Paying for childminder while child has Covid

[Curiosity101]

I'm really interested in the general opinion so AIBU seems the best place for this.

My DS 2.5 currently has Covid. He's Day 6 right now, no negative LFT in sight anytime soon but he's perfectly well bouncing off the walls with the odd cough and the odd sneeze. Maybe a handful of coughs/sneezes across the whole day.

Initially the childminder suggested he stays off until he has a negative LFT - I explained how unreasonable that was given they're not a measure of how contagious you may/may not be. Plus mine was still clearly positive at Day 10 so if he's anything like me then it'll definitely be awhile yet.

So we've settled on 10 days after his first positive LFT. I do think that's being overly cautious personally given that no one else seems to be following the previous advice anymore. 7 days does feel much more reasonable - although pre pandemic it would have been as soon as their temperature was gone as we didn't actively test to see if kids had Flu/RSV/a cold etc

However for full disclosure... Our childminder has mild asthma and one of the children she minds is a 9/10 weeks old baby.

On the one hand I totally understand her cautiousness and in all honesty I don't want anyone else to get unwell. On the other hand I'm frustrated that I'm having to keep DS home and pay for the privilege. I wouldn't mind but they still go into shops, toddler groups etc, which with rates as high as they are is probably just as risky if not more risky right now given there are no enforced restrictions. Realistically I think I'm probably just frustrated with the whole situation... But still curious what the general opinion is right now...

AIBU to feel frustrated?

It's the same policy as the NHS are still using for staff, 10 days if you are still testing positive on day 5&6 tests.

I think she's right to ask you to keep him off but a full 10 days is unnecessary.

Our nursery are asking us to isolate children for 5 days with a positive test or stay at home for 24 hours after a temperature.

I think that as soon as your child tests negative then he should be able to return. That might be 7 days or 10. I guess from her pov, the parents of the other children won't be happy if she knowingly has your son back when he's still positive (even if he is well in himself). I wouldn't send my 10 week old baby to a setting with a knife. Covid case.
Although, you are right in that there is probably equal exposure in baby groups and other parents might not test at all! It's a bit of a mess all round.
I can understand your frustration. I used to be a childminder and I think I would take a child back at first negative lft with a minimum of 7 days off. Ultimately I think she's just trying to protect her business because you aren't her only family to consider.
My policy when childminding was that I charged if the child was absent but not if I was ill. I thought that was fair.

Setting with a knife? That was meant to say setting with a known covid case

Fair enough. Although (and I know MN don't agree) but I wouldn't have tested. If he was well enough I'd send him, if he was ill I'd keep him home. That is after all what the government want us to do .

one of the children she minds is a 9/10 weeks old baby.

On a moral level I would ensure my child was negative before sending my child back. The tiny baby doesn't deserve covid because your frustrated and you deliberately sent your child to the child minder knowing good and well your child had covid.

Then she either needs to come up with a written Covid policy asap or carry on following law/guidance which is not to test children unless on the advice of a medical professional. She can't chop and change or make it up as she goes along, that's not fair on you.
The policy needs to exist to take into account her own asthma risk and the risk to the children in the setting (this is going to sound harsh, but the responsibility of having a 9/10 week old in the setting is on their parents, not on you).

I'd be frustrated too in your position OP (though lesson for next time, don't do an LFT in the first place).

My DC are in nursery, latest policy is not to test unless on the advice of a doctor. They can't attend nursery until 24h clear of having a temperature, and must be well in themselves.

I get your frustration over the length of period however having to pay for it is just one of those things. Its part and parcel of childcare. Could be worse - I have had my childminder for 6 months - she has cancelled on me 4 times (the first cancellation happening 3 weeks into my new job). She is the only childminder in my area with availability. Very stressful!

What country of the UK are you in as that makes a huge difference to covid guidelines.

10 days would annoy me. Surely the obvious solution is to tell her that he has had a negative test?

@quietnightmare unfortunately a positive LFT doesn't mean you're contagious so it's not a clear cut as that. The fading line is representative of the fact that the antibodies are currently degrading quicker than they're being replaced. Once your body has cleared the infection you'll no longer be producing them but any that you already have continue to give you a positive result until they degrade. So you can have a positive long after you're not contagious

Its also why LFTs aren't as good as PCRs for testing. Cause the time prior to your body's immune response you're likely to be contagious. But the LFT will be negative due to not having antibodies yet.

His immune system is almost brand new, it's fundamentally different to yours. Keep testing, it may not take him 10 days to clear it.

I can see why you're frustrated but I think you should roll with it. If you did send him back at 7 days, still positive, and the baby or your asthmatic CM caught it, you'd feel awful. Think of it like when they are essentially over D&V but haven't yet been 2 full days clear of it. I'm sure someone else has, or will, keep their child home to protect yours from some illness or another.

@Toottooot England. But as others have pointed out she's a private business so really that's a moot point. So long as her guidelines are the same or stricter than legal requirements then we need to follow those.

I can definitely appreciate that more with how people have worded it in responses.

@Goldfishjones 😅 that wouldn't sit right with me unfortunately.

unfortunately a positive LFT doesn't mean you're contagious BUT doesn't meant you're NOT contagious. There's different people in this world, those who are decent,moral and just get on with things in life and those who think they are entitled and should and do whatever you want. It's obvious what your going to do so why bother asking On here

the responsibility of having a 9/10 week old in the setting is on their parents, not on you

But it also rests with the CM, who has a responsibility to maintain a safe setting and a business to protect.