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Have you had the virus?

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LAX54

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No idea - don't know and don't want to know. Had a fairly short but very severe (in my experience) bout of flu-like symptoms in February but that's all.

Which, if has been said by WHO, is correct, that is what 98% will have.
 

TheEdge

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I'm not sure. Colds don't normally get me hard but early in the new year I had an absolute stinker, lots of coughing, temperature, aches and pains. I assumed it was just a bad cold but if our new friend was already spread far and wide by then without knowledge then maybe I have had it.

Or maybe it was just a nasty cold.
 

Bletchleyite

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I'm not sure. Colds don't normally get me hard but early in the new year I had an absolute stinker, lots of coughing, temperature, aches and pains. I assumed it was just a bad cold but if our new friend was already spread far and wide by then without knowledge then maybe I have had it.

Or maybe it was just a nasty cold.

I'm intrigued if there was a particularly bad cold around, as a lot of people say this, as did I, but my private COVID antibody test came back negative.
 

TheEdge

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I'm intrigued if there was a particularly bad cold around, as a lot of people say this, as did I, but my private COVID antibody test came back negative.

Me too really.

This was mid to late February (it was after the Wherry lines resignalling, I remember coughing through a GSMR call!!!). A study in the US estimates Covid may have already begun community transmission there in mid January, so I suppose its possible.

Guess I'll never know unless I get an antibody test before I next have cold or flu symptoms.
 

Bletchleyite

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And I'll probably never know at all! The letter with my test results said that if it was a mild case (and "mild" for COVID seems still fairly hefty) it could be got with IgM antibodies which don't hang around very long and basically can't be tested for as a result unless you get them close to the infection.

It's a bit like the coeliac test - negative means nothing, positive means you did have it.
 

Strat-tastic

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I had a mild cough, dry & persistent, which brought on a sore throat. As an essential worker, I was one of the first to do a drive-through test. I waited ages for the result and ended up being told they'd probably lost it. So I had a home test (on their recommendation) but it came back negative, although it was over two weeks then since I first had the symptoms, so may well have fought it off but was left with the lingering cough, which I still have to a lesser extent.

When the antibody test becomes widely available I think I will have it.
 

brad465

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If the virus was circulating in Europe earlier than December 2019, then it's possible a close colleague had it in mid-November: my organisation had a stand at Skills London 2019 and they were notably unwell with fever, a cough and light fatigue among symptoms on the second day of the event. They put it down to the effects of the intensive days working the event, but they were unwell for almost the whole week following. It was only recently with reports the virus was in Europe earlier than first confirmed they are wondering if they did in fact have the virus, and are hoping to get an antibody test soon to find out. If they did in fact have it, then as I helped out at the event too I may have had it asymptomatically, along with other staff who were at the stand for the duration of that day (I don't remember being ill in the aftermath of this event).
 

james60059

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I had something mid - late December, bad cough, fever, loss of taste and smell and general felt rough, was off work for 2 weeks, the week before, I was out around Nuneaton for a works night out and general pee up for Christmas and put it down to the flu, but even my better half who's a nurse said then it was something else and not flu. Then early in 2020 news of Covid-19 got out. It makes me wonder if it was Covid-19 after all.
 

Mat17

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I had a bout of something in mid-February, I assumed it was a seasonal virus. Aching, tired beyond belief, at first physically but then it moved to a drained mental tiredness. A temperature for about three days (but not consistent, on and off), and a tight, wheezy chest. I was just waiting for the persistent cough, which never came.

So have I had Covid or was it just another winter virus? No idea.
 

Bletchleyite

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I had a bout of something in mid-February, I assumed it was a seasonal virus. Aching, tired beyond belief, at first physically but then it moved to a drained mental tiredness. A temperature for about three days (but not consistent, on and off), and a tight, wheezy chest. I was just waiting for the persistent cough, which never came.

So have I had Covid or was it just another winter virus? No idea.

It seems clear that either (a) this was COVID, or (b) there was a second, non-deadly "nasty winter virus" around that normally is not. Having tested negative for antibodies (but had a similar experience) I'm starting to wonder if the latter is the case - there has been talk of two strains of COVID, one deadly and one not, which I find interesting...
 

