New travel PCRs - what if you've just had covid??

[Tinysnickers]

We are supposed to travel to the inlaws at xmas. Last 3 sets of flights over 2 years have been cancelled due to lockdowns here or there.
We can still go with new day 2 PCR tests BUT DS and I just had covid. At travel we'll be 60 days from positive. So if we do a day 2 pcr there's a Chance it will still be positive from previous infection. The NHS say not to test for 90 days unless new symptoms. So what are we supposed to do?
And even worse, we can't prove DS was positive because his PCRs went to the dodgy lab. We subsequently got texts telling us results likely incorrect. But he was positive on multiple LF and then I got it from him, so we know he had it, we just have no way to prove it.
I don't know what to do

I had covid a month ago and did an ONS PCR test a couple of weeks later - negative. Yes there's a theoretical chance you'd get a positive PCR test from lingering fragments but I suspect it's not that high. There's probably research out there which would give you a better grasp of the level of risk.

Have this exact problem. We’ve all had covid in the last 2 weeks. All lat flow negative now but we were told not to pcr again within 90 days. We’re meant to be travelling next week!

It’s not just that you have to pcr 2 days after returning. You have to isolate while waiting for the results. I can’t have the extra time off work and can’t risk testing positive and needing to isolate for another 10 days again. I can’t work from home. So we’re going to have to cancel and hope that we can get our money back!

Within 2 days, not at 2 days. Take test with you, drop box in airport on return, results 24 hours later.

@rulewithawoodenfoot we could do that but unfortunately won't help the liklihood of testing positive from the historic infection.

Which country are you going to? Portugal for example are now (from Dec 1) testing all passengers - including fully vaccinated - before they enter the country. I guess at least you'd know before you leave, but would be crushingly disappointing for everyone...

We all have covid at the moment and are booked to fly to Poland in 2 weeks. I'll be cancelling that today.

Why are people not understanding that PCR tests are not recommended within 90 days of Covid?

Previously they accepted a positive Covid result - after 10 days

The risk of a positive PCR with in 90 days still exists!!

Please READ the issue - OP knows how to her and pay for a PCR

@BluebellsGreenbells

Why are people not understanding that PCR tests are not recommended within 90 days of Covid?

Previously they accepted a positive Covid result - after 10 days

The risk of a positive PCR with in 90 days still exists!!

Please READ the issue - OP knows how to her and pay for a PCR

Thanks. I do accept that we need to do them and it's bloody expensive and annoying but hey ho. What I don't want to accept is DS or myself having 10 days isolating for no reason because the PCR is positive from previous infection. Isolating in that context would be pointless because we wouldn't actually be infectious, the PCR would be picking up dead cells still in our system. I'd be very happy to lateral flow us twice daily for two weeks to check for actual active infection. We won't be the only people with the issue though, incidence of covid has been so high recently there will be many many people travelling within 90 days of a positive.

@TedGlenn

Which country are you going to? Portugal for example are now (from Dec 1) testing all passengers - including fully vaccinated - before they enter the country. I guess at least you'd know before you leave, but would be crushingly disappointing for everyone...

France. They haven't announced their new rules yet but I'm sure they'll get some out fairly soon. In the past we have been exempted from the most stringent testing rules because OH and the kids are French nationals and I am subject to the same rules as them.

Op simplest thing is for you to take your ds test for him
Loads do this - there’s no way of them knowing who actually took the test

Just register it in his name and do it for him

Op simplest thing is for you to take your ds test for him

OP had Covid - had paperwork
DS had Covid - no paperwork

Both within 90 days of infection

Both need PCR tests and possible positive result due to recent infection

Taking the test for him isn’t going to solve the problem.

And I’m disgusted you even suggested it.

Missed but about op having it

Get someone else to do them op

@Tinysnickers

I've just found this BMJ article suggesting the average time to get a negative PCR post covid was 30 days when they investigated in Italy.

"Covid Recovery Certificates" for £99 in UK. Is that legit? I hope so!

That's the wrong way, tho lljkk.OP isnt concerned about getting out of the UK. It's the return that could be problematic. I've yet to see the official details, but so far have heard nothing to suggest a recovery certificate will be acceptable for post arrival testing. As always the devil will be in the detail, and that's not yet on Gov.uk, afaik.

Oh nuts, good point, thanks.

I contacted test and trace and they have confirmed that all travellers will be required to have a pcr, regardless of any recent infections. And if that test is positive you will be required to self isolate for 10 days.

I’ve cancelled my trip.

We went to Spain in October (holiday cancelled 5x since 2020). DS and I had had covid 4 weeks earlier. DS had to do a PCR to get into Spain (13 no vax) and we all had to do LFTs on day 2. We risked it and we were fine. I understand and respect that Spain won't recognise Covid recovery certs but incredibly annoying that the UK gov issues the bloody things, tells you not to test within 90 days of having covid but then insists you do a paid for test to get back into the country.

@Watapalava

Missed but about op having it

Get someone else to do them op

poster suggesting foul play

We had this problem with DS1. Just do the swabs at home and swab someone else. We swabbed me who had Covid last year. Labelled it as his. The labs don't know.

What I don't want to accept is DS or myself having 10 days isolating for no reason because the PCR is positive from previous infection. Isolating in that context would be pointless because we wouldn't actually be infectious, the PCR would be picking up dead cells still in our system.

In our experience Tiny, the more senior/medically qualified people at Test and Trace understand the concept of 'false positives'. The person who makes the initial phone contact with you may not, what you have to do is insist on speaking to someone who does!

We have had this situation twice and on one occasion it was easy while on the other it was a major hassle but on both occasions we eventually spoke to someone who confirmed it was a 'false positive' and told us isolation was not necessary. You have to understand what you are talking about to convince them, but from the way your posts are written it is obvious that you do, so worth considering.

@Tinysnickers

We are supposed to travel to the inlaws at xmas. Last 3 sets of flights over 2 years have been cancelled due to lockdowns here or there. We can still go with new day 2 PCR tests BUT DS and I just had covid. At travel we'll be 60 days from positive. So if we do a day 2 pcr there's a Chance it will still be positive from previous infection. The NHS say not to test for 90 days unless new symptoms. So what are we supposed to do? And even worse, we can't prove DS was positive because his PCRs went to the dodgy lab. We subsequently got texts telling us results likely incorrect. But he was positive on multiple LF and then I got it from him, so we know he had it, we just have no way to prove it. I don't know what to do

Can’t you just go for a pcr now and see if it’s positive still ?