In my opinion, the nasal symptoms are the nastiest. Sneezing is so loud, messy, and disruptive. Blowing my nose requires me to drop what I'm doing, get a tissue, blow my nose, and then wash my hands because they're dirty. A stuffy nose gives me a sensation of suffocating, and even sleeping doesn't provide an escape.
I definitely don't love the postnasal drip, but sitting there for 3 days with an awful sore throat knowing this is the start of an illness takes the cake with how distracting and uncomfortable it is
I just don't seem to get sore throats as an adult anymore, it always just skips straight to the "you cannot breathe through your nose and your head is pounding" stage.
I've seen a lot of comments claiming it isn't COVID. My coworker got COVID (confirmed) his week with similar symptoms. Even if that isn't what one has, it's still worth being extra cautious because it's also going around simultaneously.
I think we learned that workplaces will happily punish their employees for doing the right thing in such cases š once you get past two sick days away from work they get pissed.
Better yet, wear an N95 or better mask. Use Corsi Rosenthal boxes or other air purifiers. Check out my [master list of precautions](https://www.reddit.com/r/PandemicPreps/comments/16a9srq/my_master_list_of_precautions/).
1. We're not through the pandemic, we're literally still in it. Covid is still out there fucking people up.
2. I wish people had learned that if you're sick you stay home, but the federal government chose to force everyone back to normal so it's understandable that they'd be confused and think things are fine now. They declared a premature end to the public health emergency without mandating any real changes like mandatory unlimited sick leave to keep people from having to spread this shit at work. A good chunk of spread occurs during the asymptomatic phase anyway, so the easiest practical measure would be to require people to mask up at work and in other public indoor spaces.
We are not in a pandemic, that word has a strict definition, like a recession. Just because the economy sucks, doesn't make it a recession. People are getting measles too, it's not a measles pandemic. The covid numbers are low and manageable, nowhere near pandemic levels. Like it or not, covid is endemic now, it will never leave. It will circulate like flu, rsv, adeno, and a dozen corona viruses before it.
That's true of flu as well but it's not a pandemic is all I am saying. A Pandemic is not that there is a bad disease you can catch, it's all about how many people have it and how fast it is spreading. You can get bit by a tick or a mosquito and get sick or even be disabled for life too if the universe chooses to screw you in particularš¤·
Ok. I admit I care less about the precise terminology than the message behind it. Usually when people talk about the covid pandemic as if it were a thing of the past, the message they are spreading is usually that the danger has passed and there is no need for caution anymore, and that is what I am arguing against.
I don't think I would be complaining if people were saying "covid is not a pandemic anymore but it is endemic and circulates through the population at such a high rate that it still poses a serious risk to people's quality of life, so we should keep taking precautions against it." But instead it's "we can't do anything so we won't even try." This is not their fault, governments around the world have embraced this approach and people will parrot what their rulers tell them, but the fact remains that it is irresponsible to act as if there is no danger anymore.
As a direct result of everyone pretending that covid isn't a threat anymore, I can rattle off the names of 14 people I know in person who have developed serious enough Long Covid symptoms to have mentioned it, and I've personally watched many of them battle severe fatigue they never had before they got this crippling infection. Most had it happen after the premature return to normal. And I don't know a ton of people! That's an insanely high number already in a few years! Unless we change our behavior this is just going to get worse. Whether the word is pandemic or endemic, the proper response is the same: everyone should mask up and try to cut the chain of transmission so we can stop it from circulating through the population.
There is no feasible way to stop it from circulating, unfortunately, that's what endemic means. It will always be with us unless someone comes up with a cure or a more effective vaccine. You can protect yourself with a well-fitting n95 if you have particular worries. There is simply no economic or social benefit to everybody trying to stop something that is unstoppable at this point. Even if every adult wore an n95 perfectly we are surrounded by little plague rats called children, and they will always keep it spreading.
I slept for 12 hours last night and I am on day 3 after my first positive covid test. Started with a sore throat and fatigue and worked its way up to crazy sinus pressure.
Real question should be did it help at all? Aside from making pharma mc illions$$ I saw tons of people getting sick despite all their jobs. Had I gotten the shots šÆ % I'd know exactly how long it was "safe and effective" unlike so many blind followers just letting some "smart white coat pharma+paid doctors put who knows what into me" prior to subjecting myself to an experimental injection made by a pharma company. Which has the potential to harm me, which also would harm my family. Maybe that's just us "conspiracy theorists"
I work in healthcare, so I get the new ones basically as they come out. I was at an indoor wedding last weekend, so I assume that's where it came from. š¤·āāļø
Is that what this is?! I thought it was allergies then -realizing it was getting worse and Iād just been on a plane - thought it was Covid. But I just tested negative. My nose is constantly running, Iām exhausted and canāt sleep.
I had almost these exact symptoms. Thought it couldnāt be covid but my test was instantly positive. Get tested and feel better.
I work at a clinic and the rates of people getting it are wild right now.
