A Covid co-parenting hypothetical for you.

[QuentinQuarantino]

What is the correct course of action in the following scenario:

Siblings ChildA & ChildB split their time almost 50:50 between ParentA & Parent B.

At the weekend ChildA attended a sporting event accompanied by ParentA. ChildB stayed with ParentB.

Since then, as normal, both children have been together and been between both houses.

Today it emerges that there have been multiple positive tests in other players/parents who attended the match. Test + Trace are starting to contact parents but haven't yet contacted ParentA.

No-one in either household has symptoms.

If ParentA IS contacted by T+T and told to isolate with ChildA, would it be correct for ParentB to keep ChildB at theirs for the duration of the isolation period with no contact between households? But ChildB and ParentB can go to school and work respectively?

Afternoon🍷 for you if you've followed that. I've tried to keep it as clear and concise as possible.

I think I’ve followed this correctly, but don’t understand the full rules of T&T, so I would say contact them.

I would have thought that it depends whether T&T say that only the individual child who was at sporting event (obviously with appropriate childcare) must isolate having come into contact with Covid positive person, or if the child and their entire family must isolate.

If the first option then makes sense to keep them separate but yes parent and child B can carry on as normal.

If the latter, then irrespective of them splitting between separate households, both children and parents A & B should isolate.

Thanks Ruby.

From reading the Test + Trace guidelines it would appear that only ChildA + ParentA who actually attended the event and therefore were in contact with someone who then tested positive, would be asked to isolate. They would then only get a test if one/both did develop symptoms.

ChildB/ParentB, being one step further removed and having had no contact with the person who has tested positive, would not need to isolate.

Will obviously adhere to what they tell ParentA if they do make contact but just trying to get a plan together in case!

I'm in a shared parenting situation too. Our interpretation has been that we are one family albeit in two houses. So if anyone had symptoms and tested positive we would all isolate, with DC continuing to share time in both houses as normal. Because we wouldn't want them to miss time with the other parent.

Ordinarily I'd agree Cordillera but the DC missing face to face time with one parent for 10 days is much less disruption than me and DC2 having to be off work and school when it's not mandated by the covid guidelines!

Yes it is a tricky one. If ParentA and DC are asked to isolate even if not tested and other DC is okay with 10 days away from you then that looks to be the option, erring on the side of caution. But as DC especially can by symptomless carriers, without tests who knows if they've already passed it on to other DC and ParentB.

Some people would decide neither- that is, carry on seeing each other and don't isolate regardless (am not necessarily advocating that but is an option unless one of the family tests positive). It's all down to risk assessments rather than hard facts.