New variant - symptoms less severe??

[dublingirl66]

Hello all

We have all been struck down with covid 19

Was talking to a nurse on the phone earlier and she claims that many who have recently tested positive have milder symptoms and are sick for a shorter time with new variant
Could this be correct?
She seemed quite adamant !!?

As far as I can understand there is no evidence that this wave is more or less severe than the first

No evidence? Numbers currently in hospital is an indicator, surely?

The ITUs are NOT full of young people. There is some evidence they are slightly younger than last time, but still mainly aged 50+

Let's hope we recover from this soon
Mentally and physically

Would it be true that with new variant more are reporting non classic symptoms (d and v , body aches at the start)??

Would be brilliant if it was less serious but no sign of that yet.

I have been wondering if the time between symptoms and the average transmitable length of illness is changing. Just pondering the daily figures.

Part of why the admissions will be high is there are more people now with it in general. Also last time people were suffering and sometimes dieing at home. The whole wait until your lips are blue message. This time it is seek treatment.

We have had a big Covid outbreak where I work the past couple of weeks (factory), many people have it. I don't know if it's the new variant but many people have incredibly mild symptoms. One person just had a headache and tested positive. Nobody is very ill at all. Age ranges between 21 - early 50s.

Hospital admissions say otherwise

Ok interesting !!!!

OP - this is exactly what I’ve heard from medical friends - new variant much more easily transmissible but less severe and symptoms more vague than the original - not just the main 3 that the NHS say. Suspect there’s not been the research yet on the new variant to say this in an “official” capacity.

I would be surprised given the deaths and numbers now are presumably coming from the new variant. That said I know a few people who have recently had it with very very mild non typical symptoms.

It could also be that more people with mild symptoms are testing now. Testing, including community testing, is increasingly accessible. It is becoming more widely-known that Covid can feel "like a cold" rather than just a bad cough or fever. Also, anecdotally, it seems quite common now that if one person feels unwell, the whole household will get tested. That will pick up asymptomatic cases but also pre-symptomatic cases where people might go on to display very mild symptoms that they wouldn't otherwise have tested for.

@lavenderlou

It could also be that more people with mild symptoms are testing now. Testing, including community testing, is increasingly accessible. It is becoming more widely-known that Covid can feel "like a cold" rather than just a bad cough or fever. Also, anecdotally, it seems quite common now that if one person feels unwell, the whole household will get tested. That will pick up asymptomatic cases but also pre-symptomatic cases where people might go on to display very mild symptoms that they wouldn't otherwise have tested for.

Definitely this

Wish there was evidence it has got milder though.

@lavenderlou

It could also be that more people with mild symptoms are testing now. Testing, including community testing, is increasingly accessible. It is becoming more widely-known that Covid can feel "like a cold" rather than just a bad cough or fever. Also, anecdotally, it seems quite common now that if one person feels unwell, the whole household will get tested. That will pick up asymptomatic cases but also pre-symptomatic cases where people might go on to display very mild symptoms that they wouldn't otherwise have tested for.

Really good point

I feel bad that the feeling under the weather my husband, me and our teenager had before Christmas could have been it. We didn’t test as none of the main 3 symptoms.

I’m close to someone in CEV group. They got the new variant and had a mild cough for 5 days, then back to their normal chipper selves

Pretty sure myself dp and dd2 had new variant, we were pretty sick and it dragged on and we are still not 100% a month later. Saying that, ive had worse colds and swine flu which actually made me want to die!! This was more ah "oh what fresh hell is this" as a new symptom presented itself.

I was petrified but people here told me that by far the majority of people with covid are mildly affected. They are right.

It does make sense that a more virulent strain is likely to be milder as people are more likely to have no symptoms or less severe symptoms so far easier spread.

Saying that, dp and myselfin our 50s and were ok, i was worried about my 15yo dd as this was the sickest shes ever been, she could barely get out of bed poor thing. We didnt Need any medical intervention. Just paracetamol, avoid ibruprofen

Some doctors either have a very screwed perception as to what the public considers young, are purposely exaggerating and stretching the truth (or outright lying), or maybe those people claiming to be or have relatives that are doctors aren't actually doctors. There is data that shows ICUs are not full of young people as some are claiming.

Thank you all
Hope everyone ok now xxx

@MadeForThis

High proportions of people get mild symptoms as the cases get higher and higher so will the amount of people with mild symptoms.

It's this.

@Waxonwaxoff0

We have had a big Covid outbreak where I work the past couple of weeks (factory), many people have it. I don't know if it's the new variant but many people have incredibly mild symptoms. One person just had a headache and tested positive. Nobody is very ill at all. Age ranges between 21 - early 50s.

Same at the factory my DP works in. They have had loads of cases. Nobody particularly ill

The symptoms are different this time from what I have seen of it and the people I know who have had it; a lot of people are not seeing it start out with cough, temp and loss of taste but instead headaches, aches, fatigue.

It effects people differently - I got it and had it bad for a fortnight with breathing difficulties. I know the contact who passed it onto me - they were asymptomatic but their husband had it bad like me. My husband had it mild. Two other friends had it also - one mild like my husband and one bad. None of us ended up in hospital but it took a lot out of the 3 of us that had it for over 2 weeks.

I know everyone is looking for hope but please don't underestimate covid. If people believe it's only a cold / it's only mild / it's not a real risk to them then it makes it easier to slip on following the rules and that complacency can lead to further transmission.

Ok and absolutely good point
Not wishing to minimise how horrendous this is

All of my house sick

Many in my home town sick

Just awful

Plus many who are sick barely even left the house
Had people come in and stay at front door but wasn't enough to prevent the spread 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[quote Kitcat122]@Ivykaty44 her message to me was "Stay safe we are seeing many, many more young adults in itu with no underlying health conditions". She is a London hospital doc.[/quote]
There was an article on sky website that a lot more younger and healthier patients are being admitted. I had heard this before, but was reluctant to believe until I saw the article myself on sky.

I had heard anecdotally people saying this when ill - eg thought they had a cold.

But then read yesterday in news (Sky I think?) that much younger people were getting sicker and presenting to hospital in greater numbers.

news.sky.com/video/covid-patients-getting-younger-and-sicker-12189102

I am wondering covid is going to end up a bit like a cold. Myriads of variations of colds.

Ah I see

And one day you think you are doing much better and that night can be hellish 😱😬😬😬😬