Covid Day count

[sam_gordon]

So I've tested positive for Covid. I'm doing fine, think I'm over "the hump", has just felt like a bad cold/sinus infection. But, when reading about symptoms, durations, etc, there's of course a "Day Count". But what counts as "Day 1"? So, for example, here's my account of what's happened to me...

Monday (8/26): Slight sore throat, minor congestion, but I suffer from allergies and pollen has been bad in my area.
Tuesday (8/27): Sore throat a little worse, start taking throat lozenges, still thinking allergies.
Wednesday (8/28): Sore throat and congestion worse, still not terrible, OJ in the morning, lozenges through the day, Nyquil at night.
Thursday (8/29): OK, really congested upon waking, but about 30 minutes after waking, much better. Had considered call doctor to be seen (we had no at home tests that were valid), but not feeling terrible. Really working the lozenges.
Friday (8/30): Didn't sleep well because of congestion, slight aching in the morning, test (DW picked up tests the day before) and positive.
Saturday (8/31): Probably worst day, but it's all throat and nasal congestion, very slight headache. Still have taste/smell, no nausea.
Sunday (9/1, today): Still nasal congestion, throat isn't bed.

Never felt chilled, and using the "mom's" thermometer (DW put her hand/cheek to my forehead), never felt warm. I think Friday morning (maybe Thursday evening), actually took temperature and it was 98.8.

So, what do you consider "Day 1"? FWIW, PCP actually told me without a fever, I could continue doing what I wanted to. I elect to skip DS' soccer games on Friday and Saturday.

Of course, I could get "hit" with it tomorrow of course.

 

[kymom99]

My husband just got over it. He tested on Friday and we counted Saturday as day one. However, we also read that after 24 hours without fever he could return to normal activities. He went back to work on day 4. No one else in the house got it from him.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I would call day 1 the first day your throat was bothering you.

 

[Christine]

The consensus online from various sites is that Day 1 is the first full day that your symptoms developed. If you noticed your symptoms Monday (early), I'd count Monday as Day 1. If you noticed them late at night, then I'd probably vote for Tuesday as Day 1.

 

[sam_gordon]

However, we also read that after 24 hours without fever he could return to normal activities.

Just to reiterate, never had a fever (as measured). On Friday evening, I got the chills while laying in bed, but never actually checked my temp.

 

[sam_gordon]

The consensus online from various sites is that Day 1 is the first full day that your symptoms developed. If you noticed your symptoms Monday (early), I'd count Monday as Day 1. If you noticed them late at night, then I'd probably vote for Tuesday as Day 1.

One of the bizarre things about this illness. Monday, I'd say the "pain scale" was a 1/10, Tuesday about 2/10. Even Friday & Saturday (worst days so far), maybe 4/10.

I worked from home this week, so didn't have to worry about that.

 

[TinkerbelleAbbysMom]

I was thinking in the height of things, they counted first day of symptoms as day 0.

 

[Rogue1677x]

I was at Disney from August 12th to 17th. Felt fine until the 16th, but thought the irritated throat was from my asthma inhalers. Saturday morning when we were on our way home I felt worse and thought it was likely a cold, but would check for covid....that test came positive in like 30 seconds. The next day, my joints were on fire, but I get all of this with colds, so after basically applying vapor rub everywhere, off to sleep I went.

It's now more than 2 weeks and I've still hot respiratory symptoms and still testing positive. This is the first time I got covid, same for my daughter. My sister who was on the trip got it as well, but she tested positive later and it cleared her system within a few days. My husband was positive, without the benefit of having any fun, but he didn't get too sick and missed 3 days of work.

Lucky I work from home and really only needed to take 1 day off.

 

[CGB]

I'm dealing with it this weekend too. However, it kinda hit me hard out of the blue. I didn't notice any abnormal symptoms until Friday afternoon (sore throat and lost my voice) and was knocked off my feet by Friday night. I had about 30 hours of fever, chills, sore throat, congestion and body aches. We had some older COVID tests in the pantry. Even though almost all the liquid was evaporated from the vials, I went ahead and took two. Both showed a very faint pink line. The fever broke last night and I've been fever-free with no meds since last night. I'm feeling much better today. Hopefully, I'll be back to normal tomorrow and no one else in the house gets sick.

This was not how I wanted to spend my 3-day weekend. The Paralympics have been fun to watch tho. Hope you're over the worst part, Sam.

