Are people getting tested if they are sire they have a common cold

[goteam]

I have developed a 'head cold'. Sinuses, sneezing, headache but no cough. I mentioned to my boss I felt ropey and he asked if I was going to get a Covid test. I am 100% sure this is the same cold I get every year and I dont have a cough. Are people getting tested for what is definitely just a cold? Surely there aren't the resources. Just wondered as my boss was surprised.

We are all home based

Typo. *sure

How are you sure its definitely a cold?

Well, you don't have any of the 3 main symptoms so don't need to get a test. I would be lying low though, working from home or taking sick leave and avoiding close contact with anyone just in case. Even if it is just a cold (there's no way of being sure) no one wants a cold at the moment as even common colds can cause the 3 Covid symptoms and lead to people having to isolate. Hope you feel better soon, and do get tested if your symptoms change.

I had a cold in September. I didn't get a Covid test as I didn't have any of the 3 main symptoms, I was just snotty, headachey and tired.

I am 100% sure this is the same cold I get every year

Anyone who said this to me wouldn’t reassure me because I am confident you definitely do not get the same cold every year and there are multiple viruses that cause cold symptoms.

I’m not saying you should test but the hospital I work at have now said that anyone with any respiratory systems (including sore throats and snotty noses) or general ‘flu’ symptoms should stay off work till they get a negative test. The list of covid symptoms is much longer than the list that prompts a test in the UK.

This is exactly why covid is so hard to contain and people need to exercise a bit more caution even if they don’t qualify for test.

Fair enough @Cornettoninja I don't mean exactly the same cold but I do get a head cold most winters around about now.

I had a cold in September and my boss made me stay off sick, I was unimpressed tbh! I didn't get a test as had none of the 'main' symptoms. It was definitely a cold. You cannot get a test as you also don't have the main symptoms. Lots of people just don't understand the 'rules', that is clear from the countless threads on here asking advice.

Theres no way we will have enough tests if you have to swab every baby/toddler with a runny nose.. Somebody with flu would not be able to work. Please dont give me the Oh I had a mild case and i was able to work.

If you have what you think is a cold but have a cough, high temp or loss of taste or smell then you get a test.

If you have what you think is a cold with none of the above then you don't.

@Torvean32

Theres no way we will have enough tests if you have to swab every baby/toddler with a runny nose.. Somebody with flu would not be able to work. Please dont give me the Oh I had a mild case and i was able to work.

People with coronavirus can have no symptoms, mild symptoms or more serious ones. It’s not like flu.

Having said that you’re not meant to test if you only have cold symptoms.

@Torvean32

Theres no way we will have enough tests if you have to swab every baby/toddler with a runny nose.. Somebody with flu would not be able to work. Please dont give me the Oh I had a mild case and i was able to work.

That's simply not true re flu. Three quarters of people with flu have no symptoms whatsoever.

My dd had cold symptoms. Blocked nose, sneezing and earache. She was tested because she had a low fever at 2am (gone a couple of hours later). She had Covid.

None of the colds that I or my family have had have fitted the Coronavirus test requirements. Plus at the point we had 2 or 3 in close sucession were at the point where the system was struggling to process tests.

In the last month, I've had a few times where there's a day of that throaty tingle, slight sinusy feeling and then it passes. Presumably that's my immune system fending offwhatever it's been exposed to now it's had a big update since the DCs returned to school.

I feel like this sentiment is actually why the number of cases a day is plateauing, everyone's just assuming its a cold and not getting tested, but its up to you in the end.

I had a head cold (blocked up nose, sneezing, headache. But no cough, no temperature) and people were very cross with me for not self isolating

That’s modern Covid life I guess

The issue with covid is that you can be positive with no symptoms at all but based on what you say, you don’t have one of the three typical symptoms - although be aware many start covid with a headache.

Even if you are sure it’s a normal cold, if you get one of the listed symptoms then you need to get tested or else completely isolate at home.

I know several people that have tested with cold symptoms and it's come back positive

All the people I know who have tested positive had coldy symptoms to start. One developed a cough on day 6, luckily already SI. 4 people I know started with achey legs, then a sore throat!? No wonder it spreads like wildfire

Most people I know that have Had covid recently had a sore throat, headache and some loss of smell taste. That’s why is spreading. Because the symptoms are so varied and vague.

I feel like I'm developing a cold today, headache and blocked nose. I'm due on site at work tmrw and maybe giving it a miss!

Have to admit, my first sign was sinus trouble and sore eyes. Turned in to real thing (not awful though)

There are only a few people actually on site at work. They all have to have twice weekly COVID tests regardless of symptoms. Still lots of maintain distance, was hands, only one person in a life at a time etc.

If only we could take the same approach, testing regardless of symptoms, we would be able to target the virus so much better.

There are Asymptomatic spreaders