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!

"From what I gather they don’t know how common immunity is or how long it lasts for. "

Recent articles were saying 6 months so they do have an idea.

"people who test positive in hospital only get to leave once they test negative, they are in hospital for weeks, not months."

I know of someone, not in hospital but elderly and followed by his doctor, was given a certificate stating he was not contagious even though he kept testing positive.

@Oliversmumsarmy

When friends of dds had Covid in October (university house share) they had to isolate and 10-14 days later had to go for another test and if it wasn’t negative then they had to isolate for 5 more days and go back for tests until they had a negative one.

Yes, but it wouldn't have gone on like that for ever if they stopped having symptoms.

Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) technology can detect viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the upper respiratory tract for a mean of 17 days (maximum 83 days) after symptom onset. However, detection of viral RNA by qRT-PCR does not necessarily equate to infectiousness, and viral culture from PCR positive upper respiratory tract samples has been rarely positive beyond nine days of illness.
www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m3862?

Thanks Coffee.

I know people who had been tested positive with full blown symptoms more than once. One even three times.

You Can catch Covid19 more than once.

I think in light of everything that has happened this year..whilst it would be nice to be with family and normal again it would it be so hard to just sit this year out and protect your family? We have made so Matt other sacrifices. Other holidays have came and went during the height of the pandemic and people survived without seeing their family and friends.. each to their own but I think we each have to be sensible and do what feels right

I thought COVID survived one hour (if lucky) on surfaces - one month?! It wouldn't even cross my mind. Your husband sounds like he might be struggling with a health anxiety

It takes 10days at most for the virus to die off on surfaces so by Xmas the house will have naturally cleaned itself of the virus anyway.
You are more at risk of catching the virus at the supermarket than visiting your family who have had it. Sadly from their side it is possible to catch it again & although the risk is low they are not immune for life because they have had it.
Go & have Xmas day or a couple of Xmas days together.
This year has been crappy enough without your sister being made to feel like she is now a leper because she has had covid!
I Imagine they were all pretty scared when they had the virus that they wouldn’t make it to Xmas!!

The last report I read said 9/10 days was the longest it could live on surfaces but obviously it gets weaker as time goes on.
Either way the post covid family & their home will no-longer be contagious by Xmas 😂👍

I'd jump at the opportunity to go stay with someone while it's most likely safe. Surfaces are really not an issue, especially a month hence. And as you say, while it can be caught again there doesn't seem to be any evidence that catching it twice in a month is at all likely or it would have been noted by now.

I think I would be more concerned about their attitude to catching it too.
Doesn’t mean because they have antibodies that they cannot pick it up and bring it home, it just means their body will recognise it and fight it before making them ill.
I don’t think he’s being melodramatic or overly anxious it’s self preservation. If we had more of it there wouldn’t be hospitals full of COVID patients. One year won’t hurt.

Covered in covid

A long drive there and back doesn't sound like a lot of fun.
You say the couple and the three adult dc all have had positive tests - will they be the only ones there, no partners etc?

@Gwenhwyfar

"a small number still had enough virus in their system to come up as positive, despite having been clear of symptoms for up to 4 weeks."

But that doesn't mean they're contagious, does it?

I don’t know but it’s not an experiment I’d want to try using my family as test subjects.

At the end of the day it’s both your decisions but personally I’d stay away this year

The chances of catching covid from a surface are much less than the scientists thought it seems

www.itv.com/news/2020-10-06/chance-of-catching-covid-19-from-surfaces-less-than-previously-thought-scientists-claim

Antibodies last 6 months...no, it doesn't remain on surface for 76 days (husband is a scientist)
But to be honest, if I were you, I'd definitely say no thankyou,not this year

"I don’t know but it’s not an experiment I’d want to try using my family as test subjects."

You don't go in a car with them? On a plane with them? You don't have stairs in your house? There are risks everywhere. Unless you're vulnerable, I don't see why you'd worry so much about this that you'd avoid seeing someone who is probably immune.

I don’t understand all the posters buying into this 5 day holiday so let’s all mix at Xmas nonsense. It’s pretty obvious Covid is spreading and you could easily pick it up by moving around. I don’t intend making unnecessary Christmas visits and putting my mum at risk or myself as I’m over 45. I think people should think long and hard as to is it worth the risk for the sake of one Christmas. People will be dying come January due to the govt being scared to put out that Xmas is cancelled at least that’s my view. I think your husband is telling you loud and clear that he is not interested in going and I can see his point.

I’m not the OP. Just sharing knowledge from elsewhere in the world. All free to take it or ignore it.

@YeaSure

I know people who had been tested positive with full blown symptoms more than once. One even three times.

You Can catch Covid19 more than once.

"You Can catch Covid19 more than once."

Confirmed and suspected cases of reinfection have been reported, but remain rare.
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/serology-overview.html

@YeaSure

I know people who had been tested positive with full blown symptoms more than once. One even three times.

You Can catch Covid19 more than once.

That must be vanishingly rare, if it is two (3?) totally separate occasions. There are still very few documented cases worldwide.

The three times must be pretty unique!

Covid cannot live for 76 days! There has been one test/study in Australia where scientists were able to keep it alive on a surface in very specific conditions, in the pitch black. UV light destroys it pretty quickly. I have a friend who works for the Oxford company making vaccines and she has said that the surface risk is pretty negligible. Largely the three day rule is still seen to be a good precaution though.

I'm staying home, on my own, hoping to avoid Covid. The vaccine isn't far away & then spring/summer I can see those I love... I don't understand people who can't see how much of a risk they're taking. Madness to me.

I'll be seeing my family over Christmas on line with government guidelines, we're all different.

I'm really looking forward to it.