Close contact of a positive LFT

[Sturmundcalm]

I can't work out whether a close contact of someone with a positive LFT needs to self isolate prior to that person getting their PCR results back? Anyone know definitively? As far as I can see we're not supposed to book PCR tests until/if the original person has a positive PCR so I'm presuming not?

In theory you don't need to do anything until test and protect contact you and that's not likely until there is a positive PCR. How close of a contact were you?

household for me, so have cancelled my plans but more about other folk that we've seen... just trying to get clear on the actual rules before we start a ripple of panic - although we saw most folk outside the last couple of days.

Are you double vaccinated?
You could both go at the same time for PCR. If you are double jabbed and negative then you can carry on as normal

A positive LFT is going to have a postive PCR so yes isolate and book a PCR for yourself.

have booked a PCR for me but the website tells me i shouldn't! i have the same/worse symptoms than DH but neither of us has the official covid symptoms...

and yes both double vaccinated, although he's 2 months ahead of me

What symptoms do you both have?

slightly sore throat/tired/bit of a headache

Can't hurt to get tested anyway especially if his symptoms are similar

By far the majority of people I know who have had Covid recently (likely Delta) the symptoms have been sore throat / headache. Temp and cough (if at all) comes several days later.

If a household member has symptoms you are all supposed to isolate until they get Pcr results.

Easiest if whole household gets pcr tests at the time time when someone has symptoms or positive lateral flow test. The booking system lets you include up to 4 household members.

@sartorius

If a household member has symptoms you are all supposed to isolate until they get Pcr results.

and the websites are all still very clear that those symptoms are: fever cough change or loss of smell/taste

have you read any of the government information recently????

@Sturmundcalm that list of symptoms are not including the actual symptoms people are getting now which is in my experience sore throat, headache and not necessarily cough and/or loss of taste and smell. I’d say always best to test if at all dubious. What is the downside?

I'm not looking for opinions though - I'm looking for the actual rules/guidance and I can't find anything that relates to LFTs... I have a test booked! But the government website is telling me that I shouldn't have a test booked, that I am in fact wasting valuable resources.

Yes there was discussion on the Tiers thread this morning about the Gov not updating the symptoms.
Loads of folk now getting a sore throat with the delta variant, many never actually get a cough now🤷🏼‍♀️

Maybe the situation in Scotland is different but here in England no tests are considered to be a “waste” - the messaging has always been if in doubt, test because even if negative it helps them create a picture of where the virus is and the types of people being infected. Many tradespeople and others who go into peoples houses ;out with health care) have been going to get tested regularly throughout the pandemic in order to reassure their clients. No one bats an eyelid or interrogates people at the test centre as to their symptoms

nobody ever questions at test sites to the best of my knowledge but the messaging on the UK-wide sites is that if you don't have symptoms you should just be doing LFTs (which my DH does twice-weekly for work), and shouldn't book PCR unless meeting the criteria listed. And there was extra "challenge" when booking the additional household members section.

Just book a test surely if you know you have someone with a positive lft which in time will be a positive PCR? Tell people- you don't know they're plans this week and who they were possibly planning in visiting. Then they can make a decision based on your info.

*their

@MajorCarolDanvers

A positive LFT is going to have a postive PCR so yes isolate and book a PCR for yourself.

Not always.

There are false positives. So book a PCR.

But as a close contact, as long as you've had two jabs, then you don't need to isolate unless you yourself have symptoms.

In Scotland the double jabbed close contact needs to isolate and take a PCR. If the PCR is negative they can end isolation.

I think in England you are advised to take a PCR but don't need to isolate whole waiting on the result

@BroccoliFloret
NHS inform still says you must isolate if a household member has symptoms until they get results