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I was amused to realize that technically, I've been one of the people with respiratory symptoms but blowing it off as allergies without a test.
But, I feel justified. None of the episodes lasted more than a few hours, let alone a day; they all happened during times of high reported pollen that I'm known to be allergic to (tree, then later grass, both in Vancouver this year); and I could basically turn them on and off by breathing unfiltered outdoor air or not. (Or, for grass, breathing unfiltered air while walking through big parks with lots of unmowed grass -- walking in the urban area seemed harmless. 20 minutes into the park walk I'd be sneezing or blotting my runny nose, then some time after masking again I wouldn't be.)
If I actually had symptoms lasting for a couple days I'd turn to a test, but that hasn't happened since Feb 2020. (Or if the symptoms involved more than sneeze/sniffle during allergy season, like the hacking coughs people report being surrounded by.)
But, I feel justified. None of the episodes lasted more than a few hours, let alone a day; they all happened during times of high reported pollen that I'm known to be allergic to (tree, then later grass, both in Vancouver this year); and I could basically turn them on and off by breathing unfiltered outdoor air or not. (Or, for grass, breathing unfiltered air while walking through big parks with lots of unmowed grass -- walking in the urban area seemed harmless. 20 minutes into the park walk I'd be sneezing or blotting my runny nose, then some time after masking again I wouldn't be.)
If I actually had symptoms lasting for a couple days I'd turn to a test, but that hasn't happened since Feb 2020. (Or if the symptoms involved more than sneeze/sniffle during allergy season, like the hacking coughs people report being surrounded by.)