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Original poster

Is the 10 day isolation advice flexible?

30 replies

Witchinthesticks · 19/09/2021 09:34

Work colleague tested positive on Thursday.
She’s says test and trace told her she could return to work on Monday, so 4 days later, as long as she’s testing negative by then.
She explained her ‘hayfever’ symptoms started several days beforehand so is taking her 10 days from that point!

Is this right? I thought it was 10 days isolation after positive test?

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 19/09/2021 09:54

As far as I know it's 10 days from start of symptoms or PCR test if asymptomatic

ArianaG · 19/09/2021 09:55

it's 10 days from start of symptoms and symptoms can simply include tiredness

ArianaG · 19/09/2021 09:56

10 days from date of PCR test if asymptomatic

LIZS · 19/09/2021 09:57

Not next Monday?

Sulla1105 · 19/09/2021 10:06

My symptoms started last Tuesday with a positive LFT and then a PCR the following day, so I expected my isolation period to end on Friday the 24th as it is D+10. NHS T&T told me that I have to isolate until the 25th though as that is when my cough started. My daughter on the other hand started her symptoms on the 12th, hasnt had a cough and she goes back to normal on the 23rd. So I have an extra day for some reason. This time next week I can go out, bearing in mind that I have only left the house this week for PCR tests, so that will be 14 days of effective isolation. So I would say that your friend could be right, there is little consistancy, although she needs to go by what T&T tell her, not whet the NHS app tells her.

Bobholll · 19/09/2021 11:03

It’s 10 days from the start of symptoms. Or if you don’t have any or you aren’t sure, from the PCR test.

I had covid in December. I started to feel coldy on a Monday. Snotty, hot (but no fever), really tired. Didn’t think much of it.. by Wednesday evening I felt really rough, exhausted. Still wasn’t isolating as no actual symptoms. On Thursday, decided to PCR as I was due to see an elderly relative on Saturday. Did a postal test as nothing available to drive through, height of the Kent variant outbreak. Posted my test Thursday morning. Results back on Saturday. By this point, I was 6 days into having covid. Only had to isolate until the upcoming Wednesday!

Felt kinda bad I’d been out & about with it but I honestly thought it was a cold & I was sure it’d be negative!

Frogsandsheep · 19/09/2021 11:12

That should be a week on Monday not tomorrow! She really shouldn’t come back tomorrow after a positive on Thursday.

Also T&T specifically told me not to test at the end of the isolation period as you can get false positives.
It sounds like your colleague is talking bullshit

Original poster
Witchinthesticks · 19/09/2021 14:47

Mmm…. She’s saying she’s ok to come back tomorrow! So that just 4 days!
I said her hayfever symptoms could have just been hayfever.
We’ll be sharing a car so I’m not happy.

OP posts:
Quartz2208 · 19/09/2021 14:54

Yes it is from the day after the start of symptoms or the day positive test if asymptomatic. For DS those days are the same but for DH by the time he got his positive test we did only have 4 days left. It took 2 days before a cough appear (December) then it took 4 days to get a result so not much left.

Were you in a car with her at the start of last week? As she was likely to be infectious then as well

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 19/09/2021 14:55

I definitely wouldn't be getting in a car with her!

Neolara · 19/09/2021 14:56

I wouldn't get in a car with her either.

lunar1 · 19/09/2021 15:03

I wouldn't be sharing a car with her!

MaryGubbins · 19/09/2021 15:09

If you have non core symptoms or no symptoms and pcr positive you then need to restart isolation when the core symptoms start. So that’s why the poster with the cough above had to add an extra day.

I’d say as this lady had non core symptoms she starts on pcr day. She is obviously wrong which ever way you time it. Complain to your boss. Legally she has to isolate and your company will be in big trouble letting her back.

The car sharing thing makes me worry you are home carers? Hopefully not.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 19/09/2021 15:46

So initially she was saying that the symptoms were hayfever but now that she has tested positive she is saying that they were covid symptoms and is counting her isolation days from then, is that right? Was she going out and about with her 'hayfever' symptoms?

T and T are pretty useless in my experience so I can actually imagine them giving shit advice and of course she may have lied to them.

Mindymomo · 19/09/2021 15:55

Isolation should be until a week Monday, then it is 10 days. No way would I get in car with her, she should stay at home isolating.

GotToGoBye · 19/09/2021 16:01

It’s 10 days from symptoms or 10 days from test if no symptoms.

I’d also avoid getting in car with her for another week!

Bizawit · 19/09/2021 16:43

@Witchinthesticks

Mmm…. She’s saying she’s ok to come back tomorrow! So that just 4 days! I said her hayfever symptoms could have just been hayfever. We’ll be sharing a car so I’m not happy.
It’s four days from her test, but the rules say you count from day after symptoms start. If she says her symptoms started 7 days earlier , then she is ok to return to work. Those are the rules.

Can you avoid getting in a car with her?

Whydoiwearsomuchleopardprint · 19/09/2021 16:45

I would not be getting in same car!!

Original poster
Witchinthesticks · 19/09/2021 19:17

Yep, she was out and about with her COVID/hayfever symptoms and I was with her the Monday before she tested positive.
I’ve done a neg LFT and booked a PCR so think I’ll use that as an excuse to get out of working with her tomorrow.
No wonder this is spreading like it is!

OP posts:
knittingaddict · 19/09/2021 19:55

This makes no sense. If she had hayfever (is this what she's saying?) and this overlapped with her getting covid then she needs to do 10 days from the test, not symptoms. She has no idea when she actually caught covid.

I certainly wouldn't be sharing any close space with her, including a car.

Original poster
Witchinthesticks · 19/09/2021 20:18

They weren’t even classic COVID symptoms, just itchy eyes!
I can get out of this by saying I’m testing tomorrow, but others working with her can’t.
It’s such a mess.

OP posts:
Bizawit · 19/09/2021 20:23

@Witchinthesticks

They weren’t even classic COVID symptoms, just itchy eyes! I can get out of this by saying I’m testing tomorrow, but others working with her can’t. It’s such a mess.
Tbf I think she’s probably in a better place to know what her symptoms were, than you.
Original poster
Witchinthesticks · 19/09/2021 20:34

I’m just repeating what she told me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Witchinthesticks · 19/09/2021 20:37

She’s done a negative LFT this evening.
I’m not sure how much the others at work know. Should I say something or button it?

OP posts:
Bizawit · 19/09/2021 20:43

Have you expressed your concerns to her? Was her LFT previously positive? Does she still have symptoms?