# We're having an early Christmas tomorrow, and I feel crummy **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 12, 2021, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919 "2021-12-12T03:32:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/1 "2021-12-12T03:32:02Z")
Long story made short: I told my parents this evening that I probably wouldn’t make it tomorrow (sore throat, achy, no appetite) and my mother said, “Oh, you don’t feel THAT bad.” Yes, I do, and I don’t really want to spread it. I thought at first that my symptoms were due to this wonky Midwestern weather, but they aren’t. Just venting, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/2 "2021-12-12T15:15:08Z")
Stay home. And get tested. Both you and your parents will feel a whole lot worse if you give somebody covid and they have a bad case. Or even if you just give everybody something else. And I hope you feel better soon! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/3 "2021-12-12T15:34:44Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Both you and your parents will feel a whole lot worse if you give somebody covid and they have a bad case. Or even if you just give everybody something else. But at least you’d be able to say “I told you I was sick!” ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/4 "2021-12-12T21:37:10Z")
I don’t think it’s COVID; among other things, I’ve been vaxed, and I’m pretty sure I had a mild case before it hit the news. Anyway, I’ll live, and they will too. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/5 "2021-12-12T23:55:00Z")
Stay home. It’s just not worth the risk. My family pooh-poohs my staying home frequently, but I often get sick during the holidays. One time I gave in and attended the festivities and managed to give my nasty cold to half of them. Because there are a couple of 90+ y.o.s attending now, we all stay home when feeling ill. It’s sad but there will likely be another holiday coming up. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/6 "2021-12-12T23:57:34Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I don’t think it’s COVID; among other things, I’ve been vaxed, and I’m pretty sure I had a mild case before it hit the news. That likely does reduce your chances of coming down with COVID, but not eliminate it entirely; “breakthrough” infections (among those who have been vaccinated) and “reinfection” (coming down with COVID twice, often due to exposure to different strains) are definitely a thing. Regardless, I think you’re making the wise decision to stay home. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/7 "2021-12-13T00:10:55Z")
What makes you think she might have Covid? It could be the flu, or a common cold. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/8 "2021-12-13T00:20:21Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > What makes you think she might have Covid? It could be the flu, or a common cold. It could be all sorts of things; covid being one of them. Note that I also said > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > even if you just give everybody something else. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/9 "2021-12-13T00:50:06Z")
That’d be my reason for staying home. I wouldn’t want to give anything to the rest of the family. (I mean, in addition to feeling like crap. Love how your mom told you how you feel…) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/10 "2021-12-13T00:54:16Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > What makes you think she might have Covid? It could be the flu, or a common cold. Covid is extremely common these days, (in fact, it’s considered to be a worldwide pandemic at the present time, unlike colds and flus) and is always high on the differential diagnosis list when someone develops fevers, respiratory symptoms, etc. If a patient complains of these symptoms, they will get a recommendation to get tested for covid. Especially since covid is not only more prevalent but more deadly than other viruses going around. It’s been talked about in the news a lot recently. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/11 "2021-12-13T01:08:44Z")
So if a patient presented with “sore throat, achy, no appetite” , you would immediately jump to Covid? Is that a consensus viewpoint within the medical community? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/12 "2021-12-13T01:11:23Z")
It’s an extremely likely diagnosis these days, with the most serious consequences. With rapid testing available. Why on earth would it NOT be considered strongly for an acute illness, since covid often causes those symptoms? Right now we’re seeing 10 x as many positive covid tests as influenza tests in my state, WI ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/13 "2021-12-13T01:34:33Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I wouldn’t want to give anything to the rest of the family. But the holidays are a time for giving! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/14 "2021-12-13T02:35:55Z")
I will defer to your expertise. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/15 "2021-12-13T03:07:47Z")
My parents are both 88, and Dad just got over pneumonia. They didn’t even drive there; they had a friend who has other friends in town give them a ride to and from. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/16 "2021-12-13T03:30:33Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > So if a patient presented with “sore throat, achy, no appetite” , you would immediately jump to Covid? IANAD and an anecdote isn’t data, but it so happens that those were the initial symptoms of my own breakthrough COVID infection a couple weeks ago. (Mild case and feeling much better now, thanks.) Stay home, do a FaceTime/Zoom, see the folks later when you’re feeling better. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/17 "2021-12-13T17:46:18Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Covid is extremely common these days, (in fact, it’s considered to be a worldwide pandemic at the present time, unlike colds and flus) and is always high on the differential diagnosis list when someone develops fevers, respiratory symptoms, etc. If a patient complains of these symptoms, they will get a recommendation to get tested for covid. Especially since covid is not only more prevalent but more deadly than other viruses going around. Hell, the ER insisted that I get tested both times I was there over Thanksgiving weekend. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/18 "2021-12-16T23:48:10Z")
Yesterday, I finally started feeling better. I hope I don’t have a relapse like I did 2 years ago when I think I had COVID. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/19 "2021-12-29T00:06:08Z")
I’m still not 100% recovered, and I’m starting to wonder if I got the Omicron variant. I probably don’t want to know. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919/20 "2021-12-29T00:11:33Z")
Hope you’re still improving, at least! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-having-an-early-christmas-tomorrow-and-i-feel-crummy/955919.md?page=2)