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Original poster

After being in contact with someone with Covid 19, how soon will a test show up positive if I have it too?

50 replies

Lewesq4 · 13/12/2020 19:38

I am planning on booking a private test as I have no symptoms, but have been told that a contact of mine has Covid 19. We last saw each other on Wednesday and she got her negative test on Thursday and I found out this morning - when she messaged me.

It’s been a few days since I saw her now... How many days after contact will Covid show up if I have it and am asymptomatic? Is it five?

I haven’t been told to isolate but want to get a test because it doesn’t feel right to go about normal life! (“Normal life” includes commuting on public transport into work some days - tomorrow being one of those days - and dropping my kids off at school...)

OP posts:
Original poster
Lewesq4 · 13/12/2020 20:05

@OverTheRainbow88

If you weren’t closer than 2m, wore masks and under 15 min track and trace wouldn’t consider you a close contact
Oh really? Okay that is good!
OP posts:
dementedpixie · 13/12/2020 20:05

This is the close contact definition. Do any of them apply to you?

After being in contact with someone with Covid 19, how soon will a test show up positive if I have it too?
Original poster
Lewesq4 · 13/12/2020 20:05

@WishingHopingThinkingPraying

Jesus Christ, she took 3 days to let you know you had to isolate.😡
I think she’d forgotten she had seen me Confused
OP posts:
Original poster
Lewesq4 · 13/12/2020 20:06

@starrynight19

The first person in my class tested positive on Saturday I tested positive 9 days later after being in self isolation from the day they tested positive.
Also - I hope you were / are okay and it didn’t hit you hard?
OP posts:
starrynight19 · 13/12/2020 20:07

Sorry , I was the last one to test positive but there were another 4 cases in between the first and last positive.

Original poster
Lewesq4 · 13/12/2020 20:07

@dementedpixie

This is the close contact definition. Do any of them apply to you?
None of those apply! Feeling better!! Perhaps that’s why I didn’t hear from test and trace!
OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 13/12/2020 20:15

My friend just tested positive and said she was surprised at how many people T&T weren’t interested in who she had seen, was only her cleaner, child minder and household family had to isolate.

Anyone she saw outside didn’t either

Soontobe60 · 13/12/2020 20:18

@Lewesq4

Oh god sorry I wrote that while doing something else. Multitask fail!

She got a POSITIVE on Thursday. I saw her on Wednesday. I knew nothing about any of it.

Apparently she was asymptomatic but got a test because the Covid study app asked her to. Presumably she got her test the day I saw her, but she didn’t say anything about it - I suppose because she just did it as part of the Zoe app study thing so wasn’t worried!

The first I heard about any of it was today.

Test and trace haven’t contacted me, so I’m not “supposed” to isolate - which is what work will say to me I’m sure? Which is why I want to pay to get a test, to be on the safe side.

You should be self isolating for 14 days from the time you were in close contact with her. Has she told T&T that she’s been in contact with you, or do you have the app?
dementedpixie · 13/12/2020 20:22

@Soontobe60 keep up with the thread! OP was not in contact long enough to count as a close contact plus from tomorrow isolation drops to 10 days from 14 (if she did have to isolate, but she doesn't)

OverTheRainbow88 · 13/12/2020 20:22

14 days , it’s changing tomo to 10 days

Original poster
Lewesq4 · 13/12/2020 20:32

Ok this is making me calm down a bit! I was rather worried about sending the kids into school and ruining many Christmases for a while there.

So I will wait and see if Test and Trace contacts me. I haven’t heard back from her yet as to whether or not she told them, but I get the impression she only just remembered about me. I think she was rather surprised to test positive.

I will keep my outside world contacts to a minimum even if I’m not told to isolate though. DH can take the kids into school etc! (He, like most, is wfh.)

OP posts:
mumof1879 · 13/12/2020 21:31

My child tested positive nine days after exposure.

