loss of taste and smell

[stormykettles]

So it seems like some young people get loss of taste and smell but no other major symptoms. Our DS has this. He has had fatigue but to be frank he always sleeps all day if he's not working. He really wants to go back to work (he can get work in a supermarket) and thinks he should but I don't know, perhaps this is just the first onset? He's still coughing but it has been more than a week. Obviously he must self-isolate when not at work.

Any ideas?

He really shouldn't go to work. You don't need any other ideas than that

Read your last line and think it through.
You think he should self isolate at home but can go out transmitting the virus?

He needs to be at home.

You were certain he had it 2 days ago, why is he still going into work?

Hope his STD cleared up too.

Your DS is certainly pretty unlucky judging by the 3 threads that you've had about him.

Difficult, I have indeed made three posts about him. Does 3 seem a very high number to you, over the past month? Perhaps you have your own children better trained to disperse their issues more evenly throughout the year, do share your tips in this regard.

On to the matter of the steep COVID19 learning curve we are all on.

People are working in supermarkets and people need to procure food. I imagine supermarkets are providing PPE. Should he not work, particularly if he is past the infection stage, healthy and most likely immune?

This is just a question.

All the info online seems (and I'm asking for other views) to says that 7 days after your first symptoms you are no longer infectious.

Just really interested in this taste and smell symptom, and whether it marks the onset of infection.

You imagine wrong about PPE.
He has symptoms, no work.

I don’t understand the logic between self-isolating at home but still going out to work?! Makes no sense at all

He needs to strictly self isolate for 14 days from his first symptoms as does your whole family. Loss of taste and smell combined with a cough are all key symptoms.

Do you know if he has been in close contact with anyone else?

Unless things have changed in the last day or so, supermarket workers are not all in hazmat suits whilst on the checkouts

Really? Have you been living in a cave? He has symptoms. Whole household isolate for 14 days. No going to work. HTH

Why is the NHS is publishing guidelines of 7 days after onset of symptoms and 14 days for rest of household?

I'm only looking for clarity.

NHS says after 7 days if you do not have a high temp you do not need to stay at home.

Obviously this situation is evolving and we now have lockdown, which I why I said outside of work, if he were to work, he would practice self-isolation.

The rest of the household is without question in complete isolation.

It makes no sense to me either, because we don't have testing kits, neither do we understand about post-infection immunity.

I am on my fifth day of being ill now. I had been feeling a little run down for a few days then on Friday (first day of significant illness) realised that I'd completely lost all sense of taste and smell. Neither has returned yet and I'm still suffering badly with cough and exhaustion and general aches and pains though touch wood I'm no longer feverish. Although I haven't been tested I would say with certainty that I have COVID 19, and can vouch for loss of taste and smell as definitely being a symptom, so don't be stupid, don't risk the health of others, put your whole family into isolation and hopefully you will all be ok.

This symptom can't be specific to cv as i had bad flu a month ago and lost all sense of smell. Still hasn't returned.

Because of the incubation period.

I’m still interested in the isolate at home but go to work logic.

My point is that there is a flu going round that has all the symptoms of covid 19, but cant actually be covid 19 as people have been suffering with it in dec and jan.

Thank you avocuddles. I hope you feel better soon.

To clarify, he is not going in to work and has not done since before his very likely but unconfirmed COVID symptoms started.

Interesting Tonyaster so it's not categorically covid at all.

He doesn't have a temperature.

Goawayquickly, we are under lockdown so if not working (in a job that is necessary and not possible remotely) you self-isolate.

I had
A fever
An awful persistent cough
Body aches
After 6 days I had three days of breathlessness, one day really quite bad
Completely lost my sense of smell - couldnt smell Vicks!

This was in Feb pre coronavirus getting here.

I posted about this yesterday. It's interesting you say 'young people' OP, I'm not young (50) but have no taste or smell and ache all over. Can't tell if I have a temperature though, or if I'm just hot flushing.

Yes, I'm aware of that. It was you who said he might go to work with the public but self isolate at home. I think you meant stay in not isolate himself from the family as advised if someone has it.

Of course there are still plenty of colds and flu about like any other year.

Goaway I think we're misunderstanding each other. I am saying that as per NHS advice, if he is 7 days past onset he is no longer infectious and can go about his business (advice was written pre lockdown). Lockdown advice is self-isolate when not at work.

He has already been a massive twat about self-isolating at home and I am taking steps in response.

I'm 52 Dahlandchips so I know the feeling!