I can't believe I'm actually asking a coronavirus question but......

[jerrywesterby]

DS12 tested positive for COVID in November. I'm looking for official guidelines on how long he's likely to carry on testing positive, although he's now not infectious - has anyone seen anything on this? I can't find anything!

My DB gets tested weekly at work, also had it in November and is now exempt from weekly testing for 3 months as any result is likely to be a false positive..

I'm worried DS will be tested in school, come back positive and then we'll all have to isolate for no reason..

Anyone know?

I would explain to school and not give permission to test unless he has new symptoms

It's a little tricky as the PCR test is super sensitive. Ideally it would just tell you if you are infectious but that's not what it tests for. It tests if you have any DNA from the coronavirus. Little bits that are harmless can hang around after you stop being infectious sadly.

@notevenat20

It's a little tricky as the PCR test is super sensitive. Ideally it would just tell you if you are infectious but that's not what it tests for. It tests if you have any DNA from the coronavirus. Little bits that are harmless can hang around after you stop being infectious sadly.

Yes that's what I understood too... but I can't find any guidance on this on nhs or gov websites unfortunately

It can be around 3 months. People are advised not to test in the 90 days after a positive result and only to retest if they have new symptoms.

@testingtesting321

It can be around 3 months. People are advised not to test in the 90 days after a positive result and only to retest if they have new symptoms.

Can you point me to this advice anywhere? I can't find anything official

90 days was the advice on phe

Yes it’s PHE advice. Not sure I know where to access it online though - will have a look

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-management-of-exposed-healthcare-workers-and-patients-in-hospital-settings/covid-19-management-of-exposed-healthcare-workers-and-patients-in-hospital-settings#additional-considerations

It’s on a different context but have a look just over a third of the way down the page

“SARS-CoV-2 PCR re-testing in staff, patients and residents in social care settings
Immunocompetent staff, patients and residents who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR should be exempt from routine re-testing (for example, repeated whole setting screening or screening prior to hospital discharge) within a period of 90 days from their initial illness onset or test (if asymptomatic) unless they develop new COVID-19 symptoms. This is because fragments of inactive virus can be persistently detected by PCR in respiratory tract samples following infection – long after a person has completed their isolation period and is no longer infectious”

Thanks everyone I've actually found something on nhs Scotland... I'm in England but it'll have to do!

The test can stay positive for some time after you’ve had coronavirus. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re still infectious. If you have had a positive test result, you should only have another test if you develop new symptoms. So, if you are offered testing as part of an occupational testing programme or community mass testing for people without symptoms, you should not take part until 90 days after your last positive test.

After your isolation period has ended
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you will probably have developed some immunity to the disease. However, it cannot be guaranteed that everyone will develop immunity, or how long it will last. It is possible for PCR tests to remain positive for sometime after COVID-19 infection. Anyone who has previously received a positive test result for COVID-19 should only be re-tested within a 90-day period if they develop any new symptoms of COVID-19.

From this document

"Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection - GOV.UK" www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection