Coughs and sneezes spread diseases
Prior to the Covid pandemic all preparations for how to deal with a rapidly spreading life threatening infection were focused on influenza. The public health campaign in the first 6 months of the 2020 pandemic concentrated on how flu spreads with the slogans: Catch it, kill it bin it and advice to wash our hands whilst singing Happy Birthday. However, as we learnt more about Covid the emphasis changed to social distancing. Over the last 2 years Covid is becoming much more like flu in its pattern of symptoms and the way it spreads. Currently there is a danger that we are becoming complacent about Covid and can be falsely reassured by tests that are not as good as we think.
Covid tests have never been that good as the test depends on how well the sample is taken and none of us are very good with sticking swabs up our own noses. The test does have a very high specificity rating; this means if it is positive then you definitely have Covid. However, the sensitivity of a test is much more important and, unfortunately, Covid tests have never scored well. The test will miss maybe 1 in 3 of all positive cases (more if the sample is not taken optimally). These are the reasons why towards the end of the pandemic, as restrictions were lifted, the health advice was to pay more attention to symptoms rather than the tests.
As we enter the winter months both Covid and Flu will become more prevalent. Vaccination is very important to protect ourselves and others but it is even more important to pay attention to your symptoms. If you have viral symptoms and a temperature, please isolate yourself. Whilst a positive test confirms Covid, a negative test does not mean you have not got it. The evidence strongly encourages any patients with Covid-like symptoms to not do any testing; stay at home, reduce contacts, keep your distance and wait for symptoms to resolve. The title of this article was first used as a health slogan in the United States during the influenza pandemic that occurred after the First World War. It still holds today as a more modern variant – this winter make sure you keep your symptoms to yourself.
Our flu clinics are running on Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th October with Covid vaccines available at the same time for those eligible (patients over 75 years and those who are immunosuppressed). We will be running catch up clinics for patients who could not get to these clinics; we will send out information about these later this month.
Anthony O’Brien
Wyndham House Surgery