Positive LFT after 10 days of self-isolation

[CinnabarRed]

DS1 tested positive (PCR) on Thursday 7th October and has been in self-isolation ever since. He’s been asymptomatic throughout.

Today is Day 10 which means that his self-isolation ends at midnight, according to the government guidance. However, he’s just done a LFT (as part of the Sunday/Wednesday routine for secondary school), and it’s a very faint positive.

What do I do - send him to school tomorrow anyway? I can’t find anything online. The only time self-isolation seems to extend beyond 10 days is if the patient still has a fever, which DS doesn’t have. There’s also guidance saying not to do PCR tests for 90 days, but nothing about LFTs. School thinks he’s coming back tomorrow and I don’t want to get a fine for unauthorised absences.

Would really appreciate your views.

[quote dementedpixie]@SpookyPumpkinPants i imagine it's saying that if you are daft enough to take another test within the 90 day period and it comes back positive then as you can't prove it was due to the original infection you need to isolate. To get round this they advise you not to test for 90 days.

As the OPs child hasn't been anywhere they couldn't have picked up a new infection so they can finish their original isolation and go back to school[/quote]
I disagree. It specifically says about LFT/LFD separately to PCR testing, and it says what I've quoted & given the Govt link to.

It's very clear, but if people don't want to follow the guidance that's their decision, but they shouldn't be telling people that's not the guidance. It's there in Black & White what you're meant to do re regular testing ‍🤷🏻‍♀️

@Scottishskifun. No point in rolling your eyes at ME. it's the Govt's guidance, not mine.

FWIW the PCR & LFT/D look for different things in the test. I'm not sure if both indicate you'll be in the infectiou stage or not, I'll go & look that up.

People are not isolating from others in their own homes then claiming they don't need to isolate from the outside world, you do. Either or!

@CinnabarRed. Hope you're all sorted out soon! It's a bit of a minefield. I hate to think what the next half term is going to be like, let alone the winter term.

But @SpookyPumpkinPants, the guidance also says don’t test for 90 days. The drafting is awful. It’s contradictory.

I’m comfortable with my decision to send him to school. We’re self-isolated rigorously, he’s asymptomatic, and I can’t find any evidence anywhere that suggests that he’s still infectious.

@SpookyPumpkinPants it's badly worded and that is the guidelines for schools if you go to the NHS guidelines for their own workplace practices (should think they are pretty damn hot on test requirements)
It states not to test by lft or pcr for 90 days.

I was only testing on instruction of my Dr as I had long covid, GP and track and trace told me it wasn't a requirement to isolate I suppose they are wrong too.....🙄

@CinnabarRed

But *@SpookyPumpkinPants*, the guidance also says don’t test for 90 days. The drafting is awful. It’s contradictory.

I’m comfortable with my decision to send him to school. We’re self-isolated rigorously, he’s asymptomatic, and I can’t find any evidence anywhere that suggests that he’s still infectious.

@CinnabarRed

The guidance says don't PCR test for 90 days, then goes on to explain how to handle routine LFT/LFD testing. (The bit I've copied & posted)

But I'm not arguing with you, if you're comfortable with your decision.

What I'm saying is that a lot of people are just saying 'x means isolation is over' without actually going by all the guidance. So the positive person not isolating within the house then others going about their normal lives, that's not what the guidance says.

[quote Scottishskifun]@SpookyPumpkinPants it's badly worded and that is the guidelines for schools if you go to the NHS guidelines for their own workplace practices (should think they are pretty damn hot on test requirements)
It states not to test by lft or pcr for 90 days.

I was only testing on instruction of my Dr as I had long covid, GP and track and trace told me it wasn't a requirement to isolate I suppose they are wrong too.....🙄[/quote]
Would you grow up & stop rolling your eyes like a bloody stroppy teenager!

That is from the government website. You know, the official place to get information!

It's NOT badly worded. It has a section for PCR tests and a section for LFT/LFD tests in regular testing situation. The exact situation the OP's child in is.

@SpookyPumpkinPants I'm in Scotland and nhs inform clearly says not to take an LFT within 90 days of a positive PCR

www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19/test-and-protect/coronavirus-covid-19-get-a-test-if-you-do-not-have-symptoms

You should not use a LFD test if you:

• havecoronavirus symptoms
• are self-isolating
• have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 90 days

However, the person in the OP was still within their original isolation period when they got a positive test. If they have never stopped testing positive, it is clearly not a new infection.
It also seems incredibly unlikely that they would manage to get reinfected with a new case of covid when they are still within their isolation because they actually have covid.

schoolsweek.co.uk/covid-testing-in-schools-dfe-aligns-advice-with-nhs-following-confusion/ also says no to regular LFT tests within 90 days of PCR

@SpookyPumpkinPants 😂 it's not what another section of government guidelines say it says not to test PCR or LFT!
The school guidelines is badly written anyway but the NHS and government pages elsewhere state not to.

I'm rolling my eyes at your failure to believe a different section of govt pages! 😂

[quote dementedpixie]@SpookyPumpkinPants I'm in Scotland and nhs inform clearly says not to take an LFT within 90 days of a positive PCR

www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19/test-and-protect/coronavirus-covid-19-get-a-test-if-you-do-not-have-symptoms

You should not use a LFD test if you:

• havecoronavirus symptoms
• are self-isolating
• have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 90 days[/quote]

In England it says what I've posted. Not to take PCR test & the separate advice for LFT/LFD tests. Govt Guidance from the official Govt website as linked.

