On average how quickly after contact can you test positive?

[lobbymp]

As the title says really - do we still have to test every day for a number of days after being in contact? But behind on what's being done now.

LTF tests do not pick up the virus until several days. People are actually infectious for about two days before even testing positive.

PCR tests might be more accurate?

Oh yes I forgot about PCR - if I had contact over the weekend are we still allowed to book a pcr on that basis?

I don't think you can get a PCR without symptoms. Even with symptoms you don't need to get one. Why are you keen to do this?

If you're in England you don't need to test unless you have symptoms, though I did for a household contact if I was planning to leave the house that day. I suspect it'll change again on Friday when tests stop being free.

From Friday you won't be able to get tests at all I don't think.

@ApolloandDaphne

I don't think you can get a PCR without symptoms. Even with symptoms you don't need to get one. Why are you keen to do this?

Because we are not allowed in our office if positive and I have a meeting in a school this week and don't want to spread the virus unnecessarily if I can help it.

Well I can tell you I was showing no symptoms and was negative on Wednesday. I had lunch with my DM. On Thursday I had symptoms and tested positive. DM tested positive on Sunday. She had very mild symptoms then. I think contracted it the previous weeks so it seems to me that it takes around 5 days between contact and a positive. I realise this is only anecdotal info. We only did LFTs.

Thanks I'll test every other day and see what happens by around Thursday.

I'm actually finding it harder without the strict rules in place as we weren't able to think for ourselves on the issue for two years and it's difficult to balance what feels like the right thing to do. Should I cancel the school meeting, go but wear a mask, carry on as normal with no mask ... I just don't know!

Well the governments message is if you feel well go to work, if you don't stay at at home.

We have just had an email round saying "from Friday there is no requirement to self isolate even with symptoms. If you are already isolating prior to Friday, it's between you and your line manager as to whether you complete it or not".

Large public sector organisation with plenty of public contact.

I think it will spread quickly but will we even know if people are not testing.

I'm also looking after a newborn baby during this week and I feel a bit irresponsible after having the old rules drummed into us for so long.

Dp had close contact with a covid + colleague on a Wednesday (no contact prior to the Wednesday so it was definitely the Wednesday). colleague tested positive the Thursday morning buy had cold symptoms on the day of contact. Dp had totally negative tests thurs, Friday, and Saturday. By Sunday Dp had an instant strong positive on lft which is the day symptoms started!

I didn't catch it off Dp 7 or 8 days later despite not distancing and still sharing a bed!

I had contact with someone Saturday morning and got a very faint positive this morning (Tuesday) the symptoms started on the Monday evening. It didn’t take long at all….