Northern Ireland isolation rules for close contact

[MotionActivatedDog]

DS1 had a positive covid PCR result yesterday. He has been isolating since last Sunday due to two friends he was with last weekends testing positive on LFTs on Sunday and later confirmed positive on PCRs on Monday. So DS has had no contact with anyone except me and DS2 since last Sunday. He took a PCR that was negative on Wednesday however he developed symptoms later on Wednesday so decided to test again yesterday and it was positive.

I have ordered PCR tests for myself and DS2. According to the guidelines we have to test on day 2 and 8 since last contact with the positive case. But we live with him. He has been isolating as much as possible in his room but our paths have crossed. So when is day 2 and day 8?

I would imagine it is from his positive test because that is the first known date he was positive and you were obviously in contact so I would count day 2 and day 8 from the day you took him for his test.

Thanks @jumpbounce. So we count from yesterday and tomorrow will be day 2?

Sorry just read his symptoms started on Wednesday so you might be through quite a bit of the isolation now anyways. It might be worth giving 119 a call tomorrow. I'm not sure if you can speak to someone on it, but I would assume you can and ask for advice or track and trace may well contact you now he has a positive and hopefully be able to shed more light on the 2 day and 8 day tests.

They contacted him today and told him he has to isolate until the 22nd but they didn’t mention anything about me and DS2 isolating. I will ring 119.

They've used his day zero as the day his symptoms started then so really I reckon your day 8 would be this Thursday? And you've missed day 2 because if prior to this change you would have been isolating until the same day as him ie 10 days from his symptoms and day 8 would be Thursday. All very confusing!

Yes confusing is right!!