12 days so far - how much longer?

[comeondover]

Hi. Can anyone help me figure out how long I'll be testing positive? It's nearly two weeks now. The last 3 days, the line has been fainter, but it's still there. Still symptomatic - minor gastro disturbance, exertion intolerance, coughing and stuffy nose mainly, but snot has been clear for a couple of days. I thought that meant the infection was over, but the bastard second line says no. Smell and taste have improved. So it seems to be going in the right direction 🤞 but verrrry slooooowly. I'm immune suppressed, which is probably not helping.

Anyone?

I wouldn’t worry about it, you aren’t contagious to anyone else. I tested positive for 17 days at the height of Covid.

As long as you feel better then I wouldn't worry about testing any more.

Wait, what? How am I not contagious? What does the red line mean then? I have an appointment to go to involving some very vulnerable people and have been postponing and postponing... for no reason??

This morning's test. A bit blurry but the second line is faint but present. No idea why it's a 'sensitive image'

I think you are only contagious for the first five days or something like that.

Oh bloody hell, I've been putting myself out massively, for nothing 🤦‍♀️

Yes only 5 days, you used to have to isolate for 10 but then they reduced it to 5.

But after 12 it doesn’t matter in the slightest. You don’t have to wait to be negative.

I was allowed to visit my late 90’s grandma in nursing home after 5 days.

The test shows you currently have the virus (well antigens anyway) but it doesn’t tell you that you are contagious. It’s like chicken pox, you can still have the spots but aren’t contagious so can go to school (bad analogy but it’s the one that came to mind).

One in three are no longer infectious after five days, two in three are still infectious.

According to https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/239212/covid-19-long-infectious-when-safely-leave/ : "If a person continues to test positive on day six or beyond, or does not have access to lateral flow tests, we think they should remain in isolation until they’ve had two consecutive days with negative test results. Or, they can leave isolation on the 10th day after their symptoms began. Based on the evidence available, we think it’s unlikely for people to still be infectious on day 10."

Unless you have a temperature you’re fine !

Yes it hangs in your body after you are contagious, so after 5 days you'll be ok.

Thanks all. The consensus is towards me not being contagious anyway, so I guess I can go about my business then.

Just got over it . It took a good 12 days to get no line. Still feeling snotty & tired all the time .

This is today's test. I can both see and not see a line. What can you see?

If you're seeing vulnerable people and making enough virus to get a positive test then I would assume you're still contagious.

I haven't been around vulnerable people, I've been putting it off. Do you think this morning's test looks positive?

For as long as you keep testing. Stop doing it and you won’t see that red line!

I can't tell from that picture, sorry. Won't mean much from a stranger on the internet, but I've got a lot of respect for you for doing this. It makes me feel a bit sad that the bar is so ridiculously low that even trying not to harm very vulnerable people is not the norm.

I'm not quite sure about your test today. You've done the right thing putting things off. Even if there are lots of other people who are less careful, just think about all the illness you have personally prevented by staying out of the way while infectious - not just in vulnerable people but in any one you could have infected directly and in the people they could then have infected. I know not everyone can isolate, but when the people who can isolate do it will have an effect, even if you can't directly observe it.

@atownnamedalice thanks, it does mean something, I appreciate it. And same goes for you too @dragonpen