Don't know if im meant to be self isolating or not

[TheOriginalNutty]

Sorry if this has been asked before.

Situation is that my brother thinks he has the virus and from what he has described to me, I agree.
I haven't been in contact with my brother at all, however, my brother visited my dad on Wednesday, and then me and my son visited my dad on Friday.

I have no symptoms whatsoever and neither does my son. Should we be self isoalting or not ??
If it makes a difference, I work with district nurses so should I be going to work ?

Ring 111 or do their online advice

Yeh I did, but it's only really for if you have symptoms.

Personally I am quite happy to carry on as normal, but i don't want to do that if I could be putting others at risk.

Is it just me or is the guidance a bit pants ?

As far as I understand, the old guidance about isolating for 14 if you’ve been in contact with a cv case has now fallen away.

The new rules are to isolate for 7 days if you have a new continuous cough or a fever.

So if you are symptom free then no isolation.

And yes it’s a bit pants as they haven’t made it clear what the status of the old advice is

Thank you Minipie, that's a great help

The guidance may have changed, but common sense hasn’t ! Of course you should isolate. If you don’t you are risking infecting other people.

I would follow what you beleive to be right in these circumstances, you are at risk and so will others be if you dont self isolate.

@sirevixofvixhall surely though everyone should be self isolating if thats the case ? isn't everyone going to have been in contact with someone who doesn't have it but has been in contact with someone else who also doesn't have it, but has been in contact with someone who might ?

If i'd been in direct contact with my brother then I definitely would be isolating, but I haven't been. I've been in contact with my dad, 2 days after he was in contact with my brother, who at the time was symptom free, though I do understand he will have more than likely had it at that time.

I think maybe I should ring my team leader first thing on Monday and ask her what she wants me to do as she is a health professional and I'm not.

Well you are one link closer in that chain. Your brother has it you think, he has seen your Dad, as have you.
You can follow govt guidelines, and only isolate if you get symptoms, isolate if your Dad gets symptoms, or isolate now.
Personally I would do the latter. I live in a very vulnerable rural area, minimal health care, lots of elderly people, so that is a factor for me. I am keeping well away from people locally as my dc have been in school, so we may unwittingly be the disease vector.
You have to weigh up what seems right for you.

yes, the guidance is very pants. Basically we have gone from all those who had been in conctact with a case should self isolate for 14 days to those who have been in contact dont need to isolate at all and those with symptoms only need isolate for 7 days. Makes no sense at all tbh.