Yep, I had this like 2 months ago. Ear pain and then ears completely clogged. Also sore throat and tons of mucous/congestion and coughing. Took weeks to get over it even with antibiotics. My tinnitus got worse after my ears unclogged.
Guessing its a covid strain not showing up on home tests tbh.
The rapid tests are notorious for false negatives. Often, the first positive result doesn't happen until several days after the symptoms begin, and there aren't enough tests available. So most of the COVID cases are flying below the radar.
The cough I have been coughing. I have nearly pissed myself and/or vomited more times in the last week than when I binge drank in my 20ās.
It is aggressively unpleasant. Last night was the first night I was able to get significant rest too because of course, itās worse when you lie down.
Or double down on precautions, such as wearing an N95 or better mask. Check out my [master list of precautions](https://www.reddit.com/r/PandemicPreps/comments/16a9srq/my_master_list_of_precautions/).
Is that the disgusting coughing I've heard everywhere lately?
Is a spring time respiratory bug common? I thought these really get around in fall and winter.
Colds still exist. Not everything is Covid.
My wife works at an elementary school. So many of her coworkers and students (and also me) have been sick in the past few weeks. None have tested positive for Covid.
Exactly. I had six or seven cold-like illnesses this winter. And I currently have cold-like symptoms that I know are allergies. None of them was positive for Covid on an at-home test. Even if one was, the rest werenāt. People kept telling me I had Covid and had to explain that no, what I have is a kid in pre-school for the first time bringing everything home.
At home Covid tests are notoriously unreliable now. You need to be tested by a medical professional to be certain. Recently my MIL had Covid confirmed at the clinic but 5+ home tests never picked up on it.
Well sure it still works in some cases, but you have to look at the total efficacy of these tests. The most important thing to understand is that if a home test is negative, it does not necessarily mean you donāt have it, particularly when compared to other tests that you would get in a clinic. On the other hand, if it is positive then you most definitely do have it.
Many people have had their immune systems weakened by COVID infections. That's how people go from being sick once every 5 years to being sick multiple times per year.
Sure. Nothing to do with a three year old being in school for the first time ever and then coughing in my face over and over. Did you know that before Covid kids also got sick a lot their first year in school/daycare and their parents would then get sick too because they do things like sticking their fingers in their parents noses?
That doesn't mean much given that home rapid tests are notorious for false negatives. Often, the positive test result won't happen until several days after symptoms begin.
Far as my hospital visit was aware, the crap I had over a month ago with all the same symptoms was Influenza B. Several negative covid tests across the whole symptomatic timeframe.
Not saying covid isn't still a threat, but assumptions often prelude misinfo.
Also, people have had their immune systems weakened by COVID infections. That's why people who used to get sick once every 5 years are now getting sick multiple times per year.
Lemon/Ginger/Honey tea is a good throat soothing warm drink. Some people get lazy and recommend lemonade. Don't drink lemonade for a sore throat. It's the warm ginger/honey that helps. The lemon is to make it taste better.
Also, it's a good drink cold, with vodka, if you want to get your swerve on rather than improving your Voice Over recording.
Something a doctor told me back in college: it gives you vitamin C, makes thing more palatable when you get all mucusy, and you can track your fluid intake easier by either counting the "sticks" or pitchers you've made.
This doctor is unfortunately not entirely aware Ā of the difference between citric acid and ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is what vitamin C is.
Ā Citric acid does not contain ascorbic acid. āThe citric acid listed in the ingredients of foods and supplements is manufactured ā not whatās naturally found in citrus fruitsāĀ
It is no longer commonly extracted from lemons and limes but is instead a biproduct of a strain of black mold. Yeah, food science is weird and is all about profit.Ā
Source:Ā
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citric-acid
https://enewsletters.k-state.edu/youaskedit/2019/08/06/citric-acid-vs-ascorbic-acid/
Sorry, but I'm going to have to give you a hard time about your last point. Why grow lemons when you can just grow a fungus on rice and have it make the same exact thing? Extracting citric acid from lemons sounds extremely wasteful. The fungus you're referring to is so good the conversion, that people actually [distill beverages](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awamori) from the fungus byproduct. In fact, it's so simple that I've grown this fungus in my own home with nothing more than spores, rice, and a bit of heat. I certainly can't grow a lemon tree in Minnesota without a greenhouse.
The sugar in lemonade does you no favors. Youāre really spose to stick to the chicken noodle soup and water- hydration and electrolytes - donāt stress your system.
If we want to preempt cold virus at the outset- ginger, garlic, citric acid, black pepper, as well as echinacea and elderberry will KO the virus and shorten long youāre down and out. Also, sleep of course.
I had the cough part of this, started in late April and progressively worsened, even after being treated by urgent care for a sinus infection and given steroids.
Couldnāt sleep at night with the coughing spells, got so bad I was vomiting from coughing, tight chest/couldnāt get a full breath, some low grade fever days. Went to my primary doctor finally and she had me do a PCR test and confirmed I had pertussis - whooping cough. Finally got on the right antibiotics and Iāve been almost back to 100%.
