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

[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?

If I had gone for a covid test every time I had a headache and/or a sore throat this year I would have had a test about twice a month.

However, that doesn't mean that you can't have covid with those symptoms, as you've pointed out.

The loss of smell and taste seems to be the key symptom though (assuming you don't just have a blocked nose with a cold).

The most common symptoms of COVID are actually fatigue and headache:
covid.joinzoe.com/earlysymptomsdiscoveries

The only reason these are not included on the 'official' list is because there wasn't enough testing available to test all people with those symptoms as they are not specific to covid.

But to get rid of it, anyone with those symptoms should get tested now that tests are more available, IMO.

The ZOE project though found that of people who just had a headache and nothing else only 1% had Covid. That's why it's not a testable symptom.

YANBU several family members and myself have had it over the last 6 months and none of us had a cough to start with. We had a sore throat, runny nose (yes you CAN get a runny nose with covid!) and only a few days later did we get a temperature, then later out of breath. I had a small cough but it was not continuous at any point despite almost being hospitalised due to O2 levels.

The symptoms the government list are very far from all encompassing and not even the main ones in our experience.

I had a negative lateral flow test on Wed evening. Woke up on Thurs with a sore throat. Have had a headache since last weekend. These symptoms are not recognised covid symptoms. Coincidence most likely.

I'm not a medic. but I'm fairly sure I had it in March, I had sore throat and not severe tiredness to start, then a very wet cough, and loss of smell\taste, for 2 or 3 days, tiredness, still not bad enough to stay in bed with. (no breathlessness though).

I was tested recently, both swab and serum both negative BUT the serum result was negative 0.06 was that 0.06 an antibody ? the letter didn't say. Did I have it in March? who knows?

I don’t see why it can’t be two symptoms combined to trigger a test - headache and sore throat and/or other combinations.

The hospital I work at had also expanded its list of symptoms we shouldn’t attend work with (staff or members of their household) with any cold/flu/ viral symptoms without a negative covid test. Sounds like few places are taking the initiative with this now.

Headache and fatigue are big signs of Covid and were my DD’s prominent symptoms, loss of smell did not kick in straight away. She did also have a slight cough.
I don’t mean a fleeting headache but that and fatigue combined w a sore throat would make me think I’d better not go into work and see how it progresses. DH doesn’t agree with me and thinks you should only get tested if you have one of the three main symptoms.

Oh the other so called symptom I had\ still have very slightly was\is a strange discomfort between my right big toe and the next one. Is that known as Covid toe?

I blame that bloody Dodo woman and Boris for this reluctance to test. If they hadn’t fucked up the testing capacity by somehow being the only people in the country who didn’t realise schools opening and winter would increase demand for testing they never would have had to steer the PR machine to discourage people to test.

There is no shortage of testing capacity right now and even if there was that shouldn’t put people off testing. It needs to meet demand not be ring fenced.

It’s sodding masks all over again. They’ve completely underestimated how hard it is to change someone’s mind once they’ve embedded a fact.

WE had a letter from school at the start of term saying in bold

if you would have sent your child in before the lockdown send them in now something along those lines anyway and also all this about

hot to touch (so not take temp with thermometer)
loss of smell / taste
Constant cough (needed to me loads of coughing / hours etc)

Bit weird as thought children had more minor symptoms..

Wasn't there something about it getting overwhelmed with 'children with sniffles' when they all sent back to school I remember...that was before the letter above was sent.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-in-scotland-test-centres-swamped-by-pupils-with-sniffles-87fm07ww5

Yes, that's right it was when the Scottish schools went back first...

I agree. My symptoms of a headache and sore throat started on the Saturday. I went shopping on the Sunday, work on the mon/tues/weds. Ordered a test did it on the Thursday and my results came back on the Saturday positive. That was 10 days ago and I've never developed a temp or cough and no loss of taste and smell. Headache, sore throat and earache has only been my symptoms.

@Orangeblossom7777 yes, it was an unforgivable failure imho.

Yes it would have been a pain in the arse for parents and schools and required lots of testing resource but imagine how many cases could have been weeded out and transmission routes halted. The one silver lining of schools going back could have been weeding out the milder cases that people would have not tested for if there was no need to otherwise. Basically the same idea as moonshot in a round about way.

They’ve really damaged public perception by encouraging people to be dismissive of mild symptoms.

