During the Covid pandemic, many individuals have encountered a peculiar occurrence called ‘pre-Covid’. It involves experiencing typical symptoms of the virus but repeatedly testing negative. However, after a week or so, the symptoms worsen, and miraculously, a positive test result emerges. As infections from the virus rise again, ‘pre-Covid’ is gaining traction.
Experts propose a couple of theories to explain this phenomenon. One possibility is that individuals may catch a mild bug or another type of virus before testing positive for Covid. This weakens their immune system, making them more susceptible to a Covid infection. Another theory suggests that it is simply the early stages of a Covid infection, known as the incubation period, where the virus levels in the body are too low to be detected by a test.
Social media is rife with people sharing their experiences of ‘pre-Covid’. For example, a person from Alaska expressed their uncertainty, stating that they are sick with Covid symptoms but keep testing negative. They live with someone who has Covid and are unsure if they should continue quarantining from that person. Similarly, a person from Canada mentioned that they are experiencing flu-like symptoms, but rapid tests keep coming up negative. They describe sinus pain, a fluctuating stuffy and sniffly nose, excessive sneezing, and feeling mentally foggy.
Scientists have reported an upward trend in Covid cases, likely driven by the new variant EG.5 or ‘Eris’, which accounts for one in five infections in the US. Hospitalizations have also increased by 60 percent compared to last month’s record low and by 14 percent in just one week. However, they remain significantly lower than the levels observed in January this year. It’s important to note that flu-like symptoms accompanied by negative Covid tests could indicate other illnesses, such as the common cold.
Dr. Stuart Fischer, an emergency medicine expert in New York City, suggests that the symptoms people experience during the ‘pre-Covid’ phase could be their immune response triggered by past exposure or vaccination to Covid. The immune system remembers how to fight the infection, releasing chemicals to combat it if exposed again. Dr. Thomas Moore, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Kansas, explains that it may take a couple of days before someone tests positive for Covid after experiencing symptoms. Additionally, it’s possible for individuals to have Covid without ever testing positive because their immune system eliminates the virus before it can establish itself.
Dr. Moore advises individuals with symptoms who initially test negative to test again 48 hours later, as the chance of a positive result significantly increases over time. He also highlights cases where patients repeatedly test negative but eventually test positive because they have coincidentally contracted the virus along the way. Moreover, people are now more aware of the symptoms and are getting tested for Covid more rapidly than in the early stages of the pandemic.
Furthermore, it’s important to consider that symptoms resembling Covid could be caused by other infections like the common cold. In a 2020 study, headaches were identified as one of the symptoms individuals may experience during the ‘pre-Covid’ stage. It’s worth noting that all illnesses have a subclinical form, which means there may be a mild version with weak symptoms that go unnoticed.
Currently, lateral flow Covid tests are available in most pharmacies for individuals to check if they have the virus, while PCR tests can be ordered online. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people with Covid symptoms or those who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid should get tested as well. However, there is no requirement to self-isolate if the test comes back positive, as the CDC has relaxed the rules since August last year, emphasizing the different conditions compared to the beginning of the pandemic.
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