"Get another test"

[AnaisNun]

Wonder what the general consensus is on this, as I'm not sure what I think ... not goady - am interested in what people think of this -

DS is asthmatic and has a productive cough Sept- March every year (had resp issues as a baby - takes inhalers + antihistamine, but the first cold of the season sits on his chest and stays there regardless). He's never had an asthma attack but does have periods when he coughs more. On Tues morning he woke up rather chestier than usual, so I called nursery, kept him home and ordered (yet another) Covid test.

I've been feeling a bit 'run down' with a mildly tickly throat for a day or so though none of the Big 3 Covid symptoms - so ordered a test for myself at the same time to be safe (our local area runs various testing pilots so we can have PCR home test kits picked up from local community centres for the whole household if one person has symptoms) - was glad I did as a "dry feeling throat" became an occassional tickly cough by the time the tests were dropped off. Neither of us has had a fever or loss of taste etc - DS a bit snotty, and I'm a bit crackly of ear.

Tested yest afternoon and results back just now are negative - so prob mild winter cold.

I was talking to a work colleague on Zoom as the results pinged into my inbox and she said "don't you think you should stay at home and test again in a few days just in case? Tests aren't reliable and you do both have a cough".

Now on the one hand I understand concerns that PCR home tests may not be as accurate as those taken by a professional (though DS is very compliant and lets me do a good thorough swab in his throat and nose)- on the other - by this logic, we'll be in iso until the weather turns in spring, given DS' history! (ive tested him 5 times since September as it is!)

What do you all think?

YABU - You should continue to fully quarantine/isolate & test again - home PCR tests aren't reliable
YANBU - You tested negative, you are right to follow the guidance & should feel free to return to "normal" routine (such as it is!)

A negative result is only good for that moment in time. You could have picked it up since or symptomatic after the test. Like an MOT, you could pass and drive out and get a puncture....fail.
It’s only good for that moment

@Prisonbreak

I don’t dispute that at all- but we tested after we became symptomatic, and have been in Isolation at home since becoming symptomatic (and taking the test)? So what would a second test do, that the 1st one didn’t? Possibly reduce the likelihood of false positives, but that isn’t current policy?

Short of everyone in the country PCR testing daily, regardless of symptoms/being asymptomatic, and getting results the same day, there really is no perfect testing regime I think?

*false negatives sorry

You do the test yourself (or have the option to) if you go to a test centre as well.

YANBU. you and Ds tested negative. As soon as you feel well enough you are free to go back to work.

Your work colleague is projecting her own anxiety onto you in an unreasonable way. You have had a negative test, you're fine crack on.

@Sciurus83

I would agree- it’s particularly strange as we’re WFH, so felt more like an ideological thing?! I also spoke to DS nursery and asked if they were happy to have him back with a cold, and would’ve been no hard feelings if they’d said “actually we’d prefer snotty kids at home as far as possible” but they were 100% fine with him going back tomorrow.

Funny isn’t it, the range of people’s feeling about testing/iso/lockdown.

YANBU. You've followed all advice. There will be other coughs in January.