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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ignore positive PCR

95 replies

whatshouldIdoo · 26/12/2021 18:21

The whole family unit had Covid a month ago and all have recovered.
Last week a close friend tested positive for Covid and so I booked us all in for a PCR as we had seen her.
However you are not supposed to have a PCR in the 90 days after having Covid:

"Not testing within 90 days of a positive COVID-19 test will avoid unnecessary isolation. It is possible for PCR tests to remain positive for some time after COVID-19 infection as the test can pick up inactive viral fragments (which are not infectious)."

As you can probably guess, one of the kids came back with a positive result.

AIBU to ignore that as we should never have taken the test?

I appreciate I will get flamed for not checking this before doing the test.
If I'm honest I knew there was guidance not to do a PCR within 90 days of Covid. I wrongly assumed the reason was that you were unlikely to be infected again in that period. In my mind I felt that we could have had Delta a month ago and then possibly have Omicron and wanted to have an all clear before seeing any relatives.
Now the results have come back positive I have looked into it more and realise I've been an idiot for going for the test and the reason for not giving PCRs to people within 90 days of infection is the high number of false positives due to left over non-contagious viral fragments. I accept I've been a bit of a twat wasting resources going for the test and wish I hadn't.

All lateral flows have been negative for all of us.

So my question is AIBU to ignore the result of the PCR test (that we should never have had) and presume it is a false positive as within 90 days of infection?

OP posts:
Thepineapplemystery · 26/12/2021 20:30

@Aquamarine1029

Your child could have had Delta a month ago and Omicron now.
It's incredibly rare for that to be the case. Much, much higher chance of it being a false positive from the previous infection.
catgirl1976 · 26/12/2021 20:31

If they have symptoms the PCR test stands and you should PCR test if you are symptomatic regardless of having a positive PCR within 90 days

Original poster
whatshouldIdoo · 26/12/2021 20:33

@catgirl1976 it is still no test within 90 days if no symptoms though I believe (none of us have any symptoms)

OP posts:
Original poster
whatshouldIdoo · 26/12/2021 20:35

@Thepineapplemystery
Interesting. What is your source for this? I'd like to weigh up how likely / unlikely it may be.
Thanks

OP posts:
catgirl1976 · 26/12/2021 20:35

Yes you only need to PCR if symptoms but now you’ve done I don’t think you can ignore it

Fingers crossed it’s just an old positive Rather than they’ve re contracted it but it is possible with Omicron

Grapewrath · 26/12/2021 20:37

Disregard the test as per advice as long as your child isn’t symptomatic

ThettaReddast · 26/12/2021 20:37

I think you need to take guidance from T&T for this one. Given omicron it may not be a cut and dried as a residual result from previous infection.

CovidForChristmas · 26/12/2021 20:40

@catgirl1976

The no re test within 90 days is NO LONGER the current guidance

You need to read the up to date guidance which does not state this and do not ignore the positive PCR

@catgirl1976 do you have the link for this please? I just went through the process last week and when I ordered my PCR it asked if I had had a positive result in the last 90 days. I’m assuming if I had answered ‘yes’ it would have advised me against testing unless I had new symptoms. This was the guidance only last week.

OP did you select the option of close contacts to get your PCR or did you say you have symptoms? I think that would make the difference.

QueenOfHiraeth · 26/12/2021 20:41

What was the point in doing a test if you have no intention of acting on the results?

These tests all cost money and the younger generations will be paying for them for years so, apart from anything else, we should all be responsible in when we have them
If your child is positive you risk infecting others and, if not, you have just wasted resources that your children (and/or other people's) will end up paying for

Original poster
whatshouldIdoo · 26/12/2021 20:42

@CovidForChristmas
We selected that we had been a close contact

OP posts:
PigeonLittle · 26/12/2021 20:43

@Crazydoglady1980

I think you need to be careful as legally your DC needs to isolate as they have now had a positive PCR.
Agree with this. Legally youre on thin ice. Dont believe you are morally.
catgirl1976 · 26/12/2021 20:57

@CovidForChristmas it’s only if you are symptomatic in which case you should test regardless of the 90 days.

