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?

I thankfully have avoided covid so far but I would absolutely want it on my medical records with a PCR. I guess if you had a quick bout then recovered quickly it probably wouldn't matter but if you do deteriorate you would require a PCR as an inpatient and it might delay your transfer to a more appropriate placement such as ITU or HDU (because you can't go to a covid ITU without a record of a positive PCR as other patients on ventilators (aerosol generating procedure) so you would be more at risk of getting it if yoy were negative. You wouldn't be able to go to a non covid ICU because you were experiencing symptoms and if you were to require intubation you would be at high risk of spreading to other patients so would require a documented negative PCR.

Also if you experienced any symptoms of long covid but didn't have a documented positive PCR the GP would have to rule out other causes first before managing the symptoms of long covid.

I've experienced test and trace when they phone about patients and I wouldn't have described it as particularly grilling.

@ShirleyPhallus - please stop spreading misinformation. I was told this Friday by contact tracing and a relative was told the same this morning. If you live in a house with a confirmed case, you are supposed to get a PCR.

They should make it possible to just log LF positives online or something if people so choose
They do

www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result

How awful is it, @Foolsrule that we’re bickering about the confusing rules?

There are also quite a few people I know doing test after test in the hope of being able to cancel Christmas.

Rates aren’t going down, they’re going up.

I had a positive LFT 2 weeks ago(work in school and test twice weekly) but my PCR was negative. Just saying, they’re not very accurate.

@Bunnyfuller - what’s awful is the idiots who interpret the rules to suit themselves and get us into this situation in the first place. I mean - the PP who felt they could ‘put their head in the sand’. Jesus wept!

@FaLaLaLaLaaaar

Yes, my DM has had 2 positive lat flows, but hasn’t bothered getting a PCR. She knows she has Corona and is isolating, so why does she need a PCR?

The reason I would is if I needed any treatment for long covid, it is much easier to convince people it was covid with the confirmed test result.

[quote Foolsrule]@Bunnyfuller - what’s awful is the idiots who interpret the rules to suit themselves and get us into this situation in the first place. I mean - the PP who felt they could ‘put their head in the sand’. Jesus wept![/quote]
I had no idea this was going on, it’s frightening and I am not some covid rule lover either. Just where is the common sense and thought for the greater good?

[quote Foolsrule]@ShirleyPhallus - please stop spreading misinformation. I was told this Friday by contact tracing and a relative was told the same this morning. If you live in a house with a confirmed case, you are supposed to get a PCR.[/quote]
It’s not misinformation, it’s literally on the gov.uk website:
“If you are vaccinated… you’re not required to isolate but are strongly recommended to take a LFT every day for 7 days and self isolate if any of the test results are positive”

For people saying they know it isn’t Covid, not having a go just sharing our experience.

When we had Covid, our two dc were ill for no more than two days whereas we were ill for two weeks+. They were both poorly and then, in less than 48 hours were back to bouncing off the walls! We couldn’t test either of them due to disabilities and the distress it would cause but I’m 99.9% sure they both had Covid alongside dh and I.
They had symptoms similar to us and we therefore all stayed home for the required isolation period. I wouldn’t have wanted to risk them passing it onto someone else but I could have just said oh it was a cold, all better now - back to school, but I knew it wasn’t.
I do think lots of people will have had Covid without realising, asymptomatic or extremely mild symptoms so have not tested. The kids had 1 rough night and that was it, if dh and I hadn’t been as bad as we were, we really could have put it down to a sniffle for the kids.

I agree. I work in a GP surgery, a huge proportion of my work is listening to chests to confirm that they don't need antibiotics because it is likely viral, and possibly Covid, but no PCR. Sometimes because they know it's not Covid (well I don't know it's not Covid so no idea how they do) and no they can't get a test because they need to get to work. It's soul destroying. @DreamerSeven you don't know it's not Covid, symptoms don't necessarily last long and it may well have been/be.

@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?

I think you just have to ask yourself what would Boris do?

True; however my hypothesis is that the numbers will continue to fall next week.

Based on what? The fact a couple of your “friends” have decided to be idiots?

Cases are not dropping (it’s just the weekend), I think there has always been people that don’t want to get a PCR, for some it’s a lot of hassle, for some it means driving miles or finding someone to take them. Of course if you have a positive LFT you should book a PCR and if you have symptoms you should get a PCR test but I also understand how annoying it is if your one of those people that picks up every cold and virus going.

Of course there will be some idiots that won’t test over Christmas because they don’t want to change their plans, I’m sure it was the same last Christmas too. Now with a lockdown looming people are going to want to see their family before we are no longer allowed too.

Selfish to the highest degree tbh.

@ShirleyPhallus - that’s as may be, but it’s not what people are being told when contact tracing call…

@Dozer

They have also removed the requirement for a PCR for people with no symptoms living in a household with someone who has tested positive.

Based in friend's T&T message she received yesterday, it is still advised, even though not a requirement.

YANBU. They're knob heads!

[quote Foolsrule]@ShirleyPhallus - that’s as may be, but it’s not what people are being told when contact tracing call…[/quote]
I’ll take that as “sorry for accusing you of spreading misinformation” then

YANBU because this has already been acknowledged in the public numbers....What is being said is that the numbers are AT LEAST xxx but being under reported

I have never seen a thread where OP has had to re-explain herself so many times

Are you very new to MN?

Those saying they won't test, even if they have known symptoms of covid (not just the big 3) , and will carry on as normal - are you not seeing anyone elderly or vulnerable over Christmas? Or coming into contact with potentially vulnerable/elderly people next week?

Also OP is mis quoting the data!!!
She's only quoting for England not the uk to make it seem like there was a huge drop!! Honestly. 89,0754 isn't exactly a massive drop now is it!!! Talk about using a confirmation bias support the hypothesis 🙄