Omicron Christmas

We are all going to test ourselves before we meet together that way we are pretty sure we’re COVID free.

Testing ourselves, and meeting up four of us family.

We are leaving it till nearer the time to assess the situation which changes daily, but we will test ourselves beforehand if we do meet up. There would be 6 of us if we went ahead.

As a family we always test before we visit people. And they test before we arrive! We don't want to start passing Covid around the family, having avoided it for over a year.

Before we visit people who are vulnerable we usually stay in for a few days as well, and don't see anyone, so we know we won't pick anything up at the last minute to stop our visit.

We've already had our big family meet up and Christmas dinner on Saturday (kids and grandkids). We all test twice weekly, shop online, use masks and distancing - and will have our individual, one-family 'do's on the day. I'm glad we organised things that way.

Yes "flow before you go" is the order of the day. It makes sense and gives you a bit of reassurance.

What worries me is people who have been mixing with others on Xmas day and before, then coming to us Boxing Day. I'm not sure a LFT done Boxing Day morning would show anything picked up the previous day?

Well, theoretically, there should be 20 of us from 6 households - not sure how we sort that out.

We're waiting a few days before deciding but, if we do go, we will all do the LFT before meeting up. I hope we go as, for various reasons, we have not seen the DGC for two years.
I'm afraid I do not know the answer to your question, Germanshepherdsmum, although my guess would be yes, it would show up.

I just hope no one is unwell and myself too, if we are all ok will be with family for lunch.

Anyone know how soon you are infectious after getting covid.

So does the flow test show positive as soon as you’ve caught covid?

Us two and two of the kids coming to stay for several days. No change of plans here.

Not changing any plans here yet apart from not attendance ng the two Carol services and NYE party we had booked.

We were all hoping to stick with our plans for a big family lunch at my eldest daughters. This week there have been several confirmed Covid cases in her sons Year 6 class so things could well change. Today my 86 year old mother has decided she will stay at home on her own, she is triple jabbed but is still very worried as she has underlying health issues. Only ten days to go till the big day but Omicron is spreading rapidly so who knows!? Makes you wonder what 2022 will bring.

Sorry to rain on any parades, but just undertaking LFTs or planning to before meeting up is not really enough.
I was “pinged” yesterday and immediately did an LFT which was negative. But it doesn’t stop there.
I was told I should book a PCR which I did today and may get my result tomorrow or maybe Friday.
Should it be positive I am not clear in time to go to D and family on Christmas Eve , maybe Christmas Day but I am not sure about even that. I feel fine, I have no symptoms so I may be in the clear but it has made me realise that I should not go anywhere between now and Christmas. Were this scenario to be repeated any time between now and Christmas and it’s Goodnight Vienna and a microwave turkey dinner on my own for me. I have been practical and sensible up to now abiding by the regulations but not “hiding “away from this virus. But it is incredibly invasive and good intentions are no longer enough.
It makes it more real somehow.

Germanshepherdsmum

What worries me is people who have been mixing with others on Xmas day and before, then coming to us Boxing Day. I'm not sure a LFT done Boxing Day morning would show anything picked up the previous day?

I'd like to know that too, as we were told at the very beginning that Covid could take up to 14 days to incubate.
Of course, someone could be symptomless yet still carry and pass on the infection.

We mustn't forget that it's not just the Omicron variant which is circulating.

MayBeMaw ? your PCR test is negative.

We stocked up today with some Christmas food just in case, having been for a hospital appointment. The hospital staff (dozens of them in the corridor) looked as if they were heading for a big meeting so I thought they might be preparing for worst case scenario.

Right back in March 2020 I was very concerned about this virus because it can incubate for about 10 days maybe more. A normal cold or 'flu takes about 48 hours I believe. That anyone can be infectious for 10 days before even having symptoms is why it has spread so easily.

DH had symptoms for about a week but tested negative twice using a LFT. It was when I tested positive and he did a PCR that we realised that what we thought was a cold was actually Covid.

Thanks Calistemon -along the lines of “This couldn’t happen to me”/I don’t do ill “ I am reasonably confident it will be negative - but who am I kidding? It could be any of us and there are some very (dare I say) gung-ho and complacent people around on GN and elsewhere who seem similarly confident in their immunity.

I suspect that we will encourage my Mum to come on another day but we always have the 6 children, their partners and our 9 grandkids around on Boxing Day (except for last year of course) and, unless the rules change, it will be no different. I was happy to break it into 2 sessions but there were howls of anguish at the thought of it as it is the one time a year which we all manage to attend as a family. In some ways I was quite heartened. I really thought it was something that was a chore to the kids.

may not be part of this discussion, but I have to say that I doubt, seriously doubt the Governments statistics.. several reasons why, but
as an example

this morning, my daily post produced ANOTHER letter from the NHS urging me to book and get my flu jab, which I had several weeks ago... so if no records are kept of that.. what??
and I do wonder where all these people who are included in the statistics as having the covid virus, where do they continually come from? are people really queueing up to get these tests? and are the tests reliable..?

and an NOT an antivaccine person, I believe in it.. to the point that if if should become compulsory I would applaud,, but.....

No change if we are allowed to meet with family, flow before you go is order of the day

grannyrebel7

Yes "flow before you go" is the order of the day. It makes sense and gives you a bit of reassurance.

What a great way to put it! I shall pinch that phrase if that's OK. Definitely the safest way, but we're limiting things we go to as well. This variant is a huge, rapid unknown, and so many people put their own pleasure before community safety. Pleased to see the Gransnet folks are generally taking a level-headed pragmatic stance, instead of the Me.Me.Me take on things.
As for the utter stupidity of the Partying at No.10 and, no doubt, plenty of other events out of sight last year that haven't come to light yet, I can't understand the attitude of some people interviewed who think that makes it fine to do the same. Surely they get that BECAUSE it's wrong they should be better than that, and NOT behave like a bunch of "entitled" total fools. If I hear one more selfish, ridiculous person say "if they can get away with it..."
I will throw something at the tv.