This isn't a debate about whether covid is real or not or whether its serious or not. I do however have a dilemma.

So I have many of the Omicron symptoms when go Google them, akin to a bad cold or flu virus if you will. Anyway everywhere I look it says get tested, all over the news, including the US and their CDC. 
Anyway it doesn't say what test to do.
Our government are still sticking with the 3 main original symptoms for pcr test unless you get a positive lft. I don't have any of those 3 symptoms

I'm testing daily and all been negative on lft. I've looked up how effective they are and it says anywhere between 40-80% depending on whether you follow instructions, the chances are of a false negative are low if done properly.

So my dilemma is should we now and myself included be getting a pcr test? I have many friends who I haven't seen as they live in other parts of the country to me with the same symptoms.
I could easily have a common cold, mild flu, winter bug however being Xmas day tomorrow if I feel OK I'm supposed to be going to a friends home with her family. I'm seriously deliberating about erring on the side of caution as I know of at least 1person who hasn't been vaccinated there.

I've had all 3 of my jabs and not without awful side effects which 2 of which landed me in hospital to check for a blood clot with the last one 8 days ago

Opinions and thoughts please.
My friend of course will be so disappointed if I don't go as she is so looking forward to the get together after last year and the virus, I was alone last year too so no hardship on me.

My husband works in a social care setting and lateral flow tests are the ones the staff all use, a minimum of twice a week.
I think if they were unreliable they wouldn't be using them. You are doing the best you can, following all the advice and being far more diligent than many people are.
You may well simply have another winter virus, a cold. If I were you I would continue to test with the lateral flow tests and if you test positive then follow up with the pcr

I replied about getting a PCR test, then I re-read your post and deleted my answer. You sound a lot like me, and many people, like you're almost looking for an excuse not to go. Just do a LFT ion the morning, if it's still clear GO, you'll have fun.

I feel like crap so won't be going if I am the same tomorrow. I do want to go, I have lots of the food bits here for the day too.
I'm not looking for an excuse not to go by any means, I just don't want to risk anyone as another friend since I posted with similar symptoms has tested positive, no I've not been in contact with them either.

I guess my anxiety about doing the right thing is rolling around in my head..
I'm in bed now, taken pain relief, keeping hydrated and hopefully I'll be feeling much better tomorrow

This is on the front, news page of Yahoo this morning.  It seems you are by no means alone in being confused (.com).  Whatever the case, I'm sure you'll do the right thing but I hope you will feel better - and fast!

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/omicron-cold-symptoms-mean-uk-141822833.html
Hope it loads.

I'm in the looking for an excuse camp I think!  But that's because I'm a total hermit who hasn't had anyone with me for christmas for 14 years now.  This year is the first time I've had an invite for about 5 years, and the first time I've ever said yes to one (quiet meal at best friend's new house).  So I do want to go, but I also hate change

I would expect the unvaccinated guest to have taken a lateral flow test before meeting with you. If not I am afraid I would not be going. It’s theleast they could do.

Feeling better than I did last night but still no real appetite even for my favourite food. No way am I feeling it for alcohol either. I managed a 10min dog walk and was done for.. Will take some more pain relief and do a lft in a bit.

I've got together all the food and drink I am due to take.. 
So if clear lft and my friend is OK with me going ill go and see how I get on.

There's a very nasty cold virus going around - nothing to do with Covid.  My daughter was extremely unwell with it for a week;  I also had it but mine started with a very painful sore throat then, a few days later, a very nasty fluey cold.  This was just as I was about to go on holiday to the Caribbean so I had to have an antigen AND a PCR test just to be allowed to travel.  I was fine.  I had to have the same tests to return home, by which time I felt fine, and again I was negative.

I want, had a great time but spent a lot of time with tissue to my nose. Home now and not feeling great, so now time to cuddle up with the dogs.
I did 2 x lft before I went and both negative

Being triple or double vaccinated is amazing. I can vouch and confirm that all my patients admitted in Intensive Care and High dependency units are not vaccinated.

Of course there are cases of Covid in vaccinated population but it is extremely rare and unlikely to be intubated or very sick with this. There is a degree of variability in terms of gender, males are more affected, age, background and most important comorbidities and immunocompromised.

Please do not discard or ignore vaccination as it is working despite all the media palavra and conflicting messages. Last 2 days all my sickest patients were unvaccinated.

I am aware of pros and cons but like in every subject people consider what to do based on facts and evidence.

