Think you may have already had Coronavirus?

[AustinTink]

Interesting. But she was not sick?

I feel for how sick your son was. Mine was also very sick in December and hospitalized and it was awful. He wasn't hospitalized for his respiratory symptoms, it was for something else, but they found he had pneumonia when they did a chest XRay which he didn't know he had.

They are no longer together, but he does remember her being sick not long before him. Basic cold/flu symptoms.

Your son may have had it also. For someone to say a person had to be in China in December to have had the virus is just silly. At least here, in Austin, we are a melting pot with a thriving tech community. People traveling back and forth to China for business could have easily transmitted it here in December. We have neighbors and friends who work for Dell who travel to China every month. Or, at least they did.

 

[AustinTink]

was he tested for adeno 7 or 14?

He was tested for adenovirus i believe. As the attending at the hospital put it, he had the "million dollar workup". They did find some things but they were all related or brought on by the "mystery virus".

 

[kkmcan]

I do think perhaps my husband and son both had it. DS20 got a high fever in January. Came on really fast one afternoon. Also sore throat, cough and no energy (no congestion though). The fever was the highest he's had since he was a small child 103.6 We were able to keep it down with ibuprophen. 24 hours later, the fever was gone but he had the cough and sore throat for 4 days. On the 5th day we took him to get a strep test which turned out negative. They gave him antibiotics for what they thought was bronchitis. It cleared up and he's fine. DH got sick in Feb. Came on super fast. Low fever, chills, cough and congestion. Not his usual cold symptoms. He thought it was so weird. Took him about a week to mostly recover.

Both of them thought it was so weird. All of our colds usually come on with a sore scratch throat. This came on super fast. One minute they were fine, next they were down for the count. Both started with the fever.
I felt like I had a very mild version of a cold right after my dh had it. It was like my body was trying not to get it full blown. I had some mild congestion and a mild cough that didn't last very long.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I do think perhaps my husband and son both had it. DS20 got a high fever in January. Came on really fast one afternoon. Also sore throat, cough and no energy (no congestion though). The fever was the highest he's had since he was a small child 103.6 We were able to keep it down with ibuprophen. 24 hours later, the fever was gone but he had the cough and sore throat for 4 days. On the 5th day we took him to get a strep test which turned out negative. They gave him antibiotics for what they thought was bronchitis. It cleared up and he's fine. DH got sick in Feb. Came on super fast. Low fever, chills, cough and congestion. Not his usual cold symptoms. He thought it was so weird. Took him about a week to mostly recover.

Both of them thought it was so weird. All of our colds usually come on with a sore scratch throat. This came on super fast. One minute they were fine, next they were down for the count. Both started with the fever.
I felt like I had a very mild version of a cold right after my dh had it. It was like my body was trying not to get it full blown. I had some mild congestion and a mild cough that didn't last very long.

Was your son tested for the flu at the doctor's office?

 

[disneychrista]

Less then 2% of those tested in my county have come back positive, so far. My guess is most of you thinking you had it, in fact did not.

 

[marthachick]

I think I had it in mid-February. It started out feeling like I was taking a cold. Had a cough with chest heaviness. I had trouble breathing. Then I had a terrible headache, fever that went up to 103, aching and felt awful. I also lost my sense of taste. I ticked a lot of the COVID boxes. I tested positive for flu type A but I still think I had COVID also or instead. It has been almost 6 weeks and I still don’t feel 100%.

 

[OhhBother]

We traveled to Antarctica by expedition ship - flying through Buenos Aires, Argentina -- in late February. We returned home -- again through Argentina -- in early March. Four days after returning, I felt like I was getting sick but didn't think much of it. The next day, I left work after a half day and went home to bed. For eight consecutive days, I ran a fever between 101.8 and 102.6. It would not come down no matter how much Tylenol I took. I had no head congestion but had a dry cough. My body ached, and I was just so tired all the time.

Around Day Seven, I started having breathing difficulty. I have asthma, so I treated with my rescue inhaler - which helped somewhat. Finally, around Day 10, the fever dropped to around 100.8. And the next couple of days, it hung out around 99.8. Finally, after about two weeks, the fever was gone. It's now been a week since the fever went away, and I'm still coughing a bit. But I feel mostly back to normal.

I don't know if I had COVID or not. But I do know I've never had a fever that would not break for eight days. It was incredibly scary.

 

[Minnie1222]

Logically, I KNOW what DH & I had was NOT Covid-19, but, looking back now, I wonder.

