To ask if I need a covid test?!

[Apollostar1]

Background -

I'm due to start a new job at a hospital setting on Monday, brand new job, super anxious.

My DP's brothers friends who hes been in contact with directly, tested positive. He is yet to get a test as just found out today.

We have been in the house both weekends (this and last) as they were looking after our DD to get her used to returning to work and being away.

He is yet to test obviously, but, I now assume they'll all need to test.

What do we need to do? He obviously hasn't had a positive test, but, I don't want to go to work, potentially shut down a hospital if I have to test and we test positive in a few days!

No symptoms bar a banging headache and a slightly upset stomach.

Do we test? Isolate? Just carry on as normal til his brother gets his results?

Isn't there a helpline you can call?

So you haven’t been in contact with a positive case? Just in contact with someone who has been in contact with someone who’s got it? I think the official guidelines are that you would carry on as usual. If your brother tests positive that’s when you have to isolate. I think your brother should be isolating for 14 days since last contact with the friend, regardless of his test result?

Not sure if your type of work might change this.

Call 119

@modgepodge no, his brother got a call stating his friends have tested positive, unsure if symptomatic or not. So, yes, as far as it stands, he's been in contact directly with them, but, no positive test yet. That's what I assumed, but, even if we actually haven't seen him just in the house where he is? Do we only get testing or isolate once mum has had a result? Yes he is starting to isolate today!

@Horsemad yes, there is! I'll call, totally forgot about that

@blowingmyjets totally forgot about that, thanks!

If you can get a test today you will get the results tomorrow. I had a test last Sunday morning and I had the results the same day

@yubaba oh, I'll look into same day testing thank you!

Someone I know - their whole office has been sent home because a relative of one of the employees has been contacted by track & trace.

That's not right, surely? 🤔

@Horsemad that's my main concern, knowing he's been around someone who's tested positive, may have a high risk of a positive result, in theory we could also and both head to work Monday potentially carrying it, and spread it round a hospital, not sure what's best to do! No home testing or drive in tests around us available unless we have symptoms which we don't have

I wouldn't worry so much about the fact you're going to a hospital. You will have to wear a mask all the time anyway and there is no 'send everyone home / isolate' with hospital teams unfortunately as there is no one to replace us - hence the masks all the time.

My understanding is if your relative is a close contact he needs to isolate. If he becomes symptomatic or has a positive test, then you will have to. But that might happen at any point in the end 2 weeks, not just necessarily before Monday.

No, you don’t. You haven’t been in contact with a positive case.

Contact means less than 2m for 15 mins or less than 1m for 1 minute.

If everyone who had been in touch with someone who had been in contact with someone with a positive test had to self isolate there would be nobody outside.

@Horsemad

Someone I know - their whole office has been sent home because a relative of one of the employees has been contacted by track & trace.

That's not right, surely? 🤔

Definitely not. What a fucking mess.

I don’t think there’s any point you getting a test if you haven’t got symptoms even if your brother-in-law tests positive. Even if you haven’t got it, you could develop it in the next 14 days. That’s why people are having to quarantine when returning from some countries, rather than just testing on arrival and going about their business as usual if negative.

@windyautumn thing is, it's not directly in a ward. I'm a nursery practitioner, so looking after their children, no masks are needed but still within hospital grounds. He's getting a test and isolating as he's been in direct contact with them, but no advise on if we need to isolate until they get a positive. @BlowingmyJets119 is literally just to book in a test so no actual advise on the matter.

Exactly @Feminist10101 and the person I know has been contacted by their boss today, asking if they've had a test yet!!!

Bonkers! 😂

@modgepodge if they all come back positive, the advice is we test, isn't it? As we have been in direct contact with them, even if we are asymptomatic we could still potentially spread. So, I'm a bit unsure of what your answer means? Even if they test positive, we continue our normal life even if we are carrying it with no symptoms?

but no advise on if we need to isolate until they get a positive.

No, you don’t.

Only if your BIL gets a positive test and your contact was as I described would you need to isolate/test. Ie, wait for track and trace to contact you.

@feminist10101 so, we wait til their results then isolate if they are positive? My main concern is going and spreading it around a hospital setting, is all. I know he has been around it and could have it, so guess I'll just carry on and potentially spread it in the mean time. We have been in direct contact with the family household where whe lives and has direct contact with them.

@feminist10101 we haven't seen him, but seen mil a few times since. They live in the same house, breath same air etc lol, so they are all testing together and like you say, I guess we wait for a positive test and then if so we get tested from there, so I shouldn't isolate or get a test until track and trace contact us?

[quote Apollostar1]@modgepodge if they all come back positive, the advice is we test, isn't it? As we have been in direct contact with them, even if we are asymptomatic we could still potentially spread. So, I'm a bit unsure of what your answer means? Even if they test positive, we continue our normal life even if we are carrying it with no symptoms?[/quote]
No, the opposite - if your contact tests positive, you have to isolate for 14 days, even if you get a test which is negative. So there’s no point you getting a test, unless you have symptoms of course.

@modgepodge thank you for clarifying so much information on the Internet and can't get my head around it!

There's no point in you testing if you don't have any symptoms - you could get a positive anytime within the next 14 days.
Same with your brother, which is where the guidelines fall down really.

In my situation I would isolate for 14 days, but in your situation I would call your new manager & ask what they wanted me to do. I'd most likely go by car so could call from outside, but if you're taking public transport then call from home & if that means you're late, then it is what it is.

I think hospitals vary on whether they'd want you in or not & depending on your job, being a new starter, it's probably easier not to have you in, but I'm not your manager 🤣

Hope you're all ok 🌷

we haven't seen him, but seen mil a few times since. They live in the same house, breath same air etc

So now you’re 3 steps from the positive case.

If a member of your household is symptomatic, you self isolate for 14 days.

If you’re identified by track and trace as having been in contact with someone who has tested positive you self isolate for 14 days.

Knowing someone’s aunties’ milkman’s window cleaners’ nephew’s hairdresser went into a cafe and breathed the same air as someone who then tested positive, you don’t. (It’s not airborne for a start.)

I've just seen that you're in the nursery, hopefully you can drive to work (even if you won't normally) and phone from outside.

Agree. No need for any tests until symptoms start. I tested positive Monday. Husband is isolating here but no symptoms so he's not taken a test and won't do unless he gets ill.