To be confused about Covid testing

[MerryMarigold]

Why are the requirements to getting tested a high fever, a continuous dry cough and the loss of smell/ taste. SURELY there are milder Covid symptoms.

I work with 2-4 year olds so I get lots of germs. I've already had a very heavy cold and bad sore throat virus since term started. I recognised it for what it was. I now have something different which feels a bit 'weird' but none of the above 3 symptoms. Mild dry cough, mild cold, fell washed out but not unable to get out of bed, possibly a slight temp but nothing major. I didn't go in yesterday and have looked up testing but I don't fit their criteria so I don't know whether to sit this out and see how it develops or try and get a test.

WWYD?

You do fit the criteria. You only need one of the three symptoms listed, and you have a new cough. Get a test.

All the people I know who have had positive tests also had slight cold symptoms alongside their cough etc.

You have a new cough so you can get a test. Its not really a dilema is it? At this time of year if they tested everyone with any cold symptoms they would have no where near enough tests. Go book a test.

You have a cough!
Isolate and get a test.

Get the test but remember you and your household need to isolate until results

It is not any new cough. This is the criteria on website:

a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

My cough fits none of that

Treating every respiratory symptom as suspected covid is as bad as shutting down the economy again. The focus is on the high risk symptoms for good reasons.

Well, so this is where the dilemma is. And probably why it's spreading. So I 'risk' it? (there is no social distancing or face masks with 2-4 year olds). If (big if) I works certainly infect around 26 children if they hadn't already had it.

I think certain workers should get tested more easily but currently don't fit criteria so I won't be getting tested.

The problem is a place in local lockdown has about 200 people out of 100,000 with covid, most places it's under 30 people. So the chances your symptoms are covid and not something else are extremely low.

They can't cope with the level of testing with the symptoms they accept, headache is a major symptom but can you imagine if they added that!!

Essential workers are prioritised for test, and hospital and care home staff get tests on a regular basis.

I agree it's not at all straight forward or obvious. It is until you feel ill/have been in contact with someone +ve and have to use the system. Then it's clear as mud!

DS was in the pub with a mate on Thursday.
Mate tested positive the following Thursday.

Now what? Does he isolate? Isolate if showing any symptoms of anything?
What?

@picklemewalnuts

I agree it's not at all straight forward or obvious. It is until you feel ill/have been in contact with someone +ve and have to use the system. Then it's clear as mud!

DS was in the pub with a mate on Thursday.
Mate tested positive the following Thursday.

Now what? Does he isolate? Isolate if showing any symptoms of anything?
What?

If he was within 2m he needs to quarantine for 14 days and test if he gets symptoms

I think any job where you cannot socially distance or wear PPE should be prioritused for tests. There are vast amounts of nursery, pre school, reception teachers. We always get the bulk of the germs of any virus because of the sheet levels of bodily fluids we deal with. The government are not being targeted enough.

@picklemewalnuts

I agree it's not at all straight forward or obvious. It is until you feel ill/have been in contact with someone +ve and have to use the system. Then it's clear as mud!

DS was in the pub with a mate on Thursday.
Mate tested positive the following Thursday.

Now what? Does he isolate? Isolate if showing any symptoms of anything?
What?

He isolates if he was with him for the 48 hours period before his friend developed symptoms. So no he doesn’t need to isolate. Obviously if he developed symptoms then he would also need to isolate.

Picklemewalnuts... There's some clear yet conflicting guidance from 2 PPs. Feeling any clearer?

The nhs page doesn't tell him to isolate unless contacted by the track and trace people.

So, no clearer.

Official advice (according to nhs page) is not to isolate, but it's not very detailed.
The 48 hours thing may be relevant, he's going to find out when her symptoms started.

Common sense suggests isolating may be helpful and it's very achievable for us, so he will.

Where is the 48 hours recommendation, @Lockdownseperation ?

OP at some point that cough was new. So why didn't you test?

@picklemewalnuts track and trace usually contact people who have been with the positive person for 48 hours before the symptoms appear as that is when they are contagious. So your family member wouldn't need to isolate

Track and trace is dependent on being provided with the information, so not reliable.

If you were with someone in close proximity who under 48 hours later tested positive, you need to send isolate.

If you test negative but have symptoms and share a flat with someone who tested +ve, are you definitely -ve? Or could it be a false -ve?

I try not to obsess about it because I basically stay in all the time anyway. It's madness!

OP at some point that cough was new. So why didn't you test?

Because it was never continuous nor causing any coughing 'attacks' as per testing guidelines. That's my exact point.

Continuous is only to distinguish it from say coughing om something you ate/a fly. Most people who "have a cough" fit the criteria.

Theres lots of threads on here. Many people have "a little cough" and cold symptoms with covid

It doesnt say 3 attacks. It says episodes. So as to distinguish froma one off cough.

I do think lack of clarity around this hasn't helped.

Id isolate. Tell work you have a cough. Geta test. If all clear you can return. Sorted.

@picklemewalnuts

I agree it's not at all straight forward or obvious. It is until you feel ill/have been in contact with someone +ve and have to use the system. Then it's clear as mud!

DS was in the pub with a mate on Thursday.
Mate tested positive the following Thursday.

Now what? Does he isolate? Isolate if showing any symptoms of anything?
What?

He does not need to do anything. Self isolation is only necessary if an individual has tested positive or has symptoms, if somebody they live with or is in their support bubble has tested positive or has symptoms or if they are contacted by track and trace and are told to self isolate.

That is the guidance.

Unfortunately people are making up their own rules, ordering unnecessary tests, expecting employers to allow them time off work for no proper reason. It is no wonder we have run out of tests and the economy is never going to pick up when people are making up rules rather than following guidance.