Sensible information and advice about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[tommers]

Daughter's tested positive on an LFT.

What's isolation at the moment? 7 days? And do we need to get a PCR?

Got us in the end.

Oh, this says you don't need a PCR and maybe 5 days isolation. PCR tests - Kent County Council

Blimey.

But this says you do need to get a PCR and isolate for at least 7 days. FFS.

COVID-19 symptoms and what to do

Find out about the symptoms of COVID-19, what to do if you or your child has them and when to get medical help.

www.nhs.uk

 

[_Russ_]

Daughter's tested positive on an LFT. What's isolation at the moment? 7 days? And do we need to get a PCR? Got us in the end. Oh, this says you don't need a PCR and maybe 5 days isolation. PCR tests - Kent County Council Blimey. But this says you do need to get a PCR and isolate for at least 7 days. FFS.

COVID-19 symptoms and what to do

Find out about the symptoms of COVID-19, what to do if you or your child has them and when to get medical help.

www.nhs.uk

It depends on whether its symptomatic or not, if it is you go get a PCR

 

[Cloo]

I have symptomatic covid and it said no need for PCR, unless I was on a research trial or needed to apply for financial help.

tommers - BBC info on isolation here is useful: What are the Covid self-isolation rules now?

I also want to add potentially useful info that if anyone with a fairly mild case has a sore throat and a slight cough like me, I've found Covonia dry & tickly cough linctus is helpful for relief, especially if you throat/coughing is waking you at night.

 

[_Russ_]

I have symptomatic covid and it said no need for PCR, unless I was on a research trial or needed to apply for financial help.

Where is that stated?

 

[Cloo]

Where is that stated?

When I reported the LFT result online - it said I didn't require PCR unless I was on a research trial, needed to claim a payment or one other thing that I can't remember what it was. basically I think they're trying to save on PCRs!

 

[tommers]

Where is that stated?

That kent guidance says that. The nhs one says get a test.

 

[_Russ_]

That kent guidance says that. The nhs one says get a test.

FFS, very soon there will be a dramatic drop in recorded cases and the twats in charge will be running around saying its all over (again)

ETA, id be taking the original NHS guidance and getting a PCR if Symptomatic (even then its resulting in under reporting of headline case numbers making things look to be improving far more than they are)

 

[elbows]

FFS, very soon there will be a dramatic drop in recorded cases and the twats in charge will be running around saying its all over (again)

The first bit of that is already happening, although some of it is probably due to an actual drop in the number of new infections.

The removal of confirmatory PCR is supposed to be a temporary measure, it has been said that they will bring it back once the wave is at a much lower point. They did it to preserve some other parts of the system because for example there was a nasty lab backlog at one point that was affecting NHS & care home staff testing regimes and the timeliness of test results.

I was under the impression that they only removed the requirement for asymptomiatic cases, though I need to check that again and I think the press did a poor job of highlighting that aspect.

 

[_Russ_]

I was under the impression that they only removed the requirement for asymptomiatic caes, though I need to check that again and I think the press did a poor job of highlighting that aspect.

We can blame the press but isnt it the governments responsibility to make sure this information is properly and clearly disseminated?, fucking shower

 

[elbows]

Well you wont find me defending the government in this pandemic, and their failure to hold regular press conferences is terrible.

 

[Mation]

I was under the impression that they only removed the requirement for asymptomiatic cases, though I need to check that again and I think the press did a poor job of highlighting that aspect.

That's what I'd thought, too. But the link below seems to say that you don't need a follow-up PCR if you've had a positive lateral flow test result, symptomatic or asymptomatic.

You're advised to get a PCR if you have symptoms - asap after they develop - and have not yet had a positive lateral flow.

You have to take a PCR if you're claiming a payment or are in Wales or NI, and are clinically vulnerable.

Who can still get free Covid tests across the UK and can I buy LFTs?

Most people in England and Scotland no longer get free PCRs or LFTs, and rules vary across the rest of the UK.

www.bbc.co.uk

If you have no symptoms:
Across the UK, if you test positive for Covid with a lateral flow test (LFT), there is no longer any need to book a PCR test to confirm that result.

The guidance that positive LFTs don't need a confirmatory PCR will remain in place while Covid case levels are high. Under these conditions, the vast majority of people with positive LFT results are extremely likely to have coronavirus.

People who are eligible for the £500 test and trace payment in England will be asked to take a PCR so they can access financial support.

Clinically vulnerable people in Wales and Northern Ireland are also still advised to take a PCR test after a positive LFT.

