Are lots of non-covid bugs going around where you live?

[StitchInLime]

So many people I know have a nasty bug at the mo: coughing, fever, laid up in bed. All tested negative for covid (including PCR tests). One friend is convinced it’s covid despite this, the delta version evading tests. I think it’s just down to more people mingling and the usual bugs and viruses having a field day after being victimless for months.

Still, interested to know if others are finding this too?

How boring life would be @User135644 .. I’ll take a few bouts of illness a year & happy, joyful life filled with friends & family thanks. You hide at home.

I’ve been in hospital with DD2 this week & the ward & A&E was heaving with children with RSV, bronchilitis, sick bugs .. it was predominantly children refusing to drink anything because of said illness. Every single child was being prescribed Difflam throat spray to try get them to drink something, they must be quids in this year!

The doctors & nurses said it’s been bonkers this summer. Basically a delayed winter as no-one was mixing Dec-March. So it’s all hitting now instead. They also said lockdown born babies are suffering really badly as they’ve had zero chance to build their immune systems..

@Tealightsandd

Around 30% of PCR are false negatives.

I assume you mean that the chance of getting a false negative (if you do in fact have Covid) is 30%?

The proportion of total tests which are false negatives will vary all the time as it will depend on underlying rates of Covid in the tested population.

Yes, I've been really ill for the past two weeks, raging sore throat, then fever, hacking cough, loss of smell and taste (which still isn't back) congestion, feeling sick, absolutely exhausted. Honestly haven't been this ill for years and years. All covid and lateral tests have been negative, but this thing has totally wiped me out.

I have had an awful and long lasting cold. I was convinced it was covid but 4 LFT and 1 PCR tests all negative.