Mat17

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there has been talk of two strains of COVID, one deadly and one not, which I find interesting...

There has been discussion in the media that some people may have had COVID twice. This could be down to the fact that the positive test apparently continues to show for a few weeks after the infection as stopped, something to do with coughing out the dead lung tissue. Nice. (I seem to recall this mentionned in one of the Downing Street briefings, or in an interview on BBC just before the briefing commenced).


There was some mention iirc back in Feb or March that as you say there were two strains, a mild and a deadly. The suggestion was that the mild spreads fast but doesn't generally cause life threatening circumstances in those that don't have underlying health conditions. The deadly form however was harder to catch, not necessarily because it isn't as infectious, but because it was so deadly it actually killed people fairly quickly and thus defeated itself by being too successful, killing before it could spread more widely. Now I can't remember where I read that or if it is scientifically true, so much is hard to pin down these days. But I seem to recall those were the findings coming out of Asia. I definitely read it before the lockdown commenced in March though.


Edited to remove mis-information.
 
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yorkie

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There has been discussion in the media that some people may have had COVID twice. This could be down to the fact that the positive test apparently continues to show for a few weeks after the infection as stopped, something to do with coughing out the dead lung tissue. Nice. (I seem to recall this mentionned in one of the Downing Street briefings, or in an interview on BBC just before the briefing commenced).

Or perhaps that indeed there are two strains and having had one doesn't preclude catching the other.

There was some mention iirc back in Feb or March that as you say there were two strains, a mild and a deadly. The suggestion was that the mild spreads fast but doesn't generally cause life threatening circumstances in those that don't have underlying health conditions. The deadly form however was harder to catch, not necessarily because it isn't as infectious, but because it was so deadly it actually killed people fairly quickly and thus defeated itself by being too successful, killing before it could spread more widely. Now I can't remember where I read that or if it is scientifically true, so much is hard to pin down these days. But I seem to recall those were the findings coming out of Asia. I definitely read it before the lockdown commenced in March though.
That was proven to be untrue

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...ents-tested-positive-twice-cannot-pass-virus/
Tests carried out on almost 300 patients strongly imply that they have acquired immunity after becoming infected, in a major boost to hopes of overcoming the pandemic.

The South Korea Centre for Disease Control and Prevention examined 285 Covid-19 survivors who had recovered, tested negative and then tested positive for a second time.

Some coronavirus patients have tested positive again up to 82 days after becoming infected, but the South Korean lab found that people who tested 're-positive' were not found to have spread any lingering infection.

Virus samples collected from them could not be grown in culture in the lab, indicating that they were shedding non-infectious or dead virus particles.

The research shows that antigen tests – swab tests taken to see if somebody currently has Covid-19 – cannot distinguish between dead and viable virus particles, potentially giving the wrong impression that someone who tests positive remains infectious...
 

Parallel

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I’m not sure but I’ve definitely had something. Around three weeks ago I lost my sense of smell and taste for approximately a week, and then developed a dry cough and shortness of breath. I also developed heart palpitations for a few hours overnight so called 111 the next day and they said there are now so many symptoms associated with COVID it’s impossible to know without being tested, but to phone 999 if I got chest pain. They also said that perhaps anxiety was a trigger. Fortunately I didn’t and am feeling better now although I still have the cough. I am generally quite an anxious person, but not usually about health (at least consciously) as I’ve always had quite a good immune system/health (I’m in my late 20s) and don’t generally get ill very often.

I was working up until mid-April and it wasn’t possible to fully socially distance at the time (despite trying), and came into contact with around 30 people so it’s possible I picked it up from one of them.

It might have not been COVID but whatever it was, wasn’t a nice experience.
 

hassaanhc

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I think I probably had the virus in early March. I had a sore throat and runny nose for about 10 days, and towards the end of it I had fever one evening, and fatigue for next couple of days. Colleague sitting next to me (agency job now lost because of these closures) also had fever on the same evening. But as there was no cough at all, and no fever for most of that time, it wasn't taken seriously because the other symptoms were deemed to be less common.
Another employer that I work for was asking about symptoms a few days before allowing the team on site, and they didn't appear to be worried about my symptoms either (luckily I refused to go because of those symptoms, and that same evening I had the fever).
 

