So do I take a THIRD test? 5 out 6 people in household positive.

[ShirtyShirly]

Scenario is this:

DC1 tested positive on the 13th - no symptoms but last had contact with positive case outside of household on the 10th, so to get a test I put that as the date symptoms started.

DCs 2 & 3 tested positive on the 15th (no symptoms)
DC 4, DH and I tested negative.

DC4 tested positive on the 19th (no symptoms)
I tested negative again.

DH had mild symptoms from the 19th and tested positive on the 22nd (test this morning and came back tonight).

So guidelines are that the household has to self isolate from 10 days of first positive test in the household, or 14 from symptoms, so my isolation is up on Tuesday (midnight on the 23rd) according to the NHS app.

I have no symptoms.

Do I take another test after the last one on Thursday being negative and then have to self isolate for another 10 days (really will lose the plot if I do!) or not bother and assume I’ve not got it.

WWYD?

Why keep taking tests, particularly with no symptoms? Just isolate.

I agree
All those tests for people who didn’t show symptoms?

guidelines are that the household has to self isolate from 10 days of first positive test in the household, or 14 from symptoms, so my isolation is up on Tuesday (midnight on the 23rd) according to the NHS app.

Oh gosh. I think in this scenario, given your DH (who is presumably in very close contact with you) did not test positive until 22nd, depsite earlier exposure in the household, and his symptoms have been from 19th, I would assume I was incubating it still and get another test.

I know technically it says "in your household" but I think viral load must mean you are well exposed and therefore likely to be infected even if asymptomatic.

What's your job situation?

If I took a test and it was positive, I might be tempted to go from my DH's 10-day period of isolation...

Why are you getting any tests at all??

Why did you all have so many tests, although useful as shows how the virus incubates and how you can have no symptoms?

I'm not really sure why you are being tested, are you in the UK? If so, it's 14 days of isolation for in-contacts and 10 days isolation from either start of symptoms or positive test if you are confirmed as having covid.
It is possible that you are truly not infected - not everybody catches it even with close contact.

Why are you getting tested?

DS2 tested positive today but I would only get a test if I displayed one of the three symptoms.

Well the tests were obviously worthwhile weren’t they?

The test on DC1 was due to him being on the CEV list and I was very panicky that he may have picked it up from a confirmed case he was in close contact with despite no symptoms. He self isolated at home at per guidelines while the rest of us went about our business as usual as per guidelines. When he came back positive, I decided to get us all tested as DC had been at school and DH at work and it’s lucky I did as DC3’s whole year was sent home to self isolate when he came back positive.

I retested DC4 and myself in case the test on the 15th was too early and it wasn’t showing yet. Again lucky I did as DC4 would have ended his isolation at the same time as me which would have been only 5 days from positive test rather than 10.

Instead of asking stupid questions about why I tested my family who all turned out to be positive, you should be asking why the government are not automatically offering tests to close contacts of positive cases as, in my family’s case, it was warranted. If I hadn’t got DC1 tested (according to guidelines I didn’t need to, luckily he showed no symptoms), the other DCs would have continued going to school and college, and DH to work at least for another 4 days, spreading it much further than it did!

Thanks NoSquirrels I’m thinking to get another one on Tuesday so 5 days from DH showing symptoms. I should have it by then if I’m going to get it surely. I’m going for a walk round the block on Tuesday though!

We're asking why You tested.
Why?

Why not just isolate the required amount of time? What difference will it make if it is positive?

Why are we thick!? Genuinely, what difference does it makes if you are positive? If you need to then assume you are and just isolate.

Are you paying privately for them?

Why are you having tests? And how are you able to get tested with no symptoms?
It doesn't matter if you are positive or not. You should all be self isolating so therefore won't be passing it on to anyone.
That is the whole point of isolating.

Isolate from when? The 1st positive case in my household? The 2nd? 3rd? 4th? Obviously I could contract it at any time .

I think you did the right thing getting your family tested and I would have done the same. Her children tested positive so now their school bubble self isolated- potentially saving lives and spreading it even further. I haven't had to test myself or anyone in my household but in your position I would have done exactly the same. Hope your all recover soon.

How should we know how long you should isolate for? Speak to the nhs line about it and ask them.

@Nicknacky

Why not just isolate the required amount of time? What difference will it make if it is positive?

By this reasoning why would anyone at all get tested?

You all had to isolate as soon as first child was positive!!!

What a huge waste of tests

TheClitterati We aren’t talking in general terms, are we?

She has been tested. Twice.

Google family isolation chart for some advice re the dates.

@ShirtyShirly

Gosh some people on here are deliberately obtuse or just really thick.

Its you that's coming across as thick. Guidelines are clear.

Yes they are Axman but they don’t make sense. I have been told to isolate from the FIRST positive case in my household. Obviously we’ve all contracted it at different times despite rigorous cleaning and keeping distance from each other so the last person to contract it (DH) could still have passed it to me in the time from testing negative last Sunday to today and my isolation is due to be up tomorrow night at midnight from DC1’s positive. There are 9 more days in which he could potentially pass it to me seeing as we’re still in the same household.

He has none of the 3 symptoms to be eligible for a test. His only symptom has been muscle ache which he put down to sitting for long periods what with being confined to the house since DC1’s test came back. He’s a fitness fanatic and thought his muscles had stiffened up due to being abnormally inactive. He still has no temperature or any other symptoms. He only got a test today as he was also due back at work on Tuesday due his isolation finishing as well and we thought it would be considerate to make sure he was still negative after being a positive household before he went back to work and potentially spread it around! Then he realised the muscle ache must be due to Covid.

Yeah, were really thick eh? No wonder the infection rate is so high due to people not using their common sense and getting tests. I could stop isolating tomorrow according to guidelines and pass it around some more if I decide I’m not infected, despite living with 5 positives, and pass it around some more?

I meant

‘so the last person to contract it (DH) could still have passed it to me in the time from me testing negative on Thursday to today’

I could also be asymptomatic.

Christ, it’s almost 3am. This isolation shit makes you lose all track of time!

Off to bed.

OP I would test in your position. To everyone asking why, surely better to know the facts and know you aren’t spreading it when your isolation period is up. Fwiw, we were in similar position, went back out after 14 days isolation and then another family member tested pos later (likely same infection as ltd other contact).