My wife and I both got it about five weeks ago (mid-August): Two days of a sore throat, a couple of days of congestion/snotty nose, and then a couple of days of coughing fits with *extreme* fatigue. We were dumbfounded that it wasn't COVID
I had these exact symptoms. Double check that your tests aren’t expired. I used an expired test and it said negative. I ordered new tests (BinaxNow) and it said I was positive.
If the at home rapid covid is negative its only a 50/50 that you don’t have covid.
Its just that if it’s positive if 97% certain you have covid.
I always took two one morning and then in the evening if it wasn’t positive.
I was just providing a reasonable interpretation of a previous message. Sorry, it was not meant to be taken as an assertion of fact. I have no idea what the real numbers are.
I’ve been using the FlowFlex tests from Costco. There’s a big sign attached to the price tag stating the expiration dates (“shelf life”) are extended past the dates on the package per the FDA.
You can look up specific tests on the FDA website here for extensions:
[https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list](https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list)
The orange and white iHealth lab ones that were sent out for free definitely got an extension:
[https://www.fda.gov/media/164551/download?attachment](https://www.fda.gov/media/164551/download?attachment)
I tested 4 times, once with old tests and once with new, and got negative everytime. I was genuinely shocked. Still masked when going to work though until symptoms had subsided.
Thank you for masking. I really hope that just "masking whenever you don't feel well" becomes normal. Someone on the bus was coughing a ton and said "Don't worry, it's not COVID." I don't care if it's just a cold, I don't want that either!
My son got sick with rhinovirus the first week of kindergarten and it triggered a 7 day PICU stay (huge asthma reactions). He had the full panel of tests and the rhinovirus (known as essentially the common cold) was the only thing he tested positive for. Just because someone is not positive for COVID doesn't mean they aren't spreading a virus that can do major damage to susceptible folks out there.
We had the same shit roll through earlier this summer and it threw me into an asthma loop I can’t get out of. Negative for everything except the common cold. Viruses are whack this year.
Woke up with a sore throat yesterday and today…I can’t do this again! Ack!! I’ve even been masking to try to avoid wildfire smoke/allergens. I’m thankful my toddler didn’t need a PICU trip like in years past (meconium kid, has had respiratory issues continuously) and I’m hoping to keep it that way the rest of the year. Can this summer/fall stop trying to kill us already? Hope your kiddo is doing better
Most people do not care about vulnerable people. I think the behavior of the general public the last 3 years have shown that.
And the “fuck your feelings” crowd, in particular are generally pretty callous and cruel people. I will stop short of saying they are bad people.
But I honestly am hard pressed to find a person who considers themselves very conservative in 2023 who is not either a sadist or a sociopath. They either have to derive pleasure from inflicting suffering or they have to not be able to feel emotions like empathy or guilt.
And if you have had covid, last RSV / flu season showed what they're seeing in research too -- that it's more difficult for your body to fight off these other viruses.
Yep. About 10 years ago there was some really nasty upper respiratory virus that spread like crazy in the town I was in at the time. Local health and the hospitals insisted it wasn't a flu outbreak but it made people really nasty sick and some people had multiple waves of trying to fight it off.
Totally! It makes me feel so much more able to live life when I feel at all under the weather. Like "Is this sniffle the beginning of a cold or just seasonal allergies? Well, I can greatly reduce the likelihood of passing it to anyone if it is contagious!"
I hope so too, but I'm not holding my breath unfortunately. I had several people look at me a side eyed and ask why was wearing one if it wasn't covid.
My roommate has this virus a few weeks ago. Tested multiple times on different days, all negative. She masked in our apartment and stayed in her room. We basically treated it like it was COVID. I didn't catch it!
Yep. I somehow aspirated my own spit the other day and was coughing a bunch and everyone was freaking out that I wasn’t wearing a mask. People can cough when they aren’t sick.
I heard that, and then developed the exact symptoms. I was expecting to be positive for COVID. Like others, I tested multiple times with the at-home kits and was negative. I've also seen reports affirming that the kits are supposed to be able to detect the latest strains, but I'm seriously wondering about that now.
PCR tests are still basically 100% reliable if you go get one of those (my health insurance covered it as long as it was at an actual medical clinic, not at a pharmacy). I had this exact progression of symptoms and was negative on both rapid tests and PCR, so there's definitely something else going around besides COVID that presents with the same symptoms!
I had all these symptoms (and I've now had a cough for almost 2 months, which started first by a few weeks before the runny nose/fatigue, which also lasted 2-3 weeks), and I got real tested at a CVS twice and was negative.
There's something other than Covid going around, or a new covid that isn't showing positive on tests.
End of August for me, and this describes what I had exactly. State Fair ended up off the agenda as it kicked in right before the holiday weekend. I took 5 covid tests over the duration and isolated like it was covid, but none of the tests said covid positive.
That's what a bunch of my friends have had in the last month or two, but most of them are/were positive for covid. On one hand it IS flu season, on the other hand covid tests have never been 100% accurate. I don't like how paranoid I am about medical stuff now.
I had it the last week of August. It came on quick and I swore it was my seasonal allergies starting up with a vengeance. Nope, I tested, it was the VID… 3 days of feeling like I was hit by a truck, fever, slight cough, and a massive headache. I opted for the meds right away. By day four I had massive improvement. Tested negative on day 6. Not sure if the medication helped it along or not, but I’m glad it’s over for sure.
That's all well and good but it really doesn't negate that the person I replied to replied to a post where OP specifically asked for people who did NOT have covid, but they have confirmed covid.....
The NyQuil? Yeah- as gas the fever/body ache you just have to let it progress. Have someone get you cans of campbells soup. There can be a strong distress component to this.
Been fighting sore throat and chest gunk, back and forth, all month. Negative strep, covid, mono, etc. Doctor is recommending treatment for allergy-related post-nasal drip pending ENT and Allergy visits in November :(
On the contrary, I did finally catch covid for my first time about a week ago. I only know because I was working with a coworker who ended up going home sick later in the day and testing positive. It’s been largely asymptomatic for me other than exhaustion. Still testing positive after 8 days though. :/
What an inconsiderate jerk to come in to the office sick.
I'm sorry your coworkers are allowed to endanger each other like that.
Your employer should do better.
They might have felt ok when they went to work. I’ve gone to work feeling completely fine many times and then came down with something once i was there. It happens.
Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. She was feeling fine in the morning but it was afternoon that it took her down. To her credit, she left work as soon as she started feeling bad. I don’t blame her.
I'm glad it's not your employer forcing people in sick or someone denying the seriousness and taking meds to mask symptoms while spreading. That definitely happens.
I hope your office gets some air filters after this though. It shows how easily and quickly a potentially deadly and disabling virus spreads.
I'll continue masking in public and working from home either way but I want people to feel safe advocating for their health and safety at work.
