People referring to covid as a cold

[ellie09]

On Monday I tested positive for covid. Felt horrible and took a test (even though you dont need to anymore), as I work in an office.

I have had covid a few times, as I have a really crap immune system. Ive also had several colds over the years which I tested negative for covid.

My DS came down with the sniffles last night and a cough. I rang his dad as he was meant to be staying at his dads, and he lives with his elderly mum. I told him the situation and that DS would be better staying home for a few days isolating with me (we dont know if its covid as he wont let me test him, but we can assume)

Ive felt utterly awful and like each time i've had it, my chest is in pain and it feels like someone's standing on my chest 24/7. There is a big difference between the times I had a cold, and covid (but I cant speak for others)

DS's dad brushes it off, tells me covids made up and its "just a cold" and that DS should still go round. I rang DS grandmother seeing as its her house and explained, she basically said to me, "yeah, you just have a cold, thats not real".

Is this a normal reaction now? People have covid and its just brushed off as a cold, therefore people are out spreading knowingly?

Funny how the NHS expect their own staff on with covid then isn't it?

I had 3 weeks off work earlier with this "just a cold". I felt absolutely awful, the exhaustion and breathlessness could only be likened to when I had pneumonia and flu together. Covid is certainly not just a cold for a lot of people. A cold I would have continued to work, I couldn't even lift my head up of the pillow for 7 days.

@x2boys

That is because the NHS is so short staffed. So they ask staff to go to work with covid, at great risk to their already unwell patients. My eighty something year old neighbour avoided getting Covid completely until she went into hospital a couple of months ago.

People refuse to pay for LFTs now. So if they feel yuk, they call it a cold, bad cough, virus. Even my work stopped selling LFT kits.

Had covid three times - a few days before the first lockdown, 11 months later and July 22. Didn't know I had covid the first time as nearest test centre then was 42 miles away. I was struggling to hold a pen, so no way of driving 84 mile round trip. Had an antibody test a while later.

During the 3 bouts of covid, I had a headache which I never experienced before with any cold/virus. It was a sharp banging pain to the left temple.

Problem is that many employers use the 3 periods of sickness in a rolling year and get disciplined. Employees who already had 2 periods of sickness are scared about disciplinary action so come into work with a stinking cold. Done it myself. Up to July 2022, my employer didn't count covid towards the sickness count. Got the third bout in time.

Employers only put this policy in place because of a few who took the piss in the past. My ex's employer didn't have this policy until about a year before we split up. They noticed every payday and weekend after there were many absences, compared to the other weekends. There were some genuine sicknesses but most was because they got to pissed to turn up to work,

I agree with this.

'Since the jabs'? But most people haven't been vaccinated for years. That makes no sense.

No idea when I will be next get a covid booster as asthmatic. Covid has certainly made asthma worse as on stronger and additional meds since having covid and had more asthma attacks too.

Also find it strange why I can't book a flu vaccine in September when I normally have it this week. Been on various pharmacy websites and first appointment is 1st Oct. I had to book it during the 2nd week of Oct as going on holiday on 3rd Oct and don't want to feel rubbish. Last year, I blacked out at work 3 days after having mine. I know each year is different because of different strains in the vaccine - based on WHO recommendations. Not taking the risks.

We all do. My mum has leukaemia, and no immune system due to chemo. Covid could kill her.

Since the jabs'? But most people haven't been vaccinated for years. That makes no sense

The first exposure to the virus tends to be the worst. Almost everyone has now had that exposure, either via vaccine or from having caught it.

OP, you are being very thoughtful and considerate. I'd do just the same.

Why would people go out and about with Covid, knowing that it could make people seriously ill?

Some people are just dicks.

My point was they should practice what they preach ,they can't advise people to stay at home with covid whilst simultaneously expecting their own staff to work with covid
And that goes for all workplaces if people are going to not get paid ,and possibly face disciplinary procedures for staying at-home with covid ,then chances are they will go into work this doesn't make them selfish and anyone who thinks it does needs to check their own privilege

Because they have to work ?
What is it people are not grasping about this?

Because some people have to work, do you think everyone can afford to take time off like that?

No you don't as hopefully people have the common sense to realise that this virus kills. Hopefully they don't need to be told.

Sadly not everyone is selfless and my previous healthy 81 &82 yr old parents caught it from some stupid bastard last year and died within a week of each other .

Cannot get my head around why you would not isolate yourself if you knew you had it - and why you wouldn't check if you share an office /mix with the public a lot . ?

I was with someone who had COVID 2 years ago and she had no symptoms at all: she only found out because she had a test when she went to visit an elderly relation. She still can’t taste or smell anything, though.

Ds had it in July, and it presented as a heavy cold. I kept him off school but they were quite insistent he should come in.

I recently felt like I had a slight cold (I didn't covid test) but I was meeting someone who is immuno compromised, so I let them know and asked if they were still happy to meet. They said they were but I would err on the side of caution if people are considered vulnerable

Don't be so moronic. My parents didn't die of 'a cold' . Deeply insulting to the 100k's who died.

@x2boys

I agree. They shouldn't be forcing staff in to work when they are sick, putting their patients and the rest of their workforce at risk. When my uncle was in hospital, he was treated by a nurse wearing no mask, who was clearly feeling quite poorly and who informed him she had covid😡. I highly doubt the poor woman would have been there if she didn't need to be.

Nor do I think that people who go into work with covid are selfish but there are precautions that they can take such as letting colleagues know, wiping surfaces down, keeping your distance from people etc etc. I know people who have no qualms about getting right up in people's faces because to them, covid is 'just a cold'. Or just cough and splutter everywhere without covering their mouths. Charming.

I mean, if doesnt matter if it's Covid, a cold, flu, or whatever else. Fact is you feel poorly, and your DS feels a bit poorly. If you told his dad and gran and they are fine with him still going to theirs (and he is well enough to go) then he should go and that's the end of it-as it would be with a common cold etc....

I'm sorry you feel so rubbish though OP. It's floored me all three times I've had it. As did flu when I had it. As with all virus (virus's? Viruses? What's the plural?), they affect some people more badly than others.

It’s different for everyone, remember how many people had it without any symptoms.

I cannot get my head around the fact that some posters can't comprehend ,that not everyone has the Luxury of being able to work from home
And that many people have no option but to go into work ,covid positive or not.

In my NHS Trust where I work as a Nurse we are told not to test and even if we do we are to go in if we feel ok. It isn't that staff 'don't care about their vulnerable patients more that this is work guidelines.

I think you are very considerate. Last Covid I had I was bedridden for a week. It was worse than any flu I’ve had. Interesting that your ex doesn’t mind exposing his elderly mother to a cold either.

@AboutVattime I am sorry to hear about your parents that is so sad but as above I work as a Nurse, I see very sick people every day (mainly frail patients or those with Respiratory disease or Heart Failure) and it has long been our Trust policy not to test. You go in even if you have it and feel well enough to work. I feel deeply uncomfortable with this line.

I remember 4 years ago, when at some points entire families were meant to isolate for 2 weeks each time someone had it. People on here then were quick to label others selfish then - ignoring the fact that lots of people couldn't wfh and couldn't afford to take potentially weeks off work when they weren't ill themselves.