Do you / Would you test more than required?

[workwoes123]

Just that really... do you test before you go to meet people? Or before groups events? If you are travelling, and there are no tests required to travel (as a fully vaccinated person) would you do a test 'just in case'?

We are flying to our home country in a week. We are all fully vaccinated, There are currently no tests required to enter this country and no tests on arrival. If one of us is symptomatic or identified as a contact case before we go, of course we will test and do everything else as required. But 'just in case' when it's not required? My sister seems shocked that we won't test before we fly even when we're not required to. I should say that she has no kids and has WFH since the start of the pandemic and she's pretty health anxious at the best of times. DH and I work in schools, we have two kids in school - covid is not some scary unknown for us, for us this is part of living with it.

WWYD?

I’m at the stage where I am not inclined to test unless symptomatic. I don’t want to know really if one of us has it with no symptoms- I don’t want DS missing any more school!
I’m supposed to test twice weekly for work though and will begrudgingly carry on doing this (when I remember!)

I would test if I needed to,
For example before seeing someone vulnerable or I was unwell. Or I’d just been somewhere high risk. Same for the kids. That for me is what living with covid is - just being mindful!

@Iggly

Would that include testing before taking a trip that has been delayed for two years, family we haven’t seen in all that time, money spent and hopes raised for the umpteenth time? When there is no requirement to test?

Ordinarily I can live with the consequences of a positive result (the illness doesn’t worry me - the restrictions and their impact do) - DSs has just had Covid and we’ve followed all the rules, and would do again. But to deliberately put ourselves in that position for no reason other than “just in case” ? I’m finding that hard.

I would if someone vulnerable was going to be there. Even if we didn’t test to fly, I’d test before seeing them.

I do a test before seeing friends and family and before work meetings.

I would test before a trip.
I don't understand why anyone wouldn't really but then I wouldn't risk infecting other people if I was positive despite the possible rule change.

If you're inclined to ignore the result then there's not much point wasting the test.

The only vulnerable one is MIL, she’s in a home and DH will have to test before going to see her. My sister seems to expect us to test before visiting her and her partner (fit 40 somethings), and my parents (in their 70s, but fit, fully vaccinated and not asking us to test).

No we don’t test, only if seeing somebody vulnerable or if we have symptoms

@workwoes123

The only vulnerable one is MIL, she’s in a home and DH will have to test before going to see her. My sister seems to expect us to test before visiting her and her partner (fit 40 somethings), and my parents (in their 70s, but fit, fully vaccinated and not asking us to test).

What's the objection to testing? Would you visit your parents knowing you had covid?

I'm not testing at all now.

We actually meant to be staying with my parents. If one of us tests positive before we go there, do we have to book into a hotel and not have any contact? We can’t afford that. Is this what people do when visiting another country and visiting family? Have alternative accommodation lined up in case they need to isolate? I haven’t made the trip home for two years, I don’t know what people are doing in this situation.

If you are going abroad and will be required to test while out there then yes I would test before going.

Finding out you have covid whilst in a foreign country is a pretty unpleasant scenario (unless you have unlimited accommodation to extend your trip and no school or work to get back for)

It’s difficult, some people are ok with Covid and not worried about catching it, I understand that, others aren’t there yet! These people need a slower approach. If testing keeps your sister happy I don’t see the issue. If you need to test before seeing elderly relatives then do so.

This isn’t all about you - it’s about those around you and their level of risk and exposure.

I travel a lot, and for about 90% of my trips I’m not required to test (mainly EU-based these days, and I have the EU digital cert).

I don’t test if it isn’t required - unless! - the risk of discovering I’m positive whilst away outweighs the risk of needing to remain at home due to a positive test right before I fly out. I don’t know if that sentence makes sense, but there are certain trips where I’d rather know beforehand, because it would be hugely impractical to quarantine at my destination. Other trips I’m not so bothered about when / where I catch it / test positive.

In day-to-day life I don’t test unless I have symptoms. I do have regular PCR testing at work but on my days off I don’t test. I behave in the same way when I’m abroad. And yes, I do always have a contingency plan for testing positive whilst away. But I’m abroad 2-3 times a month, so plans B are a necessity for me.

Is this what people do when visiting another country and visiting family? Have alternative accommodation lined up in case they need to isolate?