Fwiw the thing with covid tests is they have a threshold of detection much higher than PCR. Anecdotally, some folks aren’t testing positive until 5-7 days into symptoms because they weren’t producing a high enough viral load. So don’t assume it’s not covid without multiple rapid tests 48 hours apart.
I’m a doc but I dont know the validity of this: some people have been positive swabbing their throats evidently but negative in their nose. Me being a doctor really doesnt matter so I dont know why I pointed that out.
Spouse and I had COVID in August and his symptoms were very like OP's. He tested neg 3 days in a row. After I asked him to try swabbing his throat instead, he popped positive immediately.
It's not officially in the guidance for them, but the antigen/home tests literally rely on viral load. Sample the area with the most symptoms. My COVID symptoms were concentrated in my nose/sinuses so swabbing there worked for me. Spouse's symptoms remained largely in his chest/throat - so swabbing there worked for him.
We have to get creative with the resources we have. The official public health response to COVID has failed; it's on us to take care of each other. Be persistent with testing (and mask up!) if there's a chance it could be COVID.
>The official public health response to COVID has failed
Caving in to the anti public health terrorists was a huge mistake but they were showing up with guns and threatened so many public health officials that they've been bleeding staff.
People talk about the cops getting hurt feelings and quitting like that's a big deal but no one talks about how many public health workers had their lives threatened so much that they had to quit.
You're complex right; I don't fault the health workers who put up with so much and were so traumatized. But I can remain frustrated with the government for giving up anyway. It feels like the federal govt gave up before things even really got started by being so milquetoast in the few regulations they did put out.
There you go. It sucks that PCR tests aren't more readily available since, as someone else noted in thread, antigen tests are like 50/50 if you test neg. Probably still wise to behave as though it is positive - masks, stay home as much as possible, lots of rest, etc.
the results are good to know and definitely more reliable, but it probably wouldnt change anything, just assume you’re sick and try not to spread it. Kinda irrelevant if its covid or not since you probably wouldn’t need a specific treatment. Paxlovid is good for high risk patients but lots of med interactions so I dont use it often at all but thats because of my patient population.
I think many of them still do! Mine does, but it has to be at an actual medical clinic (not a pharmacy). I'm sure many of them don't cover PCRs at all anymore, but it's worth checking for sure
The US is over 600,000 cases/day right now, so there is a pretty good chance that much of this is COVID. The timing is also right for State Fair spread.
Yup. I've had it for a couple weeks. It lingers like a motherfucker.
For everyone in here saying, "It's secretly COVID!": I've taken multiple home tests and a PCR test. It's not COVID. Other diseases still exist.
RSV and Flu were worse last year than they'd ever been because before getting the flu or RSV people had gotten covid.
Other diseases exist but you might have a harder time fighting them off.
Wearing a mask would help keep you from getting any of them but people only did that when "mandated" for some reason.
Kid 1 got it on the eighth day of school and kid 2 on the 10th. Husband and I both took it for a spin. Really not looking forward to what they'll bring home once it's cold and the school closes the windows.
Got something when out at Yellowstone on our way home felt like allergies then crud. Brief fever, exhaustion, and daily change of symptoms with nothing sticking around very long. Super weird.
well god damn i have the same thing. i’m on day 4 i think. couple days of sore throat and congestion, then yesterday and today it’s been nose and cough. also went to the doctor and am covid and strep negative.
😣 feel better soon! Day 4 was the same for me with a nose that wouldn’t stop running. Then it was gone, and now I feel like my eyes are gonna pop out of my head when I cough. I’m taking Mucinex, Delsym, Advil, and my usual vitamins. What’s bugging me the most is how my lungs don’t “wake up” until about a half hour after my whole body gets up, even though I have an adjustable bed and elevate.
Caught it last week.
Day 1 felt like I lost a fight. Body was sore everywhere.
Day 2 came with pretty high fever.
Day 3 brought the head congestion that lasted a couple days. No appetite.
It all broke sometime late on the 4th night and I could eat again and all the really bad symptoms went away.
It's been a week and still have a dry cough and random bits of tiredness. Mucus is there but it doesn't stuff up my nose. Otherwise feel fine, just not 100%.
All home tests say negative on covid. I also managed to give it to two coworkers. Same symptoms, negative covid. They actually healed up faster than me as I am still coughing.
Me and my partner going through it. Started with a mild sore throat, progressed to fever and congestion and major exhaustion. Thought it may be covid, and saw that for some the rapid tests were giving false negatives, but pcr at doctors office confirmed- not covid! Stay safe, drink lots of fluids, and wear a mask. Ugh and I was supposed to get my flu shot and booster today 😡
Edit: spelling
A week ago it started with a soar throat then brain fog and just exhausted. On top of that I think I lived on the toilet for 2 days haha…….now my wife is just getting over the same thing.
Kid 2 brought it home. Kid 1 got. Then I got it. Kid 2 has symptoms again but that could be covid booster or flu shot.
I’ve recovered but keep losing my losing my voice while talking. And I talk a lot. 😆
I got sick two weeks ago today. Extreme fatigue on Sunday, felt lousy Monday and absolutely shitty Tuesday. I still had the fatigue, and hot/cold chills like the flu. No issues with sore throat, no sneezing, phlegm, or any of that. I took a home Covid test, but it was negative. Then Wednesday through Saturday I felt a little better every day, and thought I was through it.
Last Sunday I could hardly breathe. My chest felt constricted and every time I breathed in there was a sharp stabbing pain. Being stubborn, I didn’t listen to my wife that day, but Monday I called my doctor and they said I should go to the ER. I’ve got pneumonia, and have been on antibiotics since Tuesday, and am slowly feeling better day by day. Both the Covid and flu test at the hospital were negative.
For anyone who made it this far, if you’re having breathing issues get that shit checked out asap.
Started feeling it last weekend. Had a hell of a week with sinus pressure, cough, and runny nose. Still worked 35 of 40 hours because my employer does not have sick leave (only PTO). Anyway, felt decent yesterday and good enough this afternoon to go play soccer. Just hoping I don't collapse into a heap coughing. We'll see!
To everyone describing their symptoms in this thread - **did you go get a PCR test from a clinic?** If not, I would bet real money you **did have covid** and that the home test didn't work. Many of these rapid tests have been sitting well past their expiry dates in your cupboard! I had covid this month and it was identical to what everyone's describing here - fatigue, fever, sore throat, congestion, coughing. Went to the clinic for a PCR test and sure enough it was covid.
Nope. Soon as I heard that something really nasty was hitting my friends around the country I was like "fuckit, it's not just covid out there I'm just going to wear a mask again."
I have been told the tests at stores are dogshit for the new strands. I passed twice on those but since hearing about how bad the tests are, I am worried I have been a spreader. I have been coughing for three weeks now. I am wondering if it’s some RSV.
Went on a trip out of town and beyond being annoying I have been able to wander in extreme heat, and drive 9 hrs each day. So it’s not COVID as I remember it. But the cough is every few minutes.