Steveoh

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My household have had it as have a number of people in our community. However we've not been tested and cannot categorically confirm it, but if we've not had it then there's another virus around with exactly the same symptoms..
 

darloscott

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I reckon I have had it as I had a confirmed case (only found out as it was one of my mates' parents!) on my coach and within 48 hours or so I'd developed a sore throat, but no other symptoms as far as I can remember.
 

DelayRepay

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I had 'something' in early January, but at the time we didn't know about Covid-19. I spent two days in bed with a fever, aches and shivers. No cough though. Interestingly the guy who sits next to me at work has something similar at the same time. This was my first day off sick for c.10 years. The main symptom I think was exhaustion - walking to the bathroom felt like climbing Mount Everest.

In March, just as lockdown was starting, I developed a cough. I stayed at home and haven't been back to work since. I didn't and still don't think this was Covid, I get coughs every now and again (occasional smoker probably doesn't help).

Even if I do test positive for antibodies, I'll never know which of these illnesses was Covid, if indeed either of them was.
 

142blue

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Yes over a week ago

Saturday 6th June started to feel a bit off, out for a walk, not much energy, tired easily. Just thought I'd done some early shifts and it was catching up with me.

Monday went to work, came home and again felt tired. Rather than napping I cleaned my car about 4pm and by 5pm I was sat on the sofa shaking.

Made some food, ate most of it but it's like the life just drained out of me really quickly and I couldn't move, walk and talk.

Put myself to bed, neck, back, chest all really hot to touch, like if you have sunburn for example. I lay in bed shivering yet boiling hot, temp of 104 and lay there jolting around and shivering as well as hallucinating that something was climbing up the walls on the corner of the room.

Never felt so scared in my life

Tuesday didn't move, had a shower but stayed in bed. Didn't really speak much

Wednesday I was a bit more mobile, got up more but didn't do anything as had no energy to do so. It was also my birthday.

Tested on Tuesday morning and showed negative, went for retest on Thursday and same.

Spoke with friends who work in NHS and they've all said the self testing is not reliable and that at certain places they come and test you and take the swabs rather than trusting you to do it.

I'm 95% sure I've had this and trust me I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

One symptom that doesn't appear on the list but I had from the 7th was having this foul stench in my nose. It was like something was dying or decaying, I noticed it in work and at home as well.

I also noticed that my sense of taste felt off, I had beans on toast and the sauce tasted syrupy sweet.
 

Bletchleyite

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One symptom that doesn't appear on the list but I had from the 7th was having this foul stench in my nose. It was like something was dying or decaying, I noticed it in work and at home as well.

I also noticed that my sense of taste felt off, I had beans on toast and the sauce tasted syrupy sweet.

This is now listed as a symptom, however it isn't uncommon in any respiratory disease - I usually get disrupted taste when I get a cold. The most notable one is that I absolutely love vinegar on chips - they will be slathered with half a bottle - but if I have a cold I can't stand the stuff, it's almost painful. This isn't just from congestion (i.e. tasting but not smelling) as when I'm hay-fevering to death as I am now it doesn't happen, only if I have an actual infection.

So it's possible what you had was the flu (sounds a bit bad to be a cold). If you want another go at testing and are willing to blow 60 quid or so on it, give it a week then try a private antibody test?
 
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Something went through our workplace late December and early Jan. Several people, including me, had the same symptoms; very high temperature, hacking cough and tiredness. I had a couple of nights where I couldn't breath properly and ended up pinching my wife's Asthma inhaler to ease the symptoms. My temperature lasted 10 days. Still felt under the weather in April. Covid 19?? Don't know, as at the time WHO were stating it couldn't be spread person to person.
 

Bletchleyite

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From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...land-from-15-june.205120/page-39#post-4625367

There have been a couple of papers implying likely T-cell immunity for those who have had previous coronaviruses - so possibly 40-60% of the population would already be immune to, or only have a very mild version of, the current nastier virus. (An ancient equivalent would be cowpox/smallpox).

