How long before positive result are people classed as contacts?

[georgedawes]

i.e. How long before someone gets ill are people classed as contact for track and trace purposes? Reading this link I think it is 2 days prior to symptoms, is that correct? Relative has been in contact with someone who is +ve but longer ago than that.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person

Yes, that looks correct. Odd that the guidance presumes that positive case has symptoms, though, as we know a great proportion of cases don't even get symptoms.
I'd have no idea what a contact is in that situation but I'd want the person testing positive to update me if they did start getting symptoms etc.

+ve case has symptoms, that's why they got the taste. Relative just doesn't know if needs to isolate as has taken some time for her to get results.

Test not taste!

24hrs before symptoms, doesn’t mean it’s impossible to pass it on before that though, just much less likely.

Please can you point me to the guidance that says 24 hours? It reads as 2 days for me on that link.

It is 2 days prior to symptoms. I work in a school...

It’s 48 hours prior to the start of symptoms. If the case does not have symptoms, it is 48 hours prior to the test (it’s arbitrary but I guess they have to start somewhere).