Which of these isolation options is safer?

[Sarahlovescats2]

Need advice on isolating. Big dilemma

Ok, so in 10 days I need to see my high risk parents to help them out with some stuff. I plan to spend the next 10 days with as little contact as possible. I have the option of staying with my own housemates or my boyfriend. Both have pros and cons in terms of isolation

Option one - My housemates. 5 other people. 3 of them go out to work, one in a school, one on a mental health ward and one in an office. A couple of them regularly meet friends and boyfriends. The plus point to staying here is I could avoid everyone as much as possible

Option two- My boyfriend and his housemates. Also 5 other people. All of them are on furlough. They don’t leave the house except to go shopping, apart from one who sees his friends about once every 3 weeks. The minus to this is I would be sharing a bed with my boyfriend so I wouldn’t be able to avoid contact with him, and the others through him because of this.

I’m trying to work out in which situation I would be more likely to catch covid. Any advice appreciated.

If you don’t live alone you can’t have a support bubble so the boyfriend scenario breaks the rules as would the visit to parents unless there is a care need that is coming up in ten days.

There is a care need

I’m aware staying wait hours boyfriend is breaking the rules but I’m trying to do the safest scenario for my parents

The boyfriends set up sounds safer than your one

Aside from who you decide to isolate with, is there a mass testing centre nearby you can have a couple of tests at during the isolation before you see your parents, I'm sure you can get tested at least 5 days apart so test in a few days and again maybe the day before you go to your parents

I was planning to pay for a private test, but I’ll deffo have a look for testing sites as I would like to test twice if possible like you suggest and can only afford one private one

Boyfriends sounds safer however it's not really fair on his flatmates for you to essentially invade their bubble when you have been living with your housemates and the risks they bring.
You should really stay put.

Haven't your parents been vaccinated? I think if you get a few rapid test in the few days beforehand then you'll have a fair idea.

But your boyfriends sounds the less likely to catch anything.

It’s not ideal but they said it’s ok, they are all under 21 and none of them have contact with anyone vulnerable. They understand that I’m in a stressful situation

Yes but only one dose

I don't think you need to pay for private tests though, you can book LFT at your local pharmacy (DS got one last week before travelling to uni)

Google the name of your council and lateral flow test. If they have one it will be free asymptomatic testing. Your boyfriend could test too

Will it be easy if at yr boyfriend's for you to keep windows open, mask when with the others, sanitise things?

I'd say boyfriend as you have a school teacher at home and someone who works in a hospital. I work in a hospital and have not seen my mum since last March due to her being cev. One day we have no positive patients the next shift 2 I just couldn't risk passing it to my mum

Oh that’s good to know, thank you!

We have agreed to keep the bedroom window open and I will wear a mask in communal areas but I don’t have any control over my boyfriends and his housemates. I wouldn’t ask my boyfriend to wear a mask in the communal areas as he has severe anxiety so he will definitely catch it if his housemates do and potentially pass it to me

I wouldn’t be able to control what my own housemates do either, but at least in my house I wouldn’t be sharing a room and can stay out of everyone’s way, this is why I’m struggling to decide the safer option

Yeah - it’s a mental health hospital so not quite like a regular one but still obviously a risk as the patients won’t be wearing masks

Good idea thank you

Unless you think you will be able to completely isolate from your housemates (separate bathroom, avoiding use of the kitchen) I think your boyfriend's sounds safer. If you live in a typical house, I think it would be difficult to isolate yourself from your housemates to the extent necessary to avoid catching Covid from them if they brought it home. Therefore I think it makes sense to live with people who are less likely to catch Covid, ie your boyfriend and his housemates.