Etiquette upon recovering from the virus

[Brainaddict]

ETA: Even if I had been tested and knew I'd already had it there is no concrete proof that I'm still not a risk to others as a carrier.

Yeah, just trying to do more research on this. Seems the government's 7 days for self isolation is at least too lax and it should be 10 days from beginning of symptoms and maybe 7 days from end of fever. Interested in other research if people have it.

 

[Teaboy]

, but I know one friend will ask to go for a walk with me soon because he's desperate for

Could you do this whilst keeping a safe distance? Seems feasible if the right location is chosen. I.E. Not a narrow canal tow path.

 

[Brainaddict]

Then again even tests won't have 100% accuracy

Well, quite. I'm using 100% colloquially. Nothing in life is 100% sure. But the serious virus she just had is nothing like any cold or flu she's ever had and fits exactly with CV-19 symptoms. It's certainly what the doctors thought she had during phone consultations. I don't think questioning whether or not she's had it is going to be what determines her behaviour.

 

[Badgers]

Pretty sure there have been reports from Korea or China where people have caught the virus a second time.

Right now I think the best advice is to assume you and anyone you are near to has the virus.

 

[LDC]

Well, quite. I'm using 100% colloquially. Nothing in life is 100% sure. But the serious virus she just had is nothing like any cold or flu she's ever had and fits exactly with CV-19 symptoms. It's certainly what the doctors thought she had during phone consultations. I don't think questioning whether or not she's had it is going to be what determines her behaviour.

We have a consultant at work who was 100% sure he had it a few weeks ago. He's now been off again with symptoms and has tested positive, so last time he just had a cough, not CV. There's plenty of people who seem to think they had it '100%' that are talking bollocks.

The advice to you is the same as for everyone, breaking it is irresponsible and risks lives. At some point in the future it might be different, but for now you're not special, do what we all have to do.

 

[Spymaster]

Of course not. I had a mild case. My housemate who was coughing her lungs out and in pain every time she coughed couldn't get tested.

If you and your housemates haven't been tested there's absolutely no way you can reasonably assume that you've had it. You may have all had a dose of something completly different. You should observe all the current guidelines and assume you have not had it.

 

[Badgers]

If you and your housemates haven't been tested there's absolutely no way you can reasonably assume that you've had it. You may have all had a dose of something completly different. You should observe all the current guidelines and assume you have not had it.

Anything less that this is frankly selfish and dangerous.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Sounds like you most likely did have it Brainaddict but no one knows what immunity that offers you. So best to follow the same advice as everyone else, stay in, stay safe etc.

 

[killer b]

Of course we should stick to not leaving the house except for food or exercise, but I know one friend will ask to go for a walk with me soon because he's desperate for company. Nobody will know we aren't housemates so there's nothing to dob in. My housemate who has 100% had CV-19 has been apart from her partner for a month. Will she continue to not see him now that she's recovered? (I haven't asked her btw, but suspect it will become a tricky decision for her).

so you're talking about returning from total self isolation to the same kind of slightly elastic social distancing everyone is observing then, rather than abandoning social distancing altogether?

If you observe the 2m rule, then it's not ideal but also not the end of the world if you go for a walk with your mate. Reckon your flatmate can't see her boyfriend though, unless they observe the same 2m rule, or unless she goes to stay in his household for the duration or he comes to stay in yours.

 

[planetgeli]

There's plenty of people who seem to think they had it '100%' that are talking bollocks.

Absolutely this. Without wishing to pick fights with any individuals I think there may have been a sense of 'getting things out of the way', some weird kind of wish fulfilment or catastrophization.

I posted earlier about my best mate's daughter, newly qualified GP, who had to self-isolate with absolutely classic Covid symptoms. She got a test after 5 days. Negative and back to work soon after.

 

[Yossarian]

Interested in the evidence for this - it's definitely not government advice in terms of self-isolation due to infection risk. But I'm aware our government advice has been known to be wrong.

It's not official advice yet because the government is dithering, but other countries have been starting to advise wearing masks to avoid infecting others, based on the success of places like South Korea and Hong Kong in controlling outbreaks - I'd definitely wear one if you're getting on the Tube or something.

 

[Badgers]

Interested in the evidence for this - it's definitely not government advice in terms of self-isolation due to infection risk. But I'm aware our government advice has been known to be wrong.

You are honestly listening to advice from this government?

There is a really good bunch of lads called the World Health Organisation who I have heard are quite good at health matters.

 

[girasol]

I don't have much doubt. A week of viral fatigue and an aching chest and shortness of breath, with no runny nose - while my housemate had the clearest possible case of the virus.

I had that too, was completely knocked out for 4 days, same symptoms, and took two weeks to recover. But it was mid February. And these are also flu symptoms. Highly unlikely it was covid-19. Unless you've been tested you just can't say you've had it with believable certainty.

 

[2hats]

So I've recovered from the virus, having luckily had a mild dose, but it was clear what it was because my housemate had the full works.

How many days is it since the first obvious symptoms of this episode?

You must assume you had the virus but also act as if you have not yet been infected by. it. You've not been immunity tested (not surprisingly, since tests are in limited supply) but even if you had you still could not be totally sure if you had or had not been infected (only a positive result really tells you anything; a negative result could be due to no exposure or due to poor immune response or due to poor testing methodology).

Now I'm recovered I am very unlikely to get infected again and can no longer infect others. Obviously in public I will continue to keep 2m from people, but it seems a bit silly to wear a mask at this point. Would you?

Also I can now visit friends without much risk to anyone, but should I? Will it break the sense of everybody having to be in lockdown together?

If you have had a mild presentation (or indeed an asymptomatic one) then all the research thus far suggests you will have a poor immune response so are more likely to be re-infected readily, more sooner. Not only might it be possible for you to be re-infected but the subsequent presentation might be different. It could be worse or you could be completely asymptomatic. Either way, and in particular in the latter case, you can act as a source of infection both from expiratory transmission but also as a source of and (in any case at any point in the future) a transporter of fomites.

Furthermore, the science indicates that ideally everyone would maintain 8m (or more) separation.

For these reasons I, now some 36 days post initial obvious symptoms (likely COVID19 on the balance of probabilities but I don't either assume it was or was not), continue to isolate myself from others. I don't visit other people. I go outside, once every day or other day, wearing a face mask (to go for a walk or cycle on my own and to go shopping on my own). I continue to wash my hands regularly, wash foodstuffs. There is also an element of conditioning others. e2a: the mask, which is fitted, almost certainly will help reduce viral load at any future exposure.

There's a difference between what I expect the government to advise (because they can't be sure people who think they've had the virus have had it) and what I might think is reasonable (given that I know I had the virus). What should I do with that?

Follow the science, unlike the government. We only drive the effective reproduction number down by limiting contact with others as much as possible.

 

[Brainaddict]

You are honestly listening to advice from this government?

There is a really good bunch of lads called the World Health Organisation who I have heard are quite good at health matters.

I actually couldn't find anything on the WHO site about how long self-isolation should last once recovered, or any specific advice for recovered patients.

 

[Brainaddict]

How many days is it since the first obvious symptoms of this episode?

You must assume you had the virus but also act as if you have not yet been infected by. it. You've not been immunity tested (not surprisingly, since tests are in limited supply) but even if you had you still could not be totally sure if you had or had not been infected (only a positive result really tells you anything; a negative result could be due to no exposure or due to poor immune response or due to poor testing methodology).

If you have had a mild presentation (or indeed an asymptomatic one) then all the research thus far suggests you will have a poor immune response so are more likely to be re-infected readily, more sooner. Not only might it be possible for you to be re-infected but the subsequent presentation might be different. It could be worse or you could be completely asymptomatic. Either way, and in particular in the latter case, you can act as a source of infection both from expiratory transmission but also as a source of and (in any case at any point in the future) a transporter of fomites.

Furthermore, the science indicates that ideally everyone would maintain 8m (or more) separation.

For these reasons I, now some 36 days post initial obvious symptoms (likely COVID19 on the balance of probabilities but I don't either assume it was or was not), continue to isolate myself from others. I don't visit other people. I go outside, once every day or other day, wearing a face mask (to go for a walk or cycle on my own and to go shopping on my own). I continue to wash my hands regularly, wash foodstuffs. There is also an element of conditioning others.

