Thread 25 - Covid Cohort - Christmas Trees, No Omicron Please!

So a US friend’s 22 yr old (let’s call him Hank) was in the uk for a few weeks before Xmas. He went up to see my ds1 at uni and they had a very busy weekend of clubbing and gigging. He went back to London on Sun, DS came home.
Yesterday, Hank tested positive for covid. Self isolating until Christmas Eve, can’t get home for Xmas. So we will scoop him up for Xmas. My questions: 1. How guilty should I feel 2. Should ds1 be self isolating 3. Are we doomed to all get covid given we have spent the last 2 days with ds1 4. Any idea what I can panic purchase so Hank has some presents to unwrap on Christmas Day? God he needs a stocking too. Aurghhhhhhh

And to all that have illness in their family, take care. It’s a tumble of dominos isn’t it; we are awaiting PCR results for DD right now too.

Enjoy the time with your mother ican. Sounds like you need a much deserved drama free break away from the men of your household!

Hoping the outcome is not reflective of the experience Monkey, even if it’s not the number 1 choice. The hurdles for potential medics is gruelling to say the least.

I made it down here. I got about an hour from home and came to a standstill on the a14. Stationary for half hour then creeping along. So the journey was longer than it should have been.

Ds1 has booked a dr appointment for midday. So let's see what the dr says.

Dh still has his cold. But he won't even do a LFT as he has too much to do. He's only painting at a rental house he owns. So he's not seeing anyone. The dc's are doing them twice weekly I did one before coming to see dm. But I haven't caught his cold yet 🤞

Well, the Zoe app has asked me to get a PCR now, so I have booked in after all. I have been masked and avoiding indoor contact as much as possible this week to avoid catching it so fingers crossed.

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail I hope he’s fine - tube is so much better than 4 weeks ago when only 30% were masked. If you are wearing a FFP mask well fitted you are pretty safe in that environment.

My friends in research and ICU want people to have fun and go out - they are mostly younger than me - they also want people to have the vaccines and PCR test when sick.

@Monkey2001 - I think that's a awful thing for the interviewer to say! Gosh, I think your DS did well to recover from that and have further, positive, interviews. I hope he gets offers. x

Sorry should read spreading not speeding

LFT is only going to come up positive once you are highly infectious but you will be speeding it around for two days before then.
If you are unwell in ANY way get a PCR - I have former colleagues working in research on this and in ICU. Please see ICNARC data for may to 10th December - these are the percentages of different age groups in ICU across that time. Yes there are more under 40s than over 70s.

@Alsoplayspiccolo have a PCR today this is highly infectious and presents in multiple different ways. You will get results in 24hrs or less if you go to closet drive in place. Mask yourself explaining you have a cold if you have events so others don’t get it.

Thanks to those who asked about interview yesterday. It was a mixed bag, medicine interviews are often "Multiple mini interviews" (MMIs) so he had 5 X 7 minute interviews and went enthusiastically into the first one, but had a grumpy interviewer who didn't smile and told him he should have been able to answer one of the questions better, which threw him for the next ones, in which interviewers were much nicer! It wasn't a disaster, but he won't be surprised if he is rejected. Luckily Manchester is very much second choice for him, he would have to do a foundation year there, which is done in a partner sixth form college, as he is not doing Chemistry or Biology, so was not sure that he would accept it even if he was offered a place. Will not know the outcome until March!

Sorry to hear people feeling ill. @Alsoplayspiccolo I think PCRs take about 18 hours to come back, so not as bad as you might think. I am not suggesting you should have one, just saying that it may not be as disruptive as you fear.

I can trump anyone on driving - I drove DS1 back to St Andrews (because he was taking his gaming stuff when the social life died because most of the students were not allowed back for service semester) and rules on staying away were unclear so I went from Bristol and back in a day - 16 hours of driving! Could have made it to the South of France in that time. Luckily we have a comfortable car and I had some good audio books!

@HibiscusIsland - I'd do similar with DD. Any bad news would knock her, so I'd avoid during a stressful time. Each child is different. Fingers crossed for exams and that there are offers waiting!

