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Original poster

Do people still test for a cold?

99 replies

saffy56 · 01/09/2022 11:10

Do people still test for a cold/sore throat? My DD has a cold and sore throat and we have no tests left. She wants to carry on as normal but my DH says she mustn't leave the house until she has tested negative. I didn't actually think testing was still a thing.

OP posts:
RedRec · 01/09/2022 11:18

I had a 'cold' just like that last week. Tested negative one day then positive for the next six. Testing is / should be still a thing.

PainsandAches · 01/09/2022 11:27

Of course

Decent people will continue to test

AuntieStella · 01/09/2022 11:32

You don't know it's not covid unless you test.

So yes, when you have symptoms (even when those symptoms overlap with those of another condition) the responsible and humane thing is to test.

Unless of course you fancy 5 days isolating as far as possible (ie doing nothing non-essential indoors and keeping well away from people outdoors) as in absence of a test then the right thing to do is assume you're positive and that other people are vulnerable

Jules912 · 01/09/2022 11:59

I did yesterday with little more than a runny nose and sore throat and got a blazing positive. Although DS had a fever Monday/Tuesday and tested negative so not sure how accurate the tests are as seems unlikely he's got something different.

firef1y · 01/09/2022 16:49

Depends if you can afford the tests really. Personally I wouldn't be testing for every little cough and cold. But I'm an unsociable cow anyway and social distancing is my norm and I never get too close to people if I ca help it.
I used up the last of my tests when my lb had covid. Tested myself every day for nearly 2 weeks, for 1 week of that I had definite covid symptoms, but I never got a positive, even when my partner did.

Claricestarling1 · 01/09/2022 19:25

Sure do..tested my cold this morning and hello covid

Sanch1 · 01/09/2022 19:26

Nope we are not testing for anything, not letting it rule our lives anymore.

SunflowerDuck · 01/09/2022 19:28

I don't know anyone doing this outside healthcare.

We were told months ago by school only to test kids if told to by hcp and send in if fine. Genuinely wouldn't occur to me

Grumpybutfunny · 01/09/2022 19:29

Test us for work but the NHS advice is to only test kids if advices by a HCP so not testing DS. To be honest I don't think it will be long before NHS staff stop testing it's to expensive in a cost of living crisis.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 01/09/2022 19:30

Some do, some don't, not sure what other answer you're expecting tbh

At the moment at my work there's pretty much always at least one person off with covid every day so clearly plenty of testing and nothing to do with healthcare

KassandraOfSparta · 01/09/2022 19:32

We're not testing either. Probably have some tests left kicking around somewhere as the kids were bringing boxes at a time home from school last year.

But nobody I know is testing.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 01/09/2022 19:32

I currently have covid. I had symptoms and caught it from DH but he only tested as he's NHS and needed to go in the office plus was planning to visit a very vulnerable relative. Once he tested positive I thought I meant as well test myself as I had symptoms. We didn't test the kids until one of them was going somewhere and I tested her as a courtesy. That was all because we had tests left in the house, in future I probably won't bother. Work expect me in, positive or not so there's little point.

FlyingFlamingo · 01/09/2022 19:35

I tested for my cold last week, using a £2 Boots test as we were away from home so I didn’t have any free ones with me. It was an instant raging positive and I tested positive for the following 5 days. I even got contacted by Test and Trace who told me to stay at home and avoid vulnerable people until I’d had 2 negative tests.

NewerCurtains · 01/09/2022 19:35

I care for my elderly dad who is CEV so if I get a cold or have the sniffles, I test before I go and see him. Having said that, he doesn't believe in vaccinations and has had Covid twice and survived just fine! 😂

mac1974 · 01/09/2022 19:37

No I wouldn't but I would avoid people as much as poss/not socialise. Pretty much as I would have done with a bad cold pre-Covid.

user1496146479 · 01/09/2022 19:46

Not testing anymore! Might test if I was planning to visit someone vulnerable.
But in the whole, no testing, but do tend to avoid any unnecessary social occasions if feeling unwell, WFH etc

SunflowerDuck · 01/09/2022 20:52

Won't most colds be covid now? Isn't it just something we'll all get mow and then?

Puppylucky · 01/09/2022 20:57

@FlyingFlamingo Not sure who you were contacted by but it wasn't test and trace if you are in the UK as it doesn't exist anymore

FlyingFlamingo · 01/09/2022 21:07

I promise you it was, and it was last weekend. Yes I am in the U.K., in Wales

Edgeog · 01/09/2022 21:08

Nope no testing

OnTheBoardwalk · 01/09/2022 21:17

Yeah but only before I see my elderly mum before she gets her next booster.

I did positive NHS test back in June and that was registered and acknowledged by my GP. I think due to fact NHS testing still going on

i didn’t think that Boots or other purchased tests had any track and trace anymore?

poster82 · 01/09/2022 21:26

I still have some free tests so I will test until they run out because why not, but I'm not buying tests once we are out. After then I will do what I, and most people, did in 2019.

FlyingFlamingo · 01/09/2022 21:28

The Boots ones can’t be registered, we came home the day after I tested positive and I did an NHS one and registered it. I’m not sure why no one believes me, it’s an odd thing to make up Hmm

I even did 2 PCRs as I’m a SIREN participant (both positive and confirmed as Omicron)

BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 01/09/2022 23:51

Some do. Some don't. Personally, I would.

Cas112 · 01/09/2022 23:58

No, stopped testing altogether now