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Original poster

Being honest, who else is doing this?

399 replies

HonestTest · 22/03/2022 12:19

Talking to a group of friends who are split between what they now do in regards to Covid. None are CEV.

Some still testing for every symptom on either LFTs or PCRs and isolating if positive as previously required for up to 10 days (or early if neg day 6/7).

Others, like me, now not testing at all even with potential symptoms and just staying in until they feel well enough like they would have in 2019 whether that's 3 days or 10.

What are you doing now?

When tests start to cost I imagine we'll see the number of people bothering with them drop but it's been very freeing to not have to bother anymore with the circus of scrambling to find a box of gold dust lfts every time my DC or I sneezes and just treating what could be potentially Covid (I wouldn't know) like anything else.

(I appreciate the answer to this will be entirely different if you are CEV and that these people will still have access to free testing and will understandably want to do so).

OP posts:
Lilaclavenders · 24/03/2022 18:35

Tests aren't that useful as people are infectious in the two days before even testing positive....

BoodleBug51 · 24/03/2022 18:44

It's mad how people are still so obsessed over it all.

It's not my job to soothe other peoples' irrational health anxiety.

Life goes on. I'm too busy trying to get my business back on an even keel and build back the savings we thankfully had to live on. Not all of us can get signed off sick at first sniffle and walk away from jobs without a backward glance.

BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 24/03/2022 18:56

I wish all those 'irrational' scientists would stop publishing their studies.

HardyBuckette · 24/03/2022 19:51

Or maybe they could keep publishing, but people who don't understand how precarious some financial and employment situations are could refrain from using their research to berate people for choosing eating over isolating.

Lilaclavenders · 24/03/2022 20:05

I wish all those 'irrational' scientists would stop publishing their studies.

Nobody is denying the science of covid.

But we have to compare the huge costs of testing and the impact of restrictions/isolations with the benefits they produce! And at this point many feel that the costs are a lot higher than the benefits to society.

BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 24/03/2022 20:26

@Lilaclavenders I posted earlier in the thread about impacts of both testing/not testing - neither are without cost. My 'irrational' comment was with respect to a PP who'd used the same term to both minimise concerns of others and minimise those with genuine MH issues.

lljkk · 24/03/2022 20:54

oh FFS, there was a twitter thread about the 'shrinking brain' thing: it was a tiny bit of one part of the brain concerned with smell; it shrinks in anyone who has sustained anosmia. Guess what -- Covid can cause anosmia. Most ppl recover from Covid-induced anosmia, then that tiny bit expands again.

We have no idea what other cold viruses do to the brain -- all sorts, no doubt !!

ArcheryAnnie · 25/03/2022 07:14

bemusedmoose I'm sorry you've had such a rough time of it.

As for me, I went to bed in pain and I woke up in pain. I have to go to work in a bit, though it's a bloody miracle I've been able to keep my job. I am terrified about my ability to carry on working in the longer term. Since I first got covid two years ago my life has been irrevocably altered. All you merrily skipping to work while being positive with covid because you "can't afford" to miss work. Maybe you will continue to be lucky and won't get ill. Maybe your "mild symptoms" will be fine now but cause you problems later. Maybe you won't be so lucky next time. Or maybe the coworker who catches it off you will have their lives irrevocably altered by catching this capricious disease, just like my life has been irrevocably altered.

Original poster
HonestTest · 25/03/2022 07:22

All you merrily skipping to work while being positive with covid because you "can't afford" to miss work

Well it's true for a lot of people no need for the " marks. I'm self employed, I don't get sick pay and I work out of home. No I can't afford to keep isolating if I have Covid mildly. My business going bust, being unable to feed my kids or keep a roof over our heads etc.. would also change my life.

When there is no help for people in that situation what do you expect them to do? Ultimately we are all selfish by nature. If it comes down to a toss up of losing your lively hood, your children's home and so on I don't know anyone who's choosing "the greater good" over that.

Funnily, as evidenced a lot on this thread, it is usually people with good sick pay provisions or the ability to work from home that are very moralistic with their isolating. I wonder why!

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 25/03/2022 07:27

@ArcheryAnnie

bemusedmoose I'm sorry you've had such a rough time of it.

As for me, I went to bed in pain and I woke up in pain. I have to go to work in a bit, though it's a bloody miracle I've been able to keep my job. I am terrified about my ability to carry on working in the longer term. Since I first got covid two years ago my life has been irrevocably altered. All you merrily skipping to work while being positive with covid because you "can't afford" to miss work. Maybe you will continue to be lucky and won't get ill. Maybe your "mild symptoms" will be fine now but cause you problems later. Maybe you won't be so lucky next time. Or maybe the coworker who catches it off you will have their lives irrevocably altered by catching this capricious disease, just like my life has been irrevocably altered.

People put the needs of their own household first. My coworkers aren't my priority in life. That's the way it is.
Lovedaffs · 25/03/2022 07:27

@ArcheryAnnie

I too am disabled by Long Covid, (hopefully temporarily but like you, it’s been a long time), and I can hear and completely understand your frustration. The pain sounds horrible. I’ve been left with unending fatigue and POTS and I’m housebound. My life bears no relation to pre-Covid and I’m too sick to work.

Some people just don’t see the risks because it’s not happened to THEM.

