Week 7: Covid
![Photo of a positive Covid lateral flow test next to some cold and flu tablets](/nhsnotes/images/covid.jpeg)
Not much from me this week as I’ve been ill.
We had a really great half term holiday (despite the rain), but towards the end of it I started feeling tired and headachey.
We got home, I started to unpack, but then had to lie down. And then pretty much stayed in bed for 3 straight days.
I assumed it was flu, but my wife suggested a Covid test, and lo and beyond, that second red line appeared instantly.
For some reason, knowing you have Covid feels completely different from having flu. I guess it’s the flashbacks to lockdown when Covid was new and unknown.
Those lateral flow tests are a marvel though. I’ve no idea how they work. Will we get similar tests for flu and colds and norovirus and other viruses in future?
I do feel bad about the disposable plastic, but being able to definitively name the illness you’re experiencing somehow feels powerful.
Work
I returned to work halfway through the week, feeling mostly better.
There’s lots going on, and it can be hard to focus and prioritise at times.
We’ve had some new people join the team, and I’ve been trying to tell them how to get access to all the tools whilst it’s still fresh in my memory from having to follow all the processes myself.
Links
Two thoughtful articles I’ve read this week:
- Why fixing government tech is a nightmare (but not impossible) by Liz Lutgendorff
- Project vs Product Funding by Jennifer Pahlka