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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that self isolation within a household isn't that effective

61 replies

IDontGetOutMuch · 18/10/2021 16:31

Would love to hear stories of self isolation within a family actually working. We are all covid positive at the moment, but all bar one of us tested negative on LFT one day, then all bar one positive on PCR the next. So, although the positive LFT immediately self isolated and we all had PCR the next morning, and then the one negative PCR then isolated, don't think it will have helped much because a bit too late, if that makes any sense.

Anyone have an opinion? Is it worth it to have people self isolating within a household, in their bedroom? Or is it just trying to hold back the tide?

OP posts:
ChampionOfTheSun · 18/10/2021 22:31

Neither DH nor my (at the time 18mo) DD (who I BF throughout) caught covid when I had it. DH kept away from me but obviously didn't keep away from DD who obviously came to me often. We didn't share towels, were very careful about hand washing, wiping down touch points etc.

Teenagers2grownups0 · 18/10/2021 22:37

We did it. DS1 (adult) got it and isolated in his room and used the main bathroom while the rest of us used our ensuite. We took food to his door and spoke to him through an open door briefly when he was in bed. None of the rest of us caught it.

Not saying we won’t catch it, feels almost inevitable now. More of a ‘when not if’ unfortunately.

notHarris · 18/10/2021 22:42

My dsis isolated in her house from her dp and adult ds.
Dp got it but was asymptomatic, adult ds didn't get it.
Was that a success story or just chance??
I live alone with primary age children, no way am I isolating from them, we'd all just have to muddle through.

FrangipaniBlue · 18/10/2021 22:55

It's been 7 days since DS 13 tested positive and so far neither DH or i have caught it.

He has stayed in his room mostly although has ventured downstairs to the living room and kitchen while I was in my office working.

We also all share only one bathroom.

emetophobe12 · 18/10/2021 23:06

When I was pregnant, DH got covid and isolated in the spare room for the whole 10 days. He literally never left the room other than to use the toilet or to shower and he always made sure that I was downstairs or out. I was making him food and drinks and bringing it up to him (leaving it outside the door) (this was all his choice btw - I'm not some weird wife who locks my husband up 😂)
I never got it.
I'm reallly surprised I never got it though because he didn't isolate from me until his results came back and confirmed positive (which was 2 days after his symptoms started - we were convinced it wasn't covid because he only had a bit of a runny nose and felt achey).

So if we go off NHS test and trace rules with the contact tracing 48 hours prior to symptoms starting.. I was with him for a whole 4 days of the most infectious period (2 days before and 2 days after symptom start date). We share a bed, kiss goodnight every night, cuddle in bed.. couldn't have got any closer

I did an antibody test too to double check I just wasn't asymptomatic and I was negative for antibodies 🤷🏽‍♀️

whitehorsesdonotlie · 18/10/2021 23:07

Ds (14) tested positive: none of the rest of us caught Covid. But we distanced properly, wore masks, opened windows etc.

Buttons294749 · 18/10/2021 23:11

Worked for us!

scrivette · 18/10/2021 23:11

DS and DD had it at separate times and no one else in the family had it.

We didn't isolate from each other as the DC are too young and the 3 year old often slept in the same bed as me and I didn't catch it.

BluebellsGreenbells · 18/10/2021 23:15

It takes one unlucky timed visit and boom. Catching covid or your household catching it is not a bloody failure. There’s no winners

It’s not luck though is it? I work in a school full of unvaccinated kids and it’s exploding - it was only a matter of time before I caught it! I know exactly which child coughed in my face and I’ve been on the sofa since them away from my own children.

I’m glad it’s me first because I’ll be able to look after them if they catch it.

I haven’t left the room and they are looking after me. It’s called isolation

What’s wrong here is the governments lack of foresight into parents unable to isolate from ill children and still able to send siblings to school or work themselves.

That’s the spread. And it’s the governments fault.

Bananarice · 18/10/2021 23:19

It can be effective. Dsis didn't get in January when most people got it in the house.

My other dsis brought her food and she had the upstairs toilet to herself. She had brain surgery in November, so everyone was extra cautious around her. Luckily, she still hasn't got covid.

