Why does Child 2 not need to isolate?

[NormaSnorks]

I’m sorry, as I’m sure I’ve seen this asked before, but I can’t find the answer and our family now find ourselves in this exact situation!
In the official isolation chart everyone isolates with the sick person unless they get symptoms then they start their own 10 days of isolation.
However symptomless Child 2 doesn’t keep isolating even when Dad gets sick on day 9 - why not?

It is assumed child 2 must have already been exposed and is either immune or was asymptomatic.
If this rule didn't exist then big families could be isolating for months at a time!

Child two does isolate for 10 days. They don't get symptoms, so isolation ends at 10 day (end of pale pink).

Doesn't make sense really as child two could catch it from the second person I suppose 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It assumes everyone gets Covid from the first exposure. It's a rough tool to reduce transmission balanced with a need for people to return to work and schools

Imagine how long someone's isolation period could be if everyone restarted SI for each new case in the household. If each person caught Covid in day 9 of SI a larger family could be isolating for a month or more. It's not practical.

The chart is assuming that all of the family was exposed to Mum, so if they were going to catch the virus, it would be from Mum. Child 2 hasn't caught the virus from Mum, or if they have, they were asymptomatic, so they can stop isolation after 10 days.

I've also asked a variation of that question, and the answer to yours is I don't know why. I think they should.
But I think they don't for the following reasons:

1. Impractical to expect a family to isolate for possibly weeks on end (which would lead to poor compliance overall for the original 10 day isolation)
2. The chances are if you're going to catch covid it'll be from the first positive case
3. The rules are based around every positive case isolating not just as a unit, but individually within their own home. (Assuming everyone has massive houses).

It's just the practicalities that at some point people have to be allowed out. I'd test them before the 10 days are up, because otherwise if they get symptoms after the 10 day period the two original covid cases have to isolate again.

Yeah I think it’s for practicality reasons if they’ve basically completed their 10days (or thereabouts)

So in our family right now DS2 is 'mum' on the chart and DS1 is 'Dad' and both DH & I are child 2.

DS1 tested positive on a LFT 9 days after DS2 and has been virtually asymptomatic (he had a headache one day but thought it was related to the heat). Logically, I think DS1 can only have caught it from DS2 last Thurs/Fri.

DH & I are assuming we're out of isolation but DS1 is now isolating. However various other friends and family are suggesting we should still be isolating. We both tested negative on LFT yesterday!

You are free to end your isolation if neither of you have symptoms.
Are you both vaccinated as well?

You and your DH are correct

Yes, both vaccinated x 2 jabs. No symptoms.

I've been out and about today doing chores.