ONS survey after having Covid anybody?

[Madcats]

Just wondering what other testers do about this?

My family all do the monthly swab tests and now the "stab your finger" antibody tests for the ONS.

We recently had Covid (v mild, thankfully) and tester tested the week we were ill. Test Track and Trace advised us not to do another PCR for 3 months.

So when this month's tests came round we said they could have our blood samples but we wouldn't be giving them another PCR.

This threw our tester into a bit of a flap. ONS know we had Covid (they tested us!), but apparently they can't intercept +ve results letters going to TT&T again. Our refusal to give them a PCR means they can't ask the bank of questions or take bloods without first registering the PCR. I did suggest we simply stuffed the swab in the tube (so 'no result'), but that didn't go down well.

For the moment we're simply postponing for a month, but it strikes me that they should be desperate to get all these antibody tests done.

Tester suggested that telling TT&Trace "but I've already had it" would be enough to stop them hassling/fining us. Hmm...

How have other families dealt with this? We've already had 10 days at home after being pinged and another 15 after DH generously shared his virus around.

We just did the pcr the next time it came around and it wasn't an issue. Also done pcr's within 3 months as required by my workplace weekly well within the 3 month window and never had another come back positive after the initial infection.

We just did it as usual, and the woman said if it came back positive to tell test and trace we were exempt from isolation rules as per the ONS. This was Feb/March

Oh that's good to know. TT&T mentioned the 90 days thing on each of our calls, so I assumed it was common.

At this time of the school hols we would normally head across the Channel, but had ruled it out. Oh well.

I did the PCR while still in isolation after testing positive, according to the tester it was fine to do. I won't be isolating again and I'll tell them why if they call!