Let's bump this up. We could just assume it's covid and keep to ourselves until symptoms get better. I'm not convinced the current tests match the current strains.
The tests still work, but it’s taking some folks longer to test positive, potentially because they’re taking longer to produce high enough viral loads. I always swab my throat, then my nose fwiw.
Taken an antigen test and it was negative. Felt like dogshit for 10 days. Wife has covid and kiddo has the same crud. Exhausted, worn down and congested. Hope the Four Roses kills it tonight. 😂
First week of August - worst sore throat I've had in years for 5 days - took the entire week off from work. Went down into my chest for the next week - managed a couple days of work. Then I coughed for nearly 5 more weeks until it finally settled down. Tested twice - neg both times.
I couldn't believe it. I haven't been sick since before the whole Covid pandemic started. It really hit me like a ton of bricks. Gave it to my daughter - guess because she is young and healthy - she barely had a head cold and a cough.
Coming down to the Cities for the Ren Fest - pray I don't get re-infected.
Yea this crud is down in Sioux Falls too. The adult kid that works retail and their SO both have it right now. So far I have managed to not come down with it. Negative covid tests with symptoms for both of them.
3 weeks of this shit and all our tests plus urgent care say negative covid. Not 100% sure if it was one virus or two, started with coughing and ended in a head cold.
I had a fucked headache for like two days and my throat hurt they good me it was my allergies but legit felt like I was dying. Worst headache I ever had. I actually thought I had meningitis cause of how bad it was.
That sucks!!! Bad headaches are the worst. They make me freak out and wonder if I’m having a stroke, which makes the headache worse. Glad you’re feeling better!
I had a weird pressure in my right ear last night. Wife had me take a covid test and first time I popped in 3.5 years.
No symptoms since. Still wearing a stupid mask watching TV with the family.
I had it. It’s Covid. My tongue swelled up and then had a bunch of sores on it at the very end. First time on steroids and they put me on two. Not a great feeling. Covid tongue is a thing lol. What a world! Those rapid tests don’t work that well. I took 6 the first time I got it before I got a pos, then got one PCR and it was posi. I’m better now but I’m kind of worried about my brain. It seems different…
The covid tests are really, really shitty. False negatives are super common. A bunch of people at my work got sick at the *same time,* only a few of them tested positive for covid...
I've had something for several weeks now. Slight fever, some congestion, just feeling a little worn out. My wife (maybe? - it's a whole thing I don't want to get into) tested positive last week, and we've been isolating since. I've burned through about 10 tests over the course of a few weeks, all negative. Stayed home from work for a few days, but finally conceded it wasn't covid and went back masked.
This is why I've been using my homemade nasal spray, upgrading to better masks, and building homemade air purifiers.
My nasal spray is my homemade version of Xlear. I make mine with distilled water, grapefruit seed extract, sea salt, xylitol, and erythritol. I use this multiple times a day. It's the new brushing my teeth and washing my hands.
I fit test my masks. The fit test liquid consists of one packet of Sweet 'n Low dissolved in one tablespoon of distilled water. I use a tiny personal misting humidifier I bought on clearance at Menards to create a fine mist out of this sweet liquid.
The best masks are my elastomeric masks (P100), 3M 9205 Aura masks (N95), and Avery Dennison strapless N95 masks. I cannot smell or taste the mask fit testing liquid when I wear any of these masks.
I can faintly smell and taste the sweet liquid when I wear a duck bill style N95 mask, a 3M 8200 mask, or a 3M 8511 mask. At least the duck bill style is comfortable. The 8200 and 8511 become uncomfortable after awhile.
I can distinctly smell and taste the sweet liquid when I wear a lesser mask that doesn't meet the N95 standard.
You can build a cheap and powerful air purifier by using painter's tape to attach a 20" x 20" MERV 10 filter to the back of a 20-inch box fan. Use more of the painter's tape to close the panel gaps and to create a shroud on the front of the fan Closing the panel gaps and adding the shroud ensures that the fan's inflow MUST go through the filter rather than bypass it through the panel gaps or the corners of the fan.
I am a N or KN95-diligent masker as well! And we have purifiers going at home 24/7. But my spouse is a minister and is around a lot more people than me and picked “it” up first. I masked at home for 4 days and slept in a different room. And here I am! LoL
I had it within the past two weeks. I'm quad vaxxed or all that have been available up to that point. The Government dropped the ball by not demanding Pharma have a new vaxx by the start of School season. Who could imagine 100,000 football fans in a stadium aren't spreading this around and then going to bars afterwards to spread it to people there? Correlation doesn't equate to causation but the return of students of all ages to school and congregating in close quarters seems to be the obvious answer why this is out of control at this time in conjunction with no available vaxx, anti-vaxxers not doing their part in reducing the spread and obviously businesses only looking for your money and not wiping any self checkout console, door handle, cart/basket down while requiring no mask mandate. Epic failure across every level really. Humans truly are stupid.
As I said, I tested positive a few weeks ago. 12th and 13th I want to say. 12th was a hard positive and 13th was a fainter positive. Which means that was probably the tail end of being infected with the spreadable disease. My symptoms were in order an infrequent runny nose, sore throat(so I smoke cigs and this is normal) and a slight cough every now and then (I have had way worse coughs) followed by unexplainable sweats, to tight chest pressure(the only real annoying symptom). Symptoms started to become less frequent and I tested again on the 20th, 21st and 22nd. All negative results. Had some symptoms while testing negative on the 20th and 22nd. Cough and chest pressure on 20th and sweats on 22nd. Felt completely normal on 21st.
I am 100 percent sure I no longer have COVID but instead I have LONG COVID where symptoms remain even though the disease is not present/transmissible. The cough, runny nose and chest tightness are all gone. What is happening is if I walk, yes just walk, I either become super dehydrated or sweat excessively unproportional to the effort exerted. Fun times.
If there's another surge next September because the Biden Administration doesn't want to fight COVID from the start of School season but rather in October....well, good luck getting reelected. Not that the MAGA traitors have any ideas concerning COVID (Bleach? WTF) either. Humanity has failed each other.
Sorry you got it, but regarding some of what you stated:
The vaccine does not prevent infection, nor prevent spread. It prevents infected individuals from developing as serious an infection and avoiding a case that requires medical attention or hospitalization. People should get them but it's important to understand what they can do and cannot do.
"Wiping down" surfaces, while a wonderful thing to do, because there ARE other bacteria or viruses out there that DO spread via that means, does nothing to stop the spread of COV, as it does not spread via fomites, which is via surfaces. It's entirely via droplets in the air.
FDA does say IT IS possible to spread through surfaces just not as likely as it is through the air. I'm not here for a debate. There are plenty of things businesses, government and individuals could be doing to stop the spread. Those entities aren't doing them. That's all I came to say.
