WWYD Isolation Question

[BrainBoxedIn]

I have a medical appointment tomorrow; it is important (to me) but is not important in medical terms. Although, it will be a pain to re arrange.

I currently have one primary aged DC isolating due to burst school bubble with isolation ending tomorrow. She has no symptoms and has tested negative on LFT throughout the week.

She would have to come with me to the appointment as I have nobody else to look after her.

Would you take her as it’s the final isolation day ? Albeit I think it ends at midnight rather than at 10am appointment time .

WWYD?

Rearrange for a) when you can attend alone and b) your child is not supposed to be isolating.

Isolation shouldn’t be ended early as everyone would have a reason they should end it early.

If it’s a hospital appt you are strongly encouraged to attend alone.

Hope you get sorted

Can you get anyone to look after your child in your home?

I'd do a lateral flow test on the child and assuming it's negative I'd try and get a friend or family member to be with them while you're at the appointment. I wouldn't take them to the hospital with me.

They wont be impressed that you take her with you and they may ask why she isnt at school and if most certainly wont be impressed if you tell them she suppose to be isolating

Taking them to the appointment would probably be a pain ; but doesn’t the same point still stand about having someone look after her in my home?

It’s the very last day of isolation and she’s perfectly healthy but I’ve it drummed in that she is not free until midnight

Which is ludicrous… as if covid will suddenly know she’s not a target after midnight .

@RainbowANDThunder very good point! Stupidly, I never thought of that. I won’t take her .

No, I would not take her.

Hospitals are the place where you are most likely to encounter vulnerable people, and it's simply not fair to take someone who shouid be isolating into such a setting (the incubation period peaks at 5-6 days, but the range is 2-14 days, isolation was shortened to promote compliance, but hours not be shortened further)

I would beg and plead for someone, anyone to do a favour and sit with her (or sit in your garden near her)

Or if she's Y6, generally sensible and you have neighbours WFH who will be emergency contacts, you could have fist adventure into home alone.

I wouldn't care personally but I don't think you can get away with it. How would you explain the child's presence/absence from school

The hospital won't let her in if she is isolating. They might even not let her in if she was not isolating but just a childcare issue. Taking her to the appointment at a minimum would expose the receptionist and the practitioner but probably also other patients/ staff. You would also have to lie to get her in. Having someone look after her at home is one person who agrees to look after a child who is potentially contagious. Morally quite different.

Are you friendly enough with other isolating classmates that you might be able to ask one of them as you’ll all be in the same boat?