St. Louis Meet-Up: COVID Warning

While I don’t wish to cast a negative light on the meetup, I was told someone at the St. Louis event on Saturday tested positive for COVID this morning.

At this point in time, with the interaction at the event and cuddling offsite, I believe it’s safe to assume everyone attending has potentially been exposed to some degree. To that end, take whatever precautions needed for yourself and your personal circle of people.

NOTE: I was at the event myself and, assuming this news is true, had first-person exposure. I just arrived home, saw nothing posted, and believe the responsible thing to do is to notify those who were there. That said, the person who supposedly tested positive could still be traveling, and may not have had a chance to notify people at this point, so I do not wish to disclose their identity.

quixotic_life

It could be too that they've already done the responsible thing and told those they were in direct/close contact with or indoors with so they could then notify those they were in contact with and so on.

If everyone does that, there's no need to freak out or panic. And it sounds like you were notified in the way you should have been so yay.

@quixotic_life exactly. I am not casting shade on the person at all. Just want to be sure all know ASAP. My warning symbols were more to draw attention so people would see. lol

NicoSnuggs

Thank you for the heads up @Julie33.

I was planning to get PCR-tested as soon as I got back to Orlando and did today (this afternoon around 5pm), at a community health center called “TruHealth.”

I will have the results by tomorrow evening.

Babichev

It’s possible that more than one person has tested positive. I’m just now getting online but got a text from someone about an hour ago, got some messages here, and two different names have come up. Point being: everyone be aware that you may have been exposed. Get tested.

I was bummed I was either too busy or too tired to spend more time with folks before and/or after the event but perhaps that was okay.

RadiantHugs

Well, this is particularly concerning news for me. I returned Saturday and hosted cuddle party on Sunday, and am supposed to get on a plane in 5 hours. If I'm exposed, I have exposed and risk exposing a large number of people. I'm not symptomatic as of now, but I'll pull out the home test just in case. I understand your fear of naming names, but whoever knows the affected individuals, can you message me and let me know if I might have interacted closely with them? You don't need to give me a name, but I need to know this with particular urgency.

Oh no…

SoftHairForDays

Just an FYI, according to the CDC it is too soon to test. I hope whoever has it is feeling better soon. 💜

quixotic_life

"quixotic_life exactly. I am not casting shade on the person at all. Just want to be sure all know ASAP. My warning symbols were more to draw attention so people would see. lol" ~ @Julie33

Well... Unfortunately that's not really true because you did tell people a specific name. I've heard through multiple PM's now, that people heard through you, that @it's_up_to_them_to_share_if_true had tested positive.

But they hadn't. At least not as of a bit after I'd informed them that I had, and had likely exposed them (because we shared the same large indoor air space for a few and hugged a couple times).

They got tested, it was negative, and they were letting people know they'd been exposed and will test again within a couple days and/or if they start showing symptoms.

They did the right thing by messaging those they'd been close to that they were exposed, so those people could take preventative measures against further spread until outside the incubation window. Not so everyone would start back channeling, "omg did you hear that..." and the messages getting twisted.

Since then, perhaps they have tested positive. Perhaps someone else has too. But even then. It's okay to not be the one sharing other people's info and stirring up a bunch of drama, and to allow them to tell who they need to, what they need to, when they need to. And in the future, if you all really feel compelled to share, keep it anonymous or maybe just go for a walk instead.

@CuddlesByDeep ~ You're likely fine, since we didn't even get to say hi to eachother before you left, and my interactions with everyone else there were all quite limited as well.

So yeah. I have Covid. Despite the vaccines & booster, being one of the minority who still wears my mask at work, the store, on the plane, etc. always has sanitizer at the ready and is a bit of a germaphobe... who is at high risk for major complications, I'm the one who tested positive for Covid!! And I let those I'd been in close proximity to (including the airlines) know right away.

I only took off my mask for this event to not be such a weirdo and because I'd been so cautious and I thought it would be okay to.

I really am sorry I've put others at risk, and for anyone else who tests positive and can trace it back to me or anyone else who attended this lovely gathering, I am so so sorry.

edited out a couple typos

MissAdventurous

Risk comes in many forms. Communication is key and all will work itself out if communication is applied. Which is the case.

