Concern: False positive for my teacher test

[Ivytheterrible79]

Hi ladies
I'm a teacher who tested positive on the 13th dec. When I return to work on Monday I have to have another test and I am worried about the false positive risk. They are reassuring me it's fine and that a regular test should clear up a false positive but I could end up dragging my kids out of school and isolating us all for days on end.

Has anyone else had a test since recovery?

Every piece of literature says not to retest within 90 days. Why is your school ignoring this?

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#sars-cov-2-pcr-re-testing-in-staff-patients-and-residents-in-social-care-settings

That link covers re-testing within 90 days of a positive PCR test and seems to say that another positive should be treated as another infection although this should ideally be viewed in conjunction with other symptoms.

Could you get a test now so that you don’t risk contact with the school and isolating your class in the case you are still showing as positive?

If you live in UK you must not be tested for 90 days, my son who is a sportsman and lives in Florida tells me it is 180 days there

Just a thought but why would you ask this question on Mumsnet when it is easy to find on gov uk

@jimmyjo it’s not so clear cut if her workplace are insistent.

I think the best course would be to do a test now and deal with a positive reading before she has contact with lots of people. They clearly have the tests available so it’s daft not to. If she tests negative now and then positive later it’s slightly clearer whether it should be treated as a new infection.

I dont think my school are putting a question like this to the top of the list as they have so much prep to do. I have sent them the gov advice but their line is that they will seek advice if its positive and send me for a test. But that puts me into isolation if its positive and my whole family.

I dont know if I should just go for it or decline my consent?

I’ve just posted a similar question as I tested positive 2 weeks ago and work in a secondary and worry about still testing positive next week. I wasn’t aware of the 90day rule.
Can asymptomatic people also test positive weeks later? Dh, dd and me all tested positive but ds(year 7) didn’t have symptoms so we didn’t test him and if he gets a positive at school when he returns then we will all have to isolate for 10days again.

Lots of people test positive for weeks after their initial infection. It would be silly to be tested within 90 days of an infection- as per government guidelines. You get ill, test positive, do your isolation and then you're free to go for another 90 days- unless you develop symptoms again?

I take it this is a lateral flow test?

I honestly think that it’s worth elbowing your way to get their attention. If you test positive then they have all the strain that goes with that. You have legitimate concerns given how recent your infection was and it makes sense for you to do yours before you set foot in the building rather than risk sending significant numbers of people into isolation.

I’m presuming they’re planning on doing these regularly? They need robust protocols in place for positive tests and situations like yours and I think you’re doing them a favour pushing it before school opens.