Being in contact with someone who's had a positive lateral rapid flow test
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I've currently found out I have come in contact with someone who's had a positive lateral flow test. I've done three tests of my own and they've all come back negative. I haven't been informed or told by anyone to isolate. Online it states that if someone has had a positive result you should isolate but it only talks about if people have had positive PCR results. I understand that if that person's PCR result comes back as a positive I will need to isolate. But should I be isolating now because of their positive lateral flow test or just wait for there PCR results to come back?? Also should I take a PCR test just to make sure???
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michelle01564 alex59177
Posted
Hi I have been in same situation 1 week ago and now currently isolating due to a positive PCR that I decided to take on day 4 after contact
I started to develop neck ache and headache that evening also along with other mild symptoms gradually .
I morally isolated until they got their PCR result back, they should really do that within 2 days of the positive lateral flow otherwise they need to isolate for 10 days even if the PCR comes back negative. It is very likely they have covid 19 at the time of taking the test.
I did my own lateral flow test every day and has become faintly a day or two after my positive PCR.
I knew I personally meet what they class as a 'contact'
What is meant by a contact:
A contact is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. You can be a 'contact' any time from 2 days before the person who tested positive developed their symptoms (or, if they did not have any symptoms, from 2 days before the date their positive test was taken)
A contact can be anyone who has had any of the following types of contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19:
Face-to-face contact including being coughed on or having a face-to-face conversation within one metre for any length of time
Been within 1 metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
Been within 2 metres of someone for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact, or added up together over one day)
A person may also be a close contact if they have travelled in the same vehicle
The incubation period is the number of days between when you’re infected with something and when you might see symptoms
The incubation period for COVID-19 is up to 14 days, with a median time of 4-5 days from exposure to symptoms developing.
Lateral flow tests cannot detect low levels of coronavirus in a sample. This could be if you have only recently been infected, are in the incubation period.
If the contacts PCR comes back positive then it is worth you al knowing you are
eligible to get a PCR test ourselves, that's if you had close contact with them.
a PCR test go through more intense testing at a lab, usually 3-5 days after exposure the viral load should be detected (in theory).
However at present a 'contact' testing negative on lateral and PCR test wouldn't trump the isolation but merely for our own piece of mind/ protecting family and friends by stopping the spread if you ended up testing positive and been in contact with
Hope that all makes sense
Note follow local gov guidelines as due to change on Monday 16th August if your vaccinated or unvaccinated on what go do if you have had contact with positive case