Headache? Sore throat? Go and get an covid test?

Frazzledme · 26/11/2020 23:30

I'd say YABU. There's a lot of research about symptoms and although some people will have symptoms like yours and test positive for covid you got a test because you had one of the main symptoms i.e loss of taste. Were the 7 people you told to get tested people you'd seen. Seems a bit weird if I spoke to 7 friends who all had a sore throat and headache and none of us had interacted that all 7 of them would happen to have covid.

Headaches and sore throats are very common and more likely to not be covid than covid so it would be OTT for everyone to be tested with those symptoms.

I've had 2 covid tests when unwell, both negative so there are so many other things out there. Tbh I think I had covid in March anyway and was largely asymptomatic.

Original poster

CovidClara · 26/11/2020 23:34

No- they were not people that I had seen

Yesterday I saw a stranger on TEAMs. He apologised for feeling a bit off. Said he had a headache and sore throat. I told him about my experience and told him to get a test- he has just got a positive result back. he didn't meet the criteria for testing. I expect that he will loose his smell tomorrow (day 4 of symptoms) and so at that point will. He could have infected 240 pupils in that 3 day period,

We all work in schools!

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frosted232 · 26/11/2020 23:41

The problem is there's a lot of headaches and sore throat's going around at this time of year. If people get tested every time then have to isolate until they get their results then people are going to be off work constantly. One of my colleagues tested positive with no symptoms at all and he didn't develop anything over his 10 day isolation. My point is everyone is not the same so just because you tested positive with a headache and sore throat it doesn't necessarily mean everyone with the same symptoms should rush out and get tested. I suppose we have to trust the scientists and the symptom list they have given and wait and see if anything changes.

Frazzledme · 26/11/2020 23:43

It sounds like you've done the right thing but do I think the government should be recommending it then I'd still say no.

Many people are asymptomatic so other than mass testing there are going to be people not picked up.

Personally I think teachers should be tested regularly anyway if they want it - and it sounds like you've been able to have tests when you've needed one so not sure what the problem is although I appreciate must be scary to test positive.

I'm sure he can't have been that close to 240 kids in 3 days, perhaps a small proportion are at high risk but surely they're all at home self isolating now?

I guess what you mean - what if it hadn't been picked up, but it has.

Notmydaughteryoubitch · 26/11/2020 23:46

In the LA I work in they've not broaden the spectrum of symptoms for which you can have a test to include sore throat, headache, sneezing, feeling unreasonably tired, aches and pains and for children tummy ache.

Notmydaughteryoubitch · 26/11/2020 23:46

*now not not!!

paganbilly · 26/11/2020 23:49

@CovidClara

The AIBU is that

AIBU to ask the government to update the early symptoms of Covid?

I had the first symptoms on Tuesday having contracted it on Friday. The symptoms were headache I couldn't shift plus sore throat that didn't get worse/swell up

Lost smell on Friday. Took a test - positive, I know that the only place I was exposed was on the previous Friday - as the 2 people I was with also tested positive and for 1 it was the only time they had left the house . I didn't get a cough for many days into covid

To date I have told 7 people with a headache and sore throat to get a CV19 test. They have ALL tested positive despite none of them meeting the criteria for a test.

AIBU to ask that the government updates the symptoms for testing to include a headache and sore throat?

We've had the same symptoms and both tested negative. We've both been close contacts, one for two hours at close distance, no ppe.

dopenguinsdance · 26/11/2020 23:50

Talked to someone senior in GM track & trace today who pointed out a high incidence of migraine-type severe headache being reported as the first & often only symptom amongst people who are Covid positive, but don't realise that they have the virus.

Not sure if there's any connection between this apparent change in key symptoms and a younger/ fitter cohort being affected.

Lots of research on post viral complaints starting too.

