How long till you tested positive?

[Itsrainingten]

So I was with someone on Saturday and Sunday who tested positive. Today I've had achy arms and neck, weirdly. Feels like I've overdone it at the gym only I haven't been in a week. and super tired / a bit of a headache. Might be nothing obviously BC the last couple of times it's started with a weird itchy throat which I don't have. But I'm meant to be going into the office tomorrow. I CAN work from home but I prefer going in, and I have a meeting that will be easier in person.
Tested this evening and negative, but I'm wondering if it's just too early? Id rather go in tomorrow but obviously don't want to infect everyone.
How long till you got a positive if it was recent? (I know diff variants are different which is why I'm saying recently) And do those symptoms potentially sound like COVID or just overtired? Trying to decide what to do.
Thanks!!!

I've just done a test as I've been feeling rotten for the last five days. It's past its expiry date but it's undoubtedly a massive positive line 😫 Are we all still supposed to keep away from people? I'd kind of forgotten all about it, but had that niggly familiar feeling. So if you think you've got it, you probably have @Itsrainingten even though it says negative. Argh!

Sorry you're unwell @WinkyTinky. Can I ask - do my symptoms sound similar to yours?
I think keeping away from people if you can is a good idea but I don't think you HAVE to now. I could WFH fairly easily though. I just don't want to. But also I don't want to infect my colleagues it I do have it

Well I've got sore throat, cough, a bit of a runny nose but not like a cold, feeling sick, and generally achy and unwell if that makes sense. I've been off work today and think I had better stay off til I'm better. Get well soon to you too!

Recent Covid variants have had incubation periods as short as 48 hours in some cases, so it is possible that you have symptoms already after having caught it at the weekend. However, the rapid tests are not very responsive to these new variants and they don't tend to show a positive until several days into symptoms. So I wouldn't take a negative test now as a green light necessarily. If you do test again, make sure you swab both nose and throat, that increases effectiveness.

I know a few people over the last six months or so who didn't test positive until several days in, sorry.

Also, you know you've definitely been exposed - given that and the fact that lateral flows don't pick up all positives anyway (only about half?), working at home would definitely be more than justified (as well as considerate and professional).

Thanks all. Yes i probably should I guess sigh
Do you think by the weekend I'll be able to assume I'm clear if I'm feeling ok and getting a negative? I'm meant to go to a concert. Tickets were £100 and I've been waiting months 😭

I felt rough from Monday but tested positive this morning. Sore throat, cough, muscle aches, chills and generally feeling exhausted. My work requires me to be off for 5 days from the positive test, which I'm relieved about as I do feel rotten 🤧

Also everything tasting horrible 😫

Mine started with a mild sore throat on the Tuesday, and then by the night time I was fine. On the Sunday I could barely get out of bed. Managed about a quarter of tiny jacket potato which tasted really strange and spent most of the day napping. Managed a shower on the Tuesday which knackered me out. Phoned in sick for my shift on the Wednesday. By mid Wednesday I couldn't taste anything but assumed it was because my sinuses felt blocked. By the night time I couldn't smell anything either so got a LFT and it came up positive. Back at work on the Friday but masked up. It completely floored me.