Covid Day count

[sam_gordon]

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

I don't understand that.

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.

Well, I thought about testing Thursday, but we didn't have a test (the ones we had were expired, even WAY past the "extended expiration" dates)

Based on your Symptoms Tuesday was day 1.

 

[sam_gordon]

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.

But as someone who does suffer from allergies, I could literally be testing every day, And, if, as you say, even if negative, stay home for two days, I'd never be allowed to leave home. Sorry, that doesn't make sense.

Plus, I read on the internet, so I know it must be true, that if it is Covid, it doesn't respond to antihistamines and other symptom relievers. Since my symptoms were responding when I took meds, it shouldn't be Covid.

Oh, and this is my 2nd bout of it. The first was in 2022.

 

[disneychrista]

I don't understand that.

Well, I thought about testing Thursday, but we didn't have a test (the ones we had were expired, even WAY past the "extended expiration" dates)

That should have said how do you know for sure that it was COVID

 

[sam_gordon]

That should have said how do you know for sure that it was COVID

Ah, Thank you.

I took a home test Friday morning. Maybe false positive? Did telehealth with PCP Friday afternoon, no nausea, no fever, she prescribed some meds "just in case" things got worse over the weekend (which they haven't).

 

[focusondisney]

But as someone who does suffer from allergies, I could literally be testing every day, And, if, as you say, even if negative, stay home for two days, I'd never be allowed to leave home. Sorry, that doesn't make sense.

I understand, it’s 1 of the big reasons it’s so hard to contain. The symptoms are so generic it’s hard to know. I have year round allergies too. But if my symptoms are suddenly worse or significantly different, I do test quickly. There are also people who don’t have allergies or are more symptomatic & choose to not test for days. When testing first started, the tests in European countries were purposely inexpensive, so people could test every day if needed. I haven’t seen any reports on their testing costs or practices now. Maybe if our tests were more affordable, people would just test more routinely.

Maybe false positive?

False positives are virtually nonexistent.

 

[sam_gordon]

I understand, it’s 1 of the big reasons it’s so hard to contain. The symptoms are so generic it’s hard to know. I have year round allergies too. But if my symptoms are suddenly worse or significantly different, I do test quickly. There are also people who don’t have allergies or are more symptomatic & choose to not test for days. When testing first started, the tests in European countries were purposely inexpensive, so people could test every day if needed. I haven’t seen any reports on their testing costs or practices now. Maybe if our tests were more affordable, people would just test more routinely.



False positives are virtually nonexistent.

The bolded I can understand. What I felt Monday & Tuesday was definitely not out of the ordinary. Wednesday was only slight worse, and I thought about testing on Thursday, but didn't have a valid test.

But, relying on a test to determine "Day 1" doesn't make any logical sense. The virus isn't going to care when you test. When using things like "After Day 5... " and such, if someone waits a day or two to test, that messes up the "what should happen", at least in my mind.

"From onset of symptoms" makes more sense to me, in which case I'm now on Day 8. Feeling better than Friday & Saturday (so far) but still cough and congestion. No fever, but never really had one. So, still contagious? (Rhetorical question).

 

[RedHead0186]

The bolded I can understand. What I felt Monday & Tuesday was definitely not out of the ordinary. Wednesday was only slight worse, and I thought about testing on Thursday, but didn't have a valid test.

But, relying on a test to determine "Day 1" doesn't make any logical sense. The virus isn't going to care when you test. When using things like "After Day 5... " and such, if someone waits a day or two to test, that messes up the "what should happen", at least in my mind.

"From onset of symptoms" makes more sense to me, in which case I'm now on Day 8. Feeling better than Friday & Saturday (so far) but still cough and congestion. No fever, but never really had one. So, still contagious? (Rhetorical question).

I think the days of counting from the day you test was when we were doing asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic testing. When people were testing after getting exposed (without any symptoms) or 'just in case.' In those cases, if you tested positive, then that was Day 0 (regardless of when symptoms showed up, if they ever did). Since people don't really test anymore unless they have symptoms, using the positive test as Day 0 doesn't really make sense anymore. You're right, the symptoms will drive the count, not the test, especially since the symptoms are now showing up before the test is taken (in most cases).

 

[TinkerbelleAbbysMom]

Just took a tour of the CDC site which has changed a lot in the course of 4 years. They now include CV-19 in the same group as other respiratory illnesses and indicate our response can be what we’ve always done with things like colds and flu. Stay home until you’re fever free for 24 hrs and symptoms are improving. They do encourage extra precautions for an additional 5 days from that point but not necessarily a full quarantine. Nothing I could readily find though about the timeline like we were used to in the height of it all. They do mention rebound illness where you test positive again but not really details about how long you “may” test positive with the initial round. At this point, we hope folks use common sense to stay home when they don’t feel well and be smart about good handwashing and personal hygiene.

 

[hertamaniac]

I got Covid in mid-July during a 12-night cruise. Symptoms showed up the night before disembarkation (along with quite a few others who were on the ship. The tell-tale sign for me was a complete loss of taste and smell about 3 days after the initial symptoms (and it lasted for 3 days). I never had that symptom before. By my estimation(s), I was almost fully recovered in about 10 days post initial onset/symptoms.

I then waited a few days and got my 2023/2024 vaccine (which has been now updated to 2024/2025). I have to wait at least two months before I can get the latest shot per my pharmacist's guidelines.

 

[robinb]

I think that there are two things going on. (1) What is "Day 1" for medical intervention like Paxlovid and (2) When someone can return to normal activates.

(1) Day 1 for symptoms is Tuesday. Paxlovid is most effective if it is administered early. If someone thinks they may want it, they should test a day or two into symptoms otherwise it will be too late.

(2) The CDC's new guidance for Covid is the same for all respiratory illnesses. You should stay home and isolated from others until you your symptoms improve and you are are fever free. Once that happens you wait 24 hours and then you can resume your regular activates with additional precautions like masking.

@sam_gordon, since tested positive on Friday and your worst day was Saturday, I think you did the right thing by laying low. I hope you're feeling better today!

 

[Belle1962]

Counting your first day of symptoms as 1, most doctors will not prescribe meds like Paxlovid once you are outside the 5 day window.