I have a hairdressers appointment Tuesday but I'm ill. WWYD

[Badtiming21]

I have an appointment to have my terrible hair done on Tuesday, I haven't stepped foot in a hair dressers for two years. Depression mainly. OH kindly offered to pay for it. I was excited.

I've woken up this morning and my throat is so, so sore. I've lost my voice and I'm very wheezy.

I take regular rapid covid tests and I'm very sure it's not that, ive already had it - but I can't see the salon being comfortable with me going there ill. Even though you do have to wear masks.

If I cancel at such short notice they're going to charge my card for the missed appointment, terms and conditions. I can do without dropping £50 for nothing.

The timing couldn't be worse. I'm probably not going to sound normal by Tuesday, these things drag for me.

WWYD?

@Badtiming21

I have a feeling it's strep throat.

I'm going to struggle to get a full covid test by tomorrow but do have the rapid result ones at home, not sure that would suffice though.

Whatever it is i don't want to pass it on to anybody, it's bloody horrible.

I got DS a test and result in 12 hours on Friday, Booked first thing - full availability - I didn't go for the 8.30 test cos I couldn't face the traffic so went for 9.30am. The drive through test centre was deserted..I didn't even have to show the QR code - they knew who we were as there was no one else there..... Had the results by 9.30 that evening.

Can you just get your DH to call and say you have covid symptoms - which is true even though you don't have it? They must have a cancellation policy for that, or else people with symptoms would just go anyway to avoid the penalty charge.

I would get a proper PCR test done (I assume your rapid tests are lateral flow?) so that you have documented proof that you are covid negative. I would take this evidence to my appointment and I think they will probably be OK to do your hair. If not then I would refuse to pay a cancellation charge because they would be the ones cancelling.

It's Sunday morning. Stop overthinking it and see how you are on Tuesday.

If you take cold and flu tablets today, a hot bath and with a good dose of vitamins perhaps you will feel better? I’ve previously got over bugs like this fast but you from experience know how you could be?

Most salons are shut on a Monday OP - you might have to send them a message - do they have a FB page?

You should be able to do a PCR test at a drive through/walk through centre, we had one recently with results within 24hrs. Then you and your family know it is not covid so don't need to isolate.

It sounds like you’re going to be responsible and rearrange OP but,

FFS lateral flow tests cannot reliably confirm you’re negative if you have any symptoms!

I don't drive and the nearest walk-through test site is a couple of miles away, I'm also home alone with DC (one severely autistic) so actually getting there will be too difficult with them.

I could order a home test and isolate in the mean time.

Ugh what a pain.

The plan as it stands is if I'm no better by tomorrow morning OH will ring and rearrange for me, for a week or so.

Our salon temperature checks you at the door, so if you turned up they would likely turn you away anyway

@GenevieveLenard

It sounds like you’re going to be responsible and rearrange OP but,

FFS lateral flow tests cannot reliably confirm you’re negative if you have any symptoms!

I'm curious why that is, how come lateral flow tests aren't reliable when you have symptoms? Genuine question

@gurglebelly

Our salon temperature checks you at the door, so if you turned up they would likely turn you away anyway

I don't have a temperature, but then I rarely get one regardless.

When I actually had covid I didn't have a temp at all.

Hadn't RTFT!

I find it bizarre they charge for missed apps particularly at current times. I know they are super busy and don't want to lose time and money but surely charging to miss an appointment could lead to people attending when they are ill and shouldn't be there? Thankfully no salons I know of here charge for missed apps.

Even if you haven't got covid I wouldn't go... yo could pass on whatever you have and therefore lewd to the hairdresser getting ill and missing time off work and questioning if they need a covid test. This is why they should not charge!

It's not that lateral flow aren't reliable when you have symptoms, it's that they aren't reliable enough. They are for catching some asymptomatic cases, to reduce spread where people can be stopped from going somewhere like work when they wouldn't have otherwise known they were infectious. But if you have symptoms, then you need a more reliable PCR test to definitively rule out Covid.

@mamma2013

No way they should charge you for genuine illness, just ring them and explain. The charge is usually for no shows. Otherwise anyone with covid symptoms would turn up anyway and lie

Well quite.

They should only be charging for a no-show, or a appointment used, no way should they charge full price if you contact them first thing Monday morning. They still have time to fill that appointment slot, it's not like telling them 5 mins before you were supposed to take the appointment.

Asymptomatic spread is extremely rare - we've known this and WHO have repeated this over and over since last year.

@VenusTiger

Asymptomatic spread is extremely rare - we've known this and WHO have repeated this over and over since last year.

Not relevant to this thread really, is it?

@Badtiming21 I hope you feel better soon and get your hair done whenever you're well and can enjoy it.

@ilovesooty I'm responding to the various posts discussing Covid symptoms and the post discussing asymptomatic testing which the OP asked about.
That alright Your Highness.