Covid contact self-isolation - stay away from household too?

[Echobelly]

DD (12) has actually made it until now without getting a self-isolation contact from school, but it's just happened. DH thinks maybe she should be mostly staying in her room for the duration, I think for contact self-isolation there's no need to go that far unless she develops symptoms - though she should wash hands more, not share towels and obviously not share food and drink.

I got the impression that staying in your room was only if you have symptoms/a positive test.

We've got a fairly spacious house, so she could just hang out on the daybed in the front room (which we don't use as much as it's awaiting redecoration in the new year) rather than the lounge to lower contact a bit as well.

Ds hung out in the downstairs room that has his ps4 but he does that anyway. He did join us for meals sometimes too.

DS(14) had a 14 day isolation from school after being named as a 'close contact'. We didn't do anything different to normal, he ate with us and we only have one bathroom. We didn't keep our distance.

You would make your 12 year old isolate away from her own family when she doesn't have a positive result or even any symptoms? Is one of you very vulnerable?

My family have actually had Covid and there was no way we were going to isolate from each other, it would have just caused more stress to be honest.

I felt that it was shit enough that his education is being disrupted just as he starts his GCSE years without making him feel like a leper in his own home.

My 14 year old has had four lots since September. While he was confined to the house, we did not exclude him and were careful etc

My other 14 year old at another school had a couple and it was the same.

Now one DS has Covid, caught at school. This time he is limited to the bedroom and bathroom unfortunately as his twin is asthmatic and I am trying to minimise risk.

It's awful all these weeks where he can't leave the house, 10 in total. If he didn't have Covid and was just SI then I would say just keep it sensible.

This is no life for my boy. We can't remember what going to school is like now. My one son has now been at home for a month continuously. Y 10 too.

My son stayed in his room the first week, but he mainly does this anyway where he has playstation and tv. Food and drinks we took up to him. Cleaned the bathroom after he went in there, separate towels. The second week he did come and sit at a distance with us, but continued to eat in his room, it passed quite quickly.

Nothing changed in our house, I'd not make my child isolate away from the family

Making a child isolate away from their family is cruel. Especially since they’re just a contact.

We didn't do anything in terms of isolating from the rest of the house its hard enough on them as it is to be stuck indoors for 14 days without feeling like they cant interact with their family either. To isolate a child away from the family pre covid would have been deemed emotional abuse. Just keep hygiene standards up and hope for the best .

That was our philosophy com but now he actually has Covid we have had to do this to try to protect my other son. It is heartbreaking for me.

Thanks, I think this answers my question, a few friends have said similar

@middleager

That was our philosophy com but now he actually has Covid we have had to do this to try to protect my other son. It is heartbreaking for me.

If they have COVID and they’re old enough to understand why they must keep a distance that’s entirely different, of course middleager I hope he’s better soon, it must be very stressful for you all

Thank you. This is a necessity right now but agree that if we'd also 'imprisoned' when he as a contact those other times, then it would be cruel. This is tough enough on them.

No one vulnerable in house nor who we have regular contact with so it's fairly straightforward for us