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Original poster

What would you do NOW if you were to test positive for Covid?

170 replies

patooties · 17/12/2025 23:26

In the next few days DH is
1/ chairing a committee
2/ invited to house party on Friday and another on Saturday
3/ a school Christmas assembly
4/ we are having friends over for dinner

he has been rough since Saturday- WFH so no problem there. Only tested this morning.

WWYD of those things (if feeling well enough) ? All or none of it? Or some of it. Give reasons for your answers please.

OP posts:
PatThePenguin · 17/12/2025 23:53

I wouldn't do 1,2, or 3.

Number 4 I'd warn my friends and let them make their own minds up.

Having said that, if I was well enough to go to work then I have to so that could well ruin my colleague's Christmases anyway.

TheMoanerLisa · 17/12/2025 23:53

This is the current advice on the NHS 111 website:

If you test positive for COVID-19
Most people do not need to take a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test if they have symptoms. But if you choose to do a test and the result is positive:

  • try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day the test was taken if you or your child are under 18 years old – children and young people tend to be infectious for less time than adults
  • try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over
  • avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from infections, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test
nhs.uk

COVID-19 testing

Find out about COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests, including who can get them for free on the NHS, how to do the test, and what your result means.

https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/covid-19-rapid-lateral-flow-test/

EddyNeddy · 17/12/2025 23:53

I haven’t taken a Covid test since 2022, so I would have no idea if a cold or cough was Covid, but I certainly wouldn’t attend anything in person while I was still symptomatic.

Roobarbtwo · 17/12/2025 23:53

Happytap · 17/12/2025 23:51

I would carry on as normal if he's feeling well enough. I don't understand why anyone would test now though? It doesn't make a difference whether it's COVID or the flu.

Life does have to carry on and if he is feeling well enough in himself to do stuff then he should.

Maybe because you don't want to pass covid to someone who is vulnerable? I know someone who has had covid several times and long covid and has spent the last few years unwell and is only now getting back to some kind of normality.

If there's any possibility that the OPs husband is contagious he should stay home - no ifs or buts

PatThePenguin · 17/12/2025 23:56

But also if my husband requested I took a Covid test, I'd think he'd lost the plot.

Because regardless of whether I had Covid or a cold I wouldn't want to be infecting others unnecessarily, especially at this time of year.

Flowerslamp · 17/12/2025 23:57

If I was well enough to do those things I'd be carrying on as if I had a cold. I didn't even realise testing was still a thing.

Mincepiefan · 17/12/2025 23:59

Just before Christmas it would be enormously selfish of him to do any of the things on the list, whatever the illness. I think if you have no symptoms it's fine to carry on as normal.

whoosit · 17/12/2025 23:59

Treat it like a cold or flu. Isn't that what we do now? I don't know anyone who tests now. If you're well enough to go then go and if not stay home and recover

Kingscallops · 18/12/2025 00:00

HangingOver · 17/12/2025 23:31

Id have a meltdown as I have a 17h flight on Sunday. Hence why I'm basically staying home this week!

It's my own hand sanitiser for me when I do have to go out. I've had covid twice, I'm not getting it again or the bloody flu before Christmas.

Flowerslamp · 18/12/2025 00:00

Is it really more important to protect others' health at Christmas?. Surely people have plans that are important to them all year round. It's one day.

Daisywhatsyouranswer · 18/12/2025 00:01

If I was unwell with cold, flu or Covid I would not go to any of these things, what a shitty shitty thing to consider doing jist before Xmas.

JemimaTiggywinkles · 18/12/2025 00:01

I’d behave exactly the same way as if I had a bad cold. Stay home if I felt too unwell to go (or fancied an excuse). Continue as normal if otherwise.

It isn’t reasonable or realistic to stay housebound every time you have a cold. And any cold might kill someone vulnerable.

Kingscallops · 18/12/2025 00:03

You can see how viruses spread quickly with some of the attitudes here.

TwinklyNight · 18/12/2025 00:03

Kingscallops · 17/12/2025 23:29

I wouldn't be ruining anybody else's Christmas. The lot would be cancelled.

Exactly.

bonesandbooth2025 · 18/12/2025 00:07

None of them. I’m immunocompromised and we don’t have it tattooed on us!

I know people will say well I should stay home but my immune system is shit for life, covid is a few days or so of staying home

FrazzledHippy · 18/12/2025 00:08

I wouldn't do anything that involved contact with others until I tested negative. I think people that go out and about doing things knowing they're ill are incredibly selfish. This applies to cold,flu,d and v etc too not just COVID

Thedownwardspiralpath · 18/12/2025 00:08

Like any other virus I would continue normal life when I was feeling better. Stop testing, there’s no need for it and there’s no need for you to isolate.

This is madness, people need to get on with their lives. The pandemic is over. 🤷‍♀️

Anyahyacinth · 18/12/2025 00:08

None...to protect others and the NHS ..basic decency

Original poster
patooties · 18/12/2025 00:08

Sorry the conv went ‘are you still feeling rough with no taste - take a test’ if we hadn’t had them in the house (I bought them last week in a supermarket sweep style of quality save randomly) we would not have tested., and now we have I’m asking (he’s happy to do none of it by the way!) I was asking the hive mind I guess what others do or would do under these conditions. No biggie either way for him - I suppose I’m adking for me and the children really.

OP posts:
Kingscallops · 18/12/2025 00:13

patooties · 18/12/2025 00:08

Sorry the conv went ‘are you still feeling rough with no taste - take a test’ if we hadn’t had them in the house (I bought them last week in a supermarket sweep style of quality save randomly) we would not have tested., and now we have I’m asking (he’s happy to do none of it by the way!) I was asking the hive mind I guess what others do or would do under these conditions. No biggie either way for him - I suppose I’m adking for me and the children really.

He's way better off resting up to stave it off getting worse, before Christmas.

GKG1 · 18/12/2025 00:14

When he still has infectious symptoms like coughing and sneezing, he should avoid all these activities. You and kids have no symptoms? Crack on.

Roobarbtwo · 18/12/2025 00:16

Mincepiefan · 17/12/2025 23:59

Just before Christmas it would be enormously selfish of him to do any of the things on the list, whatever the illness. I think if you have no symptoms it's fine to carry on as normal.

Just because someone has no symptoms doesn't mean they can't pass it to someone else

Daisywhatsyouranswer · 18/12/2025 00:16

JemimaTiggywinkles · 18/12/2025 00:01

I’d behave exactly the same way as if I had a bad cold. Stay home if I felt too unwell to go (or fancied an excuse). Continue as normal if otherwise.

It isn’t reasonable or realistic to stay housebound every time you have a cold. And any cold might kill someone vulnerable.

It’s really shitty at Xmas though to front up and infect people. Utterly selfish.

MobyTick · 18/12/2025 00:18

I had Covid a few months ago. Unfortunately I was quite ill with it, much more so than any time in the pandemic. I didn’t go anywhere for at least a couple of weeks - I couldn’t, anyway - as I didn’t want to give it to anyone else. I waited until I tested negative before I ventured out again.

MannersAreAll · 18/12/2025 00:18

JemimaTiggywinkles · 18/12/2025 00:01

I’d behave exactly the same way as if I had a bad cold. Stay home if I felt too unwell to go (or fancied an excuse). Continue as normal if otherwise.

It isn’t reasonable or realistic to stay housebound every time you have a cold. And any cold might kill someone vulnerable.

He doesn't have a cold. He has Covid. And he knows he has it.