Antiviral drugs prophylactic

Hi @codered032, Evusheld is actually still available but with the new variants of Covid, it may no longer be effective against the virus so most medical facilities don’t bother offering the option. From what I’m finding, right now there aren’t any other prophylactic antiviral meds approved for Covid except making sure people have latest bivalant booster. The meds your doctor ordered, molnupiravir, is only approved for patients who actually have actually tested positive with covid. It is not a prophylactic. https://www.drugs.com/molnupiravir.html

That doesn’t help those of us who are immunocompromised. If I remember correctly, you are taking Tacrolimus for MCD for your kidneys but don’t have any other comorbidities, which is a plus. You still may be acquiring some antibodies after your boosters. If you’re heading to a high risk area, such as Florida where so many people don’t vaccinate or wear masks, that can create a challenge.
When my husband and I down there (or anywhere!) we mask up anytime we’re in a store for groceries or shopping, elevators in our condo building, any common area indoors. We wipe down the handles of our grocery cart, we still wipe down products that come into our house. We don’t eat at restaurants unless we can sit outdoors. Anyone who comes into our apartment or in my space, is asked to wear a mask and we do also. We’ve had numerous workmen in our condo with a project and they had no issue with wearing a mask. We use hand sanitizer after pumping gas, lysol wipes are in the car for wiping catsup packets from fast food or grabbing when I run in to a rest stop to wipe the door handle in the stall.
All of this sounds like overkill to a person with a strong immune system. But it’s just the way it has to be for a transplant patient. We’ve managed to remain healthy for several years with this regimen.

These are things that have worked for me and other transplant friends who are seriously compromised. So I think, in spite of not having the Evusheld, if you follow the initial Covid protocol of masking, wiping, hand sanitizer, avoiding crowded area and just use caution you’ll be good to go. Toss in some covid tests. They’re still available from the government for free. https://www.covid.gov/tests/ If you do get covid, then the new meds can be given to lessen the duration.
If you find out any other information will you let us know?

My meph says I can not take any of the new meds for COVID. So I have to be very careful. BB

Thank you for reminding me and others about self-care protocol. I do wear disposable glover & KN95 mask when I am out and about. Unfortunately many people act as if COVID has been defeated.

We just can’t let our guards down for a moment. I’m as frustrated as you are with so many people acting as though Covid is no longer a threat. So, it’s up to us to continue to be proactive and do what we can to stay safe. One positive (for lack of better word) that came out of the pandemic, I think it’s more comfortable for those of us who do need to be extra cautious to actually wear masks in public now.

When I first had my transplant it was a year before Covid. Masks were not common in the mainstream world. I was always getting side-eye glances anywhere I went. I’m thick skinned so it seldom bothered me. But I often thought about how many people felt like they were forced to stay isolated because of the possible stigma of wearing masks.

My transplant took place at Mayo-Rochester where I stayed for 4 months. I had to wear a mask anytime I left my apartment…viruses, bacteria and fungal infections were dangerous. Rochester was easy for feeling ‘normal’ wearing masks in public. You could tell the transplant patients because we were all wearing N-95 masks. But I felt really comfortable, safe and not judged.

The wake-up call was returning home! I was excited to have some normalcy so my first trip out I went with my husband to get groceries at our local market. Still needing to wear a mask anytime I was out, I felt so conspicuous! This was my hometown but it wasn’t the safety net of Rochester. People walked way around me, side-eye glances…one mother with a little girl in a cart parked near me in the dairy aisle. When I turned to put something in my cart, the little girl could see my mask. I ‘smiled’ and said Hi. The little girl yelled at her mom, “Why does that lady have a mask on?” Her mom grabs the cart and said, while looking at me, “I don’t know what she has, but we’re not getting anywhere near her.” Welp, that would have been a very good teaching moment for that mom and daughter about compassion and understanding, germs? I wasn’t the sick one…I needed to be protected from her daughter who might give me chicken pox or measles! They didn’t need to fear me!
Honestly, my immediate response (in my mind) was I wanted to take my mask down and fake cough! 😂. Instead I wished them a lovely day and walked off. But I felt a bit defeated that I let someone shake my positive attitude for a moment. Anyway, now that Covid has brought masking to the forefront, even though there are people who balk at wearing them, masks do work to keep us protected. So hang in there, m’dear. Hopefully this does get under control someday and we won’t have to be so cautious. Enjoy your trip. We’re heading back to Florida soon.