Surgery Sick-Day Checker

A simple head cold — a runny or blocked nose and maybe a mild sore throat, but no fever and you feel otherwise well — usually doesn't stop adult surgery. It's a fever, a chesty cough, wheeze or feeling genuinely unwell that more often leads to a postponement, because a general anaesthetic is riskier when your airways are irritated or there's a chest infection. For a young child, even a heavy cold more often means a short delay. Always phone your team to check rather than guessing.

Often, yes. A fever now or in the last day or two, or a productive (chesty) cough, wheeze or shortness of breath, commonly leads to surgery being delayed until you've recovered — especially for a general anaesthetic. It's not a punishment; operating while you're acutely unwell raises the risks. Call your surgical ward or pre-op team and let them decide.

It depends on how recent your infection was and how unwell it made you — guidance varies between hospitals and has changed over time, so there's no single fixed number of weeks. Tell your team you've had COVID (or are positive now) and let them advise on timing for your specific operation.

No — phone your surgical ward or pre-op team and let them decide. They would much rather you call than either not turn up or arrive when you shouldn't have travelled. They can often advise in one quick call whether to come in, wait, or rebook.

This Sick-Day Checker focuses just on coming-down-with-something illness — colds, coughs, fever, tummy bugs and COVID. The broader 'Will My Surgery Be Cancelled?' checker also covers non-illness reasons like blood pressure, blood sugar, a fasting slip or a missed medicine. Use whichever fits your worry, or both.