conflicting info about whether DS needs testing

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

DS, 15, back in school (Scottish schools). Had low temp yesterday which rose to 37.4C (axillary), runny nose, sneezing not coughing. Wheezy from asthma, no sense of smell (nose streaming) but sense of taste fine. Under the weather rather than ill.

Phoned asthma nurse for advice on wheeze. She said he needed covid testing. Government advice appears to be no need to test if no cough and a runny nose.

School appears to be saying has to stay off for 48 hours after fever resolves - but, he's not really got a fever, just a bit warm.

I'm so confused.

WWYD?

Needs a test due to loss of sense of smell.

Testing is required if high temp OR new continuous cough OR change or loss of taste or smell.

Plus the requirement to quarantine for 10 days or until a negative result is obtained, whichever is sooner.

Ok, thanks for that. I'd missed the "or" bit in my sleep-deprived state.

And we all have to stay home until the results are back. Which is fine, it's just my daughter who has to be out at work and they can manage.

Thanks.

I’d follow the advice from the qualified healthcare provider you consulted and get a test.

In this instance I would definitely get a test. I believe the symptom is loss of smell or taste (so doesn't need to be both) which your son has got, whilst he feels warm and temp is only slightly raised, do you know whether his normal temp runs a bit low? I really would get a test. Hope he feels better soon.

Well, I was asking her about his asthma management and she mentioned that he'd need testing. I hadn't understood properly, he's not got a high fever, he's got a runny nose (and Jason Leitch said today that runny nose is not a symptom of covid) and his loss of smell would fit with being bunged up with the cold.

It is confusing, to be honest, I'm not daft and I'm very boringly compliant - if I have found it confusing then there must be lots of people who are a bit muddled.

I read last week the loss of smell isn’t the same as in a cold where it’s cos your nose is blocked. On that basis, I wouldn’t get a test. That sounds like just a cold.

If the nurse said get a test I would though just sen that. Although whether she’s saying that cos of symptoms or just arse covering who knows.

Reading something somewhere and not getting a test is why we’ll have another spike in a couple of months

Yes he does need a test. Always better to err on the side of caution atm.

My brother's kid was tested last week (different city, we haven't seen them and there has been local positives to them) and they had a problem because there were so many people being tested that they were running low. So, the advice was to not panic and bear in mind that it's probably a cold.

Which I expect it is, despite all the hand washing and masks and social distancing.

I'll give them a ring in the morning and be a good citizen. Thanks all.

It's not "reading something somewhere", Teddy - school sent an email today from Jason Leitch saying that runny nose means it's not covid and doesn't need testing. Asthma nurse said it did.

So, I'm confused because the message changes regularly.

@TeddyIsaHe

Reading something somewhere and not getting a test is why we’ll have another spike in a couple of months

Yes he does need a test. Always better to err on the side of caution atm.

It was from the CMO. Not a random person. It said the Covid loss of smell and taste is a true loss of the senses, not like when you are bunged up with a cold and while your sense of taste and smell may be numbed you can still taste bitterness from lemon etc.

Or maybe it was Jason Leitch at the briefing. Who knows.

What’s going to cause a spike is people who don’t have Covid symptoms using up all the testing capacity and people who do have symptoms who can’t get tested just sticking 2 fingers up and not bothering to isolate.

(Not aimed at you OP but the posters who can’t tell the difference between a blocked nose and a loss of the senses)

That is true, Madame.

Yeah, it is confusing, there is definitely a different message being given in Scotland (use your common sense and don't get tested for a cold) to the rest of the UK (test, just to be safe).