To not tell everyone about every test...

[Veryverycalmnow]

I have been having regular covid tests since around April on our doorstep along with husband to help with research into covid for the office for national statistics. They don't contact us after a test (unless a positive result). This was all very uneventful and obviously, with no symptoms, we carried on as normal with our lives. We were told to do so by the researchers. I didn't think anything of it when we had our tests a few weeks ago. I carried on with life as normal, which involved a hairdressers appointment, child attending nursery, going to shops, work etc. I had no symptoms. I'm strict about the rules. Social distancing, masks not mixing. Not seen my mum for nearly a year etc.
So a few days later, I got a text to say I had a positive result. I thought it was a scam at first as I'd felt healthier than I'd been in ages. Obviously we all immediately self- isolated.
I didn't wait around for the test track and trace or whatever it's called, so contacted hairdressers and nursery myself to tell them straight away. Both were really annoyed with me and said that we shouldn't have attended after doing a test. But surely I was no more at risk than the next person. Would they rather not know that I'd had it? If I'd not been part of this research I'd have still visited the same places except have no idea I'd had it and then continued to spread it around...
Now I feel really guilty for the whole thing, but I know deep down I didn't do anything wrong. If I announced each time I was tested, would everywhere say I couldn't go in? What do you think? Also had guilt for time off work. Aaargh. Am I being unreasonable to feel a bit disgruntled about their reactions? I'm thinking I'll stop being part of the research, but wanted to help somehow, so I'm torn!

You've done nothing wrong, you had no symptoms.

You haven't done anything wrong. It sounds as if they don't really understand why you were having tests in the first place.

Well generally people only test if they have symptoms (indeed are only allowed to test if have symptoms) so it’s fair for them to assume you had symptoms and be annoyed that you carried on as normal with symptoms .

If I were you i would explain you didn’t have any symptoms and only had the test as part of a study.

I think they must be misunderstanding the reason you had the test? As PP said you’ve done nothing wrong and had no reason to isolate. If I understand correctly you’ve been helping with research, for which I’m grateful. The tests aren’t fun from what I hear!

Well the majority of people who have had a test should be self isolating, so I can see why they reacted that way - are you sure they understood why you were testing?

In the normal run of things you wouldn’t have had that test and for most people if they are testing it’s because they have symptoms.

So you’ve rattled the hairdressers who have panicked and given you a cross reaction because they (like you!) are cross at the inconvenience.

You’re not at fault. Let it go.

Sound like they've got the wrong end of the stick. You weren't having a test because you had symptoms (which is normal and what they have probably heard, even though it's not what you said). You were having a test regularly to help with research. I probably would have been a bit economical with the truth and told them you had the test after you visited them. As in their heads that would be different, even though it's not.

You've done nothing wrong. The people are just scared and you are the easiest to blame. Thank you for being part of the repeat and please don't stop just because of their reaction, especially now you've got it because it will useful to gather information about re infection. I hope you continue to feel well.

They clearly didn't understand that you're doing these tests regularlyt. They probably assumed that you'd done a test because you felt you needed one.

Did you start the conversation with “I’m part of a government research study into the spread of covid and have tests every 2 weeks, as well as answering a questionnaire about symptoms”?
Or did you just tell them you’d had a covid test and it had come back positive?

Most people don’t know about the ongoing research so they aren’t unreasonable to be cross with you.

It would be unreasonable to pull out of the research now that you’ve had covid. It’s unlikely you’ll get it again, but it’s important for us to know if people can catch it more than once.

Don’t feel guilty, you didn’t go out and cough in their faces, but you can understand why they are frustrated at how this will now affect their business.

I don’t see the issue here. You know they only said that to you because the government advice is that you should self isolate until you receive a negative result. Most people can only get a test if they have symptoms. Whereas you are part of a survey which is niche and not renowned, so of course the wider community won’t be aware of it, and would think it’s a dick move to be near others whilst waiting for a result.

Also surely you can see why they may be annoyed about this? Not at you personally, but at the thought of catching COVID, potentially spreading it to others inc vulnerable peoole, having to close their business leading to a lack of income/financial difficulty, having to cancel on their other clients etc etc

There's no issue here - only in there understanding. I had something similar, tested as part of a study (no symptoms) was meeting with friends (pre lockdown) and they caught half a conversation re test results - their faces! (Rightly) but it was easily rectified. In usual circumstances though, yes you would be isolating ie a test due to symptoms and that's what they probably thought.

I’m doing this study too. I mentioned to someone I’d had a test earlier that day and realised I needed to prefix this with something about doing the study or Beas going to alarm people.

They misunderstood and thought you had a test cos you had been exposed.

Yeah, I agree with most others, were you clear about saying it was part if a trial, not because one of you had symptoms?!

If anyone gives you a hard time after that, remind them that any of them could be asymptomatic carriers!!

You have done nothing wrong OP.

You've done nothing wrong and they're being dim.
Under their logic anyone involved in regular testing for research would never leave the house... which would screw up the trial anyway.

Totally different to knowing you have symptoms or closure and going while you wait for the result.

@CatherineSanderson

I think they must be misunderstanding the reason you had the test? As PP said you’ve done nothing wrong and had no reason to isolate. If I understand correctly you’ve been helping with research, for which I’m grateful. The tests aren’t fun from what I hear!

This

You’ve done nothing wrong. I suspect it was misplaced anger in the heat of the moment knowing they would have to potentially close/contact clients etc.

I did a random test at work and unexpectedly tested positives (had only had a headache) I also phoned the salon that did my brows. But made it very clear it was a random test and I genuinely had no idea I had it.

You haven't done anything wrong. It sounds as if they don't really understand why you were having tests in the first place.

^ did they fully understand why you were having tests and that they were a regular occurrence not linked to symptoms?

Thanks so much for your answers. I was clear on the phone to both about it being research and explained about no symptoms etc. Nursery said they may not be able to keep DS's place if we continue with testing and kept saying it was a risk. It was a ridiculous conversation that went round in circles. Hairdressers put a notice on FB straight after the call saying not to come to appointments after a test (fair enough, esp if the message wasn't passed on properly) and I've had an answerphone msg from hairdressers saying, "(insert name of stylist) has asked me to let you know she wishes to cancel your appointment (mid dec)"....
No mention of reschedule. Maybe I should contact them and put my mind at rest!
Thanks again for your replies😊

Ouch. Sounds like the hairdressers have cut all ties with you. Seems like the nursery may want to as well

No, you’ve done nothing wrong.

I did a test as part of an ipsos mori survey. Mine was negative and only a one off. I didn’t self isolate while I waited for the results, which happened to be the couple of days before lockdown started. It didn’t say to do so on the survey for one thing. It was random anyway, so no reason to do so.