We need to self isolate don’t we? 😭

[MindatWork]

Had a message this morning from a friend saying her DD has had a positive test this morning. We saw them outside in the park last Friday, mums socially distanced but kids prob had contact a handful of times. Mum has tested negative, we have no symptoms at all.

Looking at the guidelines any physical contact means we now have to self isolate (which we obv will despite it messing up a million different work arrangements) - but DH doesn’t, even though he is in our household, and neither does anyone else we’ve had contact with since last Friday? Is that right?

I’ve called my DS’ nursery and let them know he won’t be in next week and called everyone we’ve had contact with to let them know, but they don’t have to self isolate do they? It’s only if you’ve had contact with a confirmed case.

Obv the DD’s health is the most important thing and I hope she’s ok. It’s not the news I needed this morning

It will certainly be a nightmare.But to answer you question, no, if your child has to isolate (because they have been in confirmed contact with a positive case) then you and the rest of your family do not need to isolate - unless your child becomessymptomaticand then tests positiveof course. It's all about degrees of separation.

"That's not what's happening in my school. If someone in the bubble tests positive then we all need to isolate"

I was just going by the guidance which I think aragog helpfully posted earlier.

The school I'm at next term haven't published full details yet as they decided to wait until further guidance is issued on 11 August in case they need to change things

@QueenofmyPrinces

If test is positive then anyone who has been in close contact with them (their family, school mates) go into quarantine for 14 days.

It’s these parents I feel sorry for - the ones of children who seem perfectly well but may be incubating.

So an entire classroom of seemingly well children will be sent home for two weeks if one child has a positive result? And the parents of all those children will have to tell their employers they won’t be coming in for two weeks? Do you think people will actually do this? Not everyone has understanding employers. I imagine some parents would be very reluctant if it means that the household incomes is going to unmanageably affected if they are both having to take unpaid leave for a fortnight.

And what about if the parents have more than one child....what do they do about the other children that need to be taken to school if they themselves are quarantined? Or will parents be allowed to go out and take their other children to school and pick them up, they just can’t go anywhere else?

I do understand the reason behind it....I just think it’s going to be a total logistical nightmare!

The virus doesn't care about household incomes or understanding employers. Yes it will be a logistical nightmare. Pandemics are a logistical nightmare. People die. People are also left disabled, unemployed, poorer, homeless, etc. That is what a pandemic does.

So an entire classroom of seemingly well children will be sent home for two weeks if one child has a positive result?

But, as I asked previously after such a query, what is the alternative?
They and their teacher all stay at school and risk the others spreading it further. Just because they are seemingly well it doesn't mean they haven't got it or aren't spreading it.
And if the teacher catches it? And if the asymptotic child takes it home?

But, as I asked previously after such a query, what is the alternative?

There isn’t one.

And like I said, I completely understand why it has to be done.

I certainly wasn’t saying it shouldn’t be done, I was just pointing out what a difficult situation it’s going to put a lot of families in. I just feel bad for those who won’t have understandable employers and those who live in households who will struggle financially if both parents have to take two weeks of unpaid leave.

This all relies on parents actually testing their children. Which involves a huge effort of booking online, driving to a test centre and administering the test themselves - necessitating time off work, plus the wait for results.

Or, ordering online, waiting for it to be delivered, administering it properly and getting it posted back in a timely fashion (family member had to use a priority postbox, nearest of which to us is three miles away). Then a wait until results.

I doubt many parents will be desperate to go through this for every cough or temperature. Kids will be Calpolled up and sent in regardless.

I wonder if schools will ask for a copy of negative test results if they are allowed to do so.

This all relies on parents actually testing their children. Which involves a huge effort of booking online, driving to a test centre and administering the test themselves - necessitating time off work, plus the wait for results.

Booked my sons test this morning- was given about 40 options for timings, booked 8am was home by 9am. Yes the doing the swab wasn’t nice and he went mental but within 2 min he was over it! We should have results in 24 hours. No effort at all, boss sympathetic and let me join the conference call an hour later than the rest of the team

Also I’m sure they will bother when school or nursery sends them home for 10 days!!

@ineedaholidaynow

I wonder if schools will ask for a copy of negative test results if they are allowed to do so.

It is a notifiable disease, the school will get the results, same as TB, etc