When do people stop testing positive?

jamesf85

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone on here has tested themselves daily and when did they stop testing positive through antigen?

I was a close contact and tested positive on Tuesday last week. No symptoms at all. Its been essentially impossible to get a PCR so I’ve just assumed that I’m positive and isolated since.

i know I need to isolate for 10 days from the first positive test which will be this coming Friday but problem is I’ve tested positive each day since last Tuesday and just wondering when do people start testing negative?

im 32, double vaccinated but haven’t gotten booster yet if that makes any difference.

saoirse88

I tested positive for covid 3 weeks after I had it. It’s important to get the certificate of recovery as you may not be able to travel or get back to Ireland without it

jamesf85

unfortunately I wasn’t able to book a PCR. I’m wondering is there any way of retrospectively getting the recovery cert? Would an antibodies test work?

dubal

with 2 vaccinations you will have the antibodies either way.

oisinog

With A PCR test you will test posistive for 90 days. I dont know the difference from the North and the South but your isolation period in the north starts when you develop symptons

jamesf85

Thank you. Do you know how long I’ll test positive with antigens? Generally what’s the time frame?

oisinog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118415219#Comment_118415219

When I had covid it was 4 days after my first positive antigen until I started getting negative ones I was double vaccinated as well

zg3409

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118415219#Comment_118415219

7 days after testing positive with home test, I am still testing positive on home test, Siemens brand. The line is a bit lighter. The first time line appeared within 30 seconds, a week later line appears lighter and took a little longer, less than a minute. It can take up to 15 minutes to appear.

If the real question is, should I continue to isolate and will the home test tell me how long, the home test will not do that. You should follow the government guidelines. Get a proper PCR test if your home test was positive. Isolate for the minimum amount suggested and more if possible such as continuing to work from home. The amount of time to isolate depends on symptoms, vaccination and booster status and you may have to keep the head down depending on other housemates. If housemates test positive that might be an issue too.

Rules changed yesterday in terms of isolation

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/27bb7-minister-donnelly-issues-updates-to-irelands-public-health-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Whitters22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118414980#Comment_118414980

A related question on this too. I also tested positive on antigen and have been unable to get a PCR. Recovery certs are only given on the basis of a PCR but when so many can't get one I wonder will this be revisited? My double vaccination status may not be enough for a EU covid cert soon.

Frank Bullitt

Tested positive on the 22nd, negative today.

Feria40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118417994#Comment_118417994

It costs but Randox link their PCR to the EU Covid cert

RobAMerc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058225743/when-do-people-stop-testing-positive

call your GP. they will get you in for a PCR test locally. ours took 48hrs, but it was better than staying awake half the night on that stupid site

Rket4000

I contacted my GP on Friday and was referred for a PCR test.. Still have heard nothing back from that. However I persisted with that stupid site and had a PCR test today.

ParkRunner

Does the speed of the antigen test result indicate the level of virus you have? I took two antigen tests a week apart and both produced a strong red T line within a minute. I was expecting the second test (T line) to be at least a little bit slower and lighter.

fits

Yes in my recent experience the sooner the line appears the higher the viral load you have.

fits

I’m still testing positive with an almost immediate red line and today is day 7 for me.

ParkRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118525163#Comment_118525163

Do you still have many symptoms can I ask? My energy levels are still quite low compared to normal & I have a headache.

With Omicron meant to be mild I was wondering is this the norm. I am double vaccinated and boosted

fits

In same boat. Surprised at how bad I feel. Low energy. Chest discomfort. Palpitations. And today I have sore eyes!

im not dead in bed but it’s no cold either.

ParkRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118525223#Comment_118525223

Hope you feel better soon. I’ve had all those on and off during the week also, with fever, muscle pains & some brain fog too! I’ve had the proper flu once before and it has not been far off that alright, but this seems to last much longer.

fits

Yeah whoever’s going around saying it’s just a cold. That Hasn’t been true for anyone in my house. The adults didn’t have fever but everything else

fits

Day 8 now and the line didn’t appear as quickly this morning so hopefully it’s on the run. I can end isolation today as long as 48 hours without symptoms and wearing a good mask. I reckon I’m still infectious though.

ParkRunner

Day 9 for me and first day the line has been faint rather than clear and took a little while to come through for the first time and the symptoms are definitely lifting. Back to normal tomorrow hopefully

iwasliedto

Light positive on a weds morning negative on Sunday evening. 3 jabs, the third one 16 days before I tested+.

olestoepoke

On our way out the door this morning ,whole family, school and work and our youngest lad 10 had a fever 39.2 so we tested him and he was positive, two lines in a matter of seconds. Threw a spanner into the works for everyone. I gave up watching the news and following the advice months ago, really got sick of the whole thing. So how long exactly do we all have to isolate? Mam and Dad double vaccinated no booster negative test, two kids. Only one kid positive.

phormium

https://www.covidregs.ie/

fits

7 days after testing positive as long as last 48 hours with no major symptoms.

the rest of you need to restrict movements. You wouldn’t need to if boosted. But if it’s like our house everyone will catch it anyway.

1968c

How do you get the recovery cert? My 2 family members over it. 1 had pcr other had antigen and self reported. Both clear now but how does cert happen?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118563068#Comment_118563068

Can only be gotten with a positive PCR and it should issue automatically.

samo

On the HSE website the self service request (issued 11 days after positive PCR and takes up to 5 days to issue)

https://www.covidcertificateportal.gov.ie/en-US/issue-recovery-cert/

all in our house tested positive and looking most likely based on symptoms and timeline that our eldest who lives away from home had it first, didn’t even realise and passed it to us - strange thing is even with now confirmed PCR positives for everyone, it’s never showed on antigen for 2/3.

yellow hen

Posted in wrong thread, sorry

2 out of 4 of us are positive. Only me has symptoms. My son probably got it in school.

Is it worth me isolating.

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575290#Comment_118575290

Depends on the other two, are they vaccinates or very young, reality is the will probably get "exposed" to it at some stage. My kids have it they are isolating on the sofa so not isolating at all. I'm been careful washing my hands and all that. So far after 4 days I'm still negative, so is my wife. I reckon we are getting a low level exposure to it and the vaccine is keeping it a bay so it will improve my immunity to it. Either that or on monday we'll be locked down again for 7 days.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118581471#Comment_118581471

Are you using masks to limit your exposure around the kids?

NedsNotDead

Both kids testes positive first. Thankfully both were only sick for a couple of days. Partner got it a couple of days latter. But was only mildly ill for a few days.

Oddly I never tested positive

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118599701#Comment_118599701

They went back to school today, yesterday on day 7 of their isolation. My wife tested positive on antigen tests waiting for PCR result. I'm wearing a mask now but it's probably to late. There is another does doing the rounds too, both she and my son had it. Similar symptoms to covid but worse lasts longer.

I kept washing my hands and kept my distance from the kids and slept in another room because my wife had the dose, we'll see if it works. I'd probably be better off getting it now as we've plans for 10 days time so I'd be out of isolate then. Knowing my luck I'll test positive in 7 days.

Mecanudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118600866#Comment_118600866

Thanks for that. Reason for asking is that I'm not sure what the current advice or what works for household contacts. Good to know.

spaceHopper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118601252#Comment_118601252

HSE told me they could go back after 7 days and that they could still test positive on antigen tests for a while after