I even joked w/ DH - ”Maybe WE are the true patient zeros!”

Any case, even at the time, I thought it was the strangest thing & still really have no idea what was happening between me & DH.

In June 2018, younger DS had a mild stuffy nose. I attributed it to being in the pool a lot since our swim team season had just started. However, he must have had a little cold, because I caught it... except I was much, much worse. And it came on suddenly. I woke w/ a slight scratchy/sore throat, &, by that evening, i was coughing. I never had a stuffy/runny nose.

I was sick from the beginning to June to halfway through mid July. Early on, there were maybe 2 days where I ran a low fever & felt chilled. The cough was awful - I would have coughing spells that would leave me breathless. I would cough & almost gag the cough was so violent & just relentless when I was having a coughing fit - l could not get any breath. I burst a blood vessel in my eye from coughing so hard. I did not go to the doctor because I have a doctor/hospital phobia, &, after the 1st 2 days, the only symptom was the awful cough.

During that time, we went on vacation to Florida. And I remember complaining that it wasn’t fair because I couldn’t taste any of the food.

IMPORTANT - DH & I share luggage & our toiletries are packed together.

Fast-forward to that August, & we traveled to Biloxi, MS, using the same luggage. On the last morning we were there, DH woke up sick w/ the exact same symptoms. He was so bad that, at first, I was afraid he had Legionnaire’s Disease. He was sick through September, developed pneumonia, & was prescribed an antibiotic & breathing treatments. The 1st antibiotic wasn’t working, so he was prescribed a stronger antibiotic. There were nights when I was seriously very worried about him. And it was a long time before he felt like himself.

Fast-foward to that December, & we traveled back to Florida &, again, used the same luggage. The day we left to return home, I woke up w/ a scratchy throat, &, by the time we got back home later that night, I was again coughing. Same exact symptoms, & I was sick through the end of January 2019.

And, it was at this point, I threw away a lot of our different packing bags & thoroughly sanitized the rest of it.

During this, our kids never got sick - just me & DH.

The timeline doesn’t fit at all w/ the current outbreak, but the symptoms are EXACT. And, even then, we thought it was all really odd w/ how it affected both DH & me & how sick we were - but the kids never were.

I don’t know... do all coronoviruses have similar symptoms?

Last week, I told DH that maybe he was in contact w/ someone at work who eventually ended up in China which meant we were actually the patient zeros.

MERS?

 

[trmiv]

I had a nasty something in mid February. Fever, coughing, sore throat, body aches, headache. I told my wife it was the nastiest cold I’d ever had. I didn’t think it was the flu at the time because I’d had the flu vaccine, but it could have been a different strain. I live 3 miles from MK and we go to the parks all the time so who knows, we’re exposed to pretty much everything. It was likely just a nasty cold or a minor flu, but it does make we wonder.

 

[Wakey]

All the studies are showing circa 50% of sufferers are asymptomatic.

Start with the Diamond Princess, which had an aged demographic. 51% of those who tested positive had no symptoms at all. This is a very good indication as it is a closed environment and the closest we have to a small scale study.

Next, the Icelandic study ( https://english.alarabiya.net/en/fe...sting-finds-half-of-carriers-show-no-symptoms ) same result.

Similar results from Italy and China (one was over 70% were asymptomatic).

In the general population, even the 50% who have symptoms, in most places almost all are never tested, and at the moment don’t know if they had that, a cold, sore throat, flu etc.

So undoubtedly this has moved stealthily through populations. It now seems we have had it in the UK since at least January and I suspect December. I was seeing reports here of a mysterious coughing virus in early New Year, and my BIL got it and it knocked him out for a month with pneumonia- a fit guy with no health issues, he lives 50% of the week in London hotels which have a lot of Chinese guests.

The published infection figures are pointless, you need to look at deaths to get an idea of the real problem, and even then it is difficult due to demographics, healthcare systems, living conditions (old with young in places like Italy) etc.

 

[Poohlove]

I know right? That’s what’s so confusing. Now I’m thinking of all the people we could have infected unknowingly. Wish this darn thing would end.

I know that the reported time frame where a person is contagious varies but this is exactly why regardless of whether it's the coronavirus or a stomach flu its important to stay home when sick. There are plenty of things in addition to coronavirus that can be spread and be just as dangerous to those who are in the high risk categories.

