At home PCR

[Justme1984]

I was with a friend on Friday who has since tested positive for Covid, what's the best time period to leave before doing PCR?

I don't have symptoms at the moment.

I don't want to leave it to long as I'm anxious to know if I've possibly contracted and could pass on to family etc (single jabbed) but also don't want to risk a false negative by testing too early.

Lateral flow says negative but that doesn't seem to mean much?

I'd book one tomorrow, it would show up on a PCR by now I'd have thought. Mine was positive 2-3 days after I'd been a close contact.

@Waxonwaxoff0

I'd book one tomorrow, it would show up on a PCR by now I'd have thought. Mine was positive 2-3 days after I'd been a close contact.

Great thank you! Did you feel unwell? If so how long after was that?

I have the post ones here ready they came today so will post in the morning

I started with symptoms around 4-5 days after contact (can't be sure of the exact day as I caught it from a work colleague who I see most days). I wasn't too unwell, I had fairly typical cold symptoms - blocked nose and sneezing, bit of a phlegmy cough, high temperature. Also lost my sense of smell and taste 5 or 6 days in.

I tested positive 7 days after initial exposure (on routine PCR) but tested positive on an LFT on day 8 - the same day symptoms started.
I can't be sure that I actually caught in on the first day of exposure obviously as I continued to be exposed for 5 out of those 7 days, and as we had cases at work I was doing an LFT daily.
Test and trace have told me to use the day I took the PCR as day 0.
I've had symptoms like a bad cold, temperature, chills, headache etc, was pretty rough the day the left came back positive and the day after, Nothing that I couldn't manage with paracetamol and rest though (double vaccinated).

@Maverickess

I tested positive 7 days after initial exposure (on routine PCR) but tested positive on an LFT on day 8 - the same day symptoms started. I can't be sure that I actually caught in on the first day of exposure obviously as I continued to be exposed for 5 out of those 7 days, and as we had cases at work I was doing an LFT daily. Test and trace have told me to use the day I took the PCR as day 0. I've had symptoms like a bad cold, temperature, chills, headache etc, was pretty rough the day the left came back positive and the day after, Nothing that I couldn't manage with paracetamol and rest though (double vaccinated).

Amazing thank you for the info.