Most people with Omicron didn't even realise they had COVID-19, study finds

@Renzatic

Have you ever tested positive?

I've tested probably 10-12 times, never positive, even with the situation described above with some direct exposure to the two people who got it.
 
Yesterday while I was out walking around the lake, I sneezed several times and immediately thought, "oh, no!" Then I realized that, hey, this is heading into late August and undoubtedly it is either ragweed or goldenrod that my system is picking up somewhere out here.... Sure enough, when I came back into the house, all was fine, no more sneezing. Guess I'd better check my supply of Zyrtec, as I know from past years this allergic response will increase significantly and I'll need some relief. Every spring and every early autumn I go through this.

As far as COVID, inasmuch as I can tell, I have never had it and hope that I stay this lucky!
 
DT said:
Have you ever tested positive?

I've tested probably 10-12 times, never positive, even with the situation described above with some direct exposure to the two people who got it.
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I haven't taken any tests since then, so no.

To put things in perspective here, I took the first home test the day after my fever broke. The 2nd, I took a couple of days after. The 3rd, which was the professional test, came 3 days later, when I drove my dad to the local clinic to get the test, since whatever I had, I gave to him, and he had the same symptoms. Since I was there, I thought I might as well.

We both came back negative. I was recovered, and he was in the midst of it.
 
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Yeah, I've done a test where there was a higher probability of exposure with symptoms 2-4 days later, never positive.

Generally if I get some symptoms and I've been in a pretty exposure free pattern, I won't test.

But I've definitely had some exposure that I can't believe didn't result in contracting it. Either I've been super lucky, or it was still not enough direct exposure possibly combined with vaccinations[?] or I don't test positive on rapid antigen type tests (not sure if that's even a thing).

We're pretty sure the daughter and I had it in early 2020 (Jan-Feb), before it was named, she had a severe, long lasting set of flu symptoms (cough and sore throat and a persistent low grade fever) and it was even a bit perplexing to her doctor. I got the same, really severe, had moderate symptoms for like 10-14 days, probably some perceptible symptom for a month.

Then my folks in DC, in March '20 said to cancel my trip, and of course, shit hit the fan.

Maybe surviving the early version of Covid made me immune. o_O
 
i just picked up covid via test on tuesday.

i had a sore throat, currently have mild common cold symptoms (4x pfizer). i can be pretty sure it’s omicron as dominant strain here at the moment.

i was somewhat shocked to finally test positive as its my first covid and i’ve tested many many times (ten rat tests in 10 days for one bout all negative) and become far more sick last year without getting a positive test. but this test was absolutely undoubtedly positive.

so given the last 2 years, previous waves and increasing complacency i can totally tell how someone might not know they had it until well into the infection.
 
Renzatic said:
The two home tests I took looked like they came up negative, but did have the faintest of faint lines that I dismissed as just being there.
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ANY red in the test zone after giving the test the required time is a positive result.

unless the test zone is 100 percent clear you are positive on a RAT. You tested positive.

my test yesterday was totally unambiguous though. 😂

26349739-CA7D-4733-9A85-C16C1F06C758.jpeg
 
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throAU said:
i just picked up covid via test on tuesday.

i had a sore throat, currently have mild common cold symptoms (4x pfizer). i can be pretty sure it’s omicron as dominant strain here at the moment.

i was somewhat shocked to finally test positive as its my first covid and i’ve tested many many times (ten rat tests in 10 days for one bout all negative) and become far more sick last year without getting a positive test. but this test was absolutely undoubtedly positive.

so given the last 2 years, previous waves and increasing complacency i can totally tell how someone might not know they had it until well into the infection.
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You should do well, and your risk of long-COVID is considerably reduced by vaccination.

I think the reason many people weren’t aware of their infection wasn’t that they were asymptomatic, but rather had symptoms that were similar to seasonal allergies and common viral URIs.
 
Roller said:
You should do well, and your risk of long-COVID is considerably reduced by vaccination.