Follow the science, unlike the government. We only drive the effective reproduction number down by limiting contact with others as much as possible.

Thanks, this is a good post. Though it's hard to know what to do with the idea we should maintain 8m from people isn't it?

 

[2hats]

Thanks, this is a good post. Though it's hard to know what to do with the idea we should maintain 8m from people isn't it?

I visualise 8 metres and endeavour to stick to it where possible.

 

[FiFi]

Without universal testing to confirm who has had or has not had it, the only ettiqute I can think of is to act as though you are contagious and assume eveyone else is too.

 

[Brainaddict]

This article was interesting: Sorry, Immunity to Covid-19 Won't Be Like a Superpower

 

[two sheds]

Get it wrong and you could kill someone.

 

[Johnny Doe]

So I've recovered from the virus, having luckily had a mild dose, but it was clear what it was because my housemate had the full works. Now I'm recovered I am very unlikely to get infected again and can no longer infect others. Obviously in public I will continue to keep 2m from people, but it seems a bit silly to wear a mask at this point. Would you?

Also I can now visit friends without much risk to anyone, but should I? Will it break the sense of everybody having to be in lockdown together? Will casual observers get angry with me?

There's a difference between what I expect the government to advise (because they can't be sure people who think they've had the virus have had it) and what I might think is reasonable (given that I know I had the virus). What should I do with that?

Decided not to read the thread because to get 30 responses, they must have all got the answer wrong. Here it is:

You don't know you have had it
Behave as though you might have it and infect, and in some cases, kill, others

/thread ends

 

[Cid]

Decided not to read the thread because to get 30 responses, they must have all got the answer wrong. Here it is:

You don't know you have had it
Behave as though you might have it and infect, and in some cases, kill, others

/thread ends

To be fair really you're just the 51st person to say that.

 

[Pickman's model]

Also I can now visit friends without much risk to anyone, but should I?

try it out with enemies before inflicting it on friends

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Thanks, this is a good post. Though it's hard to know what to do with the idea we should maintain 8m from people isn't it?

Not really. Just don’t go out unless you absolutely have to. This isn't rocket science.

 

[Johnny Doe]

To be fair really you're just the 51st person to say that.

Oh. What would people keep repeating the answer?

 

[JimW]

Oh. What would people keep repeating the answer?

Catchy chorus.

 

[Callie]

(b) it's blinking obvious they've had it.

How exactly are you differentiating it from other respiratory viruses?

Until you have tested positive (and even then there could be some margin of error!) you don't know. No-one does. How do you know you haven't had parainfluenza or metapneumovirus?

 

[cyril_smear]

So I've recovered from the virus, having luckily had a mild dose, but it was clear what it was because my housemate had the full works. Now I'm recovered I am very unlikely to get infected again and can no longer infect others. Obviously in public I will continue to keep 2m from people, but it seems a bit silly to wear a mask at this point. Would you?

Also I can now visit friends without much risk to anyone, but should I? Will it break the sense of everybody having to be in lockdown together? Will casual observers get angry with me?

There's a difference between what I expect the government to advise (because they can't be sure people who think they've had the virus have had it) and what I might think is reasonable (given that I know I had the virus). What should I do with that?

were you tested? and if you've had it and recovered how do you know that means you cant have it again.

 

[8ball]

Not really. Just don’t go out unless you absolutely have to. This isn't rocket science.

And ideally stay as close to the middle of the house as possible.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

Interested in the evidence for this - it's definitely not government advice in terms of self-isolation due to infection risk. But I'm aware our government advice has been known to be wrong.

No evidence yet, but plenty of anecdotal stuff. Enough to cause concern.

Coronavirus patients are testing positive after recovery

South Korea reported Monday at least 116 patients who had been cleared of the virus tested positive again

thehill.com

WHO investigates reports of recovered coronavirus patients testing positive again

South Korea reported that 91 recovered coronavirus patients tested positive for the virus, raising concerns about the virus "reactivating."

www.businessinsider.com

More recovered coronavirus patients are testing positive again

Did the virus reactivate itself inside the host?

futurism.com

Coronavirus: why do 'recovered' patients test positive again?

www.msn.com