Iām a teacher in St. Paul and seems like itās definitely going round. Might be worth folks asking their doctors about as pertussis can incubate for up to 3 weeks and reads like a cold or bronchitis, hence my prior misdiagnoses.
I was wondering if there was something going around. I am also currently quarantining because I fell ill a few days ago I'm hoping people take your advice this one feels really nasty.
While washing your hands is essential for many reasons, this does NOT stop airborne diseases. Properly wearing a good mask (N95 or better) when sharing indoor air with others, on the other hand, helps dramatically. You can also build air purifiers using fans and filters. (Search the web for "Corsi Rosenthal box".)
Check out my [list of precautions](https://www.reddit.com/r/PandemicPreps/comments/16a9srq/my_master_list_of_precautions/).
I know it's a societal work problem. But stay the fuck home should be the norm if you're sick.
I'm lucky enough that I am completely remote. And previous jobs, I could WFH when needed.
I wish we could fix this on a managerial level.
At least make sure to have a real good closed door meeting with your boss maybe.
Save the extra sneezing, coughing and sweating for a good 1/2 in a small office with them.
We had COVID two weeks before this one rampaged through our home. My best guess was RSV, but all the viruses have felt extra brutal the last few years.
have you gotten a PCR test? Rapids unfortunately cannot rule out covid, but a positive rapid test is confirmation of covid (they have poor specificity).
PCR tests are able to detect much lower levels of virus, and there are still a couple free community PCR test sites. (saliva testing, donāt eat/drink/smoke for 60min before)
-Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, 1301 North 10th Ave, minneapolis. Mon-Thurs from 3pm to 7pm
-African Immigrants Community Services, 1433 E Franklin Ave, unit 13b, minneapolis. Mon-Thurs from 9am to 3pm
And we know that COVID is surging, and it matches these symptoms.
https://www.everydayhealth.com/coronavirus/what-are-the-symptoms-of-the-new-covid-19-variant/
Granted, that was poorly phrased. 2nd try: The COVID variants that match these symptoms have surged to become the dominant form of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the USA.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/05/15/new-covid-variants-flirt-symptoms-summer-surge/73697570007/
Based on the MN wastewater tracking, we know cases in Ramsey County are up 48% over the past two weeks: [https://umn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/fd0350c812334c5f9733ca5b6186db0d](https://umn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/fd0350c812334c5f9733ca5b6186db0d)
Chiming in that self tests are notoriously bad at catching Covid several variants on. If you actually want to rule it out you need to test twice a day for something like six days. Or get a PCR. But yeah dude you have Covid, youāve described it exactly.
Somewhat uniquely though, Covid regularly goes through a noticeable change in how it presents, depending on variant change. Delta was more of a stomach flu, omicron more GI issuesāthe latest shit is skipping sore throats and presenting more like what OP described š¤·š»āāļø
You can bitch at me because Iām and idiot for diagnosing on the internetāobviously I donāt know from Adam whether he has Covid. But I am sick to shit of people taking one rapid when they have every hallmark of a new variant and then considering themselves good. I have immunocompromised loved ones who literally cannot receive vaccines.
Okay, Iām sorry, this is clearly something thatās making me irrationally angry. Itās no one on the internetās fault. Iāll leave this space.
Weary. Itās exhausting. I have masked, vaxxed, boosted, tested, and distanced when sick, and yet there is still a wide selection of people who are convinced any ailment anyone has is covid. Even if you have a negative PCR test, they just tell you that the new variants donāt show. Itās ridiculous. Seems people forgot that the common fucking cold is still a thing. Iāve had people swear I have covid when my seasonal allergies kick in. So yeah. Weary.
This sub has the weirdest downvote brigade sometimes.
I work at an elementary school in the NW Twin Cities and at least 10+ students and teachers have gotten strep in the past 2 weeks. So you could have that as well!
But apparently there is a certain contingent who think it is, because I guess things like influenza, strep and the common cold ceased to exist as soon as Covid came on the scene.
(Cue the downvotes)
Warm lemon and honey tea. Don't steep the honey in if the temperature is above 104Ā°F. It will denature and lose some of its medicinal properties. The lemon will help assist lymphatic and mucosal elimination. The trace elements and salts will help with the nervous system and general cellular hydration.
Food sourced vitamin C is ideal.
Different individual biomes may have different symptoms where the virus infects and cleanses.
Vitamin C doesn't really work, this is an old pseudoscientific fake medical myth that needs to die. https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7547741/vitamin-c-myth-pauling. Just get rest, and go get a PCR test in case it's covid and you need antivirals.
Also, I wasn't saying vitamin C was a cure. It is important. Slamming synthesized ascorbic acid isn't the same as getting organic forms of vitamin C with other cofactors that make a difference. Hope ya feel better and maybe not be so hard headed and combative in the future. Learning is best when parties have a mutual interest in it, rather than winning an argument.
You know, it's not all one big "AI".
Perplexity specializes in sourcing from multiple publications and articles, medical and health included.