I think the reason many people weren’t aware of their infection wasn’t that they were asymptomatic, but rather had symptoms that were similar to seasonal allergies and common viral URIs.
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agreed. 100%. it’s allergy season here right now. i reckon i may have been infected 2-3 days before testing when symptoms became persistent enough. i’m still not coughing more than once per hour and it feels honestly like a mild head cold.

i wrote the sore throat off as acid reflux at least once, and the lethargy as my cat waking me up several times at 3am. in hindsight it was most definitely covid.
 
throAU said:
ANY red in the test zone after giving the test the required time is a positive result.

unless the test zone is 100 percent clear you are positive on a RAT. You tested positive.

my test yesterday was totally unambiguous though. 😂

View attachment 16993
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The results gave me the faintest, faintest red line, you couldn't see it unless you stood near a light to look at it.

I considered it a negative.
 
Renzatic said:
The results gave me the faintest, faintest red line, you couldn't see it unless you stood near a light to look at it.

I considered it a negative.
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yup, understandable and many do take that as a false negative. but again - it’s either there or it isn’t. and if there’s red there, it’s a positive.
 
So my partner is still testing negative.

I reckon i had it for 1-2 days before testing positive. We both accepted the fact (and discussed 2 years ago) that living together, if one of us gets it we're both inevitably going to get it so we haven't been isolating from each other. Covid is wierd.

Shes isolating at home with me as a close contact.
 
GF still negative, but has some pretty obvious symptoms now (she's 3x vac). Interestingly, for her its the cough, not so much runny nose and more of a tickle on the throat than sore. Its clear that RAT tests do take a while to come positive. This time she did a saliva test though (not a swab) and others I've talked to reckon they're useless. Government sent those ones out for free though and we only have 6 nasal swabs which we'll need when I'm coming out of it for testing prior to return to work - or we'll need to get more delivered.

I'm on the mend sort of I think. Head cold, sinus pain/headache, but I've had much worse. No breathing issues, no "brain fog" other than a headache/watery eyes. Second night I had fever, fairly intense shivering, but not the third night. Decent night sleep. Still up and about doing things around the house.

Its weird. I can sleep mostly fine with it and can breathe easy, etc. laying down (which with normal head cold I can't). But when I'm up and active is when I want to sneeze/blow nose, etc.

I'm still barely coughing at all (can count number of times on one hand in the 6 hours I've been awake so far today). The worst symptom is headache, then runny nose and sinus pressure.
 
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Walgreen’s is already accepting reservations for the updated booster, so I have a reservation next week. I’ll be an early guinea pig again :-)
 
Cmaier said:
Walgreen’s is already accepting reservations for the updated booster, so I have a reservation next week. I’ll be an early guinea pig again :)
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Really? I've been watching Kaiser and haven't heard anything yet. Maybe I'll check them out.
 
Eric said:
Really? I've been watching Kaiser and haven't heard anything yet. Maybe I'll check them out.
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Yep. See red box at the top of this page:


It’s a little confusing because when you go through the process of signing up it never again mentions the “updated” booster. But in the email confirmation I got, it says “COVID-19 Updated Booster (pfizer-biontech).” Maybe they should name it something different (Pfizer II or something) so it’s clear what’s going on.

Also signed up for the flu shot while I’m there. Didn’t occur to me that it’s already september, and i usually get mine around october.
 
Cmaier said:
Yep. See red box at the top of this page:


It’s a little confusing because when you go through the process of signing up it never again mentions the “updated” booster. But in the email confirmation I got, it says “COVID-19 Updated Booster (pfizer-biontech).” Maybe they should name it something different (Pfizer II or something) so it’s clear what’s going on.

Also signed up for the flu shot while I’m there. Didn’t occur to me that it’s already september, and i usually get mine around october.
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Done and done, thanks! Going in on Wed.
 
Cmaier said:
Walgreen’s is already accepting reservations for the updated booster, so I have a reservation next week. I’ll be an early guinea pig again :)
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I'm getting mine next Wednesday which is great timing because I'll be in Florida for a week starting Saturday. :) Before this I just fell under the age (50) of being able to get one sooner. I'll be turning 50 the end of the month.
 
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