My friend has tested positive with none of the 3 symptoms BBC has just said to look out for.

[Destinysdaughter]

They are:.
High temperature
Consistent cough
Loss in taste or smell

My friend had none of the above, she had aches, fatigue and diarrhoea, she only got a test as I was concerned about her odd symptoms and we were planning to go visit my sister who has asthma and is 60. She had no idea she had it, so really, what I'm saying is, the information that is being put out is wholly inaccurate and shouldn't be regarded as the holy grail for what constitutes symptoms as obviously they are much more varied about this. I'm pissed off about this as it feels like dangerous disinformation and if you have the above symptoms you may have no idea you have it and will be out and about spreading it to others ...

There's no point drawing a line that leaves out a good chunk of infected (and infectious) individuals @Blurp.

It sometimes asks people to go get tested @streamlinedcaverns

Sore throat, pains and 'odd' feelings in feet and toes are also symptoms we hear little about.

Just tested positive had: extreme fatigue, chest pains, strange taste in mouth, headaches, sore throat. Have not lost any senses which every article seems to put as a front runner. Oh and I keep randomly bursting into tears, but that's just since I was diagnosed

The "news" re covid broadcast by the BBC has been woeful since the beginning. They've not got a clue and are clearly incapable of reading the gov.uk website. The amount of wrong and misleading info they've given is diabolical.

The Kings College app is not designed to provide individuals with advice on whether to get tested. It does sometimes ask individuals to get a test in the interests of furthering the research. However, the Kings College app people do regularly report on their findings in a way that can be understood by non-scientists, so I think it's a useful source of information.

Anyhow, I've made a complaint to the BBC as I'm so pissed off about this. My friend is an intelligent woman who had no idea she had it and I think the BBC should be much more careful and precise about the information they are giving out as for some pp they are still their main source of guidance.

And yes, I have had a test myself, as we met in my garden 2 weeks ago and fortunately I'm negative

stayathomer I'm so sorry to hear that. X

Destinysdaughter thank you

@Destinysdaughter Good idea! I have been thinking about writing to my MP about the ridiculously narrow list of official symptoms for which the government advises getting a test. The information from the Zoe app clearly shows that there are many cases where people test positive after experiencing symptoms which did not include any on the official list.

The "news" re covid broadcast by the BBC has been woeful since the beginning. They've not got a clue and are clearly incapable of reading the gov.uk website

The BBC reported those three diagnostic symptoms directly from the gov.uk website.

Don't blame the BBC for the comms shit show from the government. It wasn't their call to pick those three an emphasise them to the exclusion of other symptoms.

I would encourage anyone who has tested positive to log their details on the Zoe app. The more examples they have, the better their chances of identifying which symptoms are most likely to be indicative of Covid. I think I read that there is some variation with age, eg "Covid toes" more common in younger people, stomach upsets more common in older people.

Well we know the bloody Gvt have got many things wrong about Covid, so what is stopping the BBC from looking at other sources of information? Honestly, if pp on Mumsnet are better informed than both the Gvt and the BBC then my God, what hope do the general population have??

Does the kings college app advise people to get a test

Yes. I am on my third test with it - first was about 5 weeks ago with hay fever symptoms, second was three weeks ago with a bout of dizziness plus sore throat and I am awaiting third results now after a bout of vomiting and stomach pains. First two negative, the third I expect was some chicken I ate! However, the app makes it clear that they don’t always ask for a test because they necessarily believe you have it - they are just adjusting their diagnosing tools and, I suspect, looking at how symptoms are progressing and what appears with which symptom etc.

This is why the development of cheap, quick, home-based saliva tests is so important. If you had any symptoms and could take the test yourself, even if it were only 95% effective, it would cut down so significantly on the spread.

We're getting close. There are a large number of different labs and universities in the states that should be able to roll those tests out in the not-distant future (haven't checked on the progress at home). They range from about 60p to £3 a test, with results in about 15 minutes.

Again, won't catch everyone. But even if it only catches, say, 9 out of 10 people with Covid, asymptomatic spread will be seriously limited. And the labs are really close to full FDA approval in the States.

So, reason to hope.

what is stopping the BBC from looking at other sources of information

They were reporting the government advice. Should they tell people to ignore government advice and do X instead?
and
There have been multiple items (daily) on BBC news website, radio stations and news feature programmes about the Zoe app/Kings College programme and other covid topics, in depth stats analyses on other coverage, endless interviews with a million different experts. The one and only place they prioritise those three symptoms is where they are reporting the government advice.

You are shooting the messenger in this case.

Why on earth have you complained to the BBC?

They are only reporting the NHS and government's official list of symptoms, which are a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or a change or loss of taste or smell.

It's not the BBC at fault here.

@Destinysdaughter

Anyhow, I've made a complaint to the BBC as I'm so pissed off about this. My friend is an intelligent woman who had no idea she had it and I think the BBC should be much more careful and precise about the information they are giving out as for some pp they are still their main source of guidance.

And yes, I have had a test myself, as we met in my garden 2 weeks ago and fortunately I'm negative

Hang on a minute. The BBC is a news outlet. It’s not nhs direct and it’s not responsible for your friend not knowing she had COVID.

YABU to be angry about your friend possibly spreading the virus because of what she read/heard (or didn’t read/hear on the BBC). The responsibility of not spreading the virus is 100% on her. NHS have listed aches, fatigue and diarrhoea as possible symptoms for months! You feel a bit ropey during a pandemic? You definitely don’t make plans to visit an asthmatic and you also don’t rely solely on a news agency for the best health advice.

Re the BBC's approach, it is irresponsible to uncritically report the government official advice without making clear that the actual list of symptoms associated with Covid is much longer!

CrocodilesCry yes but these are wrong which is my point! So if you have weird symptoms but none of the above, you will not think you have it, as was the case wirh my friend, and not get a test and then possibly pass it on to lots of other people.

@Destinysdaughter - that might well be the case, and there are lots of articles and research speculating about other symptoms.

But you've made yourself look mad for complaining to the BBC about this when they're simply communicating the official list of symptoms listed by the NHS.

As a slight aside - how do you get tested if you don't have one of the three symptoms? I assumed they would ask you and turn you away at the testing centres.

"NHS have listed aches, fatigue and diarrhoea as possible symptoms for months!"

They haven't.

OP. You are really over reacting to this. Its a bit baffling. It’s been fairly common knowledge for a while that COVID presents with a range of symptoms, including gastric. I’ve watched BBC news articles discussing that fact. The BBC are simply reporting the governments & NHS’s top 3 symptoms to be wary of. They cannot possibly list every single possible symptom you may get with COVID everytime they discuss it 🙄 Most people will preset with a fever, cough, sense loss or a combination of all. Some may have a range if other symptoms from headaches, runny nose, sinus pain, chest pain, aches, chills, vomiting .. it’s a virus. A range of symptoms is pretty common. When you catch a cold, sometimes you get a runny nose, sneezing, temp, aches & pains etc & feel awful. Sometimes you get a bit bunged up & it’s mild. Some colds I’ve lost my sense of smell & taste. Some I’ve coughed continuously. Some I’ve felt freezing. Some I’ve had a fever. Some I’ve ached like hell. No one cold is particularly the same. But I know I’m ill.

Children have to remain off school for 48 hours after diarrhoea you stop a possible bug spreading. Adults should do the bloody same & perhaps we’d all be a bit less ill!

If you wana be angry, then shout at the NHS or govmt for only listing those symptoms. Or you could simply just accept it & move on. Perhaps your friend should be trying to control her daughter & be aware that if her social contacts aren’t distancing then there always a chance she might catch it!

It's such a strange virus. So many different symptoms (or none at all in some people) and such a range in severity. It makes me wonder if the testing is wildly inaccurate, or are there other infections with such a wide range of symptoms and severity?

@BiarritzCrackers - easily. You simply request a test on the govmt website. You can’t just turn up at a test centre, you have to book online. It asks if you if you have the 3 main symptoms, you can say no & it still let’s you continue! Literally anyone can book a test. I bet the hypochondriacs on Mumsnet have had millions 😂