ThisMustBeMyDream · 26/11/2020 23:54

My other half had covid 3 weeks ago. On day 15, our first day out of isolation - I had the slightest runny nose. Didn't think anything of it. I have allergies, so not uncommon. 2 days later I noticed I was sneezing a lot. Runny nose and sneezing are not testing requirements. I carried on as normal. The runny nose and sneezing was so slight I wouldn't call it a cold. I was 100% well in myself. 3 days later we started our routine lateral flow tests for work. This was on day 20 following DP's covid. I tested positive. It was only 24 hours later that I noticed my sense of smell had gone - and what's more, I wouldn't have even noticed that if I hadn't been looking for it. I don't regularly go round sniffing things. It could have been some time before I even realised.
So here I am, completely well, no cough. No temp. Not sneezing and my nose isn't runny anymore either. I've never at any point felt I should have tested. But I've been walking round for potentially 5 days with covid, infecting others.

ThisMustBeMyDream · 26/11/2020 23:57

And if it wasn't for the lateral flow test, I'd probably still be out at work and kids at school now. I really wouldn't have noticed the loss of smell unless I'd been checking for it, or randomly decided to smell some flowers, or someone's perfume or something.

GidgetGirl · 26/11/2020 23:59

I had nothing but headache and sore throat for the first ten days of COVID. This was back in mid-March when the range of symptoms we were being warned about was even narrower - confined to just a cough and fever. And of course they weren’t testing anyone outside of hospitals at the time! Although my symptoms progressed my cough was never terrible and my fever was only ever low-grade, and I wouldn’t meet the criteria for testing even now - I didn’t loose my sense of taste or smell. COVID was eventually confirmed months later with an antibody test.

I dread to think how many people I could have infected in those first few days back in March, when I was still out and about.

Emeraldeyes20 · 27/11/2020 00:03

Both my children have it at the moment . The only symptoms have been sore throat, headache, tiredness . My son has been quite unwell but no cough , my niece had it in the spring and only had a sore throat too !

Original poster

CovidClara · 27/11/2020 00:11

@dopenguinsdance

Talked to someone senior in GM track & trace today who pointed out a high incidence of migraine-type severe headache being reported as the first & often only symptom amongst people who are Covid positive, but don't realise that they have the virus.

Not sure if there's any connection between this apparent change in key symptoms and a younger/ fitter cohort being affected.

Lots of research on post viral complaints starting too.

I did wonder that

All under 50 and so far have had very mild covid
I worked through mine (2 pms of feeling a bit tired and having a nap)

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IamHyouweegobshite · 27/11/2020 00:16

I have it, am day 9 now. It started with a weird headache last Thurs, a very slight temp 37.5. I felt worse on Friday, like my head was in a vice. Got tested, positive. Cough started Mon.

Elsielouise13 · 27/11/2020 00:30

@Frazzledme

It sounds like you've done the right thing but do I think the government should be recommending it then I'd still say no.

Many people are asymptomatic so other than mass testing there are going to be people not picked up.

Personally I think teachers should be tested regularly anyway if they want it - and it sounds like you've been able to have tests when you've needed one so not sure what the problem is although I appreciate must be scary to test positive.

I'm sure he can't have been that close to 240 kids in 3 days, perhaps a small proportion are at high risk but surely they're all at home self isolating now?

I guess what you mean - what if it hadn't been picked up, but it has.

Teaching three classes of 30 three-four times a day in a subject such as Humanities with single classes. Easy to get to 240

Last time I was in a class based role had 18 hours week of contact, maybe five smaller a level classes but easily another 13x30 came through my door.

A petri dish

Original poster

CovidClara · 27/11/2020 00:33

@IamHyouweegobshite

I have it, am day 9 now. It started with a weird headache last Thurs, a very slight temp 37.5. I felt worse on Friday, like my head was in a vice. Got tested, positive. Cough started Mon.

Sound similar

No temp here - odd headache- didn't clear with ibroprofen and a sore throat that wasn't swollen and didn't impact on swallowing

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Likeynolight · 27/11/2020 00:35

Yeah, my partner got this migraine first in June and then he lost his smell at day 5.

Then I got symptoms the day after that.

