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Original poster

Just had the dreaded phone call from track and trace.. new job Monday?

53 replies

FlippinCovid · 10/07/2021 17:29

I've just had a call from track and trace that my little boy needs to isolate as he was exposed 5 days ago, they are late phoning us. I was just saying to my partner this morning about getting him tested as he's coughing his guts up today.

I don't need to isolate unless he tests positive, so I can technically start my new job Monday but with him having symptoms I'm wondering if I should let them know what's happened?

OP posts:
DanglingMod · 10/07/2021 17:31

You need to take him for a PCR and isolate until you know he's negative!

Dollywilde · 10/07/2021 17:32

Oh shit, you poor thing. I don’t think I’d head in if he’s symptomatic, you’ll be the least popular person ever if you bring in a bout of COVID on your first day!

Id just be ringing anyone I had the contact details of (whoever you’ve had your paperwork from?) first thing on Monday and asking what they want you to do. If they want you to follow the letter of the rules go in. But if it was a new direct report of mine I’d tell you to hold fire until you had his PCR results back. I’m sure they’ll cope.

Original poster
FlippinCovid · 10/07/2021 17:33

@DanglingMod

You need to take him for a PCR and isolate until you know he's negative!
Oh really? They told me to book him in for a test but said that my partner and me don't need to isolate!
OP posts:
BitchyHen · 10/07/2021 17:34

Sorry but you need to isolate if a member of your household has symptoms.

SandrasAnnoyingFriend · 10/07/2021 17:34

If someone in your household has symptoms you isolate until they've been tested. The track and trace call is irrelevant.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 10/07/2021 17:36

How can we be in fifteen months and people still aren’t testing once symptoms appear or not testing?

Dollywilde · 10/07/2021 17:36

I think that’s right OP but like I say if I was your manager/HR I’d probably tell you to stay home until you have his PCR.

Tbh the first week is all learning the IT and where the loos are, they won’t have factored in you being especially productive next week (at least that’s how we think at my job, obvs there are some jobs where that’s not the case - but either way I’d call first thing and let them make the decision).

If they do want you in I hope your DP will cover childcare - a new job should be priority. But hopefully they’ll tell you to stay home!

ineedaholidaynow · 10/07/2021 17:36

Did they know he was coughing? They are sometimes asking contacts to take a test, so they would be right to say you don't need to isolate in that instance. But if he has symptoms you all have to isolate (assuming you are in England)

NewallKnowall · 10/07/2021 17:37

You definitely need to isolate of he's coughing as he's no longer just a contact but someone with symptoms.

It's rubbish timing :(

SleepingStandingUp · 10/07/2021 17:37

You don't need to isolate because of track and trace,but because your kid is symptomatic. Don't do it. Get him into a drive through and the results should be back my Monday hopefully

happytoday73 · 10/07/2021 17:38

I think you are getting confused OP.. If your child had no symptoms he can have test as been in close contact but you don't need to isolate.. Just him due to contact...
If he has covid symptoms.. Everyone in house isolates till get result.. If he is neg he still needs to till day given.
Can you get him tested today so likely have result for monday

SpringRainbow · 10/07/2021 17:38

@FlippinCovid you wouldn’t need to isolate if you were only testing because he is a contact (something test and trace seem to be encouraging at the moment).

However, testing because someone has symptoms means that everyone else in the household has to isolate.

AnotherDayAnotherCake · 10/07/2021 17:39

@BitchyHen

Sorry but you need to isolate if a member of your household has symptoms.
Yes you’re not testing him as a close contact (in which case you wouldn’t have to isolate) you are testing him as symptomatic (which means you do have to isolate).

Sorry OP. Try and get in contact now with someone from your job for damage limitation. Hopefully they’ll be understanding.

JaffaRaf · 10/07/2021 17:40

Symptoms means you need to isolate, it’s not optional unfortunately. Book him in for a test ASAP and hope you get a negative result quickly!

BashStreet1 · 10/07/2021 17:42

There's 2 possible scenarios here:

Child is a close contact but has no symptoms himself- you do not need to isolate yourself as the parent in this situation.

Or

Child is a close contact but has symptoms himself (you said hes coughing his guts up) - you need to isolate yourself as his parent until you've got the (negative) result of the child's pcr test.

Original poster
FlippinCovid · 10/07/2021 17:43

Track and trace asked if he had symptoms and I said he's started coughing today. They went on to say I don't need to isolate unless he tests positive. They shouldn't be giving out misinformation if that's not the case. Lucky I thought to check.

OP posts:
BluebellsGreenbells · 10/07/2021 17:44

The information has been the same for months.

Original poster
FlippinCovid · 10/07/2021 17:45

It's their job to tell me the right thing!

OP posts:
Frazzled2207 · 10/07/2021 17:48

I don’t think we can blame the op if t&t are not saying the right thing.
But anyway if you can get a test tonight you might have a result before the football or early on Monday

Theimpossiblegirl · 10/07/2021 17:48

If he is coughing you should isolate and get him tested regardless of whether you have had a call from track and trace. Then if he's negative he still isolates as a close contact but you don't have to.
If he's positive, the household isolates.

ineedaholidaynow · 10/07/2021 17:52

Did you tell them he had symptoms @FlippinCovid

Original poster
FlippinCovid · 10/07/2021 17:56

I said he'd started coughing today and they still said I don't need to isolate

OP posts:
Original poster
FlippinCovid · 10/07/2021 17:56

It's not an issue if I need to isolate then I'll isolate it's just not great they're saying the wrong thing to me.

OP posts:
JaffaRaf · 10/07/2021 17:58

Have you managed to book him a test OP?