Do you still do lft when someone requests, given implications for work/school?

[Notdoingthis]

If someone asked you, would you do a lft if you had no symptoms, and would you test the kids too?
If we detect Covid, that means at least 5 days off school, and potentially 5 days less pay this month as the kids are young and can't be left alone.
Next month we would not test as even the tests cost money. But this month, people still seem to be testing a lot.
I can understand that people don't want Covid, but I am getting really sick of the anxiety I feel when asked to test. I am sure lots of people will tell me I am selfish to question testing, but I feel like every time we are nearly reach a milestone, nothing gets easier.

I'd be more than happy to test. I'll be keeping a few tests in just in case.

I'm 6 months pregnant and would never have asked anybody to test, however my friend came over for lunch last week and it wasn't until she got here that she said her husband and child had tested positive and she hadn't been feeling great that morning.
That would be the end of the friendship for me! I suppose it does illustrate though that if you're arranging a gathering it's worth spelling out that you don't want people turning up if they have Covid in their home or are have symptoms that might be Covid.

We test when we have symptoms (DS1 recently had a negative PCR because he was coughing but the LFT was negative so we went for a PCR). But not now for weeks on end when there’s a case in one of their classes…we can’t even get the LFTs (I’ve tried to order three times this week). Two months ago the DC did 5 weeks of daily testing for classroom contacts, I can’t see that coming in again.

As others have said as long as you’re honest I think it’s ok. I’d be fucking livid if someone lied to me that they’d tested and then gave me Covid - I’ve only just recovered from it and it wasn’t fun, but the person who gave it to me didn’t know she had it so 🤷‍♀️.

Is he at higher risk though? As long as he is jabbed he shouldn’t be.
@Ilostit Some common forms of cancer treatment suppress the immune system so put people at significantly higher risk from infection. Or some types of cancer directly impact the immune system, eg leukaemia.

Covid is still rampant. It not going away. It’s just the government has decided that we have to live with it now. Whenever I have an opportunity to protect other people, I take it. Whether that’s wearing a mask on public transport / in shops or testing before I see people (especially those who might be vulnerable). I’m almost 7 months pregnant and currently have covid for the first time. It’s no joke and certainly isn’t a mild cold for me. Taking minor precautions are hardly disruptive to everyday life. Protecting others is a no-brained for me

@Boosterquery

I'm 6 months pregnant and would never have asked anybody to test, however my friend came over for lunch last week and it wasn't until she got here that she said her husband and child had tested positive and she hadn't been feeling great that morning. That would be the end of the friendship for me! I suppose it does illustrate though that if you're arranging a gathering it's worth spelling out that you don't want people turning up if they have Covid in their home or are have symptoms that might be Covid.

Yup would be an ex friend for me too. I was the only person in our household negative , after the rules changed so I didn't have to isolate. I did go out for walks but noway would I have mixed with friends, especially if I had symptoms. I'm shocked at that.

@HackneyMum1

Covid is still rampant. It not going away. It’s just the government has decided that we have to live with it now. Whenever I have an opportunity to protect other people, I take it. Whether that’s wearing a mask on public transport / in shops or testing before I see people (especially those who might be vulnerable). I’m almost 7 months pregnant and currently have covid for the first time. It’s no joke and certainly isn’t a mild cold for me. Taking minor precautions are hardly disruptive to everyday life. Protecting others is a no-brained for me

Sick of people saying testing isn't disruptive. Yes it is, if you don't get paid for being off sick and are struggling for money!

@Waxonwaxoff0 it’s not testing that is disruptive, it’s covid. So people who are infectious should just be able to infect everyone else around them, including those who are vulnerable? Being asymptomatic is incredibly lucky but not everyone gets a mild dose. If the government have adequate sick pay support to businesses and self-employed people then people wouldn’t need to choose between taking sensible precautions and having enough money to survive.

