What if you’re already self-isolating when guidance changes?

[TicklishSmile]

I’m currently on Day 8 of self-isolation following a positive LFT, no negative tests yet. I’ve been asymptomatic all along. Today (1 April) the guidance has changed to say you only need to isolate for five days after a positive result. I’m unsure as to whether I follow the guidance that was in place when I got the positive result or the guidance that came into force today. Does anyone know? I’m in England.

It's guidance anyway, not law, so you can do as you please and as your conscience allows.

Yes, I understand that. I’m asking the question under the assumption that I intend to follow the guidance. My question is more about which guidance applies to me?

It's up to you surely?

It really makes no odds. Stay home if you think that is best. Go out masked up if you like.....

If the guidance has changed then you follow the new guidance.

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate it’s up to me, I suppose I’m coming from the viewpoint that guidance given at population level must be based on something, and therefore my preference would be to follow it rather than just make up my own ideas which frankly would be based on nothing.

If you caught it today, you’d go out after 5 days, yes?

It’s the same virus. It hasn’t changed between 8 days ago and now.

Feel free to go outside!

@MermaidEyes Thanks! I think that’s what I just needed reassurance of. I was thinking of letting the people I’m meeting now the situation and giving them the choice, but that just feels like I’m passing the decision on to them.

It would be silly for you to isolate longer than someone who started isolating after you though. Personally, on day 8 and with no major symptoms I'd go out, just be careful who you come into contact with for another day or two maybe.

@NoSquirrels, thanks! It’s not so much about going outside at all (been doing that minimally out of necessity anyway) but more about going “out” eg meeting a friend for dinner and drinks tonight, meeting up with a friend and her family tomorrow, taking my daughter to a birthday party…basically all my weekend plans!

@MermaidEyes

Thanks for that perspective. I think you’re right. I think I’ll just be a bit more careful over this weekend.

If you are meeting people for dinner and drinks then definitely give them a choice. You probably aren't contagious but it would be nice to know and ha e a choice whether or notnm I come see you.

If I was asymptomatic I’d be going out.
I’m on day 2 today and a gross snotty mess. I won’t be going anywhere soon.

For goodness sake, do what you want to. Neither is right or wrong. I honestly can't believe the amount of posts that are asking these kinds of questions. Surely as an adult you are able to make decisions without having them validated by a bunch of strangers online.

Has everyone lost the ability to make simple judgements?

I'm on day 5 myself with what is effectively a cold and I tested positive on Monday. Been indoors all week but if I was symptomless tomorrow I'll be cracking on.

Use your common sense!

People tend to be infectious in the two days before and three days after testing positive.

@Pootle40

Has everyone lost the ability to make simple judgements?

Yes, because the govt removed peoples ability to run their own lives in March 2020 and too many people seemed to thrive over that level of govt control.

Common sense was never in vast supply, and now people seem to need the govt to spoon feed to them when they're allowed to leave their own homes or not.......still......2 years later

@rainbowunicorn

Do you really never seek other people’s opinions before making a decision? I asked some people IRL but also thought it might be useful to get a wider cross-section here, which I certainly have!

@Lilaclavenders

I certainly do not thrive under government control. I do, however, accept that I can’t know everything about a given situation and may benefit from the knowledge of others from time to time. For example, the government guidance gives an indication of what some people believe to be best practice at the time, based on far more information than I could ever be expected to analyse on my own. Therefore I have used it as a basis for making decisions at times. My question here was really about the intention of the guidance and what applies when.

I would rather apply critical thinking to a situation I’ve never been in before, rather than just not think about it.

It also occurs to me that people are making their own decisions now, and we also have record levels of Covid.

I'm day 5 tomorrow. I'm going to stick to outdoor things over the weekend and i'm not going to do anymore tests. I'm symptomless now apart from being a bit tired so I'm going back to normal on Monday.

Problem is that regardless of what the guidance says, if you’re testing positive then you’re infectious. I would stay home until you test negative).