Testing *after* my symptoms have diminished?

[ERD50]

Is there any value to testing *after* my symptoms have diminished?

Here's the background: We were going to have Kids, spouses, grand-kids, and DD boyfriend over for dinner last Wed (4 days ago). DW started having cold symptoms Mon night and Tues AM, so we were planning on getting tested to be sure we would not be spreading Covid. Well, short story is that we couldn't get tested on Tues, so we just called it off (and I may add to the "What's the COVID Testing Situation in Your Area?" thread later). DD decided even if it is just a cold, no sense to risk spreading that to the g-kids, having days out of daycare, etc. So OK. Also, none of our symptoms was screaming "COVID", they seemed like typical, fairly mild, cold symptoms. No fever, aches, nausea, no breathing problems, taste and smell (receptors at least!), OK - just runny nose, sore throat.

DW was pretty much over it by Saturday ( ~ 5 days), I was getting symptoms a day or two after her, a little worse with a dry rough cough, but feeling much better today.

I wasn't able to find a test site that would take me (with symptoms) until Wed (the walk ins are all geared to asymptomatic, AFAICT). So that might be 3 days after my symptoms have subsided. Would a test even tell me if I had COVID? Assuming I'm feeling better anyway, I guess there's no point in it (other than just wanting to know).

I'll self-quarantine until then anyhow, not a big deal, so just in case. FYI, fully vaccinated, haven't got around to the booster yet.

Thoughts?

-ERD50

 

[Dash man]

Is there any value to testing *after* my symptoms have diminished?



Here's the background: We were going to have Kids, spouses, grand-kids, and DD boyfriend over for dinner last Wed (4 days ago). DW started having cold symptoms Mon night and Tues AM, so we were planning on getting tested to be sure we would not be spreading Covid. Well, short story is that we couldn't get tested on Tues, so we just called it off (and I may add to the "What's the COVID Testing Situation in Your Area?" thread later). DD decided even if it is just a cold, no sense to risk spreading that to the g-kids, having days out of daycare, etc. So OK. Also, none of our symptoms was screaming "COVID", they seemed like typical, fairly mild, cold symptoms. No fever, aches, nausea, no breathing problems, taste and smell (receptors at least!), OK - just runny nose, sore throat.



DW was pretty much over it by Saturday ( ~ 5 days), I was getting symptoms a day or two after her, a little worse with a dry rough cough, but feeling much better today.



I wasn't able to find a test site that would take me (with symptoms) until Wed (the walk ins are all geared to asymptomatic, AFAICT). So that might be 3 days after my symptoms have subsided. Would a test even tell me if I had COVID? Assuming I'm feeling better anyway, I guess there's no point in it (other than just wanting to know).



I'll self-quarantine until then anyhow, not a big deal, so just in case. FYI, fully vaccinated, haven't got around to the booster yet.



Thoughts?



-ERD50

It’s my understanding the PCR test can detect Covid up to a month after symptoms dissipate. The rapid antigen test doesn’t.

 

[W2R]

I am SO GLAD that you are doing the quarantine anyway. I think that is a very smart thing to do. I wouldn't wish a severe case of this illness on my worst enemy. I know you would feel the same if you had gone through a severe case of it like what happened to me (thank goodness you didn't!). Since you don't know if you had it, I agree that caution is in order.

So little is known about Covid - - I wonder if someone else had gotten it from me, whether they would have such a severe case or just had the sniffles for a couple of weeks, or what. Frank and I spent at least 16 hours/day together clear through the worst of my symptoms, and despite co-morbidities, no vaccination, etc., he never had any symptoms, not even the sniffles. But as for me, I was never near anybody that was sick before I got it. Go figure!

It's not that the researchers are incompetent - - as a retired scientist I can tell you that usually, good, solid research takes TIME, and I think we'll know a lot more about Covid transmission in a few years than we do right now.

I was tested for Covid while being admitted to the hospital/ICU, and it came out positive but they did not determine the variant. Perhaps it was Delta since Delta peaked around here just before I got sick. But who knows? I didn't lose my sense of taste or smell even one bit. Made me wonder if what I had really was Covid, or something else along with a really mild case of Covid.

Sorry, I'm just babbling on. I think what you are doing (quarantining despite no test) is exactly the right thing to do. Also if it was me I'd do that no matter what the results of the test were, just to be super-cautious.

