Can someone explain isolating before a procedure to me?

[OpheliasCrayon]

I have a procedure coming up, for which I am told I need a covid test and then to isolate for three days from this test. The test will be done in the hospital so they will be able to access the results for when I am admitted.

I have two young children and as it is half term childcare will call to me . My husband covers me a lot as I teach , so we have been juggling stuff with work / kids etc.

So I am looking after my children during this isolating.

I'm aware we can't see other people - but just to check - I can't meet anyone outside socially distanced / wearing a mask etc can I? It really is no one?

And since my kids can't be kept away from me - do we all have to isolate as a household really for those three days ?

Sorry I know this likely sounds dense but I want to check 1. Because it's half term so I don't want my children to miss out on stuff unnecessarily but

1. Because I never understand the rules anyway and obviously as I'm going into hospital I don't want to risk anyone else

Also - for one of the days my youngest still could be in nursery as they don't have half terms - in this scenario would it be better that she doesn't attend on that day as it is the first day of the isolation ? My husband could do drop off and pick up so I would be able to stay in the house the whole time, but then since I'm looking after her for the following few days .... Yeah I'm not sure - can she go or not?

I don't mind what the answers are I'll stick to it but I really am not sure!

The letter you’ve had from the hospital should have all the details if not it will have a contact number you can ring to clarify

We were told the whole household has to self isolate. So that would also include your DH.

This is why I'm struggling - I got info about the procedure itself, but then attached to it was the thing saying I need to isolate three days before and the swab team at the hospital would contact to arrange the test.

So I wasn't clear, and I then needed to change the date to the end of the half term not the start because otherwise I couldn't have isolated... I asked the lady I spoke to then but she said she didn't know. And then she said the swab team would only ring me the day before I needed the test so I can't ask them until then.

So I was hoping I could get a bit of an idea here as if the consensus is that my kids won't be able to do anything / go to nursery and we really do need to all stay here , I need a) warn them and explain and b) make some plans of some things to do!

Like - can we go for a walk out if it's just me and the kids in the countryside with no one else? Or can I truly not leave the house ?

If I can't leave I don't mind - the procedure is on my hip I don't walk much anyway --- but can my husband take them for a walk? Is that still allowed?

A friends family had to isolate for 2 weeks because 1 member needed surgery. They were advised to quarantaine, so none of them could go anywhere, shopping was delivered etc.
My understanding is that your dc can not attend nursery on your first day of isolation, and you can’t go anywhere/see anyone . Good luck

@GerardWay123

We were told the whole household has to self isolate. So that would also include your DH.

Ok thanks - he works at home anyway so that's why I didn't include him in the question.

But - as I've just asked in my last post - I assume I cannot take the kids out for a walk in the countryside (where there is genuinely no one) but could he ? So they don't go stir crazy?

Or is it three days for all of us inside or our garden only?

I’m in the same situation. Covid test next Thursday for a procedure the following Monday.

I have interpreted it that we will all self isolate as a family. No going out at all for any of us apart from walking the dog. I’ve swapped shifts from work and DH is working from home.

The guidance from the hospital was particularly strict; sleeping in a separate room, using a separate bathroom, basically not seeing any family members. This couldn’t work for us as my child is quite young and wouldn’t understand, so this way I’m hoping we’re fulfilling the self isolation by us all doing it together.

If your children are still going out and your sending the young one to nursery I think you would need to ensure you are isolating separate to them for the duration.

@Lolita89

A friends family had to isolate for 2 weeks because 1 member needed surgery. They were advised to quarantaine, so none of them could go anywhere, shopping was delivered etc. My understanding is that your dc can not attend nursery on your first day of isolation, and you can’t go anywhere/see anyone . Good luck

Ok lovely thank you. It's only three days for me and my eldest had asked that her sister didn't go to nursery every day that week anyway because she wanted her to stay home and play with her bless them! So, the nursery thing is fine we just need to give them the right notice that she won't be in.

You all need to stay in your home. Obviously you can go in your garden. Just make sure you have enough food and milk in.

Thw whole household needs to isolate for the 3 days op. Including your dh (or he stays in a hotel or something).

You dont meet up with people no. Its isolation as if you have covid - stay in your property with just your household

We had exactly this situation. I was going to take the kids to my mums as I have half term off.

However DC1 is isolating so that’s thrown a spanner in the works. So we’ll all be at one and the patient will pretty much be locked in the spare room.

The point is so to ensure you are covid free for the op and susbequent hospital admission and dont pass it on to other vunerable patients

So I wouldnt go for a walk no as its only 3 days. Just all 4 of you in the house/garden

@UncleFoster

Thw whole household needs to isolate for the 3 days op. Including your dh (or he stays in a hotel or something).

You dont meet up with people no. Its isolation as if you have covid - stay in your property with just your household

Ok lovely thank you.

No I can't separate from anyone as the kids are too young - which is why I assumed we would all do it together for the three days.

Can my little one go to nursery on the day I have the test? So I need to isolate from the Tuesday (things on the Friday) and I don't know when I have the test - the Tues or the Monday. I would assume the Monday because surely I shouldn't be going to the hospital for a test if I'm also supposed to be isolating!

