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What would you do?

20 replies

AlwaysLonely · 27/08/2020 18:06

So, my children's father (complicated relationship) has tested positive. He began feeling unwell Monday evening, had a test Tuesday morning, confirmed Wednesday morning.

Myself and my children saw him very briefly on Monday evening. No contact since. We have also been tested and today have all come back negative and are completely symptom free

I'm due to take the kids on a day out tomorrow. And I wanted to do a few bits next week as it the last day of their hols. Obviously will be having no contact with their dad till his self isolation is up and he's symptom free.

My question is: would you still go out tomorrow? And continue with plans for next week?

OP posts:
SunInTheSkyYouKnowHowIFeel · 27/08/2020 18:13

No I wouldnt, I'd stay in. What made you take a test? I thought until you get symptoms they are unlikely to work?

Augustbreeze · 27/08/2020 18:14

Depends on exactly what degree of contact you all had with him on Monday, and what you're planning to do. Indoor/outdoor etc.

You may have got your tests too soon, incubation is average of 5 days.

Presumably you haven't heard from Track and Trace?

Frazzled13 · 27/08/2020 18:15

What contact did you have on Monday? I guess if it wasn't the sort of thing track and trace would call about (I think under 2m for more than 15 mins) then you don't need to.
Otherwise, you do.

Babs709 · 27/08/2020 18:16

What do the track and trace / testing people say? I thought once you’d got a negative test you could carry on. I’d like to think I’d err on the side of caution. But I think it depends where you are going. I’d like to think you’d be SD anyway?

Frazzled13 · 27/08/2020 18:19

I thought once you’d got a negative test you could carry on.

If you have symptoms, this is the case. If however, you're contacted by t&t, then you need to do the full time to be following the rules. This is because you can test too early, get a negative result, then go on to develop it.

AlwaysLonely · 27/08/2020 18:25

We got tested as the guidelines (afaik) state if you come into to contact with someone who had tested positive, to get tested yourself.

I wasn't in close contact at all but kids obvs gave him cuddles etc.

No call from Track and Trace but a text to said to isolate if someone within our household had tested positive - and he doesn't live here he's technically not in our household.

For the day out, think theme park type environment without being outting.

Kids are primary school age if that makes any difference 5 and 7.

5 day incubation period will be up tomorrow.

My initial reaction was to stay home and cancel the day out but a friend of mine (who's a assistant head in a secondary school) reckons we'll be fine.

OP posts:
Frazzled13 · 27/08/2020 18:35

5 day incubation period will be up tomorrow.

What 5 day incubation period? I thought the whole point of the 14 day isolation was because the incubation period could be that long?

DamitJanet · 27/08/2020 18:37

The test doesn’t really tell you anything, whilst average incubation is around 5 days it could be up to 14. He’s not the same household as you, but depending on how close the contact was you may be wise to isolate, or at least be cautious, for the 2 weeks. Track and Trace are reportedly really slow at the moment, and can only work on the information he gives so personally I wouldn’t put much stead into lack of contact from them.

Quietlyloud · 27/08/2020 18:38

Don’t you have to isolate if it’s suspected until a test confirms? I’m not sure on that though. You could be risking others by taking them out.

Quietlyloud · 27/08/2020 18:39

To add, I know you’ve had a test but it could be too early to detect anything.

Augustbreeze · 27/08/2020 18:39

If your DC were cuddling an infected person (not that you knew then of course), I'd be very cautious....

iVampire · 27/08/2020 18:41

Your DC have been in very close contact with him, do they need to isolate for 14 days (starting that Monday)

Testing does not release you from isolation as a close contact (as you could be incubating it, and the incubation period is up to 14 days)

SunInTheSkyYouKnowHowIFeel · 27/08/2020 18:43

The guidance says to get a test if you get symptoms, not just if you are in contact with someone who tests positive, otherwise no one would need to do the 14 day isolation would they? There is also no such thing as a 5 day incubation rule either.

I could kind of understand you wanting to break the rules if you needed to go to work and you couldnt afford to miss it, but to go out on a completely unneeded trip to somewhere where it is hard to social distance there is no way I'd do that. If you said, go for a walk in the countyside away from everyone then again, I'd understand that as the chances of passing it on would be so slim, but thats not what you are saying.

AmelieTaylor · 27/08/2020 18:44

Personally I'd stay home for 14 days But I'm very covid risk averse & I would hate to Pass it on to anyone vulnerable, I just don't think it's worth the risk

You can take the kids to the 'theme park' another day. A shame, but, the responsible thing to do

Hope their Dad is ok.

Treesofwood · 27/08/2020 18:56

Surely the kids are at risk of developing covid. Why would they not be?

AlwaysLonely · 27/08/2020 18:58

@Frazzled13

5 day incubation period will be up tomorrow.

What 5 day incubation period? I thought the whole point of the 14 day isolation was because the incubation period could be that long?

I was responding to question asked up thread. I also assumed that's what the 14 days was for.
OP posts:
AlwaysLonely · 27/08/2020 19:03

Thanks all, the overwhelming majority of response is what my gut feeling is.

The seed has been planted by my friend and the kids father who said we'd be fine esp as we are completely symptom free. Plus my kids are ridiculously excited (not important I know in the grand scheme of things) and we don't have another day we can go for the foreseeable due to back to school/work and weekend commitments.

The rebel in me also thinks if the bloody Tories can break every rule going, why can't my kids have a few hours out.

I think I know what we'll do tho, now to try and survive another 14 days stuck at home when there was light at the end of the tunnel!

OP posts:
WhyAreWeHardOfThinking · 27/08/2020 19:07

Thisis very straight forward. Your childnre had physical contact with their father the day he developed symptoms. He has tested postiive. Your children need to isolate for 14 days from the Monday evening.

You testing negative means absolutely nothing at this point; you could still be incubating (which actually has been seen to be up to 28 days, but most are within 14 days) and will not test positive yet.

I can see why some people are in favour of public information broadcasts for something. As for the teacher friend; I'm also a teacher. They are wrong.

Useruseruserusee · 27/08/2020 19:08

I would isolate for 14 days, if they were cuddling the children had very close contact.

SomewhereEast · 27/08/2020 20:25

In many ways I'm very gotta-live-our-lives about Covid, but I would stay home in your shoes. I know its incredibly frustrating, especially after losing weeks upon weeks to bloody lockdown earlier in the year, but isolating after contact with a confirmed infection is the best tool we have at the moment.

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