I'm wondering if this is the case for me. I have had symptoms similar to COVID19 - twice in fact - but mild and short-lived. They were quite unusual (and extremely unpleasant) symptoms and not ones I usually get - the only time I normally ever get sick is a cold (about 6-8 times a year or so), and they always follow exactly the same symptom pattern over 4-5 days. But I paid for an antibody test, and that was negative.
 

MikeWM

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From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...land-from-15-june.205120/page-39#post-4625367



I'm wondering if this is the case for me. I have had symptoms similar to COVID19 - twice in fact - but mild and short-lived. They were quite unusual (and extremely unpleasant) symptoms and not ones I usually get - the only time I normally ever get sick is a cold (about 6-8 times a year or so), and they always follow exactly the same symptom pattern over 4-5 days. But I paid for an antibody test, and that was negative.

I think it is increasingly clear that the antibody tests aren't giving the whole story. Until we work out all the immune system responses, I think it is going to be hard to have any gold-standard test to say for sure whether we've been exposed or not.


On the wider point, I had a fairly odd cold at the start of February, in the sense that the symptoms didn't arrive in the usual order. May have been a mild case I guess. Or perhaps not.

Fairly sure my mother had it in the last week of January/first couple of weeks of February, however. She was quite unpleasantly ill and it dragged on for a few weeks. Clincher for me is that she had a lot of trouble with her taste/smell, before that was widely reported as a symptom of this virus.
 

island

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I am relatively sure I had it in March, and my wife had it about 5 days after me. She had it considerably worse.
 

JammyJames08

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In early/mid december last year, I had the worst flu ever. I'm 33 and it took me around two weeks to get rid of properly. Coughing a lot (most of it dry, some of it not), sore throat, felt fatigued, very run down. (even going to get a cup of tea or getting the post felt like a marathon)

For the first time in about 3 years had to go sick from work (and I never go sick, I have to be at deaths door to ring in sick!)

Really bad headaches, pain behind the eyes, lost my sense of smell temporarily. Had tested my temperature and was only over by about 3-4 degrees but only for about 2 days, not really hot to touch..convinced I had flu mixed with some sinusitis. Started taking Amoxicillin as prescribed which stopped the headaches, but still had the cough and fatigue well up to near christmas. They both abated slowly, and it wasn't until after new year I felt 100% again.

Most of the symptoms I had at the time line up with COVID-19's, but who knows?

One thing I do know though is that it was horrible!

Don't want to go through that ever again!
 
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skyhigh

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My brother-in-law spent a few months in Hong Kong last year, returning in early November-ish. Shortly after the immediate family all got unwell with a fever, dry cough etc. I had it relatively mildly compared to my wife and father-in-law, but still felt pretty awful.

None of us got tested, so not sure if it was covid-19 or not but the symptoms seemed pretty similar, it might just have been a normal flu though!
 

Silverlinky

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I fell ill at work in March, went home and got progressively worse, ended up spending the best part of three days in bed with fever, shivers, loss of appetite, aches, muscle pain, shortness of breath, headaches, vomiting, diarrhoea, extreme fatigue, loss of taste and smell...pretty much everything EXCEPT a cough. It got so bad I was only giving myself another day before trying to get to hospital.
Went to sleep on the fourth night with a tower fan blowing in my face and in the morning was feeling so much better, it was strange!

Had nine days off work in total, and for someone who had had one day off in 15 years before that, if it wasn't the virus then i'd like to know what the hell it was!!

Coincidentally (or not) this came on a couple of weeks after my son had returned from a school ski trip to Italy.
 

gingerheid

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I'm in a sports team that absolutely all went down with something unusual in late Jan / early Feb, and we all spent a long time curious as to what it was. We'd probably all still think we might have had it if a couple of people hadn't, separately, caught it March.
 

Bayum

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I haven’t, my nurse friend has. She didn’t fare too badly. The only real persistent and ‘problematic’ symptoms were the cough and fever. Waking up in buckets of sweat, having a lovely hacking cough too. No body aches, myalgia, nausea or fatigue.
 
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