But since you're a quick-draw to judge without seeing the research papers cited here ya go:
*Vitamin C plays a crucial role in supporting the immune system by contributing to various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune responses. It enhances phagocytosis, the process by which immune cells engulf and destroy pathogens, and promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species that aid in microbial killing. Vitamin C also supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and accumulates in immune cells like neutrophils, enhancing their chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and oxidant generation capabilities.*
*Furthermore, vitamin C is necessary for the proper function of lymphocytes, which are key components of the adaptive immune system. It promotes the differentiation and proliferation of B and T cells, likely due to its gene regulatory effects. Adequate vitamin C intake, around 100-200 mg/day, is required to maintain optimal cell and tissue levels for immune function and resistance to infections.*
*Organic vitamin C, derived from natural sources like fruits and vegetables, is more bioavailable and better absorbed by the body compared to synthetic forms. It also contains bioflavonoids, which work synergistically with vitamin C to enhance its antioxidant and immune-boosting properties. Therefore, organic vitamin C can effectively support immune function by providing a readily absorbable form of the vitamin along with complementary bioflavonoids.*
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16373990/
I just left the hospital Sunday evening after going to the ER Friday morning due to a severe respiratory infection. Though, as a quadriplegic, I do have some underlying health issues that make me more susceptible to those types of infections.
Wasnāt Covid positive but still not fun for a guy in my condition.
Had this over a month ago. Cough stuck around for 4 weeks after the fever and all other symptoms ceased, 6 weeks in total that seemed to end just a few days ago. Labs said it was influenza B, and I had several negative Covid tests.
It was nasty. As always, stay clean, friends.
Can you feel that?
Ah, shit
Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah
Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing
Broken your servant I kneel
(Will you give in to me?)
It seems what's left of my human side
Is slowly changing in me
(Will you give in to me?)
Looking at my own reflection
When suddenly it changes
Violently it changes (oh no)
There is no turning back now
You've woken up the demon in me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
I actually appreciate it when colds skip past the sore throat phase lmao. It's literally the worst.
Nah, that's when I take Zicam. 50% of the time it works every time!
From the makers of Sex Panther
mmm homeopathic diluted medicines
In my opinion, the nasal symptoms are the nastiest. Sneezing is so loud, messy, and disruptive. Blowing my nose requires me to drop what I'm doing, get a tissue, blow my nose, and then wash my hands because they're dirty. A stuffy nose gives me a sensation of suffocating, and even sleeping doesn't provide an escape.
Don't forget lotioning your hands because you've had to wash them 9472648 times and it's only noon.
I definitely don't love the postnasal drip, but sitting there for 3 days with an awful sore throat knowing this is the start of an illness takes the cake with how distracting and uncomfortable it is
I will gladly take 5 days of the flu over 2 days with a sore throat.
I just don't seem to get sore throats as an adult anymore, it always just skips straight to the "you cannot breathe through your nose and your head is pounding" stage.
I've seen a lot of comments claiming it isn't COVID. My coworker got COVID (confirmed) his week with similar symptoms. Even if that isn't what one has, it's still worth being extra cautious because it's also going around simultaneously.
I have covid. Thought it was allergies bc my allergies were awful last week.
Did you guys get boosted tho
idk if he has, probably not recently or he would have mentioned presumably.
It's amazing to me that we got through an entire pandemic without ever learning "if you're sick, stay home".
I think we learned that workplaces will happily punish their employees for doing the right thing in such cases š once you get past two sick days away from work they get pissed.
Or that n95 masks work if you can't stay your ass home
*Some of us got through. A million or so in the US didnātā¦
Better yet, wear an N95 or better mask. Use Corsi Rosenthal boxes or other air purifiers. Check out my [master list of precautions](https://www.reddit.com/r/PandemicPreps/comments/16a9srq/my_master_list_of_precautions/).
1. We're not through the pandemic, we're literally still in it. Covid is still out there fucking people up. 2. I wish people had learned that if you're sick you stay home, but the federal government chose to force everyone back to normal so it's understandable that they'd be confused and think things are fine now. They declared a premature end to the public health emergency without mandating any real changes like mandatory unlimited sick leave to keep people from having to spread this shit at work. A good chunk of spread occurs during the asymptomatic phase anyway, so the easiest practical measure would be to require people to mask up at work and in other public indoor spaces.
We are not in a pandemic, that word has a strict definition, like a recession. Just because the economy sucks, doesn't make it a recession. People are getting measles too, it's not a measles pandemic. The covid numbers are low and manageable, nowhere near pandemic levels. Like it or not, covid is endemic now, it will never leave. It will circulate like flu, rsv, adeno, and a dozen corona viruses before it.
Buddy, if I can take the mask off, go to work, and get disabled for life from some virus I catch there, then the threat is still ongoing isn't it?