 

[iloveyoga]

I think the fact that my extended family (35 or so) did not get together at Christmas due to some various illnesses probably saved a bunch of us from getting sick, whether it would be Covid, a cold, or the stomach flu. At the time I was very sad about it, now I am just relieved as we did not spread anything among the large group, which does include my 81 yo DM.

 

[Alan]

It’s my understanding the PCR test can detect Covid up to a month after symptoms dissipate. The rapid antigen test doesn’t.

Most certainly a PCR test can show positive for up to a month and more after Covid symptoms have gone. Just talked to BIL and his wife tonight about their daughter who is still sick in hospital following kidney transplant, infections and then Covid. The Covid symptoms have gone, they are near certain that she does not have Covid and really needs to see the renal surgeon now, but she is still testing positive with the PCR test each day and the hospital rules are that if a surgeon has been in contact with someone testing positive then they can’t operate for a few days.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, in fact you can test negative during symptoms and test positive many days later. DB had some wacky symptoms, suspected Covid, but went through three negative antigen tests and one neg PCR test before finally testing positive on the second PCR test.

Another DB tested strongly positive on an antigen test 6 days after initial symptoms which had already resolved several days prior. It took an additional 5 days before he tested neg.

Deciding to isolate when experiencing suspicious symptoms is a very good idea, and you can still test later. A PCR test can reportedly still pick up virus up to 30 way past the infectious period.

 

[Alan]

Today sees new rules in England come into effect to tackle the problem of absenteeism due to Covid. Once symptoms start it has been the practice to isolate for at least 7 days then go back to work. From today you can go back to work with a negative LFT test on day 5 and you must also test again on day 6.

The reasoning is that although you may be asymptomatic and shedding virus, if the amount of virus is not enough to give a positive LFT then it is an acceptable risk.

Daily cases continue to plummet in the UK so time will soon tell if the new policy reverses this decline or not.

 

[Another Reader]

Today sees new rules in England come into effect to tackle the problem of absenteeism due to Covid. Once symptoms start it has been the practice to isolate for at least 7 days then go back to work. From today you can go back to work with a negative LFT test on day 5 and you must also test again on day 6.

The reasoning is that although you may be asymptomatic and shedding virus, if the amount of virus is not enough to give a positive LFT then it is an acceptable risk.

Daily cases continue to plummet in the UK so time will soon tell if the new policy reverses this decline or not.

Acceptable risk? We will see if that works. I like Michael Mina's approach: test to leave quarantine. Meanwhile, there is more and more evidence that breakthrough infections can lead to Long Covid plus there are a lot of naive people that will get it as well as a consequence of their infections.

 

[Surewhitey]

We both tested negative to return from Mexico, PCR test on Friday.

DW had symptoms and home tested positive on Tuesday.

Retested, PCR on Friday (and me). She still shows positive and me, negative.

This is her second positive and I, to my knowledge, have not. We are both boosted 4 weeks now.

She's healthier than I (by just a little) and is safer on the masking front too. This virus is still tricky to figure out, imo.

 

[CaptTom]

Here's a related question: We've all experienced that uncertainty when we get very mild symptoms; a cough or slightly sore throat for a day or two. Is it COVID? Tests are Unobtainium. So we isolate and wait to see if it gets worse.


If it doesn't, then what?


I was wondering out loud yesterday: Is there a test which will tell us if we HAD a mild case of COVID in the past? Obviously we have antibodies if the vax and booster worked. So how would we know if that tickle in our throat which only lasted half a day was a COVID or something else?

 

[ERD50]

Here's a related question: We've all experienced that uncertainty when we get very mild symptoms; a cough or slightly sore throat for a day or two. Is it COVID? Tests are Unobtainium. So we isolate and wait to see if it gets worse.


If it doesn't, then what?


I was wondering out loud yesterday: Is there a test which will tell us if we HAD a mild case of COVID in the past? Obviously we have antibodies if the vax and booster worked. So how would we know if that tickle in our throat which only lasted half a day was a COVID or something else?

That's basically what I was trying to ask in the OP, but I might have kind of been all over the place.

And will it help me to know anyhow? If not, why bother?

