Day 6 & 7 tests

[Cookerhood]

It not at all clear what day 7 is. Originally the day of positive test or symptoms was day 0, so (as it still says on govt website) if you tested positive on 15th you ended isolation at 23.59 on 25th. Our positive person tested positive on 22nd, and T&T have told her day 7 is 28th, which is the seventh day which means that the first day is now day 1.
The government website is as clear as mud. Does anyone know what is correct? I have googled extensively and it just says 7 days but doesn't clarify whether you start on day 0 or day 1. If anyone can point me to a reliable source rather than their interpretation I would be very grateful.

Your first day is always day 0, from your dates day 6 would be 28th and the first day you can count one of the consecutive negative lateral flow test.

In the absence of anything changing in the official government guidance, I would assume that first day of symptoms is still day 0. I wouldn't particularly trust t&t to get it right. Are you sure that the person in question didn't report symptoms as starting on the 21st?

When you say tested positive do you mean on lft or pcr taken earlier?

The day you start with symptoms or the day you take a test is day 0. You start counting the following day.

I agree that the govt website isn't clear, but it is clear on how to count days under the original rules of 10 days. There's no reason to think the counting method would be different for 7 days.

@Jelly0naplate

Your first day is always day 0, from your dates day 6 would be 28th and the first day you can count one of the consecutive negative lateral flow test.

I completely agree, but that's not what t&t have said. I'm looking for something to show the person

@chiefcha

When you say tested positive do you mean on lft or pcr taken earlier?

The day you start with symptoms or the day you take a test is day 0. You start counting the following day.

PCR. Lft didn't turn positive until the next day.

@Jelly0naplate

Your first day is always day 0, from your dates day 6 would be 28th and the first day you can count one of the consecutive negative lateral flow test.

That's what I think but not what t&t have said. Looking for something to prove it!

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection#SymptomsPositiveTest

"You may be able to end your self-isolation period before the end of the 10 full days. You can take an LFD test from 6 days after the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you did not have symptoms), and another LFD test on the following day."

So day 1 is the day after test (or symptoms), as you thought, and as is the case for the ten days. TnT have made a mistake (or symptoms started a day earlier, or they meant day 6).

Did they have symptoms?
What triggered them to get a PCR if the LFT was negative?

If symptoms, day 0 is the day symptoms begin, not when the test was done.

Nope, no symptoms until after positive test. Thanks for the link, it sort of helps (although I had already seen it). I just wish it gave specific examples linked to the day 6/7.

Seems pretty common to keep testing positive past day 7 anyway, so maybe see what happens? NHS staff is to be cautious and avoid contact with vulnerable people at this stage anyway faq.covid19.nhs.uk/article/KA-01404/en-us?parentid=CAT-01025&rootid=

Sorry, that should say NHS guidance, not staff.

It's ok I've persuaded her about the number of days. Thank you to all.

And there were some symptoms on the day of the test but not recognised as such at the time. Test was done because of contact with a positive case, as advised by t&t.

And of course she may still test positive on day 6 & 7 anyway.

Your later update of having symptoms after a positive test actually changes the situation as your isolation restarts from symptoms date incase were a positive test comes first

My latest update was that they had symptoms on the day of the test. I think we are all clear now anyway, but thanks.