Thread for people to explain why they test for covid

[Daffntulip]

As some people seem completely flabbergasted as to why anyone would test for covid, thought I'd start a thread to help those posters. If you run short on intelligence or empathy or whatever other reason compels you to ask that question, this is for you.

I test if I start to feel unwell with a sort throat/ cough etc.

Because if it's just a cold I can probably go about my day to day life fairly safely, but if it's Covid, I don't want to pass it to anyone - particularly anyone vulnerable - so I stay at home.

It's just the socially responsible thing to do.

I don’t test but I understand all the reasons people do on this thread. It’s interesting about being Ill and still going out. I liked that we didn’t do this during covid times but we are going back to that now. I personally work from home and don’t mix when unwell but my children are not allowed to be off school for anything other than a sickness bug. I dread to think how many germs will be going through the schools this winter 😬

I'm 3 years in remission from aggressive lymphoma which needed a stem cell transplant. The stem cell transplant basically wiped my immune system and so I'm still building my new immune system from scratch. If I get ill (even a cold) it can be hard to shift and I can end up with weeks of rolling infections or viruses.

Me and the rest of my family still mask on flights and test if it's possibly covid - partly so that I can isolate from DH/kids and hopefully not pick it up. That plus vaccinations have worked well so far; I've had very mild covid once despite being severely immunocompromised from early 2021 onwards.

I also have no wish to get long covid, especially having recently experienced what it's like to have your capacity absolutely sledgehammered.

I'm very immunosuppressed and I get antivirals if I catch it. The antivirals keep me out of hospital.

But actually your 'just a cold' could be just as much of a threat to a vulnerable person as covid. My elderly dad has had covid several times. He's fully vaccinated, its been fine. When he gets a regular cold tho? Its a guaranteed chest infection develops almost every time.
People seem to put covid in this category of 'worse' than other illnesses, but now, with widespread vaccination within the population more people die of flu each year than of covid.
It shouldn't matter what you have - if you're sick stay at home. Unless you qualify for antivirals or a family member does, knowing its covid is is pointless because it SHOUDN'T change your behaviour.

DH was due to have an operation on Tuesday. He was advised to inform them of any illness in his pre-op meeting. We both became ill last week and suspected COVID. We bought a single test on Sunday. He tested positive. I went to work in a school on Monday morning, but managed symptoms with paracetamol. He looked after our 18mo so that his 70yo DM who usually looks after DS on a Monday and Tuesday wouldn't come into contact with us. His DF is living with cancer. DH's op has been postponed by at least 7 weeks - apparently this is COVID protocol.

They still work in my experience if the control line comes up. In fact when I've had covid the tests showed strong positive within seconds - before the sample even reached the control line!

Curiosity. Got left over tests.

I never test unless I'm going to see my auntie and uncle as my uncle has stage 4 lung cancer and am I hell as like being responsible for his death!!

My mum is a community nurse and they're still required to test twice a week

I'd love if there was more tests available to check exactly why I'm sick, so yes if I think I might have covid, I'll test (still have lots of test kits)

I tested when I had it just because I had tests so why not, then I knew to stay in and not infect more vulnerable people.
If there was a home test for flu available I would take that too for the same reasons 🤷‍♀️

This would be fab. Or test, that turns a different colour depending on what you have.. flu, tonsillitis, cold, covid etc etc. Wish someone would invent this!

I guess as i work with vunerable people, my friend lost her husband to covid, he was 45 and a father to 3 kids under 10. I also lost a good friend who had copd and caught covid. I've only had it once, practically on day 1 of lockdown 1 i was sick but i really wouldn't like it again, or to spread it about.

People generally don't stay home with a cold, and a lot of workplaces expect people to go in.

There is a line at which you can expect people to stop their daily activities. The reality is you will never be successful in a campaign to get everyone to stay at home with a common cold.

I'm sorry about your dad and I do understand what you are saying, but Covid IS different to other viruses and it IS worse than a cold.

Covid is much more likely to cause long term damage than a cold. Flu as well, and if there was a test for flu I would also use that, but there isn't one. However, if I have flu I'm pretty much incapacitated and wouldn't be going anywhere anyway!

COVID makes me more breathless than any cold and I'm like a kid so get the D&V part. Generally test so I know what the next few days are going to be like. Seems to be a once a year bug in this house we don't actively avoid spreading it to each other.

If it's covid I need to know because I get antiviruls. They have to be given within 3 days of first symptoms so even if I think it will just be a mild cold I test.
I don't expect anyone else to test but I would prefer not to be close to anyone who has any respiratory virus.
I have a lung condition and autoimmune disease.

If they offer a covid jab this year that we need to pay for then I'd pay for it, along with my flujab, rather than have long covid again & ...well, I've lost every vunerable person i had around me in the last few years, but i wouldn't want to be responsible for making any others sick.

I have to know. I'm very black and white like that.
Previously, horrible virus but not as bad as flu would have done. It won't now though.

Also, as it's constantly changing, I'd like to test negative before seeing my Mum. It's not a nice thing to pass on to anybody due to different reactions people get.

No one has said this yet; because I was worried I was having a breakdown, and when I tested positive it all made sense, and made me feel so much more able to cope and understand what was happening to me

I’m immune suppressed and at high risk.

I’m not bothered about antivirals but knowing I’m positive means I’ve been able to pause my immune suppressing treatment for a while.

They do tests for flu https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supply-Cube-Influenza-Rapid-Test/dp/B0D42C22WW/ref=mpssa112?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-cfCBKZLXj8eccR3Aqy4oMVeIqaJ-RgBKJ0wt30DDRllBuHAbrE2TmLNN3KB6Rs8TOTt0kuxR3dlWn9XRk6UdxQLhlDnlVaZW7OcGB59isU4C6Zjr3liin2Kp2KeYGz0DtsnBhAmht0JPbuyp4oZdclCJvtvnp8KgabX6R2eadWS0VajECbrZfIwAlj9nqwvc17k2hlNBzjZ9AuyQpL1Q.COOJnhnGUun8SS7MzI2L5u5fvL8QoZ3Tme7aNbG867k&dibtag=se&keywords=flu+test+kit&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1726953640&sr=8-2

It’s not that simple when you live with someone who is immunosuppressed (and eligible for viral treatment if they get Covid). You can’t just avoid sharing a house with them.

It provides information for future health conditions. So if I develop chronic fatigue/a blood clot/pots/mcas a month or two afterwards, we'll know why.

I'd test because I realise there are vulnerable people who could become seriously ill if I pass Covid on to them plus I don't want to be responsible in any way for spreading it on.

Sadly there are a lot of very selfish people in society who only care for themselves.

You both became ill but bought only 1 test?? You went to school? Unbelievable.