How long to test before seeing vulnerable family..

[Dandy008]

We’re planning on going to visit my Nan next weekend who we haven’t been able to visit for over 18 months.

She’s 90 and has various health conditions.

We are paying for a PCR test and wondering how long in advance should we take it.

My husband is going to work from home next Thursday and Friday so we were thinking of taking it Thursday night.

DC is at Nursery Mon-Wed and I’m in the office those 3 days.

If we take a test Thursday and it’s negative are we safe to see my Nan Saturday?

Anyone?

No, I don’t think so. It takes a few days for you to develop symptoms and/or test positive. So you could pick it up Wednesday, test negative on Thursday, but not be contagious until a few days after exposure - so potentially Saturday. I’ve read the safest time to test and be sure you don’t have it is four-five days after potential exposure.

@Lagirl20

No, I don’t think so. It takes a few days for you to develop symptoms and/or test positive. So you could pick it up Wednesday, test negative on Thursday, but not be contagious until a few days after exposure - so potentially Saturday. I’ve read the safest time to test and be sure you don’t have it is four-five days after potential exposure.

@Lagirl20

I don’t have a potential exposure. I just want to
test to make sure I’m not going to pass anything to my Nan.

The last potential exposure would I guess by Wednesday so probably would t be able to test in time for the weekend for it to not be pointless

@ZoBo123

Hmm when my sister went in to hospital for an op she has to test 72 hours before.

So was that pointless then?

It reduces the risk, doesn't remove it completely. So it would check you weren't asymptomatically infected at the time of taking the test. You could also do a free lateral flow on the morning of the visit to give a further reduction in risk.

Presumably your sister also had to isolate beforehand?

You have three potential exposures - being in the office, child at nursery, and from your post I’m guessing your husband is in the office on Wednesday too?

She would have had to isolate beforehand.

Look, you clearly don’t understand how exposure works. Sorry I wasted my time replying 🙄

No it wouldn't be safe. You need to test Wednesday and isolate from then. I'd LFT on the day too.

@Lagirl20

Calm down…. 🙄

@ZoBo123

Presumably your sister also had to isolate beforehand?

@ZoBo123

She had the test 72 hours before and has to isolate from the point she had her test.

🤣🤣🤣

If you need a PCR for travel abroad, it needs to be within the 72 hour period, so I'd go by that. If you really care that much to pay for a PCR, you might be willing to go the extra mile and do a LFT the day after PCR.

@ifonly4

If you need a PCR for travel abroad, it needs to be within the 72 hour period, so I'd go by that. If you really care that much to pay for a PCR, you might be willing to go the extra mile and do a LFT the day after PCR.

@ifonly4

I will do a LFT anyway, but it was my understanding that they aren’t as reliable.

The incubation period is potentially up to 10-14 days. Technically there will always be a first point at which someone starts testing positive for the first time, and that could of course be a few hours after you've taken the test - if you're really unlucky. So unless you isolate for two weeks, there's no guarantee it's 100% safe if that's what you are hoping for. Obviously testing as you suggest really reduces the likelihood you are infectious without realising.