Covid app counting from positive test, not date symptoms started

[SkepticalCat]

I started with cold-like symptoms last Saturday. I had been LFT testing daily as household members positive. Negative tests Saturday and Sunday, but I tested positive on Monday. So today is Day 7 from symptoms starting, but Day 5 from testing positive).

Test and Trace email says that my last day of isolation is 1 February (including this date). They are taking it from when I reported my symptoms starting.

However, the Covid-19 app is telling me that I need to isolate until 3 February. They are taking it from when I tested positive.

My Day 7 (or 5) lateral flow test today is strongly positive.

I know from what I've read from official sources that isolation can end 10 full days after symptoms start, but the info on the app has got me worried.

I am due to go somewhere next Wednesday 2nd Feb, which I thought would be OK as Test and Trace email says I'll have completed isolation. But I'm worried about going, esp if I'm still testing positive up to the day before and the app is telling me I still need to isolate.

I have this too. Email says isolate until 31st Jan. App says 4th Feb.

Son was positive so I was doing daily lft, all negative. I started with a cold on Thurs 20th or Friday 21st which turned in to a sore throat and little cough on Monday 24th (not a continuous cough, coughing for an hour, or 3 coughing bouts in 24hrs), so technically still not 'official' symptoms. Lft still negative on Tuesday 25th. On the basis of the cough I went for PCR on Tues 25th which came back positive.

App is taking start date as 25th, email is taking start from when I first had cold symptoms on 20th.

I'm going with doing lft from today which may be day 9 or day 4 or somewhere in between. If I get 2 negatives then I'm out tomorrow. I'm hoping to be out to get back to work on Monday at least. But accept it may be Tues or weds.

I had this too. I went by the official t&t email date rather than the app as they had all the info re symptoms and the app just knows about the test date.

The app hasn't updated to reflect the latest guidance. I was told to ignore it and go by the text sent by test and trace.

Thank you. Yes, I think I'll go by what Test & Trace email says. As you say, they have info about when my symptoms started. I have looked on the app to see if I can update it with date symptoms started, but I can't see anything. It's a bit silly that Test & Trace and the app don't link up. All it does is spread confusion as to the proper rules.

@dicdicnurse

The app hasn't updated to reflect the latest guidance. I was told to ignore it and go by the text sent by test and trace.

Thank you.

I’d def go by t&t though if you are still testing positive it’s a good ideal to be cautious

I honestly didn’t think anyone was using the app anymore- probably why it hasn’t been updated