I think it’s a sort of denial - but I don’t think it’s worth the stress to YOU of warning people because they don’t want to consider that going bowling with their friends - might cause them to be bedbound and too sick to pay the mortgage.

Feel free to DM me and I hope you can find a more entertaining and less stress inducing thread.

ArcheryAnnie · 25/03/2022 07:37

Thank you, Lovedaffs.

Lovedaffs · 25/03/2022 07:41

@HonestTest

Self employed here. I am not paid right now for being off sick!

In your position, knowing what I now know I would:-

get sickness insurance,
ideally save a lot of money for private healthcare
wear an FFP3 mask where possible
be strict on ventilation, social distancing …

Oh and also teach your children how to cook and clean and look after the house, so when you can’t - they can.

ExMachinaDeus · 25/03/2022 07:48

All you merrily skipping to work while being positive with covid

I hope that such selfish people are at least telling others they are positive. And that you’re WEARING MASKS. The least you can do to mitigate against spreading this nasty disease.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 25/03/2022 07:53

@ExMachinaDeus

All you merrily skipping to work while being positive with covid

I hope that such selfish people are at least telling others they are positive. And that you’re WEARING MASKS. The least you can do to mitigate against spreading this nasty disease.

I'm not testing, so I'll never know if I'm positive or not.
Overthebow · 25/03/2022 08:05

@ExMachinaDeus

All you merrily skipping to work while being positive with covid

I hope that such selfish people are at least telling others they are positive. And that you’re WEARING MASKS. The least you can do to mitigate against spreading this nasty disease.

How will we know if we are positive if we aren’t testing though? I won’t be testing in a weeks time when they aren’t free anymore, so I will never know if I have covid or not. I’m not going to stay off work or cancel my social plans every time I get a slight sniffle and I wouldn’t expect my colleagues or friends to either. I think if anyone has a problem with that they will have to be the ones to stay home to be honest.
Lilaclavenders · 25/03/2022 09:41

How will we know if we are positive if we aren’t testing though?

Even with regular testing people are actually infectious in the couple of days before a positive test result...

In other words there will inevitably be positive cases out and about.

IEatChocolateForBreakfast · 25/03/2022 11:36

The thing is, even if people are willing to pay for their tests, they won't be testing every day. It can take a few days for your test to become positive. So while they may start out thinking oh I think I have it and they test too early and it comes up negative they'll stop testing. The time I did have it it wasn't until day 4 of testing that I finally tested positive. By then many people will have stopped testing so they don't waste their paid for tests.

ExMachinaDeus · 25/03/2022 11:45

I'm not testing, so I'll never know if I'm positive or not.

If you have symptoms and you feel you really have to go out in public amongst other people, just WEAR A FUCKING MASK.

It’s not much to do to ensure you don’t cough sneeze or or breathe your nasty germs over everyone else.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 25/03/2022 11:50

@ExMachinaDeus

I'm not testing, so I'll never know if I'm positive or not.

If you have symptoms and you feel you really have to go out in public amongst other people, just WEAR A FUCKING MASK.

It’s not much to do to ensure you don’t cough sneeze or or breathe your nasty germs over everyone else.

I cough and sneeze pretty much all the time and I do feel that I have to go out in public. And no, I won't WEAR A FUCKING MASK if I don't have to, I'd never go out without one!
Overthebow · 25/03/2022 12:00

@ExMachinaDeus

I'm not testing, so I'll never know if I'm positive or not.

If you have symptoms and you feel you really have to go out in public amongst other people, just WEAR A FUCKING MASK.

It’s not much to do to ensure you don’t cough sneeze or or breathe your nasty germs over everyone else.

If I had one of the ‘official’ covid symptoms for example a temperature or new continuous cough I probably would be out and about anyway, but it often presents as a cold, slight sniffle, slight sore throat etc. I’m not going to stay in or wear a mask every time I have those mild symptoms, nor will I kneel my DC in if she has a slight sniffle and she definitely won’t be wearing a mask at 2 years old. If anyone is concerned about people being out with potential covid then they can be the ones to stay in or wear a protective mask.
BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 25/03/2022 12:25

It's a bit like tax or benefits. Plenty are willing to exploit the system. Others will pick up the pieces.

DearlyBeloathed · 25/03/2022 12:32

@BeenToldComputerSaysNo

It's a bit like tax or benefits. Plenty are willing to exploit the system. Others will pick up the pieces.
Eh?

So people that aren’t testing are ‘exploiting the system’?

Original poster
HonestTest · 25/03/2022 12:34

@BeenToldComputerSaysNo

It's a bit like tax or benefits. Plenty are willing to exploit the system. Others will pick up the pieces.
Except there is no system to exploit anymore? No free testing from next week, no requirement to isolate and therefore no payment schemes either for those who do, the PM said In his own statement that we are living with Covid.

What is it you think people are exploiting by not testing?

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 25/03/2022 12:40

@BeenToldComputerSaysNo

It's a bit like tax or benefits. Plenty are willing to exploit the system. Others will pick up the pieces.
This is a bit confusing

Wrt guidelines and rules we’ve had it comes down to what’s in place legally. As it does for benefits etc

Not testing or not wearing a mask isn’t the same as tax or benefit fraud. Not sure how it’s exploiting the system