AIBU to expect the 111 service to be a bit more thorough than this?

[JackMummy12]

My husband came home yesterday not feeling great, this morning has woke up with worse symptoms including scratchy throat and v high temperature.

Obviously, ring the NHS 111 service to see what the advice is.

They ask the 2 following Qs to determine whether they think it’s Coronavirus:

Have you traveled this year?

Have you come into contact with anyone with a confirmed case?

My husband is a tradesman, he works on new build sites all around our region. He comes into contact with people multiple times a day that he knows nothing about, wont speak to again and wouldn’t be able to contact if he wanted to.

How the hell is this good enough to say he doesn’t have the virus, especially considering what’s going on in Italy at the moment. It’s a completely naive approach like believing all Italians have travelled This year or not been following guidelines 🙄 it’s ridiculous.

Yesterday when people were saying the goverment weren’t taking it seriously enough I thought people were being over the top, and that they know what’s best but now I’ve lost complete trust in them.

Whilst I can’t diagnose my husband, I was hoping we’d get given some advice on protecting our family, whether we should keeP our daughter off school or how I can protect my 3 month old baby, but because we answered no to both questions we were told he did not need to self isolate and could go about doing what he felt well enough to do.

AIBU or is this ridiculous way to diagnose going to see us like Italy? I am completely unable to see what measures the government is taking for this to be the delay stage, surely delay would be saying to people to self isolate if they think they match the symptoms?

I don't think you are being unreasonable in thinking that those 2 questions are no longer appropriate. It seems obvious to me that this thing is circulating here, probably widely, and that we're therefore excluding people from testing who could be ill. Like your husband that may include me.

I don't, however, think that this makes the NHS 111 service unreasonable either - it appears that the UK testing capacity for this was (until today) about 1500 tests a day. The proportion of people testing positive even on the restricted group described above is currently really small (373/25000+). With limited test capacity and widespread concern it must make sense to target testing at those with known higher risk of exposure.

I have quite a few medic friends who are 😮 at the govts response so far. Remember the experts can give their advice to Boris et al but the govt don’t have to follow or act on it. On an entirely flippant note I wonder if Boris is letting it run so he can blame the eventual failure of Brexit negotiations on it🙈

In quite a few countries in Europe they are asking people with even mild respiratory symptoms to self isolate. That includes sneezing and sore throats with mild fevers. They are being quite clear that mild cases may have more of these types of symptoms than the very high temperatures and breathing problems.

A sore throat most definitely is a common symptom

I get what you mean OP, I wouldn't say it's 111s fault though, they are just working within the guidance given, the real issue is how the government are handling it. There are a few clinical staff who work for 111 but they are unlikely to be answering calls, and the call takers are on just above minimum wage and probably having a rubbish time at the moment. I do agree that now it's known that community spread is happening that money is diverted to those who will need treatment rather than testing.

Surely the point about knowing whether the OPs dh is positive is not that they'd be able to give him some miracle medicine, but that this would let the whole family know they need to self-isolate. You can't keep kids of school or stay off work yourself on the plea that somebody else in the family has a cold or even the flu, you jolly well can if someone has the coronavirus!

The NHS is being crippled by idiots thinking they have coronavirus when they actually have a cold or perhaps the flu. That’s why you were fobbed off because he probably has a cold.

If he has a very high temperature it isn't just a cold. It could be tonsillitis. Phone your GP for advice. Mine has a triage list where a doctor can call you back and assess symptoms over the phone before deciding if you need an appointment or not.

It’s ridiculous to think that everyone with a virus in the middle of an epidemic just has a cold. OPs husband sounds fit young and absolutely NOT the person who is likely to progress to pneumonia and die from COVID.

IF he self isolated it would be for others benefit not his own. He will lose money, and business if he stays home with what for him is a sniffle. Repeatedly suggesting that he is a drama-lama is missing the point. He won’t be tested because he doesn’t hit the criteria of having traveled. He will travel in round the country infecting people because he doesn’t know he has it.

Whilst I completely understand your concern, the likelihood of catching it from the kinds of brief contacts he will get as a tradesperson on a building site is very low. he's presumably not having extended face to face conversations with people he doesn't know well enough to know if they have just come back from Italy is he? IME he will generally be having a quick exchange of a few sentences to verify what needs doing or what has been done - so unless someone coughs or sneezes onto him he is probably not exposed.

