Covid symptoms - can anyone explain?

[IrelandsIndustry]

My friend has muscle aches, a sore throat and headache. Her GP has said she doesn't need to self isolate because the covid symptoms are high fever, new continuous cough or loss of taste/smell only.

Is this the case in other countries? I thought it was common for people with covid to have muscle aches, headache and a sore throat etc?

It just seems bonkers to me

If she can isolate it's probably best to.
Can she get a test? She'll know for certain then

Chris Witty explained this recently. There are many other symptoms including sore throat, headache and muscle aches. However, the vast majority of people with Covid-19 ( I think he said 95% but I may have misremembered that) will also have one of the three symptoms listed fever, cough or anosmia.

For simplicity of message, they stick to the three key symptoms. She should, perhaps keep an eye on her temperature and book a test/self isolate if anything develops.

What country is she in, if it's the UK she should just ask for a test

Chris Whitty did say that fever, new cough and loss of taste/smell happened to 95% of people.

Personally I'd get a test done

Chris Whitty did say that fever, new cough and loss of taste/smell happened to 95% of people.

I think he said 95% get at least one of those symptoms but not necessarily all of them. I'm sure I read somewhere that in one large study only about 35% got the cough and not all said they had a noticable fever

At first there wasn't much known about the full range of symptoms and only a cough and fever were talked about, but I think now its recognised that there are probably more. I've seen a lot of people say they had headaches.

Most people w COVID develop a cough, fever or lose smell/taste. It doesnt necessarily start out like that though, I only started coughing on day 6 (but then coughed for weeks) and got a mild temperature on days 8 and 10.

She is in the uk but has been told if she has none of those three symptoms, then no test is necessary.

It doesnt necessarily start out like that though, I only started coughing on day 6

That is exactly my point, and yet my friend is still being told she has to go to work. If she did have it but didn't develop a cough or temp etc til day 6, she would have exposed numerous people on public transport or at her office by then

Who says she has to go to work? That's an unusual thing for a GP to say if somebody says they're ill. Sounds like the GP said it's probably not covid, but that doesn't mean ages necessarily well enough for work. If she's worried and in the UK then she can just self-certify unwell for up to 7 days and book a test if she wants, she doesn't have to just ignore illness because the GP said it isn't covid. It's like people have forgotten how to think for themselves these days.

Who says she has to go to work?

Her employer. She doesn't feel ill enough to stay off if it isnt covid IYSWIM.

They're not very bright then, I wouldn't want you in infecting other staff with whatever you've got. Sorry, I've no idea what you can do about work, hopefully someone else has a suggestion. I'd still book a test though as you're worried.

She cannot book a test as she doesnt have the right symptoms.

@IrelandsIndustry

She cannot book a test as she doesnt have the right symptoms.

There are people booking tests who have no symptoms at all, no one's checking what you put on the booking system afaik.

I think they should test as many people as want to be tested, there don't appear to be any capacity constraints, the more tests we do the better data we have

If I was her I'd go online and book a test and isolate until she gets the results through.

I'm a GP you'd be off if you worked for me. Try and get a test.