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Covid

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Original poster

Will people still get PCRs after 15th December?...

29 replies

Warhertisuff · 13/12/2021 13:12

... so as not to risk being in isolation over Christmas?... Or will significant numbers keep it to themselves?

Obviously the responsible and "right" thing to do would be to get a PCR, but if, say, I came down with symptoms on, say, 15th, and I was visiting young, fit and fully vaccinated relatives on 25th, I'd be tempted not to and visit anyway if I was otherwise well (obviously with the relatives knowledge). My infectivity by day 10 would likely be very low, and the risk even if i wasn't would probably be something worth taking.

I'm fully aware this wouldn't strictly legal or correct, and as my relatives aren't young I wouldn't do this, but I could I understand people doing so.

Are positive tests going to be artificially low from Wednesday as a result I wonder?

OP posts:

cherin · 13/12/2021 13:59

If you don’t test none of your contacts will be notified, and for all the care and consideration you can use, they’ll be no guarantee that they’ll not go on and visit their granny in a care home.
I think next week the positivity (at least of Londoners) will be lower because people will travel “home” for Christmas and potentially find out they’re positive with the fit-to-fly tests (not the PCRs under NhS) or in the country of arrival.

Mindymomo · 13/12/2021 14:04

I wouldn’t want it on my conscience if I passed covid on, even fully jabbed people have gotten ill, so this would be irresponsible. Plus I would want to know if I actually had covid so would test and isolate as required.

rainrainraincamedowndowndown · 13/12/2021 14:09

If you have no contact with outside world, fine. But if you do, the selfishness of someone might potentially ruin many people's Christmas, including someone may become seriously ill or die.

Bobholll · 13/12/2021 14:15

I think testing will drop OP, I have to agree. You’ll get a split. Those who wouldn’t want to risk it & those who won’t want to stop Christmas for anything.

People on here are a very warped, extreme view of society in my opinion & experience. In both directions.

Everyone I know has stocked up on LF & have said will take one on the days they are due to spend time indoors with family. If they are positive, they will stay at home. Negative, they’ll crack on. But I think PCR testing will drop, those who may have previously tested for a minor cold or close contact will stick to LF!

RobinPenguins · 13/12/2021 14:19

Lots of people will probably have less need to get a PCR over the next few weeks anyway. DD’s nursery is closed for 2 weeks from 22nd - we’d have needed evidence of a negative PCR for her to be able to attend if she coughed a bit, for example, but if we’re just going to be at home anyway wouldn’t bother. Likewise I’m now stuck working from home again so if I have a cold I don’t need to prove to anyone it’s not covid, like I would if I was coming into the office.

Adelerous · 13/12/2021 14:22

We’re going to get PCRs on the evening on the 22nd then hole up at home waiting for the results, so we know we’re ok to drive to visit family on Christmas Eve.

Incognito22333 · 13/12/2021 14:30

No I don’t think they will and so many have ordered LFTs instead - hence none available on the website now.
Also with the Omicron variant and making contacts self isolate too- again, preference for LFT will dominate.

Original poster

Warhertisuff · 13/12/2021 14:35

@rainrainraincamedowndowndown

If you have no contact with outside world, fine. But if you do, the selfishness of someone might potentially ruin many people's Christmas, including someone may become seriously ill or die.

I'm not saying that someone should carry on regardless... Surely you don't need to be instructed to self-isolate to actually self-isolate!

OP posts:

gogohm · 13/12/2021 14:42

We'll take lfts. If anyone is positive we'll have to decide what to do, most likely would do a pcr as not irresponsible

VanCleefArpels · 13/12/2021 14:45

It’s a moral dilemma we have discussed. Due to spend Xmas with CEV parents - if we have to cancel I really think it will see them off psychologically (they had to do hard shielding etc, had to cancel everything last year). Doing a LFT (assuming no symptoms) and discovering a positive would be the worst possible outcome. However the chance of basically gifting what would be for them a deadly disease is even worse.

I suspect a lot of people will ignore mild cold symptoms. We have chosen to drastically limit our interactions with others from tomorrow. Come Boxing Day we will take our chances!