Sending love and healing thoughts to everyone. 😌

sillysassy

@Green_Eyes thank you for your sweet get well wishes for @quixotic_life she is feeling extremely sad even though she is the most Covid safety conscious person I know. She IS High risk and is taking this very seriously. She has lots of allergy stuff and thought that’s what it was. She called those of us who shared an indoor space IMMEDIATELY after she knew in tears because of feelings of guilt….

@MissAdventurous spot on as per usual. 🥰

To clear up any confusion or rumors that speak the opposite…..

🔴🟡🟠 SILLYSASSY DOES NOT HAVE A POSITIVE COVID19 TEST RESULT. 🟠🟡🔴

SILLY SASSY DOES NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS except a bit of a scratchy throat from chatting so much and I think a bit too much sun exposure.

I DID message people I was in close contact with so they could be aware of the possible SECONDARY exposure.

I DID test (even though I know it’s too early) and the results were negative. I will test again and post results here.

I hugged people at the park (you know who you are) but thank goodness this wasn’t a watermelon seed spitting contest kind of picnic.

I WILL CONTINUE to follow CDC guidelines as a responsible human.

SoftHairForDays

@quixotic_life - I'm sending you positive vibes and healing thoughts. I'm so sorry you've tested positive. 🫂

quixotic_life

@Green_Eyes and @sillysassy ~ Thanks.

Hoping for the good results reported for Paxlovid the one for those of us "who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death" (really Pfizer? You had to put the "D" word in there too? As if I weren't stressed enough...)

Also, @Babichev , I hope it's okay I posted all that up there. I was getting a flurry of messages and just wanted to clear things up and make it all stop. It was such a beautiful thing you did for our community and I didn't like how this was taking away from that.

Babichev

@quixotic_life - No problem. No blame.

RadiantHugs

@quixotic_life sending you healing vibes for a quick and speedy recovery.

KozyKim

I get tested twice a week at work so I’ll let everyone know how my test comes out especially the second one.

@quixotic_life I hope you feel better quickly. You did things the right way.

This is how they notify parents in my child's school. They don't send a bulletin out to the entire school when someone tests positive for covid. They just notify close contacts of that person. Close contacts with symptoms test and notify their close contacts if they test positive, etc etc.

They do send out an email to everyone periodically just letting us know how many positives there were that week and that the count is up or down from last week.

People need to remember that even boosted people can still get the virus and spread it even without showing symptoms, which is why it's so heavily promoted that people get vaccinated. It will keep most (not all) people from getting terribly ill from it.

KozyKim

Please don’t feel bad you did everything you could.

@quixotic_life first, and most importantly, all the best wishes coming your way for a speedy recovery with no complications.

Secondly, posting on the forum was the only way I could think of to disseminate the information to the most people in a timely manner. After consulting a friend in the medical field, I believed it was the prudent thing because, while the event was outside, there was lots of hugging/1-on-1 cuddling there and offsite so exposure opportunity was high.

Like you, I’ve been careful throughout the pandemic and I weighed the “risks” of the event and not wearing a mask there or while cuddling. That decision was my choice and, like @Babichev, I have no blame or fingers to point if someone was there and unaware they were positive.

Lastly, it is true I privately told only one person what was relayed to me and that was after they read my post and contacted me because we cuddled 1-on-1. Any other references to me were not firsthand knowledge from me, and I regret if I contributed to a “telephone game” as my intent was to help mitigate that very thing.

Again, best wishes to you for a safe and quick recovery. Please keep us posted on your status as I’m sure many will care to know how you are doing.

blisscuddles

@quixotic_life Hope you feel better and this just passes through to a quick recovery. Sending healing thoughts your way.

MCcuddles2

For what it's worth @Julie33 I think you did the right thing. I think the person in question was getting defensive and irrational. The safety of a group trumps the hurt feelings of an individual.

Where I work, it's standard practice to share the name of the infected. People should decide for themselves if they were in close contact, that's not up to the infectee to determine that.

Actually, retraction: our company obtains consent before disclosing the name.

TheFunCartel

@MCcuddles2 Perhaps. But I think the problem she had with it was the lying that she wasn’t naming names when she was. Be an adult and come clean. If you are going to out the person just say it, don’t be two-faced about it. But she also named some people that tested negative as well. That is unsettling and troubling that someone is speculating and spreading lies like that.

