Covid degrees of separation

[frenchtoast88]

I have tried googling this with no success so hoping the world of Mumsnet may have had specific experience.

Person A has covid. Their partner B spent some time 3 days ago with person C. This included a hug.

I then had dinner with person C last night, including a hug and sitting across from each other about 1m apart for 2hours.

Person C only found out about the positive test of A this morning. C got a test done at lunchtime today and is awaiting results.

What the hell do I do? Isolate? Test? Wait for C's test to come back? DH thinks I'm overreacting and it's too many degrees of separation but I keep worrying. I'm also nearly 3 months pregnant, if that matters. We're in Scotland so have the Track & Trace app but I know C was not using so not sure if that then prevents it from working.

Both person C and I have had a fright now and don't need to be told that hugging people is a stupid thing to do.

Wait for C’s test to come back. No need to panic yet!

Why has person C had a test? Do they have symptoms?

Yes don’t think person C should have tested yet. Or even person B, though they should be self-isolating.

www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/pages/who-can-be-tested/

If person B gets symptoms then they test and person C self-isolates. Then if person C gets symptoms they would test and if positive, at that point they would tell you and you would self-isolate.

I think.

I wouldn't be worrying but your DH is being foolish How many degrees of separation does he think there is between patient zero and people who are infected now?

To put your mind at rest, the risk to you is low. Presumably A had not been tested 3 days ago when B met C and was asymptomatic? You are at your most infectious around the time that you start to show symptoms. The secondary attack rate within households is less than 20% so there is a greater chance that B does not catch coronavirus from A than that they do. If they have caught the virus, if A has only just become symptomatic, B will more likely have only just become infected and be at the start of the incubation period, so not very infectious when B met C.

What did B and C do when they met 3 days ago? Being in close quarters inside for more than 2 hours is more of a risk than hugging. However, again, if C did catch the virus from B, they would not be very infectious on day 3 of the incubation period, when you met up.

It's not worth worrying about. Just follow the guidelines, although you might want to go further and be extra cautious by avoiding anyone you know who is at high risk. You aren't required to isolate at this point but it would be responsible not to head off to large, mixed gatherings of 6 or spend time with vulnerable people, if you don't have to.

Person C has no symptoms but I think is of the understanding she should be tested and has done so now. I woke up this morning with a cold but it feels like any normal cold and I doubt symptoms would appear that quickly? I could feel a tickly throat while we were eating.

Person B and C went for a walk but probably weren't distancing.

I also wasn't sure about incubation periods and testing too early etc? This is a mind fuck. Think I'll not see anyone overnight and hopefully C's test will be back in the morning and will take it from there.

What Callybrid said.

None of B C or you should be testing.

B needs to isolate for 14 days from when A’s symptoms appeared. No point testing if no symptoms, as virus may be in incubation phase and not show up. If B develops symptoms then they get a test. If B’s test is positive then C needs to isolate for 14 days. If C develops symptoms they get a test. If C’s test is positive then you need to isolate for 14 days and test if you get symptoms.

C’s test that she has mistakenly gone and got is a complete red herring as she could have the virus but be in incubation phase. She and you can’t rely on the result.

You don’t however need to isolate and nor does C. Wait and see what happens with B.

Also stop bloody hugging all of you!

If B and C met three days ago, even if B developed symptoms now, C is outside the cut off of 48 hours pre-symptoms occurring. So even if B tested positive, C wouldn’t have to do anything.
Similarly if C doesn’t develop symptoms in the 48 hours after you saw them, you wouldn’t need to isolate either.

Why are you all hugging?

Am I the only person reading this that thinks this is why our country is fucked up? Person C has wasted a scarce (atm) resource by having a test when in fact they have not been in direct contact with anyone with a positive diagnosis of Covid and nor do they have any symptoms. No one should be hugging. Stop hugging, stop wasting tests, and stop panicking.

Stop hugging, stop wasting tests, and stop panicking.

Boris’s next three part slogan maybe?

Only people with symptoms need testing
Iperson B should be self isolating for 14 days as they are a close contact of person A who has a positive test.
If person B develops symptoms they get tested and they will assess whether person Cis a close contact and if so they do not need a test but need to self isolate
And so it goes on

But as you are all hugging and not distancing dont be surprised if you are often in this situation so it's worth you familiarising yourself with the clear guidance on the NHS or .gov website

Oh for goodness sake.

Humans need hugs. Leave OP alone, that might have been the first hug she'd had in months.

Hopefully not Grobags as she mentions she has a DH.

So neither B or C have had symptoms Assuming so neither of them should be having a test, and if they get a negative result it tells them nothing.

@Grobagsforever

Oh for goodness sake.

Humans need hugs. Leave OP alone, that might have been the first hug she'd had in months.

It's shit for everyone but getting that close to people is risky particularly with numbers rising. I miss hugging my friends and being able to meet up without being on alert but we can't. So if we meet we keep our distance, meet outside, wear masks if needed and we certainly aren't hugging each other or getting close. We just have to as most of us are in jobs where we could put others at risk.

Stay in and wait persons c results. Depending o those then you will know what to do next. If she ok, and you feel
Ok, continue as normal. If you start to feel unwell, isolate and get tested. This is how we have to be right now. My family has to isolate as person b was in their house and had been in contact with person c who took not well and had to have a test. Isolated until negative result came back. We have to be vigilant

As above. Neither person B or C should have got a test. There was no need, the results will be meaningless anyway and won't change what they should be doing. And as said that is 2 less tests now available for people that genuinely need them..

Ignore the test results (except the positive A) as they are invalid (unless positive.)
The person needs to DO 14 for contact either way.

Thanks to all for highlighting what I already know - no hugs. We're human and fucked up. I hadn't seen my friend for 6 months and have both had a lot of life changes within that time.

I don't control what person C did. Her choice to get the test. And the whole point in me asking the question here is because I couldn't find a conclusive answer online and didn't want to waste a test.

Understand the reasoning behind wait for B to test, C to test etc. But surely it could be spreading while we wait?

Anyway. It is done now.

I appreciate everyone's helpful responses. Planning to keep to ourselves over the weekend and hope that no symptoms appear.

Person C is one of the reasons why people with symptoms can't get a test. Somebody at each test centre needs to take responsibility and refuse to allow those without symptoms to take tests. They have been unbelievably selfish.

You do nothing. Start complying properly with the rules now. IF C was to test positive then you should isolate for 14 days.

Understand the reasoning behind wait for B to test, C to test etc. But surely it could be spreading while we wait?
You obviously don't understand the reasoning then.

All this person A and person B stuff is a bit of a red herring if you have woken up with a "cold". Forget about whether you have caught COVID from these people, you could have caught it elsewhere. You have symptoms now, you should be considering whether those symptoms mean that, according to the guidelines, you should get tested/isolate.

@Itsabeautifuldayheyhey

Understand the reasoning behind wait for B to test, C to test etc. But surely it could be spreading while we wait? You obviously don't understand the reasoning then.

So there's not one single chance that I could've caught it then? None. But if we wait days for B to be symptomatic and then C to be symptomatic, then I might've somehow delay-caught it by then. Right.