How sick are people really getting with Covid?

[MothExterminator]

I am not at all trying to be goady here. DC2 has Covid, we are on the last day of isolation.

DH and I, both double jabbed and boosted, negative PCR and no symptoms. DC1 and DC3, negative PCR and no symptoms. DC2 (family’s Covid case) had a cough and a runny nose, no temperature at any point but was Covid positive. Symptoms lasted for 2 days.

So far I have entertained 3 children at home for 9 days (all plans cancelled, replaced by TV and video games), looking at day 10 today and this is lighter than most colds and apparently not very transmissible (DC2 regularly comes to my bed in the night). Or maybe the rest of us has it earlier without symptoms?

What are other people’s experiences?

[quote rrhuth]@loveisagirlnameddaisy
Can you clarify how saying that 'most cases are mild' is an unscientific fact? As stated in your post up thread?

The bit you copied from my post had TWO statements and you have only picked out ONE. Maybe you did not read it properly, or maybe you did this on purpose - I can not tell which.

What I said was this thread is going to turn into a covid denying mess of 'we need to end isolation' and 'most cases are mild' - it is unscientific to say that because most cases are mild, we need to end isolation. EVERYONE knows most cases are mild. They are not the issue. The issue is the samll percentage who are hospitalised and the smaller percentage who die.[/quote]
But is it unrealistic for no one to die during a pandemic? Might it be argued that our response is akin to large percentages, not small percentages, of the population being fatally affected?

Younger DC barely knew they had it, sniffles, bit of a sore throat and red eyes like conjunctivitis. Older ones had a mild cough even DS who has chronic asthma. My cough was irritating but not awful, headache was a bugger but I get migraines and this wasn't even half that kind of pain. Loss of taste and smell was the most annoying bit. We all had it in January so all unvaccinated at that time and honestly had worse colds.

My great aunt is 90. She said 'a load of fuss about nothing' and likened it to hayfever that she used to get working in the fields. This is a woman who lived during a time of illnesses like smallpox and polio and the world didn't stop turning for them so she can't understand why it stopped for covid.

For me it started like a cold, scratchy throat and bunged up nose, then I lost my voice for a few days, felt fatigued, had headaches, and then lost my taste and smell on about day 4. Now on day 8 I have a cough and bunged up nose and still can't smell or taste anything, but I feel less tired today. I'm 32 and double jabbed, normally quite healthy. Is ironic I had a text saying I can book my booster on the day I tested positive 😆

for everyone who have lost loved ones or been seriously unwell.

I have just never seen another virus which has hit so randomly in terms of illness. Usually you get it or you don’t. The blood group theory is interesting but I am the only O - in the family, the others are A + I think (I had three Anti-D so definitely positive and it is not O).

@MothExterminator

I am not at all trying to be goady here. DC2 has Covid, we are on the last day of isolation.

DH and I, both double jabbed and boosted, negative PCR and no symptoms. DC1 and DC3, negative PCR and no symptoms. DC2 (family’s Covid case) had a cough and a runny nose, no temperature at any point but was Covid positive. Symptoms lasted for 2 days.

So far I have entertained 3 children at home for 9 days (all plans cancelled, replaced by TV and video games), looking at day 10 today and this is lighter than most colds and apparently not very transmissible (DC2 regularly comes to my bed in the night). Or maybe the rest of us has it earlier without symptoms?

What are other people’s experiences?

Wel you and your DH are boosted, so doubt you will catch it. That’s the whole point of the vaccines. It significantly decreases your chances of catching it. As for your DC, it’s day 10 so there could still be a delay with incubation period from the DC who initially had it. Also they may have already had it recently like most school aged kids.

DH and myself both had it mildly last week.

I’m double vaxxed, DH triple. Both had the sniffles for around 48 hours. Felt a bit ‘heady’ to start with - that feeling when your head is full of catarrh but other than that, a non event.

Fit and healthy DS16 tested positive 2 days after his first vaccine.

Was pretty much unconscious for two days. Very painful headache and high temperature for the first two days and then the cough developed. Was able to function almost normally after 4 days but had to have an afternoon nap most days for the rest of his isolation period.

None of us caught it from him ( he isolated in his bedroom and had sole use of the main bathroom)

He is still struggling with headaches and fatigue 8 weeks later. Not great when trying to do GCSE revision.

