I've had flu twice that i can most certainly recall, which was around the Millennium time in 2000, because i remember not being able to go out for two weeks and on Dec.31st i was in front of a fireplace with a quilt around me sweating buckets but shivering as if i was in the North Pole.
The other time, again ill for a couple of weeks, was in 2010, and this time round was when i lost my sense of taste and smell, and they have never returned since then.
I've been using the C-19 app as well for a few weeks now and was recently not feeling so good even though i'd been properly isolating, and i got an invite to take a test which i took up yesterday.
This test is offered by the Department Of Health, and alarm bells are triggered if a certain combination of symptoms are reported. When you get the results i presume it's then down to you to feed the data back into the daily app to update these records.
I'm not classed as an Essential Worker, so i got listed as a Volunteer, and they do say they will also be sending people for tests that they know won't have the virus.
As a Volunteer it seemed to me like the Home Testing Swab Kit wasn't an option that i could see, i could only visit a testing centre, which was no big deal.
Just a heads up, you can't get tested on a motorbike at these centres.
They are extremely well controlled and organised, but in a car you have to keep the windows completely shut, due to the fact that you're entering a zone where the virus could be much more prevalent than normal. On entry AND at the testing bay they will use a scanner to scan a barcode they send you on your phone, plus when registering for the test you need to put down who's in the car for a test and the Reg. Plate number for quick and easy I.D.
You get to select a 30min time slot, and mustn't be too early, or late. I think we were there for 25mins in total, and there were 2 cars in front of us.
The test itself was not very pleasant to be honest. Sticking your tongue right out, saying aaaaahhh, then having someone hit the uvula at the back of your throat with a swab nearly made me chuck up twice. Then for good measure they shove a swab right up your hooter too.
Once done though you should get the results normally within 48hrs, but anything up to 5 days if it's very busy.
I'm 99.9% certain i will show up Negative when i get my result.
The only downside to this particular test is that it only shows Positive if you 'currently' have the virus.
If you have already had the virus, but then recovered, it will still show up as a Negative.
The other test however (possibly available soon at a cost) is the Antibody one, which shows if you have antibodies in your system from previously trying to fight off an infection which then stay in your body in case they're needed again in the future.
Get a Positive reading for that one and you have a green light as "theoretically" you should now be immune. This is not 100% guaranteed that you can't be infected again, due to the way that viruses mutate, but even still your body would most certainly cope with any reinfection much better than it would have done without these antibodies, without a doubt.
If the price is sensible i will have a go at one of these tests as i do have a strong feeling that i've previously had the virus and recovered, due to having every main symptom going at the end of last year, which then resulted in me being very ill for around 7 days.
As it was Common Cold/Flu season i just dealt with it at home though, as we always do, without any need for bothering a doctor.