EdgeOfTheSky · 18/10/2021 23:23

The rest of our household didn’t catch it when one member of the family had COVID but stayed in their room except for toilet visits.

cheeseismydownfall · 18/10/2021 23:29

DC1 is on day 8 today. DH is on day 4. Both have had very mild symptoms and we are just carrying on as normal with no attempt to isolate from me, DC2 or DC3. None of us have any underlying conditions, and it feels inevitable that we will catch it eventually and so it might as well be now. We are doing LFTs daily so we will know if we have it asymptomatically. So far the rest of us are negative.

I completely understand why some families would make a different decision, especially with young children (and the risk of both parents being ill at the same time) or if someone is CV.

Polkadotties · 18/10/2021 23:32

Dp got it. Apart from sleeping in separate bedrooms our normal routing was the same, only one bathroom etc. I didn’t catch it.

Original poster
IDontGetOutMuch · 18/10/2021 23:34

I think it depends a bit on whether the positive person is caught early on. My two daughters were LFT negative the same day I tested positive with minimal symptoms. I isolated as soon as I tested but only one person negative in PCR the next morning. That person had been with the still apparently negative rest of the house and firstly there had been spreading already, and he tested positive on LFT a few days later. We are a household of regular LFTs too.

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 18/10/2021 23:34

We didn’t do any isolation in the house and it didn’t spread

hobag82 · 18/10/2021 23:35

My son 22 got it and we live in a small 2 bed terrace with one downstairs bathroom. Neither me or my husband caught it. My son had only had one vaccine when he caught it whereas both my husband and I had both.
He did wear his mask around the house when he left his room but we didn't ask him to as we just assumed it was only a matter of time before we got it but PCR's said otherwise!

worriedatthemoment · 19/10/2021 00:03

Ds2 isolating now , tested on lft thursday and had pcr thurs too , he stayed in his room since then
We are sharing bathroom but ds16 is wiping ta , door handle and flush with wipe after using ,
Me, dh, ds1 has pcr yesterday ( sun) all negative , so will have to see if stays that way
Ds2 is ok isolating in his room and is enjoying room service, he isn't really ill so doing college work in day , asked for his weights to be put in room and is ok getting on with it
We don't want to catch ideally as me and ds1 start new jobs next week and dh has several hospital appts
Plus now we are allowed out to work etc feels worse maybe mixing and potentially getting it and passing on
Ds2 has no classic covid symptoms and we would of missed it if LFT hadn't shown positive

beautifullymad · 19/10/2021 00:37

We are a family of six and our youngest suspected covid and isolated in his room immediately.
He then tested positive with both LF and PCR. We share a bathroom so I was doubtful we would be spared. But with his quick action and wearing a mask to and from the bathroom, and me cleaning it after use, no one else in the household caught covid. Minor miracle considering how contagious we are told it is.
Everyone else was tested twice with pcr and daily LF as we were carrying on as normal.

GreenLunchBox · 19/10/2021 00:45

@KylieKoKo

Even with having meals put outside their door presumably either the sick person has to come out of their room to wash their dishes or someone else has to wash them so risk catching covid.
I could be wrong but the main transmission risk with covid is that it is airborne. So I don't think that handling someone's crockery (as long as you don't touch your face before washing your hands) would give you covid.
Milothegreat · 19/10/2021 00:50

Currently locked away in my room as daughter needs to go out to work and I don’t want her to get it too.

TheUnbearable · 19/10/2021 01:40

I isolated in a room and had food and drink dropped at the door. At the end of the day I popped in to kitchen put everything directly in to dishwasher.

RiojaRose · 19/10/2021 02:17

It was effective for us. Smallish house, one bathroom, daughter isolated in her room after positive test, no one else got it.

fiveleftfeet · 19/10/2021 02:32

It's not about whether you get it or not, it's also about the viral load. The greater your exposure, the worse you'll get it, potentially.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 19/10/2021 04:06

3 of us got it separately. Never isolated from each other though

FindingMeno · 19/10/2021 05:05

I think once you test positive it's too late to fret about isolating because you've probably been contagious for a couple of days.
Obviously trying not to cough or sneeze on each other is a good plan though

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