Lateral flow tests

[Timeforredwine]

Hello, just wanted to know peoples views on asking visitors, friends, relatives to do a lateral flow before meeting up in your house.
Thank you for your opinions

It's a Welsh thing too, "flow before you go". It's just the decent thing to do.
I would hate the think I was the asymptomatic spreader amongst my friends so I'm always happy to do it.

I do it if asked and do them twice a week for work but I wouldnt do it routinely before leaving the house or ask anyone else to. What would you do if people had run out? They are in short supply in many areas and surely the priority should be for those asked by the govt to test daily following known contact with a positive case

I test before meeting friends inside and before going to restaurants etc.
I ask my face to face work clients to test and I do the same before meeting with them.
Some days I don't go anywhere and I don't test automatically before leaving the house as I live on my own.

@TheDaydreamBelievers

Flow before you go for indoors meetings. All my friends and family do this (Scotland) and I think it's reasonable to ask. Though, I wouldn't really message "do a lateral flow before you come over". We tend more to message an hour before saying "done my LFT - negative so see you soon!" And the other replies in kind

I have a friend who does this and it drives me mad! I'd rather she was just honest and said do you mind doing a test before you come over? I'd have no problem doing one at all but it really pissed me off the way she just casually messages an hour or so beforehand to mention it. So passive aggressive, why can't people just be up front?!

I wouldn’t always be able to squeeze an LFT into an hour before I have to meet someone, i need more notice than that.

Quick question for those that may know , as google not answering.
I'm working with covid , husband just tested positive.
I feel rough as a bears arse.
I've done 3 tests . 2 negative. 3rd positive but line faded.
So positive or not?

@drinkingwineoutofamug

Quick question for those that may know , as google not answering. I'm working with covid , husband just tested positive. I feel rough as a bears arse. I've done 3 tests . 2 negative. 3rd positive but line faded. So positive or not?

A PCR is needed, but I would assume your one positive lft trumps your two negative lfts.

Nope I don't hardly ever test. DH never tested posted on a LFT until four days after positive PCR.

I don't ask people to do this because I really don't care. Would not be offended if asked though, and I'd do it. Might alert me to check if they were expecting me to be outdoors the whole time though! There aren't many people I like enough to spend hours sitting around in the January weather.

4th test negative . I have 40 in a box before anyone accuses me of being wasteful .
I have to inform work though as I work on an elderly care ward , even though it's a Covid ward. So they probably won't care.

That's a lot of single use plastic - are we thinking of the environmental aspects too?

@Blubells

That's a lot of single use plastic - are we thinking of the environmental aspects too?

Course we're not. Because the ONLY thing which matters is Covid.

Where have you been for the last two years? With people embracing disposable masks, plastic anti-bac wipes, clearing the shelves of plastic bottles of liquid soap and every cleaning product imaginable, firmly making the link that disposable/single use equates to good, covid-safe and hygienic?

Also I am struggling to follow the logic that 4 tests in a row is not wasteful as the poster concerned has a box of 40. 4 tests in a row is wasteful full stop. It is not dependent on how many you have in the house.

Which bit didn't you read? I work on an elderly care ward. Yes some of the patients have COVID . Not all of them do. We have to test daily to protect our vulnerable patients.
Which I am doing. Yes agree with the amount of plastic , but yes protecting my patients trumps that. And if you don't like it, sorry but I'm doing my job.

Oh and if I didn't mention it, my husband tested positive this morning

Thank you it is interesting to hear that some people do test on a fairly regular basis or if they need or want to see people and others are of the opinion they don't/won't with their reasons. I suppose it looks as though it comes down to literally each individual & what you feel is important for your own circumstances/family at this moment. It isn't just black & white so many grey areas, interesting to hear others thought process so thank you for taking time to respond.

@Timeforredwine

Thank you it is interesting to hear that some people do test on a fairly regular basis or if they need or want to see people and others are of the opinion they don't/won't with their reasons. I suppose it looks as though it comes down to literally each individual & what you feel is important for your own circumstances/family at this moment. It isn't just black & white so many grey areas, interesting to hear others thought process so thank you for taking time to respond.

Sorry to derail your thread

@drinkingwineoutofamug, no worries, you are doing a great job BTW and sorry to hear of the positive test!

I would never do this and if it were a condition of entry tk someone's house I wouldn't go in.

[quote Timeforredwine]@drinkingwineoutofamug, no worries, you are doing a great job BTW and sorry to hear of the positive test![/quote]
And now tested positive myself . Again.

I would happily do a ltf if someone asked me to, and I would choose to do one before meeting elderly/vulnerable relatives. Otherwise, I am not bothering though. I don't really go out with large groups of people but do meet friends, go to cafés etc.

I am triple vaccinated and regularly wear masks. I just don't see the need to test every time I leave the house. I am concerned about the amount of plastic waste that such frequent testing would produce. I'm also sceptical about how effective the ltf tests are in actually picking up the virus - all of mine were negative when I tested positive on a pcr.

DD does a twice weekly ltf for school. When she tested positive on that, I isolated while awaiting the results of my pcr. I would get q pcr if I had symptoms or had been a close contact. However, personally, I think it's overkill to do LTFs every time I leave the house.

Nope.

We've had several people round lately, and I'd never dream of asking.

Double vaxxed and boosted. Testing 3x a week for work. Wouldn’t do any more unless specifically asked, but wouldn’t object if asked.

@RichTeaRichTea

I wouldn’t always be able to squeeze an LFT into an hour before I have to meet someone, i need more notice than that.

Why not? It takes about 2 minutes to do it and 1 minute to check it after 15-30 minutes.

Because I might already be out doing something else an hour before meeting someone! I might be out at the park with my children, at work, popping to the supermarket on the way, out for a walk, all sorts of things. Are you really so lacking in imagination?

I tend to agree that its easier to test now as in just nose for some lft and a 10 minute wait time so not really time consuming.