To think people have forgotten it’s possible to be ill and it not be covid?

[MarcelineMissouri]

Everywhere you look at the moment - Posters who seem to be utterly bemused by the fact that it’s entirely possible for them or their children to have coughs/colds/viruses etc that aren’t covid, just like we did 2 years ago and indeed ever other year we’ve ever been alive. People who have a cough/temp and can’t believe they’ve tested negative for covid (yes I realise the odd positive will slip through the net)

Illnesses, many with very similar symptoms to covid have been around for as long as people have. They haven’t gone anywhere. We will continue to catch them and we will continue to be unwell, possibly very unwell from them. Being ill is not something that just started in March 2020!! Take some paracetamol and a chill pill please!

Aibu?

YANBU. My daughter has suffered from nasty chest infections every time she gets a cold since being hospitalised with bronchiolitis at 13 months. I know exactly what I am looking for when she gets one plus she had COVID 2 months ago so highly unlikely to be reinfected after such a short space of time. GP will not even consider that it is any other illness without a negative PCR (neither will they see her in person even with a negative result). So I am forced to put her through precautionary PCRs just so I can access the actual medical care she needs. Each time adding at least 48 hours of suffering (awaiting test result, actually getting a telephone appt, prescription arriving at pharmacy) before she has appropriate medication!

The problem is though that it COULD be Covid and until you get a PCR you don't know for sure.

All 3 of us had colds at the same time,my 4 year old,1 year old & me,we go nowhere,see no one,I'm extremely cautious as my mom is still recovering from cancer treatment,I'm I'm Ireland so you can't just get a LFT,you can buy them online but they are like €80 each which is madness,we had colds and a cough,the nearest covid testing center is 30 mins away by car/bus,I don't drive so I couldn't go to that as if it was covid we'd be putting others at risk,we isolated for the required time as it's all we could do

The amount of times I've heard people say I know it's not covid without testing is far greater than those who claim they've definitely got covid without testing.The responsible thing to do is to test and rule it out, the symptoms list has been out of date for a long time too. The current test issues is that lots of people are testing positive on LFT but not on PCR so I can understand those people claiming they have it.
We all know there are other illnesses my DD has had 3 bouts of tonsillitis within the last 6 months but each time she's had to be tested to rule it out before the drs will treat her.

I had some fuckface snarl, "It isn't funny!" on the bus last year when I coughed slightly. This is because in her mind there were only two possible reasons for my cough:

1. I had covid and was trying to kill her, or
2. I was pretending to have covid simply to foster panic.

Any other reasons for coughing (a tiny throating-clearing cough behind a mask, btw) were unimaginable!

There have been lots of delayed or false negative pcr results in our area lately (south west) alongside a large local outbreak in school and a few cases at work. We are aware of other viruses, but are more worried about inadvertently spreading covid to vulnerable people - especially since delta symptoms in vaccinated people are less classical for covid. Also, now contacts test instead of automatically isolating, it means we do rely on the tests much more to keep others safe, it is anxiety inducing when you don’t fully trust the test results.

Bit off topic, but I came down with an awful cold a short while ago and upon my employer checking that I'd done a lateral flow which was negative, she decided she was very unhappy that I didn't come in and I should just power through.

I've not had a cold like this in years - shakes, temp, violent sneezing, could barely lift my head it hurt that much - but I think some people forgotten that the common cold can make you feel very unwell too?!

I havent forgotten, now is the time to get on with our lives. Those tests are being shoved to the back of the cupboard.

My daughter had a nasty cold and cough two weeks ago, negative LF/ pcr tests. Her cough lingered, as is typical with colds. Anyway, she was still coughing and had a positive LF test last week confirmed with a pcr. Her ‘cold’ symptoms started up again, runny nose and watering eyes, headache. The viruses seemingly merged into each other with nothing to tell them apart. You have to assume a cold might be covid and keep testing, especially where kids are concerned. It’s completely rife in my daughter’s school…

@TheReluctantPhoenix

At the moment , the main circulating infection is COVID, with about 1/70 people currently infected (according to the ONS).

It is, thus, sensible to assume that a temperature might be COVID and test for it.

How on earth do the ONS come up with this figure. Do they mean 1/70 of those who have tested (which is not the majority of us who rely on common sense ), those who have been hospitalised.
No wonder people are cowering at home testing ad infinitum.

