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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is anyone still isolating with covid?

233 replies

Whattodonut · 24/09/2023 11:38

My sister is- she caught it from a friend who hadn't mentioned she had a temperature when they met up. (Another thread- I'm annoyed about that on her behalf!)
She's done 3 days positive and says she's going to isolate until she's negative. She has a toddler who her DH is of course looking after but it means he'll be missing work to look after toddler until she's well.

She's worried about passing it around- our parents are elderly and I think I'd be angry if someone who knew they had it gave it to them. She does feel like shit but then if it were flu she would also feel like shit and carry on because... toddler.

What would you do?

OP posts:
LIZS · 24/09/2023 11:40

Keep out of it. If he dh is happy and able to look after her toddler she is sensible.

ConnieTucker · 24/09/2023 11:45

Why are you getting involved? I had covid in august. I stayed in bed. I was too ill to carry on as normal. I could not have managed a toddler.

Original poster
Whattodonut · 24/09/2023 11:46

Oh. I wasn't criticising. I was just wondering if anyone else was still isolating! If I could go help her I would and its their decision obviously. I was just wondering if they were the only people isolating for the benefit of others.

OP posts:
HaveANiceFuckingDay · 24/09/2023 11:46

Nope I'm not isolating , I can't afford to . I'm well enough to work so ill go about and treat it like any other illness depending on wether I'm well enough to go to work or not

Mrsjayy · 24/09/2023 11:47

It's not really anything to do with you if she wants to isolate away from elderly people or whoever.

Original poster
Whattodonut · 24/09/2023 11:49

I meant- what would you do if you were her- not me. I'll just help where I can and support my sister. I haven't had covid since 2020 so was surprised people were properly isolating. She hasn't seen her DH or toddler for 3 days.

OP posts:
Player001 · 24/09/2023 11:49

Yes. I have it (first time) and will stay isolated until negative. I don't want to be responsible for giving it to someone immunocompromised.

cardibach · 24/09/2023 11:52

HaveANiceFuckingDay · 24/09/2023 11:46

Nope I'm not isolating , I can't afford to . I'm well enough to work so ill go about and treat it like any other illness depending on wether I'm well enough to go to work or not

It’s not ‘any other illness’ though. Evidence is building that every infection leaves some damage and some people are disabled by even one infection. I hope you at least tell people so they can avoid you if you aren’t prepared to stay away from them. (Plus if something makes you ill, whatever it is, it’s a bit antisocial to potentially give it to everyone you meet).

jolaylasofia · 24/09/2023 11:52

i had covid in july. was living with my elderly mother toddler and two teenagers. i couldn't isolate. i was knocked off my feet but had to crack on. i don't think there is much point in isolating now we have to get on with it.

cuddlebear · 24/09/2023 11:55

Yes. I have it now and have self isolated since I tested positive last weekend. I am still positive and still feel like shit.

It's my birthday weekend and I am still self isolating, because I wouldn't want to accidentally pass it on to someone vulnerable.

MagentaRocks · 24/09/2023 11:57

I have it now and I am on day 5 of staying in bed. Mainly because I feel so bad, but I wouldn’t go out and risk infecting people, you never know who you might pass it to and their medical history.

Dacadactyl · 24/09/2023 11:58

No I wouldn't isolate at all, unless I felt actively unwell (and not just with a bit of a temperature or snotty nose/sore throat) I wouldn't even test for it unless I felt proper rough.

I would probably lay off seeing my parents/in laws, who are fit and well. But even if they had health problems I'd just ring them up and say I suspected I might covid but felt ok and let them make their own decision as to whether they saw me or not.

PennysLane · 24/09/2023 11:59

I’ve still never had it. So if I did and was well enough to continue to work and go about daily life then I’m afraid I would as can’t afford to stop.

sleepyscientist · 24/09/2023 12:00

We stayed away from the grandparents but didn't isolate. After 48hours we all felt well enough for work and school. Everyone has been offered a vaccine and the vulnerable have had boosters, it's not going away and seems to be coming back every winter anyway

Mrsjayy · 24/09/2023 12:00

I think if people are testing positive the advice is to isolate for 5 days isn't it ?

SM4713 · 24/09/2023 12:02

I currently have a viral illness, fever, cough, phlegm, sore throat etc. 3x covid tests have all been negative, but I'm still staying in. I wouldn't want anyone to get whatever it is. Even pre-covid, I couldn't believe people would be out working/shopping when clearly sick. So Yes, I could absolutely be isolating.

Mrsjayy · 24/09/2023 12:05

I wasn't well the other week I tested negative but I felt so rough I was coughing and spluttering I stayed in I didn't want anybody else to catch it.

Willyoujustbequiet · 24/09/2023 12:06

Yes I know loads of people who are.

I don't know anyone in real life who dismisses it as just a cold. Dh lost two relatively young and healthy family members to covid. A healthy nurse in her 20s died of it local to me. I've had it 3 times and each time has been a week in bed.

It's a bloody awful illness and I would judge anyone who knows they are positive/symptomatic and still chooses to expose people.

Miyagi99 · 24/09/2023 12:06

I would, although I’d still go for a walk and so on. I wouldn’t lose earning anyway because my job stipulates I have to isolate but also I was too ill to work a few days anyway last time I had it. I’d just do 5 days at the most though (if I wasn’t in work) as you can still test positive for ages.

MumOfOneAwesomeHuman · 24/09/2023 12:07

I wouldn't isolate from my healthy DD and DH (unless they had things on and didn't want to risk it - we've all had it before and recovered well, no lingering issues and aren't afraid of catching it again though we've all been exposed repeatedly and not caught it a second time) but definitely wouldn't go near my elderly mum, go to work or leave house at all in case I spread it to someone vulnerable.

PinkRoses1245 · 24/09/2023 12:09

I would never test unless I had to for a holiday or something. Pointless. If you’re ill, be ill. If not, get on with your life

PortalooSunset · 24/09/2023 12:10

I did last time I had it but only because I physically couldn't get out of bed! Not from dh and the kids, but from the outside world yep.

Work wise we're apparently ok to carry on as normal as long as we feel ok, but I'd call someone I was planning to see face to face first to check they were alright with it or would prefer phone/video call or to delay face to face.

Wouldn't go and see my parents with it either.

HouseIsOnFire · 24/09/2023 12:10

I had it end of August and was too ill to leave the house for 4 days, I then isolated for a further 7 until I was testing negative.

However, I wfh, live alone and in an area with really good delivery services! So I was only missing a couple of planned social events, which I wouldn't have wanted to infect friends during and morally felt my going out for a jolly wasn't worth risking making someone else sick!

I think it's very different if you have to go to work/don't get sick pay/have dependents.

PortalooSunset · 24/09/2023 12:12

Meant to say, it's not so easy to get tests these days so many people wouldn't know. I'd like to hope they'd avoid others if they felt they were infectious with anything but understand sometimes life gets in the way (dc needs taking to school and no one else to do it, run out of milk/bread etc).

TiramisuTastesDreamy · 24/09/2023 12:16

My employer reminded us the other day it is still the default to WFH ( assuming you’re feeling up to it of course) if you have Covid or any other virusy respiratory thing going on. And don’t come back to the office until you feel better ! Appreciate not everyone can WFH but thinking of people with caring responsibilities and/or vulnerabilities when considering whether to work/ go out…. should be the baseline minimum now - or have we learned nothing from the pandemic