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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Christmas morning Covid test being demanded

859 replies

Quarks69 · 22/12/2021 08:27

Is everyone else having these? My sister in law has demanded this from my side of the family as her elderly parents are going to be at the dinner. With a family of five and three are my busy teens I am worried that we could end up with no xmas day if one of us is asymptomatic (for the second year running obvs).

I do get that we are in bonkers times, but Was so looking Forward to seeing everyone, including my parents, that this is making me cross...isn’t this the point of the jabs!?

OP posts:
QuestionNumberOne · 22/12/2021 11:33

Of course test.

The selfishness involved in thinking “but I want my dinner even if one of us has covid and could spread it to vulnerable family members” is almost sociopathic to be honest.

SocialConnection · 22/12/2021 11:33

You are being unreasonable. It takes seonds to do.

halfthesun · 22/12/2021 11:33

We are all testing here before visiting ... why take the risk??

HelloCanYouHearMe · 22/12/2021 11:34

I'll be spending time with someone waiting on a diagnosis, suspected Motorneurones... I'll take any and every test demanded of me if it shows that im covid free and it goes someway to ensuring the remain as safe as possible.

If on the day it turns out that my LFT is positive, then my family will stay at home.

In the grand scheme of things it's a small sacrifice

worriedatthemoment · 22/12/2021 11:34

@DeepaBeesKit I think thats the thing its good to do the tests as its the best we can do but people do need to remember they are not always right so shouldn't think they 100% are not positive and therefore if someone does get covid a few days later they can't guarantee it most def wasn't them
But if you have no symptoms then a test is the only thing you can do as some sort of mitigation as such
( assuming you can get some )

toomuchlaundry · 22/12/2021 11:34

We are going to test daily from tomorrow in preparation for Xmas Day. Will need to go to shops and one medical appointment before Christmas Day.

MilitantFaucet · 22/12/2021 11:35

Can’t begin to imagine why you wouldn’t do the test, to refuse is utterly self centred and reckless. It’s not exactly difficult to do.

DisforDarkChocolate · 22/12/2021 11:35

Testing here. Nearly everyone I know is.

Joystir59 · 22/12/2021 11:37

You could just lie.

x2boys · 22/12/2021 11:38

@SayAaa

It's not ok to police other people's testing behaviour. If you want to test yourself that's fine, but you should leave other adults to make their own decisions and definitely do not tell or ask them to test, FFS!
Well it is if they are coming to your house ,where there will be clinically vulnerable and or elderly visitors They don't have to comply of course ,they can always stay home .
Inchagoill · 22/12/2021 11:38

@Quarks69
Sorry - you are worried about missing xmas gathering if one of you is positive and asymptomatic but you are not worried about giving it to others if one of you are positive and asymptomatic?

I would hope that everybody who is going to a gathering would take a quick and free lateral flow test for the protection of others - why wouldn't you (unless a child or adult with a significant learning disability)?

rhowton · 22/12/2021 11:39

I know lots of people who have had parties and have done lateral flows, but have then tested positive the next day, so passed it on anyway.

I went to my children's nativity in the morning after testing negative, but by the afternoon, I had tested positive. Lateral flows are good, but they dont tell the whole story.

x2boys · 22/12/2021 11:39

@Joystir59

You could just lie.
Well you could but that would be incredibly selfish .
RuggerHug · 22/12/2021 11:39

@Joystir59

You could just lie.
Like an utter dick joystir59
HalloHello · 22/12/2021 11:40

@SayAaa

It's not ok to police other people's testing behaviour. If you want to test yourself that's fine, but you should leave other adults to make their own decisions and definitely do not tell or ask them to test, FFS!
No one is forcing you to test but I wouldn't be inviting you to my house on Christmas if you didn't. That's totally your choice to make. It's a 2 minute job for the greater good. Extremely selfish to think you are exempt...
Honeymint · 22/12/2021 11:40

Nice of OP to take a break from only replying to people who agree with her to tell someone else they’re in an echo chamber 😂

This is a mountain out of a molehill. Someone who’s hosting has asked everyone to test first. You’ve said yourself you usually test so just all test.
If you’re negative there’s no issue. If you’re positive then there was always an issue and testing just alerted you to it.

As a side note, it’s interesting that you’re targeting your SIL here and not her OH who I assume is your sibling?

chopc · 22/12/2021 11:41

@Quarks69 having first thought you are selfish I do see your point of view. However you said you won't go if you have Covid. You will not know unless you do a test. If you are asymptomatic you do a LFT. If symptomatic you do a PCR. Not 100% accurate but one way of telling if you have Covid. If you are largely asymptomatic the jabs have done their job. But you could still pass it on to others

monsterflake · 22/12/2021 11:42

I apologise if this sounds really heartless, I have asd and sometimes don't explain myself too well.

I just don't understand the whole 'no Christmas day' thing. Im at home with my partner and my four children Christmas day. If you have teens (not sure if you mentioned having a partner too) can Christmas day not be enjoyed with just immediate family? People everywhere (not just you) seem to have been sounding so dramatic to me when they say Christmas is ruined by not being with extended family on Christmas day? I have young children and for us, build up to Christmas is the best part and it feels sadder that this excitement is dampened because people are so fixated on not having covid on the 25th.

My dad tested positive so we aren't seeing them boxing day as originally planned. We will see them new year's eve instead if no one else is covid positive. Christmas is a season, not just one day, surely we can adapt our plans for this in the same way as we've been doing for almost two years?

WonderfulYou · 22/12/2021 11:44

I’m a single parent and so I’m looking forward to seeing family over Xmas. But no way would I go if I test positive.

Christmas is just a date on the calendar.
I have got a few good bits in so if I’m positive we’ll have our own mini Xmas and then celebrate with the family a few days later.

thatsallineed · 22/12/2021 11:44

All four of us in this house will do a test on Christmas morning, before DH goes to collect the late-90's elderly relative who is coming for dinner. Why on earth wouldn't we? Her wellbeing is paramount.

Mickarooni · 22/12/2021 11:46

@Joystir59

You could just lie.
With friends like that..!
JustLyra · 22/12/2021 11:46

@rhowton

I know lots of people who have had parties and have done lateral flows, but have then tested positive the next day, so passed it on anyway.

I went to my children's nativity in the morning after testing negative, but by the afternoon, I had tested positive. Lateral flows are good, but they dont tell the whole story.

Not one single person has said that they’re infallible, or perfect.

Everyone who has any illness has a point where they are fine and then they’re not.

Surely better to at least try and lessen the chances of putting vulnerable people at risk rather than saying “ah well, it’s not 100% so why bother?”

Thewiseoneincognito · 22/12/2021 11:47

@Honeymint

Nice of OP to take a break from only replying to people who agree with her to tell someone else they’re in an echo chamber 😂

This is a mountain out of a molehill. Someone who’s hosting has asked everyone to test first. You’ve said yourself you usually test so just all test.
If you’re negative there’s no issue. If you’re positive then there was always an issue and testing just alerted you to it.

As a side note, it’s interesting that you’re targeting your SIL here and not her OH who I assume is your sibling?

The irony, eh?!

no agendas here… 👀👀👀🤫

logsonlogsoff · 22/12/2021 11:48

OP entirely seems like someone who’d be happy to lie about taking a test but she’d have to get the others on board with the lie too.
Unless she checks the tests alone and lies to her kids etc too if one comes up +++

Restart10 · 22/12/2021 11:49

We are testing as well. It's the responsible thing to do. How utterly selfish for people not consider others. Op sounds extremely ignorant as well thinking she has all jabs so will be fine. How about everyone else, what an ignorant and selfish op.

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