Lots round us obvs got covid but not testing positive?

[Don'tcallthepolice]

My dd 13 tested positive on Monday.

3 of her friends she had a sleepover with have all since been ill with coughing and sore throats. They tested negative.

Husband definitely has covid coughing with breathing difficulties. He has tested negative.

I have also felt Ill but tested negative.

Anyone else finding this. Are the over the counter tests no longer picking these new strains up!

I tested with strong positive line first day of symptoms old test nose throat swab ! I ordered some more I am immunised suppressed so eligible for anti vial meds and kept testing strong until day 5 (just nose swab ones ) ! I stayed home because u don’t know who u cud pass it on too like someone passed it to me ! So Thankyou for those who still test ! I was with hubbi in close contact 3 hours in car live together ect ect I tested him and he didn’t get it so probably building a natural immunity from it I think 🤔 x

I wasn’t “calling anyone out”, just asking a polite question as I was genuinely interested. Obviously if I had an unwell colleague or was made aware of vulnerable children/family members then I would test. But I haven’t. School have basically asked us (in not so many words but heavily hinted)not to test! Of course I’d stay at home if I was unwell. Having said that, pupils cough snd sneeze over me (an asthmatic) all day and I know they’re not testing! Can you please not bite my head off for asking a perfectly reasonable question.

The tests aren’t that precise anymore. It also appears that they only come up positive 5~7 days the first symptoms. So I’d carry in testing if you want to be sure.

Also you need to test by swabbing tonsils, cheeks and nose. Not just the nose.

@redfacebigdisgrace i know this is what you have been told and you are following their guidelines…. I’m nit going to have a go at you about that.

But I just want to highlight that you have no idea who is vulnerable around you. Not when you go in a shop, take tte bus etc…
Ig argue that you dint even know who is vulnerable in your classrooms.

The fact ‘people and your pupils aren’t testing any ire’ means very little. We are in that collective state if putting our heads in the sand, wanting things things to be ‘normal’ and then ignoring all the signs things are getting worse and worse.
im talking about the increase of disabled people, increase in long term ill health (and no it’s not ‘just p’ MH) etc etc….

So yes your pupils aren’t testing. You’ve been told not to test - fir obvious reasons too, which are NOT fir your or your pupils benefit, you realise that?-
But please dint fool yourself that what you are doing is enough to protect vulnerable people. It’s not.

Don’t forget to decline any test from your GP if they offer to test for a urine infection. Or test that rash for fungus. Or your vaginal swab. Or your kid for RSV this winter. Or flu of your child is admitted with breathing difficulties. Or your smear or STI screen. What test when it’s endemic in the population and just live with it and avoid vulnerable people.

The tests don't seem to work reliably, which is why I believe we need accesible PCR testing. Please, stay inside, away from others as much as possible and test again in a day or two.

Vulnerable people are everywhere, and some are always at risk of serious illness and death when leaving the house, don't make it more riskier

Same question from me, too. Why are people testing? What difference does it make?
We don't test for a cold or for flu - or for any other infectious illness that I can think of.

Because one household member is potentially eligible for advanced covid treatments

Because they need to attend clinics periodically which are full of highly immune compromised people, who deserve to be able to access medical care without running avoidable risks

Because I do not want to take anything serious to elderly PILs

Because I know people around me can't afford to keep taking sick leave, so I'm not OK with spreading it

Because the more I read about the potential damage covid does to so many body systems the clearer it becomes that covid is not remotely like colds, flus or other infectious illnesses.

Because covid isn't a cold or flu, and if you could easily test for other infectious diseases, you should! Covid has made some lovely people realise how important it is to keep vulnerable people safe, so if you can make sure you don't have it when you're in public, why wouldn't you?

You may complain about having to test or be safe but vulnerable people are still shielding- stuck indoors all day to prevent illness and death. You can manage a little test when you're unwell- or at least to keep your distance from others.

I test because I have had to learn a lot about covid. So, if I'm positive and lucky enough to feel 'ok' or 'well enough', I will still stay away from others - education, health, economy, people - all those things are important to me.

My kids school have told us they are only to be absent if fever, D&V. There are going to be a LOT of germs doing the rounds this year.
We've all had the sore throat thing going around. Could it be just a normal cold virus? We had loads of them last year too.

