Do you really keep DC indoors for 14 days?

[notevenat20]

DS's school year has been sent home for 14 days because someone in his year has covid. I know we are supposed to keep him indoors the whole time. But what have people really done in practice? It's a very long time not to walk further than the bathroom.

This is where having artificial grass comes into its own. When we isolated the kids can still play out even if it was a wet day. Where we lived before our real lawn turned into a swap September until at least April. The garden was unusable!

I’ve foster children staying since the first lockdown.
I wouldn’t even attempt to keep them indoors.
They’re finding the situation challenging enough.
No doubt someone seeing them outside would run into MN to clutch their pearls.
But those people I find are very quick to call everyone selfish whilst doing the sum of absolute zero for others.

My 12yo is currently SI and shows no interest in leaving the house even though we have a huge garden he could access safely away from anyone else.
He's had a go on my exercise bike (once) and would stay in bed all day if he could but unfortunately for him school have finally pulled their finger out and they have to log on and attend lessons online at the same times as the rest of the year, so our dining room is currently school. He's chats with the other self isolators on the phone at lunchtime.
He sings tuneless with his headphones on throughout the day and it's making it hard to concentrate on my work so I'll be happy when he goes back.

It would be harder with the 4yo but he would happily race round the garden like a looney for a bit.

We have recently done 14 days due to me testing positive. I was too unwell to look after them so it fell to DH, the dc were absolutely fine. We are lucky to have a large garden but I don't think they went out much due to rubbish weather. My dc love being off school though and are content mooching round the house. Plus they had school work to keep them busy.

I definitely wouldn't take them out when isolating, and wouldn't go out myself. We actually stayed in a little longer than necessary just to be cautious. I wouldn't wish this virus on anyone!

You do realize that immunity only lasts a few weeks to months? SEVERAL people world-wide are confirmed to have had COVID-19 twice now, and who knows how many others have had it, been asymptomatic, and spread it to others.

This is what they call fake news. First there is no reason to believe that immunity lasts only a few weeks. Second, SEVERAL out of millions is a teeny tiny risk.

These responses are the reason that this pandemic is still spreading like crazy. People need to stop being selfish and just stay in their homes.

Positive covid test yes totally whole family isolate don’t go anywhere except house and garden

Kids bubble bursts I would take my kids out to exercise daily, unless they got symptoms.

I would not take them to shops/playgrounds/parks or anywhere with lots of other people

I genuinely can’t see any risk... car in drive; get in car, drive 10 min to somewhere very remote; kids don’t see anyone/talk to anyone. If we do see someone can easily keep 10 m apart- there is no risk in that.

Even if we did walk passed someone 4M apart that person would not get it.

I’ve taught 16 kids this week alone who have tested positive and have been told to carry on going into school and teaching by the government.

I am not a shit and lazy parent who can’t keep my kids busy at home, I can. But I think mental and physical health of my kids is very important.

I think it’s damaging to keep perfectly healthy kids at home for 2 Weeks, which could happen every months for the next year

I live in Iceland where the testing and contact tracing has been excellent throughout and never have people in quarantine been forbidden to go outside for walks or bike rides etc if they keep away from other people (isolation for infected people is a bit more tough for obvious reasons).

That is extreme.

@PuffinShop

I live in Iceland where the testing and contact tracing has been excellent throughout and never have people in quarantine been forbidden to go outside for walks or bike rides etc if they keep away from other people (isolation for infected people is a bit more tough for obvious reasons).

That is extreme.

That’s interesting, especially as so many people have wailed upthread ‘they manage it in all other countries so why can’t we do it here?!’.

@OverTheRainbow88

Positive covid test yes totally whole family isolate don’t go anywhere except house and garden

Kids bubble bursts I would take my kids out to exercise daily, unless they got symptoms.

I would not take them to shops/playgrounds/parks or anywhere with lots of other people

I genuinely can’t see any risk... car in drive; get in car, drive 10 min to somewhere very remote; kids don’t see anyone/talk to anyone. If we do see someone can easily keep 10 m apart- there is no risk in that.

Even if we did walk passed someone 4M apart that person would not get it.

I’ve taught 16 kids this week alone who have tested positive and have been told to carry on going into school and teaching by the government.

I am not a shit and lazy parent who can’t keep my kids busy at home, I can. But I think mental and physical health of my kids is very important.

I think it’s damaging to keep perfectly healthy kids at home for 2 Weeks, which could happen every months for the next year

If you think there is zero risk of passing it on by going on a remote walk, why would you react differently if the positive test was in your own household? Surely if the risk is zero, it shouldn't matter whether the positive case is in your house or in the classroom?

That’s interesting, especially as so many people have wailed upthread ‘they manage it in all other countries so why can’t we do it here?!’.

I honestly don't know how people have done it in places like Spain etc. I think it's so cruel to keep children shut inside for months. 2 weeks would be bad enough and I'd only do that if mine actually had COVID-19, in accordance with the rules. 2 week stints at random semi-regularly? That's an unhealthy lifestyle.

