Isolation query

[Rainraingoaway21]

Sorry if this has been covered before but I can't see anything specific to my query!

I tested positive on Friday 9th July. I started with a headache on Wednesday 7th, it continued on the Thursday and I started then feeling a bit off but lateral flow tests were negative. I had a pcr test as I was identified as a close contact anyway. This came back positive Friday. I put in that my symptoms started on the Wednesday with the headache so my 10 days are counted from then.

But what if the headache on Wednesday was just a normal headache that I sometimes get with a stressy day at work? What if I should have counted the Thursday or Friday as the first day?

My concern is that I don't want to come out of isolation and still be contagious to others. I have been confined to my bedroom as I don't want to pass it onto family members. My DS has a lovely week planned next week, he is leaving primary school so I'd hate him to miss everything. My DD has her prom as well which she would be devastated to miss as would I be as it's cost a fortune!

I am desperate to get back to normal and get out of this room but I don't want to jeoprodise next weeks plans.

I don't trust my own judgement at the moment!

Does anyone know how long I am likely to be contagious for? I don't have a temperature anymore, just a cough and loss of taste/smell which I've been told not to worry about as they can last for weeks

Didn't isolation used to be seven days and now increased to ten if yiu are ill? So i wouldn't worry too much, but maybe just keep it low key for a day or two at the other end.

Any viral load you will have will lessen each day. Headache could have been the first symptom and LFT are not meant to be used for anyone with symptoms. I would go in the middle, so come out of isolation Monday, unless you have a temperature.

@StealthPolarBear I believe it was the other way round and was longer. It was reduced to ten days from fourteen in an effort to get people to stick to it believe.

OP, if you looked into the possible contagious period you would see that it varies from a couple of days up to 28. Practically speaking there are going to be people who follow the rules to the absolute letter and still end up out of isolation but still contagious and not knowing it. Try not to fixate on that bit too much.

Counting your isolation from your headache is justified if that’s part of what prompted you to get a PCR.

Oh really? I knew it had changed and was surprised they'd made it longer so thay would make sense.

it is definitely 10 days - DH was pinged this morning to isolate for 5 days after an encounter he had last Saturday

OP - you could do a test just to make sure

@StealthPolarBear @Cornettoninja it used to be 7 days if you actually had covid and 14 days if you were a contact. They were both changed to 10 days at some point last year to simplify it for people.

That's contact isolation though. I had thought case isolation was seven days but looks like it used to be 14.
Im on day 5. Couldn't do another nine days of this.

Oh really?? I knew it. Damn, longer to wait.

@DragonWillow

OP - you could do a test just to make sure

I don't think there's any point in that, it can show as positive up to 90 days later I have read! It doesn't mean I would have active covid still though I'm guessing?

That's true...viral load probably less each day so thats reassuring.

Thankyou.