@MothExterminator

I just find this virus so bizarre. As a mum of three, we have seen our fair share of cold and also the flu (the year we forgot to sing the consent forms for the flu vaccine ). All those times, it ripped through all three DC and many times I felt a bit under the weather as well. I had the flu annually for many years (felt so sick that I could barely move) until I developed an underlying heart condition. Now my GP texts me for a flu jab beginning of every autumn.

But this is just so different and so weird . One person out of five only one to get it and then only mildly .

But of course we are isolating. My mum had chemo so I am very aware of vulnerable people.

I forgot to sign too. No biggie. Explained to GP and children had there. Totally fine

Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

@AngelsWithSilverWings

Fit and healthy DS16 tested positive 2 days after his first vaccine.

Was pretty much unconscious for two days. Very painful headache and high temperature for the first two days and then the cough developed. Was able to function almost normally after 4 days but had to have an afternoon nap most days for the rest of his isolation period.

None of us caught it from him ( he isolated in his bedroom and had sole use of the main bathroom)

He is still struggling with headaches and fatigue 8 weeks later. Not great when trying to do GCSE revision.

Essentially he was unvaccinated when he caught it

DH, 53, boosted, no underlying conditions, thin, properly ill for 10 days. In bed, awful temp and hacking cough, sinus and ears blocked, terrible headaches, runny nose. Slightly scary. Still absolutely exhausted but back at work (because his boss is a cunt to whom he feels an inexplicable loyalty, frankly).
Me, 53, boosted, fat but no other underlying conditions, nasty head cold, sneezing, hacking cough, few days in bed. Up now but knackered. Weird smell thing happening.
DD1. 20 Double jabbed, no underlying conditions, thin. Hacking cough for a month. A bit sneezy. Total exhaustion. Slept for nearly 24 hrs at one point. Also has had weird smell thing happening.
DD2. 22, double jabbed, no underlying conditions, thin, very acute onset of symptoms and nasty fever, slight cough, bit of sneezing, itchy gums, distressed, exhausted.
It's taken the best part of a month, maybe slightly more to work through here.
I think we've all had Omicron. I also think people expect the much vaunted 'mild' symptoms to be not noticeable. Actually, mild in this context means not requiring medical attention.
Now we're through the worst I've woken up feeling grateful for recovery, but also a bit sad as I don't get out of isolation until Xmas day so it's all a bit fucked.

I have covid at the moment and have not felt well for a week. I've been really achey, got a cough, very tight chest and really really wiped out. I had my second jab 8 months ago and booster a few days before I caught it so I'm thinking I was unlucky with the timing. Hoping I feel better for Christmas but of course all plans cancelled and I have two young kids home who I am trying to entertain. I wouldn't be well enough to work this week and I have technically had all three jabs so I do think it varies.

@loveisagirlnameddaisy

Who is suggesting no one should die? Twice now you seem not to have read the things that are actually being posted. As I said, I can't tell if that is a comprehension problem on your part.

I can't believe two years in we are having to cover the same ground but here we go:

• Some who catch covid at home will get hospitalised
• Some others who are in hospital and therefore already vulnerable will catch covid in there
• If those numbers are very high, with high ICU rates, health care will get shut down
• If health care gets shut down, that is bad for everyone as we cancel operations, cancer treatment, emergency care etc etc
• Once things get to that stage, it can spiral quickly

@BettyTheBadBitch

For some people, it's really mild, and for others it isn't. But that's always been the case.

If you want anecdata, I know three friends who caught it at the same get together in London recently. One of them said it was exactly like a bad cold. The other one had a horrible headache and fever chills and had to stay in bed for a couple of days but is now fine. I don't know how the other one is, but I'm sure he's grand as think I'd have heard otherwise.

I've been into London and back on a packed train, sat in very busy restaurants and bars and haven't caught it! This was just as it was starting to kick off. So it's possible I've been exposed and not caught it. However the three people i know who all got it were at a gathering of only four! So 3/4 caught it, which makes me think it's v transmissible.

Should say, these people are all in their 30s, double jabbed, not noticeably overweight. Actually the one who was sicker is on the skinny side and runs a lot.

All smokers though, or quit fairly recently and they do drink a fair bit on a night out. They're also out a lot and have busy lifestyles, so don't think early nights and self care are on the agenda much!

@underneaththeash

You’re boosted though. I didn’t get it when DH, DS1,DS2 and DD all had it at the same time. We didn’t distance either.