I suspect that when the rules seem proportionate, logical and humane, people are more likely to be sensible about them? Not sure, just my gut feeling. The benefits of regular fresh air and exercise are obviously really big and the risks of transmission extremely low when people are outside and well spaced out, so to me shutting the quarantined inside seems disproportionate and like the downsides outweigh the benefits. Our epidemiologists clearly agree at least and the quarantine and isolation system really looks like it's been pretty successful.

We are actively encouraged to get out and exercise in the daylight, which can be really important for people's wellbeing especially now in the dark winter time, and this advice goes for people in quarantine as well. We often get the message that this are difficult times and exercising outdoors is a good way to help ourselves cope and feel better.

@OverTheRainbow88

Positive covid test yes totally whole family isolate don’t go anywhere except house and garden

Kids bubble bursts I would take my kids out to exercise daily, unless they got symptoms.

I would not take them to shops/playgrounds/parks or anywhere with lots of other people

I genuinely can’t see any risk... car in drive; get in car, drive 10 min to somewhere very remote; kids don’t see anyone/talk to anyone. If we do see someone can easily keep 10 m apart- there is no risk in that.

Even if we did walk passed someone 4M apart that person would not get it.

I’ve taught 16 kids this week alone who have tested positive and have been told to carry on going into school and teaching by the government.

I am not a shit and lazy parent who can’t keep my kids busy at home, I can. But I think mental and physical health of my kids is very important.

I think it’s damaging to keep perfectly healthy kids at home for 2 Weeks, which could happen every months for the next year

Absolutely. But the hysterical on here STILL won't be able to see the logic.

I took my 4 year out for walks kept social distance from other people she has fasd so really hard to keep her in all time dont see the harm really if your keeping away from other people shes back at school know 🥰

Ah a sensible, science based approach in Iceland. Good for them.

And for those not even turfing their kids out in the garden if they have one? I don’t understand.

Of course my 12 year old would prefer to stay inside in his Nintendo all day. But that would be very unhealthy. So I would insist he go and kick a football around in the garden whether he liked it or not. It doesn’t make you a better ‘rule follower! Or person to keep your kids inside for weeks on end. You really underestimate how important fresh air and exercise is.

We are on day 13 with our daughter. No she has not left the house.
FFS! Follow the rules and we will sort this out quicker.

@OverTheRainbow88
Agree entirely with you.

Regarding iceland, whereas I do think that policy is more sensible, you can’t really compare us with Iceland because we are enormously more densely populated. If you live in a big city and don’t have a car it is difficult to avoid people entirely hence the policy of don’t go out. The government cannot trust people with a “go out for exercise but keep a distance from anyone” rule and it would be impossible to enforce and easy to bend. No scientist would seriously suggest that going for fresh air and keeping several metres from others in itself is risky. But they can’t trust people to stick to it. Also it’s not really fair to say you can go out if you live rurally but not if you live in the city. Hence one rule for all.

Yes that’s the reason behind the one rule for all. Therefore it doesn’t make people selfish murderers if they take their kids out for a quiet walk in the fresh air near to nobody.

Shielded people were told not to leave house for months. The letter actually said to distance from others in household. One of our children is ECV. Too young to isolate from rest of family so we all isolated.
We are lucky as have a garden. I feel for people who dont.
Children cant attend schools but we are now able to go out for rural walks. Although, this is a concern when so many people dont follow isolation rules. Ive heard of people with virus out and about, isolating due to close contacts going to pubs, school etc.
People not following rules mean we may have to reduce further what we can do (already very limited) due to it becoming unsafe to leave house again.

My daughter has been in self isolation the first week she never left the house around day 10 she came on dog walks loads of open space. We have a large GSD so we get lots of space when we are out as noone comes anywhere near us. Even dog walks on paths people cross the road used to hate it as she is friendly but enjoying it now lol

Well it's the same rule for central Reykjavík and for Þingeyri, though I know of course that Rvk is not a big city. The rule literally is 'if you can stay 2 metres away from others, it's fine to go out' (paraphrased obviously). I live in a suburb and you will always see some other people when you go out, especially on the popular walking paths, but it is still not hard to avoid contact with others so we went out everyday when we were in quarantine.

I like that here we have generally been treated as responsible adults who can make some decisions rather than particularly stupid children who cannot understand a conditional clause. Why is it not fair that people in rural locations should enjoy the benefits of the open space? Is it also not fair that people in big cities can get to the shops easier so there should be a rule you can only go to shops that are at least 5 miles away?

It is nonsensical and of course it causes friction and non-compliance, as evidenced on this thread, which then probably makes people more likely to question other rules and develop a negative attitude towards the response. I believe that when the population feels respected the mood is better.

Just my perspective, I know it's not really my business since I haven't lived in the UK for 10 years.

Thanks for your perspective from Iceland @PuffinShop it’s interesting to hear how other countries are doing.

I agree, you treat people like adults with rules that actually make sense and have scientific basis and you get much more compliance (and a happier, healthier population).

Haven't you got a garden?

@ Sb2012 It is tough! But it needs to be done. They have so much energy lol..

I just dont understand why people dont get the term isolation. They're are many things that can be done and children can be very much entertained.

Yes. The children know that's what they are supposed to do so teach them respect and restraint