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Original poster

DD result negative but 3 friends she was with are positive....

44 replies

errorofjudgement · 18/10/2020 11:37

Sorry - bit of an essay but I’m looking for advice and don’t want to drip feed!

Sorry - quite an essay but am looking for advice
DD is on a gap year, taking a part time course, and also working part time.
A member of her course group that she works with (it’s performing arts so work together in small groups) felt unwell, and has since tested positive.
The other 3 members of the group (inc DD) had/have minor symptoms, so got tested a day later.
2 have tested positive, inc DDs boyfriend, but DD has tested negative.
Tbh while we’re pleased/relieved we’re also not really sure we totally believe it.

DD is due to go back to work tomorrow, it’s a retail job so customer facing and the product/s mean you spend up to an hour with the customer choosing the product then completing finance forms.
Her manager is v keen she returns to work (DD had a bit of kickback when she explained she couldn’t work Saturday as she hadn’t had her results back).

Looking at the covid advice for England. I think that technically she will have to go back tomorrow. But she and we are concerned that she could have covid, though not unwell in herself, and so potentially risk passing on the infection.

I’d appreciate some advice / opinions on whether I’ve read this correctly?
There’s been no contact from track and trace, but as it’s taken 3 days to get the result, I’m not holding out much hope she will hear anything from them anytime soon.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 18/10/2020 11:38

She needs to isolate for 14 days having had close contact with a positive case.

Her negative test is irrelevant.

PotteringAlong · 18/10/2020 11:39

I agree. She needs to isolate for 14 days

dementedpixie · 18/10/2020 11:41

If she was in close contact with the positive cases then she needs to isolate for 14 days regardless of her negative test

AlexaShutUp · 18/10/2020 11:41

Don't know, OP, but I'd be worried too. At the very least, it seems that she has been in close contact with several confirmed cases, so she should really be isolating despite her own negative test. However, in the absence of any contact from track and trace, her employer is unlikely to be sympathetic.

Can you get some advice from your GP or from NHS 111?

SchrodingersUnicorn · 18/10/2020 11:42

Yes, 14 days. So actually off work longer than with a positive result, when she could go back after 10 if she wad ok.
Also, since the tests only pick up 70% of cases and of the four of them in close contact 3 positive, 1 negative, it sounds likely that she does have it but the test didn't pick it up.

dementedpixie · 18/10/2020 11:42

Is it not 119 for covid related info

RoseAndRose · 18/10/2020 11:43

The incubation period is 14 days, so she is not released from the requirement to SI as she could still be brewing it up

TicTacTwo · 18/10/2020 11:45

Sometimes people who live together (including sleeping in the same bed) don't catch it from their positive partner so I assume it's just one of those things. She might have already had it (young people tend to be asymptomatic ) and currently have antibodies ?

Original poster
errorofjudgement · 18/10/2020 11:46

Oh wow, thanks for so many quick replies!
So the consensus she should isolate regardless of her result.
But does she need to be told that by track and trace for work to accept it? Common sense seems to be in short supply there!

OP posts:
AlexaShutUp · 18/10/2020 11:47

Is it not 119 for covid related info

Probably, yes. Sorry!

Original poster
errorofjudgement · 18/10/2020 11:51

@TicTacTwo - that’s interesting, thank you
Boyfriend did stay over last Sunday, and the symptoms started Wednesday. The original person to feel unwell developed symptoms Tuesday evening

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 18/10/2020 11:53

Was your dd in contact with any of the positive cases in the 2 days before symptoms started?

DorotheaDiamond · 18/10/2020 11:54

Ok I’m really confused now...

if you have symptoms and test negative you don’t need to isolate...

If you don’t have symptoms and test negative but have been in contact with someone who tested positive you do need to isolate...

What happens if you have symptoms, test negative but have been in contact with someone who tests positive? Are you free or isolating?

dementedpixie · 18/10/2020 11:57

You need to still isolate if you had symptoms but tested negative but also had contact with a positive case - this is because you could still be incubating it from the contact with the positive case

Original poster
errorofjudgement · 18/10/2020 11:57

@ZigZagToTheBeach - thank you for the link.

Reading it through it does say she should continue to self isolate. Even with a negative result.
Hope she can convince her employer to accept it given there’s been no contact from track and trace !

OP posts:
VeggieSausageRoll · 18/10/2020 11:58

The rules really are quite clear.

If you test positive you isolate for 10 days.
If you have been in close contact with someone who tests positive, you isolate for 14 days.

Why did she have a test if she has no symptoms?

Her negative result means that she was negative at the point she was tested. It doesn't mean she would test negative today, there's an incubation period, hence isolating for 14 days to ensure no symptoms develop.

She needs to isolate for 14 days.

Original poster
errorofjudgement · 18/10/2020 11:58

@dementedpixie

Was your dd in contact with any of the positive cases in the 2 days before symptoms started?
Yes - they had classes Sunday and Monday.
OP posts:
dementedpixie · 18/10/2020 11:59

The dd did have symptoms but tested negative
Despite that she needs to isolate due to contact with the positive case

dementedpixie · 18/10/2020 12:00

Have all the positive cases been contacted by test and trace to take contact details?

AppleKatie · 18/10/2020 12:01

^what everyone else says. She has a moral and legal obligation to isolate and her work will need to suck it up.

MJMG2015 · 18/10/2020 12:01

Yes she needs to isolate for 14 days for 14 days after the last person she's with getting symptoms. Not the first person, the last.

There's no point in her getting tested as it doesn't reduce her incubation period & doesn't mean she's immune in the future.

It's an incubation period. Her work van look this up she's with people who have tested positive. She HAS to isolate!!

Not always easy with employers (especially when you're young) but she needs to be clear & firm that she will be obeying the law.

Original poster
errorofjudgement · 18/10/2020 12:02

@VeggieSausageRoll - she did have minor symptoms, so a bit of a temperature, sore throat, loss of taste and smell. This was the same symptoms as the other 3.

In normal times you would assume it’s probably just a cold/ordinary viral infection. But given the circumstances the other 3 all got tested.

She wouldn’t have a test with no symptoms

OP posts:
goldenharvest · 18/10/2020 12:16

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/

This says to self isolate

But in the same text it says

If you think you've been in contact with someone who has coronavirus, but you do not have symptoms and have not been told to self-isolate, continue to follow social distancing advice.

No wonder we are confused! I'd say self isolate for 14 days or maybe get tested again in a few days, to see if its positive?

Yetiyoga · 18/10/2020 12:36

@VeggieSausageRoll the op says that the daughter had symptoms.