Would I have to isolate if my cleaner caught Covid?

[MaggieFS]

Please don't have a go with all guns blazing - this is a 'what if ' question and hasn't happened!

My cleaner is willing and allowed to continue to come and clean. And of course she still needs to earn. I know she's being scrupulously careful, as we are, and trust each other to be so. We have been keeping more than 2m from each other when she's here anyway, typically I'll call hello from upstairs when she arrives, she'll clean downstairs and then we'll switch, via one of going into a different room as the other uses the stairs.

My question is, if she (or I for that matter) were to contract Covid, would this count as a close contact and force the other to isolate? She'd have been in my house, but there wouldn't have been any contact whatsoever.

(I know this isn't specific to this week's news, but the news about increased transmission rates has got me thinking).

Are all your windows open? Is she wearing a mask? Are you?
It doesn’t sound like you’d need to isolate given what you’ve said.

My cleaner is still coming but I’m taking that opportunity to go out for a long walk.

I think so

Yes you would.
We’re still paying our cleaner but asked her not to come.

Yes you would.

On what basis? Close contact is 15minutes. It doesn’t sound like that’s happening.

Nope. Keep your distance, wear masks, windows open. You would only be contacts if you are

Yes, and more importantly than enforced isolation (which is just an irritation) you could give her/catch covid. It's a big risk inside.

Definitely not close contact IME. Do you know what’s been going on in schools? A kid in the class positive, the nearest 4 told to isolate. That’s it. My dd had a F2F conversation with a teacher (both without masks, indoors) who went off sick that day and got a positive test. We found this out several weeks later. The school didn’t tell us.

Yes. You'd have touched a ton of the same surfaces, for one thing.

@Mumisnotmyonlyname

Yes. You'd have touched a ton of the same surfaces, for one thing.

She’s cleaning them!

@ekidmxcl not where I am. our whole year is off if one child tests positive. Secondary school - every class that child was in has to isolate so could be half of the year plus teachers.

I don't think you would under the circumstances you've described. I don't think I would isolate in the strictest sense if my cleaner caught it - I don't have her in doing my office, just the rest of the house

Yes, I think so. You will have been in an enclosed space together. I'm not convinced that even having all the windows open would be quite sufficient to clear all the before and after her visit.

No you wouldn’t.

It’s not a close contact.

It sounds like it would be better if you stayed in one room and they didn't clean that. You going downstairs where she had just been breathing seems more risky if they had covid 19. Especially with the new aruabt which is being reported as more easily caught.

From what you've described OP, then no I don't think you would. You don't seem to be having any contact with her at all.

I sit 4 metres from my closest colleague for approximately 6 hours a day (windows closed!). If either of us tested positive the other wouldn't count as a direct contact.

If your cleaner got COVID or you did, I'd count that as close contact as it's unlikely she's cleaning off doorknobs or every surface she touches and is breathing so will have left virus droplets in the air

It's good that you are social distancing as that will reduce risk

It hasnt happened so I wouldn't worry but imho yes both should isolate if it did happen, the same as if someone in your immediate vicinity at work place became Covid+

Also, we are in lockdown anyway, how would it change much if you did self isolate if she became Covid positive ? I'd be unimpressed if one of my family caught Covid from someone in supermarket who didn't think their cleaner becoming Covid positive "counted" and then passed it onto the vulnerable person in our household. The socially responsible thing to do is act with caution

I'd be unimpressed if one of my family caught Covid from someone in supermarket who didn't think their cleaner becoming Covid positive "counted" and then passed it onto the vulnerable person in our household.
How on earth would you know?

Thanks everyone - mixed replies - I've often gone out anyway just to keep out of her way so I think I'll go out for an extra long walk next time she's here to be extra cautious for both of us.

@sparticuscaticus

Also, we are in lockdown anyway, how would it change much if you did self isolate if she became Covid positive ? I'd be unimpressed if one of my family caught Covid from someone in supermarket who didn't think their cleaner becoming Covid positive "counted" and then passed it onto the vulnerable person in our household. The socially responsible thing to do is act with caution

The difference if we had to isolate would be me not being able to get out for a walk which would be huge for me and for her, not being able to work, even more huge.

When our cleaner comes we open windows (it was freezing yesterday) she wears a mask & gloves but we do not spend anytime in the same rooms and keep our distance. It was easier in the summer as we would sit outside.
I think I would still isolate if she was positive just to be on the safe side- not like we going anywhere at the moment.

IME most domestic cleaners wear disposable gloves throughout, especially at the moment so I wouldn’t be too anxious about surfaces.

I think if the cleaner were to get a positive test, then you would definitely get a message from track and trace that you would have to self isolate. People have been notified when neighbours have tested positive despite there being a brick wall between them. I would personally go out when cleaner comes in and when you return open all windows.

The difference if we had to isolate would be me not being able to get out for a walk which would be huge for me and for her, not being able to work, even more huge.

Yes, I understand that.

But passing on covid19 to someone else unintentionally also could make a huge difference to others, so I'd be more worried about that, if I later came down with it. I thought Cleaner can claim sick pay from DWP even as self Employed, if she's self isolating for Covid+ contact or having caught it. She just needs evidence she has been asked to -. You may need to add each other into track and trace contacts f it happens

It hasn't happened so I think you're overthinking it

It's obviously a grey area but I wonder if track and trace would advise anyway in this circumstance . I'd expect any tradesperson or cleaner who caught Covid to give T&T a list of whose houses they'd been in - they must have guidance on this. And if they tell you to self isolate ..