UKH

Tested positive on 27 Dec. Currently symptom free.

Is it safe to assume non-contagious? 

A quick qoogke search threw up results mainly a year old 

The isolation time is ten days I think? It technically fits within being okay to meet them, unless they still test positive.

Risks of being contagious are very low (not impossible though). My NHS trust would deem them able to return to clinical work, except if they had a positive lateral flow today. 

So did my brother an family. They have since flow back to Italy and they have all been in school this week

Nothing is certain, but I'd find a couple of negative LFT test reassuring.

I'll meet them tomorrow outdoors I think.

Seems they can test positive for months after.

PCR will test positive for months lateral flow will generally not (unless infection remains active)

Allegedly.  I’m still struggling to find any evidence of this and it makes no sense to me.  Anyone reliably testing PCR positive more than two weeks after infection is, by definition, still infected.

I recently had a positive LFT an hour before a negative PCR. A couple of days later, still feeling grotty, I had another LFT - negative, just prior to a positive PCR!

I have no faith whatsoever in LFTs

I'm Vaccinated x2, and boosted btw.

From your experience I can understand why, from my personal family experience they were accurately predicted 16 PCR (14 positive) over christmas, a couple of families would have difficulty flying home if they hadn't done them. Wed/Thurs last week 1200 kids were tested in  school, 37 kids had already tested positive before (not) coming in, even so a dozen or so tested positive a day after they tested negative. Will some have been missed, almost certainly. Was it a waste of time, perhaps but not because of the (in)accuracy of the test. 

Relating to the OP you say you were symptomatic, so I wouldn't be using a LFT test to allow a meeting with a vulnerable person 

As I understand it the pcr shows positive before the lft. So its quite possible to have a positive pcr with a negative lft the same morning. Happened to me. 

However the lft will be showing positive consistently within 24 or 48 hours. 

The speed of pcr "showing" seems a reason that we should stick with the pcr method. Otgerwise folk will potentially be walking around with covid for 24/48 hours longer than necessary

Both myself and the Mrs had technically negative LF tests and positive PCR the next day.

2 weeks later I'm showing clear LF tests but still feel like crap and coughing my guts up so I'm keeping away from people just in case. 

yes changes in isolation rules are quietly ignoring the fact that some people are still getting very ill (maybe not hospital ill, but certainly not fit for work ill) with ongoing symptoms that last well beyond 10 days.

Safe to see them - they have recovered and they have high levels of natural immunity so they are probably safer to see than average.

It is generally regarded that symptoms past 10 days, unless you are immunosuppressed, are more likely to be post viral effects which can take weeks or even months to go away, or may (hopefully not) even be permanent (i.e. long COVID).  Only a temperature is given as a reason to continue isolating until it has gone completely, because this is pretty much unknown as a post viral thing.

If immunosuppressed I would take your doctor's advice on the matter.

My mates tested negative via a PCR test on 19th December.

Positive on PC test on 30th December and 31st December

Negative on PCR test on 8th January.

So I don't think there is any hard and fast rule

(We were OS hence the number of tests)

Do you mean they'd been positive before 19 December too?  If so this might have been a rapid reinfection with omicron having just cleared delta, or they just aren't very good at generating strong B cell response. 

In any event, this isn't the same as being consistently PCR +ve for months despite being asymptomatic and non-infectious, which is what the 90 day post-infection advice not to have further tests implies and which I really think is a myth. 

Here's the timeline graph from paper cited by the BBC 

I'd appreciate your thoughts on my 'viral load' thread, Dave.

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/off_belay/viral_load-742935