Which is correct: don’t test on pcr for 90 days after covid or lfts too?

[2boysand1princess]

As the title says. Is it don’t test for 90 days after covid on pcr or lfts too?
Also has anyone throwing faint positives 2 weeks after covid. Just faint positives not very dark?

Schools were told last week by DfE that, even if within 90 days, students should do the LFT before coming into school.

This is all a bit unclear at the moment though.

I stopped isolating in early December and have done four lft tests over the last two weeks for work. All have been negative......if that's any help 👍

Dd had covid in mid December. Since the class went back last week they've had an outbreak. I have done lft's on dd and they were negative, I wouldn't do a pcr on her though. She's one of the last few not positive. Hoping last months infection has protected her!

Some people have scraps of Covid genetic material, thought to be inactive, lingering in their noses and/or throats for up to 90 days. These can be picked up on PCR tests.

Lateral flow/antigen tests pick up the protein on the actual virus. If it's present in your throat/nose you are considered potentially infectious, if it is not, you are not. Roughly. It's not thought that people generally have the virus/remain infectious for 90 days, but I suppose someone might.

PCR, not LFT

That's for PCRs. Dc had covid in December so when I got it as a household contact they had to test on lft instead of taking a PCR for 7 days to earn their freedom. This changed from them taking part on day 1 and 5 based on the previous rules still in place when I first tested in place of a cc PCR

Don't test on PCRs for 90 days unless you have new symptoms. The advice is to LFT to release early from isolation so they aren't saying don't test on LFT anymore. This is due to new strains as it's possible to get omicron very soon after delta for example.

You have to test neg on pcr to get out of isolation.

@lljkk

You have to test neg on pcr to get out of isolation.

Where? In England it is 2 negative LFTs.

@lljkk

You have to test neg on pcr to get out of isolation.

No I don't think so

If you get a pos PCR you have to isolate for ten days but you can end isolation early if you get negative LFTs for consecutive days from day 6

I couldn't find clear advice.
DC tested positive in November after being a close contact. They had no symptoms and isolated for 10 days. Negative LFT on the last day of isolation.

I tested positive on last Friday after being ill for two days, T&T told family to LFT for 7 days, 119(?) told us not to LFT DC who had had Covid, DC's school said we must LFT them. We did and he was positive, he did have symptoms this time too so assuming he's had it again. 119 said we shouldn't have tested and not to get a PCR, but as we did test treat as a new case.

Other than schools all other settings are told not to lft, including most workplaces - i'm in government based workplace and we received same guidance as below which is sent to care/nhs. This was updated at xmas to refelect omicron. It clearly states no lft or pcr. The advice to test to release does not over rule the 90 day rule. People can leave isolation early if they test negative but even if they dont they can leave on day 10 given people can still test positive even on an lft for much longer.

Here is updated nhs advice:

Testing within 90 days of a positive PCR test
Following a substantial clinical review of the latest evidence and
testing data, we are now changing the advice for retesting within 90
days of a positive. From now on, if someone tests positive with a PCR
test, they should not be tested using PCR or LFD for 90 days, unless
they develop new symptoms during this time, in which case they
should be retested immediately using PCR. This 90 day period is from
the initial onset of symptoms or, if asymptomatic when tested, their
positive test result.
The previous policy to continue LFD testing following a positive PCR
result was because although very unlikely, it is possible to be reinfected within 90 days. However based on the latest testing data and
clinical advice, the policy has now changed.
The clinical view is that during this 90 day window from a positive test,
given the low rate of reinfection during this window, it is significantly
more likely that a positive LFD test would be a false result, rather than
someone being re-infected, causing people to isolate unnecessarily.
Therefore we are now stopping the regular testing using LFD during
this 90 day period. The individual should return to the regular LFD and
PCR regime once 90 days has passed.

That's useful @Watapalava, thanks

@Watapalava

Other than schools all other settings are told not to lft, including most workplaces - i'm in government based workplace and we received same guidance as below which is sent to care/nhs. This was updated at xmas to refelect omicron. It clearly states no lft or pcr. The advice to test to release does not over rule the 90 day rule. People can leave isolation early if they test negative but even if they dont they can leave on day 10 given people can still test positive even on an lft for much longer.

Here is updated nhs advice:

Testing within 90 days of a positive PCR test
Following a substantial clinical review of the latest evidence and
testing data, we are now changing the advice for retesting within 90
days of a positive. From now on, if someone tests positive with a PCR
test, they should not be tested using PCR or LFD for 90 days, unless
they develop new symptoms during this time, in which case they
should be retested immediately using PCR. This 90 day period is from
the initial onset of symptoms or, if asymptomatic when tested, their
positive test result.
The previous policy to continue LFD testing following a positive PCR
result was because although very unlikely, it is possible to be reinfected within 90 days. However based on the latest testing data and
clinical advice, the policy has now changed.
The clinical view is that during this 90 day window from a positive test,
given the low rate of reinfection during this window, it is significantly
more likely that a positive LFD test would be a false result, rather than
someone being re-infected, causing people to isolate unnecessarily.
Therefore we are now stopping the regular testing using LFD during
this 90 day period. The individual should return to the regular LFD and
PCR regime once 90 days has passed.

Thanks for this!