Are people still testing and isolating?

[Lovemusic33]

Sorry to sound silly, I’m just confused after seeing several people (on SM) saying they have tested positive, some without symptoms and moaning about isolating. I thought we no longer needed to test, tests are no longer free, DD’s school are no longer testing or giving out free tests. I thought the advice was to stay home if your unwell and go to school/work if you feel well?

Dd had a sore throat over the weekend (started Friday), we don’t have any tests so she just stayed in and had yesterday off school, she was fine this morning so I sent her in. We are all triple vaxxed and have had covid (in September).

Why are people still testing their kids and keeping them home when they have no symptoms? Why are people isolating when they are not ill?

Yes of course. The law may have changed but it’s still public health advice. There are still vulnerable people around who covid can be very serious for.

I'm not. The only people I know who are still testing are required to for work.

There is clear GUIDANCE in place to test & isolate for 10 days unless 2 clear negative LFTs from day 5&6 which would allow you to cease isolating from day 7

This is what people should be adhering to : unfortunately the message seems to have got really lost along the way

I just noticed the "or the day after the test if you have no symptoms". I had this, no symptoms but by the time I got my positive test results back from a routine PCR I was already Lateral Flow negative so only isolated for one evening until my second negative in the morning.

@DespairingHomeowner

There is clear GUIDANCE in place to test & isolate for 10 days unless 2 clear negative LFTs from day 5&6 which would allow you to cease isolating from day 7

This is what people should be adhering to : unfortunately the message seems to have got really lost along the way

That's just it though. It's GUIDANCE. No one HAS to do it. It's more than just an inconvenience for some people.

Yes because it’s still the law.

I believe that they've stopped handing out tests in schools, but LFTs can still be ordered online or picked up from pharmacies for free, and for people with symptoms PCR testing (both at test centres and by post) is still available for free. All that has changed currently until 1 April is the legal requirement to self isolate following s positive test, which means that you cannot be fined for breaking isolation. It doesn't mean that you don't or you shouldn't have to isolate.

The reason people in England no longer need to isolate is so the government doesn't have to pay people to cover lost money etc. That's it.

Yes, testing after known contact with a positive and now on day 6 of self isolating after testing positive myself.

I have two jobs. We're not to go in if we're positive or have the three main symptoms, or other cold symptoms if we're had contact or have been in a high risk area recently. The other is a school and they still require a test if you have symptoms (if not keep child off school) and then two negative LFTs if you've tested positive.

I recently had covid and didn't test negative until day 13. I certainly wasn't well enough to go anywhere until day nine and even then couldn't have managed a full day at work or food shopping, so if I get it again, I'll be isolating.

No, not testing. If get symptoms I have tests at home still and would take one and stay at home until I feel better but as I didn't get symptoms before except loss of smell I doubt I will be I'll

I'm testing before I do anything involving close contact with people, especially if it's after I've been doing anything which involves risk. So, I met up with someone a couple of days ago who has now tested positive, and I've got a family meal at the weekend including 2 people in their 70s/80s - as a result I'll test a couple of times between now and then. I'm incredibly lucky in that I wfh, so if I did have to isolate I'd be able to keep on working, with no loss of income, but I appreciate its not the same for everyone.

I know more people with Covid (and isolating) at the moment than at any time previously in the pandemic. It’s absolutely rife here!

No. I didn’t think we needed too 🙈 but I now know that’s not for another couple weeks! DD went to A&E on Sunday for something else & bloody tested positive, so now are stuck at home with a completely well, asymptomatic child bouncing off the walls 🥴🥴🥴 I’m sending her back to school on Monday!

I’ll only test myself if I start to feel poorly.. I don’t currently have any lateral flows.. I’ve popped a mask back on in the shops just in case. May as well prepare for two weeks time when tests are no longer free & I can’t afford to be buying them! Not with the costs of everything sky rocketing!

Yes and yes, because it’s the law where I live. I’m not in England and my workplace are still making us 5/6 PCR tests a week. You still need antigens on top of that for entry to some venues. Isolation is 7 days with testing day counted as day 0.

DfE is really clear that students with covid should remain home until 2 negative tests, as should those with symptoms until negative test.

Surprised your DD school hasn’t said this. The school I teach in is emailing this weekly as is my kids

No.

DH is a secondary teacher, no one is testing there, kids and staff.

@FelicityPike

Yes because it’s still the law.

It's not,

@FelicityPike

Yes because it’s still the law.

No it really isn’t. It’s up to you what you do now, there is NO legal requirement to test or isolate at all.

I’m not testing at all now. But I’ve never had covid even after being very close contact (my 5 year old!) so I’m just assuming I’ve got the good immune system.

DS2 had an awful cough so I kept him off and took him for a PCR (which came back before 8am next day). I’m lucky I could do so and wouldn’t blame anyone who didn’t. Hurray that it was negative so he’s back at school as his symptoms have subsided.

I tested because I felt ill and knew I had been in contact with someone who then had Covid. I am isolating because it seems wrong to go out and spread it around. Can wfh so not difficult for me.

@Ostryga & @Pootle40
We don’t all live in England.

So are people registering a positive? I have had several friends test positive by LFT, they isolated but they didn't tell anyone... they can't be the only ones I guess?

I got a pcr test today - sore throat and off colour. Not my usual dodgy sinuses and we have a full weekend so needed to test. Can wfh - I was supposed to go in today though & isolated instead. I’ll def not mix socially or go in if I’m positive but will go for walks at quiet times.

Hadn’t done a ‘random’ lft for a while & wouldn’t bother unless seeing a vulnerable person.

We have stopped routine asymptomatic testing but still plan to do LFTs if we have suspect symptoms and before we have close contact with anyone vulnerable.

My DD woke up with a slightly sore throat this morning. After some deliberation I decided to test her and she got a glaring positive. Her symptoms have developed over the day and she's now in bed with a temperature and stonking headache. If I hadn't tested her she would have gone into school and probably been sent home a few hours later after spreading it through her class. I'm glad I tested. If nothing else I've saved a few parents the hassle of having to work around an isolating child.