Have you gone for covid testing for 'just' a high temperature?

[Diemme]

We're a family of 4. Last Thursday night my 18 year old daughter developed a temperature of 38.8, very shivery with achey joints. By Friday morning her temperature was staying at around 37.8 with 4 hourly paracetamol and she felt a lot better. She had no cough and no loss of taste or smell. We did the right thing and booked her a test and all stayed at home until we got the result which was negative. Result was really delayed though, didn't come until this afternoon, by which time we'd lost 2 days of work, cancelled 2 arrangements with family and generally felt miserable. It's what we're told to do but it really didn't feel necessary. Young people get fevers with quick recovery all the time. Would you have done the same?

Yes definitely. You absolutely did the right thing. At 18 your daughter is an adult and a high temperature is not common in adults at all.

Yes, better get a negative result after a few days wait than be stuck inside 14 days without knowing.

Plus not all DC get temperatures often, DS1 (4) only gets them around twice a year.
He probably had coronavirus in March and it was no worse for him than other random nursery bugs so best to be safe and test for any high temp imo.

Yeah I would of 100%. I'd think of it as two days lost of work but had she had it and not stayed off and passed it to someone who was vulnerable or had a vulnerable family member the repercussions could of been worse for the people who were passed it. You done the right thing. We all need to be cautious with illnesses that have similar symptoms.

Of course. I just had high temp at first, didn't get tested until day 9 and it was positive. Got quite ill and in hospital for clexane injections and was off work 7 weeks.

Totally. She's 18 years old, not a teething baby. You don't usually get a temperature for no reason. It means your body is fighting an infection of some sort.

I thought you were talking about an 18m old I agree 18 year olds probably don't often get high temps.

You don't have a choice though, do you? If you have a fever you have to get a test or isolate.

I would definitely have got her a test, and have got one for everyone else in the house too. That's what we're being asked to do. You did the right and responsible thing, just hope everyone else continues to do this as we head into winter. It does highlight the issue that we need a much faster turnaround on tests though. Hope she's better soon.

Yes we did a few weeks ago my 2 girls 3 and 18 months both had temperatures and i had sore throat so went and got tested including husband, awful experience when to drive throu took 72 hours for results to come, home all weekend, had to cancel all plans including having childfree afternoon! All negative got results 1am monday morning after having test 8am friday morning. But better safe than sorry

How is this even a question? A fever is one of the three key symptoms meaning you self isolate and get a test.

It’s frustrating but you did the right thing.

No there's absolutely no choice and if the situation occurred again then I'd do the same. The point I was making was just about the hunch that it felt like an over reaction and made me wonder if the guidelines could incorporate a bit more of an assessment. Something like if only one symptom and full recovery after 24 hours then no need to test or isolate.

Absolutely the right thing to do.

Covid can present exactly like this. And you should do the same thing if this happens again. Even if it happens another 4 -5 times over the winter.

My son had a temp and a slight headache at the end of term. We took him for a test as didn’t particularly want to all isolate if it wasn’t Covid. Which it wasn’t. He started with diarrhoea the evening after his negative test so tummy bug it was.
I think you should always test if you have any ‘Covid’ symptoms though.

Something like if only one symptom and full recovery after 24 hours then no need to test or isolate.

But remember people can have no symptoms and still be positive. It’s a new virus which we are still learning about. There’s no way they’d be able to know if someone doesn’t have it if they recovered after a day.

I don’t think 18 year olds usually get temperatures all the time.

I think this highlights the need for a campaign to explain clearly that you only need one of the main symptoms, even if only for a few hours, to warrant a test. You did exactly the right thing but many people wouldn't have done.

And actually the symptom list should be longer, as with the WHO's own list, those of most other countries and those used for screening by other healthcare providers like dentists and even the track and trace system!

I have (what I assume is) a cold, and did a test today just in case. I expect it to come back negative, but so many of the symptoms are similar. Luckily I am working at home at the moment so fine not to go out.

Apparently the typical presentation of symptoms are fever first, then a cough, then people often get nausea followed by diarrhoea.

But lots of people only get some symptoms, some only have them briefly, and maybe even most people don’t get any symptoms at all.