Husband has tested positive today. Does our 10 days end on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

[Chaotic45]

My husband has had two positive lateral flow tests today. His employer provided them as a colleague tested positive.

He's booked for a drive through test tomorrow to be sure.

I know he has to isolate for 7 days, and the DC and I for 10 days. Can anyone help me work out of my isolation ends on 24th or on Christmas Day? As in am I free on Christmas Day?

I'm not planning on doing anything much on Christmas Day but it would be nice to at least take a walk.

Also my husband has isolated in spare room but I'm unclear if he needs to do this for seven days to minimise chance of infecting us?

I've taken a lateral flow test provided by his employer. It was negative but I realise I could be incubating the virus.....

From the NHS website:

How long you need to self-isolate

If you've tested positive and

you have symptoms – self-isolate for 10 days from when your symptoms started
you have not had symptoms – self-isolate for 10 days from when you had the test
If you get symptoms while you're self-isolating, the 10 days restarts from when your symptoms started.

Looks like 10 days from when your husband displays the symptoms, which makes sense bcos he could be in incubation phase, as could you. Sorry op. Looks like you won’t be seeing anyone over Christmas

Thank you for all the posts.

It seems that there is quite a bit of confusion as to whether it ends on 24th or 25th. I'm not sure the best way to find out definitively.

Thank you for the best wishes. DH feels fine but we are both well aware that things can easily take a turn for the worse so we are feeling worried.

@Chaotic45 I tested positive from a screening test at work and remember that worry, but I was totally asymptomatic throughout. I’m not saying I’m the norm, but it does happen. All the best to you all.

You all isolate for 10 days. I'd say today is day 1 so 24th is day 10 and free to end isolation on 25th

@shamus2020 Thur 10th in Wales and last Monday everywhere else.

Also worth bearing in mind that your plan would be to have a walk on Christmas Day, not to go to a crowded party, so either way you'd be ok to do that if you keep away from others!

I've done some research and found that the isolation for my husband does indeed last for 10 days and not 7 days. Was it originally 7 days or have I completely got that wrong?

DH's work seem to think they can organise him another test after 7 days and if that is clear they expect him back at work in 7 days.

When my son tested positive we received an email and a phone call from NHS which told us exactly what date we could leave the house so there was no confusion. Same when I tested positive.

Yes @Chaotic45 it was 7 days for whoever tested positive but it was changed ages ago, in the summer maybe around June. I’d definitely start counting at 1, who counts from zero? I might start that with my gins, no I’ve only had 3, the first one I counted as zero 🤣

@PeachesandCream2020 thank you. I guess maybe having a positive lateral flow before a regular test might confuse things.

DH is isolating in the bedroom and I can't quite get my head around him having to do that for 10 days including Christmas Day 😢. I know he needs to stay in the house but bejng separate from me too is horrible especially over Christmas.

@Chaotic45

I've done some research and found that the isolation for my husband does indeed last for 10 days and not 7 days. Was it originally 7 days or have I completely got that wrong?

DH's work seem to think they can organise him another test after 7 days and if that is clear they expect him back at work in 7 days.

That isn't right. He needs to show them the guidance you've found. Tests only work I believe within a few days of getting symptoms and then you might get aflame negative after that. Although I think that's the PCR test not sure about lateral flow. Regardless the isolation is 10days not 7.

@RavingAnnie I've printed him a copy, and sent him Screenshots and a link to the gov site.

The guidance has changed as of Monday which is why there is some confusion. The rules now are that anyone with a positive test has to isolate for 10 full days after the day of the first positive test or the start of symptoms. Household contacts also have to do the same if it is the first positive case in the house. If he didn't have symptoms and his test was done on the 15/12 unfortunately you will all need to isolate until after the 25/12 and then be allowed to go out on Boxing Day.
He definitely can't go to work after 7 days, regardless of a negative test. If he tests positive on his pcr you will be contacted by test and trace who will confirm the dates and also provide an isolation note - he can show this to his employer.
Really sorry to give you bad news.

@Myshinynewname thank you that sounds very clear and it's good to hear that test and trace will give him a note that he can show to his employer.

Was it ever 7 days for someone with a positive test or did they dream that up?

He's currently isolating in the bed room. I'd like to understand the risk of him coming downstairs for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to be with DC and I? It's pretty miserable being separated, especially on Christmas Day.

Yes you didn't dream it! It was 7 days for cases at first but it went up to 10 days a few months ago now.

@nex18 everyone does, usually without knowing it.

It's the early hours of Wednesday morning right now. If you want to do something 10 days from now you say that one day from now is Thursday, 2 days from now is Friday....., 7 days from now is Wednesday, ....., 10 days from now is Saturday.
Just because you don't always say zero doesn't mean you haven't started from there.

Counting seconds. You start at zero but don't say it, by the time you've said one then one second has past, by the time you've said two then two second have past....

Kids in school are now taught to start at zero.

Graphs have the origin at zero, (0,0) not (1,1).

You had zero gins before you had 1 gin then two gins....

Patient zero is the first person that caught Coronavirus.

I would isolate in the home for now and then be together on Xmas eve- the chances of you catching it from then are slim as I read most infectious up to day 5. I would also go for a walk somewhere quiet on xmas day as there is some confusion about whether this is day 10 or 11, maybe if test and trace contact you from the test then they will clarify for you?

I read this yesterday. I’m afraid that there are 10 full days of isolation after the day that you test positive.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

@Mammaaof the lateral flow tests are not massively accurate and a follow up pcr test is required to confirm the positive diagnosis. So what I meant is there's a change he will still test negative as it sounded like asymptotic testing

We're in exactly the same situation and track and trace have told us christmas day. We've made the decision not to isolate from each other. We're both low risk though

I don't think I'd have any issue with mixing within the household by Xmas day. You could always ventilate rooms and not do kissing etc.

Any Scots on here able to give advice from Scottish angle?

I think their guidance isn't so clear

Don't as you can't remove, but if you log your first day of symptoms/positive test result onto the NHS app, day one is the following day which takes isolation until Friday, Xmas day. I know as I logged symptoms onto it last Wednesday which takes me to this Friday

Are you in Scotland star?