How long isolating from each other within house after positive test?

[Crumpydump]

So DS had a positive test last week (symptoms from last Monday, so 6/7 days in now). He's isolating in his bedroom, me, dh and dd are doing all the hand washing, and keeping 2 meters apart from each other, everyone sleeping in separate rooms etc.

I know we have to isolate as a household for 14 days but do we need to isolate from each other for the same period? DS doesn't have any obvious symptoms - he only felt ill for a day and has been fine ever since. Is he still shedding virus? Is the rest of the house still vulnerable to infection?

DH thinks we're fine by now as no one else has developed symptoms but I'm not so sure. (Obviously we will still be isolating in the house for another week).

I had covid I was told to stay in my room for 14 days and stay away from everyone else in the home by the paramedics.

Thanks jmh - that's what I assumed but DH is making me doubt myself! I hope you're feeling better now.

14 days is incorrect, sure he can actually go out of the house on day 11. The highest risk is in the first 7 days, some countries actually only isolate for this long and it has been talked about moving to that here, though clearly hasn't happened. If he is miserable I would let him out. If he is fine, another 3 days won't hurt.

I know it sounds daft but on day 7 I felt like the covid was away, I felt much better suddenly, I cleaned everything down and started hugging the dc etc. But that evening I got really ill again, I knew it was pneumonia setting in, not covid. I know it sounds daft, but it is how I felt!

The official advice is to stay away from other household members "as much as possible" - which will obviously depend on individual interpretation, the age of the infected person, size of house, mental health issues. The whole stay in yr room /wipe the bathroom down after use, etc is only suggested if there's a vulnerable household member.

Apologies, I was thinking of the advice for close contacts, not a positive case. Ignore me!

Well, if we get, we won’t be doing any household distancing! How on earth do you with a 3 year old & 8 month old. I can’t distance from them & I can’t manage for 14 days without any support from my OH or vice versa! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks everyone. MoirasRoses The advice is only to do it if you can, there's an assumption that if you have little ones it won't be possible. But DS and DD are independent teens who pretty much suit themselves (which is why DS got it in the first place but that's another story...) Plus me and DH are getting on a bit age-wise so, if we can be cautious, it makes sense to be.

Other posters are right-it’s ten days from when his symptoms started until he’s considered safe to be out and about. There’s no reason why teens can’t isolate in bedrooms. You’ve done the right thing.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/how-long-to-self-isolate/

PrivateD00r - sorry you got pneumonia. I hope you're feeling better now. That's what I'm finding scary about Covid. With any other illness you think you're in the clear after a few days, but with this thing, you're never quite out of the woods!

Oh don't start this again! You'll have a certain person saying you're imprisoning your child.

After 10 days from symptoms, the positive person can go outside, so I'd say slightly before then!

I suppose 10 days but I think if we had it in this house we'd do our best but wouldn't be strictly isolating from each other.

The isolation period has lengthened from initially 7 days to 10 though, so I suspect you'll be OK now.

Officially it's 10 days isolation from the onset of symptoms for the person testing positive and 14 days for the rest of the household. Where possible that should be within the house from one another but obviously that isn't always possible.

Dh didn't isolate from me at all. He was given the option. We have a spare room. I could have stayed in my bedroom and used our ensuite to myself. As I was ill, once home from hospital, I did spend a lot of time in bed but Dh chose to still sleep in our bed each night. He figured he'd already been with me for days before we knew I was positive anyway.

I sat and watched tv where teen Dd was in the same room but kept a distance from her just incase.

Urg., Duh. Just checked DS's isolation text and right enough he only has to do 10 days, and the rest of us 14 - I didn't realise that, just assumed it was all the same. Thanks Aragog for pointing that out. (And others earlier who said 10 days but I didn't understand!).

Haha - laughing at the thought of imprisoning him. I wish I HAD bloody imprisoned him two weeks ago when he was cutting about town like there wasn't a pandemic on.