If you have had it - then what? Do you have to self isolate again?

[AliciaWhiskers]

Something I’ve been wondering about since schools went back. Let’s say one of my children gets COVID (conformed on a test), and gets better from it and goes back to school. Not all of his bubble get it, so theoretically the bubble could close again in the future if another child has a case. What then happens to my child? Do they have to isolate again for 14 days, even if they have already had COVID?

This doesn't seem to have been covered as an exemption in the guidelines.

I'm assuming that yes, they still have to self isolate.

I think, at present, there's not enough research findings as to whether you can get it more than once, how soon after immunity reduces (if it does) etc

There are no antibody passports yet, so he'd still have to isolate.

@Aragog

This doesn't seem to have been covered as an exemption in the guidelines.

I'm assuming that yes, they still have to self isolate.

I think, at present, there's not enough research findings as to whether you can get it more than once, how soon after immunity reduces (if it does) etc

There have been multiple proven cases of reinfection now in the range of 2-4 months after the first infection.

Ok thanks. So it’s truly going to be a distrusted winter of schooling then. I had naively assumed that they might not need to repeatedly isolate if they had the virus but it appears that’s not the case.

Disrupted! Although distrusted works too!

Whilst there have been reports of reinfections I don't think the cases were symptomatic. However, I guess it is unclear as to whether they may still be able to spread the virus so yes would have to isolate again.

Yes, it’s going to be fun times....

QueenStromba - I had read that reinfection is still very rare.

Even if they can't get it again (not yet known) they could still carry it around for days. So at a minimum should have a good shower and wash everything that they could be carrying it on or isolate that as well (school bag for example).

There are a few different strands :( that's why (right now at least) people going on about herd immunity are talking crap.

strains

There isn't yet any firm science to back up how long any immunity from having the virus lasts. All the same guidelines apply to people who have already have the virus too.

@cupofdecaf - "So at a minimum should have a good shower"

That just had me snorting with laughter at the thought of a phone call coming in "Hello Mrs Jones, NHS Test and Trace here, YOU MUST TAKE A SHOWER IMMEDIATELY. And not just any shower, a GOOD one."

[quote MRex]@cupofdecaf - "So at a minimum should have a good shower"

That just had me snorting with laughter at the thought of a phone call coming in "Hello Mrs Jones, NHS Test and Trace here, YOU MUST TAKE A SHOWER IMMEDIATELY. And not just any shower, a GOOD one."[/quote]
Do you not think being clean and hygienic reduces the risk?
If you've been one where risky (a hospital for example) would you not change your clothes etc?
If not let's just cough all over each other and not bother with hand washing.

@JS87

Whilst there have been reports of reinfections I don't think the cases were symptomatic. However, I guess it is unclear as to whether they may still be able to spread the virus so yes would have to isolate again.

They've been a mix - some asymptomatic, some mild and at least one requiring hospitalisation.

@Aragog

QueenStromba - I had read that reinfection is still very rare.

It's actually quite concerning how many proven cases of reinfection we've had given how early we are in the pandemic. I didn't think we'd start seeing them until around Christmas. For the other coronaviruses you'd normally catch them every 6-18 months, people have been proven to have caught this thing again after two months. In order to prove reinfection someone needs to have not only caught the virus twice but they also needed to have been tested both times and the first sample needs to have either been saved or sequenced at the time for comparison. Given that most of the people who've had it haven't been tested once, let alone twice, these cases are going to be the tip of the iceberg.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/what-to-do-if-you-get-symptoms-again/

The NHS site does cover it actually - yes, you must self isolate again as they simply don't yet know.

My employer (NHS) has told us today we all have to follow same guidance (irrespective of COVID antibody status) as there isn't enough evidence to show antibodies provide sufficient protection

I work in a school and I have had Covid. I don't feel invincible so yes I would definitely self isolate.