Am I still infectious - Day 14??

[Mummytotwonow]

Sorry for all the threads.

I am on Day 14 now and still very rough as mentioned in previous threads. Main thing is cough, loss of smell and taste and exhausted etc. I am still isolating in my room as worried my children or husband will catch it.

Spoke to doctor the other day (day 10 I think it was) who said I didn't have to isolate any longer but I'm not sure. I feel so awful and am coughing like mad every few minutes! I am wearing a mask even going to the toilet or if I have had to go down stairs to get something quickly and then go back in my room.

To be fair I feel so rough I need to be in bed, but not sure if I should try and get some fresh air in the garden over the weekend or try and sit in the front room for a bit with hubby if the coughing lets up a bit as I'm feeling so lonely and down.

Im reading lots of conflicting advice online about the infectious period. If I still have so many symptoms am I still infectious??

Thanks for reading x

The cough can last for weeks as can the loss of taste/smell. Yes, go in the garden and get some fresh air

The cough can last for weeks, so you def aren’t infectious just because you are still coughing. Same with loss of taste & smell. That can go on for months.

Your GP is right. My masters is in immunology, the infectious period for most respiratory, airborne viruses is pretty short. 10 days is cautious. For most people it’ll be a max of 7. There are the odd exceptions where people will be infectious for much longer or much shorter but overall, 10 days is (rightly) a cautious approach.

The symptoms you are left with following s virus, particularly exhaustion is your immune system in overdrive & your body taking a huge hit from fighting infection! A cough is due to inflammation/irritation in your lungs and/or throat .. that irritation and inflammation can continue long after the virus (of any kind) is gone.

Fresh air & company will help psychology for sure! Plus vitamin D. You could have sat in your garden at any point, you have to isolate at home, not indoors!

Obviously, best to rest up if you feel exhausted but no need to isolate any more in my opinion.

@dementedpixie thank you x

@Bobholll thank you so so much for your response. That has really helped and reassured me x

Would it reassure you if you took a negative lateral flow test? They only pick up if you are infectious I believe - this is a very good graph

@FusionChefGeoff thanks. LTFs still showing positive x

@Mummytotwonow The guidance is not to take an LFT for 90 days after a positive PCR, because they may give misleading results.

Yes as PP said the cough, loss of taste and smell, tiredness can last for weeks. Doesn't mean you are still infectious. I'm 4 weeks on from a positive result and still don't fully have my taste back.

14 days in a bedroom will not be helping your mental recovery either, get up and about and some fresh air!

Today is my first day out of isolation. Test and trace told me that unless I have a temperature and runny nose, I’m free. A cough and the tiredness, I understand can last for weeks. I think it’s safe to say you’d be fine to release yourself to the rest of the house!

As it happens I have zero energy to go anywhere anyway… but I certainly won’t be keeping myself away from the rest of house.

The Covid monitoring team and test and Trace told me I had to extend my isolation beyond the 10 days if I had any of the following:

• a temperature
• sneezing
• a runny nose
• vomiting
• diarrhoea

They said a loss of/altered sense of taste or smell and a cough didn't extend the isolation period. So if you don't have any of the factors which extends isolation then you're good to stop.

I was also told not to take a PCR test or a LFT for 90 days as I may receive a false positive.

Tbh some fresh air from sitting in the garden will probably do you some good. Take advantage of the milder weather whilst we still have it.

I'm now on week 5 the only thing I have is still no taste or smell x

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and advice. I'm going to start using the rest of the house and garden now. Thank you and I hope those still suffering feel better soon x