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?

Maybe not in UK but you do in Ireland. Although I think most people aren't bothering to test or isolate which is annoying.

I've currently got Covid and the rules say to isolate for minimum of 5 days from first getting symptoms. I started last Friday so I'm going to test myself shortly and if clear, I'll go out to do some food shopping.

After a few years of customers not holding money in their mouths, some (usually elderly) are reverting back to this disgusting habit. Also do this with lottery tickets too.

We ask they have another note or alternative payment. If they don’t, we can refuse. If they want to speak to a manager, they will back us up.

Why do people think it’s ok to hold money in their mouths? They would be horrified if we held money in our mouths before handing it over to them.

I am immuno suppressed so it never would have been a cold to me but I admit I was surprised at how hard it hit my very fit and well OH. He was absolutely floored and didn't move from bed for almost two weeks. I was seriously worried about him and called 111 at one point. He was just as bad the second time too.

DS's dad brushes it off, tells me covids made up and its "just a cold" and that DS should still go round.

It is irrelevant if it is covid or a cold, it is a virus and he lives with his elderly mum he shouldn't be exposing her to either. Long before covid I would not have called on my elderly relatives if I had a cold, this can develop quite quickly to pneumonia for an elderly person.

The grandmother also said she didnt care

I was checking as if I didnt say anything, and they happened to get really ill, they would then blame me. They are typical narcs like that

A cold is also a coronvirus, I think, so I guess it’s not that strange to group them together.

But colds can still make you pretty ill.

Anyway, you’ve done your best to protect them, little more you can do.

If you’re ill it’s best not to spread it but if the grandmother is ok knowing your son is ill and if your son still wants to go then send him.

I can't believe that this many years later people STILL don't understand that it can affect everyone differently. And that it can be different each time for each person!
I've had it 3 times. It was like a "cold" every time. But I'm not an idiot and I do realise that it could be different next time. And I do realise that for others it could be much worse.

All these threads descend into is people talking about how they had it twice and felt like death so it's the worst virus ever and everyone should still be isolating for 10 days and wearing masks inside all the time because all old people will die vs the I've had it once and it was a mild sniffle and people should carry on totally as normal all the time including kissing 98 year old granny on the lips. You also see it on threads with people talking about the"new variant" being worse than the last one. But in reality no one knows that its worse. They just know they feel worse this time round. But to them that makes the entire variant/ illness so much worse generally.

I had what I presume was flu 20 years ago. I was young fit and healthy. I was knocked sideways for months. Bed bound for a week then off work for 3 months. It was a good 6 months before I was back to normal. Do I think this is the case for everyone who has flu? Of course not. Despite what a lot of people on here think flu can be totally asymptomatic just like covid.

There is also no such thing as a virus called a "cold". What we call colds are illnesses that cause certain symptoms caused by different viruses (Including other Coronaviruses). And yes covid is one of them now. People are perfectly correct to say they have a cold if they have cold symptoms. No one used to test which virus caused their "cold" so people just said cold. And people say that now again.
Some people say they have flu when they feel really bad and are in bed. Do they have one of the influenza viruses? Who knows. Most haven't tested. It could be a really bad cold. Now days it could also be covid.

Realistically people can't isolate and not work every time they get a sniffle. So they could be going out and passing any number of viruses onto others, some of whom will be vulnerable to them. If I have cold symptoms but feel well enough I will go to work and live normally. If I'm seeing a friend, vulnerable or not, I'll often mention I have a cold and ask if they would prefer to reschedule. I used to do this pre covid as well. Some say yes some say no. Whatever is fine with me.

I treat it like flu. I wouldn't knowingly give people the flu so I wouldn't infect them with covid either. Both can kill you if you have other health issues.

What YOU are not seemingly grasping is that @ellie09 isn't talking about work, she is talking about an optional social event that could impact on an 80-odd year old woman.

'Work' is utterly irrelevant

Well no its not because it's a thread on a public forum where lots of posters offer their opniins and I'm responding to people who think people should stay at home and isolate, when they have covid .

I also hate people walking about sniffing, coughing away saying that they have the flu,

They don't. You wouldn't be able to get up from bed, shower, get changed and walk or drive.

There is no legal obligation to test or isolate in Ireland. It's the same as the UK. Guidance only. That's why most people aren't doing it.

This is actually not true. You can have flu and be totally asymptomatic.

Oh, my DS is away to their house tonight. I was just wanting to make them aware of the situation in case they didnt want him going (his grandmother has health issues including a lung condition). However, I have let him go after they said it was fine.

@ellie09

You've done the right thing. If they end up being ill now then it's their own fault . And at least you'll get a couple of days proper rest. Hope you feel better soon .

Same here, I had it last year and I couldn't remember feeling so ill before- definitely not a cold!
I wouldn't be sending a child I knew had covid to an older person's home either but I guess it's up to them to decide to take the risk

Yes. when taking my infant child to the doctors for a chest infection, the gp referred to Covid as ‘just a cold’.

My whole household has it now including my vulnerable parents which I am concerned about. We have been suffering for a week, not being able to get out of bed and just absolutely dreadful. Completely floored. I definitely wish we had a team of staff right now!

I wish it was more like ‘just a cold’ but unfortunately doesn’t affect us so lightly. Some people are ok with it though- just depends on your immune system I suppose.

I will somehow still get the blame if they get sick

Oh well

Yeh common reaction these days. To be fair unless you are vulnerable then crack on.

DH is vulnerable and he asks his colleagues and family members out of courtesy to let him know if they have tested positive or think they might have Covid. It's just so DH is aware as from the last time he had it we know how quickly he goes downhill and can contact the hospital to get the anti virals into him as early as possible.

If said vulnerable person thinks op should send the child round

You think the deaths from Covid were fake?

Do you also think that 5G was invented to activate a chip put in the vaccine?

Same
I got antivirals 12hrs after my positive test and was still quite bad with it. They did a covid at home ward thing with a sats monitor and ringing me twice a day etc
Off work for 3 weeks and went from doing 90 min spin classes to jelly legs trying to do 20 mins
Dont want it again also because of long covid risk

It's only on Mumsnet I ever see that anyone tests for Covid? I don't think I've tested for about 3 years. If you're ill enough to need to stay home, do that - it doesn't matter what it is. if not, crack on with your life.

I work in the NHS we still have to stay away from work for 5 days.

But you’d risk other people catching it who might lose their jobs ?