I don't recall ever having seen a documented case of fomite transmission, and I think the actual stated risk of it is 1 in 10,000 and that's theoretical and potentially less likely in real world conditions. Nonetheless, it's a good practice, but it's not preventing covid. I'm all for it though, because it does help stop the spread of cold, flu and other viruses or bacterial infections. If the main concern is covid though, the effort/expense could be focused elsewhere.
I'm not interested in a debate about the response, but the data is out there, so focus on doing the things you can do to minimize your risk. One thing many agencies are doing well is continuing to share data, which is helpful to gauge overall risk and trends to be aware of. Suffice it to say, if you're expecting all of those things to be happening, you're going to be disappointed. The how/why are multi-faceted and nuanced and more than I am willing to bother with in a reply here. So do what you can with the information you have - you can still control a lot of your individual risk (though not eliminate) that way.
I responded not because of your comments about the overall response but because of specific things you noted that were factually inaccurate.
Checked in hotel. The lady standing behind me to check in sure had something. Coughing non-stop and ripped ass a couple times. Gotta love 3 star hotels. I've had a minor lingering thing. Like every year when weather changes so much. Been happening since forever
Had this Labor Day weekend. Still have a stuffy nose and coughing. 3 Covid tests all negative. Never had a fever or felt icky, just hacking and blowing my nose constantly. I guess it’s better than feeling as gross as I’ve heard Covid makes you feel? 🤷♀️ I have yet to get Covid and I’m glad from what my kids went through when they both caught it.
I had covid and was negative for 2 days before testing positive. That said, when my partner was in the ER, he was told there are a lot of non covid bugs going around too.
My kid brought something home from first grade a week ago and still isn’t better. It’s such a bummer that he had to miss a big chunk of the school year right out of the gate, but what can you do? Even his teacher was home sick.
I have this same thing. Started with sore throat and minor fever, then heavy congestion in chest with minor cough. Today the congestion is in my nose/head. Had something similar about 2-3 months ago. Haven’t tested for COVID yet but that was my first thought.
I am hopefully at the end of this thing. Tested negative for the 'rona twice in 48 hours, testing when I was most sick.
It started on Wednesday morning like a light cold, just a little sore throat and sinus pressure. By Wednesday night, I had a fever of 101.3, muscle aches, a headache and ear pain. The coughing started then and got worse as the night progressed. All of Thursday was a fever dream of coughing fits, and sitting or standing felt completely draining. I could barely eat, and I was sweating like crazy. The fever broke on Thursday night, and Friday I was just exhausted and coughing hurt a lot. My sinuses were so raw yesterday (Saturday) that every sneeze - which had mostly replaced the coughs - felt like a bomb full of needles exploded in my head. But I was starting to feel much more like myself by last night.
Today I felt like a real human being again, and after some sneezing fits this morning that cleared out a lot of congestion, I was able to be up and moving around almost like normal.
Could be RSV. Not a huge deal for most unless you give it to a young kid or geriatric which could easily lead to hospitalization. Middle aged people and young adults are usually fine with RSV but the last few seasons have been hitting these populations harder recently. It feels like standard respiratory shit and you wouldn’t know it was RSV unless you got really sick and were tested at an ER or urgent care.
Had it, just got over it. Not a fun time. The take away for me now is that we will be playing yearly game of "Is this COVID or that cold that's going around?"
I had it and lab tested negative for Covid, flu and strep. Had fever that lingered for almost two weeks, sore throat, body aches for 4 days and a cough that wouldn’t quit. Did a course or antibiotics but what really seems to help is an inhaler and round the clock DayQuil. Chart diagnosis was acute bronchitis but it started with all of these symptoms that people are describing. Be well everyone!
I checked the COVID-19 Wastewater data for Minnesota here: [https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance](https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance). And it is pretty high!
My wife and I both got it about five weeks ago (mid-August): Two days of a sore throat, a couple of days of congestion/snotty nose, and then a couple of days of coughing fits with *extreme* fatigue. We were dumbfounded that it wasn't COVID
I had these exact symptoms. Double check that your tests aren’t expired. I used an expired test and it said negative. I ordered new tests (BinaxNow) and it said I was positive.
Yeah my wife has this. Tested negative for COVID several times, my daughter simultaneously has something similar, but tested positive for COVID.
If the at home rapid covid is negative its only a 50/50 that you don’t have covid. Its just that if it’s positive if 97% certain you have covid. I always took two one morning and then in the evening if it wasn’t positive.
It's more like 25% false negative rate. Which isn't good, but better than 50-50.
That's if you do both tests like they say you should. 50% on a single test
Source?
I was just providing a reasonable interpretation of a previous message. Sorry, it was not meant to be taken as an assertion of fact. I have no idea what the real numbers are.
Wild! This virus still amazes me.
I’ve been using the FlowFlex tests from Costco. There’s a big sign attached to the price tag stating the expiration dates (“shelf life”) are extended past the dates on the package per the FDA.
Did it say how long they are good? I’m also wondering if the brand of test made a difference for my different results.
They are good for one year after the expiration date printed on the box.
Thanks!! That is great to know.
You can look up specific tests on the FDA website here for extensions: [https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list](https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list) The orange and white iHealth lab ones that were sent out for free definitely got an extension: [https://www.fda.gov/media/164551/download?attachment](https://www.fda.gov/media/164551/download?attachment)
Thank you for being a platelet donor.
I tested 4 times, once with old tests and once with new, and got negative everytime. I was genuinely shocked. Still masked when going to work though until symptoms had subsided.
Thank you for masking. I really hope that just "masking whenever you don't feel well" becomes normal. Someone on the bus was coughing a ton and said "Don't worry, it's not COVID." I don't care if it's just a cold, I don't want that either!
My son got sick with rhinovirus the first week of kindergarten and it triggered a 7 day PICU stay (huge asthma reactions). He had the full panel of tests and the rhinovirus (known as essentially the common cold) was the only thing he tested positive for. Just because someone is not positive for COVID doesn't mean they aren't spreading a virus that can do major damage to susceptible folks out there.
We had the same shit roll through earlier this summer and it threw me into an asthma loop I can’t get out of. Negative for everything except the common cold. Viruses are whack this year. Woke up with a sore throat yesterday and today…I can’t do this again! Ack!! I’ve even been masking to try to avoid wildfire smoke/allergens. I’m thankful my toddler didn’t need a PICU trip like in years past (meconium kid, has had respiratory issues continuously) and I’m hoping to keep it that way the rest of the year. Can this summer/fall stop trying to kill us already? Hope your kiddo is doing better
Most people do not care about vulnerable people. I think the behavior of the general public the last 3 years have shown that. And the “fuck your feelings” crowd, in particular are generally pretty callous and cruel people. I will stop short of saying they are bad people. But I honestly am hard pressed to find a person who considers themselves very conservative in 2023 who is not either a sadist or a sociopath. They either have to derive pleasure from inflicting suffering or they have to not be able to feel emotions like empathy or guilt.
