Testing of household/ contacts

[nex18]

I know the rules around contacts and understand them in the main but this one has me confused or least contemplative.
I currently have my dd (6th form) isolating after she was in contact with a friend who has tested positive. Her friend is a uni student and was tested routinely and has remained completely asymptomatic throughout her isolation period, she’s now free. Dd remains isolating at home waiting for symptoms to develop. Due to her age it was always likely that she would be asymptomatic, it’s highly unlikely she’ll become symptomatic in her last 2 days. In fact she’s feeling better than usual as she’s had lie ins, long baths, face masks etc instead of school and a part time job. So she’ll out of isolation and ds and I have never isolated or believed we have been in contact with covid.
Should contacts be tested after 7 days, 10 days, 14 days? Could some of the spread from cases like this?

Contacts don't need to be tested unless they get symptoms

No. You don't get tested unless she has a positive test and you have been in contact 48 hours or sooner before her 1st symptoms.

Neither of you meet the criteria for testing at the moment.

Yes I know that. My pondering was about whether lots of the contacts who don’t develop symptoms would actually be asymptomatic but test positive. My dd’s friend is asymptomatic, dd would not be isolating if she hadn’t had a routine test.

I dont think the testing system can cope with testing everyone who might be asymptomatic

@nex18

Which contacts do you mean should be tested?

Contacts of the original person who tested positive? (Who should be isolating for 2 weeks)

Or contacts of the person who is isolating because they have had a positive test? (Eg you or you dh or people your dd is sat by at college who are still allowed to work etc)

Or do you mean

I do think asymptomatic spread is probably a big problem though and so far can’t see any plan to do anything about it....

Thank you @Watermelon999 for understanding me! I meant direct contacts such as my dd, instead of assuming that no symptoms means she hasn’t contracted Covid-19.
They are interested in asymptomatic cases hence the university testing but also my council area has advertised sessions for people who are asymptomatic.
I’m certainly not asking if she should be tested or wanting her to be tested.

It just seems to be a big hole in understanding the spread.

I agree with you @nex18 that while the government persists with the mantra that you should only get tested with one of the three "official" symptoms we are never going to get the virus under control. We need a system that is much more proactive in seeking out positive cases.

[quote Watermelon999]**@nex18

Which contacts do you mean should be tested?

Contacts of the original person who tested positive? (Who should be isolating for 2 weeks)

Or contacts of the person who is isolating because they have had a positive test? (Eg you or you dh or people your dd is sat by at college who are still allowed to work etc)

Or do you mean[/quote]
@nex18

Sorry just reread that back and didn’t understand it myself! I’m glad you understood what I meant!

I guess the issue is you could test negative today but in a few days come down with it?
Safer to isolate away from family - if she gets any symptoms test.
Frustrating I know but I’ve seen a few people ‘get a test’ due to contact it was negative then a week later lost sense of taste.....but originally had assumed the negative as a blanket negative and carried on with life.
The only way is to test her everyday for the 14 days... which is impractical.

I suppose they’re thinking that if dd was positive (but asymptomatic), those people who had had close contact with her may be out and about unknowingly positive and infecting others....

But then as you say, when do you test as if done too early could be false negative and if too late would be too late to stop ongoing spread.

I suppose if the original person who tests positive gets their results quickly and all close contacts are isolated quickly, then that is the best thing.

The problem is that dd will have had close contact with her family and college friends before she knew she had to isolate..... and that is probably how it is inadvertently spreading.

Totally understand what you mean. I'm sure a lot of spread in schools is being masked by asymptomatic cases and children and early teens not presenting with the 3 top symptoms. It only gets tested when it's swept through the kids looking like a headache or cold and teachers get it and present with the classic adult symptoms.

That’s exactly it. Positive test friend never had symptoms. Dd has no symptoms. Ds is going to school and I am going to work. Dd and ds are teenagers and are therefore relatively likely to not develop symptoms. Even I am clinging on to the 15-44 age group by the skin of my teeth.
Whereas blissful ignorance works well for us as a family, I wonder if, for the greater good, the end of isolation should also have a test.

I can see a negative test part way through isolation being taken by some folk as a green light to go out, even if they might be incubating covid still.

We need a massively improved test, response time and tracing team. Then it starts to make sense. Totally impractical currently.

I do get what you mean and in an ideal world, we should all be tested regularly. If DD had caught it from friend and has now done the 14 days isolation period, she could have had it and also been a symptomatic, but then could have passed it onto you.