Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Scared to go anywhere now in case of need to isolate!

68 replies

Chestergirl39 · 28/09/2020 21:48

Have already had one dc having to isolate for 2 weeks after only a week in school because someone tested positive, plus having 2 other dc ‘s in different years.

Obviously risks of one of the dc’s having to isolate again is high.

Really not sure how that works with work.

Some friends with kids I know seem to be carrying on as normal, and out all the time! Not sure if I’m being over cautious by sticking to outdoor pursuits and essential shops.

I’m more worried about having to isolate frequently than the virus...

OP posts:
Triangularbubble · 28/09/2020 22:14

I did lots of things over the summer (trampoline park, restaurant meals etc) that I won’t do now in case we catch anything or have to isolate. Half term is a write off and I’ve cancelled our holiday as I don’t want to mix with people unnecessarily. I don’t work and my husband can work at home but I want to maximise children’s school attendance while school is still functioning relatively well. Two weeks off just so we can eat out or go on a climbing wall or go to soft play just isn’t worth it.

ReeseWitherfork · 28/09/2020 22:17

I’m more worried about having to isolate frequently than the virus...

Crikey, hope you’ve got something big to shield yourself behind.

Tbh, no real reason to actively fear the virus if you’re being careful with hand washing and SD. I agree with you re:navigating the chance of isolation. Not avoiding going out, just being careful about where I’m going.

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 28/09/2020 22:17

Agree op - we are in at a McDonald’s at the weekend and it was so totally not worth it.

Will be limiting trips in the future just because I’m concerned about being told to isolate because I happen to be in the same place as a later diagnosed case.

Swishswish26 · 28/09/2020 22:20

I feel exactly the same. We loved the summer holiday- frequent trips out, restaurants, parks, a holiday, bbq’s with friends, trampoline parks etc. At weekends now I daren’t go anywhere incase we are contacted by track and trace and the children have to isolate for two weeks. An hour in a café for lunch is not worth the potential of two weeks off school if contacted by track and trace.

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 28/09/2020 22:29

@ReeseWitherfork If I’m reading the op correctly it isn’t the virus they are concerned about it’s the impact on children’s education - two weeks out of the classroom, because someone has tested positive in a venue they’ve been to at the same time as them.

ReeseWitherfork · 28/09/2020 22:30

@Allmyarseandpeggymartin yes sorry I didn’t write it very well but was agreeing!

megletthesecond · 28/09/2020 22:32

Same.
I've not been back to the gym or restaurants anyway. I just want my dc's to have the best shot at school. We're not going anywhere that people linger inside.

AuntieStella · 28/09/2020 22:33

I think it was pretty clear that we got cakes and ale and circuses in the long days of summer when the sun was strong.

And we need to hunker down for winter.

Mintlegs · 28/09/2020 22:37

How can you be careful when going out. You literally (or one of your family members) are at risk of contact/infection every time you you leave the house or every time your family member leaves the house and comes back. Effectively a family of 4 could stay in isolation for weeks and weeks depending how on their exposure.

Ginogineli · 28/09/2020 22:37

Just do what everyone else does and give wrong details

Places are meant to be 2m and covid secure so in theory there’s no reason you should have to isolate

With 1/3 a false positive I can see why people do it

middleager · 28/09/2020 22:39

I'm the same.
We made the most of the summer, but when school started we cut out anywhere with test and trace because my children are year 10 and one has an early GCSE next year.

We were careful and then 7 days into term one was asked to SI for best part of a fortnight due to a positive case in one options lesson.
There are multiple cases at his school and at his brother's secondary too.
We are an area with local restrictions.
Every day I expect a child to be senr home. I cannot change this or when I'm needed at work (also education) but I can eliminate other risk of T&T.

I am more concerned about the disruption to education than I am about catching this. My son missed out on lessons as a result of not being in school and while it feels inevitable that cycle will continue, I feel too guilty going somewhere like a coffee house or heaven forbid a restaurant.

However, this weekend we had to go out for a special meal with my mother. It was a one off and I'm hoping we don't get the call.

But that's it now: supermarket, school, work, home, walks in the park again.

