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Original poster

Had the call. Isolate over Xmas

40 replies

Hippywannabe · 19/12/2020 07:28

Just that really. We made it right to the end of term and then had a positive case. All to isolate till the 26th.
It can't be helped and we will stick to the rules but I am a little bit sad!

OP posts:
Tierful · 19/12/2020 07:29

Oh that is disappointing- had you plans to see friends and family?

Give yourself permission to feel glum & sorry for yourself for a bit!

Original poster
Hippywannabe · 19/12/2020 07:38

Yes, it was a very close family member's birthday yesterday. Had to settle for a video call and we were going to do a 24 hour visit to 1 adult child who lives away for Xmas. Gutting as they have a child who is the magical age for Xmas. Also, we were going to see DH's parent who he hasn't seen since February.
There is a little, tiny part of me that is cross with those politicians who insisted children won't get it!

OP posts:
KnowingMeKnowingYule · 19/12/2020 07:43

Sorry to hear that. Hope you have as good a Christmas as possible. The politicians... yup, they lied. Now where's that letter that was signed by the CMOs and DCMOs about schools? I've got a GCSE in biology only but 25 years of being a classroom secondary teacher and have been shouting down this 'schools are safe' mantra from the beginning. I'm sorry your family are paying the price of the lack of priority the government have given to school safety, it's awful.

FleeceNavidadToEwe · 19/12/2020 07:53

It’s awful isn’t it? DD has to isolate until Christmas Day due to a close contact at college. This coincided with the move to Tier 3, so all our pre-Christmas plans have been cancelled anyway.

TheSockMonster · 19/12/2020 07:57

We had that message yesterday OP.

We were initially optimistic as last contact was Monday at school, but the school were advised that the isolation period should start from the date of the positive test on Thursday and end on the 27th.

Felt a bit down at first, even though we knew it was a possibility, but we’ve adapted and decided that we’re going to make the most of what we have and make it a lovely Christmas anyway.

Providing we’re not all sick with covid of course...

KittenCalledBob · 19/12/2020 07:57

No one has been saying children can't get it for quite a while now! So sorry OP - what a pain Xmas Sad

MrsLebowski · 19/12/2020 08:04

Sorry to hear that OP and I hope you don't feel too bad and are able to enjoy your day.

Had the call. Isolate over Xmas
Ohdoleavemealone · 19/12/2020 08:07

We had the same OP.
An hour into school yesterday we got a call to collect dS as a child had a positive result. Luckily, he wasn't in school most of the week so we get out on xmas eve. We will still have to ancel xmas day with the inlaws though as it feels too soon after to take any potential risk.

SkeletonSkins · 19/12/2020 08:10

@TheSockMonster I work for a school and I really think that advice is wrong. Isolation begins at point of last contact, so you should be okay.

BigSisLittleSisCardboardBox · 19/12/2020 08:20

You should be angry with the politicians. Children need to be in school, but pretending there was virtually no risk when the evidence suggested otherwise was unfair and meant that the actual risk was not tackled properly.

Tomatoandbasil · 19/12/2020 08:24

@TheSockMonster the school will be following PHE advice and passing that on. They don’t make the decision themselves. They won’t be trying to ruin Christmas on purpose. It’s likely that the isolation period is last contact Monday, symptoms developed within 48 hours so Wednesday and positive test result on Thursday. Close contacts are traced within 48 hours of symptoms starting, from what I gather. Just posting because someone suggested that school is wrong.

starfish4 · 19/12/2020 08:25

Flowers so sorry to hear this. I'm sure they'll be many out there who end up isolating.

Might not be your first choice, but Iceland have deliveries here if you need to get veggies, food for your Xmas day meal etc.

Squaffle · 19/12/2020 08:26

We are in the same boat, DD (Reception) has to self-isolate up until 27th. Frustratingly only because of possible contact with someone she shares a playground with, which is v confusing having been told since March that outdoors is safe! I work in a school so it absolutely sucks to have come this far and now have our break impacted. But we’ve decided to have two Christmases, one at home and one with family on 27th as we’ll be the safest people in the land by then!

It’s shit, I’m sorry Flowers

saneandwelladjustedallegedly · 19/12/2020 08:27

[quote SkeletonSkins]@TheSockMonster I work for a school and I really think that advice is wrong. Isolation begins at point of last contact, so you should be okay.[/quote]
Agree!

starrynight19 · 19/12/2020 08:30

I’m so sorry for all those who have to cancel their Christmas plans to isolate. This could have been easily avoided with regards to schools. Hope your all well and manage to avoid catching it. I’m three weeks in from catching it from my class and it’s not been easy.

PleasantVille · 19/12/2020 08:36

@TheSockMonster

We had that message yesterday OP.

