I've totally messed up - can anyone help?

[holly76666]

I came down with a mild case of Covid the week before last and immediately went into isolation. I knew I had it as I completely lost my taste and smell, then did a lateral flow test to confirm which came up positive. The stupid thing is, I didn't then follow this up with a PCR test and decided just to stay home on the basis of the positive lateral flow instead.

DH tested consistently negative on the lateral flows throughout the 10 days but yesterday he started feeling a bit unwell. He did a LFT which came back positive and then immediately ordered a PCR in the post, which should be arriving today.

I'm now so worried that when DH's PCR inevitably comes back positive, the test and trace people are going to ask me to do a PCR as a close contact, because although I've just finished my 10 days of isolation and am feeling better, as far as they're aware I haven't had Covid.

We have toddler DC who haven't shown any symptoms and haven't been tested with LFT or PCR.

I'm a complete idiot for not booking a PCR for myself when I had it - the reason I didn't was down to my anxiety issues, although I know that's no excuse. Am I going to have to do a PCR and spend another 10 days in isolation? Should I admit that I've already had it or will that get me into trouble?

Please no horrible comments as I'm already beating myself up massively over this.

What are my options?

Your DP can give you as a contact, they’ll then contact you, and you can tell them you had symptoms, the date you started them and that you isolated. They might ask you if you had contacts.
It’s not compulsory to take any test at all, but if you have a symptom and don’t test, you have to assume it’s civid and isolate, which is what you did.
Don’t sweat it.

Thanks everyone - sorry, I know I'm probably overthinking. I've been really struggling with anxiety and find it difficult to stay calm.

If they do contact me I will simply decline the PCR then.

Should we get our DC tested even though they don't have symptoms?

You don’t even have to ‘decline’. They don’t book it for you. They just recommend you book yourself one. You say ‘ok’. That’s that!

@ThePoisonousMushroom thank you - so if they contact me as one of DH's close contacts, is it best to say I'm feeling fine now (which is the truth) and just say okay when they suggest a PCR and then not get one?

I think I'd assumed they would follow up and insist that I get one as I live with DH.

Yes you should get your children tested. If you had done the pcr, you would have been advised that. But you don’t have to. If you don’t, you should do lateral flow tests on them regularly. But you don’t have to. You must monitor them for symptoms, and if they get them you have a choice of testing them and isolating til the results come, or just isolating them for 10 days.

PurpleDaisies

Gladioli23

If you're fully vaccinated and live in England instead of Scotland or Wales (no idea re NI) you can just not do a PCR and not isolate. Then there will be no chance of testing positive and therefore no issue.

There is a chance of testing positive. I don’t know why you’re saying there isn’t.

The is no chance of the op testing positive if she doesn't test, I think you misread the comment.

[quote holly76666]@ThePoisonousMushroom thank you - so if they contact me as one of DH's close contacts, is it best to say I'm feeling fine now (which is the truth) and just say okay when they suggest a PCR and then not get one?

I think I'd assumed they would follow up and insist that I get one as I live with DH.[/quote]
No they don’t follow up and they can’t insist, as it’s optional.

@Wtfdoipick

PurpleDaisies

Gladioli23

If you're fully vaccinated and live in England instead of Scotland or Wales (no idea re NI) you can just not do a PCR and not isolate. Then there will be no chance of testing positive and therefore no issue.

There is a chance of testing positive. I don’t know why you’re saying there isn’t.

The is no chance of the op testing positive if she doesn't test, I think you misread the comment.

Yes you’re right-apologies. I blame Covid brain.

You can’t now have a pcr test for 90 days anyhow. It is likely that it would just keep showing up positive from your recent infection.

Hypothetically speaking, could this be an issue if wishing to travel overseas? If the country you want to visit requests a PCR test before travel (regardless of vaccination status) then how could you show you were exempt from having a PCR test based on an infection in the past 90 days? It’s for this reason that I’d not want to miss the chance to get the PCR confirmation following a positive lateral flow. Or maybe I’m getting confused - would be happy to hear from someone more knowledgeable. Sorry to derail.

Personally I would do one. If you develop complications or long covid it will really really help to have had a positive result. Also AT&T go from start of symptoms, so you can tell them you’ve already done your 10days. But having the positive PCR might help you in the future.

@DebratsEtiquette I think you're right, but in our case we're definitely not planning to travel abroad in the next three months (sadly!)

@DebratsEtiquette actually has a really good point. If you’re required one going into hospital if you break you leg in a month, they’ll put you on the covid ward as it’ll be your first positive PCR, they won’t know you’ve had covid a month previously.

Also AT&T go from start of symptoms, so you can tell them you’ve already done your 10days.

The problem is that you're meant to get a PCR done in the first 5 days I think. So I could get in trouble for not having done that.

Can anyone confirm?

No you can’t get in trouble for not having done a PCR. They are not compulsory.

I got a text from them today as my sister just tested positive.

If your husband's PCR comes back positive, you'll get the text, with a link that leads you to a questionnaire which essentially just determines if you need to isolate or not. If you've had both vaccinations then the follow up message is "you don't need to isolate, we recommend a PCR test". It's not compulsory and nobody will phone you and try to trip you up.

The problem is that you're meant to get a PCR done in the first 5 days I think. So I could get in trouble for not having done that.
I’ve never read that anywhere.

@PurpleDaisies so I could do what the previous poster suggested - get one done now then say my symptoms started 12 days ago?

@holly76666

Also AT&T go from start of symptoms, so you can tell them you’ve already done your 10days.

The problem is that you're meant to get a PCR done in the first 5 days I think. So I could get in trouble for not having done that.

Can anyone confirm?

You will not have any problems. There is no way you will 'get into trouble' for any of the things you've discussed here.

Current advise is not to do a PCR if you have recently recovered from Covid.

If you are vaccinated then you won't need to isolate.

Hope your DH is ok

[quote holly76666]@PurpleDaisies so I could do what the previous poster suggested - get one done now then say my symptoms started 12 days ago?[/quote]
I don’t see why not. If you speak to someone from t snd t, they might be a bit confused but since you isolated, you didn’t do anything wrong.

It’s only “should” take a pcr.

They say you should, you say ok I understand.

And then forget it. As realistically you aren’t putting anyone at risk by not taking a pcr.

Nobody is getting in trouble over testing op. It isn’t mandatory. You are fine.

As others have said you will be fine.
There might be an issue if you were very ill with covid and needed hospital. They would do a pcr at that time and your isolation would start again. This happened to an unvaccinated person I know.

OP you won't get into trouble. It is not compulsory to do a test, and although there is a chance of testing positive within 90 days, most people don't and are clear within 10-14 days.