To be tested for Coronavirus

[myhandsareverycold]

I have all the symptoms of a rotten cold. Started on Friday with a very sore throat. Yesterday nose started steaming. I'm feeling hot and cold. Hacking cough. Went to work today but felt pretty rotten.

I've not been in touch with anyone that I know of that's been abroad.

Am I being selfish assuming it's just a regular cold or should I have been tested?

Three members of my family have already had this 'cold' so the chances are it's just a cold. However, it got me thinking, how do we know the difference and are we being unreasonable if we don't have common cold symptoms tested in case it's something more sinister?

I wouldn't trust anything on Wikipedia.

That's what the NHS 111 number and the test is for really. They can tell you if you need the test, you don't just magically know (although I agree with others it is unlikely that you would be offered it)

Please don't go into work tomorrow, it sounds horrid and spreading that kind of bug will make it more difficult for 111 to detect actual coronavirus if they get swamped with calls about nasty colds. Also you don't want to knock peoples immune systems at this point.

I don't believe Coronavirus and a runny nose are mutually exclusive

Actually if you look at the study in the Lancet by Shi et al. (2020) rhinorrhea (runny nose) occurred in 26% of the patients they studied. So not really that uncommon.

They aren’t. That’s what was confusing me too. But it’s uncommon apparently - and other sources seem to confirm that too. Though in children those symptoms appear (based on small numbers) to be more common than in adults.

It’s difficult because it’s cold and flu season and 111 is swamped. Maybe sensible to lower the bar a little on what you call in sick for - particularly if visiting schools etc. In theory you should normally call in sick for a bad cold always but in reality many don’t because services would fall apart - but if it’s really the worst cold you’ve ever had and you feel dreadful I’d phone in sick and see how you feel in a day or two.

Gosh 26% really isn’t that little! I’d initially assumed it was a typical symptom. Certainly is for other coronaviruses.

They are maybe deliberately playing that symptom down, to avoid being overrun with everybody with a sniffle panicking.

It could be quietly spreading unnoticed - it’s entirely possible - and was possibly doing so in Italy for weeks before the problem emerged properly. Daresay many get better without ever knowing they had it.

At the least I’d phone in sick. And seek 111 or GP phone call if symptoms worsen.

It sounds like you should call in sick tomorrow anyway. If you still feel the same way, I'd give 111 a ring, and they can decide if you need testing, rather than us trying to do it via this thread!

They may not test you if you haven't been in contact with anyone or abroad, but it's possible they will want to test you, so why not call them and see what happens? I don't think making a phonecall will be overstretching resources, that's kind of the point of 111.

Although runny nose/sore throat aren't common symptoms, a lot of advice is keen to point out these don't rule out coronavirus either.

Well our CEO has intervened and all staff received this today
If you are experiencing flu like symptoms avoid contact with young people until you have sought medical advice.

I suspect this will be the line most bosses will take.

Doctor presented with runny nose as initial symptom but kept working - diagnosed a week later

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/07/flabbergasted-melbourne-doctor-with-coronavirus-symptoms-continued-seeing-patients