Sick of Covid? Well ignore the NHS symptom restriction & test if you have others

[Toastina]

Seriously. After an outbreak where I work we've all just ticked the box even though we've not had the major symptoms, but we have had others. E.g. Sore throat, congestion etc etc... And guess what? All of us that did that came back positive.

That's one big factor why it's not under control, people just aren't testing themselves if they don't have the NHS three.

In our house, we'd literally be testing and isolating every week for something. It's just not practical. As it is we have tested seven times and all negative.

@megletthesecond

I'm sure there's an "other" box you can tick on the form if you don't have a main symptom.

There’s not. It’s ‘have one of the three symptoms’, or other options such as ‘been told to test by a study’ etc

If everyone lies on the form to get a test, then I don't think there'll be enough tests to go round?

@LucyLocketsPocket

If everyone lies on the form to get a test, then I don't think there'll be enough tests to go round?

If you use your judgement and get a test when you think it might really be, then you save spreading it round and those people needing a test.

I think if DD was Hur bit ill, I would keep off school anyway for a day or two and then if she didn't get better, we would test. I think most of her school friends are doing the same thing. Perhaps it isn't practical for very young children but for older teenagers and adults surely, if you are ill at the moment there is a good chance it could be Covid and the moment.

My main symptom was severe diarrhoea. If I hadn’t had a high temperature, I wouldn’t have bothered getting tested but I did and had a positive result. No cough/loss of taste or smell.

Could not agree more! Most of the people I know who have tested positive have not had the classic symptoms. They've had headaches, runny noses and feeling achy.

@picklemewalnuts

When you get your positive you have an online form to fill in that asks you to confirm your symptoms.

I didn't have any of the three yet I have feel horrendous. I only ticked the boxes to show the truthful symptoms I have. What that does is reinforce that the pointless 3 symptom restriction is useless.

[quote Toastina]@picklemewalnuts

When you get your positive you have an online form to fill in that asks you to confirm your symptoms.

I didn't have any of the three yet I have feel horrendous. I only ticked the boxes to show the truthful symptoms I have. What that does is reinforce that the pointless 3 symptom restriction is useless.[/quote]
I didn’t get that! How odd.

I’ve just tested positive. I’ve had cold like symptoms since Sunday. Minor congestion, feel a bit run down & very slight headache. I only tested because the Zoe app suggested I should yesterday. My daughter has been at nursery all week, I’ve been shopping to multiple shops .. 😬 I saw my parents today who are in my bubble as I have an 8 month old but luckily I decided to stay outside & 2m apart until I got the results just to be really cautious as my mum is vulnerable. Bloody good job I did!

I saw my parents today who are in my bubble as I have an 8 month old but luckily I decided to stay outside & 2m apart until I got the results just to be really cautious as my mum is vulnerable

You should stay home until you get your result. Why on earth would you visit parents whilst awaiting a result, even if it’s outdoors. Crazy in my mind, I would never put my parents at risk whilst awaiting a result

That's reassuring @Toastina !

I totally understand people's excellent motivation to get tested and be sure they aren't spreading it around. I understand people's frustration with an inadequate testing/tracing system. I'm glad there's a fail safe that ensures accurate symptom data is built up regardless.

I don't go anywhere much, so don't worry about it much. It's not a decision I need to make regularly.

DH had cough & fatigue... was a cold he caught off of DS. DH tested negative.

Agree. I was nauseous and threw up for over 48 hours before I got a cough. I carried on as normal so god knows how many people I infected

But even if you had a bug you shouldn't have been carrying on as normal, no one wants to catch that either. Or am I missing something?

luckily I decided to stay outside & 2m apart until I got the results just to be really cautious as my mum is vulnerable. Bloody good job I did!

Why were you going anywhere if you were awaiting results? FFS.

@Skipsurvey What a naive comment “but you wear PPE is”!

Do you think my none fluid resistant paper mask and none existent eye protection will protect me from someone coughing in my face?

We had our surgical masks recalled last month. Turns out they were expired, re-dated stock and absolutely useless. Makes me feel so safe at work!

threw up for over 48 hours before I got a cough. I carried on as normal so god knows how many people I infected

Why are you carrying on as normal whilst throwing up?

No wonder why our country is fucked. Who does that?

Not in the UK. We test anyone and everyone who is flagged as being a direct contact, regardless of symptoms on days 1, 5 and 10. If all 3 tests are negative, then you don't isolate after day 10. If you're positive then you isolate as instructed, but all your contacts will be tested, whether they have symptoms or not.

I can't understand (other than financial/lack of staff reasons) why the UK mainland isn't doing this.

@Skipsurvey

how are you spreading it if you are socially distancing?

So you assume anyone who does test positive is irresponsible and hasn't been social distancing

No my question was to those who were worried that they had tested positive and had been possibly spreading the virus before they knew,
just an innocent question

@Skipsurvey

No my question was to those who were worried that they had tested positive and had been possibly spreading the virus before they knew, just an innocent question

Perhaps they have children who go to school?

Different scenario

I am in NSW in Oz.

Being encouraged to get tested with even the slightest cold or flu symptoms. Turnaround for tests I have had have been between 4 and 12 hours so not too disruptive (though I think I have been quite lucky there).

Any case that pops up is immediately isolated along with 1st and 2nd ring contacts.

I think this only works with smaller numbers though. No idea how you can do that without basically another lockdown when there is lot of undetected spread.

All the people saying they are getting tested if they even feel slightly under the weather, it’s winter there are going to be days when you feel a little bit off but we shouldn’t be rushing out to get tests for the slightest little sniffle, there isn’t an indefinite supply of tests or appointments and people going because they sneezed once are taking the slots from people who actually have symptoms or need tests for work. It also raises questions about the accuracy of the tests of they are giving out positive results for what would normally be slight cold symptoms. Several countries have stopped using PCR tests due to them being unreliable.

In a different town near where I live there is a walk in testing centre for people with no symptoms and 8% of tests have been positive. Scary.