Ugh, positive Covid test

[ang79]

Like many on this board, our family has been pretty careful to avoid Covid. DH and I got boostered at the beginning of December. The girls were boostered on Friday. I had been feeling a bit off the past few days (sneezy, itchy eyes, sinus congestion), that I attributed to allergies (honestly that’s pretty much my state all winter between cold weather, dry winter air, and allergies). This morning I woke up with congestion in my chest though, so I figured to be safe I’d take a rapid test. And it is faintly positive. Should I go get a PCR to confirm? And should everyone else in the house also get one today? We are all together quite a bit, so I’m sure if I was contagious earlier it has been spread around. Also, the girls just go boostered. Is there any risk if they had it (no symptoms) when they got their shots on Friday? Yesterday they were feeling lousy with headaches, fevers, chills and we figured it was side effects of the vaccine. This morning they both have congestion too though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SnuggleBuggles]

Like a pregnancy test, a line is a line. I wouldn't waste time getting a new test for you. If you have rapid tests on hand, I would have the rest test.
I don't think there are any risks to having it and your booster- it just might affect the efficacy.

[o_mom]

I would go ahead and book PCR test for everyone. For you, the first available. For everyone else, depending on how far out they are scheduling, I might do one ASAP (in the next day or two) and then one on Friday (should be Day 5). That way if you isolate starting today, that will be Day 5 for them. If the first one is positive, you can cancel the Friday one. ETA: I would get a PCR even though you know you are positive because I would want an "official" record if it comes up later in regards to quarantine after exposure.

[nfceagles]

I would not get a PCR to confirm yourself. You’re positive. UNLESS you need some sort of proof of dates for school, work or travel in the future. If you have rapids, test everyone and isolate those who test infectious. I’ve been struggling with this “to PCR or not to PCR”question myself, so very open to hearing others opinions. Rapids give you the quickest tool to isolate the right people but I get that they are limited and it feels futile to try to stop spread within a household.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gymnbomb]

I would only get a PCR for yourself if you need it to show anyone else. DD tested positive on a home rapid test Friday, and we had to take her to get an "official" test Saturday because her teacher had to have results from a not at home test before shutting down her pre-k classroom for a week. They collected swabs for both a rapid and a PCR at the state run testing site, but they don't even process the PCR if their rapid is positive. The rest of us were negative on home tests so we are assuming she brought it home from school.

We will re-test DS with a rapid test before sending him to school Tuesday (I called the Covid nurse for his district and she confirmed he should go to school), and I'll get a PCR at work on Tuesday. DS gets PCRs at school every week, so I'm going to call and ask them to do his on Wednesday as that is when our pediatrician recommended testing. And DH's boss told him to stay home through Wednesday and get an official rapid test Wednesday before going back to work Thursday.

We do have more rapids at home though. I went out and bought more yesterday. So we'll test sooner at home if anyone has any symptoms. It's hard to tell because DS sneezes and blows his nose a few times a day, but that is his normal, not a new symptom. DD is not old enough to be vaccinated, but DS was vaccinated as soon as it was available for his age group in November, and DH and I have gotten our boosters.

[ang79]

There are drive through testing places open today. Family trip for Covid tests I guess! I think it best for us al to get PCR to verify and have it on record with the health dept. and a report done to the schools. I have no idea if contact tracing is even still happening here with our record number of cases. Certainly not how I was expecting to spend my Sunday . My 9th grader is mad, she starts her second semester classes on Tuesday and will now mostly likely be quarantined for the week. I am guessing the girls brought it home from school or I got it at a church meeting last week where I was the only one masked . I haven’t been anywhere else except short errands and have been wearing a surgical mask anytime I’m out. Oh, I was at Girl Scouts on Thursday, everyone masked. And violin lessons for the girls on Wed, also masked (though only cloth masks as the girls are saving their surgical masks for school). How far back do I need to let people know what I had contact with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkk

[mmsmom]

You can report to health department on your own. A positive on a home test is a positive. Unless a PCR is needed for school or work it isn’t necessary and just contributes to the back ups in that testing.

[dogmom]

I would not get a PCR to confirm yourself. You’re positive. UNLESS you need some sort of proof of dates for school, work or travel in the future. If you have rapids, test everyone and isolate those who test infectious. I’ve been struggling with this “to PCR or not to PCR”question myself, so very open to hearing others opinions. Rapids give you the quickest tool to isolate the right people but I get that they are limited and it feels futile to try to stop spread within a household.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This. Even a faint line is a positive. It is much more like that you would get a false negative. The only time I've heard of false positives is in residential situations like nursing homes when there are multiple people that are positive, including the caregivers, and they aren't being careful about where and how they do the test because they can get contaminated. I don't think that will happen in a home situation unless you did it in a small bathroom where a positive family member was just coughing their lung up.

All I can say about rapids is they are good if used more than one 24 hours apart, timed right 3-5 days after exposure for the first one, and directions are followed. There is some discussion about whether to do throat swabs also with the newest variant. I think I would throat swab someone had symptoms that included sore throat and I had already gotten a negative and it has been 3-5 days after symptoms appeared. But honestly, I would just continue with the idea that they were Covid + and do the isolation protocol and not stress about getting a PCR.

As far as work and other people "requiring a PCR" I've got some words about that, but the software here will **** them out. It is a ridiculous burden to put on a collapsing healthcare system. It is all designed by people who want their employees to come to work, no matter what. I feel that the less you get paid the more likely you are to need a PCR test, which you can't find.

[ang79]

Ok, so I think I will send DH to have the girls tested and I’ll stay home. I do have 3 rapid tests left that I could use on them but since Testing is available today locally I think I’d feel better if they got those so I know what to do about school this week. DH and I both work from home, but then you got school asymptmatic or me thinking g any symptoms they have is from their booster is my concern. Also, to let those who have been around them recently know if they are positive, as DD1 eats lunch with an unvaccinated friend (not sure of the status of the others at her table. She does wear her mask in class.

I just looked up how to contact the PA DOH to report my at home result to and it said they don’t need to know. I wonder how much higher our positivity rate is if none of the at home tests are counted…..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MSWR0319]

I think if you have enough rapids and the girls are symptomatic, I would rapid test them first. I wouldn't bother with a PCR for you unless you need it for something. A positive is a positive and you can self report to the health department. Just remember if the girls test negative today on a PCR, that doesn't mean they couldn't be positive tomorrow. Their 10 day masking starts after their last exposure to you.

ETA: We cross posted. I think your plan is good to get the girls and DH tested since it's easily available.