To think rates are going down because people are choosing not to have PCRs?

[Glassery]

Two of my friendship group have this weekend told me that they have symptoms, have got a positive lateral flow, but have decided not to go for a PCR test as a positive result means they would have to isolate over Christmas.

Instead they are going to carry on with their lives as normal for the next few days ‘because it would be a shame to have to make the children stay home’ with them.

Personally I think it’s a disgrace but anyway…

AIBU to think the drop in rates over the past few days is not because Covid cases are falling but instead because selfish people don’t want to isolate until 28th Dec?

To the posters incredulous that people aren't testing. This is now very common. Well, I'm basing that on my colleagues and friends.

And I work in the NHS. Most are reluctant to get boosters. Some will leave in April when the deadline for being vaccinated hits.

@ChangeChingyChange

My daughter technically had symptoms for 2 days and I put my head in the sand to it. She had a runny nose and cough but she does have asthma. She's absolutely fine now though so I know its not covid and she's OK but lesson learned I should just do LFTs and accept the outcome instead of putting my head in the sand. I'm just desperate for her not to miss Christmas with the in laws which I know is silly really

Of course it could be covid. These are the exact symptoms that Ovicrom is producing. Just because someone only has symptoms for 2 days does not mean they aren't positive.

@ChangeChingyChange

My daughter technically had symptoms for 2 days and I put my head in the sand to it. She had a runny nose and cough but she does have asthma. She's absolutely fine now though so I know its not covid and she's OK but lesson learned I should just do LFTs and accept the outcome instead of putting my head in the sand. I'm just desperate for her not to miss Christmas with the in laws which I know is silly really

My son had a bit of a temp and a runny nose. He tested positive on a Friday on a lft and then a pcr and was much better by the Sunday. He was then fine for the rest of his 10 days. So your theory of it was only a few days doesn't really stand up. Children cam be fine after a few days, doesn't mean they didn't have covid. The symptoms you describe are classic omicron symptoms.

@OrinoccoFlew

Can’t believe they know they probably have Covid and are going to carry on and infect people - selfish behaviour in the extreme.And this sums society up.

People trying to salvage their own Christmas whilst ruining others. Highly selfish.

I tested positive on Saturday.
I was out with friends on Thursday, I advised them they need to get PCR and gave their details to T&T, I think only one of themes gone for a test.

Dh had a positive LFT while the DCs were isolating with Covid (PCR confirmed) he hasn't bothered to get a PCR because we had a stupid amount of phone calls from T&T for the DCs and we didn't want to start the process over again. He has been isolating though and gets out on Christmas eve.

I'm confused a your 'hypothesis' the results are around 80-90,000 per day. There record breaking and are not falling at all. Hence the emergency cobra meetings. Are you watching and reading the same news as the rest of the nation?

Also, your friends are incredibly selfish. They are knowingly spreading the virus and are putting people at risk!! Disgusted at this.

OP,
I'd stop worrying about other peoples' behaviours (which you can't change) and focus on your own (which you can.)

The figures are also outside your control.

So that means giving these people a wide berth and doing the right things to try to keep your family healthy..

We will certainly be carrying on as normal. The symptoms of Omicron are:

Runny nose
Headache
Fatigue
Sore throat

Does that sound familiar?

There are 65 people in hospital in England with Omicron, not necessarily because of Omicron.

YANBU loads of people I know of aren't getting their DC tested because they "don't like" the tests.

My DC (with SEN) can't stand the tests either but we still bloody do them!

I work with a lot of people who are SE. 2 "think" they had covid but came to work anyway, and didn't bother to test (they laugh about it) and 1 (who has a vulnerable family member) asked me on Friday how, how to get lateral flow tests because he was going for a family meal and another family member had requested it. He also said he had felt under the weather the night before, which makes me think he probably wouldn't test normally.
My DS had covid at the beginning of November. He had a slightly blocked nose for a few days and no other symptoms. The rest of the house hold took 2 pcr tests and lft in between.
We're testing on LFT as normal preceding Christmas but I certainly think a % of people won't test for fear of ruining Christmas.

Oh and to the poster whose symptoms were 'too mild' to be covid. I had a terrible cough but two negative PCRs and daily negative LFTs since 1 DC had a mild cough and the other a runny nose with a slightly raised temperature, both DCs were positve. Mild symptoms can be covid.

You’re still supposed to report the results of LFTs though aren’t you? So theoretically if people use LFTs rather than PCRs it shouldn’t affect the numbers of people testing positive.

@rightsideoftheroad

Sometimes there is no need for a PCR. My DP had covid, did the pcr which was positive. We didn't bother doing pcrs for the rest of us as we were each struck down with it, just lat flows. We still isolated and stayed in til tested negative. What's the point otherwise? Just so track and trace know? No thanks.

So you have it on your medical records? I can't believe how many people do not think this is important.

Erm, I believe PCR test testing is at an all time high

@Immaculatemisconception

We will certainly be carrying on as normal. The symptoms of Omicron are:

Runny nose
Headache
Fatigue
Sore throat

Does that sound familiar?

There are 65 people in hospital in England with Omicron, not necessarily because of Omicron.

Why not do an LFT if you have those symptoms though? Hopefully in a week or two we'll have the data to know how serious this is in terms of hospitalisations etc, the least we can collectively do is try not to spread it until then.

If we let it run riot and half of shop workers, emergency workers, NHS workers, teachers etc etc who HAVE to test are all off work at pretty much the same time, what do you think happens then?

I know people who have done LTFs, tested positive, isolated and not done pcrs.

@PomegranateQueen

The fucking phone calls from test and trace when you have children is batshit. It’s not my fault the bureaucratic idiots can’t put both children under 2 who were at home with me during lockdown in the same folder/answer them at the same time. Such a stupid fucking system.

DS has covid. His LFT was negative but had symptoms. He had to queue for 2.5 hours to get tested despite having an appointment. If that’s typical then people will be further deterred from doing a pcr.

I insisted on him self isolating until he got his results which were positive. The authorities don’t tell you which variant you have.

I know someone who had family ask them to do LFTs before seeing them this weekend but aren’t going to because it might ruin Christmas if any of them have covid. I’m just amazed she was so open about it!

@ChangeChingyChange

My daughter technically had symptoms for 2 days and I put my head in the sand to it. She had a runny nose and cough but she does have asthma. She's absolutely fine now though so I know its not covid and she's OK but lesson learned I should just do LFTs and accept the outcome instead of putting my head in the sand. I'm just desperate for her not to miss Christmas with the in laws which I know is silly really

JFC! And if it’s actually Covid and infects the in-laws? Selfish beyond belief. With symptoms you don’t even do a LFT because you can get false negatives so you could then be falsely reassured and go around spreading it.

I think weekends are generally down on the week numbers but I would tend to agree with you. I think if your symptoms are mild in particular it will be easy to kid yourself it’s ‘just a cold’ and leave it at that. It would be great to think that numbers are already reducing, however so I’ll hold on to that for now. Won’t hold my breath, however!

@rightsideoftheroad

Sometimes there is no need for a PCR. My DP had covid, did the pcr which was positive. We didn't bother doing pcrs for the rest of us as we were each struck down with it, just lat flows. We still isolated and stayed in til tested negative. What's the point otherwise? Just so track and trace know? No thanks.

The point is so that there is an accurate collection of date.

@nanbread Why not do an LFT if you have those symptoms though?

Because LFT have a high rate of false negatives.

I wanted mine and dc positive case recorded so that we don't have to test again for 3months. It may also mean we don't have to isolate.