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

[IDontGetOutMuch]

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?

I don't think isolating would help for the majority of us who don't live in massive houses. We only have one toilet too in this house. My kids have sen. It would be impossible. I don't think I would even bother.

Someone I know got covid, her kids in the same house did not catch it from here even though she was quite poorly with it. But they did catch it 6 weeks down the line from school! It's an odd virus!

It is worth it - it reduces the likelihood of transmission and reduces the viral load if it is passed on. It might be unavoidable to have a bit of contact living in the same house, but the less contact you have, the better.

In my family house, 3 people have had it at different times. They each isolated when they had it.

So, we have had 3 incidences of Covid brought in from outside, and each one was contained to one member of the houshold who stayed in their room.

The fourth person hasn't picked it up on any of those occasions.

I don’t really understand why some get it and some don’t. I was positive and my daughter negative. She slept with me the first night before I realised what was wrong. I sneezed & coughed all over us both in the car for the PCR. I did then stay in my room for a week as I was too poorly to leave but she did come in and out. She had negative lateral flows every day & 2 negative PCRs.

My friend’s family had it at the same time. 2 did; 2 didn’t.

Depends on your set-up. When our household had it we had a 3yo and a 1yo. We’d all been in close contact and exposed anyway. There was no point. Day 1 I tested positive and the next day my husband and eldest did. Little one never showed any symptoms.

Catching a virus is not a failing. They're designed to spread.

My dd and DC isolated from rest of house. They were either in their rooms or outside ( summer so much easier) We ate meals all outside with them 2 metres away. None of the rest of us caught it. May have been good luck, who knows. I know it isn't possible for everyone and much harder now you can't be outside as much. We have a big but not huge house but two bathrooms so that helped. What did make the difference was we knew DC had been exposed early ( and in fairly close and constant contact) he kept away from us before he was positive. This was partly due to tiredness and being a teenage boy who stays in his room quite a bit anyway! Most people probably won't know until the PCR is positive which is too late. You can't really blame yourself if it gets passed on in the home .

Worked for us. DD had it last year, there had been a literal epidemic in her class so I kept her home, a day later she started to get a runny nose
so stayed in her room mostly (her choice). I thought she being dramatic but the next day the cough started and a day later she tested positive. From that point, she stayed in her room with ''room service'' None of the other 4 members of our household got it, including me (which I still can't believe as I was around her mask less before she tested positive).

The viral load is highest when someone doesn’t have symptoms. That is how viruses spread, no point in being spreadable when people are confined to their sick bed. And this is also why T&T ask for your contacts for the 48 hours up to the onset of symptoms.

I know of two families:

• One where the DD got it, they didnt isolate her from the rest of the family - no one else in the household got it (including her unvaccinated younger sibling)

• One where the eldest DD got it, the family immediately quarantined her off into her room with meals being delivered outside her room, but then they all got it anyway

Its just random. Personally, I cant imagine forcing my (admittedly primary aged) kids to spend 10 days away from the rest of the family, but each to their own. I just dont think there is a hard and fast rule to catching it/avoiding it when its in your house.

I think for us we are doing the isolating as with the new rules of us going to work and out etc it feels like more risk we get it and pass on in the 48 hrs before symptoms or if no symptoms, LFT don't always pick up as far as I know , although in my sons case no symptoms they did which means we kept him home.
Also a lot easier with a 16 year old ,I don't think we could of done it with him 2/3 years ago and if he was unhappy or really ill and needed other care then we would of course just stop
As it happens he is enjoying texting me like room service , can I have a snack , drink etc but is getting bored but only as in he is an outdoorsy /sporty type
So I have bought him so new weights for him to use in bedroom as I know lack of exercise is getting to him more and we have a postage stamp size back garden

Probably now I wouldn't bother insisting vigorously that ds's teens stayed apart from us. I know not why none of us have had it.