What are the 'rules' about covid now? Picking up dc from uni

[Kiuyni]

I know there aren't any more actual, literal rules, this is more about what's socially acceptable these days. Dc20 has ended up in hospital with what has turned out to be a 'nasty strain' of covid (nurses words). Going to pick them up and bring them home tomorrow morning (they have asthma, so hospital recommended they go home if they could rather than stay in their uni house).

I have college on Thursday plus my volunteer placement on Friday. Can I just test on Thursday morning and if it's negative then carry on as normal? Or is it best to avoid people as much as possible?

Haven't thought about covid for years!

For crying out loud. Did you not read that OP's dc is in hospital? 'A cold' ffs. No wonder people with underlying conditions are still catching Covid and becoming seriously ill thanks to the attitudes of people like you. Grow up.

I think you are misunderstanding COVID a bit here. It can make someone very ill (just like flu etc) but it's not a 'different' virus so coming into contact with someone who has serious symptoms doesn't mean it will cause serious symptoms to anyone else. It's the virus that spreads not the symptoms.
Likewise someone with mild or no COVID symptoms can infect someone else causing serious symptoms.

COVID is endemic (constantly present at some level within the population) so you don't need to change your behaviour regarding your job etc. There will be students present with the virus (who prob won't know) so you won't create an additional risk to anyone.

Make sure DC gets all vaccinations they are offered (flu will likely make them ill too) and encourage them to make sure they take their medication as prescribed and attend appointments as alot of students become less reliable at uni.

Repeated testing is just going to create anxiety for you & do very little to protect anyone else.

OP, sending best wishes that your DC is on the mend asap.

You can follow the previous advice to reduce the risk, so keep them to a specific room whilst they are resting, keep windows open to encourage air flow especially in shared areas such as bathrooms, separate towels etc to reduce risk of cross contamination. Regular Hand washing, disinfectant of surfaces such as door handles and flat surfaces that would be routinely touched. Place food just inside/outside the door for collection, minimise contact between occupants of the house. Always stuff to reduce risk, air flow is pivotal.

Thanks. Just waiting for them to be discharged. They seem very poorly and I'm slightly dreading taking them home.

Weirdly they have had zero respiratory issues and no cough, despite suffering from asthma. Just a really high fever and sickness. Also kept passing out :-(

OP I hope they are soon feeling better, sounds like it's been horrible for them.

Do you and everyone you know usually get hospitalised for a cold? @Kiuyni I hope they start to feel better soon.

Idiotic response. OP's child is being kept in hospital, on a drip. I highly doubt the NHS would do that "for a cold".

So sick of the covid deniers and long Covid disbelievers. Our experience is not your experience.

Grow up.

It's not a cold, don't be so ridiculous and it doesn't matter how many times you say it's a cold it won't make it true.

Do you get hospitalised for a cold? Do you get put into a separate room in hospital if you have a cold? Do the vulnerable get 'cold jabs' every year to protect them ?

OP hope all is well and he recovers soon.

Ds has just had it and it was the same, high fever and sickness,no cough even though he has asthma. He stayed in his room , he couldn't get out of bed anyway so was happy to do so and his dad and I masked up when we took him drinks/painkillers etc. We managed to avoid it thank goodness as it was awful.

Hope your son feels better soon. I think you're being very sensible in your approach to it.

As before, covid is/can be so much more than just a cold. My parents have recently had it again. DDad was a bit rough for a few days but DMum ended up in hospital for a week and 6 weeks later she's still not 100%.

@Motomum23 nice one! Did you bother to read the OP or just jump in with your 'it's just a cold' rubbish. Clearly for some people it's still quite dangerous.

there are no rules, haven't been any for years? it's no different to flu which loads of people get every year.

People die from flu every year too.

I hope your child feels better soon.

In terms of your options it sounds like they might need you at home anyway but you mention a placement - who is that with? Vulnerable people with a compromised immune system / old / very young I'd be sacking that off.

My work doesn't like anyone in the office with anything contagious but are very pro - work from home.

I hope your DC feels better once they're home and in their own bed. Sounds scary. There does seem to be a nasty strain around at the moment - my fit, strapping younger BIL, who's never ill, has been completely flattened by it for over a week now.

There are no rules if you want to test and stay at home ,thsn that's your perogative, I hope your DC recovers quickly.

I'm in the third week of this latest strain. It is most definitely NOT a cold.

So far, pounding head, aching kidneys, temp of 40.6. According to my DS, I was talking to myself. Went off food completely for 6 days. Slept for 18 hours a day. Have dropped 6lb. Now in week three, I have a hacking cough, but am finally feeling a bit better.

I didn't lose taste or smell as far as I can remember. 😷

DS then caught it, so I kept him off school until he tested negative - in his case 6 days.

I was hospitalised with covid a few weeks ago. Please do test and try not to spread it.

I'm in favour of decent behaviour when you have Covid. It's different if you can't help spreading it eg you won't get paid if you don't work, but if you can avoid infecting others you should. And you can use a mask if you must mingle.

DS has asthma and when he was younger was repeatedly in hospital with viral-induced-asthma, i.e. 'just a cold'. Cold viruses (mainly rhinoviruses but also corona viruses so Covid is absolutely a 'cold') fill paediatric wards every winter. The trouble is that colloquially peole use 'flu' to indicate a worse respiratory viral infection than 'a cold' when neither of those are correct. Rhinoviruses and corona viruses can cause hospitalisations, and most people experience no symptoms when they have an influenza infection.

I hope your daughter feels better soon @Kiuyni , once she's discharged it's much better that she's at home with you to look after her.

I have a type of asthma and immune system that I don’t have many asthma symptoms day to day, but a cold will make me very ill (I e been almost hospitalised twice).

But I’ve had covid a couple of times and it’s not been a lung infection for me at all - I’ve had a swollen and very sore throat, utter exhaustion and very sore eyes.

COVID is not “cold.” It’s a virus that attacks immune systems in a variety of ways.