When should I take a test – if at all?
The official end of free test kits (although they have been difficult to find for some time) means that people under the age of 75 and without armor must pay around £ 2 per test from a chemical or supermarket. There is no legal requirement for testing, but since the symptoms of Covid overlap with seasonal respiratory infections and allergic fever, without testing there is no clear way to know if you are infected. Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, suggests having a test, if possible, if you have any symptoms. “I would do it in part because once I have it, I will feel more comfortable with my risk in the future,” he said. While for most people Covid is now less of a risk than seasonal flu, it is not for everyone – the elderly and those who are immunosuppressed are still at particular risk. This is especially true for those who got their last dose of the vaccine six months ago and now need to be given a booster. Therefore, it is worth considering testing before meeting indoors with people who may be at greater risk – especially until the next release of booster doses. For children, the advice is that testing is not recommended unless requested by a healthcare professional.
When should I wear a mask?
Masks are no longer mandatory, but there are indications that they reduce transmission in busy interiors and when in close proximity to others, such as public transportation. The extra level of protection also means that if you are exposed to Covid, you are more likely to get a lower dose of the virus, which could reduce the severity of your symptoms if you become infected. “The evidence for this is not cast iron, but it probably is,” Hunter said. In England, about one in 13 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the week ending March 26 For many there is also an element of etiquette. “If I go to a store and it’s crowded, I’ll put on a face mask,” Hunter said. “If it’s not crowded, but a lot of other people are wearing masks, I’ll continue to wear one for courtesy. “I do not want to make people feel uncomfortable and there will be people who will feel the need to keep wearing masks to be safer.”
What should I do if I have symptoms?
There is no longer a legal requirement for individuals to get tested or isolated, but if you have any of the main symptoms or a positive test result, public health advice is to stay home, avoid contact with other people and try to work from home. For children, the advice is that those who have mild symptoms (runny nose, whooping cough) can continue to go to school, but those who have a fever or feel unwell should stay home until they feel better.
Do I need to be isolated and, if so, for how long?
The requirement to be isolated for five whole days (previously 10 days) has been replaced by advice to avoid others “until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you no longer feel unwell”. Hunter says this generally makes sense, as people tend to be more contagious in the early stages of the infection and while they are symptomatic. “I would be isolated as long as I was sick enough,” he said. “If I had not been so ill, I would have waited three to five days or until I was well on my way to overcoming it before returning to society.” However, the advice becomes a little stricter for those who actually confirm the infection with a test. In this case, the guidance is to try to stay home and avoid contact with other people for five days after the day you took the test or three days for the children. “It’s worth remembering that we only catch one in eight infections through testing,” Hunter added. “Whatever I do, there are seven other people wandering around with no idea they have Covid, so even isolating everyone who knows they are positive is not going to make a huge difference.” Those who really want to minimize the risk of infecting others could follow the previous instruction to end isolation after two consecutive negative tests, starting on the fifth and sixth day. After day 10, lateral flow tests are likely to continue to show a positive result, but the chances of it still being infectious are extremely low.
What are the symptoms?
The government is now giving a list of symptoms of “Covid-19, flu and common respiratory infections” instead of attempting a specific list for the coronavirus. At the top of the list is a persistent cough, high temperature and loss or change in taste or smell. However, the latest data from the Zoe app suggest that the most common symptom for people with Covid is runny nose (reported by eight out of 10 people), followed by fatigue, sore throat, headache and sneezing. Far fewer people report a distorted sense of taste or smell in the last wave.
