Confused with Covid Delta variant & runny nose...

[Alphacentaurius]

Hello!

Recently all our family members, one after another, had very runny nose, sneezing and fever (temperature not very high, around 37.2). This lasted for 3-4 days and passed. My wife and my daughter did the home Covid test several times during this and it was always negative. (Also me and my wife were vaccinated before).
I also heard that many people around us have similar symptoms.

Now, recently I heard that in our region (South West London) there are quickly rising numbers of Covid cases with the Delta variant. And some news (like Guardian) just published that runny nose is a symptom of Delta variant.

Two days ago two teachers from my son's school were Covid positive tested, now they are in self isolation, we called them and they say they they have runny nose/sneezing...

Now my son is saying that many kids in his school have runny nose and sneeze, and now the school reported of Covid cases in several more classes which all went to isolation.

So I am now totally confused. Is this runny nose & sneezing actually Covid Delta (Indian) variant? Why does it pass so easily and quickly then, and indeed number of hospital admissions and deaths is pretty low.

However during recent outburst in India the decease was very severe and no runny nose symptoms were reported.

Did anybody here have these symptoms (or their friends)?

Any ideas?

Did you do a PCR test or was it an LFT test?

None of them. We did rapid antigen test, which they give us at school.

You all need proper PCR tests if you have a temperature and isolate until you get result. The tests for school are for people with no symptoms.

Could a lot of the kids at school have hay fever? We're all sneezing with runny noses at my office due to hay fever so perhaps your son has confused it with this.

If these are actually covid symptoms now then we're buggered.

@Brokenrecord3006

Could a lot of the kids at school have hay fever? We're all sneezing with runny noses at my office due to hay fever so perhaps your son has confused it with this.

If these are actually covid symptoms now then we're buggered.

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/14/delta-variant-covid-symptoms-include-headaches-sore-throat-and-runny-nose

@Mindymomo

You all need proper PCR tests if you have a temperature and isolate until you get result. The tests for school are for people with no symptoms.

My symptoms passed 3 weeks ago, so too late to test now I suppose.

I wouldn't consider 37.2 a fever, but NHS defines it as "a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)" so if that applies then you need to isolate and do a PCR test.

The LFTs you get from school are not reliable enough to test when you have symptoms.

Rapid antigen tests are lateral flow tests

I don't see how it's confusing

New information on the variants is being found all the time. The medics/scientists are now saying that the Delta variant can present with hay fever type symptoms and surely everyone knows by now that if you have symptoms you get a PCR test

Honestly there is no shortage of tests, everyone can get one for any reason, why wouldn't they if they have any thought that they might have covid. It's actually pretty straight forward

The test website states that you should only book if you have one of the three main symptoms or in certain others circumstances (such as being in close contact with a confirmed case).

If your only symptoms are sneezing and a runny nose you would need to lie to get a test.

@ClarisseMcClellan

I don't see how it's confusing

New information on the variants is being found all the time. The medics/scientists are now saying that the Delta variant can present with hay fever type symptoms and surely everyone knows by now that if you have symptoms you get a PCR test

Honestly there is no shortage of tests, everyone can get one for any reason, why wouldn't they if they have any thought that they might have covid. It's actually pretty straight forward

But you can't just get a PCR test for any reason, you would have to lie if you didn't have one of the three classic symptoms.

And please bear in mind that not everyone can cope with the testing well. For those with sensory processing issues e.g. those of us who are autistic, it feels like torture and leaves me physically shaking with tears pouring from my eyes for a long time afterwards. I've still had several tests, both PCR and LFT. But for some of us, getting a test is something we avoid unless it's, erm, unavoidable.

Never mind the fact that some people will lose vital income if they have to self-isolate, even just while waiting for the test result. If all they have is a runny nose and they feel absolutely fine in themselves, why would they take the risk? Not everyone is able to be as selfless as Mumsnet requires us to appear.

And also, since when is a temp of 37.2C 'high'?! Upper end of normal, sure, but 'high'? I thought a fever was 38.0 and up.

"since when is a temp of 37.2C 'high'?! Upper end of normal, sure, but 'high'? I thought a fever was 38.0 and up."

Temp varies among people. Also OP said 37.2 was not very high anyway.
FYI, my normal temp is around 35.6. So, if I have temp above 37, I would feel a bit different from normal.

@Mindymomo

You all need proper PCR tests if you have a temperature and isolate until you get result. The tests for school are for people with no symptoms.

@Mindymomo

37.2 isn’t a temperature.

@Sunshinegirl82 and @BlibBlabBlob people have been lying since day 1 to get tests, maybe that was an issue when they were in short supply but 100s of 1000s of test are available everyday I don't think any one needs to have any qualms about saying they have symptoms especially when the govt hasn't updated the main 3 to account for variants

I just had a look on the test booking website every region is the UK has availability. It could even be said that if you know you have Delta symptoms and don't ask for a PCT test you aren't being as responsible as you could be.

This is all so confusing, I don't know why the government don't put out information if the symptoms are changing? If people haven't seen this in the newspaper then they would never know a runny nose or sneezing could be a COVID symptom, especially as those things have previously been used to demonstrate the difference between COVID and a cold.

