Dh has a fever and a cough and we are afraid of coronavirus - need to talk

[Flyingfish2019]

Hello,
Just need to talk. Dh has combat ptsd and has been very afraid of the coronavirus ever since this started.
None of us has left the house much and dh works from home and only left the house after nightfall to go jogging (alone) because he was afraid of meeting other people.

Now dh has a fever and a cough. The rest of us are okay. Dh is self isolating now and very afraid and to be honest I feel a bit afraid too.

He doesn’t want to see a gp because he is afraid of catching the coronavirus if he doesn’t already have it.

He has a fever and a cough but NO loss of smell or taste.

[DragonLegs]

Try and convince him? Morally he should have one, guidelines say everyone with symptoms should be tested. Why wouldn’t he test?

[Flopjustwantscoffee]

If it helps, I had a nasty cough (still do) and chest tightness. Went to an industrial estate car park to be tested (not in the uK so different procedure) and it wasnt Covid-19. On the balance of probabilities it is much more likely to be something else than covid - but obviously still avoid other people/get tested - as much for your own peace of mind than anything else

[Flyingfish2019]

@pinktaxi Why Are you trying to guilttrip me? I am not the one who is afraid of getting tested. He is... and I will try to convince him.
Plus there are no contracts to be traced. He works from home, left the house only to go jogging alone. He had zero contacts during the last months.

[diddl]

It's maybe not so much the not leaving the house much, but where you have been when you have left the house?

That said, unless he gets tested he won't know either way!

Knowing also won't change how severely he might get it.

But of course he then wouldn't have to isolate for 14 days if he doesn't have it.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

morally he should have one

If he is prepared to stay at home - and that doesnt sound like that's an issue here - there is no "morally " about it! Yes he should get tested, but for his own benefit.

Wasnt that long ago that people couldn't get tested til they were halfway dead.

[Mulhollandmagoo]

You need to go on gov.uk and there's a link to book a test, it's mega easy to do and you get your results back really quickly. That's the only solution to this problem I'm afraid, you're both worrying unnecessarily, it's not really relevant where he could have caught it from etc. He needs to be tested to alleviate his anxieties

[Tootsey11]

Get him tested. I am one of those with long tail covid. He needs to rest as much as possible. Sleep and sleep. He also needs to keep his strength up. I was worse if I didn't eat. Yes it could be something else, but with that temperature keep a real close eye on him.

I had no loss of taste or smell and no cough, but still struggling after 14 weeks.

[PrayingandHoping]

Why would he be scared to get a test? The home one means not seeing anyone and the drive in tests u don't get out the car the the people are all PPEd up.

There's really nothing to worry about by getting a test. He needs to get tested

[eenymeenyminyme]

He must be beside himself with worry, but that's only going to ease by taking control of the situation.
If the reason he doesn't want to be tested is that he doesn't want to go to the GP then you can reassure him that he won't have to, he can either go to a centre where they're all wearing PPE or order a test to do at home.
Either way, I hope you can persuade him that this is a way for him to find out for sure and keep all of you safe. Good luck.

[Juliet2014]

* Plus there are no contracts to be traced. *

But he’s been on contact with your children?
And presumably they have been out?!

[Rileyxxpiley]

If it helps my sil has been working with Covid patients since march. She's a consultant!! She hasn't had it at all. She's doing ok but very tired.

[itsgettingweird]

How easy is he to change mindset?

So if you said to him if he gets tested an it isn't Covid he'll know and so won't worry throughout the illness.

And won't be hay fever as it doesn't cause a fever.

And virus seem to be easy to spread regardless of being isolated. My mum just came out of hospital from sepsis having been in a room by herself for the entire time - yet managed to catch a cold while there!

[Chartsandgraphs]

We went to a test centre this morning. You don't even get out of the car. You swan yourself. If he drive himself over he can get it done tomorrow

[caramac04]

Ring 111 and they can advise re a drive-through testing station. Assuming he drives.

[CherryStoneTree]

Seriously OP, there is no down sides to being tested and then you’ll know.
Have you been visiting shops? Petrol stations/washing down deliveries? It’s all possible sources

[Jkslays]

[quote Flyingfish2019]@pinktaxi Why Are you trying to guilttrip me? I am not the one who is afraid of getting tested. He is... and I will try to convince him.
Plus there are no contracts to be traced. He works from home, left the house only to go jogging alone. He had zero contacts during the last months.[/quote]
So it’s most likely not COVID. I think his PTSD is likely making everything ten times worse. I’d order a test on line any way and give it to him.

It literally could be anything. Even it you don’t a quick google of those symptoms it brings up lists of stuff.

He is an adult. You can buy a test and pass it too him but you can’t force anything thing else.

I’d remain calm when talking to him and not feed his anxiety.

[ChavvySexPond]

Fingers crossed lovely.

My brother had something during the months when nobody could get tested and I was surprised at how scared I felt.

I think you book a test online by answering some questions on gov.uk and they post it to you. You do the swag and then post it back. The official advice is not to go to your GP surgery. It's reasonably quick and may make him feel heaps better if it comes back negative.

Contacts wise it'll just be your family and anyone you've had contact with during the last couple of weeks. Not going out much makes that a lot easier

[JinglingHellsBells]

@Flyingfish2019 Getting a test is not going to make any difference to whether he has it or not - so he's worrying about nothing. what's done is done- BUT he needs to be tested.

If he is positive he will have to stay at home and not go jogging.

You and DCs will have to self isolate too.

Find your local test centre, book in, and he either drives himself or you drive him.

There is a small risk you can catch it from shopping (packaging) and the question is have you or your family been out at all or had anyone in your house?

[Devlesko]

The GP won't see him anyway.
There are testing centres or you can just order one. He really does need to get tested as he can at least have a better standard of life after it's gone, if it is the virus.
Many people get it quite mildly,

[DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou]

He had zero contacts during the last months.

How would he have got it then?

[JinglingHellsBells]

@Flyingfish2019 You do understand that you could have it and passed it on to him, even if you are symptomless?

Have you been out over the past 12 weeks? Anywhere in the last 2 weeks?

Deliveries of food or anything to your house?

[JinglingHellsBells]

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou You can get it from anything coming into the house- it lives in plastic for 3 days or more. Touch it, touch your face, lick your fingers...

or maybe the OP has been out somewhere and has it but no symptoms.

[JinglingHellsBells]

None of us has left the house much

So you or your DCs(?) have left the house.

You could have brought it in.

[JinglingHellsBells]

You do know too OP that until you know he is negative, you have to self isolate too and not go out anywhere?