To Isolate or not isolate?

[coronaornotcorona]

Sorry to start yet another thread on coronavirus!
I have the track and trace app. Developed Cold symptoms on Sat eve, so muscular aches and sore throat. NO cough, NO temperature, until this eve when my sore throat became a bit worse, and I now have a mild temperature of 37.7-37.8.
(My DH had a sore throat and a cold last week and now hie's totally fine, that's why I am sure I got it from him) So now what?
I go to the app, and out of the 3 symptoms I only have a temp. But NOT like high temperature or fever, as I understand it. I count high temp over 38.
The wording on the app say HIGH temp but not what temp is High enough to be a symptom.
Moving on, I keep clicking, and bosh! I need to self isolate for 9 days according to the app. Red alarm dot flashing all all of it!! What???
If the definition of high temperature was clearer, I may have had a different result. Also, no going back on the app. Once you ticked one symptom box and was told to isolate you are trapped. So even if you clicked on something completely by mistake that's it, and maybe 100 people or so will now be impacted as a result.
So, to isolate or not? I can smell dinner cooking downstairs just fine and my Strepsils taste like lemon indeed.
Honestly it's just a mild cold and I'll be fine tomorrow.

@AmelieTaylor

Wow...you don't need to be so bloody rude.

@MrsFezziwig Yes further research has lead me to realise that it is not Serco who have done the app. So I do stand corrected on that. It doesn't help when the government are all so smoke and mirrors about the 12 blion they are spending on test and trace as a whole.
I have to admit I am suspicious about the app as a whole. Surely it would be better to take phone numbers to pass on to test and trace people if you actually wanted to enforce it and ensure that contacts don't spread it further? Otherwise the restaurant etc will actually have no clue who has been in or how to contact them as you can just keep the activity of the phone in your pocket a secret.
Or will they actually be able to follow it up because its not really anonymous/not passed on etc. Or will they just hope enough people dont realise they don't actually have to do what their phone tells them. Makes no sense.

Or will they actually be able to follow it up because its not really anonymous/not passed on etc.

If they did follow it up you’d find out pretty soon that it was not really anonymous?

Sorry but despite being in no way a fan of this government I hate it when people obviously feel really strongly about something but can’t even be bothered to do basic research about it.

Hopefully enough people will use it so that even if they’re not prepared to isolate (which no-one can force them to do as no-one will know that they’ve had a notification) at the very least they would modify their behaviour so as to put fewer people at risk.

My dd has just tested positive with cold symptoms. My test the week before ( classic Covid symptoms) was negative. Go figure...

Dd had runny nose, sore throat , sneezes so obviously ‘just a cold’. Only it apparently isn’t a cold...

Covidagain Something like 30% of people who do have covid will actually get a negative test.

Trees, that’s a real worry isn’t it? I don’t think most people realise that.

Something like 30% of people who do have covid will actually get a negative test.

I think this could apply to my DS as he has identical symptoms to my DD (but one day behind) and she tested positive whilst he tested negative.

Over 72hr now and NO results. We all locked in because I had 1/2 hr temp early this week! Kids miss a lot of school and some exams, no work for me. Seriously, I can't believe the UK Gov intended for anyone with a bit of temp to be self isolating with their entire household. That would make for a huge parts of the population! NHS line is useless for chasing results as they can only send an escalation email but if the testing centre lost your kit or are delayed, they will not let you know. So you are essentially left in limbo for the full extent of your isolation period, 5 more days for us.

No wonder people break the rules. Everyone feeling pretty stupid to sit at home with no one showing any symptoms.

Like the many thousands of people who had to isolate for 14 days earlier in the year when testing wasn't available.

By the way, not sure where you get 5 days from? Is it not 10 days for symptomatic person, and 14 days for asymptomatic people in that household?

You can see why having an effective quick testing system is fundamental. People are not going to report symptoms and get a test if there's a risk the whole household will have to isolate for days while waiting for a result.