[quote HackneyMum1]@Waxonwaxoff0 it’s not testing that is disruptive, it’s covid. So people who are infectious should just be able to infect everyone else around them, including those who are vulnerable? Being asymptomatic is incredibly lucky but not everyone gets a mild dose. If the government have adequate sick pay support to businesses and self-employed people then people wouldn’t need to choose between taking sensible precautions and having enough money to survive.[/quote]
Of course the answer is adequate sick pay, but we don't have adequate sick pay do we? So people need to do what they need to do right now.

I would only test if going to meet someone who is vulnerable and cannot be vaccinated.

Otherwise, no.

If someone was having chemo or something I wouldn’t need to be asked to be as careful as possible about going near them, as I always would have been pre Covid. If they were a healthy, vaccinated person just asking to be precious then I wouldn’t test and I’d also think they were too much of a tedious loser to bother with in future.

Taking minor precautions are hardly disruptive to everyday life.

There's nothing minor about missing out on pay or children missing important exam preparation. Presumably you would have sick pay to fall back on or could wfh. Not everyone has that privilege.

If the government have adequate sick pay support to businesses and self-employed people then people wouldn’t need to choose between taking sensible precautions and having enough money to survive.

But they don't. So what are these people going to do?

I will do a test if I have symptoms (or cold symptoms) but I won't do tests when there's nothing wrong with me anymore. This has to end at some point.

@Ilostit yes he is at increased risk. I agree with you that people are confused but it isn't helped by you declaring people "shouldn't be if vaccinated" and casting doubt when you are not in possession of all the facts and haven't even bothered to check.

Response to vaccination varies and those with a suppressed immune system will likely have less of a response so will be at greater risk than those with a strong immune system. Overall figures may not show massive hospitalisations with this strain but I'm sure you can understand my risk averse attitude on an individual basis.

If fewer people test, more will be circulating and mixing and infecting, and people are more likely to get sick and miss out on pay. Surely reducing the number of infectious people in circulation to prevent people who don’t have adequate sick pay protection from getting sick and losing money makes far more sense than scrapping testing. Seems logical to me at least.

Seems logical to me at least.

Perhaps to you. The person sitting at home, feeling perfectly well, missing out on pay and worried about how to pay their bills might see it a bit differently.

Still testing regularly. Yes, most people I'm with have had 3 jabs, but some are very vulnerable and immunity from jabs will be beginning to wear down in those people as they were often the first to get the injections.

I'm one of the people asking people to test. Although as of next week I won't have that option.
And whilst I'm fully vaccinated, tests last year showed I had almost no antibodies due to immunosuppression.

@TheKeatingFive the point still stands. That same person is still more likely to get sick eventually if infectious people are circulating freely. Not every dose of Covid will be the same, the virus is mutating regularly and just because you feel well one time, doesn’t mean you will every time.

just because you feel well one time, doesn’t mean you will every time.

But no matter what measures are taken, covid isn't going to go away significantly. The risk of getting it woll continue to be there. If you're low income, every period of no pay will be problematic, so of course you need to minimise those.

Look I understand that very comfortable people with great working conditions find all this hard to get their heads around, but we simply don't live in a society where it's practical for people who feel well to not be able to work. Especially given all the cost of living rises ahead of us.

We only test for symptoms, this week dp tested positive, I haven't so either had it symptomless, are still incubating or immune, no idea which of course! Work said not to bother testing and come in (have own office) but keep my distance

I will only do one if asked.

@Waxonwaxoff0

It's not just adequate sick pay, not all employers have any cover if you are off so it causes major disruption, has financial implications etc. nobody can do my job but me, nobody can do Dp's job but him, he can work from home, I can't because I need to be on site (but can distance).

Everyone is in different circumstances and we need to be a lot more understanding of them especially those in office based jobs that can wfh and have many overlapping people in their department, your life is quite different.

@jytdtysrht

Depends who's asking and why.

For example, it would have to be a serious, legitimate cause for concern for me to test my 16yo and risk him being put out of school for GCSE preparation.

Yeah far better for him to potentially infect loads of his classmates and / or teachers. That wouldn't be at all disruptive to his exams 🙄