It's mad that any possible symptom of any illness might be COVID now. Surely there should be some commonality?!

@Bibidy

This is all so confusing, I don't know why the government don't put out information if the symptoms are changing? If people haven't seen this in the newspaper then they would never know a runny nose or sneezing could be a COVID symptom, especially as those things have previously been used to demonstrate the difference between COVID and a cold.

It's mad that any possible symptom of any illness might be COVID now. Surely there should be some commonality?!

This! It like any symptom of anything, whether it's allergy or illness is now a "symptom" of covid.

I suffer badly with hay fever and this year is no exception! I certainly won't be getting a test every time I sneeze or have a runny nose - would never be away from the testing centre, and would be pointless - I know it's hay fever.

My nose is already sore and bleeds daily from the sneezing, am sure sticking the test sticks up there would be greatly helpful!

This is interesting because we have had a situation where a few friends have tested positive, they all had heavy cold symptoms all were positive via a PCR test. Others in the same group, same symptoms of a heavy cold all had negative LFTs, they then went onto do PCR tests which were also negative. You can now get a PCR test is you have had a close contact who has tested positive.

We were wondering, did the people who tested positive have covid and a cold and the other people who tested negative have just a cold but then I saw a report that said the symptoms for the Delta variant seem to be different.

It like any symptom of anything, whether it's allergy or illness is now a "symptom" of covid.

Yes exactly, just seems a bit weird that COVID now seems to incorporate every symptom under the sun. Coughing, tiredness, loss of taste and smell, temperature, sneezing, stomach pains, diarrhoea, vomiting, no appetite, hearing loss, headache, gangrene?!

I am (genuinely) interested as to what symptoms are hospitalising people with the Delta variant now? Like, if there is no cough involved is the hospitalisation still occurring because of breathing difficulties? Are people genuinely developing gangrene due to COVID or do they just happen to test positive and have that at the same time!?

Runny or congested nose has always been a covid symptom and was listed as a symptom by many other countries.
The UK was just fixated on the "three main" symptoms for some reason.

All respiratory viruses whether covid, flu or common cold have similar symptoms to be honest - coughs, nasal symptoms, fevers, headaches etc - you can really only diagnose which virus you have with a test.

[quote ClarisseMcClellan]**@Sunshinegirl82* and @BlibBlabBlob* people have been lying since day 1 to get tests, maybe that was an issue when they were in short supply but 100s of 1000s of test are available everyday I don't think any one needs to have any qualms about saying they have symptoms especially when the govt hasn't updated the main 3 to account for variants

I just had a look on the test booking website every region is the UK has availability. It could even be said that if you know you have Delta symptoms and don't ask for a PCT test you aren't being as responsible as you could be.[/quote]
I think that to suggest people are not being responsible because they are not getting tested when they have been explicitly told that the symptoms they have do not entitle them to a test is pretty unreasonable!

I don't think most people are lying and getting tested to be honest. Where do you draw the line? How sneezy do you have to be? Do you all isolate at home waiting for the result even if you have none of the three symptoms? Do you keep completely well children off school whilst someone with hay fever symptoms lies to get a PCR?

I'm all for people taking responsibility but unless and until the official symptom list changes I won't be testing due to vague, non covid symptoms.

You seem to be missing my poiint @Sunshinegirl82

I'm saying that if a person has hay fever/delta variant symptoms they would not be unreasonable if they wanted to be certain to take a PCR test

not everyone should/must do that

Why are you hung up on the govt 3 symptoms, it's June 21 and June 20. Everyone now knows they aren't the only symptoms. If you want to ignore updated data on symptoms simply because the official line hasn't changed that's yout choice

Personally I rate up to date data way higher than out of date rigid rule following for the sake of it

I won't be testing due to vague, non covid symptoms

Are you saying you then that you don't believe the new evidence that hay fever/cold/vague symptoms are indicative of the Delta variant because that's not what's the Zoe app experts and saying and they have an excellent track record with their huge sample population of being spot on with everything so far

BBC are reporting that runny nose and headache are main Delta symptoms .As discovered by the Zoe app research. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57467051

Have the symptoms changed, or have tonnes of people got hay fever symptoms, got tested for covid, and incidentally got positives when they would have been an asymptomatic case?

@ClarisseMcClellan

You seem to be missing my poiint *@Sunshinegirl82*

I'm saying that if a person has hay fever/delta variant symptoms they would not be unreasonable if they wanted to be certain to take a PCR test

not everyone should/must do that

Why are you hung up on the govt 3 symptoms, it's June 21 and June 20. Everyone now knows they aren't the only symptoms. If you want to ignore updated data on symptoms simply because the official line hasn't changed that's yout choice

Personally I rate up to date data way higher than out of date rigid rule following for the sake of it

You said "if you know you have delta symptoms and don't ask for a PCR test you are not being as responsible as you could be".

Presumably that means that anyone who doesn't test for sneezing and a runny nose is not being as responsible as they could be.

I'm pointing out that I think that's unfair because:

1. those are not symptoms that indicate a covid test as things stand (rightly or wrongly); and

2. you would need to lie to obtain a test with only those symptoms.

It's also worth bearing in mind that whilst test availability is currently good that may well change if large numbers of people start testing for every minor symptom.