Totally confused now (Sorry, it’s a Covid one)

[DoesSheDoesntShe]

DS met up with his friend yesterday. They spent the entire day together in town. Ate out together and went shopping.

Today DS’s friend took a Covid test for work and tested positive. No symptoms.
The friend’s colleague also tested positive today. DS does not know the colleague.

DS has tested negative as have I.

DS’s friend is isolating
DS’s friend’s family is isolating.

We have different information from different people:

1. DS should isolate for 10 days (online info)
2. DS does not have to isolate if he tests negative as he is not a family member - but, he can if he wants to (the test centre DS’s friend went to - he asked what his friends should do)
3. As number 2 (NHS worker)

So, what does DS do? Isolate or not?

AIBU to think WTH? Conflicting advice or what?

If you work for the NHS or KNOW the actual rules please please reply!

I thought DS needed to isolate for 10 days and now don’t know what to think.

When my ds tested positive last month test and trace rang me. To find out who he'd been in close contact with in i think it was the 4 days before he tested positive. They all had to isolate from the last time they saw him for 10 days

I work for T & T. Yes he would need to isolate. However, what happens is that t & t wouldn't contact the contacts of the positive friend until the PCR test comes back. So until he is contacted by a contact tracer technically he doesn't need to. However morally he needs to be isolating. We have had instances where index cases are not as forthcoming with contact details as one would hope. The testing centre are correct that at this stage the family need to isolate because its not a confirmed case.
The majority of contacts do however isolate when they find out that they have been in contact with someone regardless of whether they have been contacted by the tracing service.

@TheSmallAssassin

I think it's pretty clear on the website?

No. It’s not. If you read my post you’d know that the info online is not the same as info given out in person by testing staff and NHS staff.

Your DS should isolate and keep taking LFTs. If he gets a positive LFT he should then take a PCR. If he was infected yesterday it may not show on a test for a few days or he may be lucky and not get it but either way he has to isolate to stop any spread.

@Northernsoullover

I work for T & T. Yes he would need to isolate. However, what happens is that t & t wouldn't contact the contacts of the positive friend until the PCR test comes back. So until he is contacted by a contact tracer technically he doesn't need to. However morally he needs to be isolating. We have had instances where index cases are not as forthcoming with contact details as one would hope. The testing centre are correct that at this stage the family need to isolate because its not a confirmed case. The majority of contacts do however isolate when they find out that they have been in contact with someone regardless of whether they have been contacted by the tracing service.

Thank you! So, in this situation:

DS Isolates now moral reasons rather than legal (which is what I thought)

Wait for friends PCR result

Test comes back positive

Test and trace get in touch with DS who is a close contact

DS gets tested as he is a close contact of someone who has tested positive

DS tests negative (let’s say) 2 days into ‘isolation’

Then what?
(Test centre and NHS worker say no isolation)

Yes he needs to isolate - test & trace will only contact him if the person tested positive names him as a contact - that’s where the legal duty kicks in.
However you already know that he has been in contact with a person who has tested positive - so he should be isolating for 10 days after last contact with this person.

@lunar1

NHS staff have been given conflicting advice for ages. Firstly DH was told to turn off test and trace. He was also told not to isolate after a patient he treated was positive, he carried out a procedure in very close proximity too!

I KNOW!!! We are not allowed the APP at work. It’s mad.

He needs to isolate as you've been told repeatedly. It reads as though you are trying to justify him not isolating.

Well, if he doesn't have covid (confirmed by PCR?) why does he need to isolate? I'm confused too.

@Snowballtorch

He needs to isolate as you've been told repeatedly. It reads as though you are trying to justify him not isolating.

Read my post above. DS will isolate because as others have said, he is morally obliged to not legally.

Friend has not had PCR result back yet so legally DS could go about his business as normal. Test and trace/isolation kicks in when PCR comes back positive.

I am not trying to justify anything. The Test centre work and NHS staff member have told me something that contradicts what I thought I knew.

@CirqueDeMorgue

Well, if he doesn't have covid (confirmed by PCR?) why does he need to isolate? I'm confused too.

Apparently he doesn’t. It’s a fucking mess.

That should say ‘He doesn’t have to isolate YET’ only after the PCR test comes back positive.

He will do anyway.

My question remains...

I have been told that if his friend’s PCR test comes back positive, DS should get tested. If DS’s test comes back negative he no longer needs to isolate for the rest of the 10 days.

If you click on the link
help the NHS alert your close contacts then it does explain about the Test and Trace.

This page tells you what to do if you are a close contact
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/if-youre-told-to-self-isolate-by-nhs-test-and-trace-or-the-covid-19-app/

PCR tests are for people with symptoms, there is no point booking one if your son doesn't have any symptoms, even if it comes back negative, he still has to carry on isolating.

I would go by the definitive advice on the NHS website.

@lunar1

NHS staff have been given conflicting advice for ages. Firstly DH was told to turn off test and trace. He was also told not to isolate after a patient he treated was positive, he carried out a procedure in very close proximity too!

@lunar1 NHS staff are told to turn off the NHS test and trace app, because they wear (or should wear) appropriate PPE which should protect them against covid.

TheSmallAssassin

Thank you!
The test and trace person told DS’s friend that he should tell all his close contacts to book a test.
They then said ‘If they test negative, they will no longer need to isolate for the rest of the 10 days unless they are immediate family’
This is why I am confused 🤨

Go by what the advice is on the NHS website, people’s/staff are only human and get things wrong.

@Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin

Go by what the advice is on the NHS website, people’s/staff are only human and get things wrong.

I’m starting to think that nobody knows what’s what.

The fact is, my DS has been in contact with someone who has tested positive after doing FIVE home tests (!)
They went for their PCR test today and will get the result tomorrow.
My DS legally (although not morally) has TWO days (today and tomorrow) to go wherever he wants (he won’t and hasn’t).
Isolation only LEGALLY kicks in IF his friend gets a positive PCR tomorrow.

It’s nuts.

I thought with lateral flow you do have to initially self-isolate until you get a PCR test and it’s negative.

@DoesSheDoesntShe

TheSmallAssassin

Thank you!
The test and trace person told DS’s friend that he should tell all his close contacts to book a test.
They then said ‘If they test negative, they will no longer need to isolate for the rest of the 10 days unless they are immediate family’
This is why I am confused 🤨

no longer are the key words here. They do have to SI until a PCR confirms negative.

@Lalliella

I thought with lateral flow you do have to initially self-isolate until you get a PCR test and it’s negative.

Yes, the person who has tested positive & immediate family do.

no longer are the key words here. They do have to SI until a PCR confirms negative.

Friend PCR positive > close contacts/family/everyone and his dog isolates

Close Contact’s PCR tests negative > ?

Thanks all! ☺️

Too late now! Will catch up tomorrow!

It’s very confusing, but if follow the NHS online guidance which state to take a PCR test and isolate for 10 days even if the test is negative.

Re the tests there’s so many variables why they may have been negative, plus your son’s friend could also be not telling the truth that they were negative..::.

Friend PCR positive > close contacts/family/everyone and his dog isolates

Yes.

Close Contact’s PCR tests negative > ?

If DS tests negative (any test) it makes no difference at all he still must isolate because he’s been in contact with a case (the incubation period is about up to 10 days).

In some local areas directors of public health have made a decision to tell people that all contacts of a lateral flow should isolate (not just household). So yes there are inconsistencies, deviations from the national, and sometimes people get it wrong.