Positive day 8 - return to work?

[savingherlife]

I still have a faint positive on my day 8 lfd. Should I return to work tomorrow (having worked from home all last week - not ideal for my job and my boss really wants me back)? I know that my colleague will be very nervous about me returning if I tell her that I'm not clear yet as her husband is CEV. I think my boss will tell me to keep it quiet. Wwyd?

If it's really faint today then it will probably be negative tomorrow. Either way, the rules now state to isolate at home for 5 days. When we got Covid I caught it from DS before he even tested positive, once the two of us were positive we didn't pass it on to anyone else in the household.

Sorry - rules don't state anything any more - you're just advised to isolate at home for 5 days. So I would go in tomorrow and say nothing.

Do another LFT tonight at say 7 pm and another at 7 am. For your colleagues sake, I would stay home until LFT is at least one day clear. Although now that people don’t have to isolate when positive, it does make me wonder if there’s any point in isolating unless you are actually ill.

Please tell your colleague

I have a CEV DP and I would rather leave the building than risk taking Covid home to DP.
I would need to know so I could protect my family.

@Yeahbutnotreally

Please tell your colleague

I have a CEV DP and I would rather leave the building than risk taking Covid home to DP.
I would need to know so I could protect my family.

This is what I'll do. I just feel really uncomfortable her not knowing and would rather let her make the decision to avoid me if I am in x

Like zafferana said, only have to isolate for 5 days now. Whilst tests are available, you can continue to do them but when they aren’t, there won’t be the opportunity for people to leave the building to protect others as there will be colds which could be covid. The guidance is a bit iffy, why suggest LFD testing from day 5 if it’s not legally enforceable? There’s going to be many an issue with employers arguing when employees can and should come in.

Thank you OP, I know she will appreciate knowing.

why suggest LFD testing from day 5 if it’s not legally enforceable?

It’s not legally enforceable but it is still the guidance to not go to work until two negative LFT. Harder to comply if your employer is like op’s

www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/coronavirus/faqs/test-and-trace#gref
From 24 February onwards:
Legal duty to self-isolate is replaced with guidance: From this date the legal duty to self-isolate ends. Guidance remains in place for those who test positive to stay at home and avoid contact with others for at least five full days. Staff should only leave home and return to work after they have received two negative test results on consecutive days.

Yes going forward it is really going to be scary. Relying on people’s ‘personal responsibility’ means DP will basically be a prisoner in our home judging by all the posters on MN who are falling over themselves to declare how they won’t be isolating. I guess they feel it’s it’s okay, as long as it’s not their child/DP/vulnerable parent that’s at risk.

www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o461