How long do we need to isolate?

[MrsDev1980]

I hope somebody can help as I am struggling to find the answer to this. My son tested positive as of last Monday which meant he had to isolate for 10 days and the rest of the family for 14 days. Two days later, I tested positive which then meant I only had to isolate for 10 days. Do the rest of the family then begin their 14 day quarantine again from my first days symptoms or do they continue their count from the first contact with a positive person?

I think it’s from your first symptoms

Everyone goes 14 days from the first person, unless like yourself they develop symptoms then it’s 10 days from them starting.
Track and trace confirmed this as we were in the same situation as I started 4 days after my husband so I did 10 days from then, the kids went 14 days from his symptoms onset.

Watching with interest as DS tested positive Sunday. Hope Yr not impacted too badly.

Glad you posted this as I'm so confused too! Please help!

We are a family of five. Three have tested positive on different days. One negative and one no symptoms.

I'm clear on the two of us who don't have COVID: we isolate for 14 days from the start of symptoms of the most recent person who tested positive (we keep starting again, in effect).

But do the three who've tested positive stick to the original 10 day isolation period they were given, or extend?

Confusing as bolshy and cake give different advice!

@middleager my son tested positive last Weds and I was given 14 days from his start of symptoms, but then my husband tested positive today and the NHS app alerted me tonight that I have 13 days to go (his symptoms started yesterday).

So I think I'm right in saying it begins again for the close contacts?! Blimey we need a flowchart!

I know! My son's isolation ends on the 29th (including this date) but school says he can't go back until the 1st, not the 30th 🙄

I'm also overwhelmed by all the calls, texts and emails from NHS test & trace, local public health. My sons are under 18 so I get theirs too.

The text messages are not correct though as they don't necessarily link you up with previous records. So I have had different alerts for each member of the family all confusing. So I tested positive last Thursday, my partner yesterday so when he has given my details as a close contact, I have then had a new message to say I must now isolate for 14 days which is not true as I already have covid myself. My son whose isolation is actually finished tomorrow had the same message. I did check this with track and trace and they said no the messages were wrong

@middleager my sons are under 18 too. This evening I had 16 texts from test and trace!! But at least they seem to be 'on it'!

@MrsDev1980 did you manage to get any help from test and trace? Every time I've spoken to them, if I ask them a question that's not on their script, they don't know the answer. Not a criticism of them but not sure how to get reliable info!

God that is confusing OP!
16 texts
I keep getting calls at 8.30 when I'm just logging on for work, so missing them.

Today they called again to discuss my situation as a contact. That it would take 20 mins. I explained I had spoken to them yesterday for 20 mins (but on behalf of my son and his situation as the positive case).
This then confused them! They said they'd have to end the call but would sort it out and call again!

I finally logged details on their website after countless texts. Every invite code they sent failed to work. Finally one did register. They also called my home phone which was very weird as I don't give that number out to anybody!

Hope you're ok. Stressful isn't it? Hope it's all over soon.

Test and trace don’t link people up in the same household. They kept calling about my kids basing their isolation on my test but confirmed that those with no symptoms or positive test isolate 14 days from the first persons symptoms or positive test if asymptotic. If you test positive the isolation for that person is 10 days from their result or symptoms starting. This diagram helps
www.exeter.ac.uk/coronavirus/self-isolating/

I can confirm @Bolshybun is right so ignore my previous comment about restarting isolation (NHS texts are indeed wrong in terms of not taking other household members into account).

I have checked with a colleague who works in a Public Health department and the 14-day isolation does go from the start of the first person's symptoms who then tested positive - doesn't restart as more in the household get it.

I also found this on gov.uk

Soooo not clear if you're new to this!

Thanks - that's really helpful. Still not sure I get the logic behind any of this, but good to know.

The Exeter diagram is really useful too - poor person 4, in isolation for 22 days 😭

Thanks everyone. I checked with track and trace today and found out that isolation timings do not restart when new people test positive. Everyone goes off the first positive person to count their fourteen days unless they have a positive test themselves in which case they start their ten days from onset on their own symptoms

@MrsDev1980 glad you got sorted out.

Thanks. I just hope we don't get to the end, come out and then get symptoms and all have to SI again!

I'm only saying this as on another thread someone said their daughter got symptoms on day 13...