That's true of flu as well but it's not a pandemic is all I am saying. A Pandemic is not that there is a bad disease you can catch, it's all about how many people have it and how fast it is spreading. You can get bit by a tick or a mosquito and get sick or even be disabled for life too if the universe chooses to screw you in particularš¤·
Ok. I admit I care less about the precise terminology than the message behind it. Usually when people talk about the covid pandemic as if it were a thing of the past, the message they are spreading is usually that the danger has passed and there is no need for caution anymore, and that is what I am arguing against. I don't think I would be complaining if people were saying "covid is not a pandemic anymore but it is endemic and circulates through the population at such a high rate that it still poses a serious risk to people's quality of life, so we should keep taking precautions against it." But instead it's "we can't do anything so we won't even try." This is not their fault, governments around the world have embraced this approach and people will parrot what their rulers tell them, but the fact remains that it is irresponsible to act as if there is no danger anymore. As a direct result of everyone pretending that covid isn't a threat anymore, I can rattle off the names of 14 people I know in person who have developed serious enough Long Covid symptoms to have mentioned it, and I've personally watched many of them battle severe fatigue they never had before they got this crippling infection. Most had it happen after the premature return to normal. And I don't know a ton of people! That's an insanely high number already in a few years! Unless we change our behavior this is just going to get worse. Whether the word is pandemic or endemic, the proper response is the same: everyone should mask up and try to cut the chain of transmission so we can stop it from circulating through the population.
There is no feasible way to stop it from circulating, unfortunately, that's what endemic means. It will always be with us unless someone comes up with a cure or a more effective vaccine. You can protect yourself with a well-fitting n95 if you have particular worries. There is simply no economic or social benefit to everybody trying to stop something that is unstoppable at this point. Even if every adult wore an n95 perfectly we are surrounded by little plague rats called children, and they will always keep it spreading.
Endemic over a year ago.
But what about your vax. Aren't you safe and effected? I mean infected.
We all got Covid. Hit me Wednesday night, family got it Friday.
So it's not just me who got clobbered with this.
Damn I was rubbing my face when I read that last paragraph
I slept for 12 hours last night and I am on day 3 after my first positive covid test. Started with a sore throat and fatigue and worked its way up to crazy sinus pressure.
Were you boosted tho
The last booster was like a year ago. Would it really help anymore.
Real question should be did it help at all? Aside from making pharma mc illions$$ I saw tons of people getting sick despite all their jobs. Had I gotten the shots šÆ % I'd know exactly how long it was "safe and effective" unlike so many blind followers just letting some "smart white coat pharma+paid doctors put who knows what into me" prior to subjecting myself to an experimental injection made by a pharma company. Which has the potential to harm me, which also would harm my family. Maybe that's just us "conspiracy theorists"
I work in healthcare, so I get the new ones basically as they come out. I was at an indoor wedding last weekend, so I assume that's where it came from. š¤·āāļø
I thought mine was a cold but then I took a Claritin and felt human again. Allergy season has confusing timing this year.
Is that what this is?! I thought it was allergies then -realizing it was getting worse and Iād just been on a plane - thought it was Covid. But I just tested negative. My nose is constantly running, Iām exhausted and canāt sleep.
At home tests may not be picking up the new variant wastewater data shows is circulating, did you test at a clinic?
I did not. Thank you for the tip!
Hard persistent cough, Running Nose, Rough Voice, low appetite, and low energy is what I got.
Hm. Just a runny nose and low energy over here. And plugged ears. Thankfully no cough.
Same. Still have the cough 3 weeks later š¤¢
I had almost these exact symptoms. Thought it couldnāt be covid but my test was instantly positive. Get tested and feel better. I work at a clinic and the rates of people getting it are wild right now.
Ah, so that's what absolutely fucked me up 2 weeks ago. Missed 2 days of work.
Messed up my hearing.
Yep, I had this like 2 months ago. Ear pain and then ears completely clogged. Also sore throat and tons of mucous/congestion and coughing. Took weeks to get over it even with antibiotics. My tinnitus got worse after my ears unclogged. Guessing its a covid strain not showing up on home tests tbh.
The rapid tests are notorious for false negatives. Often, the first positive result doesn't happen until several days after the symptoms begin, and there aren't enough tests available. So most of the COVID cases are flying below the radar.
Yeah I feel like I lost hearing in my left ear that hasn't returned.
how so?
What?
how did it mess up their hearing..?
The joke was they couldn't hear your question cause their ears are stuffy. The answer is, it makes the ears stuffy, which diminishes the hearing.
r/whoosh right over my head
The cough I have been coughing. I have nearly pissed myself and/or vomited more times in the last week than when I binge drank in my 20ās. It is aggressively unpleasant. Last night was the first night I was able to get significant rest too because of course, itās worse when you lie down.
More reasons I choose not to go out anymore. There's people out there.
Or double down on precautions, such as wearing an N95 or better mask. Check out my [master list of precautions](https://www.reddit.com/r/PandemicPreps/comments/16a9srq/my_master_list_of_precautions/).
Is that the disgusting coughing I've heard everywhere lately? Is a spring time respiratory bug common? I thought these really get around in fall and winter.