The only possible benefit I can think of to finding out after the fact for me now is, I have not got my booster yet. So if I had a mild COVID case (and not just a cold), that would boost my immunity for a time ( 6 months?). So maybe I wait another 5 months for my booster, to spread the immunity over the most amount of time?

And thanks to all others for their replies, I'm taking it all in! And based on some replies, I may see about switching my test from the rapid to the PCR, since by then (assuming I continue to get better, which I am), I won't really change much of anything based on the test results, so I can wait a little longer for PCR if that is better at detecting a recent episode.

-ERD50

 

[donheff]

In ERD's situation I would try to get a PCR test if easily available in the hopes that it might disclose whether I had been infected since I would like to be on the lookout for long covid symptoms. It might still miss a mild infection but it doesn't sound like there is anything more that you could do at this point.

I keep a handful of rapid tests around for this purpose. I use them before visiting friends for dinner, new years eve, and the like. I would also use one if I noticed any potential Covid syptoms. I the local PCR test site lightens up a bit I would walk over there for a PCR test after a likely exposure or if I have symptoms. Even with this, I understand that I could miss a mild or symptom free case. I just hope anything that mild is not likely to have long term consequences.

 

[Another Reader]

That's basically what I was trying to ask in the OP, but I might have kind of been all over the place.

And will it help me to know anyhow? If not, why bother?

The only possible benefit I can think of to finding out after the fact for me now is, I have not got my booster yet. So if I had a mild COVID case (and not just a cold), that would boost my immunity for a time ( 6 months?). So maybe I wait another 5 months for my booster, to spread the immunity over the most amount of time?

And thanks to all others for their replies, I'm taking it all in! And based on some replies, I may see about switching my test from the rapid to the PCR, since by then (assuming I continue to get better, which I am), I won't really change much of anything based on the test results, so I can wait a little longer for PCR if that is better at detecting a recent episode.

-ERD50

There are two types of antibody tests. The nucleocapsid (N protein) test will be negative for vaccine induced spike (S) protein antibodies as vaccines cause you to make spike protein and the antibodies to the spike. It should be positive only if you have antibodies to the N protein from an infection. So a positive N protein antibody test would confirm infection. Your doctor can order that specific test.

 

[tmm99]

Acceptable risk? We will see if that works. I like Michael Mina's approach: test to leave quarantine, but this is borderline. Meanwhile, there is more and more evidence that breakthrough infections can lead to Long Covid plus there are a lot of naive people that will get it as well as a consequence of their infections.

Do you happen to know any studies that have looked at long hauling with Omicron? Omicron is rather new, so maybe we need more time, but I'm curious to know.

 

[Another Reader]

Do you happen to know any studies that have looked at long hauling with Omicron? Omicron is rather new, so maybe we need more time, but I'm curious to know.

Too early to tell. There are lots of anecdotal reports of continuing sympoms, but most people are 30 to 60 days out. The mutations would have had to eliminate viral persistence. We don't understand the mechanism of persistence so we can't predict the outcome.

 

[audreyh1]

One known difference with Omicron up is that it doesn’t appear to move nearly as much into the lower respiratory system as earlier variants did.

 

[Deej]

I caught a full blown cold last Wednesday out of the blue and had suspicion that I had Covid, since visiting my mom in hospital. But, the next day decided to take a home test whitch was positive for Covid. Today, almost a week later, my symptoms are almost gone but still nasally with cough. I'm giving myself a few more days of isolation, then I'll test again. My husband was jabbed 3 times and hasn't been affected by my Covid. My elder mom got it too with no symptoms, but boosted. I'm only twice jabbed until Feb.

 

[regenaeb]

