This makes no sense! Is this definitely right?

[CovidQuery]

My child attends a childminder. One of the children he attends childminder with is symptomatic and has tested positive and I was told by childminder my child needs to isolate. I work in a hospital so let them know and they said I have to take it as unpaid leave as I'm not the one isolating, it didn't sound right so I rang the Covid line for confirmation on whether I need to isolate or not. They've said as the child tested positive today, and my child hasn't seen them in the last 72 hours that none of us need to isolate. The child's test results took 4 days to come back. So sure they haven't seen my child within 72 hours of getting the results but they did see my child within 72 hours of having symptoms. Very confused why I'm being told to go to work in a hospital given this situation? My manager has said as the Covid line have told me I can work that unless I take annual leave I must go into work. I haven't got any annual leave left! I'll go into work if that's what they want but it isn't sitting right with me, surely there's a risk?

If your child had contact in the 48 hours before symptoms then they need to isolate. You dont need to isolate as you arent a contact - you are a contact of a contact.

You don’t need to isolate unless your child has symptoms or tested positive. You’re a contact of a contact.

You child does need to isolate-it’s anyone who has been in close contact 48hours from before symptoms began.

A contact is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. You can be a contact anytime from 2 days before the person who tested positive developed their symptoms, and up to 10 days after, as this is when they can pass the infection on to others.

It’s right. (NHS HR Manager)

@dementedpixie

If your child had contact in the 48 hours before symptoms then they need to isolate. You dont need to isolate as you arent a contact - you are a contact of a contact.

This is what I thought but they've insisted my child does not need to isolate.

I also find it crazy that if my toddler did need to isolate, that I wouldn't and would be expected to go to work in a hospital around at risk people. There's no way I wouldn't catch it if he had it when he's in my personal space almost every second of the day. It's no wonder it's spreading so much.

You get one week carers leave if related to corona virus but after that it is correct. I work for NHS and it happened when I had to take time off for DS isolating and not me. I was offered to take annual leave or make time up.

You don't isolate, your child does. But I read your post as needing to stay home as your child couldn't go to the childminder. So is it that you need to take time off work to care for your child or is it that you think you need to stay home to isolate as well? Either way I think your child's care is not your job's concern - you do not need to isolate so they expect you to go in to work.

@Pipandmum

You don't isolate, your child does. But I read your post as needing to stay home as your child couldn't go to the childminder. So is it that you need to take time off work to care for your child or is it that you think you need to stay home to isolate as well? Either way I think your child's care is not your job's concern - you do not need to isolate so they expect you to go in to work.

I'm well aware my childcare isn't my works concern but working on a hospital ward my concern was more me spreading it! If my toddler had it I can't see how I wouldn't catch it off him when he's constantly all over me/stealing my water/food, touching everything in the house. Surely parents not having to isolate if their kids have to is going to be partly responsible for why it's spreading like wildfire.

@WhyDoesItAlwaysRainMe

You get one week carers leave if related to corona virus but after that it is correct. I work for NHS and it happened when I had to take time off for DS isolating and not me. I was offered to take annual leave or make time up.

That’s not standard across all trusts or regions.

Yes you don't need to isolate, but your child does. I agree with you it makes no sense, if your child does at some point test positive then you need to isolate. But I agree that this is likely to increase spread, but I'm not a scientist, common sense says it doesn't make sense to me though. At our Trust managers are supposed to be supportive of staff needing to care for children in these circumstances, carers days as no alternative childcare, do you have any elearning outstanding that you could do as wfh for some of your hours?

It may be ‘right’ but it’s ridiculous. Your Childminder is presumably isolating too and cannot take care of your child? So regardless of whether or not your child needs to isolate you cant go to work as a direct result of Covid unless there is someone else to look after your child.