If you have symptoms:
If you have Covid symptoms - a cough, a fever or a loss of taste or smell - you should take a PCR test as soon as possible, and self-isolate while you wait for the result.
...
However, if you have already tested positive on a LFT, you should self-isolate and do not need to take a follow up PCR.

 

[Cloo]

Yeah, it clearly advised me I didn't need a PCR when I reported positive LFT. What I don't know is how the potential Day 5/7 release will interact with reporting systems, as not sure if they have been updated in some way so that when you report x2 negative results, Test & Trace know you're not skipping statutory isolation if you go out and about?

Not that I'm rushing to get us out of the house. Son's Day5 was still positive and I reckon will remain so for at least another 2 days (TBH relieved it was +, I'd rather he didn't go back to school too soon); I can do day 5 tomorrow but I don't think I'm leaving the house before the weekend at earliest come what may.

 

[teqniq]

This appears to be genuine (peer reviewed, link to US national library of medicine on their web page):

Cannabis Compounds Prevent Covid in New Study

Cannabis compounds prevented the virus that causes Covid-19 from penetrating healthy human cells, according to a laboratory study published in the Journal of Nature Products. The two compounds commonly found in hemp -- called cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, and can

nationalhempservice.co.uk

 

[Petcha]

Does anyone know if people are getting 4th jabs?

My company is telling us to come back into the office as of Monday. I have reduced lung capacity so have always been at the front of the queue for jabs, so im effectively a couple of months ahead of everyone else. So I got the third jab about 2 months ago, maybe more. I'm really not too comfortable about going back into an office of 70 people, getting there on crowded public transport. I told management I'd wait till my 4th jab which got a rather muted response but they couldn't really say no.

But are they actually giving out 4th jabs? Had a look online and it was all a bit ambiguous. The implicit message is that I should be going in and I'm not being workshy but I'd like the 4th one first, maybe I'm stupid. But I don't really fancy dying to save Boris' political career.

 

[l'Otters]

Don't know anything about the schedule of such a thing, but I filled out a covid risk assessment form yesterday and when it came to entering what covid vaccines you'd had there was a drop-down menu to enter the date for your "booster" and another to enter the date for your "second booster"

So seems like they're in the pipeline. If that's anything to go on.

 

[gentlegreen]

Don't know anything about the schedule of such a thing, but I filled out a covid risk assessment form yesterday and when it came to entering what covid vaccines you'd had there was a drop-down menu to enter the date for your "booster" and another to enter the date for your "second booster"

So seems like they're in the pipeline. If that's anything to go on.

Inevitable if they're dropping masking - but there has been massive infection even with (theoretically) masking, testing and tracing ...

 

[elbows]

Does anyone know if people are getting 4th jabs?

My company is telling us to come back into the office as of Monday. I have reduced lung capacity so have always been at the front of the queue for jabs, so im effectively a couple of months ahead of everyone else. So I got the third jab about 2 months ago, maybe more. I'm really not too comfortable about going back into an office of 70 people, getting there on crowded public transport. I told management I'd wait till my 4th jab which got a rather muted response but they couldn't really say no.

But are they actually giving out 4th jabs? Had a look online and it was all a bit ambiguous. The implicit message is that I should be going in and I'm not being workshy but I'd like the 4th one first, maybe I'm stupid. But I don't really fancy dying to save Boris' political career.

People with a range of conditions were classed as needing a 3rd shot as part of their primary vaccination, and this was not considered to be a booster for them. Therefore their eventual booster would be their 4th shot. I dont have any knowledge about the scheduling of the 4th shot though.

 

[friedaweed]

Does anyone know if people are getting 4th jabs?

My company is telling us to come back into the office as of Monday. I have reduced lung capacity so have always been at the front of the queue for jabs, so im effectively a couple of months ahead of everyone else. So I got the third jab about 2 months ago, maybe more. I'm really not too comfortable about going back into an office of 70 people, getting there on crowded public transport. I told management I'd wait till my 4th jab which got a rather muted response but they couldn't really say no.

But are they actually giving out 4th jabs? Had a look online and it was all a bit ambiguous. The implicit message is that I should be going in and I'm not being workshy but I'd like the 4th one first, maybe I'm stupid. But I don't really fancy dying to save Boris' political career.

You can get your 4th dose 3 months or 91days after your third if you are over 12 and have a weakened immune system.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine

Find out if you’re eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination and how to get it.

www.nhs.uk

You can go to a walk in for this or make an appointment. The 4th will be your booster.

ETA You'll need to bring a letter from a doctor confirming you're eligible for a 3rd dose to your appointment.

 

[zahir]

Reasons to be wary about assumptions about outdoor transmission, a thread.