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.

If you only have a faint positive do another one this evening it is likely to be negative. Get that one logged on NHS website. Then another test exactly 24 hours later in the evening of Christmas Eve. If that is negative your obligation to isolate ends immediately. Make sure you log that on NHS website and you are clear to go out.

Actually I think you would be fine to ignore the period stated by the test and trace website as it seems to be due to a system error. If you abide by the isolation laws and can prove your dates you cannot be sanctioned. The test and trace automatic system is just a monitoring tool it doesn't have the force of law.

@Covidclaire

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.

It’s incredibly unusual for a person to still be infectious (and showing a positive result on a LFT) after 10 days.

More info here

Sorry as I haven’t read full thread so this may have already been mentioned. If there is a long gap between the start of symptoms and you testing then there is some sort of algorithm they use that means that the start date of isolation changes. Have you spoken to anyone at T&T or called 119?

It’s incredibly unusual for a person to still be infectious (and showing a positive result on a LFT) after 10 days

I continued to have a positive LFT until day 12

You’re free on 25th not 24th.

I’d go anyway tbh as long as your lft is clear tomorrow.

Nobody is going to even notice never mind fine you or send you to jail!

@MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry

You only got your results 9 days later??

I ordered the test (immediately). It took several days to arrive, then when I sent it back I didn't get my results for ages.

What date did you take the test? I believe it's a minimum of 5 days from test date irrespective of symptoms starting.

That sounds weary - in future I probably won’t take PCRs if they take that long. Plus when I had it they bombarded with calls and texts.

You're out of isolation on 25th, so I would go.

It's to do with the postal tests and the test date they get. Not your symptoms.

Test and trace gave me 13 days isolation. They said they don't go off the symptoms starting date if there is a certain gap between that and the pcr confirmation - otherwise some would claim an earlier date to get out of isolation.

What do you think would ruin Christmas more, you not going, or you infecting everyone because you are still infectious, as demonstrated by your LFT?

@Siameasy

That sounds weary - in future I probably won’t take PCRs if they take that long. Plus when I had it they bombarded with calls and texts.

PCR results usually take less than 24 hours if you go in person, postal tests seem to take a lot longer.

Your isolation ends on the 25th. The 10 days isolation is inclusive, so you'll still be isolating on the 24th.

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)

It's a good job maths teachers don't need to know how to read.
Isolation is the first day of symptoms plus the next 10 full days.

From the government website. It’s very clear.

Your LFT is still positive, why are you thinking of going and spreading your infection to everyone else???

So… your symptoms started on the 14th and you finish isolating at midnight on the 24th.
I think that’s what’s confusing you. You’re free on the 25th.

You're free from day 11, and they count day 1 as the first full day after symptoms started

14th - symptom
15th - 1
16th - 2
17th - 3
18th - 4
19th - 5
20th - 6
21st - 7
22nd - 8
23rd - 9
24th - 10
25th - 11 and release day

They won’t do anything, its a ‘computer says no’. Happened to my daughter, because T&T did not receive test results - hardly our fault! posted in good time - their system only lets them go back a certain number of days and they count the isolation from there. Was really traumatic for her as it meant she missed all fresher events.

@ChristmasMouseInHouse

It’s incredibly unusual for a person to still be infectious (and showing a positive result on a LFT) after 10 days

I continued to have a positive LFT until day 12

You are very much an outlier, the naked scientist guy was asked this question on the radio this morning and he said it was extremely unlikley that anyone would be infectious after 10 days, that's why you don't need to prove it by testing to end isolation

So much misinformation on this thread. Op you would be free from isolation on 25th.
And a positve lateral flow after day 10 does NOT mean you are still infectious

Day of symptoms is day zero. So day 1 is the next so 24th would be your last day of isolation and allowed out on the 25th.

Test and trace aren't great. They couldn't even tell me when ds's isolation ended due to symptoms starting a few days before positive test but previous tests when symptoms started being negative. I was told 'I don't know' or 'I think so'

You are very much an outlier, the naked scientist guy was asked this question on the radio this morning and he said it was extremely unlikley that anyone would be infectious after 10 days, that's why you don't need to prove it by testing to end isolation

Plenty of people continue to test positive after 10 days. That’s why there used to be a 90 day exemption period following a positive PCR where you were advised against retesting unless you developed new symptoms. The tests can pick up dead virus for ages after the 10 days. Doesn’t mean you are still infectious though.

I tested positive the day before you and my release time is in 40 minutes! So you’re will be in one day and 40 minutes unless you get the two negatives 24 hours apart.

@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

This is exactly why I don’t follow that you claim you should be free I.e out of isolation on 24th. By your maths you will not be out until 25th.