COVID-19 (Coronavirus) discussion

Tephnos · 1 Oct 2022 at 20:17

LabR@t said:
well i was unaware of any of
that.

You were honestly unaware of that?

Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. So the difference with colds and flus is that they can only attach to cells found in the sinuses/lungs, meaning infections with that virus can only ever occur there. This means you can get some nasty colds, especially flus, and rarely pneumonia depending on the damage.

COVID attaches to ACE2. This enzyme can be found in almost every cell in the body. Every major organ has it, but it is most concentrated within the cardiac system. In short, this means that the virus can virtually infect anywhere it wants to in the human body, not just the lungs. Some people may get off fine with just a lung infection, but unfortunate people can find their hearts and organs permanently damaged, even with just mild infections.

And now imagine rolling the dice on that 4x+ a year. It's utterly bonkers, humanity has never faced anything like this in recorded history.

Surveyor · 1 Oct 2022 at 20:28

Tephnos said:
You were honestly unaware of that?

Putting aside knowledge from anywhere else @LabR@t was constantly in the now archived COVID section of the forum and made nearly 3k posts. I don't believe for a minute he didn't know the difference between a cold and COVID.

Rroff · 2 Oct 2022 at 03:06

LabR@t said:
It says average 2-4 ?

The article is more nuanced than that - frequency of colds has quite a spread over age range and other factors while at least for now COVID is having a broader impact.

Rroff · 2 Oct 2022 at 03:11

On another note while not completely unheard of with a cold - this one is having a disproportionate effect on me compared to the severity of symptoms - despite being really mild it is over a week now since the point where I'd usually recover pretty quickly from a cold and still the back of my nose/throat is a bit grotty and I'm struggling with fatigue - not that badly but an 8 hour shift at work is a real challenge and I just can't do any overtime - I'm properly wiped out by the time I get home.

Though colds can hit me pretty hard initially I usually bounce back quickly once the worst of the symptoms are over.

Haven't tested positive for COVID though neither has anyone else who has had it at work.

EDIT: Possible with it being 3 years since the last cold! my immune system isn't quite firing at 100% when it comes to colds.

D.P. · 2 Oct 2022 at 07:09

Rroff said:
On another note while not completely unheard of with a cold - this one is having a disproportionate effect on me compared to the severity of symptoms - despite being really mild it is over a week now since the point where I'd usually recover pretty quickly from a cold and still the back of my nose/throat is a bit grotty and I'm struggling with fatigue - not that badly but an 8 hour shift at work is a real challenge and I just can't do any overtime - I'm properly wiped out by the time I get home.

Though colds can hit me pretty hard initially I usually bounce back quickly once the worst of the symptoms are over.

Haven't tested positive for COVID though neither has anyone else who has had it at work.

EDIT: Possible with it being 3 years since the last cold! my immune system isn't quite firing at 100% when it comes to colds.

Do a PCR test.

I have found the LFT not reliable.
In june i got a really bad cold, with flu like symptoms including 2 nights of fever, a horrific cough that went on for weeks, extreme fatigue. Tested 4 times with LFT and always negative. Then in August came down with similar symptoms, kept testing negative on LFT. But fatigue was horrendous. Wife got sick with identical symptoms, did an LFT and an immediate positive response. I went for a PCR and it came back positive.

Given how i felt in June compared to August i am sure that was also Covid, but have no evidence.

The current varients don't seem to get picked up by LFTs for some people

cheesefest · 2 Oct 2022 at 08:34

adidan said:
Thinking about it hardly any in the UK, most were at Schiphol.

The airline suggested people wear them but seeing as the crew didn't it's not surprising most passengers didn't. It was summer though.

Many people like myself didn’t fly in 2021 as flying is bad enough. Then to throw in the compulsory mask, was the ice breaker.

Plus why would anyone go on holiday to wear a mask longer there than at home?

adidan · 2 Oct 2022 at 09:09

cheesefest said:
Many people like myself didn’t fly in 2021 as flying is bad enough. Then to throw in the compulsory mask, was the ice breaker.

Plus why would anyone go on holiday to wear a mask longer there than at home?

We didn't either, 2022 was the first time for three years. A combination of cases, hoops to jump through, masks, OH's family having vulnerable members. Too much of a faff before.

Wore a mask though, not bothered by them tbh but it was both a holiday and not holiday - visit to OH's family although we had a place by the lake to ourselves most of the time so pretty much as 'normal'.

Surveyor · 2 Oct 2022 at 10:19

D.P. said:
Do a PCR test.

I have found the LFT not reliable.
In june i got a really bad cold, with flu like symptoms including 2 nights of fever, a horrific cough that went on for weeks, extreme fatigue. Tested 4 times with LFT and always negative. Then in August came down with similar symptoms, kept testing negative on LFT. But fatigue was horrendous. Wife got sick with identical symptoms, did an LFT and an immediate positive response. I went for a PCR and it came back positive.

Given how i felt in June compared to August i am sure that was also Covid, but have no evidence.

The current varients don't seem to get picked up by LFTs for some people

Free PCR tests aren't available for the majority, did you pay for yours?

Who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test

Find out who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test.

www.nhs.uk

I'd like to know if I had COVID but I wouldn't be paying over £60 to satisfy my curiosity.

lateral flow testing kits for home | covid testing - Boots

Browse our range of flowflex lateral flow self-testing kits for home, including bundles. Order online today.

www.boots.com

Testing For Coronavirus | LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor UK

Online Doctor explains the importance of testing for COVID-19, how to buy a test kit and what to expect with your COVID-19 home testing kit. Read here.

onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com

omnomnom · 2 Oct 2022 at 10:22

Surveyor said:
Free PCR tests aren't available for the majority, did you pay for yours?

