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Covid

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Original poster

Common cold and PCR?

29 replies

Rainbow0821 · 18/10/2021 05:45

If you have cold virus, do you need a PCR? I know it's not one of the main classic symptoms but I read it can be for the Delta variant. I have done lateral flow test and it's negative.

OP posts:

saltontoast · 18/10/2021 05:50

If you have a temperature, new continuous cough or a change to your taste or smell. Any symptoms that could hint at covid I would test tbh, better safe than sorry.

Piapiano · 18/10/2021 05:51

Personally, I would do daily LFTs just to make sure. DD has just tested positive on PCR and she just had a headache. First day of symptoms negative on LFT, next day the tiniest faint line (that DH couldn't even see) next day clearly positive LFT and PCR.

FromTheAshes · 18/10/2021 05:59

My daughter's school have asked us to test for runny nose and sneezing as those were the day 1-3 symptoms, before the cough started, in all our recent school cases. LFTs were showing negative at that point so we are advised to get pcr for either of those.

Phillipa12 · 18/10/2021 06:07

My sisters family all have covid, she says it's just like a heavy cold and would never have tested as she does not have any of the main symptoms.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 18/10/2021 08:12

I lost my voice as first symptom, and my colleague was sneezing a lot. We have both had positive PCR results. I'd test, as it's not presenting with the usual symptoms.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 18/10/2021 08:13

@saltontoast

If you have a temperature, new continuous cough or a change to your taste or smell. Any symptoms that could hint at covid I would test tbh, better safe than sorry.

I had none of those until 3 days in.

Bamaluz · 18/10/2021 08:15

I tested positive with none of the three main covid symptoms .
I had a headache, runny nose and sore throat, typical cold symptoms.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 18/10/2021 08:18

How do you know you have a cold virus? Have you had a test for that already? I don't know if you can have both at the same time.

I know some people are testing for everything, some aren't. I don't think there's definitive guidance is there?

bunnybuggs · 18/10/2021 08:19

just why ?
It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer)
Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms'
Use your common sense.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 18/10/2021 08:19

@Bamaluz

I tested positive with none of the three main covid symptoms . I had a headache, runny nose and sore throat, typical cold symptoms.

Isn't that the norm now with Delta? I thought that was pretty much the way at the moment. At least it is amongst everyone I know who has had it recently

Shakirasma · 18/10/2021 08:22

I would. DS has had covid twice.

First time he started with a headache, routine lft picked it up luckily as he dudnt get the classic cough or temp until day 4.

Second time he had a snotty nose, nothing else at all. We only knew it was covid as he had done a PCR due to being a close contact of a positive case. LFT done on the same day as the PCR test was negative.

BatshitCrazyWoman · 18/10/2021 08:28

@bunnybuggs

just why ? It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer) Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms' Use your common sense.

Because sometimes the first symptoms are exactly like a cold. If you think it's 'just a cold' (like one of my colleagues) you risk wandering around spreading it (like that colleague did).

ScarlettSunset · 18/10/2021 08:37

@bunnybuggs

just why ? It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer) Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms' Use your common sense.

Cases won't rise if it's a cold as the PCR would be negative. Cases could however rise if it's actually Covid and people are assuming it's not and are inadvertently passing it on to others

Schulte · 18/10/2021 08:38

'Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms'

How exactly do you think testing makes cases rise? The tests only detect what's already there.

What does make the virus spread is people deciding they can judge on their own whether their sore throat/fever/cough is Covid or 'just a cold'.

Tigerblue · 18/10/2021 08:44

Ideally, we'd all test if we had one of the three main symptoms, but if you have a reasonable element of doubt (maybe not quite how your cold would usually progress, or you're high risk to catching it (ie I work in a school and 1.5% have tested positive in last 48 hours, or you personally have been in contact with a positive case).

Either way, you may not be able to avoid work, but I'd say it's only fair to wear a face mask when out and worn others you know you have a cold so they can take their own precautions, ie might want to distance, not see you, wear a mask.

BigSquareRoom · 18/10/2021 09:39

I’ve got Covid at the moment. It is exactly like a common cold. And I mean exactly - sneezing, snotty and an occasional cough due to the phlegm. I’m on day 5 now

I think if you’ve had any contact with anyone else who has tested positive it would be sensible to do a PCR

Original poster

Rainbow0821 · 18/10/2021 10:31

@bunnybuggs

just why ? It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer) Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms' Use your common sense.

I AM using common sense!! The Delta variant apparently sometimes manifests with runny nose symptoms.

OP posts:

Original poster

Rainbow0821 · 18/10/2021 10:34

Thank you all! I have booked one especially as I'm 37 weeks pregnant.

OP posts:

savagebaggagemaster · 18/10/2021 10:45

@bunnybuggs

just why ? It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer) Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms' Use your common sense.

Cases can only 'rise' if the PCR comes back positive so I don't get your argument?

OP the only symptoms I had to begin with were like that of a very heavy cold. I tested positive immediately on a PCR.

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 18/10/2021 11:09

@bunnybuggs

just why ? It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer) Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms' Use your common sense.

The number of tests, according to the overnment dashboard is falling. The number of positive results have risen.

That's a real rise, not an artefact of from the amount of testing

If you don't have the symptoms for a PCR test, then taking an LFT is entirely appropriate

Backofbeyond50 · 18/10/2021 11:14

I had a cold which developed into a cough worse than I normally experience so I did a PCR. It was negative but still glad I tested.

Mum32021 · 18/10/2021 12:04

@bunnybuggs my covid was just like a cold I only tested coz we had been away and bang i was positive my daughter the same I now test all my family if they have cold symptoms

scottish83 · 18/10/2021 12:30

@Schulte

'Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms'

How exactly do you think testing makes cases rise? The tests only detect what's already there.

What does make the virus spread is people deciding they can judge on their own whether their sore throat/fever/cough is Covid or 'just a cold'.

The presence of a positive test is what turns an infection into a case. Without a test, there is no case.

It's an important distinction and feeds into the discussion around why UK case numbers are so high, despite a much lower test positivity rate than the other European countries which don't do as much testing (i.e. their infection numbers are high but they haven't converted them into "cases")

TreeLawney · 18/10/2021 12:46

@bunnybuggs

just why ? It is a cold - why test (expensively for the tax payer) Enough is enough - no wonder 'cases' are rising when PCRs are being advised for 'cold symptoms' Use your common sense.

It would seem like you might need that common sense more than anyone else on here @bunnybuggs

If it’s just a cold, the test in itself will not make case numbers rise. Only a POSITIVE test ie the cold actually being Covid will do that.

RaininSummer · 18/10/2021 13:04

I tested positive with mild cold symptoms and never did get the big three covid symptoms.

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