I would throw my telly and ban all conflicting and unreasonable media.

Merry Christmas to all of you and don't forget please  vaccinate it is really working!

I am incredibly grateful to all who have researched and developed the vaccine, it’s such a weight off the mind to be triple jabbed! My husband always feels poorly after a flu jab and felt really ill after his Covid jabs, but said it was a small price to pay for the benefits of being jabbed. I cannot understand the antivaxer mentality and feel so sorry for all the people whose treatments for cancer and other critical conditions have been delayed (or have actually died) because hospitals are dealing with unvaccinated Covid patients. It just isn’t fair.

Here’s hoping 2022 sees the back of the blasted lurgy. But it probably won’t.

In early November my consultant wanted me to have an operation urgently
I ended up being on call from the hospital where I waited every Tuesday and Thursday morning to see if I could go in and have the op that day. Finally it paid off and I’m now back home recovering from the op.
The reason for the problems was bed availability in the main due to unvaccinated Covid patients clogging up the wards. During that period all icu beds were taken by unvaccinated patients. To say I was cross was an understatement
I’m extremely grateful to my consultant who pushed and argued my case and got me in for what turned out to be quite a long op where I lost a fair bit of blood and took a while to recover before being sent to a ward
It’s going to take a while to recover I think. Spent a very quiet Christmas mainly due to lack of energy
Very glad I’m not in hospital at the moment as I should imagine there are a lot of staffing issues due to the so infectious omicron.

I’ve stopped watching news on tv or reading much in the papers regarding Covid as it’s now become a load of sensationalist nonsense. I follow Dr John Campbell on YouTube who gives regular updates from various different sources including what’s going on in South Africa with omicron. Far better and unbiased, just facts and how to find them yourselves.

I’m clinically vulnerable and got all my jabs as soon as I was able to. Partly because having a stroke had made me scared of getting further neurological symptoms should I get Covid, but also because I don’t want to potentially infect everyone and because I don’t want to put extra pressure on the NHS.

If wearing a mask and getting jabbed and not going to crowded places means someone gets cancer treatment, it’s a small price for me to pay.

> If wearing a mask and getting jabbed and not going to crowded places means someone gets cancer treatment, it’s a small price for me to pay.

Hear hear

Covid is something we're going to have to live with, in the same way that we live with flu and norovirus every winter. As long as it doesn't make people seriously ill - and the vaccines certainly seem to be having that effect - then Life can function as it always has, with no need for isolation and lockdowns. Without a functioning economy we simply can't afford it anyway! It doesn't matter how transmissable it is, as long as it doesn't cause serious illness.

Agree JG..  flu has different variants hence the need for flu jabs for the more vulnerable every year, never had a flu jab in my life either.
If the covid variants enter into the realms of flu where yes it can kill like flu can bit for the general population it doesn't and doesn't send you to hospital then yes we need to continue living life.
I know they are different kettles of fish and you never know with a variant whether the next one is going tonbe weaker or stronger.

I already have neurological symptoms from a stroke 3 years ago, and I’m scared that if I get Covid it will either give me new symptoms or worsen the existing ones.

Flu doesn’t have that effect, so I’m not concerned - I might be clinically vulnerable but I’ve had flu before and haven’t been very ill with it. I’ll still have my flu jab though.

I can’t imagine I will ever be able to go back to “normal life”, but I’ll figure out what’s an acceptable level of risk for me and continue to try to avoid putting others at risk.

I’d be all for another lockdown if it was needed to take pressure off the NHS. I mean the economy is going to suffer if everyone’s off sick or isolating with Omicron anyway, we might as well lock down for a couple of weeks and save some lives.

> I mean the economy is going to suffer if everyone’s off sick or isolating with Omicron anyway, we might as well lock down for a couple of weeks and save some lives.

I fully agree with the sentiment, but it has to be balanced against real life.  I cannot afford another lockdown.  I have no money.  I'll only be able to feed the dogs this week because I've put a couple of jobs in tomorrow, halfway through a supposed week off, because December is always a bad month for work for me so I knew I'd need something in the middle of the break.  I always do.  But even then, they're the only two clients who have wanted to book in then so I'd not have been able to put more in even if I'd wanted to.  I've also been hammered by people cancelling directly because of covid this month, so my poor earnings have already been halved.

So if we go into lockdown in January, I'm screwed.  I'll lose what work I was able to take on.  I'm applying for other jobs now but that takes time and may not be successful, considering I've been in rather a niche sector for 13 years!