Can you tell my DH why he needs a PCR?

[halfthedream]

The background, in bullet point form :

• DH had symptoms starting Sunday
• Started testing with LFTs at home (he's always done this fairly regularly with cold symptoms anyway)
• Negative LFT on Sunday night, positive LFT on Monday night
• Also felt a lot worse and sense of taste got weird on Monday too
• SO, naturally, we're 100% sure he has covid
• I booked him in for a PCR on Tuesday daytime
• He said he felt way too rubbish to leave the house
• He said he doesn't need a PCR to confirm what he already knows
• He is obviously isolating for the required 10 days too

Reasons I can think of for him needing one :

• So that it's 'on the record' and part of any statistics collecting etc

• So that we know whether it's Omicron or not

• Because, I've heard/read that you can still test positive on LFTs/PCR for up to 90 days after you've had covid, and since I am pregnant and in third trimester and therefore due to go into hospital within 90 days, if he tests positive on their required LFT and he's not on the system as having had covid, then how do they know he's not actually got covid at that time and refuse him access?? (I've only JUST thought of this a short while ago, haven't had a chance to discuss with him or to confirm anything with hospital, will have to phone them tomorrow - so please don't come on and say he's being selfish etc as I haven't actually pointed this out to him yet.)

Any other reasons you guys know of why he NEEDS to get one?

Your first and third reasons should be enough. Your second I’m not sure is correct - I don’t think anywhere in the UK has different isolation rules for omicron now, so I don’t think they are telling people this.

It being on his medical record I’ve heard is beneficial if he were to need long covid support as well.

He can get a postal test if he doesn’t want to leave the house.

There really isn't any need that I can think of. I thought the testing positive thing for up to 90 days was for LFTs. The only reason I can think of is your issue about being able to be with you for the birth. However even if he did get a PCR, if he did still register positive later then they would probably still exclude him on the grounds that he could have been reinfected.

Just order one? You can even have a courier pick it up if you're unable to leave the house

Can he get hold of a postal one?
I’m not sure any of your reasons are particularly compelling for me, I’d have one done so I could ensure others had a safe Christmas and could let anyone else know that I had been in contact with etc but if he’s planning on self isolating anyway then no one ever has to unless they have symptoms.
I mean, he should have one for sure but I don’t think knowing it’s omicron or not has any baring on anything as I’m not sure if you personally find out if it’s omicron of it they just process that data at the lab, how does ‘knowing it’s omicron’ make a difference to you?
How close to your due date are you? I’m guessing you still have a way to go in which case are you likely to need him to come with you to hospital within the next 10 days or not?
By the way, I do think he should just have the test, but just trying to work out if it’s the end of the world if he just isolates!! How much of an impact is it going to have on you and the rest of your household?

Statistics ? Meh there are too many cases are unknown. As long as he doesn’t need a bed in hospital
On his record .. I guess so if something goes wrong or long covid he can ask for help
It doesn’t matter which variant is it
Only pcrs might show the positive in the future. In fact now you can stop self isolating if your lfds are negative on day 6 and 7 as that’s when they start to.

So only 2 of your reasons would really matter to me

Order both of you home tests, as to be honest I am more concerned about you catching it from him and needing to know for sure. I am sure your DH isn’t the only person not bothering with PCRs when they clearly have symptoms and positive LFT, but at least he’s doing the right thing in isolating.

Why do you need to know if it's omicron?

Your third reason is the only one that I think he needs to really pay attention to.