Do I have to self-isolate after a negative coronavirus test????

[grandehorizontale]

Ahhhh - last Thursday I had a slight contact with someone who on Friday fell ill with Corona symptoms. She was tested that day and on Saturday received the positive result. I had a test yesterday and was told it was negative. I have no symptoms. My question: do I have to now self-isolate until 14 days post my contact with the infected person? The guidelines seem to suggest that I have to self-isolate if the track and trace people contact me. The track and trace system seems not to work, so they are probably not going to contact me. Any help anyone? GH

I would say yes as the virus could be in the incubation period.

Yes I would, just because your negative now doesn't mean you aren't incubating it and potentially already infectious.

Yes you self isolate for 14 days

How much contact did you have? Less than 2m closeness for more than 10/15 mins? You say only 'slight' contact.....if only a few minutes at more than 2m apart then No you don't need to isolate. If less than 2m for more than 15 mins then maybe you do.....

Even thought you have tested negative, it was likely too soon for the virus to have developed (if you did catch it from the contact).....

Yes you are supposed to self isolate fully if you've had contact with someone who tests positive, regardless of a negative test shortly after.

You can only go back after a negative test if it's because you had the symptoms (but haven't had known contact).

Sorry and hope the time goes fast!

It's all spelled out on the NHS website, (although not the bit about T&T not working obvs!) You're right to allow for this, and as PP said, think about whether it could have been close contact or not.

Yes you isolate for 14 days and a negative test does not negate the need to do this.

She handed me a diet coke in a hairdressing salon where she works. But she didn't otherwise come near me - someone else did my hair.......GH

How close was the contact but usually yes regardless of your own neg test.

Also you could take another test in a few days as it was probably too early for you to test.

Yes, and that's what Track and Trace will tell you to do if they get in contact. It's the chance we all take when we go out to eat, get a haircut, socialise with friends...

But you would have been in the same indoor space as her for a while?

I thought it was 14 days isolation regardless and only test if you display symptoms?

The incubation period means that your test would be too early to show either way anyway.

This is a farce. There's no way people can keep bloody self-isolating over and over like this and not leaving their homes at all because of minimal contact like this.

What is close contact? Say you were at a restaurant and sat outside 5 people on a table 5 metres away all test positive, do you have to self isolate for 14 days?

It's why track and trace won't work. Ridiculous to expect this out of people. They'll just avoid places that do it or lie. Find a mobile hairdresser, OP.

@Alex50

What is close contact? Say you were at a restaurant and sat outside 5 people on a table 5 metres away all test positive, do you have to self isolate for 14 days?

Yes. That's why it's so ridiculous.

@grandehorizontale

She handed you a diet coke??? Then no you don't need to self isolate! Your contact was minimal.

This is a farce. There's no way people can keep bloody self-isolating over and over like this and not leaving their homes at all because of minimal contact like this.

Exactly. You've had a negative test. If you want to be sure, wait three days and test again or something. Otherwise I would not be isolating.

And then there’s schools, my daughter will be in a bubble of 280, what if one tests positive but daughter was no where near that person, does the whole bubble have to self isolate?

I mean, you are not supposed to leave your home at all. No garden, you stay inside your flat. Have flatmates, they don't have to isolate at all, but you do, even if you are sharing communal areas like kitchen, bathroom and living room, how pointless and stupid is that? Makes no sense, unworkable and ridiculous.

@Alex50
Who knows with schools - they havent confirmed how bubbles will work at our school yet but I expect speedy testing plus sensible analysis of where in the bubble the positive child sat (eg maybe the entire class but not the entire year group) might need to isolate

Actually this happened near me, the pub was told if you sit outside the self isolation rules don’t apply.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/people/seven-holidaymakers-allegedly-test-positive-covid-19-after-returning-spain-and-piling-straight-milton-keynes-pubs-2939955%3famp

The Citizen has spoken to both pubs and it is understood the lads sat outside in the gardens, which are not covered by the NHS Test and Trace system.

@Alex50

And then there’s schools, my daughter will be in a bubble of 280, what if one tests positive but daughter was no where near that person, does the whole bubble have to self isolate?

Bubbles are another contrived form of ridiculousness. IIRC, yes, everyone has to self-isolate. Tiny, cramped flat, too bad. No money coming in, too bad (and benefits? UC takes a min of 5 weeks and stops and starts as your income stops so you have to start the whole claim over again). People aren't going to be able to do this so will either avoid places that have track and trace, exacerbating unemployment and business failures (with resulting effects on businesses who cannot pay their creditors), or lie.