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If you have covid nowadays, do you, personally, take precautions?

122 replies

WillowtreeHouse · 09/07/2023 17:41

I have covid at the moment and whilst I'm not holed up in my bedroom, I'm staying away from my family more than usual (teenagers in their rooms most of the time anyway!) as I would if I had a stomach bug or flu. I would doubt I'm very contagious now - day 7 and the faintest of faint lines on a test. I look after MIL part of the time, hence the testing and wont go to see her until I'm 100% clear. Usual handwashing etc but it's struck me how different attitudes are from different people: one friend is horrified that I would venture out of my room at all, while another doesn't understand why I'm not going to the cinema with her tonight. What about you?

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Wheredowe · 09/07/2023 18:52

I think it would be very selfish to go to the cinema with Covid to be honest. Had it recently and acted as you have done. It's not a mild illness.

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Wheredowe · 09/07/2023 18:53

Hbh17 · 09/07/2023 18:49

Nobody tests (I hope!) so wouldn't know. Just treat it like a cold, if any symptoms are noticeable. It hasn't been a big deal for at least 2 years, so....

It wasn't remotely like a cold or flu for us! Definitely not something to pass along.

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Qilin · 09/07/2023 18:56

1of2 · 09/07/2023 17:46

Wtf even tests nowadays anyway?

People who are classed as vulnerable, as it is how they access antiviral medication and how they know if they need to stop taking other medication temporarily.

People who are in contact with others who are particularly vulnerable.

People who may need to go into hospital for an operation or treatment, in some cases.

I see people ask this question on almost every covid thread these days.
Yes, some people still test for a range of reasons.
Some people are able to access free tests via the Government website.
Some people still choose to buy tests for a range of reasons.

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DiscoBeat · 09/07/2023 18:57

If I have any symptoms I always test, then yes I would stay at home to protect others.

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Findyourneutralspace · 09/07/2023 18:59

It floored me when I had it. If I thought I had it again I’d do a test and keep mixing with others to a minimum, because you don’t know how it will hit other people. That’s the thing with it - it’s such a strange virus. One person can be completely asymptomatic and another person can end up in ICU.

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Forgottenmypasswordagain · 09/07/2023 19:07

Of course we would isolate. We have tests here and we mask. As long as people are still spreading covid in our country, we will be masking.

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Marsyas · 09/07/2023 19:36

I had Covid three weeks ago. To be honest I didn’t feel well enough to leave my house for ten days anyway. But I wouldn’t have gone out while still positive and if I really had to I would have worn a mask. I told my delivery driver I had Covid so he could stand back, and made sure I wore a mask when he delivered the shopping. I told people I had been in contact with, especially the one who works in a care home. I stayed away from my teenagers as much as I could, they made their own dinners etc, one caught it, one didn’t.

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Nejnej · 09/07/2023 19:53

My husband and I tested positive for covid last Monday. He stayed off work (NHS) and also had antivirals (ECV).

We generally stayed at home - going out to get food shopping and to drop/collect car for the MOT.

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kitsuneghost · 09/07/2023 19:54

I wouldn't know if I had it but would be more likely to stay off work if I felt unwell than pre-covid.

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nicky2512 · 09/07/2023 20:02

Ds (17) has it at the minute and has been pretty ill with it. Sickest I’ve seen him in a long time. He’s still too unwell to leave the house and won’t be while he still has symptoms. Don’t know how the rest of us have escaped it.

I haven’t routinely tested but did as soon as he became unwell as I don’t want to spread it to my elderly parents who I help a lot (or anyone else’s for that matter).
I haven’t gone out either other than outside with dog etc. but fortunate enough that I haven’t needed to. Parents are managing on their own for a few more days until I’m certain I’ve escaped it.

To be honest we are both surprised at how bad it is. He has said a few times that he didn’t even think it was a thing anymore.

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tortoisepace · 09/07/2023 20:21

I would still test and isolate out of courtesy to others.

For some people covid has much wider implications than "just a cold".

For example, when we were doing ivf the cycle would have got cancelled if we got covid (no money back) because of the impact covid has on egg and sperm quality. I've also coincidentally caught covid at c6 weeks in two pregnancies, both of which ended in loss (probably unrelated to covid but who knows). For these reasons I find it quite stressful if I'm out somewhere and someone is near me coughing and snotting everywhere.

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WillowtreeHouse · 09/07/2023 20:22

Hbh17 · 09/07/2023 18:49

Nobody tests (I hope!) so wouldn't know. Just treat it like a cold, if any symptoms are noticeable. It hasn't been a big deal for at least 2 years, so....

