Why don't we all have to isolate?

[CristinaYangsBrain]

My 3yr olds nursery closed this morning due to covid. 3yr old has to isolate because the child was in the same bubble but I was told I can still go to work and my older children can still go to school. Why is this?

Becuse it’s only the person who has been in contact that needs to isolate.
This isn’t a new rule.

Only contacts of Covid have to isolate. You are a contact of a contact. Your son will more than likely and hopefully be fine and not have got it. If of course he starts with symptoms you need to isolate.

You would only need to isolate if your child develops symptoms. You are a contact of a contact so you arent required to isolate according to the rules

He's at higher risk of being infected than you, yes?

You have to bear in mind that we're all at some risk at the moment unless we're living in a bunker, it's just a question of how high the risk needs to be to justify isolating a person.

Because it’s a balance of health/economy.

Your dc has been exposed but it’s not 100% they will have contracted it so the probability is that isolating the whole household is more damaging economically than the smaller risk of potentially spreading covid.

If he starts showing symptoms that changes the balance again and requires testing and household isolation.

It’s a flow chart response not a straight forward list because many factors need to be considered.

Thank you, August and Cornetto.

I've seen the nursery children literally coughing in each others faces, it's not like they're good at social distancing! Obviously I hug and kiss my children and they can be asymptomatic so I think my anxiety was just spiraling.

Because the system is nuts.
But also because the country would completely fall apart if everyone had to isolate

Turning it around... Would you be happy with nursery closing as another parent tested positive, although all the kids were fine? Or the partner of one of the staff?

@CristinaYangsBrain

Thank you, August and Cornetto.

I've seen the nursery children literally coughing in each others faces, it's not like they're good at social distancing! Obviously I hug and kiss my children and they can be asymptomatic so I think my anxiety was just spiraling.

They’re grubby little urchins aren’t they?

No one is exactly sure why, but there are lots of examples of people even living in the same household not all catching covid. It may be that asymptomatic cases are being missed but it does seem to pass some people by completely. There are a lot of illnesses that do this and a lot comes down to the unpredictability of an individuals immune system.

Keep an eye on your dc and try not to worry too much. If they have picked it up you can deal with that if it happens but otherwise you just need to keep them isolated indoors.

As others have said, its because your son is the only one whose definitely been exposed.

There's no guarantee that he's caught it to pass it on to you.

I think technically your son should be isolating within his household Eg staying in room, getting food delivered to his door.
Clearly that won't work. In this situation ds isolated, as did dd as she had no need to be out. I went out only when necessary to buy food and was extra careful to avoid contact.