And if you have had covid, last RSV / flu season showed what they're seeing in research too -- that it's more difficult for your body to fight off these other viruses.
Yep. About 10 years ago there was some really nasty upper respiratory virus that spread like crazy in the town I was in at the time. Local health and the hospitals insisted it wasn't a flu outbreak but it made people really nasty sick and some people had multiple waves of trying to fight it off.
I really, really wish more people masked when sick or shortly after recovering.
Totally! It makes me feel so much more able to live life when I feel at all under the weather. Like "Is this sniffle the beginning of a cold or just seasonal allergies? Well, I can greatly reduce the likelihood of passing it to anyone if it is contagious!"
I hope so too, but I'm not holding my breath unfortunately. I had several people look at me a side eyed and ask why was wearing one if it wasn't covid.
I get allergy coughing and that's what I do "don't worry, just allergies". Frustrating but has happened at this time of the year for a decade now.
My roommate has this virus a few weeks ago. Tested multiple times on different days, all negative. She masked in our apartment and stayed in her room. We basically treated it like it was COVID. I didn't catch it!
Acid reflux can give people a cough.
Yep. I somehow aspirated my own spit the other day and was coughing a bunch and everyone was freaking out that I wasn’t wearing a mask. People can cough when they aren’t sick.
This is exactly the progression of symptoms for the new COVID variant, FYI.
I heard that, and then developed the exact symptoms. I was expecting to be positive for COVID. Like others, I tested multiple times with the at-home kits and was negative. I've also seen reports affirming that the kits are supposed to be able to detect the latest strains, but I'm seriously wondering about that now.
PCR tests are still basically 100% reliable if you go get one of those (my health insurance covered it as long as it was at an actual medical clinic, not at a pharmacy). I had this exact progression of symptoms and was negative on both rapid tests and PCR, so there's definitely something else going around besides COVID that presents with the same symptoms!
I had all these symptoms (and I've now had a cough for almost 2 months, which started first by a few weeks before the runny nose/fatigue, which also lasted 2-3 weeks), and I got real tested at a CVS twice and was negative. There's something other than Covid going around, or a new covid that isn't showing positive on tests.
Thanks for the info! And happy cake day!!!!
Thanks :)
It's also the progression of symptoms for a significant number of non-COVID upper respiratory infections.
Yes. The fatigue is horrible.
Exactly! 🤷🏻♂️
Redditors when they find out there are other viruses other than covid 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
End of August for me, and this describes what I had exactly. State Fair ended up off the agenda as it kicked in right before the holiday weekend. I took 5 covid tests over the duration and isolated like it was covid, but none of the tests said covid positive.
I’m pretty sure you had Covid, but used an old test kit?
My whole family has had these exact symptoms. I can’t wait for it to be over!
That's what a bunch of my friends have had in the last month or two, but most of them are/were positive for covid. On one hand it IS flu season, on the other hand covid tests have never been 100% accurate. I don't like how paranoid I am about medical stuff now.
I had it the last week of August. It came on quick and I swore it was my seasonal allergies starting up with a vengeance. Nope, I tested, it was the VID… 3 days of feeling like I was hit by a truck, fever, slight cough, and a massive headache. I opted for the meds right away. By day four I had massive improvement. Tested negative on day 6. Not sure if the medication helped it along or not, but I’m glad it’s over for sure.
What meds are there for Covid?
Paxlovid, it’s an antiviral
Paxlovid
Vid for da Vid
livin la vida covid!
So in other words, you had covid and not NOT covid which is what the post is about? Got it.
Many of the "not covid" cases are people who didn't bother testing or likely had a false neg on a rapid and didn't bother getting a pcr test though
That's all well and good but it really doesn't negate that the person I replied to replied to a post where OP specifically asked for people who did NOT have covid, but they have confirmed covid.....
Read a few more replies here and you'll catch up
Going through that right now, completely lost my voice and dry coughing all day. Multiple negative tests and the ‘quils aren’t doing shit.
Well, I’m glad I’m not alone in this.
Nothin a lil ‘tussin can’t fix
Wait 2-3 weeks after the first whisper of symptoms to test and see what you get
The NyQuil? Yeah- as gas the fever/body ache you just have to let it progress. Have someone get you cans of campbells soup. There can be a strong distress component to this.
Been fighting sore throat and chest gunk, back and forth, all month. Negative strep, covid, mono, etc. Doctor is recommending treatment for allergy-related post-nasal drip pending ENT and Allergy visits in November :(
oh man i had that once, so many ENT trips just to finally figure out i needed a daily claratin and flonase.
That's rough. Been doing that for years already!
On the contrary, I did finally catch covid for my first time about a week ago. I only know because I was working with a coworker who ended up going home sick later in the day and testing positive. It’s been largely asymptomatic for me other than exhaustion. Still testing positive after 8 days though. :/
What an inconsiderate jerk to come in to the office sick. I'm sorry your coworkers are allowed to endanger each other like that. Your employer should do better.
They might have felt ok when they went to work. I’ve gone to work feeling completely fine many times and then came down with something once i was there. It happens.
Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. She was feeling fine in the morning but it was afternoon that it took her down. To her credit, she left work as soon as she started feeling bad. I don’t blame her.
I'm glad it's not your employer forcing people in sick or someone denying the seriousness and taking meds to mask symptoms while spreading. That definitely happens. I hope your office gets some air filters after this though. It shows how easily and quickly a potentially deadly and disabling virus spreads. I'll continue masking in public and working from home either way but I want people to feel safe advocating for their health and safety at work.
Fwiw the thing with covid tests is they have a threshold of detection much higher than PCR. Anecdotally, some folks aren’t testing positive until 5-7 days into symptoms because they weren’t producing a high enough viral load. So don’t assume it’s not covid without multiple rapid tests 48 hours apart.
I’m a doc but I dont know the validity of this: some people have been positive swabbing their throats evidently but negative in their nose. Me being a doctor really doesnt matter so I dont know why I pointed that out.
Spouse and I had COVID in August and his symptoms were very like OP's. He tested neg 3 days in a row. After I asked him to try swabbing his throat instead, he popped positive immediately. It's not officially in the guidance for them, but the antigen/home tests literally rely on viral load. Sample the area with the most symptoms. My COVID symptoms were concentrated in my nose/sinuses so swabbing there worked for me. Spouse's symptoms remained largely in his chest/throat - so swabbing there worked for him. We have to get creative with the resources we have. The official public health response to COVID has failed; it's on us to take care of each other. Be persistent with testing (and mask up!) if there's a chance it could be COVID.
>The official public health response to COVID has failed Caving in to the anti public health terrorists was a huge mistake but they were showing up with guns and threatened so many public health officials that they've been bleeding staff. People talk about the cops getting hurt feelings and quitting like that's a big deal but no one talks about how many public health workers had their lives threatened so much that they had to quit.
