What if child has to isolate as a contact over Xmas and NY?

[Lemons1571]

My son is halfway through a 14 week isolation as a contact at school (another child tested positive). He has no symptoms. It’s not too big a deal as nothings planned anyway and we’re in lockdown.

But it has brought home to me that if this happens on 18th December, it would be grim. Imagine a call from school - you’re child has to isolate from 20th December until 1st January (or whatever). I just can’t see many people complying. You’d miss any relaxation of measures and just carry on straight into January’s lockdown. Am kind of hoping schools close early so this doesn’t happen.

Would you comply fully, ie not leaving the house nor seeing anyone outside the household over the entire Xmas and NY period?

To be honest I've never spent Christmas with anyone but my immediate family, and that's always been really lovely. My dad was in the Army, so we weren't near relatives, then in my first marriage we weren't near family, and now in my second marriage my eldest son is nearest to me, 70 miles away. There has always been a lovely cosy relaxed feel about Christmas. To be honest we have never even left the house on Christmas day. I understand that people like to do what they've always done, but really, staying home by yourselves is not that bad (and yes, I've spent Christmas entirely alone as well)

I can understand people breaking isolation to buy essential food supplies, as delivery slots will be hard to come by over Xmas, but would you seriously take a child potentially infected with covid to visit your relations?? That would be madness.

Yes of course we’d isolate.

I can’t imagine anyone actually admitting that they wouldn’t tbh.

@islockdownoveryet

* Would you comply fully, ie not leaving the house nor seeing anyone outside the household over the entire Xmas and NY period?* I'd bloody love it , sitting on my sofa eating quality street and not have to see family bliss !!

That's the spirit!

@Lemons1571

Hmm we have a year 11 so I guess finishing school early isn’t a good idea. We also have a small family really, just one other adult in a support bubble. I’m just trying to get my head around all of us being in the house over Xmas and NY, all perfectly healthy but can’t even walk to the post box for some fresh air!

I can’t see everyone who has larger close knit families keeping to the isolation rules. A lot will of course. But I bet a lot won’t.

I have a large, close family. We always spend Boxing day together but have already decided it won't be happening this year. Lots of us are committed to sticking to the rules.

@EndoplasmicReticulum

If your year 11 is isolating as a contact, but with no symptoms, the rest of you don't have to stay indoors, just them.

I'd not be happy if family visited and bought Christmas Corona with them as an extra gift.

I know. But I couldn’t in good conscience go out with the rest of the family for a Xmas walk and leave isolating child at home.

Law of averages it's going to happen to some.

We are in the NW and I have heard rumours that teachers around here are telling the council that they want to finish early for Christmas for this precise reason. In a totally separate development an academy trust which runs schools locally that they are closing a week early (not sure if they are making up the days elsewhere or insisting on 'homeschool' for that week). Whereas obviously it might cause problems for parents where schools close earlier than planned, I think for the reasons you mention many parents would support this plan. Perhaps especially in secondary where parents would not necessarily need to take time off work and covid is currently rife.

@Frazzled2207

We are in the NW and I have heard rumours that teachers around here are telling the council that they want to finish early for Christmas for this precise reason. In a totally separate development an academy trust which runs schools locally that they are closing a week early (not sure if they are making up the days elsewhere or insisting on 'homeschool' for that week). Whereas obviously it might cause problems for parents where schools close earlier than planned, I think for the reasons you mention many parents would support this plan. Perhaps especially in secondary where parents would not necessarily need to take time off work and covid is currently rife.

This is true, some academy trusts have already said they will be closing on 11 Dec. The DFE have asked them to reconsider.

Luckily DS' sixth form college has decided to do online lessons for the last week of term for the sake of the kids and teachers so they won't have to isolate over the Christmas period

Personally I'm not going anywhere that requires test and trace after the 10th because we have a vulnerable adult visiting (care home is shut over Christmas), dc already know the deal. As we all think we have had it, we aren't concerned about catching it but won't break the law. As a stroke of luck my phone isn't compatible with track and trace so no chance of a supermarket etc contact point.

I just think compliance is going to be rock bottom. I believe the current compliance is around 11%, and that’s not exactly high.

@AChickenCalledDaal

Our DD's universities are all kicking them out on the 9th in line with government advice, no face to face after the 5th at any of the 4 universities they are at (and DD's bf)

We've had to SI a total of 8 weeks since Sept due to a perpetual cycle of cases at school.
2 weeks is a walk in the park!

Absolutely no to breaking this at Xmas. In fact, it would be preferable in the holiday so that Y10 doesn't miss any more time physically at school.

Tough luck. Why would you risk giving Covid as a gift. Even gift wrapped. It wouldn't go down well.

Well if people decide to ignore an isolation need so they can see family, then they obviously don't value their family's safety very much. The isolation isn't a punishment it's a protection to stop that person potentially infecting others.

It might not be your child asked to isolate it could just as easily be you.

If people decide to ignore it I guess they'll rock up at granny's on Christmas day saying "Hi Granny, lovely to see you. I might be infected with Coronavirus but I decided to come and visit anyway".

I'm sure that will get the festivities off to a good start. Possibly there will be a few Darwin awards for the new year.

I'm planning to take DD out of preschool a week early in order to avoid this scenario.

To be honest if I was 10 days into a 14 day isolation and no symptoms had appeared, I would still see my parents (if they were happy with it). Something like 95% of people develop symptoms by day 10.

@movingonup that system only applies to English universities. At DD's uni, the structure of the academic year is different, with the last two weeks of term being end-of-semester exams that count towards their first year results. DD doesn't want to miss out on precious revision time by travelling early and wants to stay until the exams are done. Which I do understand but it's going to make the week before Christmas somewhat stressful.

Death by Covid19 would be quite a Christmas/New Year present!

It would be very hard to stay away from any fun and festivity but clearly the better path... unless you really hate those relations.

I would comply but I think I would then keep them off school for a week afterwards to do fun things.

Have done one 14 day isolation with teenagers. It's grim but doable.

Of course we'd isolate over xmas if we had to.

We want things to get back to normal next year so will follow the rules in the hope that will be a possibility.

We would isolate, but am not going to be socialising or going out over Christmas anyway!

It would be proper shit. I’m thinking of pulling my kids out of nursery early if my OH can have them and wfh.

I can’t as a teacher but even though every bubble I teach is crashing around me I’ve not been told to isolate once... so hopefully I’ll be ok!

Slight tangent, sorry - but in amongst thinking "nobody wants corona for Christmas" I have actually bought my son corona for Christmas.
www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/coronavirus.html