I'm not sure I understand this mindset. Whilst there's no doubt that society has to live with covid now. Why would you 'hope' that no one is testing? There's no need for most people to test, but if you are on a position where you care for someone vulnerable, wouldn't you want to make sure you could protect them as much as you could?

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QueenofLouisiana · 09/07/2023 20:28

I did pretty much the same as you when I had it a few weeks ago. I offered to move out of our room, DH wasn’t fussed. I sat in the living room, but distanced.

As it gave me a very upset stomach I was absolutely scrupulous about hand washing, cleaned touch points with Dettol regularly.

Took me 5 days to test negative and I stayed at home. My DSDad is immuno-compromised so I wouldn’t want to pass it on to someone in the same situation.

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bonfirebash · 09/07/2023 20:33

QueenofLouisiana · 09/07/2023 20:28

I did pretty much the same as you when I had it a few weeks ago. I offered to move out of our room, DH wasn’t fussed. I sat in the living room, but distanced.

As it gave me a very upset stomach I was absolutely scrupulous about hand washing, cleaned touch points with Dettol regularly.

Took me 5 days to test negative and I stayed at home. My DSDad is immuno-compromised so I wouldn’t want to pass it on to someone in the same situation.

16 days I was positive for! I was only testing out of curiosity to see how long it would be before going negative
I did have paxlovid rebound though

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MargaretThursday · 09/07/2023 20:51

Hbh17 · 09/07/2023 18:49

Nobody tests (I hope!) so wouldn't know. Just treat it like a cold, if any symptoms are noticeable. It hasn't been a big deal for at least 2 years, so....

That's very insensitive when someone has already posted upthread:

Covid killed my fully vaccinated Mum just 6 months ago. Its still a serious condition for those who are vulnerable.

Sorry for your loss Soshall.

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DappledThings · 09/07/2023 20:54

I'm on day 5 of a pretty nasty cold. Crossed my mind today it might be covid. Would be my 4th time if so but I hadn't thought about it till this morning. Looked for some tests, couldn't find any, stopped thinking about it.

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Time4aChangeOfName · 09/07/2023 20:57

No because Id have no clue if it was covid. I wouldn't test

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rwalker · 09/07/2023 21:03

I would be keep away from any deemed vulnerable
that said I’d do the same with any illness

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Lykkeli · 09/07/2023 21:07

What you have to remember is that a lot of people lose pay if off sick. I get you don't want them around you if they have a cold, however if they take off a couple of days for something that doesn't stop them working, that might be them not being paid and SSP is peanuts. You don't know everyone's situation.

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hoophoophooray · 09/07/2023 21:07

I wouldn't know as I haven't done a test since I don't know when. I do however stay at home when I'm not well.

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hoophoophooray · 09/07/2023 21:08

Should be said I'm in a privileged position as I get full sick pay and I can work from home if needs be.

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Specialcovidname · 09/07/2023 21:11

In March my DFIL fell in his care home and was taken into hospital. He tested +ve on a hospital test on his 5th day in hospital. DH (who had sat overnight with him in A&E) tested +ve the following day and I did 2 days after that. My FIL died of covid related pneomonia 13 days after his positive test. DH got bluelighted into hospital after collapsing at home with pleursy, pneumonia and a lung clot and I'm still being followed up for long covid/possible heart damage. We were all fully vaccinated and no underlying conditions (apart from DFIL being frail and older).

So yes we are still taking precautions. My sister recently had cold symptoms - she tested because we were due to visit. It was positive so she rang us and we cancelled - why would I risk a rerun of one of the worst months of our lives.

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Talkwhilstyouwalk · 09/07/2023 21:12

I don't get covid as far as I know because I don't test. Ignorance is bliss....

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Motherofalittledragon · 09/07/2023 21:18

Hbh17 · 09/07/2023 18:49

Nobody tests (I hope!) so wouldn't know. Just treat it like a cold, if any symptoms are noticeable. It hasn't been a big deal for at least 2 years, so....

It wasn't like a cold for me, took me months to get over it. Not everyone can just shake it off.

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DyslexicPoster · 09/07/2023 21:19

Another person who wouldn't know. I was fine going about normal life pre covid with a sniffle or mild cold. So on that basis I would carry on as normal if I felt OK. Besides my dh has a very backward looking boss so I'd need to be in hospital before he got more than odd hour off to cover running kids about.
But I wouldn't know, and that's the key point

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