Are people actually doing lft's to come out of isolation after 5 or 7 days?

[CA0932017]

Curious really.

We all had covid last month. Was 10 days for all of us, the new rules weren't out for 3 out of 4 of us. The new rules come out on day 8 for dd, she still had a line. She did the full 10 days, made little difference at that point.

she now has covid again.. different story.

But all I've seen is people saying they are testing positive and having to isolate tor 5 days! They haven't seemed to consider it might be the full 10 days based on lft's. But they have no idea if it will only be 5 days. They could have a line way past the day 5 or even 7 mark in my experience. Are they just assuming or just doing the 5 days anyway? One mum is moaning she's gonna have her kids off for 5, does she not know it might be 10?

Genuinely curious! I'm not moaning at them or anything!

Yes I think some people are under the impression that it's now 5 days isolation in all cases. So no they aren't testing/ aren't waiting for 2 negatives 24hrs apart.

On the other hand SIL's employer wouldn't let her go back to work after her ten days, they told her she wasn't allowed back until she had a negative test! So she had to have an extra 4 days off in the end.

What a mess!

DC’s class is pretty much wiped out with covid at the moment and he’s been the only one so far to be able to return on day 6. I assume the others are still testing positive.

Seems quite random to me!

DH had it earlier this month. Was unwell but tested negative on days 6 and 7 and so was released (but didn't actually go anywhere for another couple of days).

Acquaintance tested positive same day, barely any symptoms but had to wait 10 days as still positive on LFT's all the way through.

Friend has it now, symptomatic and still testing positive on day 8.

A real mixed bag but everyone I know is sticking to the rules.

Since the beginning of the pandemic everyone on mumsnet tells me no one (but them) is following the rules…yet pictures if empty streets suggested not. Until I see actual data I therefore doubt the but not one follows The RULZ but me post!

I had positive PCR on Monday after feeling under the weather Sunday. Negative LFT. LFT was positive Tuesday with a strong line. Thursday virtually no line but positive. Today no line so if it's negative tomorrow I'll crack on as normal. Isn't the point that I could have been asymptomatic for a number of days before feeling ill and therefore be on day 10 and just not know it?

I don't know anyone who isn't aware they have to test day 6&7 (am in Scotland) to get released from self isolation.

We both had to do the full 10 days. I was still testing positive on day 11 but no longer in isolation. Youngest was free on day 8.

The problem here I've found is test and protect are giving out incorrect and conflicting information. If they don't know what you need to do, then there isn't much hope anyone else will either.

Interesting reading these. We all tested positive pretty much the same time.
DS negative day 5, 6, 7 so went back to nursery
Hubby still fain positive (day 10 today)
Me - faint lines throughout, only coming up after 10 minutes. Negative on day 8… and now big fat positives on days 9 and 10?!! So weird.

Dd2 was still positive on day 5 but tested negative on 6 and 7 so then went back to school. She had the mildest case ever, no symptoms at all

Yep, I was surprised that DD got a negative but she did. Remember the first day you test positive is day zero and you are allowed out on day 6 so for many people it’s a minimum of 6 days of isolation.

My 6 year old grandson is on day 6 and still getting a strong positive. Yes, his mum is testing.

I was still getting a line on day 11 let alone 5 or 7 when it was still darker than the control line. I bet some aren't bothering though

@Wnkingawalrus

DC’s class is pretty much wiped out with covid at the moment and he’s been the only one so far to be able to return on day 6. I assume the others are still testing positive.

Oh yes, I forgot. At least 19 in my grandsons class have it, some before him and none have had a negative result yet.

@Iggly

Yet again our glorious government fail to explain things properly.

They are too busy trying to make things sound better than they are instead of giving clear instructions!

I think its perfectly clear (and I hate the current government) and people are thick as pig shit and don't read the rules properly or they don't want to isolate anymore and are selfish arseholes.

I think its perfectly clear (and I hate the current government) and people are thick as pig shit and don't read the rules properly or they don't want to isolate anymore and are selfish arseholes

It’s not perfectly clear actually and insulting people gets you nowhere.

I understand the rules because I took the time to watch the broadcast and read up to check. But they keep fucking changing which helps no one.

Many people would have only heard the headlines.

A proper public information campaign would make it very clear in various ways but the government have not done that.

I think calling people pig shit thick is nasty. I get very annoyed at people thinking that LFTs are gold standard - but I’m not surprised because the government have implied as much!

Look at this ridiculous wording on the government website:

From Monday 17 January, people with COVID-19 in England can end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6

People then start thinking eh wtf is day 6 then because the government have said 5 “full” days. There are clearer ways of explaining it tbh.

Another corker

People self-isolating with COVID-19 will have the option to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative on both day 5 and day 6 and do not have a temperature, from Monday, 17 January

So the crucial piece of information is not having a temperature and that’s not mentioned in the headline.

So the first crucial message should be if you have no temperature and test negative on LFTs on day 5 and 6, then you can end isolation.

It’s sloppy communication.

@Firesidefox

My DD (11) is day 5 today and still a strong positive line so she's still isolating.

Do those of you have gone from positive to negative know if the test line gradually fades each day, or just goes from positive to negative one day to the next?

My daughters faded gradually until not visible. My dd9 tested on day 5 and got super faint line then got no line on day 6 and 7 so back to school. My ds11 stayed strong positive for 8 days at which point we stopped bothering as it was the weekend so he wasn't in school until Monday anyway.

I think there will be loads of people who think isolation is 5 days now, heard a snippet on the news and have cracked on without actually reading/listening to any of the detail. I've even heard of an employer who was pressuring staff to do this and staff had to email gov.uk link in with picture of positive test to be 'allowed' to stay away

Thanks all. Dd still had a faint line on Thursday which was day 4 - too soon to do one I know but Ds was doing one and she wanted to do one 😅 i had expected a line still the next day. However, I did another yesterday (Friday) morning and it was negative. Hoping for another negative today 🤞 not necessarily gonna take her anywhere busy if she's negative again but it means she can go school Monday and maybe a walk on the beach!! It almost feels illegal, as we did the full 10 just last month 😅

When she had covid last month she still had a line on day 8/9 despite being totally asymptomatic. I had it last month and had symptoms for the whole 10 days but was negative by day 7 or 8. Often symptoms don't indicate it!

Thanks @TopCatsTopHat - today is day 7 and we still have a strong line, having had quite a faint one on Thursday!

So annoying, I'm desperate for her to go back to school on Monday.

My ds tested positive yesterday but LFT was very faint , i suspect he has had it since weds though as he had headache on weds and a very slight start of sore throat but felt ok thurs but had negative LFT wed and thurs as work asked him to test as he was unwell but not official symptoms
I think its assumed the LFT always pick up when they don't and certainly not straight away in my ds case as it seems a huge coincidence it wasn't covid on weds
But as his lFT was just about readable as positive i suspect if we tested today his may not even be positive now
Its also about time they changed guideline for symptoms for a pcr

I agree it’s not clear at all. I have a text from track and trace saying my isolation finishes at midnight tonight, yet the app (which I put the code in FROM the text) says I have 2 days to go. So even they can’t agree!

And the rules change all the time too

I had a very clear positive yesterday on day 6. (Counting day of the test as day 0) today on day 7. My husband son and I are all negative. Haven't tested the other Dc yet but will be but hopefully we may be free tomorrow.

Thanks all. Dd's test today was also
Negative, so she's out of isolation after testing positive last Sunday, symptoms started Sunday. Not heard many people being negative by day 5 or 6, but maybe because she had it last month too, means she cleared the infection quicker. She was positive on day 8-9 still last month, could have been longer but didn't test her again after that point!