NHS Covid advice: Should you test and quarantine if you have these flu-like symptoms?

The number of Covid cases are shooting up all over the world and people are concerned that a full-blown pandemic could be on the horizon. Countries have decided to deal with the virus in different ways.

For example, schools have been closing in America while South Korea has downgraded Covid’s classification to the lowest grade of concern.In the UK, there has been talk of wearing masks again and concerns over the privatisation of the Covid vaccine and its cost.

And we haven’t even mentioned the various variants that seem to be popping up on the weekly: Eris here and the highly-muted Pirola there… It's hard to keep up.

Read more:New study reveals people most at risk of catching COVID even after vaccination, are you one of them?

NHS: how to know if these flu-like symptoms are Covid

The NHS has listed the following symptoms to watch out for:

• a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• shortness of breath
• feeling tired or exhausted
• an aching body
• a headache
• a sore throat
• a blocked or runny nose
• loss of appetite
• diarrhoea
• feeling sick or being sick

The problem is, these symptoms are very similar to those of the flu or other illnesses. With autumn fast approaching, the likelihood of you having a cough or a blocked nose is very high. So, how to tell whether or not you have Covid? Unfortunately, you just have to do a test.

If you test positive, do you have to quarantine?

We all remember a time when you had to test, quarantine, test again, wear masks and avoid people at high risk. Well, the NHS states that we are not yet required to do a lateral flow test if we have symptoms.

If you or your child have symptoms, the advice is to stay at home until you feel better. If you test positive, the advice remains broadly the same, but with a few more specifications:

• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day you took your test if you are under 18 years old
• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over
• avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from viruses, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test

The NHS’ page on Covid reassures us that ‘most people feel better within a few days of their first COVID-19 symptoms and make a full recovery within 12 weeks’. However, it also goes on to warn that it can last longer and be more serious for others.

So for now, the NHS is advising us to use our common sense, but no set rules are being imposed. This is despite an increase in Covid numbers in the UK.

According to data.gov.uk statistics, between 13 and 19 August 2023, 6,924people were confirmed positive for Covid in England. This shows an increase of3.6% compared to the previous week. On 18 August 2023, there were 2,499 patients in hospital with Covid, some of whom were using mechanical ventilators to help them breathe.

Read more:

⋙ Covid cases double in a month, but should you get the booster jab? Here's what experts are saying

⋙ Long Covid can turn this part of your body blue

Sources used:

NHS: COVID-19 symptoms and what to do

data.gov.uk: Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK