In early Jan 2020, I caught what I thought was the flu. Apart from fever and pains, within 48 hrs a mild cough turned to a deeper chest cough. I've had the flu twice in my life before but never did I developed a deep cough in such a short space of time. I went to my doctor quick smart who said I had bronchitis already and prescribed anti-biotics and a decongestant. Within 3 days I was much better cough wise but tired for 2 weeks.

With hindsight I wonder now whether it was covid..maybe, maybe not. The doctor said the next stage is pneumonia if it is not controlled. Don't want to unnecessarily scare members but whether or not you decide to get tested, I urge you to not delay seeking treatment if you develop chest/breathing issues..sounds like this thing can move very fast.

It's certainly is a hypothetical question, (but a good one) it's a question that will in return a multitude of reasons for the answer.
Firstly we are in a country not of our own, and medically it's far from the best treatment you could expect, that alone and the costs that could be involved, may hold many a foreigner from not visiting a clinic/hospital.
The other, and most importantly is why are you sick, and what is your sickness, is it a bad cold or a mild flu, looking at symptoms, until they are severe then you would feel proper sick, were a flu would floor you for two days, and we know (already mentioned above) can be nasty, possibly leading on too pneumonia. Even so these symptom type's could pose a severe sickness and by possibly life treating in vunrable or older people.
But, also I am no medical professional, if you happen to be infected by the covid19 virus, the person would only know when the viruses start too attack the respiratory system, then you would feel ill (there is such a difference and feeling in the words and meanings, of ill and sick).
We see the Khmer who made their way to hospital, more than likely too late, they are more likely to be in this situation, because they wait until they are ill, the virus maybe very active by now, unfortunately for them.
But, do you want to bother medical personal if you only have a severe cold and feel sick. Then again it could be a fine line knowing that the virus is around. So I can understand the question of the test.
It would concern me if I was one like our poster above clutch, who thought maybe he had the virus at some stage, I would be questioning myself, where had the virus gone, had it just left me, am I so strong, or had some of my medicine at the time overcome the virus, or am I now a carrier of such a virus?

clutchcargo wrote:In early Jan 2020, I caught what I thought was the flu. Apart from fever and pains, within 48 hrs a mild cough turned to a deeper chest cough. I've had the flu twice in my life before but never did I developed a deep cough in such a short space of time. I went to my doctor quick smart who said I had bronchitis already and prescribed anti-biotics and a decongestant. Within 3 days I was much better cough wise but tired for 2 weeks.

With hindsight I wonder now whether it was covid..maybe, maybe not. The doctor said the next stage is pneumonia if it is not controlled. Don't want to unnecessarily scare members but whether or not you decide to get tested, I urge you to not delay seeking treatment if you develop chest/breathing issues..sounds like this thing can move very fast.

I'd say it's quite possible it was Covid. We know the outbreak started in October (from satellite pictures of Wuhan hospitals and tests from patients in Italy/France prior to 2020). I had the same issues as you. Heavy fever and deep persisting cough for 5+ days. I'd never had the same type of sickness before. However, even if it was Covid, the antibodies don't last forever.

AndyKK wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:11 pm It would concern me if I was one like our poster above clutch, who thought maybe he had the virus at some stage, I would be questioning myself, where had the virus gone, had it just left me, am I so strong, or had some of my medicine at the time overcome the virus, or am I now a carrier of such a virus?

Yeah, the big question and with no prior condition and non smoker (but drinker), would my immune system have got on top of it without early adoption of the anti-biotics? I think at best it would drag out much longer and at worst you find out too late once it becomes serious. Whatever it was, I didn't isolate myself from Mrs Cargo and she got the same thing a week later however she never got the deep cough and throat infection just fever, runny nose and body pains.

I think in these times my first port of call as soon as I felt something potentially coming on...bearing in mind this is a subjective assessment that will be different for each individual...is to call my local english speaking doctor, in my case Dr Gavin Scott or Dr Julie Thongsavanne (french trained) for guidance. I would also have to consider calling my expat health insurance however I'm not sure that's much good given you cannot currently get covid treatment here in a private hospital and repatriation to one in Thailand may not be possible.

clutchcargo wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 12:34 pm Don't want to unnecessarily scare members but whether or not you decide to get tested, I urge you to not delay seeking treatment if you develop chest/breathing issues..sounds like this thing can move very fast.

This. The two people who died yesterday (82 and 41yo respectively) only tested positive two days earlier. It seems a recurring theme in death reports that people aren't presenting at hospital until it's too late.

And just to add further complications.. With the current restrictions, sounds like you'd have to convince the police at a road block that you're on the way to get tested for covid or you need treatment at a hospital. Unless you're lucky enough to live near the hospital. How will the police figure out you're not telling fibs as no doubt many are spinning them stories?

looking at the photos of the 500 bed wards

5000 not 500