Conflicting information

[jm05]

Hi,

Can somebody PLEASE shed some light on what we should do...

My dad has confirmed covid, we saw him Friday evening for roughly 45 mins, he was confirmed positive on Sunday morning. I had a test Sunday and confirmed negative Monday, husband had a test yesterday and confirmed negative today.

We haven't been contacted by track and trace, I was told that if that's the case we don't need to isolate, we have also been told that we do - there lies one problem.

Secondly my dad cannot remember if he told track and trace when they called that he had seen us, he can't recall whether he mentioned it or not as the woman was happy that he had made the necessary calls and therefore didn't ask for anyone's details, he believes because she was happy he didn't disclose half of the people he had seen because he had been in contact with everyone and she didn't ask for their details either way.

Now because he can't be sure, this doesn't help as I'm not sure whether this means we are ok to stop because track and trace know of us but don't need to inform us that we need too isolate or whether they don't know we exist and therefore we won't know either way what we are meant to do despite both being negative?

Can anyone help? Track and trace don't have a helpline to call as far as I'm aware and 911 have given conflicting advice and have said every time that they don't work along track and trace... arhhh!!

[dementedpixie]

Why did you test if you had no symptoms? If you were within 2 metres for more than 15 minutes in the 48 hours before he tested positive then you should isolate for 14 days. A negative test does not shorten this period of isolation

[LouiseTrees]

You could still be in the incubation period where a negative is false. If you can self isolate then you should do so for 10 days anyway. I’m assuming either one of you can’t work from home though and that’s why you are asking.

[HotGlueGun]

I agree with the above. If you have no symptoms then you shouldn't have had a test. The fact that you are negative at this point does not mean that you won't still get the virus... it could be in the incubation period. You shouldn't have seen your father whilst he had symptoms and you should categorically self isolate for 14 days. It's quite clear.

[dementedpixie]

Examples of close contact include:

• close face to face contact (under 1 metre) for any length of time – including talking to them or coughing on them
• being within 1 to 2 metres of each other for more than 15 minutes – including travelling in a small vehicle
• spending lots of time in your home, such as cleaning it

If any of these apply you should isolate. I wonder if a call to 119 might be on order

[MsAwesomeDragon]

You were in his house for 45 minutes within 48 hours of his symptoms starting. Yes you need to isolate. If your dad doesn't remember if he told them about you, you should err on the side of caution and assume he didn't mention you.

I would assume they think he's contacted you and you are aware that you should be isolating.

[jm05]

We both started to get headaches on Sunday, despite this not being one of the main symptoms, I know several people whose symptoms started off like this and then received a positive test so figured it was the right thing to do.

No infact I can work from home but I want to be at work, I don't manage very well WFH due to anxieties.

We have already called 911 several times and each time have been told different, I was told one time that as we haven't been contacted by track and trace and both have had a negative result that we no longer need to isolate however this then differs to the info on the gov website hence why I called again.

[FatGirlShrinking]

Yes you need to isolate as you know that you were in close contact with someone shortly before they got a positive test.

You do not need someone to call you to tell you that because you already know it.

If you were exposed on Friday it would take anything up to 14 days to have developed enough active virus cells to test positive so the test on Sunday when you were asymptomatic is not relevant.

You need to isolate for 14 days from last Friday, and only test again if you develop symptoms.

[jm05]

@HotGlueGun

I agree with the above. If you have no symptoms then you shouldn't have had a test. The fact that you are negative at this point does not mean that you won't still get the virus... it could be in the incubation period. You shouldn't have seen your father whilst he had symptoms and you should categorically self isolate for 14 days. It's quite clear.

It isn't clear, if it was the advice you are given by 119 would be consistent.

My dad didn't develop symptoms until the day he had the test which was Saturday, we saw him Friday night.

[jm05]

@jm05

We both started to get headaches on Sunday, despite this not being one of the main symptoms, I know several people whose symptoms started off like this and then received a positive test so figured it was the right thing to do.

No infact I can work from home but I want to be at work, I don't manage very well WFH due to anxieties.

We have already called 911 several times and each time have been told different, I was told one time that as we haven't been contacted by track and trace and both have had a negative result that we no longer need to isolate however this then differs to the info on the gov website hence why I called again.

119 not 911... doh!

[Sorehandsandfeet]

You need to isolate for 14 days from Friday. There is an incubation period with Covid. If you get a positive it is 10 days isolation from symptoms starting, as long as you no longer have a temperature from day 8 of symptoms. You need to be 48 hours temperature free.

[Racoonworld]

You almost definitely need to isolate if you saw your dad for 45 mins on the Friday. Please do not go into work they will not thank you for it.

[FatGirlShrinking]

Here's the guidance that's relevant, if your dad didn't give your details to test and trace then they can't contact you so you need to read and decide whether you meet the criteria of a contact.

What is meant by a ‘contact’
A ‘contact’ is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 anytime from 2 days before the person was symptomatic up to 10 days from onset of symptoms (this is when they are infectious to others). For example, a contact can be:
• people who spend significant time in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19
• sexual partners
• a person who has had face-to-face contact (within one metre), with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, including:
• being coughed on
• having a face-to-face conversation within one metre
• having skin-to-skin physical contact, or
• contact within one metre for one minute or longer without face-to-face contact
• a person who has been within 2 metres of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes
• a person who has travelled in a small vehicle with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or in a large vehicle or plane near someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
Where an interaction between 2 people has taken place through a Perspex (or equivalent) screen, this would not be considered sufficient contact, provided that there has been no other contact such as any of those indicated above.
Contacts of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 need to self-isolate at home because they are at risk of developing symptoms themselves in the next 14 days and could spread the virus to others before the symptoms begin

[Torvean32]

Ppl with Covid are infectous for 2 days before symptoms and up to 10 days after.
You need to isolate. You might want to help your dad to track down who else he saw too

[jm05]

Thanks everyone.

Does anyone know if you can contact track and trace?

[dementedpixie]

Maybe you could give info online

[LangClegsInSpace]

This is a huge glaring flaw with T&T - there's no way for contacts / potential contacts to self-report. It sounds like there's also no way for people who are isolating to get back in touch if they have questions. What a pile of shit!

Ask your dad to talk to them about it if they call again.

On a recent thread, the OP contacted her GP when T&T were being slow and the GP was able to authorise an isolation notification so she could get time off work.

It sounds like you probably should be isolating.

[Dorual]

T & T rely on positive cases to give contacts.

[IrenetheQuaint]

For heaven's sake, don't go into work when you have just had close contact with someone who had a positive test soon afterwards! This would be putting your colleagues and anyone else you work with at risk.

[jm05]

@IrenetheQuaint

For heaven's sake, don't go into work when you have just had close contact with someone who had a positive test soon afterwards! This would be putting your colleagues and anyone else you work with at risk.

I'm not sure there is any need for the tone?

I've simply asked for advice as I've had mixed messages.. I don't intend on putting anyone at risk hence why I've asked for clarification as I want to do the right thing.