@FunCartel if you are talking about me I did not lie. I said in my OP I was not naming the person publicly. And I did not. I still have not. So if I didn't name anyone, and I didn't directly share a name with you, how do you know I "named people that tested negative"? It seems you are speculating and spreading hearsay. And there was no "some." It was one person in question.

My knowledge came from first-person contact. If you read my reply above I said I privately told one person who had cuddle contact with me and asked them not to repeat. They were concerned they had 1-on-1 cuddle contact with the person in question. There was no speculating or spreading, no lies or malicious intent, and it’s unsettling of you to say there was.

@MCcuddles2 there is no right or wrong per se. I did what I believed to be the right thing as did @quixotic_life. Again, there is no blame IMO. I appreciate @sillysassy and @quixotic_life revealing what they did so people in attendance can make the best choices for them. It’s an unfortunate blip in a wonderful weekend.

pmvines

Truth is covid is still a thing and you can obviously catch it even under the safest of circumstances . And I use the term safe loosely as we are all adults who willingly went to a large meet and greet that included cuddling and sleeping overnights with others. Cant exactly be mad or upset with others if you get exposed to something when you are engaging in practices that put you at risk . And to say it started with one person when half a dozen folks could have had it and not even known isnt exactly fair . For all we know , ground zero could be this person, or that person, or the guy standing next to you pissing in the gas station bathroom and letting a deep exhale as he walks past you. One person informed others in their immediate circle who they spent time with when they tested positive after getting home and showing symptoms. But that doesnt mean they are necessarily the only ones who had it .

TheFunCartel

@pmvines 💯

cuddler5617

I do not know about everyone here but I would like to start by saying I had a great time. That being said this entire thing is a misunderstanding. I will tell the full story at least from my perspective and hopefully clear some stuff up. @sillysassy texted me and advised me of a possible exposure. She was very polite and respectful for informing me. I read the text and at the bottom of the text was another name that exposed her by accident. Silly sassy never had it.

Her name did pop up on my caller ID when the text went through on my car display. @Julie33 was riding with me at the time and saw it. Out of respect for her I told her when we got back to the hotel that I had been potentially exposed. Given that it was SillySassy that last messaged me an honest mistake took place.

Instead of getting all worked up about things she made things clear on this thread like a mature adult would do. She and I have spoken since and understand where the mistake had been made and everything is good. No hard feelings no bad vibes.

Out of a concern for the overall group Julie33 posted a thread that did not mention names and now she is being attacked. While I do not have access to her texts, calls, and such so other than what has been posted I am not privy to said information but why is it that we can not take it as a fellow member of the site doing something out of concern for everyone and leaving it as that. It’s not like anything has been said that would be slanderous here. Now names such as two face and liar are being thrown out.

That is sheer ignorance from someone who wasn’t even there. Wasn’t part of any of the texts or messages and is looking to pick a fight, historically looks to pick fights where there really is none. I was under the impression that this site is supposed to be about acceptance, love, and peace. CC is better than Facebook so please let’s act like it.

Every act rather it be right or wrong, worded correctly or not, was done out of respect and love for this community why can’t we just take it as that and stop spreading hate, mistrust, and spite.

That’s my two cents. Thank you all again for one of the best weekends of my life, I hope you all have a great day and loin forward to our life paths crossing again should it be in my future.

Mike403

I don't hide from it anymore. If I catch it, I catch it. I went back to living a normal life going to concerts, etc...

@cuddler5617
Well stated. IMO this discussion should be cuddled gently and put to bed.

TheFunCartel

That is sheer ignorance from someone who wasn’t even there. Wasn’t part of any of the texts or messages and is looking to pick a fight, historically looks to pick fights where there really is none

@cuddler5617 I was there at an after party. I was at a March and rally in KC earlier in the day and didn’t make the park in time but I had an invitation to an after event cuddle party. So I think you might want to walk back your attack and fight you are trying to pick. Ciao.

You can DM me if you wish to pursue your diatribe.

@pmvines yes, I agree, which is why I said no harm, no foul, no blame. We all made a personal choice. But now that it is known one, and possibly two, people have tested positive, I can take steps to protect my loved ones who didn’t make that choice, get tested if I feel symptomatic and, if needed, seek treatment.

@btown I agree.