Soontobe60 · 13/12/2020 21:38

@Lewesq4

Sorry dementedpixie, crossed post with you!

We weren’t any closer than 2m, weren’t in contact for long, wearing masks. We were indoors, but it was very brief.

I don’t know if she’s given my details - I will ask her! I think she’d forgotten about me, which is why I only heard from her today (I’m not sure how the test and trace contacts thing work).

I am very happy (well, ok - willing and able!) to self isolate and won’t release early even if negative. Just thinking about if the kids have it and unknowingly spreading it around school just before Christmas!

If you were more than 2m, wearing masks and were together for less than 10 minutes you wont be contacted to self isolate. I work in a school, and T&T have a checklist to determine who needs to isolate when someone tests positive. Although every class has had to isolate at one time or another, I never have as I don’t spend any time in close contact with classes.
Soontobe60 · 13/12/2020 21:43

[quote dementedpixie]@Soontobe60 keep up with the thread! OP was not in contact long enough to count as a close contact plus from tomorrow isolation drops to 10 days from 14 (if she did have to isolate, but she doesn't)[/quote]
When I replied to her post, she hadn’t posted about not being in close contact - obviously my post crossed with hers. No need for rudeness.
I believe that the change to 10 days only starts from anyone testing positive tomorrow. Currently NHS England is still saying 14 days.

dementedpixie · 13/12/2020 21:50

The 10 day isolation includes those who started isolating before Monday

After being in contact with someone with Covid 19, how soon will a test show up positive if I have it too?
Remmy123 · 13/12/2020 22:02

You were both wearing masks - likelihood of you catching it is incredibly slim

Frazzled2207 · 13/12/2020 22:06

i don't think you will be a close contact and it's extremely unlikely that you've caught it.
I'd be extra vigilant for symptoms but otherwise just carry on as normal

Jenasaurus · 13/12/2020 22:13

Out of curiosity do you know where your friend caught it? I am quite interested in where people are catching as with T&T I am assuming she wasnt in contact with anyone who knowingly had it or she would have been told to isolate herself.

Original poster
Lewesq4 · 14/12/2020 08:55

Thanks all!

So I am to await T&T but stay indoors in the meantime, as I understand it?

I don’t know where she caught it, jenasaurus, I don’t think she does either. She only had the test because the symptom study app asked her to (she had no symptoms, as I understand it).

OP posts:
Blobby10 · 14/12/2020 09:15

@Lewesq4 my OH tested positive on 25th October at 9am after having his first symptoms 12 hours earlier - we hadn't been together for 48 hours before his symptoms started (it was 50 hours!) but had been very close for the preceding 3 days. I didn't have any symptoms and wasn't technically required to self isolate via T & T but did anyway as the media coverage made me feel guilty for not doing it. I don't have anyone else at home though so it was only a case of me not being able to get any food in for 2 weeks - beans on toast featured heavily in my diet!

mistermagpie · 14/12/2020 09:24

My DS was in contact with someone on a Monday and Wednesday (at nursery so I'm sure of the days) who then tested positive on the Thursday.

DS tested positive on the Saturday. I personally think it was probably the Monday contact that did it because DS's symptoms (such as they were, none of the classics) started on the Thursday and that seems a bit soon from Wednesday.

Either way, you need to isolate.

dementedpixie · 14/12/2020 09:25

No she doesnt

Frazzled2207 · 14/12/2020 09:37

@dementedpixie

No she doesnt
Agree. Op is not a close contact.
planningaheadtoday · 14/12/2020 09:59

If you test on day eight after contact, providing it's a working test, this will you an approximately 96% chance of not having it if you get a negative test. The other 4% go on to develop symptoms from day 8-14

Guidelines have changed to isolation for 10 days as the tiny percentage getting after day 10 was probably deemed insignificant.

OnGoldenPond · 14/12/2020 10:45

OP has not had close contact with the friend that tested positive so no need for any isolation at all. She can carry on as normal.

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