What if I’ve already had Covid19?

[Rich Beaudoin]

Here’s the situation:
In January our friend who owns LBS was visiting his brother who lives and works in Seattle.
Friend gets bad flu, then at least 10 of us who were around him gets this flu from early to mid February.
Several of us had gotten our flu shots so I was surprised at how severe our symptoms were (my wife and I). One of the people who became sick has a father who is a doctor. The doctor says the description of our symptoms makes him believe we had Covid19.
How would we know?

[Blue Jays]

Scientists and medical researchers must be working on tests to determine if antibodies exist or existed.
The big question is probably to determine how long they can be measured? This must be related to herd immunity we hear discussed.
My goodness...count your lucky stars and play the lottery when you can. Glad it worked out well for you and your family.

[ABiCi]

Here’s the situation:
In January our friend who owns LBS was visiting his brother who lives and works in Seattle.
Friend gets bad flu, then at least 10 of us who were around him gets this flu from early to mid February.
Several of us had gotten our flu shots so I was surprised at how severe our symptoms were (my wife and I). One of the people who became sick has a father who is a doctor. The doctor says the description of our symptoms makes him believe we had Covid19.
How would we know?

These two links answer the question:

Have I already had coronavirus? How would I know and what should I do? | US news | The Guardian
https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...y-blood-tests/

In short, right now there is no way of getting tested and confirming that you had corona virus but recovered. The only tests currently in operation are ones that can tell you if you have it at the time of the test. The kind of test that would be able to tell you that you had it in the past, an antibody test, is currently being worked on by a bunch of groups, but it isn't clear when such a test can reliably be pushed out to the community.

For now I would be assuming that you didn't have it in February and continuing to act as if you want to avoid an initial infection.

[jlyon]

One of the signs was a loss of taste and or smell. I don't think I ever had that with the normal flu.

Did you notice a change in your abilities to taste or smell?

[vertical_doug]

These two links answer the question:

Have I already had coronavirus? How would I know and what should I do? | US news | The Guardian
https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...y-blood-tests/

In short, right now there is no way of getting tested and confirming that you had corona virus but recovered. The only tests currently in operation are ones that can tell you if you have it at the time of the test. The kind of test that would be able to tell you that you had it in the past, an antibody test, is currently being worked on by a bunch of groups, but it isn't clear when such a test can reliably be pushed out to the community.

For now I would be assuming that you didn't have it in February and continuing to act as if you want to avoid an initial infection.

Germany is starting a trail next week on an antibody test. If it works, they plan to ramp and issue green cards. I will think the US is not far behind, so maybe after Easter, but you'd expect them first to target health care workers and other first responders.

Currently 15% of NYPD are out sick, and 1000 have tested positive.

[lavi]

Wondering the same. My 12 yo daughter had flu like systems 3 weeks ago. Came and went pretty quick. I have always been very tough to take down. I had sniffles a few days. With my Wim Hoff breathing, I'm likely impervious. :) Kidding aside, I do wonder if it already made it's way through our house.

I have read about all the symptoms (lose of smell, etc). I also wonder if the very mild cases do not include the "usual" or "bad" symptoms.

Time will tell. For now, it's head down as in ALTP (Avoid Like The Plague).

[Rich Beaudoin]

Did you notice a change in your abilities to taste or smell?

I didn’t eat much while I was sick, but my wife said she lost her taste & smell.

[monadnocky]

Not an MD/DO, and not suggesting anyone had or didn't have it, but temporary loss of smell is a very nonspecific (and quite common) phenomenon.

[crumpton]

Not an MD/DO, and not suggesting anyone had or didn't have it, but temporary loss of smell is a very nonspecific (and quite common) phenomenon.

Especially with cold/flu with sinus issues.

[ides1056]

My wife was sicker than she had been in 13 years second to third week of February when she was clearing out our apartment in NYC. Three people she came in contact with also became ill with the same symptoms, which mirror those for Covid 19: aches, GI issues, no sense of smell or taste, no appetite, persistent and nasty cough that became pneumonia. No way to know till there's an antibody test.

[Corso]

My wife was sicker than she had been in 13 years second to third week of February when she was clearing out our apartment in NYC. Three people she came in contact with also became ill with the same symptoms, which mirror those for Covid 19: aches, GI issues, no sense of smell or taste, no appetite, persistent and nasty cough that became pneumonia. No way to know till there's an antibody test.

"Was" sicker, I'm guessing she feels better now?

I sincerely hope she (and your) dodged this awful bullet.

