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Original poster

Isolation dilemma

19 replies

Jourdain11 · 14/07/2021 18:34

I'm in a slight quandary as me and a couple of others have just been notified by our manager that someone we were "possibly" in close contact with on Monday has tested positive today. Officially we don't know who it is, but of course we actually do!

Manager has asked us whether we think we meet the close contact criteria and I am genuinely not sure. We were in the same office space for the whole afternoon, but I'm pretty sure we weren't within 1 meter of each other. However, we did sit within 2 meters of each other for 5-10 mins going through notes.

Not sure whether I should just go with the fact that I probably don't actually meet the close contact criteria; or whether it's irresponsible not to err on the side of caution.

My inclination is to not isolate and test daily to be on the safe side... But perhaps that makes me an irresponsible Covidiot!

Urgh, honestly, I'd rather someone just told me what to do in this instance!

OP posts:
QueenStromba · 14/07/2021 18:36

I'd isolate - delta is far more transmissible than previous variants.

Iamtheweedonkey · 14/07/2021 18:39

You were in an indoor space, for the afternoon, yes you are a close contact and you need to isolate.

ForeverInADay · 14/07/2021 18:47

You are definitely a close contact, especially given how easily the delta variant spreads.

MediocrePenguin · 14/07/2021 18:49

I would follow the rules and I would not isolate as you weren't a close contact. If she wasn't displaying symptoms at the time she would be far less likely to pass in on.
When I had it I was very cautious with my close contacts and put down maybe 15 people - none of them got it at all.

Iknowtheanswer · 14/07/2021 18:50

We had this situation. I was in contact for 1 minute, over 2 meters. Didn't count as a close contact, but was very careful for the next week (cancelled appointments etc).

I've now had a positive lateral flow. Almost certain it was from work. I'm double jabbed too.

MediocrePenguin · 14/07/2021 18:53

How is she 'definitely' a close contact when she said she wasn't within 1m and only 5-10 minutes within 2m?

The rules say 15 minutes at 1-2m so she is not a close contact.

NotSonicTheHedgehog · 14/07/2021 19:05

@ForeverInADay

You are definitely a close contact, especially given how easily the delta variant spreads.
Except she’s not.

If you were within 2m for 5-10 mins you are not a close contact going off the guidance. However, if you were within 2m for 15 (and that includes throughout the whole day so doesn’t just have to be one exposure) then you are a close contact

girlmom21 · 14/07/2021 19:07

You're not, by definition, a close contact

GalacticDragonfly · 14/07/2021 19:09

What’s the ventilation like in the room? It makes a huge difference to the actual risk (even if not to the legal definition of close contact).

User5827372728 · 14/07/2021 19:10

Our school only counts teachers as a close
Contact if we’ve been within 1 min maskless for 1
Min for 15 min at 2m maskless.

So being in the same room as 10 people with covid 3m away maskless isn’t a close contact.

MediocrePenguin · 14/07/2021 19:14

It's a huge ask for someone who wasn't technically a close contact to isolate just in case.

After the 19th and everyone is free we'll all be getting constantly pinged by test and trace - everyone will be so sick of it no one will be doing it! I certainly wouldn't be voluntarily doing it in the lead up for this reason...

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 14/07/2021 19:23

Yeah, according to my understanding of the regulations I am not, officially, a close contact. I am also certain that the 5-10 minutes we spent on notes was the only period where I was within 2 meters of the person.

We have big windows in the office and they were open. I was next to the windows, but the isolating person was not.

OP posts:
exybusiness · 14/07/2021 19:45

We had this exact situation in our office a little while ago. The team struggled to work out who was a close contact. Some were pinged but not others. After 2 positive tests they got us all to isolate.

SquashMinusIsShit · 14/07/2021 20:12

No technically you aren't a close contact but I remember one of the scientists saying early on that the virus doesn't just stop after 2 metres, it's just a guide.

If that was my office I'd isolate because it isn't an exact science but I can WFH so it's not an issue.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 15/07/2021 15:23

It's tricky when you're asked to make the call! I think there's also the possibility that they didn't really have it Monday, since they got pinged to isolate on Tuesday and then only tested pos on Wednesday afternoon...

OP posts:
QueenStromba · 15/07/2021 15:45

If they tested positive on Wednesday then their contacts from Monday count.

girlmom21 · 15/07/2021 18:11

@Jourdain11 there's quite a long incubation period so there's a good chance they'd have been infectious. Their close contacts will need to isolate from Monday for that reason.

AlmostSummer21 · 15/07/2021 18:30

Given the transmisability of the Delta variant, I think you should isolate. I wouldn't want to risk passing it on.

Just because the irresponsible givt is lifting legislation, doesn't mean we can't use our own common sense does it, so that's no argument.

I hope you don't get sick 💐

Rosegoldfan · 15/07/2021 22:13

Though if this was a school you would mot need to isolate if you were a teacher.

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