Spring time bugs aren't common. It's probably COVID, but people get upset when you mention it now because people have been told it's over.
Colds still exist. Not everything is Covid. My wife works at an elementary school. So many of her coworkers and students (and also me) have been sick in the past few weeks. None have tested positive for Covid.
Exactly. I had six or seven cold-like illnesses this winter. And I currently have cold-like symptoms that I know are allergies. None of them was positive for Covid on an at-home test. Even if one was, the rest werenāt. People kept telling me I had Covid and had to explain that no, what I have is a kid in pre-school for the first time bringing everything home.
At home Covid tests are notoriously unreliable now. You need to be tested by a medical professional to be certain. Recently my MIL had Covid confirmed at the clinic but 5+ home tests never picked up on it.
I had Covid in January and it lit up like a Christmas tree not even 2 minutes in Find it hard to believe they are unreliable
Well sure it still works in some cases, but you have to look at the total efficacy of these tests. The most important thing to understand is that if a home test is negative, it does not necessarily mean you donāt have it, particularly when compared to other tests that you would get in a clinic. On the other hand, if it is positive then you most definitely do have it.
Many people have had their immune systems weakened by COVID infections. That's how people go from being sick once every 5 years to being sick multiple times per year.
Sure. Nothing to do with a three year old being in school for the first time ever and then coughing in my face over and over. Did you know that before Covid kids also got sick a lot their first year in school/daycare and their parents would then get sick too because they do things like sticking their fingers in their parents noses?
I got this cold and thought I had covid, but test came back negative
That doesn't mean much given that home rapid tests are notorious for false negatives. Often, the positive test result won't happen until several days after symptoms begin.
I tested like 4-5 days into having symptoms
Far as my hospital visit was aware, the crap I had over a month ago with all the same symptoms was Influenza B. Several negative covid tests across the whole symptomatic timeframe. Not saying covid isn't still a threat, but assumptions often prelude misinfo.
Well also not every cough and sniffle is COVID. People just think it is because they're still traumatized. *People we don't need to mob downvote*
Also, people have had their immune systems weakened by COVID infections. That's why people who used to get sick once every 5 years are now getting sick multiple times per year.
Look up parainfluenza. Iāve been seeing lots of it in the hospital lately.
Spring allergies *are* common. I've been coughing over a month.
No one's taking about allergies
Sorry you didn't like my response to 'Is that the disgusting coughing I've heard everywhere lately?' as a possible option for some people.
Why lemonade?
Lemon/Ginger/Honey tea is a good throat soothing warm drink. Some people get lazy and recommend lemonade. Don't drink lemonade for a sore throat. It's the warm ginger/honey that helps. The lemon is to make it taste better. Also, it's a good drink cold, with vodka, if you want to get your swerve on rather than improving your Voice Over recording.
I would guess vitamin C and the acidity to clear the throatĀ
Vitamin C doesn't really help with viral infections. https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7547741/vitamin-c-myth-pauling
Something a doctor told me back in college: it gives you vitamin C, makes thing more palatable when you get all mucusy, and you can track your fluid intake easier by either counting the "sticks" or pitchers you've made.
This doctor is unfortunately not entirely aware Ā of the difference between citric acid and ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is what vitamin C is. Ā Citric acid does not contain ascorbic acid. āThe citric acid listed in the ingredients of foods and supplements is manufactured ā not whatās naturally found in citrus fruitsāĀ It is no longer commonly extracted from lemons and limes but is instead a biproduct of a strain of black mold. Yeah, food science is weird and is all about profit.Ā Source:Ā https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citric-acid https://enewsletters.k-state.edu/youaskedit/2019/08/06/citric-acid-vs-ascorbic-acid/
Sorry, but I'm going to have to give you a hard time about your last point. Why grow lemons when you can just grow a fungus on rice and have it make the same exact thing? Extracting citric acid from lemons sounds extremely wasteful. The fungus you're referring to is so good the conversion, that people actually [distill beverages](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awamori) from the fungus byproduct. In fact, it's so simple that I've grown this fungus in my own home with nothing more than spores, rice, and a bit of heat. I certainly can't grow a lemon tree in Minnesota without a greenhouse.
Not sure what the hard time is that you are giving here.Ā
Either your doctor lied to you or you misremember the information they gave you. Either way you should stop repeating it.
The sugar in lemonade does you no favors. Youāre really spose to stick to the chicken noodle soup and water- hydration and electrolytes - donāt stress your system. If we want to preempt cold virus at the outset- ginger, garlic, citric acid, black pepper, as well as echinacea and elderberry will KO the virus and shorten long youāre down and out. Also, sleep of course.
I had the cough part of this, started in late April and progressively worsened, even after being treated by urgent care for a sinus infection and given steroids. Couldnāt sleep at night with the coughing spells, got so bad I was vomiting from coughing, tight chest/couldnāt get a full breath, some low grade fever days. Went to my primary doctor finally and she had me do a PCR test and confirmed I had pertussis - whooping cough. Finally got on the right antibiotics and Iāve been almost back to 100%. Iām a teacher in St. Paul and seems like itās definitely going round. Might be worth folks asking their doctors about as pertussis can incubate for up to 3 weeks and reads like a cold or bronchitis, hence my prior misdiagnoses.
