Out of isolation tomorrow - LFT still positive?!

[Matilda2013]

My family and I have all had covid in the last few weeks. I’m due out of isolation tomorrow and back at work Monday but I did an LFT today and it’s still very positive?! What do I do?

@Pollaidh

It's the PCR which you shouldn't use again for 90 days because it picks up old bits of virus and can't tell the difference between new/old infection.

The LFD on the other hand picks up active infection - and especially when you have the highest viral load and are most infectious. I would advise that you continue to isolate until you get a clear LFD.

10 days isolation is a pragmatic policy decision that captures the majority (but not ALL) of those infectious, whilst balancing impact on the the economy etc. There are proven cases of some rare people who have remained infectious, shedding virus and infecting others for many weeks and occasionally months, unfortunately. Thankfully the majority are over in 10 days, almost all in 14 days, and then a few outliers.

Sounds like you could be an outlier, so if at all possible try to isolate.

Sorry but this is incorrect.

Well I’ll see how this weekend goes then work from there! Hopefully it goes away!

@DrunkenKoala they told me something different yesterday
Although my ds when he had covid tested clear on lft within couple days

Yes you're right that the guidance has changed to be avoid PCR and LFD for 90 days after confirmed Covid, but if you read in the DHSC policy update on this, they explained the reasoning for that change, and it wouldn't apply in this situ of being at the tail end of a confirmed infection:

"Testing within 90 days of a positive PCR test
Following a substantial clinical review of the latest evidence and testing data, we are now changing the advice for retesting within 90 days of a positive. From now on, if someone tests positive with a PCR test, they should not be tested using PCR or LFD for 90 days, unless they develop new symptoms during this time, in which case they should be retested immediately using PCR. This 90 day period is from the initial onset of symptoms or, if asymptomatic when tested, their positive test result.
The previous policy to continue LFD testing following a positive PCR result was because although very unlikely, it is possible to be re- infected within 90 days. However based on the latest testing data and clinical advice, the policy has now changed.
The clinical view is that during this 90 day window from a positive test, given the low rate of reinfection during this window, it is significantly more likely that a positive LFD test would be a false result, rather than someone being re-infected, causing people to isolate unnecessarily. Therefore we are now stopping the regular testing using LFD during this 90 day period. The individual should return to the regular LFD and PCR regime once 90 days has passed."

We're not talking about a reinfection here, or a random LFT positive which is more likely to be a false positive due to the fact the person still has decent immunity and is unlikely to have caught it again within 90 days. We're talking about the tail end (only 10 days in) of a confirmed infection.

Shedding continues beyond 10 days, and a review of studies showed that - in the 5000 or so cases covered in the review - there was no live virus after day 10, hence the 14 --> 10 day change, but there are individual case studies reporting infectivity beyond that. Yes it's unusual, but it is possible. And I wouldn't risk my grandmother on it.

I was specifically told by Test and Trace you only have to continue isolating if you have temp or vomiting not for lingering cough etc. Also our school has been told (and tells parents) not to test on LFT for 90 days after a child has tested positive.

When I had my final call from track and trace they said no testing for 90 days. Only isolate if high temp. This was before omicron but I'm pretty sure nothing has changed. I had a cold after and didn't test.

Read the information from track and trace - there is no mention of testing to see if you are still positive. It’s misleading fir people to think they can take a lft to see if they can or cannot end isolation.

@Pollaidh

It's the PCR which you shouldn't use again for 90 days because it picks up old bits of virus and can't tell the difference between new/old infection.

The LFD on the other hand picks up active infection - and especially when you have the highest viral load and are most infectious. I would advise that you continue to isolate until you get a clear LFD.

10 days isolation is a pragmatic policy decision that captures the majority (but not ALL) of those infectious, whilst balancing impact on the the economy etc. There are proven cases of some rare people who have remained infectious, shedding virus and infecting others for many weeks and occasionally months, unfortunately. Thankfully the majority are over in 10 days, almost all in 14 days, and then a few outliers.

Sounds like you could be an outlier, so if at all possible try to isolate.

That's not true at all. You aren't supposed to do either.

You do not have to isolate past 10 days unless you still have certain symptoms, regardless of what the LFT says.

Out of curiosity, me and DD1 both did a LFT today on the last day of isolation. She’s been completely asymptomatic throughout, yet her test was still a blazing positive, whilst I was quite poorly and mine was negative - go figure!

@Pollaidh

It's the PCR which you shouldn't use again for 90 days because it picks up old bits of virus and can't tell the difference between new/old infection.

The LFD on the other hand picks up active infection - and especially when you have the highest viral load and are most infectious. I would advise that you continue to isolate until you get a clear LFD.

10 days isolation is a pragmatic policy decision that captures the majority (but not ALL) of those infectious, whilst balancing impact on the the economy etc. There are proven cases of some rare people who have remained infectious, shedding virus and infecting others for many weeks and occasionally months, unfortunately. Thankfully the majority are over in 10 days, almost all in 14 days, and then a few outliers.

Sounds like you could be an outlier, so if at all possible try to isolate.

sorry, but this is not what we were told.

dd2 and I had covid in October, dd was told not to do any LFT for school until 90 days after infection as they still show up positive for up to 90 days.

We have had the letter from school, but it is a Dof E letter, about testing for return to school in January. These are LFT, and they specifically said that no-one who has had covid in the last 90 days shoudl do a LFT. I had to sign dd2 out from the return to school testing for that reason.

dd2 now has covid again, and was told by NHS to do a pcr test, as this is NOT affected by her having it 6 weeks ago.

@steppemum your DD has had it twice in 6 weeks?!

yes

she is 14, so hadn't had any vaccinations. Ist time her school was really effected by the lab giving false pcr results, so her whole class had it.

First time, she gave it to me.

This time, dh went to a school concert (older dd) it was really really crowded, no masks, no ventilation and lots of singing.
he was really pissed off and wished he hadn't gone. That was Wednesday, saturday he took dd2 Christmas shopping, so lots of close contact.
sat night dh started with symptoms and Monday dd started.

they were both only ill for 24 hours.
Dh is part of a vaccine trial, so he was talking to their doctor this week and the doctor said it is highly likely they had both had omicron (for various reasons, one of which dd2 getting it twice in 2 months)

There could be a line for days or weeks. My friends kid tested positive, totally asymptomatic case (only detected as close contact) and had a line for weeks afterwards!

@Matilda2013 did you carry on isolating? Are you still testing positive?

Stayed in at the weekend and LFT was clear by last night so back to work today!

That's great to hear, congrats!