How infectious am I??

Quite honestly, an 87 year old who has refused any vaccinations probably needs to be careful wherever she goes. the responsibility is hers.

Hurrah, finally got a totally negative test yesterday morning, so started going to m y u3a groups then. This was the tenth day from when I started. Still have a bit of cough, not sure how long that will last, does seem to be improving daily.

Thanks, (I am certain), to the four jabs I have had, I was not at all ill with Covid - presented to me just like a mildish summer cold.

The only person who was reluctant to be close to me yesterday at the meeting was a lady who steadfastly refuses to have any vaccinations (87 years of age), I did reassure her that I was most definitely not infectious and probably had not been for the previous few days.

My partner has been working on spike proteins similar to the Covid ones for years. Although his work isn't directly connected with how long people are infectious, he does keep in touch with the research.

So ... to answer the op's question about whether she is still infectious, I'm linking to this article. I ran it past my partner, who agreed it seemed sound, and it's written in layman's language, so even a non-scientific person like me can understand.

www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02026-x

It confirms very much what most people know. Covid is most infectious in the first few days, but it can be infectious for longer, although it's rare for people to be infectious beyond 10 days.

In that context, the government advice is probably about right. Try to isolate for five days after a positive result but if you want to avoid infecting anybody who is particularly vulnerable, you should stay away for 10 days. I would include any medical setting as a place where there are likely to be vulnerable people.

Personally, I have a particular reason to not want to be infected in the next week, so I'm going to stay at home when possible and wear a mask if I do have to pop out to a shop. I can't rely on other people using their "common sense", I'm afraid. As far as I know, I haven't had Covid so far.

Exactly luluauguat. It’s easy to be complacent if you have only suffered minor illness.
I know people who have been infected with the Omicron virus and are still unwell weeks later.
There is less chance of having long covid from the Omicron variant, but research has only been done as far as Omicron 1 and 2.
It is still estimated that 4% of those infected will develop symptoms lasting longer than 4 weeks and considering the large number of cases just now there will be many in this situation.
This is an ongoing concern medically when NHS resources are already stretched with backlogs waiting for treatment.

Having had Covid I can see why people have such different attitudes to it. I was laid up in bed, DH up quite quickly and getting on its things. I'm left with a bad cough, he isn't.

MawtheMerrier

I suppose GN in its way reflects society- and the extremes of opinion within it.
At one end of the spectrum we have people still quarantining their shopping and avoiding doorstep contact with delivery drivers and at the other we have people like the posters who believe it’s all over bar the shouting ( no new cases - really? I personally know of two within my small community) or who think it’s a bad cold.
Somewhere in the middle there is common sense. A willingness to listen to “the science”, to observe the reality and, unfortunately for those who succumb to the virus, to learn from experience.
I agree individual anecdotal evidence is confusing - so is this virus. How easily some people catch it and others seem to be just about immune will need possibly years of research. But we have been studying the common cold for decades and are still no further forward. But we have got flu vaccines, we have got a Covid vaccine and while the scientists and medics investigate ( how and why it spreads), we can just be grateful we can mitigate the awful consequences in the vast majority of cases.

A thoughtful and balanced post
Covid has caused many more problems than just the initial virus both physical and mental. There are studies from King's College London that the instances of long covid are much lower with the Omicron varient depending on age and time since vacination.
Thankfully a new program of boosters has been planned for those at higher risk.

I suppose GN in its way reflects society- and the extremes of opinion within it.
At one end of the spectrum we have people still quarantining their shopping and avoiding doorstep contact with delivery drivers and at the other we have people like the posters who believe it’s all over bar the shouting ( no new cases - really? I personally know of two within my small community) or who think it’s a bad cold.
Somewhere in the middle there is common sense. A willingness to listen to “the science”, to observe the reality and, unfortunately for those who succumb to the virus, to learn from experience.
I agree individual anecdotal evidence is confusing - so is this virus. How easily some people catch it and others seem to be just about immune will need possibly years of research. But we have been studying the common cold for decades and are still no further forward. But we have got flu vaccines, we have got a Covid vaccine and while the scientists and medics investigate ( how and why it spreads), we can just be grateful we can mitigate the awful consequences in the vast majority of cases.

effalump

People, stop talking yourselves into being ill and do some research. On the Worldometer site from two days ago theres been zero new cases, zero deaths, over 25,000 newly recovered and 146 in serious/critical condition. This is in a UK population of over 68 million.

Go out for a walk. As someone else said, take a mask but don't use it if there aren't many people around.

It would be nice to know what everyone is doing to boost their own immune system. Probably nothing.

Don't be daft! You can't build an immunity to a virus.

effalump

People, stop talking yourselves into being ill and do some research. On the Worldometer site from two days ago theres been zero new cases, zero deaths, over 25,000 newly recovered and 146 in serious/critical condition. This is in a UK population of over 68 million.

Go out for a walk. As someone else said, take a mask but don't use it if there aren't many people around.

It would be nice to know what everyone is doing to boost their own immune system. Probably nothing.

Och silly old me. I didn't really feel that I'd been run over by a bus, it was all in my mind. The doctor I was talking to was just over-reacting when he said I might need anti-virals because of an underlying lung condition I have.

There are zero cases or deaths on Worldometer for the last 2 days because we only report every week now, not every day.

Give me strength.

People, stop talking yourselves into being ill and do some research. On the Worldometer site from two days ago theres been zero new cases, zero deaths, over 25,000 newly recovered and 146 in serious/critical condition. This is in a UK population of over 68 million.

Go out for a walk. As someone else said, take a mask but don't use it if there aren't many people around.