Who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test

Find out who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test.

www.nhs.uk

I'd like to know if I had COVID but I wouldn't be paying over £60 to satisfy my curiosity.

lateral flow testing kits for home | covid testing - Boots

Browse our range of flowflex lateral flow self-testing kits for home, including bundles. Order online today.

www.boots.com

Testing For Coronavirus | LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor UK

Online Doctor explains the importance of testing for COVID-19, how to buy a test kit and what to expect with your COVID-19 home testing kit. Read here.

onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com

Just get an lft for £2.

You cant get a PCR test on the NHS anymore.

adidan · 2 Oct 2022 at 10:24

Surveyor said:
Free PCR tests aren't available for the majority, did you pay for yours?

We picked up a few before they became paid for.

The OH used to get them as she's in healthcare but they've stopped that now unless you're a healthcare professional with symptoms.

Surveyor · 2 Oct 2022 at 10:34

omnomnom said:
Just get an lft for £2.

You cant get a PCR test on the NHS anymore.

The post I quoted was about taking a PCR test if you think you may have COVID but an LFT doesn't show it. Free NHS PCR tests are available in limited circumstances but most of us would have to pay over £60.

adidan said:
We picked up a few before they became paid for.

The OH used to get them as she's in healthcare but they've stopped that now unless you're a healthcare professional with symptoms.

Would they even process those PCR tests now?

adidan · 2 Oct 2022 at 10:37

Surveyor said:
Would they even process those PCR tests now?

Sorry, my bad, I was talking about LFTs. I blame my current COVID head - it's bunged up like a blemange.

SexyGreyFox · 2 Oct 2022 at 11:07

omnomnom said:
Just get an lft for £2.

They're not fit for purpose.
At Christmas both me and the wife took 8 LTFs each and all negative, went for a PCR and it was positive, as soon as we got the result we did an LTF each and both were negative.

Same happened again with me about 3 months ago, negative on 4x LTFs, work did a PCR and it was positive, did another LTF and it was negative.

D.P. · 2 Oct 2022 at 11:09

Surveyor said:
Free PCR tests aren't available for the majority, did you pay for yours?

Who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test

Find out who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test.

www.nhs.uk

I'd like to know if I had COVID but I wouldn't be paying over £60 to satisfy my curiosity.

lateral flow testing kits for home | covid testing - Boots

Browse our range of flowflex lateral flow self-testing kits for home, including bundles. Order online today.

www.boots.com

Testing For Coronavirus | LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor UK

Online Doctor explains the importance of testing for COVID-19, how to buy a test kit and what to expect with your COVID-19 home testing kit. Read here.

onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com

yes, i paid because it is important for me to know if i had Covid so i don't infect others, and know to properly recover.

Surveyor · 2 Oct 2022 at 11:36

D.P. said:
yes, i paid because it is important for me to know if i had Covid so i don't infect others, and know to properly recover.

D.P. said:
In june i got a really bad cold, with flu like symptoms including 2 nights of fever, a horrific cough that went on for weeks, extreme fatigue. Tested 4 times with LFT and always negative. Then in August came down with similar symptoms, kept testing negative on LFT. But fatigue was horrendous. Wife got sick with identical symptoms, did an LFT and an immediate positive response. I went for a PCR and it came back positive.

As your LFT was positive it seems superflous to pay for a PCR. You obviously had something nasty so even without a positive COVID test you should have avoided infecting others and recovered properly.

D.P. · 2 Oct 2022 at 11:49

Surveyor said:
As your LFT was positive it seems superflous to pay for a PCR. You obviously had something nasty so even without a positive COVID test you should have avoided infecting others and recovered properly.

sorry I wasn't clear, but my wife did an LFT test when she started getting similar symptoms to my self. She tested positive while i was negative, despite the fact i was bed ridden. I then did a PCR which was positive.

Tephnos · 2 Oct 2022 at 13:21

I just go with antibody blood tests. Can find out for months after if you had an infection and they don't cost too much just to look for the N-proteins.

LabR@t · 2 Oct 2022 at 13:33

Surveyor said:
Putting aside knowledge from anywhere else @LabR@t was constantly in the now archived COVID section of the forum and made nearly 3k posts. I don't believe for a minute he didn't know the difference between a cold and COVID.

That was then pretty sure today's COVID is a different beast.

Tephnos · 2 Oct 2022 at 13:36

LabR@t said:
That was then pretty sure today's COVID is a different beast.

In terms of causing long haul issues, it is overall down on a per-person basis because of vaccines these days. However, Omicron makes up for it by being so bloody infectious that it hit nearly everyone and can keep doing it pretty much forever, right now.

Which is much worse given enough time.

Rroff · 2 Oct 2022 at 14:07

D.P. said:
Do a PCR test.

I have found the LFT not reliable.
In june i got a really bad cold, with flu like symptoms including 2 nights of fever, a horrific cough that went on for weeks, extreme fatigue. Tested 4 times with LFT and always negative. Then in August came down with similar symptoms, kept testing negative on LFT. But fatigue was horrendous. Wife got sick with identical symptoms, did an LFT and an immediate positive response. I went for a PCR and it came back positive.

Given how i felt in June compared to August i am sure that was also Covid, but have no evidence.

The current varients don't seem to get picked up by LFTs for some people

LFTs have previously been accurate enough for people at work, etc. I think it is more likely just the effect of it being a good 3 years since the last cold - possible it is a variant existing tests can't detect but so far when it has gone around here most people got clear results on LFTs.

I only know of one case around here where someone had COVID and kept testing negative despite it almost certainly being COVID as all their family had it and later confirmed with PCR.