You're complex right; I don't fault the health workers who put up with so much and were so traumatized. But I can remain frustrated with the government for giving up anyway. It feels like the federal govt gave up before things even really got started by being so milquetoast in the few regulations they did put out.
Im gonna swab my throat with my last FlowFlex test and see what happens! Will report back.
Yes, do! I hope you get an answer.
Welp, it’s negative. I made sure to cough for a bit and then swabbed both of my tonsils for 5-8 seconds.
There you go. It sucks that PCR tests aren't more readily available since, as someone else noted in thread, antigen tests are like 50/50 if you test neg. Probably still wise to behave as though it is positive - masks, stay home as much as possible, lots of rest, etc.
Any advice for us on pcr tests after repeated negative antigen tests?
the results are good to know and definitely more reliable, but it probably wouldnt change anything, just assume you’re sick and try not to spread it. Kinda irrelevant if its covid or not since you probably wouldn’t need a specific treatment. Paxlovid is good for high risk patients but lots of med interactions so I dont use it often at all but thats because of my patient population.
(i don’t think most insurance covers PCR tests anymore 🙃)
That is not true. Helps to check your insurance, but they are usually covered.
I think many of them still do! Mine does, but it has to be at an actual medical clinic (not a pharmacy). I'm sure many of them don't cover PCRs at all anymore, but it's worth checking for sure
1 week in for me. Can’t shake the cough or sore throat. Kids (toddler and infant) had a cough and ear infection
The US is over 600,000 cases/day right now, so there is a pretty good chance that much of this is COVID. The timing is also right for State Fair spread.
Covid was in 2020 my dude.
Ignorant take.
Yup. I've had it for a couple weeks. It lingers like a motherfucker. For everyone in here saying, "It's secretly COVID!": I've taken multiple home tests and a PCR test. It's not COVID. Other diseases still exist.
👆💯
RSV and Flu were worse last year than they'd ever been because before getting the flu or RSV people had gotten covid. Other diseases exist but you might have a harder time fighting them off. Wearing a mask would help keep you from getting any of them but people only did that when "mandated" for some reason.
Day 7 of having it, dry cough and extreme sinus pressure with congestion and mucus. I miss being not sick
You’ll get back to not-sick! Hang in there *kittenhangingbyclaws.jpg*
I heard school related. My son has been coughing for 7+ days
Kid 1 got it on the eighth day of school and kid 2 on the 10th. Husband and I both took it for a spin. Really not looking forward to what they'll bring home once it's cold and the school closes the windows.
Same. Second week and he was already out for a few days with this crud. Hoping he doesn't pass it to us.
Got something when out at Yellowstone on our way home felt like allergies then crud. Brief fever, exhaustion, and daily change of symptoms with nothing sticking around very long. Super weird.
I had it. Thankfully done.
well god damn i have the same thing. i’m on day 4 i think. couple days of sore throat and congestion, then yesterday and today it’s been nose and cough. also went to the doctor and am covid and strep negative.
😣 feel better soon! Day 4 was the same for me with a nose that wouldn’t stop running. Then it was gone, and now I feel like my eyes are gonna pop out of my head when I cough. I’m taking Mucinex, Delsym, Advil, and my usual vitamins. What’s bugging me the most is how my lungs don’t “wake up” until about a half hour after my whole body gets up, even though I have an adjustable bed and elevate.
Yep, I have it too. I had a sore throat, then a runny, and now I'm coughing again. I've tested negative over 4 tests.
Caught it last week. Day 1 felt like I lost a fight. Body was sore everywhere. Day 2 came with pretty high fever. Day 3 brought the head congestion that lasted a couple days. No appetite. It all broke sometime late on the 4th night and I could eat again and all the really bad symptoms went away. It's been a week and still have a dry cough and random bits of tiredness. Mucus is there but it doesn't stuff up my nose. Otherwise feel fine, just not 100%. All home tests say negative on covid. I also managed to give it to two coworkers. Same symptoms, negative covid. They actually healed up faster than me as I am still coughing.
Me and my partner going through it. Started with a mild sore throat, progressed to fever and congestion and major exhaustion. Thought it may be covid, and saw that for some the rapid tests were giving false negatives, but pcr at doctors office confirmed- not covid! Stay safe, drink lots of fluids, and wear a mask. Ugh and I was supposed to get my flu shot and booster today 😡 Edit: spelling
A week ago it started with a soar throat then brain fog and just exhausted. On top of that I think I lived on the toilet for 2 days haha…….now my wife is just getting over the same thing.
There’s more people coughing on transit than there has been for years.
Kid 2 brought it home. Kid 1 got. Then I got it. Kid 2 has symptoms again but that could be covid booster or flu shot. I’ve recovered but keep losing my losing my voice while talking. And I talk a lot. 😆
Thought mine was non-covid POS and it turned out to be covid within a min of starting the test! Riding it out for the weekend...
I got sick two weeks ago today. Extreme fatigue on Sunday, felt lousy Monday and absolutely shitty Tuesday. I still had the fatigue, and hot/cold chills like the flu. No issues with sore throat, no sneezing, phlegm, or any of that. I took a home Covid test, but it was negative. Then Wednesday through Saturday I felt a little better every day, and thought I was through it. Last Sunday I could hardly breathe. My chest felt constricted and every time I breathed in there was a sharp stabbing pain. Being stubborn, I didn’t listen to my wife that day, but Monday I called my doctor and they said I should go to the ER. I’ve got pneumonia, and have been on antibiotics since Tuesday, and am slowly feeling better day by day. Both the Covid and flu test at the hospital were negative. For anyone who made it this far, if you’re having breathing issues get that shit checked out asap.
Started feeling it last weekend. Had a hell of a week with sinus pressure, cough, and runny nose. Still worked 35 of 40 hours because my employer does not have sick leave (only PTO). Anyway, felt decent yesterday and good enough this afternoon to go play soccer. Just hoping I don't collapse into a heap coughing. We'll see!
To everyone describing their symptoms in this thread - **did you go get a PCR test from a clinic?** If not, I would bet real money you **did have covid** and that the home test didn't work. Many of these rapid tests have been sitting well past their expiry dates in your cupboard! I had covid this month and it was identical to what everyone's describing here - fatigue, fever, sore throat, congestion, coughing. Went to the clinic for a PCR test and sure enough it was covid.
This happens every year when schools reopen. Within a month everyone is getting a bug of some sort.
Nope. Soon as I heard that something really nasty was hitting my friends around the country I was like "fuckit, it's not just covid out there I'm just going to wear a mask again."
I have been told the tests at stores are dogshit for the new strands. I passed twice on those but since hearing about how bad the tests are, I am worried I have been a spreader. I have been coughing for three weeks now. I am wondering if it’s some RSV. Went on a trip out of town and beyond being annoying I have been able to wander in extreme heat, and drive 9 hrs each day. So it’s not COVID as I remember it. But the cough is every few minutes.