It would be nice to know what everyone is doing to boost their own immune system. Probably nothing.

We can only think he picked it up at a funeral we attended. I thought at the time there was too much hugging going on. My parents never hugged anyone on such occasions, did your's?

ExDancer, how awful for you and MrD.
Sending you all my very best wishes for a good recovery

No No NO - please stay away from people.
My 83 year old husband with heart problems caught it, 5 weeks ago.
Although he now tests negative he is still very ill, seriously ill, I am worried I might lose him. He has a hacking cough, diarrhea and sickness, headache, he can hardly walk. The GP has been out to the house twice yes, twice, and has put him on a course of antibiotics because he has fluid (?{ on his lungs.
I caught it but was not ill.
PLEASE PLEASE don't risk killing someone just because you can't bear to stay at home for a week!
You can sit in your garden, my DH can hardly get out of bed to go to the loo. (apologies if you have no garden), but please don't risk infecting someone else.

naughtynanny You really are an idiot. I'd love to know what scientific qualifications you have in order for you to declare the vaccines 'ineffective'. I'm guessing a basic O-level at most, if that.

Paperbackwriter

Please don't assume that after day 5 you are clear and no longer infectious. Stay away from others till you've tested negative for at least a couple of days, which could easily be till 10 days or more. The infection is still rife out there.

That information is incorrect. Some people stay positive for weeks and are not infectious. Of course everyone must do as they see fit for themselves, but spreading information that is contrary to what the health authorities is telling us is not a good idea.

^Mollygo

Just had a message from a colleague I gave a lift to last Wednesday that she has tested positive. I’m fine so far but we’re going away, so now what? Do I rush out masked and get a pack of tests or do I go away and hope?^

Obviously it’s your decision but, if it was me, I’d still go away. If you have no symptoms, you may not have it; may not get it. I’d get a pack of tests to take with you and, if you get symptoms when you’re away, test then. If you’re positive you can stay away from people. If negative - hooray! We can’t live our lives saying ‘what if …’ If the holiday involves air travel or public transport, I’d wear a mask during travel - just in case. Why should you give up a holiday when, currently, the reality is that you’ve been somewhat near to someone who now has Covid. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get it. Just imagine if you cancelled your trip, stayed at home and didn’t get Covid. You’d then be saying ‘wish I’d gone’.

Please don't assume that after day 5 you are clear and no longer infectious. Stay away from others till you've tested negative for at least a couple of days, which could easily be till 10 days or more. The infection is still rife out there.

I had my 5th jab yesterday as I’m ECV but I wouldn’t expect people to stay at home after day 6 to protect me. I had a countdown on my phone that said I was free to go out after day 6 …. If only! I was exhausted. Tested negative on day 8 and as I was given antivirals was asked to take lateral flow tests for a further 6 all were negative. 2 days later had raging temperature of 39.9 I tested positive again so had to go through it all again! My husband aged 82 lives with me and didn’t get it. It’s a weird one.

volver

LuckyFour

You shouldn't go out if you are still testing positive. It's only a few days and you must not take the risk of infecting anyone else. This is a devious little thing, don't take the chance of passing it on.

The rule is that you can go out five days after your first positive test. At least that's the rule in Scotland. Actually you can go out before that but its the "right thing" to isolate if you can.

We don't get to make up our own rules and tell other people to do as we do. Do as you please for yourself, but don't impose your made up rules on other people.

Equally, if people feel that they should isolate for five days after a positive test, others shouldn't try to gaslight them and accuse them of being scared, etc.

If people feel up to it and they're still testing positive, there can't possibly be any harm in going out for a walk, but staying away from other people.

The virus is still very active and thousands of people each day are catching it - some with very minor symptoms and others more severely effected. We haven’t had covid and still test regularly before we go anywhere that might infect others and wear masks in shops etc. I couldn’t bear to think that I had knowingly given it to anyone who became very poorly or who died.

LuckyFour

You shouldn't go out if you are still testing positive. It's only a few days and you must not take the risk of infecting anyone else. This is a devious little thing, don't take the chance of passing it on.

The rule is that you can go out five days after your first positive test. At least that's the rule in Scotland. Actually you can go out before that but its the "right thing" to isolate if you can.

We don't get to make up our own rules and tell other people to do as we do. Do as you please for yourself, but don't impose your made up rules on other people.

I had Covid earlier this year. I am CEV but fortunately had it mildly and barely had symptoms. I had a telephone consultation the day after I tested positive to check if I needed antiviral drugs. I didn't. I asked the doctor about isolation and he said it was better to go out for exercise than stay in so long as I could avoid walking close to people. So I went out every day and am 100% certain I didn't infect anyone.

I NEVER EVER do lateral flow testing! What when twice I have had to self-isolate first for cataract op which never took place then the following year when there were complications and I had to go on waiting list to have it corrected. Test for Covid? After twice self-isolating when I live alone with NO support bubble. Do I feel ashamed for admitting this? NO!! Society should feel ashamed because twice I have had to have CBT owing to the fact that my mental state has deteriorated to such an extent I was nearly suicidal last year. Look after society and test every day? Are you kidding!!!! I have had 4 vaccinations so I consider I have looked after society, so now I am looking after ME because when you have NO support bubble nobody else will!!! I NEVER test, NEVER had the NHS app installed on my phone, because I am looking after ME and my mental health.

You shouldn't go out if you are still testing positive. It's only a few days and you must not take the risk of infecting anyone else. This is a devious little thing, don't take the chance of passing it on.

That's good of you. Well done.

Oh, and well done for completely twisting (misinterpreting?) what I said, as well.