No, I think most people do whatever they can to reduce their risk of testing positive whilst abroad. This includes testing before going (so at least if they have covid they know before they go) and often reducing social contact for a week or so before going. There’s still a risk that you catch it on the plane but hopefully everyone on the plane has done similar so risk is reduced.

People also take a sensible calculation of the risk of testing +ve whilst abroad based on how much covid is around. When covid numbers here are low ish it’s not a huge risk (like last summer). At the moment however, case numbers are so high and there are so many asymptomatic cases, that if you have to test while out there, I’d say there is a fair chance one of you may come up positive. Which is why in your shoes I’d test in advance of going.

I’m with your sister on this for various reasons.
You are going to travel, it’s better to know if one of you has virus. The first person might be without symptoms but the next one could be very ill. Of course your parents just want you to come because they want to see you and grandchildren but you have to behave responsibly and sensibly.
You said that your sister was health anxious but some might say that she’s a responsible one. She doesn’t want your parents to get health problems, what’s wrong with that? Also you don’t live near parents so you won’t care for them on a everyday basis in case of something- your sister will. So a lot of things to consider.
Unfortunately you need to plan for the worst in the current circumstances.

We both test twice a week, regardless. There is so much covid in school. I want to know if we have it so I test. Seems logical to me.

I would test. There's a risk you could spread to people travelling and your family.

I test before seeing elderly family members. I tested when I had cold symptoms. I tested when asked to do so before our work Christmas lunch. I would test if asked to do so by someone I was meeting.

I hear you all and I acknowledge that not testing can increase the risk to our older relatives if we have asymptomatic covid.

Can I ask if any of the posters here haven't seen any members of their families for 2 years? How would you manage such a visit in practical terms? Can you afford to book, and then not use, last minute, alternative accommodation for every night that you'd expect to stay with family?

@EileenGC - are you travelling for work? Is someone else funding your alternative accommodation plans?

I'm trying to work out how to do this / how people in this situation are doing this? Two weeks, staying with different family members, can't afford to hotel stay for the whole thing (and it would be pointless as the whole point of going is to see family (my parents live out in the countryside, there are no hotels nearby).

I’m travelling for work but I’m freelance, so sadly no one funds any of my expenses. It all comes out of my own income.

I don’t book alternative accommodation each time I go abroad. I have a plan in mind in case I do need it. Why are you thinking of booking a hotel there? Just in case you need it?

If I test positive somewhere, I’ll book myself into a hotel or an apartment there and then. My insurance will most likely pay for it though, if they honour their policy.

If you tested positive whilst out there, wouldn’t your travel insurance pay for your accommodation?

Yes, I haven’t seen my relatives more then 2 years so I can relate to your feelings. I can’t travel atm only over summer so we haven’t got detailed plan yet. I would test and cut my contacts as much as possible, sanitize hands and wear mask before and during the travel. We also are lucky that we can in principle stay with another family member before seeing my parents however will need to stay with DH’s parents. There are no hotels nearby so it’s not an option. I do understand that it’s hard but not testing is not a right approach from mpv.

@greenlynx so will you test specifically before going to your DHs parents? And will you have an alternative in place in case you test positive?

I think our travel insurance only covers USD if we get stuck in the U.K. and can’t return to France, if we test positive before leaving the U.K. and have to stay. I don’t think it covers us for having to book accommodation instead of staying with family.

Yes, I would be able to find an alternative place to stay but not where his parents live. Travel insurance won’t cover it. And yes, I would test before, of course. Our parents well in their 80s so the risk is even greater.

And you wouldn’t see them at all as a result?

I think I’ve been so focused on just getting there, I haven’t thought much about how the actual time in the U.K. might have to be done differently. The whole point of going is to spend time with the family! Just sitting in an Airbnb is… rubbish.

Apart from my parents no one on the U.K. can host us, never mind provide us with space to isolate 🙄. Do we now have to budget for a hotel alternative for the whole two weeks? Are people actually doing this? I have lots of friends travelling back to the U.K. and I don’t think they are doing this.

I think what else is throwing me is we haven’t had to negotiate any family / Covid situations at all, no lunches / dinners / visits / Christmas / holidays / childcare / whatever.l for thé last two years. It’s really all or nothing. We are either right there - or we aren’t there at all.