Help...Covid related

[PetNameChange]

Hi
I’m hoping someone can explain to me what I am supposed to do in this situation..

Someone Dh works with has tested positive for covid, (they are currently now in their 14 day isolation period) Dh has been told that he can carry on working without having a test as they have to wear ppe at work.

So 2 questions really...

Does Dh need a test?
And are we all supposed to be isolating for 14 days?

My boss will have a bloody fit if I have to take 2 weeks off (even tho I’m working from home I have meetings I need to go into the office for this week)

Dh is concerned as he’s been working with this person for 2 weeks and yes they do wear ppe but he’s obviously worried! Dh is showing on symptoms btw can we even get a test if we don’t have symptoms?

People in close contact with a Covid positive person need to isolate for 14 days. Having a Negative Covid test does not mean they can stop isolating as they can still become positive in the 14 days incubation period.
Your husband should isolate away from his family - there are clear directions on how to isolate NHS/Gov site.
You and rest of family carry on as normal , unless husband develops symptoms. He is then tested and you all isolate.
Close contact is also defined on Gov site:
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.
It doesn’t mention PPE I expect your husband should be isolating- ring and check.

The person who tested positive only needs to isolate for 10 days not 14.

If they were not wearing PPE then the rule would be that your husband would have to isolate for 14 days and you could carry on as normal unless he developed symptoms in which case you would then need to isolate.

At my work if both parties were wearing PPE then it is not classed as close contact and you are advised to continue as normal so what you are saying sounds right based on that. You will only need to isolate if you or your husband develops symptoms.

It is bizarre though that this is the advice now being given because when I tested positive test & trace told me coming within 1 metre of someone in a shop whilst both wearing masks is still classed as a close contact! but that was weeks ago and it seems the advice is changing all the time.

Does Dh need a test?
No, not if he's been wearing PPE at work.

And are we all supposed to be isolating for 14 days?
No, not it he's been wearing PPE at work. If he hadn't, then only your DH would need to isolate, not you (according to official advice anyway).

He only needs a test if he develops symptoms.

Don’t have a Covid test if no symptoms, it’s wasting resources and meaningless.

If you’re wearing PPE then no need for isolation.

How do you think we still have nurses on Covid wards?!

Does Dh need a test?
And are we all supposed to be isolating for 14 days?

No and no.

What type of PPE equipment is DH wearing. I still thought even if wearing full PPE people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive still has to self isolate for 14 days from their last contact with that person. He doesn’t need to get a test unless he has symptoms and even a negative test doesn’t mean he can stop isolating. Only he has to isolate, nobody else in family.

Depends on the type of PPE they were wearing tbh - what sort of job does he do?

Even if your dh was isolating then the rest of the family doesn't have to unless he gets symptoms. He would only get a test if he gets symptoms too

@Mindymomo

What type of PPE equipment is DH wearing. I still thought even if wearing full PPE people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive still has to self isolate for 14 days from their last contact with that person. He doesn’t need to get a test unless he has symptoms and even a negative test doesn’t mean he can stop isolating. Only he has to isolate, nobody else in family.

Think about it rationally.

If every doctor, nurse and HCA assistant had to isolate for 14 days after treating a positive case how long do you think it would be before hospitals are shut?

As others have said - you don't need to isolate.

PPE at work (while in close contact for a prolonged time) won't stop DH getting it, so he should isolate. Not entirely sure what the law us on that though, so he needs to lock it up and he can report them if they're breaking it by asking him to go in.

Sleep separately, try to stay in separate rooms & keep wiping communal areas down with Dettol etc. And don't share cups/utensils etc.

Irrespective of PPE, if your husband is a close contact he needs to isolate. A test at this time is not necessary. The rest of your family don't need to isolate.

What's his job, what type of PPE was he wearing and how 'close' does he work with them?

Most jobs have people working far enough apart now that they don't class as contacts for one another, but without the info above, we aren't going to be able to help.

I would, in the absence of further info, take his employers' instruction, as they're ultimately the ones risking the fine if they call it wrong.

www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-workplace-guidance

"A close ‘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’re infectious to others). This could be a person who:

spends significant time in the same household
is a sexual partner
has had face-to-face contact (within one metre), including:
being coughed on
having skin-to-skin physical contact, or
contact within one metre for one minute
has been within 2 metres of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes
has travelled in a small vehicle, or in a large vehicle or plane
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.

The contact tracers will not consider the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) as a mitigation when assessing whether a recent contact is likely to have risked transmitting the virus. Only full medical-grade PPE worn in health and care settings will be considered.

Medical-grade PPE should not be purchased to circumvent self-isolation, as this risks disrupting critical supplies needed by the NHS and social care sector."

...government advice is a bit confusing, seems to depend on what your husbands job is? But as long as your husband hasn't been coughed on, hugged him, or spent a minute within one metre or 15 minutes within 2m, he should be okay

This really depends on what sort of PPE it is. Working on a covid ward vs working in Tesco wearing a cloth mask. He needs to talk to work.

You don’t need to isolate.