor-made for specific types of bacteria so they don't harm human cells. Some inhibit cell reproduction, some cause lysis, some block things from getting in and out of membranes. The point is though, they're made specifically to kill types of non-human cells, and a genetic mutation in a bacteria strain can cause an immunity just like your human cells are immune.

Stuff like soap works in exactly the same way as rubbing alcohol. But rubbing alcohol evaporates pretty quickly and you don't need to rinse.

feitocomfruta

I'm still feeling pretty well, except for exhaustion and muscle fatigue.

Well, and PPD (Post-PAX-um Depression).

Sepioth

I try to not use them at all actually. At an event where there are thousands of people from all over yeah makes sense, as an EMT again makes sense, when you can't get to water and are gonna eat some food your gonna be touching makes sense. But to use them ALL the time mase NO sense to me.

We have lived quite a few years without Purell. With the constant use of Purell your killing the good bacteria that is esential. Your also not gonna build any immunities to bacterias if you never have contact with them. This is also causing those germs to evolve so they can defend themselves agains Purell which changes them making them immune to anti-biotics and other medicines.

I typically get one cold a year and I got that about 5 weeks ago. And thats WITHOUT daily and constant use of Purell

undead

I'm actually in quite a bit of pain today, although I believe that's more because the weather went back to freezing (it actualy snowed here in Boston today) than it is because of the walking.

The big problem was on Friday. I had finished the Munchkin tournament and took a break before starting to demo again to eat my homemade sandwiches. Got a bad reaction to pb&j, which simply should not have happened.
Whatever it was, though, it was gone on Saturday and Sunday.

DaveRH

I usually gestate something of pure evil within myself during PAX and it rears it's ugly head on the trip home, but for the first PAX in like 4 or 5, I am healthy as a young buck.

xipetotec

My brother and I are fine. Washed my hands frequently and purelled a few times.

z24autox

Sepioth wrote: »

I try to not use them at all actually. At an event where there are thousands of people from all over yeah makes sense, as an EMT again makes sense, when you can't get to water and are gonna eat some food your gonna be touching makes sense. But to use them ALL the time mase NO sense to me.

We have lived quite a few years without Purell. With the constant use of Purell your killing the good bacteria that is esential. Your also not gonna build any immunities to bacterias if you never have contact with them. This is also causing those germs to evolve so they can defend themselves agains Purell which changes them making them immune to anti-biotics and other medicines.

I typically get one cold a year and I got that about 5 weeks ago. And thats WITHOUT daily and constant use of Purell

I agree with most of this, I don't use purell, I do wash my hands when needed thats about it. I get sick maybe once a year, if that, and I attribute this to a strong immune system, built up over many years. I am feeling fine, a little sore thats it.

crimsong19

I didn't get anything last year, but I've been having a slight headache, a slightly sore neck, and slightly swollen lymph nodes for the last day or so. Health services said to keep up a high fluid intake ... and that lymph node swelling is the body fighting off infection ... yes, I know that already, thanks.

dirkgently

cold chills, sore throat, headache, and tired eyes. I do think I came down with something. damn you sick people! *shakes fist*

Jag

I never get sick anymore. Which is odd since I was always terribly ill as a child. It could be the fact that I'm in a lot better shape now, or it could be that I've traveled all over the world and been inoculated against almost everything as part of my job in the military.

Point is, I only washed my hands after using the bathroom and never used hand sanitizer at all. I even hugged Tim Schafer moments before he started puking and had no ill effects. Maybe I'm just a carrier and infected the greatest game designer/writer to have ever lived...

Great, now I feel bad.

Holyyakker

You know - I have to wonder what the actual outbreak % is. I know that with H1N1 it was serious business. But considering it is winter how many people have to come down with "pax pox" before it breaks the threshold of just being "random people get sick" into something you can legitimately put on PAX?

rnicoll

Holyyakker wrote: »

You know - I have to wonder what the actual outbreak % is. I know that with H1N1 it was serious business. But considering it is winter how many people have to come down with "pax pox" before it breaks the threshold of just being "random people get sick" into something you can legitimately put on PAX?

I think illnesses post-PAX are basically in-line with what you expect for an international group spending 3 days in close proximity with poor nutrition and sleep regimes. In the past I think they've been worse because there's a lot more items that go through a lot of hands (dice, controllers, etc.), but are now nothing unusual.

King of Mars

I woke up with a sore throat on Sunday. I just got back from the doctor since it's not getting any better, it turns out I have tonsilitis. Of course, I could have gotten it anywhere in Boston, but it qualifies as a pox, so here I post.