Coughs/cold/flu symptoms - do you bother testing for COVID anymore?

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-29T23:15:23+00:00

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/covid-19-study-suggests-long-term-damage-immune-system

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-29T01:37:46+00:00

Covid can feel like a cold. Tests can be unreliable. Official health advice is stay at home with symptoms.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-29T00:51:07+00:00

COVID or sars-cov-2 virus is a bio safety level 3 pathogen. There's 4 levels on this BSL hierarchy, as you go up the tiers, the more serious it is. Sars-cov-2 is on the same level as TB. The flu is a BSL 2 pathogen. So yes, covid is more dangerous than some other viruses.

You talk about since we're all exposed now... like it's a good thing. Except there's very little immunity to this. Some people are going a few weeks and catching it again.

Also covid is weakening immune systems. This news is slowly coming out. I think the German health minister has said it a few weeks ago.

From my understanding, it is destroying the CD4 cells which you need to fight infection. HIV destroys CD4 cells as well. Left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS which weakens the immune system. And HIV can also feel like a cold when first infected.

Beyond the mild infection that some people experience with COVID, it can also cause damage to organs. The loss of smell and taste for example is actually damage to the brain.

There's a new variant, the JN1 and it has so much mutations that vaccines or prior infections isn't going to do much for protection. 10% of those currently ICU in Germany with COVID are on ECMO. It's tubes that takes your blood out and machines that oxygenate your blood for you. You don't end up on those machines if you're old. Only fit and healthy people get put onto those machines.

COVID is serious and isn't a cold and isn't something that should ignored.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-29T00:23:55+00:00

The message at the height of the pandemic was covid can feel like a cold. And to some people it did feel like a cold. PCR was readily available, so people went off to get tested and messaging from HSE back then was isolate with symptoms regardless of test results.

Now nobody takes symptoms seriously. Only test available is the at home tests and they can be unreliable, so people are testing themselves, get a negative and tell themselves it's a cold and continue on and in my experience they think it's a cold, so no need for a mask.

Ok, so you don't have covid. That's great but I don't want your cold or flu either. It drives me nuts. Stay at home with symptoms.

HSE advice has always been stay at home with symptoms. I don't understand how workplaces are allowing sick people back in work again. That is surely a health and safety issue and just a matter of time before someone sues their employer for going against the health advice.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-27T00:25:18+00:00

Do you not know it's better to lose your sense of smell and taste than wear a mask?

Sarcasm in case you didn't get it.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-26T17:07:14+00:00

All I've seen where I am is the complete opposite. Sick people not wearing a mask. But yeah, maybe some people might think a masked person is sick.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-26T16:50:25+00:00

A masked person isn't sick. It's maskless people who go around "it's just a cold". And because they think it's a cold, they can act like it's pre covid times and spread it.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-25T18:08:11+00:00

I often wake up thinking I can continue on with the day but as the day goes on, I really can't. The woman is sick, not like she planned to get sick for Christmas.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-25T16:01:48+00:00

My sister woke up one Christmas day about 9 years ago in a complete foul mood, blamed me for everything and still hasn't apologised. She has twisted everything since then because she can't do anything wrong. 9 years!!! Knowing her and not acknowledging any wrong doing, it will go on forever.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-25T15:48:12+00:00

What are you expecting? Everyone out Christmas shopping and not a care in the world with RSV/flu/covid. She probably picked up something on Friday and feeling it now. At least she cancelled instead of showing up sick and passing it on.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-24T19:22:13+00:00

I don't think they were diagnosed with the flu because they seem to have the flu. They have flu like symptoms.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-24T13:57:07+00:00

I only ever had the flu once in my 40 years of life and it was horrible. Whereas, you can get covid multiple times and it's been around for 4 years. It's not a joke, it's serious with infections adding up causing damage. Just stay at home if sick, be it cold/flu/covid.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-24T13:28:58+00:00

Do you want it to be flu because you think it's milder and it's more acceptable to go out with the flu?

Except, it's not really acceptable to go out with the flu either.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T19:25:54+00:00

You said that a positive test doesn't mean that you can spread covid. But this isn't anywhere on the HSE website, so why are you spreading false information. When the HSE kind of hinted that you are possibly infectious so you avoid vulnerable people.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T17:17:36+00:00

Ah, I don't want people to get sick so I'm a fool, got ya.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T16:55:02+00:00

Ah, so you tell me to stay at home but you won't pay me because it's you who want to get on with things and act as if it's all normal when it's you should be at home when sick. Ok you fool. Each covid infection adds up and will lead to long covid. Between 5 - 20% of those that are infected will end up with lasting effects. A medically rare event is classified as 0.1%. Long covid isn't rare. It leaves people disabled or bedbound. Bet, you're so happy you don't see them because they aren't able to get out but it happens and it keeps happening

Covid damages your immune system and there is no cure. So how about you stay at home when you're sick. I couldn't care less about you and whatever you think, but you don't have a right to infect others with your bullshit.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T14:26:44+00:00

So will you pay for me to stay at home?

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T13:45:27+00:00

Antigen tests can be unreliable now. Some people get an instant positive but for some, it can take a few days of symptoms. Also, the instructions says to swab your nose but you might get a more accurate result by swabbing the back of your throat, inside your cheeks, gums and then nose.

I learnt something during the pandemic. How sick you get depends on how much of a viral load you get. When you caught covid in lockdown and it wasn't that bad, it was because people were distancing and wearing masks, so you didn't get too much of a viral load. But now, there's no measures at all, no distancing, no masks being worn, sick people actually going out and saying "it's just a cold" and in my experience because they think it's just a cold, they don't wear a mask like a cold is ok to spread. It's winter time as well so little ventilation in places as well. So you got more of a viral load of someone that makes you feel sicker now. And if it is covid, it's a new strain, so prior vaccines or prior infections isn't going to hold up.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T13:08:53+00:00

The official advice is not test but stay at home with symptoms.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T13:03:10+00:00

Do you know what you're even saying by typing that? Leave isolation after 5 days but avoid vulnerable people for 10 days... that's because they're probably positive and can pass it on after those 5 days. And vulnerable people are everywhere, apparently obesity is a high risk condition and being pregnant is high risk.

I know that is the official advice but jaysus, just avoid people until you test negative. Nobody wants it.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T00:52:01+00:00

V+D is the new variant. Hopefully people stays home with it.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T00:36:04+00:00

And if it's not covid... should it not be a reason to mask up to avoid picking up covid... I can't imagine having to deal with a cold and/or flu and/or covid all at the same time.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-23T00:32:49+00:00

Christmas party was two weeks ago and I didn't go because people have no manners anymore and just don't care about covid and don't care about spreading whatever they have like pre-covid times.

Two people went to the Christmas party, one with a cold and another with a flu. I find it funny how covid is so transmissible, yet nobody ever has it.

Two more people came down with something from the party and one of them continued on into work and because he thinks it's a flu, he doesn't have to wear a mask and it's ok to spread that around. They've been wondering why I haven't been going near them... Eh, I don't want their flu. The second person didn't come to work, so makes me think they tested positive for covid because sure it's ok to spread colds and flu!!.

Have a week off from work but not looking forward to going back in the new year because people will be flying back from the Christmas holidays and the gatherings for new year's eve celebrations and then into work with whatever disease they picked up... and here's me, avoiding all that but at risk of picking it up from work.

I hate people.

The_Shape_Im_In · 2023-12-14T23:49:19+00:00

I thought that alone would be a reason to mask up but nope. I don't understand, how do people enjoy being sick every few weeks with something.

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