Think I have 'symptoms' and I'm a teacher. Just need reassurance im doing the right thing.

[NoMoreShows]

I've been awake for most of the night coughing. It started at around 7pm last night. It's 4am and I've been awake for the past hour solidly. Its a dry cough. I have mild discomfort when I breathe but nothing that would normally concern me.

My dinner tasted 'funny' last night. The children said it tasted fine but it was just a bit bland to me and didn't taste right. Can't really explain how though otherwise.

I'm a primary school teacher.

They've told us "not to take any chances" if we think we have symptoms. 2 of our bubbles have already been closed due to positive tests and several children have already been off with suspected symptoms although nearly all tests have come back negative.

A few other teachers have had to isolate with symptoms until test results come back.

I know I need to phone and tell them and not go in but I don't feel 'ill' as such (no temperature) and years of dragging myself in, dosed up to the hilt and just surviving the day have conditioned me and I feel incredibly guilty it just feels 'wrong' to phone in when I don't feel 'ill' enough to take time off. Just need reassurance really.

Plus its the last few days before half term. And that always feels especially bad for being ill. Thanks.

I hope you feel better soon

I think this is it isn’t it, if you go down with symptoms the shit that unravels is huge. It’s the right thing to do, but it’s not an easy thing.

I absolutely know what you mean about it feeling wrong taking time off as a teacher when you are not literally at death's door, but you know what you need to do.
Get well soon and don't feel guilty - you are protecting others by staying at home.

No reason to feel guilty at all! You fit two symptoms, so isolating and testing is the right thing.

I know they've taken the shortness of breath off the mains symptoms list but I do feel I have that.

That was my main symptom - shortness of breath and a tight chest. I had no cough, no temperature and no change of taste/smell.

I was still in school teaching. I don't have 'Covid symptoms' - the NHS checker said this, as did my GP surgery.

I actually went to the walk in centre as felt my chest was really tight. I'd previously had a bit of a cold the week before so just wanted to get it checked. Ive had issues with this before since having pneumonia years ago.

The walk in centre did not suspect covid. A&E where they sent me (dangerously high blood pressure) did not suspect covid - they sent me through the 'green' zone. The next day the GP didn't suspect covid - went as follow up from A&E. The admissions ward at the hospital also didn't suspect, where GO sent me.

I had a covid test as its routine for an overnight hospital stay. The next day it was positive. The cough started later that evening - some 5 or 6 days after the chest tightness.

Please don't risk it. Get yourself tested and fingers crossed you stay feeling fine.

The guilt is horrendous.

The guilt of having to phone in and tell work I had tested positive was even worse than I have ever had than phoning in sick initially. It really was awful. Even though all the medics hadn't suspected and had missed it I sill felt it was my fault and that I'd put people at risk.

It was a whole new level of teacher guilt!

If you were a teacher at my children's scho, you would be putting MY life at risk by going in. Please stay at home!

Well I feel guilty now because tightness in my chest is the worst symptom I have. Still coughing and having waves of temperature. But I'd never have been off school for this previously! Taste seems ok now.

I still haven't had a result. My colleague had their result around 2 and a half days later. So I'm really hoping to get it back tomorrow.

I think the guilt of telling them I'd got it and had been in work would be worse, absolutely! But now I'm feeling guilt at having 3 days off for ,potentially, 'nothing'!

I spoke to my ex boyfriend yesterday. He said I should let the guilt go and just make the most of it. I know what he means but still...

Zipitydoodah I've had two days off so far and looking at a third tomorrow as I haven't had a result yet.

Hopefully your test comes back negative and you feel better soon

Came back negative about an hour ago.

Phew!

I realise I'm late to the party (I'm really glad for you OP it came back negative ) I can only comment on this from the parents perspective but I would be 100% behind you to play safe and get tested (as you have ) before coming in , absolutely no issue that it came back negative I'd rather slight upheaval to my DC with change in teachers than risk them being exposed. I know it might feel momentarily crap for colleagues but if you infected them it would be so much worse. You simply didn't know until the test and you did absolutely the right thing. My DC are both primary and being exposed with 2 weeks isolation would have huge effects on our family for a variety of reasons I would much prefer a teacher to play safe.

No need to feel guilty, you would only need to feel guilty if you went in with it and spread it! I hope it’s not covid and that you’re feeling better soon

Great news. And the bonus is - That’ll be a huge relief to the parents! Not that they will have been told....

Great news OP.

I had the same thing.. a few days off and then a negative result. I think anecdotally that the big symptom is the taste/smell one and it's one of the first. I feel a little silly panicking and getting the test/staying home when that wasn't one of my symptoms. But better to be safe than sorry I guess.

Thanks.

As I know, and others have pointed out, we all need to be careful.

There are over 100 people in my work bubble so if they and their families had had to isolate for a fortnight because of me, I wouldn't have been popular! Less so if I'd carried on regardless!

Well that's the thing! I think I knew by day two at home it probably wasn't it. But the price of getting it wrong is just too high!

I might add I am not nervous or anxious hypochondriac. Our workplaces survived without us for a few days and had I gone in I would have spent that time worried.