Other viruses are available ... what would you have done in 2019? If you would stay home, do so, if you would have carried on regardless, do that. If I'm ill I don't need a test to tell me

@Kashmirisky

But other non covid illnesses are also bad, surely you wouldn't go in ill just because of a negative covid test?

At work we use the "are you ill " test - if yes stay away!

Covid isn’t the same as a common cold for clinically vulnerable people.

I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make @OddlyFramed .

This is obviously a really emotive debate which I understand. I really feel for people living with this hanging over them. A good reminder for me who is generally “thank god life is back to normal”. Thanks to those that explained politely.

@Kashmirisky

I can assure you that if someone has leukaemia, the pre 2020 common cold can be deadly, my friend's son died. Common self limiting respiratory diseases can be deadly but are downplayed as not covid, plus the tests aren't accurate.

If you are ill stay home

i totally agree @gogomoto if you are vulnerable you are vulnerable ,the continuing obsession with covid is frustrating, its changing the culture so that people are able to stay home when sick thats the main problem.

What a strange post! We test for those things because the results decide what treatment is required, or identify problems that need further treatment. Testing for covid is, for most people, purely to enable you to give a name to the illness you have ( appreciate for a small number of people it is needed in order to access anti-virals). I worry that by testing (and because covid is the only illness we test purely just to know if we have it or not), people assume that if the illness they have isn't covid, they're then fine to just crack on. When in reality, if you are ill, you should stay at home and generally avoid spreading whatever you've got.

The NHS has made antivirals available for high risk patients - with a hotline to get them. I’ll continue to presume that the experts view COVID differently and be thankful that I work for a reasonable employer who protects vulnerable staff.

As for working when ill. I can work from home so it isn’t about skiving off at all, it isn’t about feeling ill as far as my workplace and covid is concerned, it is about being infectious, there’s a difference.

It isn’t a ‘continuing obsession’ for most, it is following guidance, including internal policy around vulnerable colleagues. Or would you rather we discriminated against colleagues with cancer in breach of Equality legislation?

I'm a childminder, felt awful so I tested and I'm positive my husband has the same symptoms negative.....different test batches.
As per guidelines I'm now closed and losing 3 days of money but I couldn't risk exposing a vulnerable family to it so won't reopen even if I feel better before the end of the week.

You don't need to be testing. If you feel unwell, you act accordingly. Take paracetamol, rest, fluids. How will knowing the name of the illness change anything. There are some horrible cold viruses that feel just as bad as covid.

@Kashmirisky you said""It isn’t a ‘continuing obsession’ for most, it is following guidance, including internal policy around vulnerable colleagues. Or would you rather we discriminated against colleagues with cancer in breach of Equality legislation?""

I'm an ex palliative care worker and thats my point exactly...if we have someone who has cancer at work then they are vulnerable to ANY infection...expecting accommodations solely for covid and not for any other infectious bugs is daft and was a regular bug bear when i was working, as there is a culture of presenteeism in health settings where you are still expected to come into work when ill. someone who comes into work coughing over everyone "because it isn't covid" is a problem!

Someone can feel well with chickenpox or the day after a sickness/vomiting bug.

Day 3 of the same symptoms as parents who tested positive on day 5

Self employed working closely with others so have cancelled the last three days of work and awaiting a positive test.

The guidelines do state to isolate for five days where possible and even if it's only a guideline it's one I will be sticking to.

I'm losing a lot of money that I can't really afford to lose but I'd rather that than pass it on to potentially 25 30 people in the next few days,many of them vulnerable and having treatment.

I've had COVID 4 times in the last 2y, last time in May and each time it started with a sore throat, for those saying it's a new first symptom. Must vary per person but each time first indication for me was a wicked sore throat then the classic constant sneezing and running nose, then fever, child each time. 3 out of the 4 only I tested positive. One of the positive tests I had no symptoms except a headache (tested due to travel). The other 3 times (1 only assuming COVID as didn't test positive but exact same symptoms and course) I had the exact same symptoms of sore throat, bad headache, running nose and constant sneezing and then a lost week in bed hallucinating, shivering and feeling fkdreadful, despite no underlying health conditions and 4 vaccinations (DH is vulnerable, has had it twice after 2 of the 4 times I had it, had it much less severe than me ...). Weird virus, not to be underestimated imo.