We both came back as positive but like I always felt bad for going out between day 1 - 5 of his symptoms because we didn't think it was virus cause of that..

That's how this thing has spread because by the time my partner got to day 5, I had already been infected....

Frazzledme · 27/11/2020 00:37

@Elsielouise13 yes but how close can you get to all of them? I'd have thought the teacher wouldn't be face to face with all 240 but a reasonable distance away, probably by an open window.

I can be hysterical if you want but I don't think it's likely that more than a handful of kids would have been infected over a few days.

My kids school haven't had any cases, 420 of them in all day everyday. It doesn't mean it doesn't spread in schools, but it doesn't spread that much.

ktp100 · 27/11/2020 00:38

Lots of talk of this on the Covid app (not the government one, the research one) - they break down symptoms for all participants into age groups and the lower ages are like 30% max for the 3 key symptoms and reporting what you have, stomach upsets and fatigue.

I do agree that the government could do more to inform the public of this, particularly as younger people who go untested are likely to spread it.

The reason they haven't is likely to be the massive increase in testing it would cause.

Original poster

CovidClara · 27/11/2020 00:45

@ktp100

Lots of talk of this on the Covid app (not the government one, the research one) - they break down symptoms for all participants into age groups and the lower ages are like 30% max for the 3 key symptoms and reporting what you have, stomach upsets and fatigue.

I do agree that the government could do more to inform the public of this, particularly as younger people who go untested are likely to spread it.

The reason they haven't is likely to be the massive increase in testing it would cause.

I possibly had a stomach upset on day 1 (but I have UC so not sure)

My 25 year old son had a dodgy stomach, very slight sore throat and then no other symptoms (odd cough later on but nothing major) but tested positive. He has had ongoing fatigue a month later.

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haircutsRus · 27/11/2020 00:51

While I agree with you in general, the trouble I'd personally have with this advice is that I am anosmic - I have no sense of smell. I lost it years ago following several prolonged bouts of sinusitis which I am prone to. I have perennial rhinitis too. and frequently get headaches, sore throats and a dry cough at the same time. It has been going on for years and is 'normal' for me. ENT is my achilles heel.

Having said that, if I feel ill and have a slight temperature as well, I do get a test. I have been tested recently and was negative. Again. But if I had a test every time I had a headache and a sore throat, they'd be saying 'What, you again ?'.

chubbycheeks26 · 27/11/2020 00:54

You can't be adding every symptom of everything to the list. A temperature even is just a sign of infection, never mind respiratory and more than likely not covid. My daughter gets a temp when teething, what am I supposed to do isolate everytime a teeth cuts 🙄. Thankfully she has most of her teeth and hasn't suffered with a temp. She has however been tested FOUR times for covid (all negative) as she can't blow her nose and the constant build up of mucus makes her cough. It's ridiculous. Next parents will be missing signs of sepsis and meningitis because their sprog has got a temperature and they think it's fucking covid.

Original poster

CovidClara · 27/11/2020 00:57

@chubbycheeks26

You can't be adding every symptom of everything to the list. A temperature even is just a sign of infection, never mind respiratory and more than likely not covid. My daughter gets a temp when teething, what am I supposed to do isolate everytime a teeth cuts 🙄. Thankfully she has most of her teeth and hasn't suffered with a temp. She has however been tested FOUR times for covid (all negative) as she can't blow her nose and the constant build up of mucus makes her cough. It's ridiculous. Next parents will be missing signs of sepsis and meningitis because their sprog has got a temperature and they think it's fucking covid.

But is a sore throat and headache more of a sign than a temperature?

I dont know anyone who has had a temperature with covid?

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AcornAutumn · 27/11/2020 01:05

The trouble is, that could go on forever

I’m guilty of it myself

Headache, sore throat, slightly raised temp - cue worries about care for elderly mother.

Tested negative and felt a bit of a plum tbh. I didn’t have a high fever or continuous cough. If not for mum, I wouldn’t have done it.

AcornAutumn · 27/11/2020 01:06

Also I have asthma, lots of stuff irritates my throat.