PCR test? I have a cold.

[SunShinesBrightly]

I’ve had a very mild cold Saturday, Sunday and today. Didn’t go out over the weekend mainly because I couldn’t be bothered not because I didn’t feel up to it.
In normal circumstances I would just carry on as ‘normal’.
Bit of a heavy fuzzy head, sniffles, bit tired, tiny bit achy.
I can taste and smell everything, have no Temperature, no fever, no cough...

DH says I need a PCR test. I’m not sure I do. AIBU?
Is everyone testing no matter what?
Is he right?

@LuLaLeggings

And I have no confidence in LFTs. So many false negatives.

Problem is if you take a PCR every time you have a cold you're taking day's off work to test and wait for the result. You can't do that every time you have a cold during winter, or you'd never be in the office that Boris demands you go back to.

These were my symptoms when I got up today after my night shift. I had a positive lft and am now waiting for my PCR results

I agree. You can't take PCRs and isolate each time. This weekend though I just knew DC1 was positive (secondary school age) so went straight to the PCR which was positive.

However despite a negative PCR, DH's work won't have him back this week. He's NHS and can't WFH.

@LuLaLeggings

Well the NHS PCR booking website specifically says don't test without those 3 symptoms so there's a lot of conflicting advice.

Same as our NHS trust then. They are very specific. Only certain symptoms make someone ‘eligible’ for a test.

User135644
That is definitely a problem.One day off for the test and one day off waiting for the results.
I’m used to spending most of the Autumn term fighting off bugs and we’re expected in unless we have D&V. Staying off usually isn’t a option.
It’s strange to be physically ‘well enough to go in’ but told not to. It’s the nature of the pandemic though isn’t it?

DS primary school, has requested no children be sent in with common cold symptoms and to test. Return with proof of negative test.

Whilst it's a nightmare to keep him home for the 2 days it takes to test and receive results then send him back, it makes sense as the delta variant has different symptoms.

One school mum however must be costing the NHS a small fortune. She orders 2 PCR tests every Sunday night, just incase the 2 children become unwell in the week, and if they don't become unwell she tests them every Friday evening. Poor children! We have tried to tell her that she could use LF tests if testing for asymptomatic, but she said that's not what she is worried about. She just wants to limit her days off work by having a PCR test ready to go.

They really need to consider updating official testing advice as right now it says you can only get a test if you have one of the three but we all know that covid can present in many ways - especially with delta. Delta can present like a cold but of course we are going into cold and flu season! Going to madness this winter. I know we don't have a shortage of tests anymore but can you imagine how many people will be testing with colds etc!

Has cold / sore throat / hacking cough and no voice for coming up 3 weeks now, 7 tests (LFD & PCR) have all said negative. There is also a nasty cold / flu bug going round, result of month of masks and no built up immunity for past 18 months

I have been feeling unwell for two weeks. The advice I was given was to have a PCR test as I had symptoms. I have had two tests and both are negative, despite the fact i feel awful. DS is positive and feels normal.....

Those are exactly the symptoms that DH had when he got Delta covid at the same time as DS and me. DH's LTF and PCR tests both came back negative, I had negative LTF and positive PCR, and DS had Positive for both tests. DH is double vaxxed, I'm single vaxxed and Ds has no vaccinations.

I think a PCR test is a good idea, but also being careful and staying in if unwell with general respiratory symptoms.

The Guardian were saying the other day that a whole raft of people with symptoms were getting positive LTF and negative PCR and they had no idea what that was about.

@SunShinesBrightly

User135644 That is definitely a problem.One day off for the test and one day off waiting for the results. I’m used to spending most of the Autumn term fighting off bugs and we’re expected in unless we have D&V. Staying off usually isn’t a option. It’s strange to be physically ‘well enough to go in’ but told not to. It’s the nature of the pandemic though isn’t it?

Everyone in our office is coughing and spluttering all over the office, even though the job can be done from home. The word from the top is "the government wants us back in", so just have to get on with it. I've been ill with colds for over a month now.

PCR. So you can send them to school and say hand on heart it is just a cold
If they get quite unwell and need seeing you can say to HCP that you’ve had a negative PCR so they can’t refuse to see you
Because it’s better to know if you have had it.

PCR negative.
Still sneezing, still have a fuzzy head and am tired & achy. I’m also hacking away- loose phlegm in my chest.
I can still smell and taste.
So, I’m guessing I have a seasonal cold and bad chest.
So many people at work have the same so I guess it’s going around.

I wish the govt would update the website with the delta symptoms. Ridiculous that people are still looking out for loss of taste and smell when it's now headache, sore throat, runny nose etc. Tim Spector from the Zoe study was visibly frustrated by it during his last update.

@User135644

You'll be testing every week for cold symptoms. I haven't felt 100% once since being forced back into the office at the start of September.

I test every week anyway. Sometimes twice a week if I'm going to be mixing with strangers or vulnerable people. It's a fiddly 2/3 minutes of my time but it will be worth it if if alerts me to the fact I could be spreading the virus.

Only cold symptoms here. PCR positive.

My daughter had a full on cold, cough, temperature and really unwell.
Thankfully we LFT regularly. Hers came up positive!
Isolated her straight away and ordered her abs everyone else in our household a PCR test.
It came back negative for her and all of us thankfully!
I’ve read today in the press about serious colds going around at present which are throwing up faulty results on LFTs, so I definitely think you should order turswld a PCR to be sure.

I had Covid recently. Double vaccinaed. First symptoms were sneezing and a runny nose. The temperature/loss of smell came a few days later; if I hadn't tested I would have been merrily spreading it everywhere.

There is a nasty cold going around as well as COVID. It's flying through our area but nobody is testing positive on LFT's or PCR's, despite feeling horrendous with it.

I would go straight to a PCR test with cold symptoms but don't be surprised if it's negative and you just have a horrendous cold, lol. I've read that the common cold is hitting people worse this year because we've all been socially distancing/isolating for months on end.

X-post with you.

Yes, there's a nasty cold going around. I know so many people who've had/have it but they've all tested negative on PCR's.

If you take part in the Zoë Covid study app and report cold like symptoms, they invite you to take a PCR test, which you can book on gov.uk without the “classic” symptoms. The government really should update its symptom list though.

I ‘only had a cold’ no covid symptoms but when my son started with a cough a few days into my cold we both got tested, I had covid! I didn’t lose my sense of taste or smell until my isolation period was more than half done. So yes, absolutely get tested.

Just get a pcr test and be sure, don't see what the issue is, you could have booked it on Saturday, gone on Sunday and have the results on Monday.

@Toottooot

My local NHS trust has now said they don’t want people to test for common cold symptoms as they are aware we are now in cold and flu season. Please don’t test for ‘wider’ covid symptoms is the new advice. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I spoke to GP today, told him I have a cold which has built to an ear infection and bad chest. I just wanted antibiotics. He told me I have to have a PCR because of temp and dodgy breathing. I didn’t tell him I’ve had a low level headache for a while as that wasn’t the main issue. On reflection I think it’s probably sound advice.

All the people insisting that a PCR is warranted for cold symptoms - how is one actually supposed to get one? I am in the same situation as the op, just went on the NHS test site, ammeter all the questions and it says I'm not eligible for a PCR. Are you all just lying on the questionnaire?