Coronavirus spread through a family

[FootsieMcTootsie]

My DH started with the classic symptoms about a week ago (fever, cough & shortness of breathe). My 3 year old on day 3 had a day and night of a high fever but since then has been fine. My DS (6) has had an intermittent wheeze sound when breathing today but otherwise seems fine.
My question is that if you as a family have had it and haven’t been able to successfully isolate, did it get worse with each family member it went through?

Dh got it first in our house, then dd3 and me. My older two (12&10) somehow escaped. Iv been the worst affected and currently on antibiotics and an inhaler. It’s been around 8 weeks since Dh got it.

No we had DS bad, DP mild, me bad, 2 other children nothing.

Does the incubation period start again each time a new person gets ill or if you get 2 weeks from person 1 getting ill can you assume your safe? I have a DC who is more vulnerable than the others and trying to implement social distancing is nigh on impossible so am worried.

No, didn't get worse. I Had it mild but for ages. DH caught from me and was really quite ill for a couple.of weeks. DS1 had high fever for a couple of days then fine, DS2 more or less fine except a bit of grumpiness. I think age, health, weight etc... play biggest role in how badly people get it.

Can I ask OP where you think your family may have picked up the virus. I am just curious as to how many new cases are still going around of we have been in lockdown for weeks?

Both my parents had it - my dad got it first and my mum caught it from him, but she had it far more mildly.

We just all had different symptoms. Eldest had the cough and temperature. I had a tiny cough, lung ache, chills, no temperature. Middle child nothing. Youngest just got the weirdest rash, two weeks after the rest of us. None of us were remotely ill in the sense of anything beyond a very mild cold.

@BackInTime keyworkers, supermarkets, hospital/ doctors visits, thousands of passengers coming in on planes from abroad, there's bound to be new cases.

We were all about a week apart.

@BackInTime we think DH caught it from MIL. She is disabled and has carers go in a few times a day. That isn’t enough so family also do what they can. She hasn’t been really ill or anything but did have a sickness bug that wouldn’t go a few weeks ago.

Thanks this is reassuring. Hopefully as the rest of us get it, which I feel is inevitable now, it won’t get worse each time. Was worried about viral load.

Not sure if I got it first, or DH but I was the first to develop symptoms. I was the worst affected of the 3 of us, DS (11) the had mildest symptoms. So no, it doesn't follow that it will get worse as it progresses through the family. I think maybe I got the highest viral load, but who knows? We are all ok now, wishing you all a speedy recovery

Dd1 last has probably had it worst. (Though i was SOB) but she was sat next to dp a lot so he was probably shedding a lot

No, the opposite. I was first and had it worst, then dh (mild) then ds1 (v mild). Ds2 - nothing. I isolated from the family for 2 weeks but dh therefore couldn't.

@Porcupineinwaiting how spread out was everyone in getting it, if you don’t mind me asking?

My parents neighbours had it. Family of 7, 3 bed 1 bathroom house. Only the dad and one (adult) daughter had symptoms. The rest, nothing. Confirmed case.

OP in my county unpaid carers can now be tested so it might be worth trying to see if your dh qualifies for a test.

@FootsieMcTootsie don't mind at all.

Dh started about 7 days after me, and ds1 7 or so days after that (it was hard to tell exactly because he didnt cough, his voice just got v hoarse and he was v tired for 3 days).

I think I had it early March and spent the weekend with my parents, this was before much info about it and before I had temp, although cough started just as they were leaving. All I had whilst with them was a cold and feeling rubbish. Then it progressed to coughing persistently and breathlessness but I had it fairly mildly. 10 days later DM DF and DH all started with temp and cough on same day. DH and DF in high risk group (not shielding level) were really unwell but DM with no health problems was the worst of all of us and was almost hospitalised with it

DC we think had it after half term ski trip, slight fever, still coughing now and now on antibiotics. GP sure it’s covid as half the class came back with the same and a few still coughing. The rest of us didn’t catch it. DH had a fever and myalgia for a day or so about a month ago. I didn’t think much of it but 8 days later I had the same but worse, was fatigued, in bed on and off, bit of diarrhoea, then developed mild shortness of breath (never had this in my life), breathing felt like through a filter, and a tickly cough. Lost sense of taste and smell, still not fully back. Lasted for about a week but felt much better after a couple of days (if covid hadn’t been about I’d have gone back to work that’s how mild it was). I had flu years ago and covid (for me) was nowhere near as bad. Thought I was going to die with flu. Quite a mild illness for us thank goodness.

So it seems that what order you get it in doesn’t matter? It’s completely random how mild/ bad you get the illness. I will keep stuffing the rest of us full of vitamins and hope that we escape a bad dose.

I don’t think it’s random but there are a number of poorly understood variables or risk factors for individuals. Even with people deemed highest risk a good proportion will get a mild illness or survive a more difficult course. At the other end you have a tiny proportion of well, relatively young people who will die of complications.

It’s the young people dying bit that’s worrying me. DH and 2 of my children have had it or are in the middle of it. I have a vulnerable child who still hasn’t had it and me. I’m scared one of us is going to get seriously ill. I can’t sleep for worrying.