Isolation finishes on 22nd: Should I cancel Christmas?

[Rilo]

I had a positive PCR on 14th Dec (with symptoms on 13th). My isolation finishes on 22nd and I was planning to go to see my Dad on Christmas Day with my DD. I strongly suspect my DD had covid a week before me too, but couldn’t test her. My brother and sister will go there too, each with a partner and child. My siblings both say they are uncomfortable with me going there because they don’t think the isolation is long enough. My dad has an autoimmune condition making him vulnerable. We are all vaccinated & boosted, except the children. The two youngest have had covid, the eldest (6) has not and will be staying with her dad on 22nd.
My LFTs have been negative for two days and after having mild cold symptoms for a few days I feel absolutely fine. Everyone will do LFTs before seeing anyone.
Should I go visit or stay home for Christmas?

@Frankii

Is there any chance the whole family can meet up a few days or week later?

It sort of doesn't matter what people here would do, or what the legalities say - your relatives have said they are uncomfortable so it'll make for a miserable day if you go.

Yes, I'm concerned that they just wouldn't enjoy it.

Delaying would mean it would be unlikely to happen. We live fairly close by, but don't all get together very often. A likely-looking lock down in Jan would push it towards Feb. It would be a real shame for the little cousins to miss out on playing together at Christmas.

Also there's a potential scenario of someone unfortunately coming down with covid soon after seeing me, which I could possibly receive blame for, despite the facts and evidence on transmissibility. That would be awful on so many levels.

@Fallagain

I think if you can’t give your DD and other household members a PCR test before you go then you should wait.

It is just DD & me. PCRs are very sensitive and test for the presence of genetic material from the virus. This can be present for up to 90 days due to post-infection viral shedding, but in such small amounts that it would never cause infection in anyone else. That is why the NHS doesn't allow another PCR within that time frame, and also why the isolation period isn't 90 days! LFTs are far more useful as a proxy for transmissibility because they measure the viral load at levels similar to those which could cause disease in others.

I’d def go.
From what I have read a clear lft in most cases means you’re not infectious even if it hasn’t completely escaped your body. Christmas is several days away.

I think your siblings ABU.

@horseymum

In Scotland your isolation period resets if you get symptoms. Ie if you have a positive PCR with no symptoms, then get symptoms the next day, your ten days restarts from when the symptoms appear.

I believe it is the same in England. It is more relevant to contacts of a positive case. I had symptoms first, then PCR, but going from either date, the isolation period still ends before Christmas.

You can still show positive on a test up to 90 days after so testing is pointless (that’s why they tell you not to test). If your ten days post positive test then you are fine to mix.