Batinhernightdress · 13/12/2021 14:48

Or go up...those hopeful for a second quiet inlaw freeChristmas...

I think it might balance out, those that are actively avoiding isolation and those that are actively being extra careful to protect love ones

TheUnicornDuck · 13/12/2021 14:51

When our house got Covid none of us were 'ill' slight cold symptoms but nothing bad. I could understand people not wanting to do a full 10 days isolation for that. So wouldnt go for the PCR just stay away from vulnerable people. Not saying it's right, but people are fed up now why ruin days you have been looking forward too

guineapigs · 13/12/2021 14:55

@Batinhernightdress Yes I wouldn't mind and will go for a pcr test if required

Daisy829 · 13/12/2021 14:57

I would be more inclined to go for a test if I have symptoms before Xmas as we are seeing our parents who are in their 70s/80s and I wouldn’t want to take it to them. We will do lateral flows anyway on the day.

AlwaysLatte · 13/12/2021 15:03

I would not be taking possible Covid with me to visit someone!! They might be fit and healthy, but what about any frail relatives of theirs??

Remmy123 · 13/12/2021 15:08

Not unless we have symptoms

Original poster

Warhertisuff · 13/12/2021 15:10

@AlwaysLatte

I would not be taking possible Covid with me to visit someone!! They might be fit and healthy, but what about any frail relatives of theirs??

True, but in my scenario, seeing them on day 10 means you're very unlikely to still be infectious. Nothing magic happens at midnight on day 10! Yes, there's a risk, but if we all did everything we could to mitigate risk "just in case" we'd be living in lockdown forever!

OP posts:

Original poster

Warhertisuff · 13/12/2021 15:12

@Batinhernightdress

Or go up...those hopeful for a second quiet inlaw freeChristmas...

I think it might balance out, those that are actively avoiding isolation and those that are actively being extra careful to protect love ones

True. Judging by the upsurge in LFT usage, I suspect more Covid will be detected...

OP posts:

Siameasy · 13/12/2021 15:35

Yeah I can see that people will make their own risk assessments. I can understand why.
We followed the rules last Xmas, we’ve had our vaccines, I wear my mask, I caught Covid anyway but DH and DD didn’t.

All our family members who wanted to be are jabbed. Two chose not to be and that’s their look out.
TBH I’m not doing any asymptomatic tests and I’m not testing DD anymore just cos she has a bit of snot either

Hollyhead · 13/12/2021 15:49

I won’t be PCRing until January now. We’d still isolate and change plans but I’m not making anything official. Due to wfh we have very few contacts anyway so contact tracing would be more or less irrelevant.

SivvyPlath · 13/12/2021 16:12

Testing will definitely drop.

I probably won't.

ifonly4 · 13/12/2021 16:18

I really couldn't live with myself if I had symptoms and didn't test. Anyone willing to risk infecting their friends and family if they have symptoms is extremely selfish - they're the most important people in your life, I don't understand how you could put them as risk and all that entails regarding severity of illness, isolation, cancelling plans, keeping work and schools open - if too many people can't work then essential services are going to struggle.

Satsunday · 13/12/2021 16:30

We'll all be doing lateral flow tests before seeing our vulnerable parents. PCR tests if we have symptoms. I had to have a PCR test on Christmas eve last year and luckily got the negative result on Christmas morning.

I think testing will be at the same level or might even increase because most people will be concerned about visiting relatives and will hopefully want to avoid infecting others. I hope that's the case anyway. Quite sad if it isn't 😢

ItsSnowJokes · 13/12/2021 16:40

Depends if you are a morally corrupt selfish arsehole really doesn't it?

If I had any symptoms I would be testing even more knowing I am seeing more people at Christmas. How could anyone live with themselves if they gave covid to a vulnerable person.

Bobholll · 13/12/2021 16:53

Depends what you mean by symptoms though doesn’t it? I’ve got a cold now. I’m a bit snotty, feeling run down. I wouldn’t think to PCR test at all. And I haven’t lateral flowed either until today as I woke up feeling a bit scratchy throat like. It was negative & I had covid recently so that’s enough for me.

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