 

[mousefan73]

We traveled to Antarctica by expedition ship - flying through Buenos Aires, Argentina -- in late February. We returned home -- again through Argentina -- in early March. Four days after returning, I felt like I was getting sick but didn't think much of it. The next day, I left work after a half day and went home to bed. For eight consecutive days, I ran a fever between 101.8 and 102.6. It would not come down no matter how much Tylenol I took. I had no head congestion but had a dry cough. My body ached, and I was just so tired all the time.

Around Day Seven, I started having breathing difficulty. I have asthma, so I treated with my rescue inhaler - which helped somewhat. Finally, around Day 10, the fever dropped to around 100.8. And the next couple of days, it hung out around 99.8. Finally, after about two weeks, the fever was gone. It's now been a week since the fever went away, and I'm still coughing a bit. But I feel mostly back to normal.

I don't know if I had COVID or not. But I do know I've never had a fever that would not break for eight days. It was incredibly scary.

If you could even now get tested that would be good.. I have read that the virus, can hang out a bit in our passages... one day there will be an antibody test... would be good.. I would also assume that if I had a long fever something is up.. I get the usual cold and flus here and there but non for me would have a fever lenght such as yours... It seems covid has a longer fever time for some...

 

[monsterkitty]

Those saying they had a sore or scratchy throat probably had the typical virus that runs the course during the winter months. Here are the symptoms that are reported from many sources:

As the CDC explains, there are three main symptoms of the current illness: Fever, cough, and shortness of breath—symptoms that are similar to the flu or common cold.

Among hospitalized patients, fever is the most common symptom, according to CDC interim guidance for doctors who are managing COVID-19 patients. Complaints of muscle pain or fatigue are also common among these patients. Less often, they report headache, sore throat, productive cough, or GI symptoms, like diarrhea.

All of us who had the typical garden variety winter virus all woke up with the sore, scratchy throat that then developed into the cough, etc.

 

[Starwind]

I’m wondering if it is possible to have the flu and covid-19 simultaneously.

Yes.

One of the passengers (David Abel) on the Diamond Princess who did Youtube videos during their quarantine and subsequent hospitalization with Covid-19 tested positive for influenza AND a strain of common cold AND the covid-19 coronavirus *all at the same time*.

Basically it was a triple whammy of germs. And to add to it, pneumonia.

When they posted their video about it it made me wonder about testing protocols right now.. because if someone is tested first for influenza and they test positive is it assumed that is ALL they have and so no further tests are done ? If that is the case in some places then they would be missing some X number of cases where the person has both influenza AND covid, as in the case of Mr. Abel [except his was caught because the covid test was done first the other tests done later, see below]. Now, part will depend on your jurisdiction too... Here in Ontario they don't test for influenza unless you are being hospitalized with respiratory illness or as part of an institutional outbreak, and I believe at this point such people are now getting tested for covid too.

e.g. in this interview the doctor says if the person tests positive for influenza they don't test further. https://www.foxnews.com/media/coronavirus-questions-answers-flu-covid-same-time

In Mr. Abel's case he thought he had no symptoms on the ship [though did have a cough when indoors which they attributed to the dry indoor air] and was tested when everyone on board age 60 and over was tested, and that test came back positive. He and his wife were then taken to a hospital onshore and given a whole bunch of tests which showed up the pneumonia as well as the influenza, and cold to go along with the covid.

But bottom line, yes a person can have both at the same time.

Here's an article about the issue: https://www.wthr.com/article/verify...have-flu-everyone-needs-take-same-precautions

Here is a Research Letter in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal about a coinfection case in January in China: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/6/20-0299_article

And here is some raw data published from Stanford (in California): https://medium.com/@nigam/higher-co-infection-rates-in-covid19-b24965088333

SW

 

[Starwind]

Yes knowing who CURRENTLY has it is important. Knowing you had it 3 months ago not so much.

But it will have practical implications as time moves on.

For example, *IF* having antibodies means you are highly likely to be immune, then those demonstrating anitbodies may be able to return to work.

For example, for my protection my workplace will not allow me to work in the office because I am considered at high risk of complications should I catch covid-19 . I am therefore on a combination of working from home and paid leave.

If a future antibody test is able to show that I have actually already been exposed and developed anitbodies, then it may be possible for me to return to work in the office. Likewise, if it shows I have no antibodies, then we will know I am likely still at risk. Either way, it will contribute to making informed decisions.