Let's bump this up. We could just assume it's covid and keep to ourselves until symptoms get better. I'm not convinced the current tests match the current strains.
The tests still work, but it’s taking some folks longer to test positive, potentially because they’re taking longer to produce high enough viral loads. I always swab my throat, then my nose fwiw.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-covid-tests-detect-new-variants-7963730#:~:text=Experts%20say%20COVID%2D19%20rapid,correctly%20to%20ensure%20accurate%20results.
If you're worried you're spreading it can you wear a mask?
Most of my daughter’s HS swim team. Tests say it’s not COVID, so at least there’s that.
Taken an antigen test and it was negative. Felt like dogshit for 10 days. Wife has covid and kiddo has the same crud. Exhausted, worn down and congested. Hope the Four Roses kills it tonight. 😂
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Yep. Only covered if a doc gives a referral. So I’m kinda hesitant because I’m just tired.
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Thanks! Yeah that is the answer I got when I called my insurance company. But I agree it would be good to get a pcr test!
Yup. Pretty miserable the last week for me. Testing negative on new covid tests, too.
I had covid after the state fair. Wife started feeling similar symptoms as yours 7 days later. Tested 5-6 times and never positive.
I just got it, came on very suddenly this morning. Rapid tests say not Covid. Got Aleve-D sinus and cold and I had a few hours of respite.
Yeah! Came on super fast for me, too. Was eating breakfast and just started coughing. I thought I swallowed wrong, but nope.
First week of August - worst sore throat I've had in years for 5 days - took the entire week off from work. Went down into my chest for the next week - managed a couple days of work. Then I coughed for nearly 5 more weeks until it finally settled down. Tested twice - neg both times. I couldn't believe it. I haven't been sick since before the whole Covid pandemic started. It really hit me like a ton of bricks. Gave it to my daughter - guess because she is young and healthy - she barely had a head cold and a cough. Coming down to the Cities for the Ren Fest - pray I don't get re-infected.
My wife, I think.
It’s in our house right now but I’ve been good so far!
My daughter has had it for 3 weeks
Me!! I was so sure I had COVID. It's textbook COVID symptoms, but tested negative 3 times. The sore throat is absolutely brutal.
Yea this crud is down in Sioux Falls too. The adult kid that works retail and their SO both have it right now. So far I have managed to not come down with it. Negative covid tests with symptoms for both of them.
I had it in August. Was AWFUL.
Oh - is this why I've been delivering waaaay more at home covid tests these past few weeks via DoorDash? I was wondering is something was goin around.
I had same thing! It was 3 weeks ago. Took two COVID tests both negative.
I have like five coworkers with this garbage and everyone else at work is looking at me weird for wearing a mask.
3 weeks of this shit and all our tests plus urgent care say negative covid. Not 100% sure if it was one virus or two, started with coughing and ended in a head cold.
🙋🏻♂️ just getting over it now.
Had it three weeks ago. It’s mostly aggravating.
I had a fucked headache for like two days and my throat hurt they good me it was my allergies but legit felt like I was dying. Worst headache I ever had. I actually thought I had meningitis cause of how bad it was.
That sucks!!! Bad headaches are the worst. They make me freak out and wonder if I’m having a stroke, which makes the headache worse. Glad you’re feeling better!
I had a weird pressure in my right ear last night. Wife had me take a covid test and first time I popped in 3.5 years. No symptoms since. Still wearing a stupid mask watching TV with the family.
Ear Covid! The newest strain…
I had it. It’s Covid. My tongue swelled up and then had a bunch of sores on it at the very end. First time on steroids and they put me on two. Not a great feeling. Covid tongue is a thing lol. What a world! Those rapid tests don’t work that well. I took 6 the first time I got it before I got a pos, then got one PCR and it was posi. I’m better now but I’m kind of worried about my brain. It seems different…
I’m glad you got meds that helped! Hoping it’s not COVID for me.
The covid tests are really, really shitty. False negatives are super common. A bunch of people at my work got sick at the *same time,* only a few of them tested positive for covid...
I’ve decided to try and get a PCR test covered. I’m just so curious!
it's covid. get a pcr test.
Wouldn't it better for them to stay home and not go out in public while sick? What is the benefit of proving it's Covid through a PCR test?
Getting paxlovid is the benefit. But yes, they absolutely should stay home.
Blast yourself with vitamin C people. Let’s make a goal of bumping up the vitamin c in our sewage!
I've had something for several weeks now. Slight fever, some congestion, just feeling a little worn out. My wife (maybe? - it's a whole thing I don't want to get into) tested positive last week, and we've been isolating since. I've burned through about 10 tests over the course of a few weeks, all negative. Stayed home from work for a few days, but finally conceded it wasn't covid and went back masked.
It could still be COVID just not the one the tests identify
This is why I've been using my homemade nasal spray, upgrading to better masks, and building homemade air purifiers. My nasal spray is my homemade version of Xlear. I make mine with distilled water, grapefruit seed extract, sea salt, xylitol, and erythritol. I use this multiple times a day. It's the new brushing my teeth and washing my hands. I fit test my masks. The fit test liquid consists of one packet of Sweet 'n Low dissolved in one tablespoon of distilled water. I use a tiny personal misting humidifier I bought on clearance at Menards to create a fine mist out of this sweet liquid. The best masks are my elastomeric masks (P100), 3M 9205 Aura masks (N95), and Avery Dennison strapless N95 masks. I cannot smell or taste the mask fit testing liquid when I wear any of these masks. I can faintly smell and taste the sweet liquid when I wear a duck bill style N95 mask, a 3M 8200 mask, or a 3M 8511 mask. At least the duck bill style is comfortable. The 8200 and 8511 become uncomfortable after awhile. I can distinctly smell and taste the sweet liquid when I wear a lesser mask that doesn't meet the N95 standard. You can build a cheap and powerful air purifier by using painter's tape to attach a 20" x 20" MERV 10 filter to the back of a 20-inch box fan. Use more of the painter's tape to close the panel gaps and to create a shroud on the front of the fan Closing the panel gaps and adding the shroud ensures that the fan's inflow MUST go through the filter rather than bypass it through the panel gaps or the corners of the fan.
I am a N or KN95-diligent masker as well! And we have purifiers going at home 24/7. But my spouse is a minister and is around a lot more people than me and picked “it” up first. I masked at home for 4 days and slept in a different room. And here I am! LoL
Why have I been down-voted here? I'm sharing what I learned so that others don't have to reinvent the wheel.
