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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who should be isolating in this situation?

32 replies

Fejka · 18/10/2020 20:23

Bit of a disagreement as to who should be isolating here, hoping MN can assist:

A and B are in a relationship, seeing each other at weekends at Bs house. This evening B has started experiencing some minor symptoms - cough, sore throat and temperature. A has a slight cough but no temperature or other symptoms.

B is going to try and arrange for a test tomorrow.

A lives with family and works outside the house (not a job that can be done from home).

Should A stay with B until the result is known and off work for 10-14 days?

It's not possible for A and B to isolate from each other at Bs (as B lives in a studio type apartment). Should A therefore return home (where A can isolate)?

Do any of As family need to isolate? They were in close contact with A on Friday. One has slight cold symptoms (blocked nose etc) but no cough or temperature. All others in family are symptom free.

OP posts:
HermioneWeasley · 18/10/2020 20:28

A is a close contact of B so needs to self isolate. Arguably A also has symptoms (a slight cough) so their household needs to isolate as well

LolaSmiles · 18/10/2020 20:30

I'd say A and B both have symptoms so should isolate, probably at Bs rather than risk potential transmission of Covid to family and anyone A comes into contact with at work

I'd also say by mentioning A's job and the general playing down of symptoms, I'm guessing OP is A and is trying to get out of having to follow the rules. Maybe A and B shouldn't have been spending various weekends together if they weren't prepared to accept the rules should one, or both, of them develop symptoms.

Mindymomo · 18/10/2020 20:33

A has to isolate until B gets a negative test or for 14 days if positive. A should isolate at the house where they usually live, A’s family do not need to isolate, unless A shows symptoms. I don’t know whether A and B should isolate together, depends on whether they are in a bubble together.

PlanDeRaccordement · 18/10/2020 20:37

I agree with @LolaSmiles
Both A and B need to isolate, preferably at Bs until negative test or if positive/cannot get a test the 14 days have passed.

notanotherpothole · 18/10/2020 20:37

A and B both have symptoms so need to get tested and isolate. Ideally together at Bs place until they get a result. Then if either tests positive their close contacts need to isolate. If A returns home all their household will then need to isolate. So if A hasn't had contact with them in 48 hours before symptoms developed its best to isolate away from them until test result is in.

notanotherpothole · 18/10/2020 20:38

A and B both have symptoms so need to get tested and isolate. Ideally together at Bs place until they get a result. Then if either tests positive their close contacts need to isolate. If A returns home all their household will then need to isolate. So if A hasn't had contact with them in 48 hours before symptoms developed its best to isolate away from them until test result is in.

Quartz2208 · 18/10/2020 20:40

A and B both get tested due to symptoms. No one else needs to isolate yet until their is a positive test at which point anyone in contact with whoever has the positive test 48 hours before symptoms starts isolates

lljkk · 18/10/2020 20:41

Everyone in A & B's households must isolate until A&B get negative tests.

Original poster
Fejka · 18/10/2020 20:41

I'm neither A or B.

The confusion has arisen as B thinks they should isolate away from A which isn't possible at Bs. So A wasn't sure whether to stay put or return home.

A has also advised their work they have to isolate however their workplace has queried why given they don't have symptoms and B hasn't got a positive test (yet). A is concerned about not getting paid for their absence as employers don't seem to think they need to be at home.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fejka · 18/10/2020 20:44

Ok so A needs to get a test too? Will this be possible without a temperature and just a cough?

OP posts:
Original poster
Fejka · 18/10/2020 20:46

Do As family need to isolate in the meantime? Or only if As test (assuming A can get tested) is positive?

OP posts:
2toe · 18/10/2020 20:46

A does have symptoms, a new cough is a symptom, they should isolate together and both be tested.

Angrymum22 · 18/10/2020 20:53

If A has symptoms needs to arrange test.
In the meantime both households need to isolate.
If B tests positive only A and B need to continue to isolate rest of As household can return to work if they have had no direct contact with B
If A tests positive everyone will have to isolate.
If neither tests positive everyone can stop isolating.
We had an A,B and C situation last weekend. It got very complicated!

StealthPolarBear · 18/10/2020 21:10

A new continuous cough is a symptom. Not just a bit of a cough.

Original poster
Fejka · 18/10/2020 21:15

Yes it's not a continuous cough, as I understand it A has coughed a few times today but not as much as hourly.

OP posts:
drspouse · 18/10/2020 21:19

@StealthPolarBear

A new continuous cough is a symptom. Not just a bit of a cough.
If it's intermittent then yes, it's not a symptom.

My DD has been sent home as an adult in her bubble has tested positive. She was only sent home once the test came back. I thought that was how it worked with close contacts who aren't household members.

MJMG2015 · 18/10/2020 21:23

B is getting a test. Good start.

A should have gone home today & isolated within the family home. If they haven't and are sleeping with B tonight then they might as well stay there & isolate together.

Does B have any idea of where/when they might have been in contact with a positive person?

If B is positive B will need to isolate fir 20 days from the day of the test & A for 14 days.

MJMG2015 · 18/10/2020 21:25

@Fejka

Yes it's not a continuous cough, as I understand it A has coughed a few times today but not as much as hourly.
3 periods of coughing in 24 hours. But more than a cough- cough. A proper cough coughcoughcoughcough
MJMG2015 · 18/10/2020 21:27

@MJMG2015

B is getting a test. Good start.

A should have gone home today & isolated within the family home. If they haven't and are sleeping with B tonight then they might as well stay there & isolate together.

Does B have any idea of where/when they might have been in contact with a positive person?

If B is positive B will need to isolate fir 20 days from the day of the test & A for 14 days.

Fat fingers 10 days, not 20!!! The
Original poster
Fejka · 18/10/2020 21:57

A is out and about a lot at work, gym etc. B and A hadn't seen each other for a week until Friday, when they met up and went for a meal at local pub. B had been at home all week before that.

My gut instinct is they both have colds which they caught on Friday but I guess we'll know when they get tested.

OP posts:
drspouse · 19/10/2020 08:41

A should stay away from B unless B tests positive. B should self isolate.

Di11y · 19/10/2020 09:01

Continuous cough is 3 times in a day or lots in 1 hour. if has been part of b's household should probably stay and isolate but if not fine to stay at A's house and carry on until cough gets worse or b gets a positive.

Original poster
Fejka · 19/10/2020 09:41

Thanks - A didn't want to leave B on their own (B has other health issues so is worried about these symptoms). Both are getting tests today. So we'll see what happens.

I'm one of As family (in the house where A normally lives when not with B).

OP posts:
ItsmineAllmine · 19/10/2020 10:35

A doesn't need to isolate. They don't have symptoms, aren't in the same household as B, and B hasn't even tested positive yet. A only needs to isolate if B tests positive and even then only technically if contacted by track and trace.

Wherehavetheteletubbiesgone · 19/10/2020 10:53

@Fejka

Yes it's not a continuous cough, as I understand it A has coughed a few times today but not as much as hourly.
It's amazing after 7 months of covid people do not know the definition of a continuous cough and my god haven't we had it rammed down our throats. A continuous cough is three or more coughing episodes in a day cough in the morning cough mid afternoon, cough at night = continuous cough.

I genuinely do not know how the government can make this any clearer.