Oh, we had the panic buying 1.0 in March/April 2020 too. And we get a bit of it associated with floods and bushfires every now and then. This time i think it's more to do with food workers isolating and also the lack of labour from o/seas (as you've had too).
I wonder if the sales of Cadbury's Boost have gone up ... or whether there's a negative connotation attached to them?
So as a follow up to my post yesterday………
Still isolating
Still no symptoms
Tests so far…….
2 x positive LFT on Sunday
Negative PCR on Monday
Positive LFT & Negative PCR on Tuesday…..
Have o got it or not?
In theory the LFT false positive rate is very low but the PCR is more accurate and picks up
Virus over a longer window.
I’m confused ( & bored & not ill & stuff I need to get done at work is piling up )
What does it matter, Gov rules say that if you are asymptomatic and positive on LFT then you isolate?
Well because the first positive test were before then and there’s over 100 people not getting treatment appointments they’ve been waiting for for weeks and they aren’t gonna get them again for a fair while. I’d like to be sure they haven’t all been let down for no reason. That will include some “can’t wait” stuff that will need to be put into time that already doesn’t exist next week.
And also I’d really like to know if I’ve actually got covid.
I’m confused
If I had no symptoms and got a negative PCR then I would not be self isolating. I certainly wouldn't take another LFT after getting a negative PCR, provided I still had no symptoms.
When I had Covid before Christmas, I barely had any symptoms apart from a slight scratchy throat. LFT came up positive within 1 minute and PCR was positive the next day.
Got boosted. Felt odd. Normally I can feel injections. Didn't feel a thing. No numbness or stiffness.
Pharmacist told my wife she should have a different booster to what she initially had. Nurse at my GP wasn't sure why he said it and asked me which one I wanted? Figured a booster should be that, a boost of the original medication.
Anyway.... Hopefully that's enough for my impending Europe trip. Wife's trying to convince the kids (well, tell them) they will be getting jabbed. Sons not bothered. 7 year old daughter is gonna kick off.
Well because the first positive test were before then
fair comment, I guess you need to call someone at NHS and ask them. As written (got a positive LFT, you must isolate) the rules are clear but doesn't mean they make sense.
and there’s over 100 people not getting treatment appointments they’ve been waiting for for weeks and they aren’t gonna get them again for a fair while. I’d like to be sure they haven’t all been let down for no reason. That will include some “can’t wait” stuff that will need to be put into time that already doesn’t exist next week.
Also fair, but if you do have it and then you infect these people......
And also I’d really like to know if I’ve actually got covid.
LFT says yes. PCR says no. So you might 😉
Yep exactly!!
I think the safest / sensible thing is to stay isolating.
Today’s (just out of interest) LFT is negative too though!
You've had three positives on a test known for false negatives. I would say it's extremely unlikely you don't have it. Ianad.
True but also now one negative on that test and two negatives on the “gold standard” test.
My GP mate has discussed it with his partners and the consensus is to stay off work to avoid the risk to vulnerable patients which is what I’m doing.
They’d not heard of anything like it though.
Suspect my indemnity society would agree.
Would be interesting to get an antibody test to see if I really had it!
You know you've had it, really. The only question is if you really still have it. And you're doing the right thing acting as if you do.
2 x positive LFT on Sunday
Negative PCR on Monday
Positive LFT & Negative PCR on Tuesday…..
Interesting. I was puzzled that Govt had decided that you didn't need a PCR to confirm a positive LFT if you were asymptomatic - so you'd be isolating on one piece of evidence - while if you have symptoms, you need a PCR, so three pieces. It was suggested it was because they were short of PCR capacity. Maybe PCR is not proving to be as reliable for Omicron as it was for previous variants?
I believe it's still because some PCR's are also tested for type as a means of tracking variants and identifying new variants. And if we don't have enough PCRs currently to verify all LFTs then there needs to be a (random) sift to ensure even coverage while reducing the numbers.
My take on it is
Isolating due to asymptomatic test - fit for work ( from home)
Isolating with symptoms ( PCR) - feet up
Prioritises the economy
Assuming you can work from home......
@ceepers I have to say I disagree with some of the previous posters. I tested positive on LFT just before Christmas, despite being very careful. Three PCR’s over the following week (two different test sites and a postal one) all came back negative, that and the complete lack of symptoms led me to believe I probably didn’t have it but I was somehow triggering the lft’s. Two weeks later I still had a positive lft so either I had it completely asymptomatically for over two weeks that was untraceable by PCR or it’s possible to trigger positive LFTs some other way. I’d be pretty annoyed if I was repeatedly isolating for no reason.
Edited to add that the lft line was very variable, mostly incredibly faint but occasionally pretty clear. I did a lot of lft’s while I was waiting for the pcr results to come back!
That’s interesting!
I would say my lft results are similar to what you describe as well.
It’s perhaps what you’re eating before the test…remember when the kids were faking LFT’s with Fruitshoots!
My Aunty had similar results from PCR’s/LFT’s before Xmas, she never really got to bottom of it either.
I should add, I’ve also been very careful, not really had much interaction over Xmas and wear an FFP3 mask 99% of the time at work & recently have been in tescos which is about the only other place I’ve been in the last ten day!)
it's really tricky -
Looking at it purely on risk - benefit
If you have it and go back out into the world and pass it on to your patients the consequence could be severe (IDK what you do but assume it's something medical)
If you don't have it and isolate then your patients get delayed treatment, hopefully not too serious. But you also get locked up for 10 days as well.
I see Scotland has saw sense and allowed crowds back for sports because it made little to no difference whatsoever. There hasn't even been time for it to work and its been dropped. That tells you everything you need to know.
