Teacher with ‘bad cold’ WWYD?

[TestOrNot]

Hi
I’ve posted similar yesterday in the staff room but wanted to vary my question a bit and post here for traffic.

I developed a streaming cold yesterday. I’ve woken up feeling pretty dreadful- general malaise and headache but runny nose and sneezing has calmed down a bit. Definitely not hay fever.

Are there any guidelines for key workers with symptoms like this who don’t qualify for a test (no fever or cough)? I’m due back to Sitka early next week. Surely you can’t just go to work as normal with visible symptoms during the pandemic?

WWYD?

I was all set to ring 111 but clearly have none of the symptoms for a Covid test so thought I’d ask if anyone has had similar experience and can advise.

TIA

@HouseOfEdwards

The results take days to come back so get one today as you have to self isolate until you get the results back.

I know we have all of these rules and guidelines but it's still important to think for yourself and decide what is best in your own individual situation. The government can't make an algorithm for every situation.

?? my dtr's took 24 hours - we were told within 48 hours but she got it the next day doesn't always take days.

I won’t be on this thread for a few hours as I’m GOING FOR MY TEST!!!!!!!!!

Glad to hear it 😁

The idea of false negatives is so worrying though, you'd be expected to be at work and even if you started feeling worse well there's no way you'd have covid so... A false negative is worse than no test.
I hope posters remember this thread when someone else starts one saying "my dc's class couldn't come to school because their teacher took the day off for a test"

I would get a test too. Dd had one last week (metallic taste in mouth and loss of smell) and I went along with her for moral support. The place was deserted and they asked me if I wanted one too. I said probably unnecessary but they said that was no bother and I might as well have one if I fancied. I'm a teacher and was due back in school a few days later, so I did have it, just to know I had a "clean slate," as it were.
We had them done on a Friday afternoon and received the "all clear" results Saturday evening.

Clearly you don’t want to go to school...

My sister has just tested positive for covid (went into hospital with her autoimmune condition reacting to new medication) they tested upon arrival. She did not have a cough or temperature. Think it can present in loads of different ways so if I was you I'd be sure to book a test.

Many people get a cough/fever with a cold, so if you spread this cold to your pupils and on to there families you may trigger them to have to go into 14 days isolation (or at least as long as it takes for them to get a test and then wait for the results that confirms it is not Covid19.

I think you would be socially responsible to be in work or out in public in your current state.

irresponsible

If I got a negative test and started to feel worse, then I'd get another. The chance of 3 tests being false negatives is really small so getting re tested is key.

I think you also need to bear in mind if you have a cold then later get a temperature for example the cause of the temperature isn’t necessarily the cold. Therefore you must get another test.

@TestOrNot

I hope your test goes ok. Let us know whether they did it for you or if you had to do it yourself.

The chance of a false negative means I'd get tested again if I felt wirse and I'd self isolate for at least 7 days, but as many as I could.

I think you should stay home this week anyway and get yourself better as even the 'common cold' isn't going to be good for you or for to spread around right now.

I do get your point about the official guidance, but given they can't organise a party in a pub, I'm not sure why you're surprised!?!

Just get a test

@Whitestick

The idea of false negatives is so worrying though, you'd be expected to be at work and even if you started feeling worse well there's no way you'd have covid so... A false negative is worse than no test. I hope posters remember this thread when someone else starts one saying "my dc's class couldn't come to school because their teacher took the day off for a test"

Or when the teacher is off with a cold.

Get a test.
We don't know enough about it to assume you don't have the right symptoms.

Is 'get a test' the new 'cancel the cheque' yet?

Why would anyone NOT get a test??

I am a teacher - please get a test.

Unfortunately on here there are people who think if your leg fell off on the way to work then you should pick it up and jolly well hop the rest of the way.

This is no time for martyrdom.

I'm glad you are going for a test.

It's so important that people get tested if they have any possible Coronavirus symptoms- especially people like teachers who are in close contact with others.

Don't dither about just book yourselves in and stay home until you get the results and know what the situation is.

Hope the test worked out for you, and agree with other posters, your symptoms are documented as possible indications of Covid-19:

The UK has also been much slower than some countries in telling people what covid-19 symptoms to look out for, with a heavy focus on cough and fever. The virus has been linked to many other symptoms, including sore throat, runny nose, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea. A loss of taste and smell was added to the UK’s list of symptoms on 18 May, more than a month later than in France.

“We are behind nearly every other country in the world,” says Tim Spector at King’s College London, which has 3 million people signed up to its covid-19 symptom tracking app. About 37 per cent of app users who reported a positive swab test hadn’t had fever or a cough – the only two symptoms the UK government said required self-isolation until loss of taste and smell were added to the list months later. “Many people, by not knowing they were infected and not being told [the other symptoms], were carrying on their normal business and infecting other people,” says Spector.

www.newscientist.com/article/mg24632853-300-why-have-there-been-so-many-coronavirus-deaths-in-the-uk/#ixzz6Ody7vIGb

Hi OP. Just wondering if you went for the test and how was it? Did they recheck your symptoms? Any results back yet?