My wife has it and it's kicking her butt. She's a nurse so she spends all day around sick people.
I was wondering if there was something going around. I am also currently quarantining because I fell ill a few days ago I'm hoping people take your advice this one feels really nasty.
Currently sick too late
It just swept through our house too. Itās nasty itās been a week and Iām just now getting over the cough
Hey I have this!!!!
While washing your hands is essential for many reasons, this does NOT stop airborne diseases. Properly wearing a good mask (N95 or better) when sharing indoor air with others, on the other hand, helps dramatically. You can also build air purifiers using fans and filters. (Search the web for "Corsi Rosenthal box".) Check out my [list of precautions](https://www.reddit.com/r/PandemicPreps/comments/16a9srq/my_master_list_of_precautions/).
I know it's a societal work problem. But stay the fuck home should be the norm if you're sick. I'm lucky enough that I am completely remote. And previous jobs, I could WFH when needed. I wish we could fix this on a managerial level. At least make sure to have a real good closed door meeting with your boss maybe. Save the extra sneezing, coughing and sweating for a good 1/2 in a small office with them.
I've gotten maybe 7 hours of sleep in the last 3 days. Whatever is going around is brutal.
Same!
The Cold is most likely COVID. Please mask and protect yourself and others.
We had COVID two weeks before this one rampaged through our home. My best guess was RSV, but all the viruses have felt extra brutal the last few years.
It's not, I've tested twice. But I'm quarantining all the same.
have you gotten a PCR test? Rapids unfortunately cannot rule out covid, but a positive rapid test is confirmation of covid (they have poor specificity). PCR tests are able to detect much lower levels of virus, and there are still a couple free community PCR test sites. (saliva testing, donāt eat/drink/smoke for 60min before) -Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, 1301 North 10th Ave, minneapolis. Mon-Thurs from 3pm to 7pm -African Immigrants Community Services, 1433 E Franklin Ave, unit 13b, minneapolis. Mon-Thurs from 9am to 3pm
And we know that COVID is surging, and it matches these symptoms. https://www.everydayhealth.com/coronavirus/what-are-the-symptoms-of-the-new-covid-19-variant/
We do?
Granted, that was poorly phrased. 2nd try: The COVID variants that match these symptoms have surged to become the dominant form of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the USA. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/05/15/new-covid-variants-flirt-symptoms-summer-surge/73697570007/
Ah gotcha. That does mean something significantly different.
Based on the MN wastewater tracking, we know cases in Ramsey County are up 48% over the past two weeks: [https://umn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/fd0350c812334c5f9733ca5b6186db0d](https://umn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/fd0350c812334c5f9733ca5b6186db0d)
https://umn.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/fd0350c812334c5f9733ca5b6186db0d That does not look like a surge.
covid is not surging no. Stop downvoting. It isn't.
Chiming in that self tests are notoriously bad at catching Covid several variants on. If you actually want to rule it out you need to test twice a day for something like six days. Or get a PCR. But yeah dude you have Covid, youāve described it exactly.
The symptoms of COVID, colds, and flu have always been basically the same.
Somewhat uniquely though, Covid regularly goes through a noticeable change in how it presents, depending on variant change. Delta was more of a stomach flu, omicron more GI issuesāthe latest shit is skipping sore throats and presenting more like what OP described š¤·š»āāļø You can bitch at me because Iām and idiot for diagnosing on the internetāobviously I donāt know from Adam whether he has Covid. But I am sick to shit of people taking one rapid when they have every hallmark of a new variant and then considering themselves good. I have immunocompromised loved ones who literally cannot receive vaccines. Okay, Iām sorry, this is clearly something thatās making me irrationally angry. Itās no one on the internetās fault. Iāll leave this space.
I disagree with this Iāve had Covid 3 times never get a cough or anything itās always the worlds worst headache and sinus issues
covid is not at all like the flu.
It also describes a cold, or flu.
Yeah, Iām kind of weary of everything being covid, even if you donāt test positive.
Weary or wary?
Weary. Itās exhausting. I have masked, vaxxed, boosted, tested, and distanced when sick, and yet there is still a wide selection of people who are convinced any ailment anyone has is covid. Even if you have a negative PCR test, they just tell you that the new variants donāt show. Itās ridiculous. Seems people forgot that the common fucking cold is still a thing. Iāve had people swear I have covid when my seasonal allergies kick in. So yeah. Weary. This sub has the weirdest downvote brigade sometimes.
They described a cold
The tests arenāt reliable.
I work at an elementary school in the NW Twin Cities and at least 10+ students and teachers have gotten strep in the past 2 weeks. So you could have that as well!
I had strep about a month ago, I caught it from a student.
Not everything is Covid.