@Alsoplayspiccolo - I've been in the same dilemma with cold symptoms, but DD and DH have also had colds and we have tested negative by LFT throughout so I decided not to PCR. DH did PCR yesterday because he had a colleague test positive on Mon and they had been working together unmasked on Friday but there is a walk in test place close to here so it's fairly easy for us.

Sorry so many are suffering with colds etc, this is my second this winter and I normally get maybe one every two years if that.

Lovely hearing about all the concerts and performances.

I've been talking to friends my age about driving too, we are all starting to find in our 50s that our night vision isn't as sharp as it once was, I have had to start wearing glasses with a very mild prescription on top of my contact lenses for night driving and it makes a huge difference (if I had the contacts at full strength I wouldn't be able to read in them). I've always been a fairly confident motorway driver but agree that the M25 is a whole extra level of complexity.

And Sheffield hallam

Thanks for the good luck wishes and good luck to your dc and well done on the Notts offer

I will after her exams this week. Just thinking if she got a rejection it might dishearten her. She could have already had one but prefer just to tell me of any offers. I did ask her yesterday if replies come by email so it may have reminded her to check. Might be harder to get in this year due to covid deferrals which is a shame for them

@HibiscusIsland - I would definitely get your DD to log into UCAS or check her emails daily. You never know there could be an acceptance in there :-) DD has only heard from Nottingham & Sheffield Hallam so far - waiting on Loughorough, Sheffield & York. Good luck :-)

@Delphigirl

Eurgh I have a cold but now an eye infection so I’m feeling very sorry for myself. I’m not sure what is worse, the infection itself or having to go into work without wearing mascara

I had an awful cold (still got it) and also had mild conjunctivitis in 1 eye, along with mouth ulchers. Still got a very sore throat and chesty cough so I'm guessing it's all part of the same bug and that we are all very run down.

Great to hear about concerts and plays etc. DD school has cancelled everything and put it all online instead. The juniors all did their nativity play online yesterday and it must be nice for the parents to have that to keep. We don't break up until Friday lunchtime so fingers crossed can keep clear - although DD playing on going out to Liverpool Thursday evening anyway! DH and I have just had boosters. Brilliant walk in centre on Sunday morning. Went in around 10.00 - out by 11.00am. Very well organised. They moved us around to different room every so often so felt that it wasn't a long wait.

EwwSprouts Yes. She possibly forgot to ask me then decided to pay to get it off quickly then forgot to ask for it back. She tends to build up a lot of money as she's mainly interested in minecraft and not into clothes etc, so gets money for birthdays etc and had a job In Year 12 but doesn't spend much

A friend is trying to insist I go for a PCR test.
I’m not sure what to do; I’m pretty sure it’s just a cold, as DS has done LFTs since Friday, all fine, and if I take a PCR, waiting 72 hours for the result will put pay to everything the DCs have on between now and the weekend, as I have no back up.

Would it be terrible to sit it out and keep doing LFTs?

sorry to read the sad news @Horace123. Really pleaed to read your good news re health @Volterra.

We've had a letter from school about having to do PCR tests when they go back in Jan, so staggered starts. DD miffed as Yr13 are first in for their tests so don't miss any school...

Also told that "from Tuesday 14 December, a new national approach to daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 is being
introduced (including until the end of this term). All adults who are fully vaccinated and children aged 5 to 18
years and 6 months, identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 – whether Omicron or not – should take
a lateral flow device (LFD) test every day for 7 days instead of self-isolating. Daily testing by close contacts
will help to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 will help protect education settings by reducing transmission and will
also help keep pupils in face-to-face education".
So looks keep school open at all costs? Until all the staff have actually caught it themselves...

Eurgh I have a cold but now an eye infection so I’m feeling very sorry for myself.
I’m not sure what is worse, the infection itself or having to go into work without wearing mascara

Lovely to hear about beautiful and emotional performances. So glad you've had the chance to see these this year before they fly off.

Fingers crossed those feeling poorly and with negative LFTs mean it's just a bad cold. Wishing a speedy recovery to those & family members with covid.

@HibiscusIsland Wow at paid it without telling you!