Joy Sad

IrishMamaMia · 28/09/2020 22:40

Yes I'm in the same boat, we had to isolate a few weeks back during quite a long wait for my partner's negative test result to come back. I have pre-school aged children and I work out of the home and it was a nightmare trying to look after everyone , do work that I could from home and the guilt /worry about missing work too.
I'm just not doing much at weekends and keeping my contacts quite small. Not much else I can do but I dread isolating again.

IrishMamaMia · 28/09/2020 22:45

During the isolation period it was like someone had pressed stop or pause on my life..I know I'm being melodramatic but it did feel that way.

middleager · 28/09/2020 22:51

Families face a cycle of not being able to go anywhere together for weeks, especially if they live in a high risk area like us.

We've got 2 children at 2 schools, for those with more children this could be a continuous cycle!

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 29/09/2020 08:38

We didn’t feel it was worth the risk in summer going to places and won’t in winter either. Don’t want the virus and don’t want to worry for two weeks if isolating so just keeping away from everything non essential. Making sure we have lots to do at home and good food instead whilst we ride the winter out.

1happyhippie · 29/09/2020 08:44

Same here @Chestergirl39

I am avoiding places because of the fear of needing to isolate.
Just had to take time off work to isolate with dc off school.
Unpaid leave is all we get.
I absolutely can’t afford to do this often!

user1493413286 · 29/09/2020 08:52

I’m weighing up what’s worth it; DD is going to ballet and I’d go out for a nice meal as a one off but going to cafes for coffee and lunch no longer feels worth it.

MummyPop00 · 29/09/2020 09:00

Agree OP.

Incredibly frustrating for me because I’ve already had CV so would be more than willing to be out & about in cafes etc supporting the economy but as you say, 14 days out of action doesn’t really appeal for the sake of a Cappuccino

FlowFlow7722 · 29/09/2020 09:01

Same. We are just in the middle of a 2 week isolation as eldest Dd had positive test result.

DH’s wages are usually largely overtime, so it’s made an impact financially. Also youngest Dd who is well has really found it hard being at home when everyone else is getting on with school etc. It feels very different to earlier lockdown when we were all in this together.

In lockdown you could still do your weekly shop, this caught us unawares really and unless we had the brilliant neighbours we have we would have really struggled. We finally have an Asda delivery coming today, 9 days after isolating.

Will think very carefully about what we do going forward....

Pikachubaby · 29/09/2020 09:08

OP

I am worried about having to isolate over and over too

It’s a realistic fear. It’s why I don’t go to restaurants, pubs, hairdressers etc

We will get enough isolation every time my school age kids (or one of their peers) develop a cough I reckon

Frazzled2207 · 29/09/2020 09:29

I'm exactly the same. far more worried about having to isolate (repeatedly potentially) than actually getting the virus. Kids are still going to school and certain activities that they have missed out on and on balance I want them to be able to enjoy for now, but we're pretty much trying to avoid everywhere and everyone else.

We're enjoying more takeaways than usual that's the only good thing. It's going to be a really long hard winter.

perfectpanda · 29/09/2020 09:39

Absolutely agree. I didn't go anywhere in summer where I had to track and trace - as couldn't bear risk of being traced just before a holiday and having to stay home. I did start moving around more as normal when term started. But we are all self isolating for the 3rd time now for 'symptoms ' requiring tests. The more kids you have the worse it is!! If this goes on much longer , we will start seeing this downside on the ' how many kids should I have ' threads!

Lazypuppy · 29/09/2020 09:51

I'm WFH so if i need to isolate it wouldn't make a difference really. If i was struggling to work and do childcare, i would just be put on full pay special paid leave for the 2 weeks

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 29/09/2020 09:55

Ironically this could drive transmission rates up if people opt to socialise at home more.

It’s a bloody mess

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 29/09/2020 10:14

I’m more worried about having to isolate frequently than the virus...

I totally get you on this. DS just turned 2 and we've cancelled a trip away because the thought of getting stuck in a hotel room with him for 2 weeks is pretty horrific tbh. We'd be stuck with very few of his toys, with potentially no netflix etc, no space to spread out, no cooking facilities at all................

However, if we had to isolate at home it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad. I've been trying to live as normally as possible while sticking to the rules. DS is in nursery afew days a week and so far we haven't had to isolate or get tested, but I know its only a matter of time before he catches a bug that'll give him a fever.