My DD came down with what we think were cold symptoms on December 26th. We were visiting/staying with family in FL at the time. She stayed in the bedroom she uses all the next day. We did home tests on 12/27 when she had symptoms and we were all negative. We left on the 29th to head back north. We stopped in southern VA to visit the grandbaby on the 30th. That morning my DH started having cold symptoms. DD was no longer having cold symptoms (irritated how fast kids get over illness but adults drag on an on). We tested again with home test an hour before going to visit them. Again we were all negative. We have all been vaccinated and DH had his booster, I am immune compromised and had 3 doses by August. DH stayed at the hotel and didn't visit the baby because he didn't want to give him his cold. We only spent a couple of hours visiting and wore KN95 masks. We left the next morning to head home to MA, 12/31. DH is in full blown symptomatic cold stage, he is miserable. Monday 1/3, I have my first symptoms, a sore throat. At this point we can't get a PCR test anywhere in MA. We had 2 home tests left that I gave the kids before they went to school and again, negative. At school they were tested on 1/4, for weekly test program. Was told they were negative, but close contacts to a kid that tested positive. So they were both tested everyday at school for the next 5 days. Every test is negative. Meanwhile DH and I have been miserable dealing with this stupid cold. I can't be sure if we had Covid or not because all our rapid tests were negative and we still can't get a PCR test because now we don't have symptoms anymore, just reminents of our original "cold". A lingering cough. I work from home, so I wasn't seeing anyone outside of my family anyway. My kids wear KN95 masks at school. I still would like to know if we had it, but figured it is over at this point and we are no longer contagious.

I hate that I feel like I was doing something wrong by sending my kids to school. I called the school nurse and she said to send them as long as they have no symptoms and they were being tested every day at school anyway (being a close contact to a positive student) and they would catch on the test if they were positive. She said I can't keep my kids home from school if no illness they must come to school per state requirements since they are vaccinated. There is no remote school option this year.

Oh, and the grandbaby and parents never got anything from us. They reported no illness since we have visited. The parents are both vaccinated.

 

[ERD50]

UPDATE-Good news, I have COVID!

Got the test this AM, they say up to 24 hours for results (Rapid Test - ID NOW), but results came by email just ~ 30 minutes later.

I say 'good news', because my symptoms are pretty mild, and I've been getting better the past few days. So I figure this should give me added immunity. I'll read up a bit, I think I mentioned earlier that I will likely use this information to decide to purposely delay getting the booster. My thinking is I can stretch out my immunity between the two of them.

Also, DW had the symptoms a couple days earlier than me, so I assume she had it as well - hers was a bit milder even, and she got over it faster.

So now I just need to figure how long to self-quarantine. Considering how much worse this has been for some people, I consider myself to be pretty lucky.

-ERD50

 

[PaunchyPirate]

So now I just need to figure how long to self-quarantine. Considering how much worse this has been for some people, I consider myself to be pretty lucky.

-ERD50

Glad to hear you're doing well with it. I believe the current guidance is isolation for 5 days after you have no fever and you are improving. If you were severely ill, then they advise 10 days.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html

 

[Chuckanut]

I say 'good news', because my symptoms are pretty mild, and I've been getting better the past few days. So I figure this should give me added immunity. I'll read up a bit, I think I mentioned earlier that I will likely use this information to decide to purposely delay getting the booster. My thinking is I can stretch out my immunity between the two of them.

I'm glad you're getting better. I believe I got the full PCR test and those results take "up to" 72 hours these days.

I have read some sources who believe that mild Covid (especially Omicron) on top of full vaccination leaves us with a power house of Covid fighting cells. Because Omicron has so many mutations on it, it supposedly triggers a much more varied immune response that our bodies will remember. But, we have been victimized by a good amount of bad science regarding Covid so, IMO, the jury is out on that and time will tell. I hope you are right.

 

[lajolla]

My husband and I did not retest after testing positive on home tests. We both had the cold symptoms and now 2 weeks later for me I still have a bit of a dry cough, but otherwise feel 100% better. We have walked our normal 5 miles per night for the past week without any issues.

Getting tested here in San Diego is very difficult right now so we don't see a need to make an appointment to test at this time. Since we had both of our vaccinations and our booster and now Omicron hopefully we will be "super" charged for a bit!

 

[EastWest Gal]

PSA:

Anyone who has tested positive for Covid at home should report their results to their state. My sister reported her son, and her husband got a PCR at a clinic. My sister, fully vaccinated and multiply-exposed, has stayed negative.

 

[mickj]

My family members only were able to get a positive test by swabbing their throats, nasal swabs were negative.

 

[CaptTom]

My family members only were able to get a positive test by swabbing their throats, nasal swabs were negative.

Interesting. After 2-3 days of symptoms, I get a negative on an at-home test. The next day I got a clear and immediate positive. I thought I was far enough along into the symptoms the first time that I wouldn't get a false negative, but apparently I did.



Maybe you have the answer. I wonder if it would make sense to swab both areas for a more accurate result.