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  1. #1
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    Default How Are You Handling Cold/Flu Symptoms Now?

    I'm curious how everyone is handling cold and/or flu symptoms these days? Are you getting a PCR for every incidence? Or doing a home rapid test? What do you think is appropriate? We live in a strange area where some people are still very careful but many are back to almost normal, minus masking at school. I'm sure many people aren't paying attention to minor cold symptoms but I would hate to cause spread because we didn't test.

    DD came home from school Tuesday with a headache and added nasal congestion to the list by evening. She doesn't get headaches so the fact that her head pounded when she stood up seemed significant. Her home test was negative but she isolated in her bedroom just in case. I took her for a PCR Wednesday morning and granted her freedom that evening when her negative results came back. My parents still wanted us for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday so I gave her one more rapid test that morning to make sure. Her mild cold is running it's course and she's almost 100%. DS2 was struck with the same symptoms today and we are assuming it's the same thing since he hasn't been anywhere other than our house and my parents since Tuesday morning. Pre-Covid, all this would have been hardly noticed. I feel like I need to buy a cabinetful of Binax-now tests since this scenario is likely to play out multiple times over winter.
    Mom to Two Wild and Crazy Boys and One Sweet Baby Girl

  2. #2
    nfceagles's Avatar
    nfceagles is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    My kids’ schools require a negative PCR test to return to school. So I take them to get one of those at the first sign of cold symptoms just in case it takes a few days to get the results back. We’ve always managed to get Rapid PCR tests with 1 hour results but those are often out of stock from what I hear. I have a few Binax tests in the cupboard but I see no point using them on my kids since the school will want a PCR anyway. We had an awful cold go through our family in November. DS16 missed 4 days of school (we had one day off on Election Day or it would have been 5). Then I caught it. I did a Binax for me to confirm what I suspected, that I caught what DS had. Then DD got sick and has been out the last 5 days of school. I took her for a PCR right away since I knew the school would want it. They were sick enough I probably would have tested regardless of school requirements.


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  3. #3
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    Rapid test at home for any cold symptoms (sore throat, runny nose). I’ll do a PCR test in addition for a fever or cough.
    DD (3/06)
    DS1 (7/09)
    DS2 (8/13)

  4. #4
    jgenie is online now Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Our school has testing every week. They ask students to stay home if they have any new symptoms. Negative test required to return. DS2 tends to wake up with sniffles but they’re gone mid morning so I don’t keep him home. DS1 has allergies so I don5 keep him home for those symptoms. Masks are required indoors at school.

  5. #5
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    DS2 had a fever and headache on Monday. I immediately did an at home rapid test, BinaxNOW, and it was negative. I had planned to take him for a PCR test the next day if he still had symptoms, but he was perfectly fine so I didn't (plus DH, DS1, and my sister who was visiting had all had negative rapid tests that week). He gets tested weekly at school (PCR) and his school is testing everyone tomorrow (Monday), instead of their normal Wednesday test day.

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  6. #6
    ang79 is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Well DH had some weird illness that started last Tuesday and he finally seems back to normal today. I made him go to his doctor for a Covid and flu test since we were to see family for Thanksgiving (family meal got pushed back to Saturday since his mom had a terrible cold) and DD2 was to have a friend over today for her birthday. I could not find any local Covid testing sites offering rapid tests. The test from the doctor came back negative a day later but it looks like they didn't test for flu. Now I feel like I should stock up on home tests to get through the normal winter illnesses. Which ones are the best?

  7. #7
    gatorsmom is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    I’m not exaggerating, DS2 has had allergy-related sniffles since September. He is so sensitive to dust and pollen. Our school doesn’t test or require a test of any kind to come back to school. I wanted to stock up on Binax tests but the 2 B&M places I checked were sold out and online was like double the price so I gave that idea up. There was no urgency because we are vaccinated and our school doesn’t have a policy for Covid19. Any of us could have it and not know it unless we got really sick. In the past 3 months, Ds3 was tested when he said he couldn’t taste anything (he was negative), DS2 was tested 3 times when he had a bad stomach bug (negative), just this past week when he had a high fever for 2 days (negative) and once when he sprained his ankle and had a cough (negative). We have only been testing when we need to go to the pediatrician or urgent care.
    " I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." Mahatma Gandhi

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  8. #8
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by ang79 View Post
    Now I feel like I should stock up on home tests to get through the normal winter illnesses. Which ones are the best?
    The BinaxNOW ones are the most popular and readily available (you can check the CVS website to see which stores have them in stock). You get 2 in a box for $24.99 I think is the price. I've bought 3 boxes at a time at my nearest CVS twice without issue. When I ordered them to send to DS1 in college to keep on hand and test before coming home, I ordered from Walmart.

    The Ellume brand rapid tests were recalled recently for unacceptably high false positive rates. Not sure if they're back on the market yet.

    I just heard on TWIV this week that 3 more brands of rapid tests were just FDA approved, but they didn't say their names.

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  9. #9
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    KpbS is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Since my older 2 are vaccinated, I’m assuming anything they pick up isn’t Covid.
    That said, I took DS1 in to be tested for flu/strep/Covid a couple of weeks ago when he was feeling crummy and had had a non-stop headache for 5 days. All were negative.
    K

  10. #10
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    JBaxter is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    We are in Florida colds and viruses are handled as we did in years past. No tests required we also have no mask requirement or contact tracing.
    Jeana, Momma to 4 fantastic sons

    Everything happens for a reason, sometimes the reason is you're stupid and make bad decisions

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