Could this be Covid in 16 yo?

[AInightingale]

Son has been very lethargic with runny nose and a very slight cough but really nothing much respiratory-wise for last two days. He got home from school yesterday and had a sleep for two hours, thought it was just tiredness following school return. Did the same today. Appetite reasonably okay but didn't eat school break. Looks a bit wrecked and jaded I don't have any Covid tests in the house & can't get any until tomorrow. Can Covid present like this at the moment?

Possibly, or it could just be the cold virus that’s going round at the mo or an upper respiratory infection. There’s no need to test for Covid, it won’t change anything?!

I agree with @NorthernPoppetPrincess . Whether he has Covid or not is not going to change anything, just let whatever virus it is run it’s course

I still test. If you want to avoid passing it on then tge only way you can know is if you do a test. Some people are very vulnerable. Hope he improves OP

@BCBird With any virus you should be staying away from other people as not to spread it, a positive or negative Covid test doesn’t change that

I totally agree, stay away from other people regardless of whether it's covid, but knowledge is power. If your ds does have covid and it gets worse or a particular symptom hangs around for a long time, or even (worst case scenario) turns into long covid, then if you've tested and know it was covid you can tell that to a doctor.

Does he have a temperature? It could be covid, my dc had hardly any respiratory symptoms as such but did have a fever and listlessness. Sometimes people don't test positive till day 4 or 5 though so be prepared to test more than once if you want to properly check for it.

It could well be, Covid presents differently with each person. Hope he feels better soon.

You shouldn’t be testing for covid anymore and it doesn’t really matter if it is covid/cold/flu. Deal with the situation as it happens and if he’s ok to carry on with normal life then do so. If he feels too unwell to go to school, keep him off. You don’t need to have a label for it.

No temperature, just tiredness. Test negative. Really puzzled as to what this could be. Eats red meat and last blood profile (though that was September) was fine - there were concerns about delayed puberty though hormone levels were normalising. Are there any viruses that cause excessive sleepiness? Now I am Googling and that's a bad idea.

Really puzzled? Just sounds like a big standard cold/ virus and any illness be it covid or a cold can make you tired. Painkillers and plenty of fluids and rest and I'm sure he'll shake it off.

And thank you for testing, from someone who lost the whole of September to covid ,it definitely wasn't just a cold to me or my husband. It's responsible not to pass it on .

That isn't the advice that comes from schools – rightly or wrongly. They are told still to go in if they have only got a cold.
And testing seems to have gone out the window completely for Covid – which I think is very wrong for a general social health pov, but there you go.

@CorsicaDreaming Not sure what any of the above has to do with me? Advice from schools is one thing but ultimately it is your decision as a parent whether or not to keep your child off. Re: testing I’m not the one saying to do it?

My daughter has had a similar thing to this this week so I am most reassured to read this. I wouldn't have thought it was a virus but I had something similar last week and it floored me. Main symptom was extreme lethargy.