Isolating in own home or carry on as normal?

[Todayisgood2]

If isolating (again!) Do you stay away from your children? I'm on day 5 but only found out today about close contact who's positive. Not sure whether its worth staying away or carry on as normal as no symptoms myself?

You have to balance the risks. The advice here is that ^If you have symptoms, you should stay away from other people you live with as much as possible."

{a} you do not have symptoms. You are isolating as a precaution so that if you develop symptoms in the next few days, the number of people you have had recent close contact with who will have to be notified that you might have infected them will be as low as possible. You may not actually be infected at all though.

(b) you have to be realistic about the extent to which "as much as possible" can stretch when some of the people you live with are young children. Children need physical contact regularly and meeting their needs is more important than minimising what is already a fairly low risk. You are not obliged to do everything listed on this link, but only as much of it as is possible and practical while prioritising everyone's overall wellbeing.

Obviously if you do develop symptoms then the more contact you have had with your children, th more likely it is that you will have passed on the germs to them. So do what you can to minimise that within reason. Barricading yourself away in total isolation would not be "within reason" in my view.

Hasn't happened to me yet but not a chance am I making my 7 year old stay away from me.

Thank you, that's sensible advice @KihoBebiluPute I have young children, I'm a teacher isolating again but alot of my staff are literally locking themselves into a room in the house and wearing a mask around house. Just needed a balanced view, thanks.

@Todayisgood2 I'm a teacher isolating too, not distancing from my young children.

I only found out yesterday about the positive child in my class, 6 days into what should be my isolation period. I also had a cold and cough last week (tested negative) so I'm pretty confident I'm ok.

As it happens I've got lots of data to do so plenty to keep me occupied!

Fingers crossed for no symptoms for us in the run up to Christmas!

My ds is isolating for the second time with only a 3 day gap between isolation periods. No way at I going to make him sit on his own in his room for 4 weeks with no other contact. He would go and with no one to talk to and confined to one room. Hard enough to do this as an adult but definitely not a child.

Covid is pretty harmless for those under 18. I wouldn’t separate myself from DC at all.

@notevenat20

Covid is pretty harmless for those under 18. I wouldn’t separate myself from DC at all.

Except when it isn’t

Except when it isn’t

You can say that about crossing the road as well of course.

I’m CEV - the boyfriend carried on as normal. He reckons we’ve had it & that’s what’s made my asthma throw a major strop.

I’m CEV and stayed away from DD when she was required to SI by arranging hut her to live with her Dad for the duration. Only possible because online school can be accessed from anywhere