Continue to test positive after recovery but need negative test to travel

pred02

Hi,

I've completed my 10 day isolation and recovery from Covid but am still testing positive on lateral flow tests. I am due to go to Italy on Thursday and need a negative rapid antigen done 24 hours. I do not think Italy accepts UK letter of recovery.  Is there anything I can do to travel?

Thanks

ripplyuk

If you’re still testing positive on lateral flow, then you’re still infectious. 

Check your insurance to see if it covers you. 

Richard_T_

on the NHS app ( not the covid 19 app) go to NHS Covid pass, then Continue, then select Travel Covid 19 records found show details and you should get a bar code for each vaccine you had ( swipe left/right) and a "recovered from Covid 19 " barcode in there.

My understanding is that you can still test positive even after recovering for quite some time afterwards, you need to check that Italy will accept this

pred02

Thank you! The LFT is getting better no big line just tiny bit faint after some time has expired hopefully in 1-2 days it will be all gone. I do need 14 days to pass to get the recovered from Covid barcode to appear from what I recall. 

Thank you 

silvercar

As a data point, my son had a bright red line on day 10, a faint line on day 11 and no line on day 12.

FaceHead

silvercar said:

As a data point, my son had a bright red line on day 10, a faint line on day 11 and no line on day 12.

I was very similar.

I was still testing positive on the day I was allowed out of isolation (is that day11?), but a couple more days later was then negative, even though all symptoms had disappeared by about day 5. Once you're not coughing all over the shop naturally you will be less likely pass it on, but I wouldn't want to sit next to someone on a plane who is only a bit infectious! OP you really shouldn't be travelling whilst still testing positive. 

Clearly everyone is unique, but it made me think that the reduction of the isolation period from 14 to 10 days is cutting it pretty fine.   

emmajones1976

FaceHead said:

silvercar said:

As a data point, my son had a bright red line on day 10, a faint line on day 11 and no line on day 12.

I was very similar.

I was still testing positive on the day I was allowed out of isolation (is that day11?), but a couple more days later was then negative, even though all symptoms had disappeared by about day 5. Once you're not coughing all over the shop naturally you will be less likely pass it on, but I wouldn't want to sit next to someone on a plane who is only a bit infectious! OP you really shouldn't be travelling whilst still testing positive. 

Clearly everyone is unique, but it made me think that the reduction of the isolation period from 14 to 10 days is cutting it pretty fine.   

Its not even 10 days anymore, its changed twice in England since then

onashoestring

emmajones1976 said:

Its not even 10 days anymore, its changed twice in England since then

The self-isolation period remains 10 full days for those without negative results from 2 LFD tests taken a day apart.

The earliest you can take  LFT is Day 5 - next one Day 6 , if both negative . Isolation can end .

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

ripplyuk

Richard_T_ said:

My understanding is that you can still test positive even after recovering for quite some time afterwards, you need to check that Italy will accept this 

That’s with a PCR which is more sensitive, not LFT. 

Nebulous2

ripplyuk said:

Richard_T_ said:

My understanding is that you can still test positive even after recovering for quite some time afterwards, you need to check that Italy will accept this 

That’s with a PCR which is more sensitive, not LFT. 

A PCR is more sensitive, but you can still get a false positive with an LFT. Previous advice was not to test at all for 90 days. See this for instance:-  COVID-19 testing schedule for a suspected or confirmed outbreak in a care home - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)