When the H1N1 pandemic went through, I got sick with a strange cold-like illness for about a week in the early days. It was unlike a normal flu or cold, but rather something in between. Months later, our province did an antibody study, which I volunteered for, to assess how much of the population had been exposed and now had antibodies. I tested positive. My doctor thinks that weird illness was most likely me being sick with H1N1, although we'll never know for sure. In that case, knowing didn't change anything, it was just a "nice to know".

SW

 

[Starwind]

Right, cold antibodies actually last two or three years, but there are so many varieties that it doesn’t feel that way.

how long Covid-19 antibodies last is relevant information & home tests could be a helpful tool in knowing when your immunity wears off

And sadly, this study of the duration of antibody response to the covid-9 cousin SARS found

"Among 176 patients who had had severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), SARS-specific antibodies were maintained for an average of 2 years, and significant reduction of immunoglobulin G–positive percentage and titers occurred in the third year. Thus, SARS patients might be susceptible to reinfection >3 years after initial exposure. "

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851497/

Lets hope antobody activity to covid-19 lasts much longer !!! I can't imagine going through this rollercoaster over and over and over again.....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

And sadly, this study of the duration of antibody response to the covid-9 cousin SARS found

"Among 176 patients who had had severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), SARS-specific antibodies were maintained for an average of 2 years, and significant reduction of immunoglobulin G–positive percentage and titers occurred in the third year. Thus, SARS patients might be susceptible to reinfection >3 years after initial exposure. "

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851497/

Lets hope antobody activity to covid-19 lasts much longer !!! I can't imagine going through this rollercoaster over and over and over again.....

I wrote this on a "flu" thread back in January:

"Immunity is very complex, and unique to each individual. There is evidence that immunity can be both long, and short term, depending on a variety of factors and a variety of viruses. But there seems to be some consensus that our bodies hold onto antibodies of many the exposures we've ever had to flu (as evidenced via studies with people having lifelong immunity to the Spanish flu of 1918, and more), whether through an actual infection OR the flu shots we've had (which contain inactivated viruses). And further, that even if there isn't "exact" immunity to a certain virus, our bodies may harbor "some" antibodies that WILL work on part of flu viruses we may pick up, of which there can be many, some being very similar to one another. This is why they feel that getting a flu shot helps lessen the severity of illness, because antibodies help fight parts of many flu viruses overall.

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/10/28/does-the-flu-provide-better-immunity-than-a-flu-shot/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190320110619.htm "

 

[Starwind]

I wrote this on a "flu" thread back in January:

"Immunity is very complex, and unique to each individual. There is evidence that immunity can be both long, and short term, depending on a variety of factors and a variety of viruses. But there seems to be some consensus that our bodies hold onto antibodies of many the exposures we've ever had to flu (as evidenced via studies with people having lifelong immunity to the Spanish flu of 1918, and more), whether through an actual infection OR the flu shots we've had (which contain inactivated viruses). And further, that even if there isn't "exact" immunity to a certain virus, our bodies may harbor "some" antibodies that WILL work on part of flu viruses we may pick up, of which there can be many, some being very similar to one another. This is why they feel that getting a flu shot helps lessen the severity of illness, because antibodies help fight parts of many flu viruses overall.

So we really need to be hoping our immune systems react to covid-19 more like it does to influenza viruses than it does to the other coronaviruses, where the immunity is measures in just a few years....

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Even if immunity is a few years, that buys scientists time to develop, test, and mass produce a vaccine.

 

[Starwind]

There is probably another way to collect the data rather than asking Americans to pay for a test individually. I think that what will happen is that an antibody test will simply be added to every single bloodwork order being done in the US for the next year or so unless you can tell the doctor it has already been done. They I

So there was a flu study underway in Seattle that wanted to test their flu samples for covid, but that idea got shut down due to privacy and consent issues... https://www.businessinsider.com/seattle-flu-study-coronavirus-testing-washington-2020-3

So privacy and consent issues could be a concern, however, if it is known all samples will be tested, then the consent statement can be built in to the consent form for future samples, assuming there isn't a "public health" clause of some form already.

A successful model that has previously been used:

This study explains how Ontario handled assessing the seroprevalence of H1N1. They used a combination of sources, including recruiting people [I was part of the group they recruited, and tested positive in what they describe as their first wave], as well as using residual serum samples that had been submitted to Public Health Ontario Laboratories (PHOL) for preventable disease and prenatal screening. See "Seroprevalence of Pandemic Influenza H1N1 in Ontario from January 2009–May 2010" https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0026427 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215698/