Tested Positive for covid. How long do you test positive for?

[NLW91]

Hi I’m devastated. I tested positive for covid yesterday. I’d had a cough for 3-4 days beforehand but was testing negative. I was meant to visit my terminally ill Nan on Monday who has been moved to a hospice but they are testing for covid prior to you entering so obviously want a negative result. I’m worried now I won’t get chance to say goodbye to her. How long do you test positive for? How often should I re test myself? My cough seems to have subsided but just a bit snotty and no sense of smell.

I think you would just need to isolate for 10 days from symptoms starting but you could err on the side of caution and isolate for 10 days from the day of test. If you show them the result and dates I imagine they should be fine with it? I'm no expert though. Sorry to hear about this :(

I’ve been off for the past 3 days with the cough anyway but was testing negative. But now I guess I obviously had it so maybe have to wait a few more days and do a re test or wait until I feel more better but I’m just worried it’ll be too late and my Nan would of passed 😢😢

You need to isolate for 10 days from when your symptoms started. So, if that was 3 days ago, you have another 7 to go.

If you are still symptomatic in 7 days, you will need to isolate until you are better.

I do hope that you get to see your Nan. I'm sorry about the awful timing.

Oh I am sorry OP

You must isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms.
Re testing positive, we are told at work not to test for 90 days as “dead virus” can cause you to show positive sometimes.

I know it’s not the same but can someone visit with an I pad so you can face time at least?

@GreatBigBeautifulTommorow

Oh I am sorry OP

You must isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms.
Re testing positive, we are told at work not to test for 90 days as “dead virus” can cause you to show positive sometimes.

I know it’s not the same but can someone visit with an I pad so you can face time at least?

I may have to end up doing that. I just wanted to see her so bad. I’m heartbroken. I have an isolation note and had it dated from when I started getting symptoms. I don’t know whether it’s worth contacting the hospice and explaining the situation. They could test me and I still be positive but actually not be infectious at all. It’s a cruel world and I feel like I’ve been robbed of precious last time with her.

Yes, we were testing positive for about two months after having covid. And couldn't rely on it being dead virus, NHS said we have to err on side of caution.

@LeaveHomeNow

Yes, we were testing positive for about two months after having covid. And couldn't rely on it being dead virus, NHS said we have to err on side of caution.

Sorry what does err mean?

Err means to be careful I suppose?
It means you have to self isolate again just in case it's a new infection not the same one that you tested positive.
That's why it isn't recommended that you do a test if you've tested positive within the last 90 days.
If you come out of isolation and do another test and it comes back positive then you would have to isolate again.

I'm so sorry OP

I do know that someone can clear the virus in a short space of time though. Recently a close relative of mine, in his early 30s and not vaccinated, tested positive for the virus, a week later he had a chest infection and was admitted to hospital for 48 hours. He was tested again at the hospital for covid before being discharged and although he still had the chest infection, the test was clear of the covid virus. The result was negative after about 10 days.

If you show the date of your positive test (if you test positive cor them) I’m sure they’ll accept it

@Flaxmeadow

I'm so sorry OP

I do know that someone can clear the virus in a short space of time though. Recently a close relative of mine, in his early 30s and not vaccinated, tested positive for the virus, a week later he had a chest infection and was admitted to hospital for 48 hours. He was tested again at the hospital for covid before being discharged and although he still had the chest infection, the test was clear of the covid virus. The result was negative after about 10 days.

That does sound promising. I’m so upset about it all. I’ve had my first jab, got through all this time without catching it and now I’ve got it at the time I really could do without. My cough seems to have subsided and I did have a runny nose which seems to be disappearing now. Just loss of taste and smell. Apart from that I feel fit as a fiddle!

I was really surprised that it went so quickly but it did, and even with a chest infection.

Hope everything goes OK for you

You can test positive for up to 90days, but that doesn’t mean that everybody does.the milder your illness the less likely it is IIRC.

Lots of countries routinely test at the end of the isolation period so they can see whether you have recovered. This wouldn’t be possible if most people were testing positive 90 dats later.