SIL has covid and wants us to come for xmas

[Friendsoftheearth]

SIL, BIL and all three dc are just recovering from covid, they will be allowed out again in a few days - despite some of them being relatively high risk they were all ill but fine, so very relieved and happy about that.

However this evening SIL has invited us to her house for christmas - in laws have already passed away - and we are the only family she has. The can't come to us as one of their dc will need to work, and will be joining us later.

SIL said it is great news as she now can't catch covid, so we can relax. DH does not see it that way, and does not want to go, he is worried her house will be covered in covid, and sees the grown up dc as still a risk as no doubt they will go out and party for England. They are late teens and do love to party, which is why they were probably ill in the first place.

Is it is true we are now relatively 'safe' as it will be a month by the time we get to christmas? Are they are a fairly safe bet, or are they still a risk? I know you can get covid twice, but the antibodies are likely to last longer than a month surely? Dh is digging up info that confirms covid stays on surfaces for up to 76 days, and we are putting ourselves and children at risk by even considering seeing them.

I am close to SIL and would like to see them, but not if we are all going to be ill afterwards. DD asthmatic, but otherwise 49-55 age bracket with teen dc. Thank you!

Dh is digging up info that confirms covid stays on surfaces for up to 76 days

This almost made me laugh, of it wasn't so frustratingly misinformed!
If Covid still stays on surfaces for 76 days we would all be self-isolating for 76 days instead of 14! 😉

A family that have all had the disease more than a month before Christmas are probably the safest people to spend it with. They won't be catching it the week before and passing it to you before they display symptoms. I think you should stop worrying and have a nice Christmas with them.

I wouldn't go unless they are hing to get careful until you meet...
I've not been careful for months to risk partying teens carrying the virus...
I'll wait for a vaccine...dc go to school that's enough exposure

Partying can wait...I'm with your dh on this..

He is being unreasonable but it sounds like he has developed anxiety about the whole thing. Not surprising I suppose.

I work in a hospital pharmacy. We quarantine anything from a COVID ward for 3 days as this is how long it is most likely to survive for on paper and plastic surfaces. Thorough cleaning will eradicate the virus otherwise every patient in every hospital would currently have caught COVID. Boris Johnson had to isolate again because there is no guarantee that you develop antibodies post COVID or that they last so the rules are still in place with track and trace whether you've had it before or not. Personally I would visit them as a month is a very long time post infection and as long as they are asymptomatic by that point they will be fine.

the nly thing id say is shes not immune theres no proof of that but the surfaces thing is a bit ott

Scientists still dont know everything about the virus.. new information keeps coming out so i wouldn't persoanlly say that her husband is being dramatic or silly

If they've already had Covid-19, couldn't they be asymptomatic carriers if you were to visit (if their teenagers are still out partying)? Couldn't the teens pass it to you if they were asymptomatic? I really don't know if it's possible to have had Covid-19, recovered, have your own antibodies but be a carrier of the virus to someone who hasn't had it. Is that possible??

I think this year is the perfect year to batten down the hatches and curl up at home with as much food as you want, whatever you want to drink and put on the telly for days on end and not be disturbed! Like your own hibernation.

DIL had covid before the lockdown in March, no-one knew she was in bed for two weeks, hospitalised for a time. None of us realised we had the grand kids around and son while she was ill. No-one got sick.

Son at uni. also had it late February early March as did others in the flat, again no-one knew at the time, he came home we ate together etc. no-one got sick.

But if your husband is going overboard about it, what kind of a day would you have anyway? You would argue all the way there, he would be like a cat on a hot tin roof and if he came down with a cold, god help you. I personally would not bother and plan for Easter.

Livescience.com

Gosh, I'd have no problem going. They are the safest people to be around surely?

I'm not sure if I'd go or not. I think people taking the piss out of your husband are being a bit shitty here. It's been an awful year and I think a lot of folk have been left with anxieties they might find it hard to justify or properly articulate. Even socialising can feel really odd after being isolated from friends/family/work for so long. My partner is currently freaking out about being overweight, which I think has been triggered by a friend's wife who died from Covid a month ago as she had no underlying health conditions apart from being overweight. In his head he's now blown the risk out of all proportion. She was just very unlucky. I'm not saying at all that your DH is right (the surface stuff is a big nope!) but I can get why he might just be anxious in general.

But it sounds like it would be a relatively safe place to go for Christmas. I hope you work it out and have a nice time wherever you end up.

I wouldn't be too bothered about the fact they had had Covid or surfaces, that's just daft. It's the partying teens that I'd not to go anywhere near. So no I wouldn't want to go this year.

I’m just repeating what’s already said here, but really you guys will not catch it from any surface in her house. It’ll be long gone. And they’ve all had it now, so it’s pretty assured you would all be safe.

I was told by a health care professional that getting a positive test twice within 3 months was practically impossible and it would be a waste of resources to test again within that time frame, regardless of symptoms.

As such I agree they are a safe bet.

You can get it twice..

I would absolutely go.

I don't see the problem. They will be safer to visit than most people. Are you particularly vulnerable that you would be worried about getting a virus from people who have already recovered from it?

Work surfaces not an issue the fact that you can get Covid more than once is

The number of confirmed reinfections with Covid worldwide are absolutely minuscule.

Even scientists have said it only lasts up to 5 days on non organic surfaces.

The research I think was in New Zealand and yes it can survive on surfaces for a long time but the temperature is relevant and the type of surface . It prefers cold .

However I think in a warm home environment it’s unlikely. It is also rare to get it twice . Though not impossible.

Of course they should still be careful as they could pass it on. As could someone who is vaccinated .

ut the latest research from Australian agency CSIRO found the virus was "extremely robust," surviving for 28 days on smooth surfaces such as glass found on mobile phone screens and both plastic and paper banknotes, when kept at 20C (68F), which is about room temperature.

surviving for 28 days on smooth surfaces such as glass found on mobile phone screens and both plastic and paper banknotes

That doesn’t mean it’s transmissible.

Nope. It’s not forever. There are 3 vaccines.