Testing without main symptoms

[HolidayThisYear]

Hi, I need some advice please.

DH has been feel rough for a week. Achy body, headache, foggy, sneezing and blocked nose. Typical winter cold, after a very busy and stressful for months, the sort of thing that hits every winter / Christmas break. He's on the up, and pretty much carried on as normal. No temp, no cough, no loss of smell.

I have bee headachy for a couple of days. Took painkillers on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Generally feeling tired and run down, and then worse today with body aches. No temp, cough or loss of smell.

I've been to work today and due in again tomorrow.

I'm starting to wonder if we should get tested and panicking that if this is COVID then we will have passed it on to DH parents who we spent Xmas day with. But, everything I'm reading says only book test if you have one of the 3 main symptoms.

We are tier 2. No rapid flow tests available to us I don't think, just the normal ones.

Do we test or not? Feels like a normal virus to me but how the hell do you know? I've read so many accounts of people with positives & just feeling tired etc.

🤯

You won't be able to book via the website if you don't have one of the main symptoms but if you call 119 and explain what you've described here they will probably book you in.

When I called them I was honest that neither of us had symptoms but they still booked us in, I got the sense they're allowed to use their discretion.

Just get a test. The 3 main symptoms thing is outdated. Go online, tick yes to 3 main symptoms and test. Nearly all the cases I know didnt have main symptoms, often head and body ache and cold with adults.

You won't be able to book via the website if you don't have one of the main symptoms but if you call 119 and explain what you've described here they will probably book you in

You just tick to say that you do have one of the main symptoms.

Hopefully you socially distanced, ventilated rooms, minimised time together etc so even if you do test positive the chances of passing it on to your DH parents will be low.

Get a test and find out

Just tick that you have a main symptom on the app. Nobody checks.

My GP made me do a test for a persistent headache. No other symptoms.

Well you can lie but it will take a few days to get a result back. Are you prepared to isolate in the meantime? If not, not much point in you having it. I can see why you might be worried about passing it on to family but that shop has sailed - either you have it or you don't, and either they caught it or they havent.

Those are my symptoms. I was invited to test by Zoe App so you can tick that box aswell after clicking “no symptoms”. I am positive and feel dreadful currently

I’m in a similar boat OP.

I have a chronic condition that flares up with flu like symptoms.It is also exacerbated by stress—2020’s been fun—. I had a sore throat, aching limbs, fatigue etc and wrote it off as my condition.

However, I started seeing threads on here where people with cold/flu symptoms were testing positive. We live in Wales so a really high risk area and entirely possible that we could have contracted it.

I ordered tests for DH and I (stating falsely that I had a fever)to be on the safe side and we’re isolating awaiting the results. Although as you’re supposed to test 5 days from the start of symptoms I fear I have missed the window.

I think it’s got to the point now where if you’re in doubt, take a test. Symptoms range from none at all to severe so I think trying to get us to test based on 3 from the list of all the possible symptoms is a bit out of date. It was useful back in March when we weren’t testing the general public and supplies of the tests were low. But we’re in a completely different situation now.

My sd tested positive without any of the main symptoms. She got tested as she was in close contact with someone that tested positive. If she hadnt of gone for a test she wouldn't have known , about 4 days after testing positive she did loose her taste and smell . If she hadnt of gone for a test she would of of been in contact with people risking exposure to more .
Better to be on the safe side and get a test

Friends positive only symptom persistent headache. Tick you have symptoms like others have said

Same symptoms as dd who is a teacher. Positive Christmas eve. She's had worse colds.

As PP have mentioned, just tick that you have a high temp or something. They are the main symptoms but certainly not the only ones.

I've had none of the main symptoms and am positive. My symptoms were basically cold like and fatigue. I only got tested as my husband and daughter both had temperatures.

I have had symptoms of sinusitis. I am two days in and nasal congestion is going away. I haven't had any of the three main symptoms. If I feel unwell tomorrow I will get a test. Only thing different to normal sinusitis is that I got pretty bad tooth/cheek ache and had to take cocodamol.

The trouble with getting a test by saying you have one of the main symptoms is that it will look like a greater proportion of people have the main symptoms so they won't open up the criteria.

If you do the Zoe Covid symptom tracker app then you can list your actual symptoms and they would usually request a test with the types of symptoms you mention - doing it that way would help the research not hinder it.

You don’t know... 3 of us in my house are recovering from it and apart from my youngest (4) developing a cough later on none of us had any of the 3 main symptoms. I had a hunch and was right. Get a test and good luck x

Dh just had a test for persistent headache. Just weird for him & he’s def more tired and not quite himself. He got it through the Zoe app but I’d have made him get one ‘normally’ I think anyway.
He’s been so weird about people should only get tested if main symptoms but as time goes on it’s obvious you can have it without any of the main three.