OP - YANBU - people seem to have lost the capacity to think realistically about their own health.

The cost of these 'free tests' is currently over £6 billion. You are filling land fill with discarded 'free tests' while you keep testing to justify being able to say you eventually got a positive? If it was not such a waste it would be amusing.
Obviously some people need to test regularly because of their work situation

So many people missing the point of OPs thread.

OP isn't saying "don't test."

OP is pointing out that if you test negative then it's very likely you have some other virus that is circulating. Yes, Covid numbers are high, but hospitalisations for RSV in children are currently higher.

Our immune system needs exercising like the rest of our bodies. The measures that suppressed Covid also suppressed the 200 or so respiratory illnesses in circulation. So if you have tested negative and have the worst cold ever, it's still likely to be a cold, it's just that your immune system is feeling the equivalent of someone who has been a couch potato for the past two years suddenly taking on a 5K.

The only exception to this is the phenomenon currently being investigated by PHE, where people have tested positive on LFT but negative on PCR. But if you have multiple negative PCR and negative LFT then OP is right, take some paracetamol and relax.

I agree somewhat but it could be covid so pcr tests are needed to rule it out. For instance my dh went to his niece's first birthday party on the 2nd of October. His mum was then ill on the 3rd, choked full of a cold, dry cough on and off, no appetite and diarrhoea. The worst symptom for her was the diarrhoea. She lives in a house with sil, bil, their son and newborn. Sil was discharged from hospital with baby on the 2nd of October. She had a fever and chills that night and felt rough the next morning. She felt somewhat better the next day and then no fever, busy taking care of son and newborn. Bil then felt ill on the 4th October, cold and flu symptoms, no cough. Sil saw hv on Friday with a spike in temp and largely feeling unwell again, asked to go to hospital as bp was raised and concern for postpartum infection. No infection but tests positive for covid. Mil and Bil get tested too and are both positive. Their results received on the 10th October. Throughout that time bil had been shopping on the 3rd of October (before he displayed symptoms), had the midwife do home visits to check on sil and newborn and been to the hospital.

My dh had been at the party on the 2nd with bil and mil and took mil back to her home that day. No contact since but I developed a cold on the 9th. No cough or tempertaute, just a runny nose, lots of sneezing and some aches and pains. In lieu of their positive test I went and got a pcr test as did dh (no symptoms) and the kids. I also have a 5 week old baby. My understanding is that a test isn't actually required for us all but I was hoping to see my nephew who is 6 weeks old. I largely feel fine as sneezing has stopped, just occasionally nose is runny and was supposed to go to a baby class but have cancelled as even if just a cold don't want to risk passing it on. I did not attend the party and have been a hermit since giving birth.

I think for some of us covid has just highlighted how quickly symptoms can spread even if just a common cold.

Yes you ypare being unreasonable with your attitude. Take a chill pill!!

For lots of people they are still worried about covid as cases are rising again, most will know if it’s a cold, or possibly something else.

So they take a test, see it’s not covid and move on

Totally agree OP. I suppose it's understandable given the total avalanche of messaging about it. But it stands to reason, doesn't it, that people kept from normal interaction for more than 18 months have a lot of germs to share when they get back together.

People e haven't forgotten but I'm just getting over a virus, which had similar symptoms to Covid, i got a PCR test because its the responsible thing to do, i didnt think it was covid and it wasn't.

Totally agree OP. you can't even sniff without someone shrieking at you to get a covid test. I also think some people see having had it as a badge of honour and are disappointed when their symptoms turn out to be something else.

I had a typical cold, started on the Monday, pretty ill on Tuesday, tested negative daily until Thursday when I did positive Lateral Flow followed up with positive PCR.

I was really surprised how long it took for me show positive, so if I have any cold symptoms in future I'll be very cautious incase it is covid again even with a negative test.

@AlternativePerspective

The key though is that it could be COVID, because the symptoms are very much the same, especially this latest bug doing the rounds.

So while obviously for many it will be a cold, sneering at people who think it could be COVID isn’t exactly helpful is it?

Besides which there are an awful lot of people testing negative for COVId who test positive a few days later.

