Non controversial question about Omicron

[prairie_girl]

This doesn’t need 50 pages of replies. It’s not political and doesn’t have any kind of agenda.

Our health minister and head dr for the province said that a major sign of Omicron is a sore throat. I’ve looked on a bunch of reputable sites but can’t find out if that means a scratchy throat, or a lumpy throat. Does anyone know if it’s one or the other or if it’s both that count?

Signed, someone who woke up with a lumpy sore throat.

* I don’t have tonsils so I know it’s not that. I also don’t have a fever, or congestion, or anything else. Just a sore throat.

 

[Karin1984]

What i remember it is described as scratchy in English. Here in Dutch we just say throat pain, without being specific.

Just get tested and be sure of what it is.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

My understanding is it’s more of a scratchy throat. But it could be either, I suppose.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Marie's first symptom was a cough.

 

[disneychrista]

Scratchy throat vs sore throat is one of the indicators of Omicron variant vs Delta.

 

[MrsPete]

Sorry, no help, but I am very glad to know this is a symptom. Something to file away in my memory "just in case".

I sincerely hope you don't have it.

 

[jo-jo]

Is the air in your home very dry? That will affect your throat if you're a mouth breather all night.

I 'd make sure the air is humid and you have had some liquid before you seek out other reasons.

 

[Christine]

From what I've read it's more of a scratchy or minor sore throat (versus the debilitating kind from strep) and is different from the other variants which essential had not sore throat for an initial symptom.

 

[prairie_girl]

What i remember it is described as scratchy in English. Here in Dutch we just say throat pain, without being specific.

Just get tested and be sure of what it is.

Our testing sites aren’t doing testing right now because there’s a 10000 test backlog. Tests are only good for 72 hours and they can’t get them done that quickly.

Rapid tests are only available for purchase by businesses right now. My throat isn’t as bad as it was when I woke up so hopefully it’s nothing.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I've heard scratchy. I hope you're ok!

 

[CdnCarrie]

MPI testing station on Main Street reopened today. Go for a drive.

 

[prairie_girl]

MPI testing station on Main Street reopened today. Go for a drive.

No car and no desire to go wait in line for four hours. I'll see how I feel for the rest of the day and what I wake up with tomorrow. I'm at home and when I was with my family for a few hours this morning I wore a mask at all times and no one came close to me. I'm reasonably sure it was just a random sore throat but I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[CdnCarrie]

last month I had a cold with a sore throat. My coworker also had it.
Both tested negative.
So there is a cold going around that is mainly a sore throat.

 

[Christine]

My son celebrated his birthday on 12/22 with some people. One person there had a little cough the day of the party. Went for a rapid test prior to the party which came back negative so she proceeded to join in the celebrations. She then became more symptomatic on 12/23 and took a PCR test which just came back positive today. My son started with a mild sore throat last night. It's a much more significant sore throat today. He's now looking around to see where he can get a test tomorrow but not having much luck (San Diego area). It may just be some other illness. I guess one takeaway that most people know is that the rapids aren't very reliable.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

My son celebrated his birthday on 12/22 with some people. One person there had a little cough the day of the party. Went for a rapid test prior to the party which came back negative so she proceeded to join in the celebrations. She then became more symptomatic on 12/23 and took a PCR test which just came back positive today. My son started with a mild sore throat last night. It's a much more significant sore throat today. He's now looking around to see where he can get a test tomorrow but not having much luck (San Diego area). It may just be some other illness. I guess one takeaway that most people know is that the rapids aren't very reliable.

Try this site, they have a location in San Diego: https://www.sameday-testing.com/

 

[Christine]

Try this site, they have a location in San Diego: https://www.sameday-testing.com/

Thanks! I've passed that on to him, looks like they have one slot open tomorrow evening!

 

[Katie Dawn]

Hope you're starting to feel better!

Apparently I've been living under a rock because... What is a lumpy throat? I'm very familiar with scratchy type of sore throat. Does it mean you feel like something is stuck in your throat? I would think no since that doesn't seem like a symptom of illness.

 

[sam_gordon]

Hope you're starting to feel better!

Apparently I've been living under a rock because... What is a lumpy throat? I'm very familiar with scratchy type of sore throat. Does it mean you feel like something is stuck in your throat? I would think no since that doesn't seem like a symptom of illness.

I'm assuming it feels like a "lump" in your throat when you swallow.

 

[Katie Dawn]

I'm assuming it feels like a "lump" in your throat when you swallow.

Oooooo.... That makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have never heard of a lumpy sore throat! But really, what they are saying is that, with this variant, many people are complaining of symptoms starting in their throat, however they want to personally describe it, if that makes sense. For some it’s scratchy, for others it’s a little sore, for some I guess it’s lumpy , etc.

My son celebrated his birthday on 12/22 with some people. One person there had a little cough the day of the party. Went for a rapid test prior to the party which came back negative so she proceeded to join in the celebrations. She then became more symptomatic on 12/23 and took a PCR test which just came back positive today. My son started with a mild sore throat last night. It's a much more significant sore throat today. He's now looking around to see where he can get a test tomorrow but not having much luck (San Diego area). It may just be some other illness. I guess one takeaway that most people know is that the rapids aren't very reliable.

I don’t think it necessarily means that the home tests don’t work. It may just mean that there wasn’t enough of the virus detectable at the point the test was taken. Even with the PCR tests, people can be negative and then test positive. (We see that in the hospital all the time.) Once a virus enters the system, it duplicates over and over for several days until it reaches a level that it makes the person symptomatic (or not).

Someone in my life had a sore throat all week. Did home tests AND a PCR at the doctor’s office, all negative, and the doctor even said the chances of testing positive at that point were practically nil (when deciding whether to go to a family gathering). Was at a store yesterday where they had home tests so bought some and decided to test one more time. Grossly positive! That’s part of the tricky part of this virus. Even though tests can be negative, one may still be infected and able to transmit the virus before tests turn positive. I woke up with a scratchy throat today myself. Did a home test which was negative, but I have an appt for a PCR on Monday, too. This thing is everywhere right now. Taking precautions while I wait.