Covid positive - would you go to a hospital appointment?

[35hjnjknku]

Have been testing positive for Covid since saturday but have a hospital appointment today. Just tested and still positive. DH thinks I should still go because they are hard to get and we're now living with it. NHs website still tells you to isolate. It doesnt feel quite right to me. What would others do?

I cancelled a long awaited hospital appt just last week because I had Covid. it just didn’t seem right to deliberately take Covid into a hospital for non Covid reasons even though others probably do it.

I know you’ve decided not to go, but my answer would be that I would go if the procedure is urgent, and delaying it could have serious consequences.

There will be Covid everywhere in hospitals regardless, and risks need to be balanced.

Sorry, and as it happens they have a WhatsApp number you message just for this situation and your appt is rescheduled immediately. I only have to wait another 4 weeks for my new appt. I’m not in the UK though.

Are you able to get through on the phone? I called my GP the other day assuming I'd have to cancel my appt because I had covid, but they said they're seeing covid positive patients every single day. The GP just wore more full PPE and asked me not to touch anything!

Don't go. I'm currently covid positive and had a midwife appointment yesterday which I cancelled. If my midwife had caught it from me, it could have lead to her being off for at least a week at a time when the NHS is under immense pressure, plus she could have passed it to many other mums to be.

It is quite an urgent op so they have rescheduled for next week.

I know you’ve decided not to go, but my answer would be that I would go if the procedure is urgent, and delaying it could have serious consequences

yes. There is that. And I know the stage 1a cancer I was diagnosed with 20 months ago would have been benign if my originally gynae appts hadn’t been cancelled twice in the 8 months leading up to eventually being seen.

Its a very difficult situation to be in. And I think the service where I live has now been set up in order to minimize people being Covid casualties because of waiting lists and other things Covid related.

Just for clarity the guidance isn't to isolate for 10 days nor while still positive.

It's 5 days, then you can go out and about again if you no longer have a high temperature and "feel well". Otherwise you continue to isolate.

(But for hospital follow the rules on the letter they sent you! - given you are only at 4 days anyway its too soon)

I'm sure you won't be the only one in that position, cancelling keeps people safe and increases the chance of an alternative appointment coming up soon if people do that. Going in with Covid increases the chance of all the staff being off and all the appointments being cancelled which has a knock on effect for everyone else and any future appointments you might need.

2 and a half years and people still have to ask this?? ffs 🙄

That's good they've rescheduled for next week. If it's an op they would have tested you anyway beforehand so absolutely right thing was to be honest.

@JellyBellyNelly and thats what am concerned about.

Obviously people aren't reading the thread. Hope they fit you in again soon.

Now I see they've rescheduled. Good

@emmathedilemma yes, two years on and debates regarding cancer care versus Covid are still alive and kicking. I am not going in and I disagreed with DH but it's not always as simple as ah people are dumb

Why are you even asking this? Of course you don't go!

Best of luck.

If unsure call reception. They will tell you no.

You'd still be pre screened before admission and the hospital wouldn't advise you to still go with a positive test anyway so you'd be doing it off your own back knowing full well you could put others at risk. It's unfortunate but as we've seen people in need of urgent treatment are being failed.

Do NOT go to a hospital while positive for covid!!

Why - she’s asking for advice ?

I had Covid last week - a week later I had a midwife appointment. Before I went, I called up to see if I should go, they said yes (because enough days had passed). If they had said no I wouldn't have gone and they would have rearranged it.

You could phone and ask if it's possible to have the Appointment via telephone?

Speaking generally, and not just about the OP’s circumstances, people aren’t routinely screening for Covid any more are they ? So given that, hospitals will be, and will turn away anyone testing positive. So if you have tested and already know you’re positive it would be a waste of time turning up to be turned away.

Please don’t. People like my mum are in there having treatment for cancer. You’d make her so ill.