Now what do we do?

[ohtsmeagain]

DS13 caught covid and tested positive 24 October, (two x LFT tests quickly showed positive with strong line and then a PCR confirmed it). He did his ten days of isolation and has been back at school ten days or so. No lasting problems or symptoms and felt back to normal and participating in sport etc.

Today he's got a temp of 38 and sore throat.

He insisted on doing a LFT which was negative.

Does he have to have a PCR? We KNOW he had covid three weeks ago and the PCR can show positive for several weeks I believe.

But school want a negative PCR before he can go back?

From that gov website.

'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.'

So yes. He would have to test again.

The not that.

Yes as above he needs retesting. He will not test positive on the PCR unless he currently has covid.

@Tilly28

Yes as above he needs retesting. He will not test positive on the PCR unless he currently has covid.

This isn't necessarily true. You can test positive for covid for several weeks, months even. DH had covid at the beginning of September and was still faintly positive on LFT in mid October.

That's why you're not supposed to test for 90 days after you've had it.

@Tilly28

Yes as above he needs retesting. He will not test positive on the PCR unless he currently has covid.

^thats not true. You can test positive for up to 90 days in some cases. It’ll show as a faint residual positive result to testers and TTP.

If he has new symptoms then he would need to test again.

I would speak to the school and I would also ring 119, potentially his pcr would come back positive even though he may not have covid, I would think it extremely unlikely that he would catch covid again within 3 weeks, I was told not to do a pcr test for 90 days. And once you have a positive pcr you have to isolate regardless.

Not true at all.

You cannot test within 90 days of a positive PCR as this could provide inaccurate results.

(Just had covid and T&T have told me that a gazillion times)

That’s interesting @SpookyScarySkeletons as T&T told me if I get new symptoms I would need to get a PCR!

New COVID symptoms need a PCR, although definite possibility that the test will be positive still from the previous infection. T&T advising the same here.

Most people will test negative after ~2weeks. Occasionally people can continue to test positive but it unlikely.

The guidance does state he needs a new PCR sorry OP.

Do school know he had a fever?

@hopingforabrighterfuture2021

That’s interesting *@SpookyScarySkeletons* as T&T told me if I get new symptoms I would need to get a PCR!

Very interesting!! Google says not to retest within 90 days UNLESS new symptoms.

That's totally at odds with what the T&T guy told me and DH last week.

I swear sometimes the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Well now I'm just even more confused to be honest!

My common sense tells me he had completely recovered from what we definitely know was COVID so can't have caught it again three weeks later and it can't be a resurgence as he has been completely well for about 12 days.

I think he has to tonsillitis personally due to red throat with white patches and temperature and no other cold symptoms.

If I PCR him and it's positive from before, then he has to isolate AGAIN for ten days after the test, meaning ten days off school for what is likely to be a few days of non COVID illness. This doesn't make any sense!

Bit late now but this is why you don’t tell the school about temps or coughs.
Bonkers. Absolutely bonkers and none will give you the same answer.

If he tests negative on LFT then he probably will on PCR (under these specific circumstances)

Watching with interest worried I may be in the same boat with my DC. Not sure if they haven’t made a full recovery, it’s a rebound, or just a cold now.

I’m also really confused about the symptoms thing. First time round we had none of the classic temperature, new cough etc ..... this time it’s the same .... still just headache nausea and tiredness AGAIN... so I don’t know if that’s still the same virus rebounding or not..... we are only just out of isolation period.

T&T told us last week that our DS didn't need to test for 90 days now. No mention of 'unless he develops new symptoms'. Thought we'd get through the winter with him but sounds like that might not be accurate!

I had none of the classic symptons and when I rang to book pcr test I was actually told that I shouldn’t be booking one as I had non of the classic symptons, I told them that I had a positive lateral flow and they even told me I should not be using a lateral flow if I have symptons. Was. mad going round in circles, I managed to get a pcr and it was positive. But all I had was a bunged up nose, at least those were the symptons in the early days, they soon intensified.

@jenkel that’s the same as us. Started with bunged up nose which progressed to intense sinus pain, headaches and body aches plus nausea. At no point have we had the government list of symptoms. But we have had covid and it’s really dragging on with the tiredness especially. I’ve been told not to retest unless we have “new” symptoms but we never had text book symptoms in the first place. I honestly think the government need to update their guidance, it’s so confusing and misleading.

No point getting PCR - mine was still positive 2 months after I had Covid.

It's probably tonsillitis - can he see a doc to confirm?

Its kind of doesn't make sense anyway as surely most of us only test when we do have symptoms