I also understand your concerns that if he has been exposed he shouldn't be spreading it around. That should be addressed by hygiene practices that everyone should be making habitual - being careful to always cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw away the tissue immediately rather than stuffing it into a pocket. Washing hands with soap regularly (and immediately if coughed or sneezed onto). Refraining from using handshakes as a greeting. The likelihood that he is infected is too low to justify him self-isolating but he (and everyone else) should do these things so that in the unlikely event that he has got the virus, he is minimising the spread. He should be especially careful to follow these hygiene practices when he is around DD, and surfaces around the home should be regularly cleaned obviously. Get more serious about making sure DD washes properly with soap regularly too.

I have symptoms. I have been to a GP surgery where there have been cases and there are cases in my town. They just keep saying I am fine as I haven't travelled which is frankly stupid as at least one case in my area is community transmitted. Luckily I can self isolate but I thought they might be more interested considering I am immune suppressed and my husband works in a job with over 300 people.

Since no symptoms are common, there is no point in trying to second guess the diagnosis made by trained HCP acting under expert direction and having more information than presented in here by the OP.

The most likely diagnosis is a common cold and it’s right to exclude CV without other factors for now. Over the course of next week or so, the diagnosis will change to include CV. Then he would be told to self isolate and be able to access help.

there is no point in trying to second guess the diagnosis made by trained HCP acting under expert direction and having more information than presented in here by the OP.

This can't be about 111, can it?

OP he could phone his GP, many are doing phone triages now. I wouldn't say it was a waste of time, as a 2 minute conversation could save them a lot of work down the line if they deem it reasonable enough for him to self isolate.

I know what you mean OP. I understand that they have limited resources and cant test everyone especially those with no underlying health issues...but like you say the advice, if you are not sure if you have it or not, is quite woolly. I wouldn't know what to do about your child either - keeping then off school for potentially no reason vs potentially infecting hundreds of other children is a hard decision to make when you dont know what the chances of him having it are. I think the decision for him to self isolate is a bit easier especially if you can afford to

Have you called the school for advice?

GP can’t treat a common cold or corona virus.

111 do not diagnose.

They triage then point patients in the appropriate direction as per government guidelines, I imagine they are on their knees along with with the rest of the NHS at the moment.

Why do people keep saying he has a cold if he has a high fever. It could be anything, viral or bacterial. Best thing is to contact the GP for advice.

The NHS is being crippled by idiots thinking they have coronavirus when they actually have a cold or perhaps the flu.

And this is why it's going to spread. Because even those who do have a good chance of having it are called "idiots" and will be too embarrassed to make a fuss. Another thread was complaining about someone who'd been to Italy presenting at A&E with symptoms and the place having to be closed down - but THIS IS WHY! Because everyone around them will be saying don't make a fuss, it's a cold, of course you don't have this virus which is a worldwide epidemic, what makes you so special, don't waste NHS time...

Hi @JackMummy12, we've moved this over to our Coronavirus topic.

What I’m shocked about is the hostile comments and name calling.

Trying to look out for those nearest to me, being a mother and wife and called an Idiot. It’s awful to think that these people are on a thread for MOTHERS, the people who are supposed to be kind and considerate.

Hope you weren’t the same people celebrating Women’s day and the #bekind movement because you are the problem.

Mumsnet feel free to delete this thread.

I don't think you are being unreasonable in thinking that those 2 questions are no longer appropriate. It seems obvious to me that this thing is circulating here, probably widely, and that we're therefore excluding people from testing who could be ill. Like your husband that may include me.

Absolutely agree (and me and my young baby are in the same position). People are not self isolating either when they are sick - yes common sense dictates they should but that is not the way a lot of people operate, especially if they would not get paid.

They haven't yet told people with any cold/flu like symptoms to self-isolate either, and that is partly based on the idea that we only have 300 plus cases, when, with the current testing criteria, it could clearly be way, way higher.

Agree with you Op. There is community spread now, and someone like your husband could have easily been in contact with a person who has travelled , without knowing.