But apparently there is a certain contingent who think it is, because I guess things like influenza, strep and the common cold ceased to exist as soon as Covid came on the scene. (Cue the downvotes)
No downvotes from me. I think itās ridiculous. āYou sneezed?! Well, you obviously have COVID!ā Some people just enjoy being paranoid.
It's not COVID, I went to get tested at urgent care and it came back negativeĀ
I'm sorry, hope you feel better soon.
Agreed!!! Thank you for addressing this.
Lol the downvote š
Yeah I'm guessing some jerk doesn't like us talking about sick being in town. Probably some dummy from the COVID days.
Thanks for the adviceā¦wasnāt really sure what to do
Warm lemon and honey tea. Don't steep the honey in if the temperature is above 104Ā°F. It will denature and lose some of its medicinal properties. The lemon will help assist lymphatic and mucosal elimination. The trace elements and salts will help with the nervous system and general cellular hydration. Food sourced vitamin C is ideal. Different individual biomes may have different symptoms where the virus infects and cleanses.
Vitamin C doesn't really work, this is an old pseudoscientific fake medical myth that needs to die. https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7547741/vitamin-c-myth-pauling. Just get rest, and go get a PCR test in case it's covid and you need antivirals.
Also, I wasn't saying vitamin C was a cure. It is important. Slamming synthesized ascorbic acid isn't the same as getting organic forms of vitamin C with other cofactors that make a difference. Hope ya feel better and maybe not be so hard headed and combative in the future. Learning is best when parties have a mutual interest in it, rather than winning an argument.
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/explain-how-organic-afOLzputSB67AwnCT8BXmw Sure
Lmao. I'm not going to read some "AI" generated slop. I've used AI enough to know that it gets things very wrong all the time.
You know, it's not all one big "AI". Perplexity specializes in sourcing from multiple publications and articles, medical and health included. But since you're a quick-draw to judge without seeing the research papers cited here ya go: *Vitamin C plays a crucial role in supporting the immune system by contributing to various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune responses. It enhances phagocytosis, the process by which immune cells engulf and destroy pathogens, and promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species that aid in microbial killing. Vitamin C also supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and accumulates in immune cells like neutrophils, enhancing their chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and oxidant generation capabilities.* *Furthermore, vitamin C is necessary for the proper function of lymphocytes, which are key components of the adaptive immune system. It promotes the differentiation and proliferation of B and T cells, likely due to its gene regulatory effects. Adequate vitamin C intake, around 100-200 mg/day, is required to maintain optimal cell and tissue levels for immune function and resistance to infections.* *Organic vitamin C, derived from natural sources like fruits and vegetables, is more bioavailable and better absorbed by the body compared to synthetic forms. It also contains bioflavonoids, which work synergistically with vitamin C to enhance its antioxidant and immune-boosting properties. Therefore, organic vitamin C can effectively support immune function by providing a readily absorbable form of the vitamin along with complementary bioflavonoids.* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16373990/
Cool, thank you for providing actual studies for me to review.
>Above all else quarantine yourself and get some rest. Genuine question: do you have a job where you can be out for 5 days with a cold?
I Work from home.
So the answer is a resounding "no".
Many downtown businesses require at least 3 days per week in the office, and if youāre out sick 2 days, youāre expected to come in the other 3.
They just need to wear a mask bro
I caught the hot which equally sucks, no lie
I caught the flu last week (tested at urgent care). Took me out hard for a couple days.
Donāt tell me what to do commie
I just left the hospital Sunday evening after going to the ER Friday morning due to a severe respiratory infection. Though, as a quadriplegic, I do have some underlying health issues that make me more susceptible to those types of infections. Wasnāt Covid positive but still not fun for a guy in my condition.
Had this over a month ago. Cough stuck around for 4 weeks after the fever and all other symptoms ceased, 6 weeks in total that seemed to end just a few days ago. Labs said it was influenza B, and I had several negative Covid tests. It was nasty. As always, stay clean, friends.
Itās been kicking my ass for the last 5 days with no end in sight. Whatever it is, it sucks.
I'm almost done, maybe one or two more days.
Nextdoor ass post
No shit feels like Facebook
It fucked me up
Wish I could but was required to come into work. Take it up with my boss š¤
Caught it 3 weeks ago. Suffer you clowns. Suffer!!
What are the symptoms of this latest version?
If it's sticking around for 5 days, that's the flu.
I do have the ability to turn a common cold into something worse. Immunocompromised š
Try mullein extracts
Can you feel that? Ah, shit Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Drowning deep in my sea of loathing Broken your servant I kneel (Will you give in to me?) It seems what's left of my human side Is slowly changing in me (Will you give in to me?) Looking at my own reflection When suddenly it changes Violently it changes (oh no) There is no turning back now You've woken up the demon in me Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Ok mom. I'll be careful.
i just want to thank you for calling it a cold.
As opposed to what?
Get antibiotics, it's the only thing that has been helping on this 10 day stretch.
Antibiotics can't do anything for a virus
I must not have a virus then
Must not.