Is there any point in a PCR?

[Dsisproblem]

Close ish contact of someone who tested positive. Doing daily lateral flows. Had a sore throat yesterday. Negative lateral flows. This evening it's positive. I'm going to isolate. Everyone I've been in contact with is already testing due to being in contact with the original case... is there any point in a PCR?
I feel like it's a waste of resources... any reason I haven't thought of why I should?

Because it is counted in the data. If nobody does a PCR it will look like Covid has varnished, apart from
in hospitals.

If you want to claim a covid payment, claim sick pay from work or get the covid recover pass then you'll need the pcr result.

Also, if you are unfortunate enough to get symptoms of long Covid you will be able to officially connect this with having Covid which will help on getting treated.

@LynetteScavo good point. Although doesn't seem we are short of positive results at the moment

@MarchingOnTogether unfortunately off on annual leave for a week so not relevant for me

@EducatingArti good point!

Because if you get it badly or long Covid it’s counted on your medical records.

Because you’re exempt from PCR tests for 90 days after you test positive as they might not be accurate and in 2 months time you might be glad of that PCR

If you're positive and want to travel within the next 12 weeks you may well fail any travel related testing because you're still testing positive. With an official test you can get a recovery cert to explain it.

If you're ill while on annual leave, you can cancel the annual leave and take it as sick leave.
Plus the other points as above.

I think you can get a covid recovery certificate (valid for three months from 10 days after positive PCR) on your record, releasing you from some LFT requirements.

Also, they sequence as many positive PCRS as possible which both assesses prevalence of different varieties and is vital for spotting new ones.

Everyone I know who has tested positive recently on LFT is doing the decent thing and not going PCR and invoking the heavy machinery of the Stalinist T&T on their contacts but just informing them so they can take appropriate action.

@AngryWithH

Everyone I know who has tested positive recently on LFT is doing the decent thing and not going PCR and invoking the heavy machinery of the Stalinist T&T on their contacts but just informing them so they can take appropriate action.

Better to take the PCR for the reasons given by pp above but just telling track and trace the basics but not naming people. Then telling your close contacts yourself. If you have an active app or work in a busy environment that's a bit harder.

I've booked a PCR! Thanks for your replies. Lots of good points.

Yes, I'm on day 14 of covid, tested positive on lateral flow but didn't get pcr as DH and Ds already tested positive on pcr, called dr today as feeling really poorly and now testing negative on LFT and gp told me I should have really had a pcr test so they had a record of me testing positive officially

@backoncemore83 hope you feel better soon

@AngryWithH

Everyone I know who has tested positive recently on LFT is doing the decent thing and not going PCR and invoking the heavy machinery of the Stalinist T&T on their contacts but just informing them so they can take appropriate action.

I was a close contact. I got one text from t and t and a link to go through to clarify I didn’t need to isolate.

Hardly heavy machinery!

I'm not bothering. DH tested positive on PCR, me positive today on LFT. I can't get a local PCR test and no postal tests available. Neither of us are well enough to drive the 1.5 drive to the suggested test site.

Lucky you. I have had the opposite experience with them. I ended up blocking them. I didn't get my 6 year old a PCR test despite having a positive lft. I couldn't face anymore contact with T&T.

I think it’s better to be in “the system”’as positive in case you get really ill.

Whether or not you chose to tell test and trace who you have seen is a different matter.

I think it's worth it for the travel recovery thing alone (but would block T&T after a terrible experience with them last year!)

No PCRs available here and by the time a postal one arrives and results are returned it would be past isolating period at this point anyway. Also past experience of T&T person continuously harassing me for days and having to repeat the same information (mostly irrelevant) for all the family, so no I will not be engaging with this again. I know what I need to do, symptoms are less than a cold, I comply with the isolation requirements.

OP, as a GP I've had a lot of problems referring patients to the long Covid clinic when they've not had proper evidence of infection that has been properly documented. Hopefully you'll feel better really soon but if by any chance you don't, it's better if you've had a formal diagnosis.

A lot of employers ask for proof of positive PCR, I wouldn’t bother for any other reason

@Sweetnhappy1 thanks, yes this is the main reason I booked. Off to my slot now!

I actually had no problem booking a slot 2 miles from home.