Do you still test for covid?

[RosieChardonnay]

Had bad cold symptoms this week so did a covid test and it was positive. Was due to go to a family party last night but did not go due to testing positive. I tested positive yesterday. There would be a mix of people there of all ages. Nobody very vulnerable. My family have made me feel a bit silly saying nobody tests anymore and I should have gone. Am I being a bit silly to test? I stayed away for their benefit ( although I wasn't crazy disappointed to miss it!!).

One of my jobs asks us to test still and will provide a free test if we go into work with cold like symptoms and haven't been able to test. If we feel able to work, they say they'd appreciate it it if we could wear a mask. They say they're trying to avoid too many people being off ill at once and also the fact we have a reasonable amount of elderly and vulnerable customers so thinking about them.

You're not silly to test, but being considerate and I appreciate that. Covid affects all of us in different ways, for me I feel absolutely awful, I literally can't settle to sleep for the first 2-3 days, but struggle to focus on doing anything at all - even getting myself a drink.

I haven't been but have been in contact with people who've tested positive and I've had cold like symptoms so did test today just so I can warn people.

I am positive and feel crap tbh!

I tested yesterday due to feeling a bit ill. It was negative.

I test because I'm nosey. However, I wouldn't do anything differently with that info - if I've got a bad cold and need to be in bed I wouldn't go any infect family anyway.

I test as we do for work, sadly I am positive

No one I know tests anymore.

Yes, I do.

Not in the past, but there’s alot around, so I’m more likely to test.

No.
I've been feeling off all week at a festival, and I'm going away again tomorrow.
We just have to live with it now and I say that as someone with a heart and lung condition.

OK thanks all. Looks like most people agree with my family and I was a bit silly to test and not go to the party. I have always been on the cautious side!

Yes we do as have an adult dc who is very vulnerable and has the vaccinations and would need antivirals if contracts it. I think you did right, you don't know who your relatives would inadvertently pass it onto, you also wouldn't go out feeling ill with other infectious diseases.

No. I don't have any tests left from when they were free and I've got other things to spend my money on.

If I'm going out and mixing with people and know I've been exposed I do test. It's just a courtesy.

I would be annoyed if you came to a party at my house having tested positive. I have a vulnerable immunosuppressed DD who couldn't get the booster she was supposed to have this spring because the system is useless and the pharmacy couldn't get the children's dose of the vaccine.

I would always tell people I was positive.and give them the option to tell me not to come.

Nope not testing anymore. Tests now out of date and not paying. Advice same as normal virus. Stay off till you feel better whatever it is. Caused furore at work last time stuck in room till managers decided what to do then sent home on bus and told to wait till neg. Made to feel total incumberance so not doing that again!

Never have and never will.
I can’t miss work unless actually incapacitated, vomiting or dead anyway.

DH and I are thankfully rarely sick, but I have in-date tests in the cupboard and if we were ill, yes, I would test. We caught covid for the 1st time in Jan this year. With a 'cold' I might have gone out after a few days, but I was still testing positive on day 10 and didn't want to infect anyone.

Yes so I can get antivirals

I haven't tested for a couple of years and I don't know anyone who does.

No. The free tests are well out of date and I’m not buying them. Having travelled through a packed Heathrow four days ago I’m now ill with what feels like a cold, what difference does it make what the name of the virus is?

Taking antiviral nose spray and ibuprofen is helping and If it gets worse I’ll act accordingly.

Yes I test. Long covid is awful and if I've had covid I want to be able to tell my GP that I've had it. And I'm usually curious to know what I might have had, anyway.

No, if I’m too unwell to go out I stay in, and if not then I carry on with my day, a test wouldn’t change that. My tests are out of date anyway and I’m not buying them.

I still test regularly and had a bad case of covid recently before I could get my booster. I'm 75 and still work part time as a cleaner. Most of the team are vulnerable or have vulnerable people at home. Have to think of others.
There's no way,anyway, that I would have been able to work or go out at all with either of my 2 bouts of Covid.

No, not for years. I’m a teacher and 18 months ago our sickness policy was updated to include Covid as any other respiratory illness and therefore would count towards sick days/pay. No point testing because of that. We just come into work and muddle through like with all the other bugs we catch!