So can my daughter go on the Monday, the day before the isolation starts? (Again it's no stress if she shouldn't, she can stay here with us )

@UncleFoster

The point is so to ensure you are covid free for the op and susbequent hospital admission and dont pass it on to other vunerable patients

So I wouldnt go for a walk no as its only 3 days. Just all 4 of you in the house/garden

Yes that's why I'm checking. Whilst I am on the shielding list I chose not to as I'm not fussed about getting it (and I'm sure we've had it anyway back in March). However I dont want to risk anyone else, especially since I'm a teacher and see tons of people at work!! So just wanting to make sure I understand what I need to do, as evidently I'm not going to get any answers until the last minute from the hospital!

Howveer as I'm sure you all know -- it's probably better to know in advance if I'm about to be completely stuck in the house with two little ones so I'd rather get plenty of activities planned now,!

I wouldnt send her to nursery on the day of the test no as you need to isolate really straight from the test.

Day before the test she can, but Id probably keep her off the monday to friday if you dont know when the test is yet

@UncleFoster

I wouldnt send her to nursery on the day of the test no as you need to isolate really straight from the test.

Day before the test she can, but Id probably keep her off the monday to friday if you dont know when the test is yet

Ok. That's fine. As I said I think that's what my eldest wants anyway. She has a two week half term so next week she will be off and I'm at work so she will get the whole week off herself.

So I think she would like her little playmate for the second week when I'm off too to look after them both!

I think I just need to get some halloween baking and craft activities lined up and we are good to go!

I have something halloweeny planned anyway for the day after it being done so hopefully if that's still allowed to go ahead by them it will be a fun treat for them at the end.

There is no one answer my Dad has had 3 procedures in three different hospitals since August the first.
Hospital A entire household isolate for two weeks no Covid test.
Hospital B Covid test 72 hours before procedure patient isolates from rest of household no sharing beds, bathrooms, rooms or meals together.
Hospital C Covid test 72 hours before and entire household isolates.

@Lonecatwithkitten

There is no one answer my Dad has had 3 procedures in three different hospitals since August the first. Hospital A entire household isolate for two weeks no Covid test. Hospital B Covid test 72 hours before procedure patient isolates from rest of household no sharing beds, bathrooms, rooms or meals together. Hospital C Covid test 72 hours before and entire household isolates.

Oh ! Well that clears things up nicely !

I don't really follow it - as in I have to isolate three days before. But I'm a teacher. I will have been in two schools (I work in two) the week before and I'm a big staff meeting as well.

So surely I could have the test on Monday and be negative but then come down it it on the Weds for example and no one would know. Esp if I was asymptomatic.

I would double check. My daughter had a procedure last week and the letter said ‘if you can, self isolate for 2 weeks’ so I phoned them and asked what that means.

Turns out she had a Covid test two days before, only she had to isolate until her procedure so her brother could go to school but they said for us to be as careful as possibles. as it happens, we didn’t go anywhere as we both work from home but they didn’t seem too concerned. We’re in a higher risk area too.

That should be that she only had to isolate after her test- so two days! If it had came back positive they’d have cancelled.

@JellyButton15

I would double check. My daughter had a procedure last week and the letter said ‘if you can, self isolate for 2 weeks’ so I phoned them and asked what that means.

Turns out she had a Covid test two days before, only she had to isolate until her procedure so her brother could go to school but they said for us to be as careful as possibles. as it happens, we didn’t go anywhere as we both work from home but they didn’t seem too concerned. We’re in a higher risk area too.

No it says clearly that I have to isolate for 3 days but to take extra precautions - hand washing distancing etc for two weeks. But I mean we're washing our hands every 30 seconds at work! So.... Hopefully that'll be ok

Oh and we wear face coverings either all day or when not in our bubble depending on which school it is (ones secondary ones primary ) and all wiping down tables, sanitizing hands in and out of rooms etc face coverings in communal areas or all the time so I think it'll be fine

I am a surgeon . As others have said this rule is to
Prevent you passing covid onto vulnerable patients and staff in hospital and also they would not want to do your procedure if you had undiagnosed covid as ‘post op’ patients seem to get sick with covid.
Your whole household need to isolate if you can’t isolate from them. It would be sensible to reduce your contacts right down for a week before the op. Understand that this may be difficult if You and DH work as teachers. But I would keep your little one off nursery at least from the day of the test onwards.
In my view it would be reasonable to go for a walk in the countryside if you can keep well away from anyone else and touch nothing so no using public toilets/ contact with anyone/ using pay machines in car parks etc.

The point of isolating is that you don’t catch covid after you test, so for each thing just ask yourself if it will increase your risk.
Will your child going to nursery increase your risk? Yes.
Will going out increase the risk? Yes.

I would all stay totally at home to minimise the risk of being exposed, it’s only 3 days. It’s not perfect and two weeks of isolating would obviously be better, but I suspect the hospital is weighing up what is ideal vs what people will realistically comply with.

Honestly I think you should not work for a week before the procedure. Your contacts are too high.

@olympicsrock

Honestly I think you should not work for a week before the procedure. Your contacts are too high.

That's as maybe but I have to. During that week we are covid planning in both schools that we have the capability to remote teach. Whilst I understand what you're saying I do need to go, and my hospital know what my job is and have no problem with it.