Being honest, who else is doing this?

[HonestTest]

Talking to a group of friends who are split between what they now do in regards to Covid. None are CEV.

Some still testing for every symptom on either LFTs or PCRs and isolating if positive as previously required for up to 10 days (or early if neg day 6/7).

Others, like me, now not testing at all even with potential symptoms and just staying in until they feel well enough like they would have in 2019 whether that's 3 days or 10.

What are you doing now?

When tests start to cost I imagine we'll see the number of people bothering with them drop but it's been very freeing to not have to bother anymore with the circus of scrambling to find a box of gold dust lfts every time my DC or I sneezes and just treating what could be potentially Covid (I wouldn't know) like anything else.

(I appreciate the answer to this will be entirely different if you are CEV and that these people will still have access to free testing and will understandably want to do so).

Nope not anymore; not testing, not wearing masks, not social distancing, not really doing anything different to my life up to March 2020.

I’ve had covid twice that I know of, once whilst heavily pregnant.

We didn't really do it properly when you were supposed to, and tended to do what we thought we could get away with. Unsurprisingly we're not testing at all now.

I have covid, did an LFT as was curious. I’m going about my daily business like I would if it were any other cold.

I’ve got it now and this testing is entirely new to me (in UK now but do not live here). It’s rife in our household and people we know, I’ve been isolating myself as best I can, as are all the family and friends I’m aware has it.
The gov clearly want this to become endemic with charging for tests and not requiring masks- I was shocked at the lack of general mask wearing on the tube. I was one of the very few wearing one- but then I got it anyway so who knows.

We are still testing if we have symptoms and or we’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

I work in a school so if I tested as a close contact I'd be testing everyday. Will test me and the kids if we have symptoms. At the moment it is everywhere here. School is very high again. Everytime we think my class must be immune now we get another variant. So I will pay for tests if preverlance is high. I'm a TA so on minimum wage.

Really? So going out, shopping etc?

Can I ask, those who are CEV and asked to get one by a doctor do they not need to pay as I thought everyone would need to pay which is why I have kept the rest of what I have for when I need to confirm it's not covid for the doctor cause when I run out I won't be able to afford to keep getting them. I can't find any information to say we wouldn't need to pay if CEV.

@Youhaveyourhandsfull we have masks etc free tests and compulsory isolation in Scotland still and our rates are much higher than England!

I’m fucked off tbh as I’m positive, feel fine but can’t work so have lost over half my monthly income.

I currently have Covid. I probably had it for a good few days before I did a test because I thought I just had a cold. Then I lost my sense of taste. Tested everyone in the house, 3 out of the 4 of us have Covid. Me and kids isolating. I probably would have picked up it sooner if the tests were more readily available. I’ve seen on the boots website that they cost about £2 per test which I guess isn’t too bad, but I think they should continue to supply the free tests considering there are so many cases at the moment. I also do a test before going to see my parents. They’re not in a care home but they do have weaken immune systems.

We’re not testing unless have flu symptoms, in which case we test every other day for 5 days.

Just had it actually. Symptoms were tiredness and achy bones and, for my daughter, v high temp and one night of coughing.

@mehwhoknows

Where I live it’s nothing like this and I’m honesty I probably wasn’t prepared for the volume of cases and testing etc. but hadn’t been home since pre pandemic so this was a chance to see family.

I didn’t have it nearly as bad where I live but I’m so done with this shit.

I don't live in a country where LFT were ever used as routinely as they were in the UK and were never available free of charge. In any case, I probably would still use one if I had symptoms (I have a couple in stock).

In 2019, I wouldn't stay in just for a cold and now I might do if I thought it was Covid so yes, that's changed.

Testing if we get a symptom. We are jabbed up but it’s not enough…

Not sure how my body would cope with another covid infection… I’ll do anything I can to avoid it.

Until I got long Covid I was really fit and healthy. It didn’t stop me getting really really ill.

But until you’re completely fucked from a bit of virus I appreciate that you feel INVINCIBLE!

I had it last week with a slighly runny nose- i' work in a school and I tested because I know we had several teachers off with covid. I felt absolutely fine and could easily have worked gone to the gym etc but as I work in a school we are not allowed to go to work. If I worked in an office or a shop I certainly wouldn't have tested as I wasn't ill - therefore I could have potentially spread it to other people. I have 2 tests left and can't seem to get hold of anymore I will not pay for any but if get ill would stay home from work but if not or only had a cold or sore throat etc I would go to work. I thinks teachers, TA's and care staff are soon going to be asked to go to work if they are only suffering mild symptoms. We have 2 schools in my area closed for a week as they don't have enough teachers and I know in one of the schools all of the staff bar one are suffering mild cold like symptoms and would be in school in normal circumstances.

I work in a primary school and our policy is to isolate if you test positive. We have to test if we have symptoms but not otherwise. I tested 3 times last week as I had a cold but was negatively each time. We have some tests left at school but they’re running out.

I still haven’t had it since this all started so I seem to be resistant as DH had it and I’ve been around so many children and staff with it.

@Lostinmiddleage

Really? So going out, shopping etc?

I’m going to assume that’s aimed at me? If so, yes. We’ve been to an aquarium today and yesterday to the park. Tomorrow we’re going to our favourite restaurant.

We have to live with covid now, not hide away.

They need to bring back free tests because more people will stay off sick if they can’t be sure it’s not Covid ( if they get sick pay that is) so that doesn’t help anyone.

@Bananabutter all I can say is that I have so little respect for you.

Had it in December before Christmas, days after getting my 3rd booster so I'm fairly convinced that I got it at the vaccination centre.

Not testing, not wearing masks. Frankly not giving a shit anymore. And very bored of people wringing their hands over it.

I thinks teachers, TA's and care staff are soon going to be asked to go to work if they are only suffering mild symptoms.

That’s funny because as a teacher I can’t see this happening, defo not in my school any way

@Bananabutter

The weather is so nice why can’t you do outside stuff for a few days?

should be testing twice a week, but currently the testing kit i have now is a faff,
so probably once a week

i'm trying to figure out who to give our tests to. We only tested when we absolutely had to