Unless the OP is in Scotland (which I don't think she has said she is) then what it says in Scotland isn't relevant.

I'm not being funny, but England/Scotland have had various different rules throughout.

I don't want to 'argue' with anyone about it. I told the OP what I would do
(Test this morning then follow the Govt Guidlines) & linked to the England Guidelines, that's all.

Frankly NONE of the 'When there's a case in the household' guidelines make much sense really, so the OP Making a different decision is among the least of our problems in England

Our biggest problem is people not isolating a pisitive case within the home (their choice/necessity) but then not following the other guidelines around that.

It's all a shit show.

It's not just the Scottish guidelines which state that it's English as well from UK govt pages (which are for English) ....
Care home guidelines

The 90-day window after a positive test
If someone has tested positive with a PCR test, they should not be tested using either PCR or rapid lateral flow tests for 90 days, unless they develop new symptoms during this time – in which case they should be retested immediately using PCR.

This 90-day period is from the initial onset of symptoms or, if asymptomatic when tested, their positive test result.

NHS England guidance

The 90-day window after a positive test
If someone has tested positive with a PCR test, they should not be tested using either PCR or rapid lateral flow tests for 90 days, unless they develop new symptoms during this time.

This 90-day period is from the initial onset of symptoms or, if asymptomatic when tested, their positive test result.

[quote Scottishskifun]@SpookyPumpkinPants 😂 it's not what another section of government guidelines say it says not to test PCR or LFT!
The school guidelines is badly written anyway but the NHS and government pages elsewhere state not to.

I'm rolling my eyes at your failure to believe a different section of govt pages! 😂[/quote]
I can't be bothered trying to have a discussion with you, as you just keep posting daft emojis. I'm not against an emoji or several myself, but your laughing & eye rolling is really pissing me off.

For the last time - the link I have posted is NOT from school guidelines, it's from the official Govt Covid 19 Guidelines.

The child is not in a carehome or in the NHS.

He is being tested as part of the routine testing program and I have linked to the guidelines for that particular situation.

I did a lft just out of curiosity about 3 weeks after my 10 day isolation ended, still positive, I was gobsmacked! Felt awful as I'd been going out etc but asked a friend who has asked her boss (a GP) and as pp said you aren't infectious at that time, just takes some people longer to stop showing as positive.

I'm not having a go, @SpookyPumpkinPants, but I do think your interpretation of the guidance to which you've linked isn't right.

The guidance says:

"Anyone who has previously received a positive COVID-19 PCR test result should not be re-tested within 90 days of that test, unless they develop any new symptoms of COVID-19.

"If, however, you do have an LFD antigen test within 90 days of a previous positive COVID-19 PCR test, for example as part of a workplace or community testing programme, and the result of this test is positive, you and your household should self-isolate and follow the steps in this guidance again."

It's the first paragraph that's difficult. It says not to re-test within 90 days of a positive PCR, but it doesn't specify that it's only PCRs that shouldn't be done. I think it's at least valid to interpret the first paragraph as applying to both PCR and LFT - especially given the OTHER government guidance DOES make it clear that the 90 day exemption applies to both LFT and PCR.

The second paragraph then adds additional guidance - if, for some reason, a LFT is done within the 9 days and it comes back positive then the testee should self-isolate. But there's nothing in the second paragraph that over-rides the first paragraph, or puts any obligation on the testee to keep going with LFTs within the 90 day window.

@SpookyPumpkinPants

The child is not in a carehome or in the NHS.

He is being tested as part of the routine testing program and I have linked to the guidelines for that particular situation.

That's the guidelines for staff aka workplace setting.... So care home staff, NHS staff in England don't have to test for lft for 90 days after a positive PCR but you think a child should....

Use some bloody common sense!
Several areas the govt advice is very different and given lft are likely to produce a positive for a while afterwards the OPs question was in relation to that. So no they don't have to isolate after they have done their isolation period unless they develop new symptoms at which point they need testing. No healthcare professional or track and trace would tell you to isolate as its not required.

It's not rocket science!

@CinnabarRed

Happy to debate with you. Irrespective of whether the first part refers to just the PCR tests or both, the bold part is actually the only bit that matters as he HAS done a test. (As I said I'd have done one this morning as well/instead)

Besides, you've made your decision and you're happy with it. So, it's all irrelevant now anyway!

Hope you all keep well & there's not too much more disruption from it all!

Thank you @SpookyPumpkinPants - that’s very kind of you.

Dh is now on day 10, faint positive on lft (have read the thread about testing positive for 90 days) but feels okay - however he is still coughing a bit. Is the coughing a problem?

The cough can last for weeks even when no longer contagious

Thanks - I'll tell him to go to work tomorrow and not to worry

The 90 day testing rule only applies to PCR. You need to continue testing on LF as you can pick up another strain. It’s quite clear on the guidelines:

If you have previously received a positive COVID-19 PCR test result within the last 90 days and you are identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 you should not take a PCR test. You should only take a PCR test if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19, if you have a positive LFD test result, or if you are required to take a PCR test upon entry into the UK.