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ok_backbay t1_j251twe wrote

Does XBB register on the at-home tests? I was sick for 2.5 weeks, lost taste and smell for two days, but tested negative 3 times.

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_json_x t1_j25mxgy wrote

At that point who cares if you are testing negative or not. Clearly you’re sick with something, best to stay home til you’re symptom free and negative. IMHO.

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RoaminRonin13 t1_j2641cn wrote

I don’t know about ok_backbay, but generally this kind of common sense seems to elude an amazing number of people.

Most of the people I work with have been smart / thoughtful enough to work from home when sick - but I still know people going to work, walking around coughing and being gross, with some “I took a Covid test and I’m negative” nonsense.

Yeah, but you’re still sick dummy - get away from me.

Edit: I should say, I know this is coming from a privileged position where my coworkers and I can work from home. Not everybody has that opportunity - in which case people should probably mask-up when they’re sick, Covid or not.

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ok_backbay t1_j266ulb wrote

Luckily my current job can be done from home, but I am moving to a new job that requires being in the field at different locations. I will be masking up.

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RoaminRonin13 t1_j269049 wrote

Sorry, I should say: this is an entitled position to take. Not everyone can work from home, or has the sick time.

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brufleth t1_j27pad6 wrote

Where I work they don't even take a covid test. They just come in and get people sick and act surprised when the other people get covid.

Somewhat related: had a co-worker dealing with a very sick grandkid who when asked didn't even know what RSV is.

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bb5199 t1_j28mqmt wrote

Hardly anyone knew what RSV was until this year. For people over the age of two, it is a cold. Kids get sick. Kids get high fevers. Rest and fluids. It doesn't matter if it's called RSV, the flu, covid. All the same treatment for a kid.

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RoaminRonin13 t1_j299qm9 wrote

Most people who have had children know what RSV is.

But yeah, for most people over the age of 1 or 2 RSV is a shitty cold. RSV was a big deal this year because it ripped through daycares and preschools - I realize it’s anecdotal, but everyone I know with kids under 5 had RSV in their home, and I know two people with babies that were hospitalized. It appears to have been a bad year for it.

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bb5199 t1_j29mpq9 wrote

Perhaps because they kept their kids more isolated in the past couple of years and missed getting it. I have multiple kids and haven't given RSV a second thought. Every person in the US has usually had it by age 2.

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Roszo21 t1_j2anvfe wrote

Allergies and dry winter air are a fairly obvious challenge to this since they can mimic mild COVID symptoms. It can be difficult to know what to do when you're just feeling a bit off.

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bb5199 t1_j28mjsx wrote

No one is going to stay home until you're "symptom free." When you're at you're sickest, you should stay home like if you have a fever. But if you have a cough or sniffle afterwards as your illness improves, I would expect people to be back to their normal lives.

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oldcreaker t1_j25spm8 wrote

Anecdotal, but I know three recent cases that tested negative initially with pretty strong symptoms, but tested positive 2-3 days after the symptoms developed. They all thought it was flu or other virus, then it turned out to be COVID.

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swissarmyturtle t1_j272esx wrote

Exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago! Tested neg on the day I felt sickest, then came up positive the following day.

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NeckarBridge t1_j276kpn wrote

Same. We were on alert in our household when my toddler had a high exposure at school. He got sick 4 days later, and me the day after him. So according to CDC you count onset of symptoms as day zero, my toddler and I both tested every day and didn’t get a positive until our respective day 7, long after the worst symptoms had resolved.

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TheColorAndThe t1_j2817oj wrote

Same here. Had classic symptoms, super congested, headache, etc. and was testing negative for two days, on the third day of the test was like instant double line. Despite working with the public, it was my first time having Covid, super weird.

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Laureltess t1_j28i2jj wrote

Same thing happened to my husband. Coworker spread Covid at the office Christmas party, he started having symptoms the Sunday before Christmas, but didn’t test positive until Tuesday. It’s now day 12 and even though his symptoms have been gone since day 6 he’s still showing a positive 🤷‍♀️

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alexabobexa t1_j269las wrote

I have been sick for more than a week and I don't think I can taste much or smell much but I tested positive for the flu. Negative for COVID on home test. The flu is crazy in NE right now so it could be that?

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ok_backbay t1_j26b4j4 wrote

I didn't get tested for flu, didn't leave the house for almost 3 weeks, but that is what I believe I had as well. I still have a minor cough, and some vertigo when I move my head.

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Barstomanid t1_j28g3l7 wrote

They say it's the worst flu year in a decade. I'm really trying to avoid it, since we already had covid and RSV in my house this winter, and I'm not trying to catch 'em all here. Kids bring home EVERYTHING from school...

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CoffeeContingencies t1_j29ak4r wrote

And yet they are coming to school sick and very few people in the buildings are wearing masks. Kids have always been gross, but now we have ways to mitigate the grossness but aren’t utilizing them

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kauisbdvfs t1_j266j9h wrote

Same here with just about the same experience.

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gacdeuce t1_j28uilb wrote

Basically, with the newest variants, negative tests on the rapid tests (at-home tests) mean next to nothing. Positives should, however, be treated as accurate. This has been the case for a while.

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hopkins_ghost t1_j2a582j wrote

I’ve been sick three times since early November, no positive tests. This last one felt JUST like the symptoms I had from getting the shot. I was wondering if these new variants might not show up on the tests

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jgghn t1_j256cl7 wrote

If you're not already, make sure to do both nose and throat with the swabs. Even for older Omicron strains, it helps a lot to avoid false negatives.

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[deleted] t1_j2586mq wrote

[deleted]

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Stereoisomer t1_j25ay12 wrote

It’s totally a thing and not bad at all. Just twirl it as far back as you can without gagging, both sides. Then do cheeks and then nose.

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