Please advise me what to do...

[toomuchtoworryabout]

I feel like I should know this but now I'm questioning myself.

I've been sent home from work as I've had direct contact with a person who has just tested positive for Covid.

I have to self-isolate at home for 14 days - I understand this.

Apparently, others members of my household do not have to self-isolate at this point (unless I develop symptoms of course) and they can continue to go to work/school.

My question is, should I be keeping my distance from my husband and DC at home, even though I don't have symptoms as yet? Should I be sleeping in a separate bedroom from DH, not cuddling the DC, making food for us all, etc?

That's what self-isolating means. You aren't isolating if you are in the company of your family. If you are incubating covid, do you want to pass it in to your DH and children?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person

"Take steps to reduce the possible spread of infection in your home: for example, wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds, using soap and water, or use hand sanitiser.

If anyone you live with is clinically vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable stay away from them as much as possible, following the guidance here. For the clinically extremely vulnerable, follow the shielding guidance."

It's recommended that you isolate from your household members. It's not required, just recommended.

I think it's guidance, if you can.

I'm a single parent so no way will I be able to isolate from my 7yo if this happens.

well ideally but in my case my children are 5 and 7 and husband works very long hours so if I end up self-isolating there is no way I am isolating myself from the DC. I might sleep in a different room to (and try and distance myself from ) DH but only because we happen to have a spare room.

I'd be hand sanitising to the extreme though and getting out all those anti bac wipes.

Strictly, yes. However reality is often very different. Just do the best you can in the circumstances of your life.

Ideally from an infection control point of view you would completely self-isolate from other family members. If your circumstances make complete isolation impossible, I think it's still well worth doing whatever you can (eg not sharing bed with DH) because if you do turn out to have Covid, you want to keep any viral load for your family as low as possible. Another thing to do is to have windows open as much as possible. Keeping the house well ventilated will reduce family members' viral load if you are infectious.