I currently have this cold bug. I had the persistent cough last week, to the point that I had convinced myself it was COVID, I’m not just talking about a bit of a cough, but one which went on for hours overnight. Nobody on here is qualified to tell me I didn’t have COVID.

I’ve done a LFT and a PCR and both have come back negative so I’m as sure as I can be that it isn’t. But the bug is still rough. I have literally no energy, I am still coughing, and although it’s getting better I am likely going to have to have antibiotics because fluid on my lungs could kill me as I have a serious heart condition.

I’ve almost died of the flu once before, quite literally. We’re talking days on life support and a ventilator etc. I won’t be sneered at for thinking that this bug could have been COVID just because members of the public think they know it all.

But the point is that there are other just as severe illnesses, like the flu or a chest infection as you said, that are around and are not covid.

It’s not a problem of sneering at people who double and triple check. It’s the problem that nothing else can exist, including the flu, colds etc… that could and should be treated in a very different way. (And I don’t mean just by self isolating. I mean maybe AB for sinus infections or a chest infection etc…)

YANBU
Also seeing a lot of people that have tested negative, and are going about their merry way, sending kids to nursery/school, going to work etc because it's not covid.
Completely glossing over the fact that a cold or flu can be harmful to the CEV, because its like only covid matters.

Yes to the PP for the comment re the cost of the "free" tests and plastic to landfill.

@AlternativePerspective

The key though is that it could be COVID, because the symptoms are very much the same, especially this latest bug doing the rounds.

So while obviously for many it will be a cold, sneering at people who think it could be COVID isn’t exactly helpful is it?

Besides which there are an awful lot of people testing negative for COVId who test positive a few days later.

I currently have this cold bug. I had the persistent cough last week, to the point that I had convinced myself it was COVID, I’m not just talking about a bit of a cough, but one which went on for hours overnight. Nobody on here is qualified to tell me I didn’t have COVID.

I’ve done a LFT and a PCR and both have come back negative so I’m as sure as I can be that it isn’t. But the bug is still rough. I have literally no energy, I am still coughing, and although it’s getting better I am likely going to have to have antibiotics because fluid on my lungs could kill me as I have a serious heart condition.

I’ve almost died of the flu once before, quite literally. We’re talking days on life support and a ventilator etc. I won’t be sneered at for thinking that this bug could have been COVID just because members of the public think they know it all.

Both myself and DC2 tested positive on two different lfd from two different boxes on Saturday both us had a high temp and a cough. The other dc was negative I PCR tested us all on Saturday - the kids have both come back negative and I’m waiting for mine.

Same has happened with my closest worker at work - he’s positive on lfd but has negative PCR.

It’s repeatedly in the press around us - absolutely dire.

Why are people seemingly missing the point of the OP?! Nobody is saying you should just assume its a cold and not test! Its the increase of people posting on here who are so determined that their cold MUST be COVID that they've taken daily PCRs and LFT and still don't believe the negative result because they've got a cough and what else could it possibly be? THAT is what the OP is commenting on.

@bunnybuggs the ONS calculate this by asking a random sample of the population to do a PCR test on a monthly basis. This should give a better estimate of the numbers infected as it will catch asymptomatic infections.

It can be a bit laggy in terms of the direction of the trend, compared to relying on PCR tests that are requested due to symptoms, as it may catch slightly older infections, but is the best way to estimate the true prevalence in the population.

I don't think anyone has forgotten. There's just no way of knowing if it's covid or something else unless you test.

@HarebrightCedarmoon

YANBU, but people still need to do PCRs to know whether it is Covid. But even if your test in negative, if you have a bad cough it probably isn't a great idea to drag yourself into the office if you can work from home.

I have a cough right now. Negative pcr. However, I have asthma and this is exactly how a cold progresses for me. The cough will probably last for weeks.

Should I avoid going out and ask to work at home, even though it's just a lingering cough? No doubt this won't be the last one I have over the winter months either.

I no longer feel ill. I just have a cough now. I can't put my life on hold when no longer poorly. I do lateral flows twice per week and do pcr tests when necessary. But if all negative then I will carry on my life like I did before. I'm not going to lock myself away for months.

@Holskey

I've seen it suggested so many times now that a toddler/baby with a runny nose should be tested for covid. Yanbu.

Well,they should be but in reply to the OP, I agree, lots of people seems surprised about normal illnesses.