In my shoes, would you see my mum today

[BiggerTallerFaster]

I had Covid a few weeks ago. My official isolation ended on 15 December but I didn't go out until 19th, as I still had a slight runny nose.

Since then I've been well with no symptoms at all, even the cough went away completely and my sense of smell has returned.

This morning I've woken up full of aches and pains and with a sore throat, tickly cough and runny nose. I'm very phlegmy, when I understood the Covid cough was dry, but I was phlegmy before.

It must just be a cold? But that's what I thought before, I was amazed when the test was positive. I can't have a second case so close though, surely

I can't test again within 90 days and if I did it would likely be positive, regardless of what I'm suffering with now.

We're Tier4, I haven't seen my mum since before I was ill, we were planning to go out for a socially distanced walk this afternoon

Would you go?

No I would cancel, if I felt full of aches and pains I wouldn't fancy !trying anyone !

No! If you’re unwell stay home is a good rule for life.

Nope. Even if it’s not covid no one wants to be ill with anything that causes them similar symptoms right now. It’s unnecessary worry if it can possibly be avoided.

No I wouldn’t go, covid or not you sound unwell so it wouldn’t be nice for you or for your mum if you were to pass it on!

It could be a continuation of covid or a cold. I don’t believe you can pass it on that long after a positive test though, it only says to continue isolating if you have a fever after your isolation period ends. And pretty sure there’s no cases of anyone being reinfected with covid that quickly - think it was a good few months

No.

No, if only not to pas on the cold, and save her from agonising over whether to test or not in a few days time.

No - if it's a cold and she catches it, she will have to test and self isolate whether it's Covid or not. What a bore. Sorry op.

Definitely not!
I wouldn’t have seen my mum pre-COVID with those symptoms.

No. As others said, even passing on a cold is not worth it. She might then have to test herself or have a lowered immune system if she caught a cold.

My mother is in her 70s so I'm being extra cautious.

Not a chance! Even if it’s a cold, if she catches it and develops a cough she’ll need to isolate and test which is such a pain.

@FabbyMagic

No I wouldn’t go, covid or not you sound unwell so it wouldn’t be nice for you or for your mum if you were to pass it on!

It could be a continuation of covid or a cold. I don’t believe you can pass it on that long after a positive test though, it only says to continue isolating if you have a fever after your isolation period ends. And pretty sure there’s no cases of anyone being reinfected with covid that quickly - think it was a good few months

This is a common misapprehension but actually there are a number of reasons to continue isolating after your 10 days. From the NHS website:

"When to keep self-isolating
Keep self-isolating if you have any of these symptoms after 10 days:

a high temperature or feeling hot and shivery
a runny nose or sneezing
feeling or being sick
diarrhoea
Only stop self-isolating when these symptoms have gone."

I'd cancel

I wouldn't want to pass on whatever I'd got now.

No, even if it's another sort of nasty bug you don't want to pass it to your dm. Stay home and see her once you are well

No, only go when you are feeling better. Just because it's probably not coronavirus doesn't mean she wants your other germs :)

No.

Nope

Hmm. Yes, I agree. Mum is going to be cross with me though. She'll argue that as we're outdoors and socially distanced, there's no risk of transmission, whatever it is.

I'm not sure about routinely staying at home with these symptoms though. If I did that I'd never be in work most winters.

Although if far more people did stay home for at least the worst day or two with those symptoms, you might have a lot fewer illnesses like that! >you

The >you isn't meant to be there.

Forgot to say I agree I wouldn't see your dm.

@eeeyulesmiles

Although if far more people did stay home for at least the worst day or two with those symptoms, you might have a lot fewer illnesses like that! >you

Nice idea but you'd need all the children with colds to stay at home too, which means their parents as well. Are you going to be happy when your colleagues are off all winter for their children's colds? Or when your children's teachers are missing for half the year?

I know people whose covid symptoms came back after they thought it had cleared up - it's definitely possible that this is the remnants of covid rather than a new cold. There's such a range of ways it affects people I'd be on the safe side.

I think people will still go into work/school with colds.

But I think if you have any lurgy which makes you feel rotten, you should cancel your social plans. And that can definitely include a cold.

And if you really do feel bad, taking 24-48 hours to rest properly is probably better for your work productivity than being present when you feel awful. And will of course limit the spread. But for a disease that's mild, I can see why people wouldn't feel able

Do you not feel too ill to go out walking anyway with those symptoms?

Nice idea but you'd need all the children with colds to stay at home too, which means their parents as well. Are you going to be happy when your colleagues are off all winter for their children's colds? Or when your children's teachers are missing for half the year?

I'd not keep my dc home for a cold but i absolutely would with the symptoms you describe. They'd be miserable in a classroom feeling like that. Children with those symptoms would very likely be running a fever too. Thankfully they don't feel like this all winter or for half of the year though. Maybe just once in a year twice at most.

I feel a bit stiff and have a sore throat and a tickly cough, I don't feel ill in myself. There's nothing I'd planned for today (including a run) that I feel to ill to do.