3 of us off colour...do we get tested??

[WAMS]

Posted this in the corona section but no replies so here for traffic!
So the last few days I have had a headache that won't shift with paracetamol etc. 2 days ago one of my teenage DCs said he had earache which is getting worse. My other teenage DC has a very sore throat today. I don't want to be lax, what with an elderly disabled mum, but nor do I want to over react to the slightest sniffle. However it's looking like we have a bug in the house...so should we get tested, do we avoid people, or given none of it looks like covid symptoms particulalry do we carry on as usual? I really dont know! (Has also now occured to me that I was coughing a lot a few days ago - just put it down to my asthma so didnt think much of it, tho did notice the inhaler wasnt helping. But so easy to retrofit stuff isnt it?)

I guess my question would be why not?

Personally I would only get tested if I had Covid symptoms. We also don't visit elderly/ vunerable relatives when unwell, even pre CV19.

Hmm. Have no answer to that KTD27...beyond not wanting to be a paranoid wally I guess. Perhaps I should have posted this as a WWYD.

RubieRose unfortunately my mum is disabled and needs me so I can't really call off visits every time one of the children has an earache or sore throat (tho I wouldnt take them) I wouldnt cancel a visit with a headache either under normal cicumstances. However these are strange times.

In that case, tested. You'll know in a few days and you can put your mind at rest. You'll probably have to lie about your symptoms though.

Put your symptoms into NHS 111 Coronavirus online questionnaire. It will tell you if you need a test or not. We did this with sore throat as main symptom and it said unlikely to be Covid and didn't recommend a test.

You were coughing a lot - that is a symptom and I would get tested in your situation.

@WAMS

Hmm. Have no answer to that KTD27...beyond not wanting to be a paranoid wally I guess. Perhaps I should have posted this as a WWYD.

This is probably the one time in life being a paranoid wally is acceptable!

Seriously though I'd test. Better to know either way.

It probably isn't but it only takes that one person with atypical symptoms to start a chain of transmission unwittingly.

Yup, definitely. You've probably got something else and a negative result will put everyone at ease. (And there is plenty of capacity for testing).

Yes I had a test today. Only got a sore throat and temperature but don't want to inadvertently kill the old folk

Controversial but....I'm not 100% convinced by the bias towards testing 'just in case'. Its fine now, but if we all follow that approach going into the autumn testing capacity will surely sink under the strain.

One of my friends had it. Her only complaint was a headache for a couple of days. Only got tested as her partner had more common symptoms.

@KTD27

I guess my question would be why not?

You should only get tested if you have a one symptoms otherwise you maybe taking a test slot of someone who genuinely needs it.

There are loads of test slots available so you aren’t taking it off anyone.

I think in this situation, it's best to assume that every illness is corona virus and test. There's plenty of tests now and they're easy to do at home.

Don't they (not sure who they are) decide if you need a test or not?

You input all your details and they advise? Or am I making this up?

You can't just turn up for a test, you have to book a slot and to do so you need to meet a criteria.

You can get tests posted to you which you then return through the post.