Here in Wales that business killing doom merchant Drakeford is left looking like the gormless clown he is. Instead of admitting he got it wrong and dropping these ridiculous restrictions, he's still desperately trying to paint a picture of woe in a feeble attempt to justify his business crippling restrictions on hospitality.
One local pub has said they got £2,000 from the Welsh government recently. Won't even cover the screens they had to buy in let alone cover lost earnings. An insult.
A nightclub got 15k. They said that's a fairly poor night's takings. One night. To cover how many weeks of being forced to close now? Insulting and damaging.
ceepers
Full MemberMy GP mate has discussed it with his partners and the consensus is to stay off work to avoid the risk to vulnerable patients which is what I’m doing.
If you work face to face with vulnerable people, I'd say you can't take the chance.
That tells you everything you need to know.
It tells you that over the busy xmas/newyear period, when there are normally some of the best attended sports events of the season, Scotland made a hard choice about which social contacts should be prioritised.
I'm sure Wales will follow soon enough when it comes to reducing their measures. I'd expect something on about the 18th, when the xmas family meeting effect on hospital admissions in Wales is fully know.
@jonv & @seosam that’s exactly my thoughts really. Frustrating but better to err on the side of caution.
I’d love to know the explanation for the tests though and whether I’ve actually had Covid or there’s some kind of anomaly
It’s sounding very common, exactly the same for my daughter.
My partner also had a week of very feint positive LFTs, and 2 negative PCRs. It was accompanied by a mild cold and occasional cough, so not entirely symptom free, and she skipped Christmas as a precaution.
Any explanation as to why the Scottish numbers have dropped so dramatically? I’m assuming this is just a result of pcr tests not being required rather than an actual drop in transmission?
I'd guess so, daily hospitalisation and deaths and the ONS weekly figures, should still be reliable though.
tpbiker
Free Member
Any explanation as to why the Scottish numbers have dropped so dramatically? I’m assuming this is just a result of pcr tests not being required rather than an actual drop in transmission?
The infections surveys will keep us on top of that data, but they lag by quite a bit.
But consider over the last 6 months, from 4th July to 31st dec. The infection survey estimates 2,121,300 infections in Scotland (238k for the week up till the 31st alone). I think it's possible we are just running out of fuel on this recent run, given previous infections and booster levels. Although granted, we don't know how many of them are reinfections.
Will be interesting to see the next 2 releases of the infection survey anyhow.
This page gives you the historical estimates.
loum
Free Member
@poopscoop
thank you. That looks like the link I was looking for.
No problem at all mate.
We (the UK) seem to be doing a very good job of ignoring the deaths currently being recorded. Shrugging away at 398 yesterday like it was the result of successful strategy.
Deaths were 1151 on the 12th Jan 21 so much more positive than this time last year.
We (the UK) seem to be doing a very good job of ignoring the deaths currently being recorded. Shrugging away at 398 yesterday like it was the result of successful strategy.
I said last Autumn that anything under 500 per day would become background noise.
We (the UK) seem to be doing a very good job of ignoring the deaths currently being recorded. Shrugging away at 398 yesterday like it was the result of successful strategy.
It's a tricky one. Deaths obviously lag infections and admissions so hard to judge where we are - that suggests they will continue to increase for a week or two yet snd assumes infections and admissions are permanently dropping. The number in hospital dropped yesterday but was that due to deaths or discharges?
Its obviously way better than last January, despite higher infection rates. Vaccination works.
Quick back of fag packet - bad flu year is 20,000 deaths, so 200+ a day over 3 months. I am NOT saying that Covid is the same as flu, but worth bearing in mind for perspective.
Be interesting to see the excess death figures for this winter against the pre-pandemic average, with seemingly low flu levels.
It's not as bad as it was, not as good as it could/should be.
I see JVT is off in March.
Ewan
Free Member
I see JVT is off in March.
Yeah, interesting timing.
I'm glad he's working till the end of March though. Need all the sane voices we can get these days.
5 full days - and you have to still test on D5 and D6 and then you can release as soon as clear on D6. It's not a definite thing, plenty are testing positive right through to D10
daughter got negatives at D6 and D7 and consequently free, my wife's on D7 and still getting positives, and son was positive on D6 but negative on D7 and will be doing the 24hr later D8 later today
Self isolation cut to 5 days.
The science (and risk) just about backs that up if we exclude the unvaccinated from the shorter isolation times. Studies have shown that they are infectious for longer (and LFT are flawed).
Stop leaning on LFT for release from isolation (perhaps our local pharmacies could meet demand for test kits then), and make it 5 days isolation for vaccinated, 10 days for unvaccinated.
is there any way to extract posting dates and times on this thread. I reckon there would be a strong correlation with the case rate.
make it 5 days isolation for vaccinated, 10 days for unvaccinated.
The problem with this is enforcing it with the f'wits who wouldn't abide by the rules. 'Uman rites, init?
I'm not saying it isn't a good idea, I just don't think it would work with the dafties.
Regarding the people on here that are getting positive LFT's but negative PCRs I had a thought. Could one of the more knowlageable people on here tell me if I'm thinking rubbish?
If I recall correctly, LFT's test by using antibodies to react to proteins found in the virus shell.
PCR's however work by amplifying key fragments of RNA from the virus.
So, they are testing for slightly different things, that does make me wonder if it's possible that there's something else doing the rounds (perhaps another virus) that has proteins that trigger the LFT but isn't Covid-19 so doesn't test positive on the PCR.
Is that even possible?
to me the 5 day announcement is just another dead cat on the table to distract from the real issues