We were initially optimistic as last contact was Monday at school, but the school were advised that the isolation period should start from the date of the positive test on Thursday and end on the 27th.

Felt a bit down at first, even though we knew it was a possibility, but we’ve adapted and decided that we’re going to make the most of what we have and make it a lovely Christmas anyway.

Providing we’re not all sick with covid of course...

I don't think your school has got that right, it's 10 days from the last contact not the test. It's seems perfect common sense, child is last at school on say the 10th, tests positive on the 16th, no one at school was a contact after the 10th so all finish isolation on the 20th not the 26th At least that's the way my DCs school is doing it and they've been very particular about the rules since September
Rollergirl11 · 19/12/2020 08:51

Yep same here DS sent home yesterday to self-isolate. Just as my DD comes out of her self-isolation yesterday. Lucky though that DS last contact was Tuesday so he allowed out just in time for Xmas day. Luckily we weren’t planning on seeing anyone else on the day anyway.

BiscuitDrama · 19/12/2020 08:55

[quote Tomatoandbasil]@TheSockMonster the school will be following PHE advice and passing that on. They don’t make the decision themselves. They won’t be trying to ruin Christmas on purpose. It’s likely that the isolation period is last contact Monday, symptoms developed within 48 hours so Wednesday and positive test result on Thursday. Close contacts are traced within 48 hours of symptoms starting, from what I gather. Just posting because someone suggested that school is wrong.[/quote]
But mistakes do happen. We had one in our house, with us being told different dates for the same contact. It was clearly just a mistake. We tried to get in touch to clarify but they didn’t call us back, which is understandable.

dementedpixie · 19/12/2020 09:04

@TheSockMonster

We had that message yesterday OP.

We were initially optimistic as last contact was Monday at school, but the school were advised that the isolation period should start from the date of the positive test on Thursday and end on the 27th.

Felt a bit down at first, even though we knew it was a possibility, but we’ve adapted and decided that we’re going to make the most of what we have and make it a lovely Christmas anyway.

Providing we’re not all sick with covid of course...

It starts from the last contact day not the day they got the positive result. It also depends when they got symptoms e.g. if their symptoms started on Wednesday then they look at contacts in the last 48 hours (Monday onwards) and they isolate from the date contact took place.
Rollergirl11 · 19/12/2020 09:12

Yes deffo last contact. DD had other friends subsequently test positive after the first contact with positive case but because the last contact with the second friend was the same day her isolating period remained the same.

BiscuitDrama · 19/12/2020 09:17

But yes, @TheSockMonster
I think they’re just communicated it badly. If symptoms were wed, then yes contact on Monday is still a problem.

Northernsoulgirl45 · 19/12/2020 09:22

It is crap. Dd missed the end of term having to isolate.i had planned to take kids out for meal when she is out. But now we are tier 3 so can't. Had all our Christmas plans cancelled too as too high risk but agree isolation ishould be from date of contact.

NB2010 · 19/12/2020 09:28

@TheSockMonster We got an email from school on Thursday saying my child has to self isolate until Boxing Day due to a positive case in class. When I queried when the last contact was I was also told the period of self isolation is usually calculated from the date of the test, which was 16th. I pointed out that this wasn’t right but I just got told again that the date the school was working from was 16th. Of course, the person who has tested positive may have been in school on 16th and then had a test the same day and got the results back by Thursday 17th but I’m not sure how likely that is.

Original poster
Hippywannabe · 19/12/2020 10:11

We won't be taking advantage now of the 5 day window even though we could technically travel on the 26th.
Guidance has only just come down from 14 days and (allegedly) that was because only 10%of people develop systems between 10 days and 14 days.
Knowing I was a very close contact to the positive child means it just isn't worth the risk as we would have been staying with someone who is heavily pregnant.
The window of opportunity will be missed as 2 weeks is the 30th but there will be other Christmases.
This too shall pass!

OP posts:
TheSockMonster · 19/12/2020 13:32

Sorry to everyone else who’s in the same boat.

Just to clarify, the child who tested positive has not been in school since Mum collected her on Monday when another member of the family displayed symptoms. She then developed symptoms and got a positive test result Thursday morning. They managed to get word out quickly so none of the children went in on Thursday.

Other parents have queried the school who have confirmed that there has been no contact since Monday and that this was communicated to the Outbreak Management Centre who told them, in writing, the isolation start and end dates which were communicated to parents. They are powerless to do anything other than communicate it.

My best guess is the outbreak centre (who knew that was a thing?) have panicked that people will all be mingling over Christmas and purposely delayed the start date to avoid it.

Many parents will be ignoring it. We’ve already notified everyone and adapted ours so will be sticking to it.