Test and Trace are giving me wrong isolation dates, which mean I'll be isolating over Christmas!

[WindInTheWillows7]

My symptoms started on Tuesday 14th, which means I should be free on 24th so I can go home for Christmas.
I sent my PCR test via post and it took a while to get the result. Only got it today.
I filled out the form from Test and Trace saying who I'd been on contact with etc etc.
But then at the end it told me I need to isolate until 26?! And that if I don't I'm breaking the law.
I've made plans to go and visit my family over Christmas and this would ruin it all. It's incorrect and I'm tempted to ignore it and just go, because I know I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm following the official guidance which is isolate 10 days from when you have symptoms.

What should I do???? I don't want to be fined but I don't want to ruin my Christmas because of a technical error.

I did another lateral flow today which is still showing a faint positive, so I can't end the isolation early on those grounds, but regardless of this I should still be free tomorrow, if it wasn't for this incorrect date they're giving me

Are you in England, it's down to 7 days now if you have the negative lfts

@SirensofTitan

Are you in England, it's down to 7 days now if you have the negative lfts

I am in England but my LFTs are still positive (but technically I should still be out by tomorrow regardless of this)

PP is right, but only if you are double vaxxed and in England.
T&T were right at the point they gave you this instruction. Day 0 is symptom day, Day 1 is the day after your symptoms started, so 15th to the 25th inclusive, free on the 26th.

You can phone 119 and talk to Test and Trace and they can tell you over the phone what to do.

Even going by your dates the first day is day 0 so it's 10 full days after that, so you would end your isolation at midnight on Christmas Day and this cutie travel on 26th. Test and Trace are right.

Sorry, it Sucks, our Christmas and possibly new year being decimated by positives too

I would just ignore it. Especially as the new guidance is 7 days, so they won't be chasing you after that.

I think T&T are right too, just going from the dates you’ve given.

@BigWoollyJumpers

PP is right, but only if you are double vaxxed and in England. T&T were right at the point they gave you this instruction. Day 0 is symptom day, Day 1 is the day after your symptoms started, so 15th to the 25th inclusive, free on the 26th.

Your isolation period includes the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you do not have symptoms), and the next 10 full days. My symptoms started 14th. The next 10 full days takes me to 24th.

Ignore it then. They won't be following you in a COVID van. You know the truth 🤷‍♀️

The test and trace form will have calculated from the date you said your symptoms started. Are you sure that you filled all of the questions out correctly? They calculate the date based on the information that you gave them. Did your symptoms include a cough, fever or loss of taste and smell? If you answered no to the question of whether you had those three symptoms then it will calculate the isolation from the date of your test, even if you had other symptoms.

Your isolation should end at midnight on the 24th if your symptoms started on the 14th. Mine started on the 15th and I have to isolate over Xmas day based on 10 days. However, you can now end isolation early if you have negative LFTs on day 6 and day 7 of your isolation. I’m on day 8 and still isolating because I had a positive yesterday. Negative today, so fingers crossed I can stop isolation tomorrow (so two days early rather than three). Do an LFT today and tomorrow and if negative you can end isolation.

I'm confused by how everyone is calculating these days... :/

14th - Symptoms start

15th - Day 1

16th - Day 2

17th - Day 3

18th - Day 4

19th - Day 5

20th - Day 6

21st - Day 7

22nd - Day 8

23rd - Day 9

24th - Day 10

So the 25th is when you can stop isolating. You have to isolate for all of the 24th. You are then free on the 25th.

From what you've said, you "should" finish isolation tomorrow. BUT it does say really clearly when you fill everything online "are you sure the above details are correct, because once you confirm, you cannot then change them". I'm guessing you ticked "no symptoms" rather than entering the date of your first symptoms? (Also, if your lft is still positive then you're likely still contagious.)

@WindInTheWillows7

I'm confused by how everyone is calculating these days... :/

14th - Symptoms start

15th - Day 1

16th - Day 2

17th - Day 3

18th - Day 4

19th - Day 5

20th - Day 6

21st - Day 7

22nd - Day 8

23rd - Day 9

24th - Day 10

Ps I'm a maths teacher, and I'm at the end of my tether with people who can't count! I just tell them to use their fingers now. (you're right BTW)

Sorry, yes you're free on 25th, not 24th. I think there is a cut off on the gap between symptoms starting and positive test result and if it's too big they don't count from symptoms starting but date of test (or receipt, or result -can differ).

Whatever you can't travel Christmas Eve, sadly

@BigWoollyJumpers

PP is right, but only if you are double vaxxed and in England. T&T were right at the point they gave you this instruction. Day 0 is symptom day, Day 1 is the day after your symptoms started, so 15th to the 25th inclusive, free on the 26th.

That's not correct - the reduction to 7 days applies to everyone regardless of their vaccination status in England. (There is no change to the isolation for close contacts though, where un vaccinated over 18 year olds still have to isolate for 10 days).

You’re free on n the 25th, so you can travel on the 25th but not the 24th. I would ignore t&t saying it’s the 26th personally and go with the 25th which is correct.

I sent my PCR test via post and it took a while to get the result. Only got it today.

When did you take the test? Maybe too long after symptoms started so they started from the test date?

But based on symptoms start date you are right OP. You’re the same dates as me and my release time was given as 23:59 on Dec 24th.

It's the 25th you can come out of isolation, not the 24th or the 26th

Carry on as you’ve planned they will not know-this isn’t North Korea.

I thought a positive lateral flow test means you're infectious? So are you planning on just taking your infectious self off to spread around family for Christmas?

Why did you do the PCR in the first place?

This is precisely the reason I refuse to engage with the State any further than I am legally obliged to.

Had you applied a bit of common sense, you wouldn’t have the problem in the first place.

That said, you will still be infectious for as long as your LFT is positive

You only got your results 9 days later??

That said, you will still be infectious for as long as your LFT is positive

If that is really true why has there never been a requirement to get a negative LF before ending isolation?

OP you can do your 10 days isolation. No requirement to further isolate after that unless you still have a temperature.