Bubble Burst: Q about isolating child

[BluePeterVag]

Had a notice yesterday that there has been a confirmed case in DS2 class, so they are now in a 10 isolation period. The advice is that he “should stay home” but the rest of us do not need to isolate unless we develop symptoms.
I need to take DS1 to various appointments this week. Can DS2 come with us in the car to drop off but obviously not get out the car? I don’t have any other way of getting DS2 where he needs to be.

No, if in isolation the person is meant to stay home and isolate from other household members as much as possible.

That’s impossible as DS2 is 5. He can’t isolate from the rest of us realistically, and DS1 has to go to his appointments as he is disabled. How do others work it? We don’t have any family to help out locally, they are at least 3 hours away.

It's fine.

You have no choice, so just go ahead.

No, he has to stay at home. At 5 he doesn't have to isolate from the family that's just impractical. You cancel the appointments though.
It's inconvenient yes but you shouldn't take him out in the car, are you really going to leave a five year old alone in the car while your other child is taken to the appointments? Also if you have an accident others will have to be near him and be out at risk (unlike I know)
My ds is isolating atm, it's inconvenient and annoying but I'm not taking him out.

Although your ds1 doesn’t have to self isolate and theoretically could go to his appointments, it might be that they get cancelled if they hear that ds2 is isolating. I have always been asked if anyone in my household is isolating at the dentist for example. You can’t leave ds2 in the car on his own though so you either get someone to take ds1 (his dad?) or you cancel.

Are you planning on leaving your child in the car then for the appointments?! As surely you can’t send your older one in the appointments alone? No you need to cancel, I have 4 children and we’ve had constant isolations and although only one of us needed to isolate we have all had to because I’m a single parent and they are all too young to be left alone. That’s life atm.

Depending on what the appointments are, they may ask if anyone in household is isolating, which we have found with dentists, doctors etc., they really don’t want to see people if this is the case.

It's fine. Everyone will come up with some scenario about how you'll break down somewhere or the DC in the car will let the handbrake off or someone will kidnap them or you'll have a car crash... But statistically that is all pretty unlikely and it will be fine. Also most people only infect one or two other people, so it's statistically unlikely that your DC has Covid anyway.

@BluePeterVag

That’s impossible as DS2 is 5. He can’t isolate from the rest of us realistically, and DS1 has to go to his appointments as he is disabled. How do others work it? We don’t have any family to help out locally, they are at least 3 hours away.

Tbh, if disabled, I'd be ringing and asking he should still come, as you may be putting more vulnerable children at risk.

@VariantL1130

It's fine. Everyone will come up with some scenario about how you'll break down somewhere or the DC in the car will let the handbrake off or someone will kidnap them or you'll have a car crash... But statistically that is all pretty unlikely and it will be fine. Also most people only infect one or two other people, so it's statistically unlikely that your DC has Covid anyway.

most people only infect one or two other people, so it's statistically unlikely that your DC has Covid anyway.

Yet here we are with numbers increasing. So, hypothetically, the dc1 infects ds2who infects appointment clinician who infects another child.... And as the Rrate is 1-1.5 one of the parent gets it all and if really lucky both!.....

Thanks everyone. We are doing Lateral Flow Tests. Disabled son is 15, and would be fine going in on his own whilst I say in the car with his younger brother as the therapist meets him at the door and we haven’t been in with him for months now.
However, we are going to cancel the appointments anyway and stay home. We have been told DS1 can still attend school whilst DS2 is self isolating.
Doesn’t help that one of DS2’s classmates was spotted in the local One Stop newsagents this afternoon with her Dad and she should be self isolating too.