Covid and LFT

[Tawnyowl1]

I finally caught COVID the other week. Luckily it has felt just like a snuffly cold. Hopefully my 4 COVID jabs and only being on 4mg of pred has helped. My question is, how long generally did you still get a positive result? I am on day 9 and still positive lateral flow.

[MrsNails]

Hi, My husband & l both tested positive for 10days, we’ve never had anything before where our symptoms have been the same, his chest is a bit worse than mine now (after almost 4weeks) but l have a more impressive cough.

I had the Antivirals & was on the Sick Day Rules for 5days (same as AntiV’s) we have both had Antibiotics for a week.

I might need a review next week & l’ve been off my MTX the whole time.

[Tawnyowl1 in reply to MrsNails]

I am really sorry to hear how poorly you both were and hope his chest and your cough clear up soon. I wonder if having PMR means you clear the virus more slowly or if it is just pot luck?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It seems quite common to test positive for quite a long time with the Omicron. The LFTs are also quite unreliable - my daughter had symptoms for 4 days before she got a positive - and in the end got a positive and a negative at the same time on tests from different suppliers!!!!

[Tawnyowl1 in reply to PMRpro]

That is worrying PMRpro. Prehaps that's why in working in the NHS, I need two negative results before I can go back into the office. Then only one positive test from day 11. One of my colleagues said she didn't test negative until day 11 and like me wasn't really ill with it. She has no underlying conditions.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Tawnyowl1]

And her tests were NHS-supplied ones! The other daughter, also NHS, didn't realise it was Covid to start with until she tested for the next lot of work shifts so had probably been positive for 3 or 4 days. And then tested +ve after a week - so probably was +ve for 10 or 11 days.

[Tawnyowl1 in reply to PMRpro]

As I am admin and do not need to test it would have been easy to just think I had a cold and carried on as normal. Glad I checked.