Do you/would you still self-isolate while awaiting PCR results as positive household contact?

[RaisinFlapjack]

A bit of an AIBU/settle an argument.

If one of your household tested positive for covid, would you self isolate while awaiting a PCR result if you had no symptoms?

Or go about you business as normal?

Or restrict yourself to essential activities?

Legally it’s not required.

I am having this at the moment. Partner tested positive on lateral flow last night, so he is waiting for a postal pcr to arrive. I've tested negative, so I am carrying on as normal, but I will limit contact with others as much as possible. I will continue to do lateral flows regularly and do a pcr if that result changes. We have a dd who needs to go to school, so I have to do that, but I'm saying goodbye down from the school gate and just watching her go in.
I won't go to the supermarket until I need to and will go in the evening when it will be much quieter.

I was told at the test centre to isolate, even though I did a PCR as a contact. Had to message work and tell them, they didn't argue so guess it's fairly normal.

I went to work as normal. That came from HR I'm double vaccinated
Single vaccinated ds had to isolate for 10 days, and double vaccinated ds has to wait for his pcr and isolate in meantime

All 3 of us work with the public

When DS tested positive (LFT and PCR) the rest of us (me and DP double vaccinated and DD9) carried on with essentials (school, work, shopping) but avoided social activities until DS was out of his isolation period. We all did daily LFTs and got a PCR at around 4 days into his isolation.

Why would you take a pcr test with no symptoms? One of the questions is do you have any symptoms so you've basically lied to get a test. This is why it's never going to end, people testing for no reason.

@RaisinFlapjack

A bit of an AIBU/settle an argument.

If one of your household tested positive for covid, would you self isolate while awaiting a PCR result if you had no symptoms?

Or go about you business as normal?

Or restrict yourself to essential activities?

Legally it’s not required.

It's legally required in Scotland

Apologies for my anglocentricity @dementedpixie - and I think that’s more sensible myself!

@seb342 Official advice in England is to get a PCR if you're a close contact with a positive case, no symptoms required!

It’s legally required in Wales too.

However, we still did when it wasn’t legally required. In fact if one of us tested positive I would isolate the whole household for ten days which is what most people I know are doing even though it’s not a legal requirement. Schools here have said they can’t make people do that, it isn’t a requirement, but they appreciate it if people do and prefer siblings not to come to school.

@seb342 in England it’s advised and in Wales it’s a requirement to pcr or isolate the household!

@seb342

Why would you take a pcr test with no symptoms? One of the questions is do you have any symptoms so you've basically lied to get a test. This is why it's never going to end, people testing for no reason.

NHS advise you to take a PCR if you are a close contact, even if you have no symptoms.

I didn't test myself at all when my partner tested positive a few weeks ago. I had no symptoms and felt fine, and carried on as normal.

DH got pinged yesterday. He's been for a pcr today but has been told he doesn't have to self isolate while waiting for the result. We are both double jabbed and I've also had the booster

My work have said that if you get pinged, to work from home until negative PCR test comes through, and also if someone in your household tests positive (even if you get a negative PCR yourself). So that is what i would do.

But if my job could not be done from home and the rule at work was that we should follow the official rules, then i think i would go in rather than take annual leave but wear a mask and try to keep away form others to the extent possible.

My teenage DD (and her whole year group) was told to do a PCR test because of the number of cases her in year. She went straight to a test centre and had her negative result through before school the next morning. Most of the others had arranged for postal tests so took longer to get the test and result, but everyone still went to school in the meantime (the school's instructions were unclear on this).

Oh and I twice did a day 2 PCR test on return to the country. There was no requirement to self-isolate while waiting for result and i didn't even think to do so. I still went to work even though work says to work from home while waiting for a PCR test if you are pinged as a close contact. Somehow felt different in that there was no suggestion i had been in close contact with a positive case. Although i did in fact get pinged oth times after my negative result came through becuase someone on the flight tested positive.

No, I went to work at school and was a close contact of 25 children.

Only if you had symptoms I’d stay at home while awaiting PCR.

I would yes. And did. But it was an easy thing to do and I WFH so...

@SummerHouse

I would yes. And did. But it was an easy thing to do and I WFH so...

Yep, same here - I isolated when DS tested positive but I wasn't losing pay or put into any other difficult situation.

@seb342

Why would you take a pcr test with no symptoms? One of the questions is do you have any symptoms so you've basically lied to get a test. This is why it's never going to end, people testing for no reason.

You are wrong. You can get a PCR for being a close contact.

If someone in my home was positive AND I was waiting for pcr results then yes I would isolate. For me that is where personal responsibility comes into play. However my life makes it easy to do this (wfh)

In Wales here and going through this at the moment. Family member has symptoms and has taken a PCR. We have to isolate until negative PCR so are awaiting results as we speak.

No. I also wouldn't test unless I had symptoms.

This was our family scenario in August.

Essential activities only, assuming a LFT was also negative.

The last 4 people I know who have caught COVID have all caught it from family members so I'd still to essential activities only for the for the first week, regardless of pcr.