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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:
Siuan · 22/12/2021 11:49

Everyone testing before they come here.
DS1 is a teacher so works in a covid environment as does DSIS who is a nurse and D Neice is also a teacher.
DH and I will test before they arrive.

It's 2 minutes. I feel the OP is trying to make some kind of point but I'm not sure what it is?

FeelingSoGrinchy · 22/12/2021 11:49

Is everyone else having these?

Yep, we're doing them daily this week.

My sister in law has demanded this from my side of the family as her elderly parents are going to be at the dinner.

Sounds sensible.

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 mean it would be a shame if you had to isolate, but it's not like you'd be on your own? Can't you get some nice food in just in case, and plan to use it a couple of days after Christmas if you don't need to. Or you could ask your sister in law to drop off Christmas dinner for you? I mean she probably won't want to as it sounds like you're not very keen on her, but it's an option. Get some games and films planned as a back up, and have a Christmas as a family of five.

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!?

But the whole reason omicron is worrying is because they aren't sure how effective the vaccine is against that variant yet. I wouldn't want to risk my parents health to find out.

gingercat02 · 22/12/2021 11:52

Yes we will all be testing before we head off to the in-laws tomorrow. The advice is to test before and after any gathering. Why would you not?

DaggerIsle · 22/12/2021 11:52

I am triple jabbed. Got my booster (Moderna which has apparently good Omicron protection) at the end of November- so way past the 14 days.
I am currently in bed with Covid- symptoms are a very bad cold, fever and terrible headache.
I feel like I did last time I had the flu (with the cold as a bonus).
This variant does go round easily and the jabs are not a guarantee of a mild case.
LFTs are a minimum precaution.

DaggerIsle · 22/12/2021 11:54

ETA it looks like a caught it from own busy teen who is also in bed with a high fever.
Nothing mild about it for us so far.

Pinkginlover · 22/12/2021 11:54

We’re having family from 3 different households and we will all be doing lateral flow tests before meeting up on Christmas Day.
Ages range from 28-60 yrs ,all double jabbed and had booster.

DrSbaitso · 22/12/2021 11:57

I know it's horrible to go through, and I've read all OP's posts so I understand where you're coming from, OP, but I don't think it's unreasonable. We're all just trying to find the balance we are comfortable with and she's worried about an elderly parent. Isn't this the point of the home tests?

Jaxhog · 22/12/2021 11:57

Absolutely ridiculous! Of you to object to doing this.

The vax is NOT 100% effective, especially not against the Omicron variant.

JabNotInArm · 22/12/2021 12:00

@Quarks69

"We all have a different perception of risk, depending on our experiences.

Perspective needed."

Absolutely. And your SIL has made explicit her perception of risk based on her experiences, which you're now questioning. So you're a hypocrite too

CSJobseeker · 22/12/2021 12:02

It's 100% normal to do a test before meeting up with people, particularly if they are vulnerable. This is what my family are doing, and it's what I've done before meeting friends in the run up to Xmas. My friends have also been testing.

I'm horrified that you would rather visit an elderly relative when you're asymptomatic than take a test tbh.

HereticFanjo · 22/12/2021 12:03

Completely reasonable request. Just do the bloody tests they take seconds.

Lokdok · 22/12/2021 12:05

What do you mean 'isn't this the point of jabs'? I'm triple jabbed and covid positive right now. And I was really sick for two days. You need to test! FFS.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 22/12/2021 12:07

We’re just celebrating Christmas Day as a single household family as two have covid right now but will finish isolating tomorrow. Obviously there’s a chance there rest of us test positive so we’re daily testing and hoping to see my parents Boxing Day. There’s no question about lfts - we’ll all do them before meeting up. No idea why anyone would be against doing this.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 22/12/2021 12:10

I'd do it Christmas Eve evening not on the day but it's sensible to do it at the moment. How would you feel if your elderly relative was made sick by asymptomatic teen?

Emmacb82 · 22/12/2021 12:14

We are all doing lfts before travelling to my parents, including my 5 year old and my 20 month old. It’s a few seconds of misery to ensure that we are being as safe as we can be. Of course it would be gutting for one of us to test positive, but that’s the whole point! So we don’t spread it.

whynotwhatknot · 22/12/2021 12:15

what a weird way of looking at it although i know someone els who has said similar but theyve been in cntact with someone with covid and said she doesnt want to test incase she has it

Twixxed · 22/12/2021 12:16

Do the test (or make alternative plans). You don't get to decude what level of risk others are comfortable with.

MrsSantaClausitback · 22/12/2021 12:16

Sensible! We’re requesting the same when we have family over for Boxing Day- lots of children, 2 sets of elderly parents and busy adults. Sadly, it had to be done…

Wherehasthecommonsensegone · 22/12/2021 12:17

@GhoulWithADragonTattoo

I'd do it Christmas Eve evening not on the day but it's sensible to do it at the moment. How would you feel if your elderly relative was made sick by asymptomatic teen?
@GhoulWithADragonTattoo

Genuine question, why would you do Christmas Eve evening and not Christmas Day given the results can change in a matter of hours? Is it just to give enough notice if it’s positive/save time on Christmas Day?

LondonJax · 22/12/2021 12:19

@Quarks69 - you said you wouldn't go if you had Covid. How would you know you had it if you didn't test? Do you think Covid makes everyone take to their beds, ill and with a fever? Do you think you'd know you had Covid?

DS got a positive LFT earlier in the year. We were due to meet with family so did a test each. DS had no symptoms until halfway through isolation when he lost his taste. Just a light headache which went in less than a day.

I had an achy back and tested positive (LFT then PCR) the following day. No other symptoms except feeling tired every now and then, until I lost my sense of smell and taste (again halfway through).

DH went down with it two days later. LFT positive and PCR. He had no symptoms at all and stayed symptom free all the way through - he worked from home from day one of isolation.

We'd have all been out and about without that LFT.

Just imagine you had a crystal ball and saw that one of your DCs or your DP caught Covid from someone on that day. They were very poorly with it. But, because the other person had been vaccinated, they had it mild and didn't realise they were contagious with it. Now think about whether you'd want them to have done one simple LFT and stayed home.

Now give your head a wobble, nip to the shops and get some food in the freezer - it'll keep if you're all OK and you'll have a Christmas of sorts if you're not. Better than realising one of you potentially put an older person in hospital for New Year.

Skedaddle465 · 22/12/2021 12:23

@Thatsplentyjack

Hang on, you don't want to test incase one of you is asymptomatic? So you want to live in ignorant bliss and go spread covid to her elderly parents so you can all have a lovely christmas day?
This!
LondonJax · 22/12/2021 12:26

and ignore @GhoulWithADragonTattoo's idea of testing the evening before.

I did a LFT on the Sunday afternoon when DS got his positive result as I felt achy - negative. By 7.30am the following morning I'd got a positive LFT and that was probably Delta as it was earlier in the year. Test the day you need to do it and as close as you can to leaving. Maximum time for Covid to build up and show itself.

Offmyfence · 22/12/2021 12:27

@Newjobnewstart

Just say you tested and it's negative. I'm not testing unless I have symptoms. Lfts are the most reliable anyway so u could still be positive even with a lat flow.
Just lie?
EL1984 · 22/12/2021 12:28

We sent in PCR's yesterday, will hopefully get the result back tomorrow. Will also do lateral flow tests on Xmas eve before we set off to the family Xmas.
Everyone I know is testing like mad this week and generally staying away from social events now to save Xmas day!

PieMistee · 22/12/2021 12:28

Folks OP has bought into the anti covid cult. She has used "echo chamber". Red flag!

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