Surely a PCR test WILL show negative only a day after exposure?

[Wherediditgo]

I had plans to see a friend last week.
He text asking to postpone for a few days as he had seen his other friend the day before and the other friend was displaying Covid symptoms.

He then text me 2 days later (so three days after possible exposure) saying we were good to go as he had done a PCR test and it was negative.

I asked him if his friend has tested positive and he said yes. I then said “shouldn’t you be isolating now though?” And he said no, he doesn’t need to as his PCR was negative.

I said I didn’t want to risk it and cancelled.

Would I be right in thinking that if you were in close contact with a positive case, that taking a PCR test only a day or two after exposure will tell you nothing as the virus may well still be incubating… hence the ten day isolation period?

Yeah he's talking crap. A negative test doesn't shorten the isolation period as they are in the incubation period

I thought so!

I believe he is sulking with me now for cancelling

Yeah, he should be isolating, not socialising.
DH was potentially exposed on Wed. Work have requested he take a PCR today. I suspect it will be negative whether he has been exposed or not.....

You're correct - test and release does not apply to anything other than travel quarantine.

Incubation period is typically 5-6 days (range 2-14), and you need to SI for the full 10 days following contact with a confirmed case irrespective of what any tests show during that period.

Other than when they shortened it from 14 to 10 days, that's been unchanged throughout.

Yeah he's got to isolate for 10 days regardless of any test result because he's had contact with a person who's tested positive.

He should absolutely be isolating for the ten days. My family is a case in point:

DD1 positive PCR test last Sunday, Me, DH, DD2 negative lateral flows. We all isolate from
Sunday.

Negative PCRs for me, DD2 and DH on Monday

Negative lateral flows for us all on Tues and Weds

Positive PCR for me on Thursday (following development of symptoms on Tuesday)

He should be isolating. However, if you follow certain links on the NHS site, it suggests that you don't need to isolate if you get a negative test - I think it's a weird bug with the NHS site though

@PositiveLife

He should be isolating. However, if you follow certain links on the NHS site, it suggests that you don't need to isolate if you get a negative test - I think it's a weird bug with the NHS site though

That's only if you're the person with symptoms and haven't been in contact with a positive case. If it's after contact with someone who is positive then a negative test doesn't shorten the isolation period