It used to be don’t test within 90 days even if you have symptoms as it was more likely to give a residual positive than it was your new symptoms were a recurrence of Covid. However this has now changed due to Omicron being more likely than Delta to cause a new covid infection.

If you’re a close contact but have had covid within 90 days you still don’t need to test unless you get symptoms. So the OPs child technically didn’t need to test as they don’t have symptoms but now they have….I think they need advice as legally they should isolate but they may not have it

I wonder if the IPs child had being doing regular LFTs? If these had been negative and have now changed to positive along with the PCR that would suggest to me a new infection whereas if they had been negative and were still negative that would suggest the PCR picked up the old infection. But T and T advice needed I think (although they are a bit hit and Miss IME)

RozHuntleysStump · 26/12/2021 21:02

I don’t understand why you went for a pcr with no symptoms and negative lft.

MrsSkylerWhite · 26/12/2021 21:03

Aquamarine1029

Your child could have had Delta a month ago and Omicron now.“

My thought, too.

Newbabynewhouse · 26/12/2021 21:04

Hmm hard decision..ive done something similar recently...done lateral flows 6 weeks after having covid as i had a snigfy nose again like when i had covid LUCKILY it was neg... not sure what id do if i were you..probabky ignore as the lateral flow was neg but make sure take all precautions to keep distance and mask up

TotallyWipedout · 26/12/2021 21:04

@Seeline

I think legally you can't ignore it. The positive result is in the system, and test and trace will treat it as such.

By the way, if you get new symptoms within 90 days, a new test should be taken.

But how would T&T contact you, if you don't have a smartphone? (I haven't).

And how would they know whether you were isolating or not?

OP, I would pretend you never did it, and get on with your life.

Watapalava · 26/12/2021 21:08

op ignore it. Dont respond to T&T - nothing will happen, they didnt contact me once for my dc

Suspiciousmind20 · 26/12/2021 21:13

The rules are you isolate after a positive test. It may be a false positive but you don’t know. I guess, if it were me, I’d rather err on the side of caution. You need to make your own decision but consider the impact of the worst case scenario- you could pass it on, that could leave someone seriously ill. Small chance it could kill someone. A chance it could give someone long Covid. Adds to the spread and puts more pressure on NHS staff who are exhausted already.

Isolating for 10 days is hard and frustrating. I would rather cope with that than become part of the problem I think.

whynotwhatknot · 26/12/2021 21:21

I think once its on the system you have to isolate sorry

SofiaMichElf · 26/12/2021 21:22

@Watapalava

op ignore it. Dont respond to T&T - nothing will happen, they didnt contact me once for my dc
Oh, well that's alright then. Hmm
CrocodilesCry · 26/12/2021 21:28

My friend tested positive a couple of weeks ago - which put her holiday abroad at risk.

Staff at the testing place doing the travel PCRs for the rest of the family said it would be unlikely she would test positive on PCR after 10 days and may still be able to travel on a later flight (she literally missed out on travelling by one day).

The person at the testing place was right - her PCR on day 11 was negative and she was able to travel.

You need to treat this positive for what it is - why get tested if you weren't going to isolate?

OakPine · 26/12/2021 21:28

Why on earth would you canvas randoms on the internet for opinion!

I despair.

Phone 119.

Fossie · 26/12/2021 21:30

We are on the ONS research survey and get tested by PCR and an antibody blood test too every month. In our most recent test my husband tested positive. Not surprising really as we all had Covid since the previous month’s test. He rang T&T and explained the situation and they were happy for him to ignore the test result. Talk to T&T when they call, I expect they may say ignore the result.

Original poster
whatshouldIdoo · 26/12/2021 21:31

@RozHuntleysStump
We went because we had been in close contact with someone who a few days later tested positive for covid.

We have no symptoms but I felt an urge to check we weren't harbouring anything before mixing over xmas. I know it is not current guidance, I made my own choice here. Feel free to judge that choice but it felt right at the time.

OP posts:
Amicompletelyinsane · 26/12/2021 21:31

A friends child did apcr as school asked whole year. She was positive but had only recently had covid. Test and trace told her not to isolate as it was within the 90 days and no symptoms