have i had the virus

[robbymax]

Message:

mid December a staff member came into contact with a person returning from China he became sick and infected me by Christmas i became very ill bad sore throat, headache, an annoying cough and exhaustion went on for 2 weeks breathless and feeling very sick, that tired could hardly move started to feel better then the wife started to feel unwell and went down with all the same symptoms and this was all this started in the UK so looking back i think we have had the corona virus i need you to help me prove this can you help me

[2greys]

If anyone could give you an answer to that, they would be a wealthy man. Unfortunately without an antibody test, yet to be approved and accurate, there is no way to tell. I am in the same boat and would love to know if I had it a few weeks ago, I am shielded and my partner works in an infected nursing home.

[cofdrop-UK]

I did hear on radio 4 but I was half asleep at the time but the item related to someone who had had confirmed pneumonia in December. The specimen was re-tested and they confirmed Covid.

If you were tested for pneumonia then I would guess it would theoretically be possible if they still have the specimen but unlikely you will ever really know unless as 2g suggests you had a reliable antibody test. Even then it is so new I don’t think they know at present how long antibodies will be present.

Cx

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to cofdrop-UK]

I think it was someone in France. As for as I know his wife works in a supermarket near CDG airport and people would arrive straight from the plane with their suitcase in tow. He and his family all became ill in December except the wife who now is believed to have been asymptomatic. The man at the time was thought to have had pneumonia but on recent retesting he was found to have had coronavirus.

[Bkin]

If anyone could give you an answer to that, they would be a wealthy man or woman

As 2 greys says.

No proof if I've had it or not either at this stage. I'm still shielding regardless.

[Kristicats]

Big question. You will not know unless you have an antibody test that is not available yet. A couple I know were very ill for 3 weeks from Christmas with many of the symptoms they are also thinking now that it may have been Covid.

[Badbessie]

It is a question many would love to know the answer too! Both my wife and I were ill two to three weeks before the lockdown. Both of us were short of breath and felt we had been run over. However we suffer from a number of pain condition which confuses the situation.

[Redrum46]

Same as you iv been bad since middle of March after being with my daughter that works with supported living we both had same simtoms Iv bronctiactasis since a child so ovules I was worried taken all meds rescue packs ex ran out of meds was toled to go to hospital to see doc for script did 11 days ago thy did X-ray scan and said I had pneumonia bottom of lung doctor said this shows up with cov virus and can also b a lung infection coursed with my bronctiactasis and thirs no way have knowing sent me home and said if I got worse to go strate back my test came back negative my G P says thy really don’t no if I had virus in the start so I would say it’s same for you my daughter says she sees a lot of different people in her job and it’s same story she is convinced we have had it hopefully we may find out one day take care

[mogs302]

I have had Covid-19 and it isn't like the flu. It lasts very much longer. A month-long cough like no other I've before or since is the tell-tale sigh. A dry sticcato cough, almost like whooping cough. If you didn't have that, you probably didn't have Covid-19.

[Hidden]

There is no proof sadly. As others have said only an antibody test would tell. It certainly sounds like Covid, but it could have been Flu.

I don't think anyone can help here.

[Mooka]

Chris Smith the virologist was on the radio yesterday and said they are going to test some of the stored blood tests that were taken from patients that were admitted with pneumonia in January to see if they have the COVID 19 antibodies. I have also heard that they may include testing for antibodies in future standard blood tests to see if a patient has had it. You may find out in future.

[Angusdon]

It looks like you’ve had the virus, I can understand your concern, as I was the same myself, but unfortunately we won’t know until we are tested.

[Ergendl]

Sounds like what happened to my singing teacher and his wife, unwell for about a month in February to early March, and left with no sense of smell. Just as well he cancelled lessons instead of soldiering on.