Dd had runny nose, sore throat , sneezes so obviously ‘just a cold’. Only it apparently isn’t a cold

maybe she did/does have a cold and asymptomatic covid at the same time...

Ffs. It is so disheartening to see people who just can't be bothered to do the right thing. Yes, we should have better testing and tracing but we don't. The government guidelines for testing are minimal as is and there are a number of recognised COVID symptoms not even on the government list to qualify for a test. The guidelines aren't adequate but they are clear. A 2 week isolation period erring is surely preferable to on and off lockdowns all winter because no one can be bothered and just wants to believe they've just got a cold.

I know someone else now who's tested positive with just a few minor aches and a stuffy nose, just thought she was coming down with a cold.

@NotAKaren

You can see why having an effective quick testing system is fundamental. People are not going to report symptoms and get a test if there's a risk the whole household will have to isolate for days while waiting for a result.

Yes

@Whatshouldicallme

Ffs. It is so disheartening to see people who just can't be bothered to do the right thing. Yes, we should have better testing and tracing but we don't. The government guidelines for testing are minimal as is and there are a number of recognised COVID symptoms not even on the government list to qualify for a test. The guidelines aren't adequate but they are clear. A 2 week isolation period erring is surely preferable to on and off lockdowns all winter because no one can be bothered and just wants to believe they've just got a cold.

Might as well. Lock the country up for two weeks, why not? Less temptation to go out. Teens are going crazy, missing school and exams. Is this the "right thing"?

@DumplingsAndStew that's how the app worked out my count. I input the day of first symptoms and it gave me a count. I have 4 days left, with not results coming it may be that I need to self-isolate for the entire duration.

Maybe the gov does that on purpose, delay results to keep more people off the street for longer, symptoms or not symptoms, just less people out. But I've never been a conspiracy theory believer...

@Augustbreeze

Results can take several days at the moment, hopefully you'll have a negative result and by Monday!

You were right. It's absurd, as testing becomes ineffective. Late results undermines the purpose of testing at the first place.

It's all good for me to isolate but if I did test positive and ended waiting 5 days to know that, then it's a bit too late to warn others via the app now isn't it? Useless.

It's all good for me to isolate but if I did test positive and ended waiting 5 days to know that, then it's a bit too late to warn others via the app now isn't it?

That’d a good point. As close contacts of my dd who Has tested positive, it’s taken the government track and trace 6 days since the test to contact us. Absolutely pointless. One of her friend close contacts ignored dd’s result and has been to work and to the hairdresser despite staying the night in dd’s room when symptoms first appeared. An official phone call in good time might’ve made the difference here.

Also they've extended the time window to get a test to eight days

RepeatSwan, I actually think that’s good in a way. It’s helpful to know the virus can still be detected after 8 days.

I said, dd tested positive. I’ve actually had 2 ( very likely false) negatives. My symptoms were ambiguous for several days. It wasn’t until day 10 that the taste issue became evident ( it only affects certain foods).
I think you may be assuming that a person who is ill would know straight away that they should test. But it can be a dilemma and symptoms can be ambiguous.

Symptoms are indeed very ambiguity and you should absolutely test if you are unsure. By unsure I mean if you are feeling unwell. Its not wasting a test. Wasting a test are the hordes of people who go for a test because they have come into contact with a case but don't have a symptom. You have to isolate and book a test IF you develop symptoms.
The only exception to this is if you are advised by public health officials to do so as they do in some care settings.

*ambiguous. Stupid autocorrect.

northern, in my experience there can be a conflict between what one feels is right morally as far as testing goes and the official guidance/ employers‘ stance. I have been challenged by my boss for wanting a test in the absence of a definite fever taken with a thermometer, for instance. It’s not that clear cut when your decision affects work, school etc.

I really think the symptom list needs changing but that won’t happen Anytime soon.

King’s have done a study on the six Covid types which I’ve previously linked.

When? Where? That's ridiculous

@RepeatSwan when? Where? (Sorry forgot to reference your name in the previous message below..