[beeatnik]

And now pink eye is another symptom.

'Pink Eye' Often a Symptom of COVID-19

Friend is convinced she had it in late December. She was gravely ill for a few weeks in Jan and prescribed "lung cancer patient cough suppressant." Interestingly enough she was not tested for influenza. Did have the pink eye doe.

She works for a developer who travels to Germany and resorts in the Alps regularly. More wacky stuff to ponder.

[ldamelio]

There are antibody tests that can tell if you've had the virus. Not widely available at the moment. We're starting a small research study within my mid-size, private non-profit hospital system. I'm sure larger university hospitals are doing the same. Snoop around the website of your nearest university hospital; you may find something.

[ides1056]

"Was" sicker, I'm guessing she feels better now?

I sincerely hope she (and your) dodged this awful bullet.

She has a persistent cough.

She's a truly shitty patient, I have to add.

[bigbill]

We're all curious about an antibody test here. Kingman, AZ is at a crossroads of Rt66 and I-40. Until the travel ban, there was a steady stream of Chinese tourists on buses that stopped here to let the tourists shop at Walmart, eat at local fast food places, and roam around the historic downtown. In early January, a severe "flu" swept the town, we had as many as 30% of employees out at once. I was sick with what felt like a respiratory infection with severe pain in my chest almost to the point I considered calling 911. That went on for two weeks along with a high fever for 4 days. Totally non-productive cough. Just about everyone who was sick had similar symptoms. Now, out of a town of 40K located on an interstate, we have 4 cases, only one requiring hospitalization. The county has 10 cases in total.

[kytyree]

I had a similar illness around the beginning of the year.

Something I'm curious about, given the amount of time that will pass while these antibody tests are developed, and the number of people they say are asymptomatic with COVID-19, will some of us ever really know when we "had" it? IE we now know it is here, if folks are tested down the road, I don't see how we can discern between these illnesses several of us have experienced earlier and the possibility that we were exposed and asymptomatic later.

But I'm a long way from being a biologist, hell I needed auto-correct to spell it just now.

[Sbti]

Hold the Mayo:
Cellex and Mayo Clinic Launch Tests to Determine COVID-19 Immunity from Previous Exposure – PharmaLive

[ldamelio]

We're all curious about an antibody test here. Kingman, AZ is at a crossroads of Rt66 and I-40. Until the travel ban, there was a steady stream of Chinese tourists on buses that stopped here to let the tourists shop at Walmart, eat at local fast food places, and roam around the historic downtown. In early January, a severe "flu" swept the town, we had as many as 30% of employees out at once. I was sick with what felt like a respiratory infection with severe pain in my chest almost to the point I considered calling 911. That went on for two weeks along with a high fever for 4 days. Totally non-productive cough. Just about everyone who was sick had similar symptoms. Now, out of a town of 40K located on an interstate, we have 4 cases, only one requiring hospitalization. The county has 10 cases in total.

Wow, very interesting. Good chance it swept through before it was a thing. Good area for population-based antibody testing. Would be interested in what your local hospital(s) saw in that time frame,

[TMB]

We're all curious about an antibody test here. Kingman, AZ is at a crossroads of Rt66 and I-40. Until the travel ban, there was a steady stream of Chinese tourists on buses that stopped here to let the tourists shop at Walmart, eat at local fast food places, and roam around the historic downtown. In early January, a severe "flu" swept the town, we had as many as 30% of employees out at once. I was sick with what felt like a respiratory infection with severe pain in my chest almost to the point I considered calling 911. That went on for two weeks along with a high fever for 4 days. Totally non-productive cough. Just about everyone who was sick had similar symptoms. Now, out of a town of 40K located on an interstate, we have 4 cases, only one requiring hospitalization. The county has 10 cases in total.

No offence Bill but when we came through in March, I got out the car with gloves on, put gas in the car, got rid of the gloves and left town.

It was that way pretty much all the way home, except for stopping at grocery stores to buy food for the road.

[mzilliox]

And now pink eye is another symptom.

'Pink Eye' Often a Symptom of COVID-19

Friend is convinced she had it in late December. She was gravely ill for a few weeks in Jan and prescribed "lung cancer patient cough suppressant." Interestingly enough she was not tested for influenza. Did have the pink eye doe.

She works for a developer who travels to Germany and resorts in the Alps regularly. More wacky stuff to ponder.

we had this too, and got pink eye. however i still dont think it was Covid or our community would have had more infections and more issues with older and sick patients.