Men/boys were all pretty unwell for 2+weeks.
DD had a tummy ache for a day! DH was due his booster on the day he tested positive abs the boys hadn’t had their jabs yet. I’d had my boaster 2 weeks before.

Lots of people I know who had had it after their booster have had very mild symptoms.

Yeah, I know a few young ish families who had it and both said it was like a nasty flu but kids doing better with it and the husbands having in worst and having a very hard time with it. One lot had to have an ambulance out but luckily no hospitalisation.

It affects lot of people differently down to demographics. It is important that you have been isolating as could still very badly effect others you come in contact with. Glad your family had it mild though

Not had booster but have covid atm and it's the mildest illness both I and my husband has had this year. Feels weird to be isolating when all I have is a runny nose, barely even coughing 🤷‍♀️ he is day 9 of isolation and I am day 7

It’s a very wide range - asymptomatic to death which is as broad as it gets

Zoe has info on symptoms iirc but might be skewed in a direction

We’ve been ok here so far

We are a family of four in too small a house to properly isolate anyone. Ds(4) had a raised temperature last Monday night so we went for a PCR. Both kids positive, both adults negative. Dd(12) who is single vaccinated felt rough and had a temperature on Wednesday. Fine since. I went positive after daily LFTs on Saturday. I feel like I am a bit bunged up and have slightly achey legs (though I am not sure if that is from lack of any exercise while isolating). DH got his first positive LFT yesterday and is also a bit bunged up. We are both triple vaxxed and over 50, DH is high risk and I am fat, so we probably would be at risk of hospitalisation without our vaxxes.

At the same time, my elderly parents are both positive. My mum has been unwell since last week with cold/flu symptoms including a very sore throat that appears to be improving, and my Dad is coughing a bit. They are in their early 80s and my Dad is higher risk. Both are triple vaxxed, thank God.

All in all, could be a lot worse. Thank goodness for the vaccines!

it affects lot of people differently down to demographics

@Tilltheend99

What do you mean?

As for this statement: Might it be argued that our response is akin to large percentages, not small percentages, of the population being fatally affected? The idea we would not do anything unless 'large percentages' are 'fatally affected' is .

It is just maths - a small percentage (hospitalisation rate) of a large number (UK population spread over an undefined period) is still a lot (potentially enough to shut down healthcare).

Dead relatives from first wave. Current wave healthy 30yr old colleague, double jabbed at the time now needs oxygen to wake up the stairs. Another one last wave had lung and brain clots, healthy now career over. Others felt ok, normal viral crap. Others lost jobs due to long covid, then interspersed with others who felt fine after a day, so random.

H is 66 and unvaccinated. Tested positive (LFT) a few days ago. Has headache and cold symptoms- no worse. The others of us in the house are fully boostered and all tested negative every day since then.

My ds (12) had a cough and slept more than usual for a few days but other than that he was okay.
I had cold symptoms, the worst bit was a sinus headache from the blocked nose and I was seriously tired!
Dd (10) is currently on day 8, no symptoms at all and lateral.flow tests have stayed negative but sve had a positive pcr on the last day of my isolation!
A family I childmind for had 4 children test positive and none had a single symptom! Parents and 3 other siblings stayed negative.

@rrhuth No problems with comprehension here, read everything you posted. You are warning against Covid denial and telling people not to conflate cases being mild with a strategy to end isolation.

My question is why is this unreasonable to discuss? I am not a Covid denier, I understand NHS overwhelm etc etc. But our current strategy is about the majority who won't die having their lives (and sometimes their livelihoods) seriously affected for the benefit of the minority.

We have never behaved like this during flu even though thousands can die during an annual flu season. I'm not saying now is the time to switch strategies, we are still in a pandemic, but at some point the conversation has to be had, and had reasonably, without shutting people down by implying they are stupid for asking.

I am double jabbed and had my booster on Saturday before testing positive the following morning. Not sure what day it is now- Tuesday is it? Anyway, very snotty and thick headed. That's it so far - the scary thing with covid is that I have fuck-all knowledge of what's going on inside my body and I'm praying it doesn't get any worse. It's totally shit and I'm so depressed today.

Also research shows that men suffer more than women (the higher the testosterone the worse the symptoms every else considered) and that overweight people snd those deficiency suffer worse. In the UK 80 % men over 55 are overweight and 68% of women. East to see how people could reduce their risk.