What are the rules if a family member tests positive now?

[Tuliprain]

If someone in the household is positive does that mean everyone has to get a test? Even if they don’t have symptoms? Or is it a choice.

Or if you have a lateral flow that’s positive and you book a pcr do you all have to book a pcr even if the others have no symptoms?

It's choice, recommended to get a PCR but I don't believe it's mandatory

We all did just in case. Only one positive. Surely better to be safe in case asymptomatic

It depends where you are - in England it is recommended that if you're fully vaccinated or under 18 you get a PCR test. You don't have to, they just send you a text recommending that you do.

It’s a choice but recommended and Test and Trace ask household contacts to get PCR tests. A relative of mine refused to test when their DC tested positive, went to a wedding, tested positive 3 days later and loads of the wedding guests subsequently tested positive.

Yeah it makes sense to me too. Friend has tested positive on lateral flow today. Going to get a pcr tomorrow but not with the rest of the family. I think maybe she is going to wait and see if it’s positive before the rest of the family go. Just wondered if there was a rule that they all get a pcr after one of the household has a positive lateral flow but guess not.

Which part of the uk are you in?

Here in Wales you have to self isolate if anyone in your household has Covid until you get a negative PCR test. So everyone in the house has to test to get out of isolation.

The whole thing is bonkers. I have it. Day 7. Still in bed.

Why would anyone need a 'rule' at this stage. ? Surely 20 months through a pandemic, God knows how many deaths and lockdowns everyone has sufficient brain matter to work this out for themselves!

Person A tests positive for a deadly, super transmissible virus. The chances of a false positive are small. So assume it's positive and your body is now shedding viral droplets to anyone you come close to. A large proportion of whom are either unvaccinated, or near the end of their vaccines efficacy.

So you are actually asking. 'I have almost certainly got Covid. There is a high chance my family have caught it from me before I even knew I had it... should they wander round the general public space unchecked (because a corrupt and incompetent government has decided this is their current illogical plan) or perhaps think of the public good. And NOT do that.

No hard. No law required. Just sense.

A large proportion of whom are either unvaccinated, or near the end of their vaccines efficacy

Can you back this up please? @Finknottlesnewt

@ClaudiaWankleman

A large proportion of whom are either unvaccinated, or near the end of their vaccines efficacy

Can you back this up please? @Finknottlesnewt

You want me to 'back up' the fact that unvaccinated people and those whose vaccines were administered 6 months ago or more are more likely to contract Covid.. surely you don't need much more than basic common sense for that ?

In its absence then enjoy a rare bit of actual peer reviewed, scientific, study on the matter . As opposed to the usual Soothsayer of YouTubes shaman mumblings.

www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(21)00460-6/fulltext

You need to say where in the uk you are. The rules on this are different.

In England. I think she does intend on getting the rest of the family tested but she is just waiting to see if she is positive first. I just thought that the whole household should go and be tested at the same time.

I’m wondering this. DS just tested positive but very faint line. PCR test tomorrow. I think if I get tested at the same time I’m likely to be negative (my LFT negative tonight) as I won’t have caught it from him yet. Would it be more beneficial for me to test the day after? Or even in a few days time. I’d hate to get a negative PCR and then assume I was in the clear.

We're just wondering that.

I think if double vaccinated/under 18 the rest of the family go to work/school as normal and book a pcr when they can (unless there are symptoms.) We are waiting for results of coughing child but just doing lft and asuming we will continue to do so but carry on as normal if its positive.

@Delatron I think that is very sensible. The advice to test immediately doesn't take into account the fact that a family member will very likely catch it from another family member.

What would make most sense would be to test as soon as one member is positive, to see if you both/all caught it at the same time, but then if negative to retest on about day 5 or 6 as that's the most likely time to have caught it from them.

In practice most people don't do that because it's not what they are told to do.

We did daily lateral flows when my 2 younger kids were negative and at school while DD and I were positive.

Only unvaccinated household members need to isolate. It’s probably sensible to book a PCR for everyone, but not mandatory for anyone except the person with the positive LFT.

DS1 has just finished isolation, hasn’t passed it to anyone in the house. We’ve had PCR tests and daily LFT, not a sausage. I think because he is vaccinated, he cleared it super quick and wasn’t contagious for long, with no coughing or spluttering. He also wore a mask if he was outside of his room and kept his distance.

I am aware though that lfts dont always pick it up. Family near me all repeatedly tested negative on lfts... but several positive on pcrs.

I would PCR, then lft everyday and PCR again on about day 5 or earlier if any symptoms.I don’t just mean the three symptoms listed by the government either. I mean any sore throat, diarrhoea, sniffles etc as apparently these are more common in vaccinated people. This is what you do if you want to catch any potential cases. Or are you asking what you ‘have’ to do?

@JKDinomum yes a test on day 5/6 would be good advice! I think I’ll arrange a PCR test for a few days time and I’m not seeing anyone in the meantime.

The first family members tests might come back negative ours did when dd had a positive pcr. 4 days later dh came down with it and tested positive then he didn't test positive on ltd tests until 3 days after his pcr came back positive.
3 out of 5 of us avoided it i even tested us again on day 10 to be sure with pcr tests.

I would recommend a PCR for all the family contacts to see if anyone else has it; and then daily LFTs.

When my daughter got it we all did a pcr after her positive lft but she was only one positive . Then her younger sister tested positive on lft 2 days later and I was 8 days later so although I think it’s a good idea to do pcr still need to keep checking for days after .

I don't know why in Wales they've stopped recommending the 8 day PCR for people in a positive household, you just have to get a PCR ASAP then isolate until you get the result. If it's negative you can carry on going out and about.

However if your a close contact from school or work for example then you don't have to isolate but it's recommended to get a PCR initially and 8 days later

^Between Dec 8, 2020, and July 4, 2021, 1 240 009 COVID Symptom Study app users reported a first vaccine dose, of whom 6030 (0·5%) subsequently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cases 1), and 971 504 reported a second dose, of whom 2370 (0·2%) subsequently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (cases 2). In the risk factor analysis, frailty was associated with post-vaccination infection in older adults (≥60 years) after their first vaccine dose (odds ratio [OR] 1·93, 95% CI 1·50–2·48; p