 

[tvguy]

We both got covid last April while on a 8 day, 3,800 road trip to Texas and back. But we really don't know which day we first felt sick due to covid.
We felt funny on the day we were at the Grand Canyon, but thought it was just due to the elevation. My wife is very sensitive to elevation, and I have noticed a slight headache too, so we chalked it up to that. Next day we got caught in a huge dust storm in New Mexico, and again we never even considered it could be covid. It wasn't until we hit Texas, and we were both exhausted that we started getting concerned , but not concerned enough to test, until we got home. So assuming we got sick on the Grand Canyon day, that was day 4 of our trip. So the day we finally tested was actually day 4, with day three being the day we have the biggest issues with coughing and feeling tired. We tested positive for another week with a home test, and another two weeks with PCR tests. We were feeling back to normal after one week....although it was three months before my wife got her sense of taste and small back. I never lost mine.

 

[sam_gordon]

I read somewhere you can test positive for CV for weeks, even though you're not contagious. This virus just affects everyone so differently.

 

[Genie+]

My son finally got covid back in July. He attended a convention an 2 days later many reported being positive and hw woke up feeling unwell. We only had the expired ‘gov’ tests and used those. He was positive, me negative. Ordered fresh tests from Amazon that came the next day. Same results.

As far as which day is 1, I dunno. Just wanted to say the expired gov tests might be worth trying until you get something better. Ours had a 2022 expiration lol. It had an insert packet with pellets that looked similar to an absorbent packet, but said if any of the pellets turned green the kit was no longer good. Ours was fine.

 

[kymom99]

This was the first time for my husband to have Covid. Lucky for me, I had left to go on a short trip the day he started with the congestion and all that, although in hindsight he said he was so tired the 2 days prior. By the time I got back home he was still a little bit under the weather but was on the mend.

He also used the expired tests and the test line as well as the positive line showed up so I guess they were still good.

 

[PollyannaMom]

The consensus online from various sites is that Day 1 is the first full day that your symptoms developed. If you noticed your symptoms Monday (early), I'd count Monday as Day 1. If you noticed them late at night, then I'd probably vote for Tuesday as Day 1.

I agree with this.

 

[disneychrista]

If you never tested how do you know for sure others COVID?

Day 1 is usually the day after you test positive. Which for you would have been Friday since that is when you thought about testing.

Based on your Symptoms Tuesday was day 1.

 

[focusondisney]

One of the bizarre things about this illness. Monday, I'd say the "pain scale" was a 1/10, Tuesday about 2/10. Even Friday & Saturday (worst days so far), maybe 4/10.

I worked from home this week, so didn't have to worry about that.

Covid has been like that from the beginning. People start out just a little sick & get worse days later. When it first started, people would become very ill on day 8.

 

[Southernmiss]

If you never tested how do you know for sure others COVID?

Day 1 is usually the day after you test positive. Which for you would have been Friday since that is when you thought about testing.

Based on your Symptoms Tuesday was day 1.

I would agree.

Day 0 was Monday.

I got Covid for the first time August 14 was my day of hmm I think I've got new drainage. Each day the symptoms progressed. I didn't test until we got home August 19th.

We were on a cruise and I'm still not over it. Tired, no motivation, cough, drainage and taste and smell are still not fully back.

Dh caught it, but has shaken it a bit quicker. This was his 2nd time with it.

We were last vaccinated in January. We looked for shots last month before cruising, but they were not available.

 

[focusondisney]

It's now more than 2 weeks and I've still hot respiratory symptoms and still testing positive. This is the first time I got covid, same for my daughter. My sister who was on the trip got it as well, but she tested positive later and it cleared her system within a few days. My husband was positive, without the benefit of having any fun, but he didn't get too sick and missed 3 days of work.

My husband & I got it last July, first & only time so far. I started with a little throat tickle kid of cough in the evening, it was no better the next morning so I tested & was +. I felt like I had a mild cold. He started a cough on Wednesday & tested +. With in hours he had a 102.8 fever, shaking chills, nausea & vomiting. He was in bed & slept most of the day. By the next morning, his fever was gone & he felt almost normal. His cough lingered for a few days. However, late Thursday I got a fever of 101. I was then very sick for a week, fever, chills, body aches, exhaustion & the absolute worst nausea I have ever had in my life. It took me another week to get my strength back. We both continued to test + for almost a month after we got sick.

 

[leebee]

I'm writing the syllabus for my lab class that starts Tuesday, so I just checked the CDC guidelines, which my University follows. Day 0 is the day you test positive. Even if you were sick before that, supposedly you can't shed enough virus to be contagious until you test positive. We require 5 days out of class OR 24 hours fever-free without medication, and then wear a mask for 5 days.
You could test positive for weeks after recovering, but at that point apparently, once again, you aren't carrying enough virus in your system to be contagious.

 

[focusondisney]

Even if you were sick before that, supposedly you can't shed enough virus to be contagious until you test positive.

While that’s true, people aren’t testing for several days after they feel symptoms. They could very well have been shedding virus and spreading it around for days by the time they test. You’re also supposed to test when you first feel symptoms, if negative, stay home & retest in 48 hours. Too many people aren’t doing that.