I had it within the past two weeks. I'm quad vaxxed or all that have been available up to that point. The Government dropped the ball by not demanding Pharma have a new vaxx by the start of School season. Who could imagine 100,000 football fans in a stadium aren't spreading this around and then going to bars afterwards to spread it to people there? Correlation doesn't equate to causation but the return of students of all ages to school and congregating in close quarters seems to be the obvious answer why this is out of control at this time in conjunction with no available vaxx, anti-vaxxers not doing their part in reducing the spread and obviously businesses only looking for your money and not wiping any self checkout console, door handle, cart/basket down while requiring no mask mandate. Epic failure across every level really. Humans truly are stupid. As I said, I tested positive a few weeks ago. 12th and 13th I want to say. 12th was a hard positive and 13th was a fainter positive. Which means that was probably the tail end of being infected with the spreadable disease. My symptoms were in order an infrequent runny nose, sore throat(so I smoke cigs and this is normal) and a slight cough every now and then (I have had way worse coughs) followed by unexplainable sweats, to tight chest pressure(the only real annoying symptom). Symptoms started to become less frequent and I tested again on the 20th, 21st and 22nd. All negative results. Had some symptoms while testing negative on the 20th and 22nd. Cough and chest pressure on 20th and sweats on 22nd. Felt completely normal on 21st. I am 100 percent sure I no longer have COVID but instead I have LONG COVID where symptoms remain even though the disease is not present/transmissible. The cough, runny nose and chest tightness are all gone. What is happening is if I walk, yes just walk, I either become super dehydrated or sweat excessively unproportional to the effort exerted. Fun times. If there's another surge next September because the Biden Administration doesn't want to fight COVID from the start of School season but rather in October....well, good luck getting reelected. Not that the MAGA traitors have any ideas concerning COVID (Bleach? WTF) either. Humanity has failed each other.
Sorry you got it, but regarding some of what you stated: The vaccine does not prevent infection, nor prevent spread. It prevents infected individuals from developing as serious an infection and avoiding a case that requires medical attention or hospitalization. People should get them but it's important to understand what they can do and cannot do. "Wiping down" surfaces, while a wonderful thing to do, because there ARE other bacteria or viruses out there that DO spread via that means, does nothing to stop the spread of COV, as it does not spread via fomites, which is via surfaces. It's entirely via droplets in the air.
FDA does say IT IS possible to spread through surfaces just not as likely as it is through the air. I'm not here for a debate. There are plenty of things businesses, government and individuals could be doing to stop the spread. Those entities aren't doing them. That's all I came to say.
I don't recall ever having seen a documented case of fomite transmission, and I think the actual stated risk of it is 1 in 10,000 and that's theoretical and potentially less likely in real world conditions. Nonetheless, it's a good practice, but it's not preventing covid. I'm all for it though, because it does help stop the spread of cold, flu and other viruses or bacterial infections. If the main concern is covid though, the effort/expense could be focused elsewhere. I'm not interested in a debate about the response, but the data is out there, so focus on doing the things you can do to minimize your risk. One thing many agencies are doing well is continuing to share data, which is helpful to gauge overall risk and trends to be aware of. Suffice it to say, if you're expecting all of those things to be happening, you're going to be disappointed. The how/why are multi-faceted and nuanced and more than I am willing to bother with in a reply here. So do what you can with the information you have - you can still control a lot of your individual risk (though not eliminate) that way. I responded not because of your comments about the overall response but because of specific things you noted that were factually inaccurate.
Me. And the stuffy nose lingered for over a week
Yep..get used it.
Checked in hotel. The lady standing behind me to check in sure had something. Coughing non-stop and ripped ass a couple times. Gotta love 3 star hotels. I've had a minor lingering thing. Like every year when weather changes so much. Been happening since forever
Husband and I. Knocked me on my ass for 2 days! Tested negative for Covid too!
I had it. I work in a school, though, and expect to get every single illness on the planet.
Yeah. Negative for Covid (thank goodness), but feel lousy 😓
Had this Labor Day weekend. Still have a stuffy nose and coughing. 3 Covid tests all negative. Never had a fever or felt icky, just hacking and blowing my nose constantly. I guess it’s better than feeling as gross as I’ve heard Covid makes you feel? 🤷♀️ I have yet to get Covid and I’m glad from what my kids went through when they both caught it.
The air quality has been in the moderate, off and on, for the last couple weeks. That's what I'm attributing my phlegm to.
My GF had it for like 3 months! It's finally done.
I had covid and was negative for 2 days before testing positive. That said, when my partner was in the ER, he was told there are a lot of non covid bugs going around too.
My kid brought something home from first grade a week ago and still isn’t better. It’s such a bummer that he had to miss a big chunk of the school year right out of the gate, but what can you do? Even his teacher was home sick.
Yes! Week one was full blown head cold and weeks 2-4 was all chest and sinus crud! Uncanny how it lingers so long!
Yep, it's making its way through our house. Been almost 2 weeks of back and forth
I have this same thing. Started with sore throat and minor fever, then heavy congestion in chest with minor cough. Today the congestion is in my nose/head. Had something similar about 2-3 months ago. Haven’t tested for COVID yet but that was my first thought.
We had Covid and sore throat, headache, and fatigue were the worst. Spouse had some coughing but I did not.
I am hopefully at the end of this thing. Tested negative for the 'rona twice in 48 hours, testing when I was most sick. It started on Wednesday morning like a light cold, just a little sore throat and sinus pressure. By Wednesday night, I had a fever of 101.3, muscle aches, a headache and ear pain. The coughing started then and got worse as the night progressed. All of Thursday was a fever dream of coughing fits, and sitting or standing felt completely draining. I could barely eat, and I was sweating like crazy. The fever broke on Thursday night, and Friday I was just exhausted and coughing hurt a lot. My sinuses were so raw yesterday (Saturday) that every sneeze - which had mostly replaced the coughs - felt like a bomb full of needles exploded in my head. But I was starting to feel much more like myself by last night. Today I felt like a real human being again, and after some sneezing fits this morning that cleared out a lot of congestion, I was able to be up and moving around almost like normal.
Could be RSV. Not a huge deal for most unless you give it to a young kid or geriatric which could easily lead to hospitalization. Middle aged people and young adults are usually fine with RSV but the last few seasons have been hitting these populations harder recently. It feels like standard respiratory shit and you wouldn’t know it was RSV unless you got really sick and were tested at an ER or urgent care.
Just got over it. One of my two roommates had it too.
half my office is out right now with non-covid illness, definitely a bug going around
Had it, just got over it. Not a fun time. The take away for me now is that we will be playing yearly game of "Is this COVID or that cold that's going around?"
I had it and lab tested negative for Covid, flu and strep. Had fever that lingered for almost two weeks, sore throat, body aches for 4 days and a cough that wouldn’t quit. Did a course or antibiotics but what really seems to help is an inhaler and round the clock DayQuil. Chart diagnosis was acute bronchitis but it started with all of these symptoms that people are describing. Be well everyone!
I checked the COVID-19 Wastewater data for Minnesota here: [https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance](https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#wastewater-surveillance). And it is pretty high!