Just goes to show how important masks are for everyone. Though I heard that in Japan they're getting many more cases than before. Maybe some people are n't being careful ALL the time (sorry no links but it was R4).

The problem is that the testing capacity isnt there to test everyone that has a headache or sore throat. And then if you include other symptoms like diaarhea, runny nose, aches etc the system would fail within a day. Look what happened after the schools opened.
I have IBS and suffer from migraines, I also have 2 kids so runny nose are common in our house in winter. We would probably be getting a test every week. Whether that would help the spread or not I don't know but I know the current system wouldnt be able to cope with it at all.

@justleavemebe

I agree. My symptoms of a headache and sore throat started on the Saturday. I went shopping on the Sunday, work on the mon/tues/weds. Ordered a test did it on the Thursday and my results came back on the Saturday positive. That was 10 days ago and I've never developed a temp or cough and no loss of taste and smell. Headache, sore throat and earache has only been my symptoms.

And in those 4 days you could have passed it to someone who ended up very ill- as I could have in my 3 days after I got a headache and sore throat

It seems ridiculous that the government is not flagging this up more.

@Ginnymweasley

The problem is that the testing capacity isnt there to test everyone that has a headache or sore throat. And then if you include other symptoms like diaarhea, runny nose, aches etc the system would fail within a day. Look what happened after the schools opened. I have IBS and suffer from migraines, I also have 2 kids so runny nose are common in our house in winter. We would probably be getting a test every week. Whether that would help the spread or not I don't know but I know the current system wouldnt be able to cope with it at all.

Testing capacity is there for more than the current three symptoms though. We’re not using the full capacity at the moment.

There’s definitely scope to test for more than the publicised three, especially if it was for a combination of symptoms rather than individual ones.

If you suffer from migraines then you would probably use your common sense and not test for one but alongside other symptoms it would be better to test.

We can’t do much about the fact mild covid symptoms are so ambiguous but we can use the knowledge we do have to have a more effective strategy.

Though I heard that in Japan they're getting many more cases than before. Maybe some people are n't being careful ALL the time

Almost certainly human behaviour will be a factor but by far the biggest cause of covid spread is it just doing what infectious diseases do.

The Swiss cheese model has been used in various industries for decades and illustrates exactly why we can only prevent accidents/mistakes/infections to a certain point with measures. The more infections there are the more points of failure are likely to occur. That’s when lockdown kicks in because the only truly effective way to halt the spread is to keep people apart.

Dd had 7 symptoms last March beginning with sore throat

Order of symptoms were over 7 days

Sore throat
Temp
Fatigue
Achy muscles
Headache

Then after 3 days
Cough
Horse throat
Was better after two weeks.

Fatigue and headache are known to be often be the first symptoms of covid.

YANBU

One of dh's colleagues tested positive after having had just a sore throat. He lost his sense of taste several days after.

Our local authority is actively encouraging anyone with a sore throat, headache, unexplained fatigue etc to get a test. Dh got one a couple of days ago as he had a splitting headache, sore throat and had no energy. Considering he works in a school where covid is going through everyone like a dose of salts he got tested. You or your family don't have to isolate if you don't have one of the three main symptoms although dh's school asked him to stay away and he wasn't fit for work anyway.

Thankfully dh's test came back negative but several of his colleagues were positive with only those symptoms.

This is what my council says

"Precautionary symptoms
It is possible to catch coronavirus and not display any symptoms. Many people who have tested positive also displayed other symptoms. Residents are therefore advised to book a coronavirus test as a precaution if they have symptoms such as:

Headaches
Aches and pains
Feeling very tired for no good reason
Sore throat
Runny nose
Sneezing
Sometimes ‘tummy ache’ in children

If you have one or more of these additional symptoms, go online to book your test using the link above and when you are able to, select the option “My local council or health protection team has asked me (or someone I live with) to get a test, even though I do not have symptoms.”

If you have these additional symptoms you can carry on going to school or work if you are well enough to do so, and only need to self-isolate if the test comes back positive."

That’s interesting @Comefromaway.

Don’t answer if you feel it’s too intrusive but do you come under one of the councils that has been focussed on for a while? I’m just wondering whether a council that has been dealing with higher rates for a long time is taking extra measures to curb the spread beyond official government advice. If so, and it gives good results I wonder if the advice nationally will be amended (I’d like it to be personally).