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Original poster

Timelines for Covid transmission in households

60 replies

BlackInk · 18/10/2021 16:47

Just out of interest really... those who have had a case of Covid in the house, how long did it take for other members of the household to contract Covid (if at all)?

We are a family of 4.
DS tested positive on LFT 6 days ago, asymptomatic at that point.
He developed symptoms 4 days ago.
He got positive PCR result 3 days ago (PCR taken 5 days ago).
The rest of us are negative on daily LFTs so far and awaiting PCR results taken today.
DS is keeping mainly to his room since positive LFT, but I've been taking care of him and we all share a bathroom.

OP posts:
Bimblesalong · 19/10/2021 07:17

Ds (24) symptoms started a week ago, positive. I tested neg on lft on thurs, positive Sunday confirmed by pcr. Dh negative pcr, lft daily and isolating with us /wfh. Son has a heavy cold, I am not at all well :(

AlexaShutUp · 19/10/2021 07:22

DD did a positive LTF on a Sunday, symptoms started on the Monday. I got mild symptoms and a positive pcr on the Wednesday. DH never caught it at all.

3asAbird · 20/10/2021 05:39

Yes some reason some people escape it.
Although anecdotally its spread throughout most family members.
Think delta varient worse than others.

Lougle · 20/10/2021 12:02

DH and DD1 got their positive results today. It was DD1's 3rd PCR, the other 2 being negative. So that's all of us now.

Onmyown1 · 20/10/2021 12:15

I tested positive on the Saturday. 3 children pcr tested on the Sunday with one positive. Other 2 negative until day 15 when one had a positive lateral flow confirmed yesterday by positive pcr. Other still has negative lateral flow but is going for a pcr test. Not sure if the day 15 positive has caught it from us or school.

Original poster
BlackInk · 22/10/2021 10:08

I think we're on day 8 of DS's isolation and so far none of us seem to have caught it... PCRs taken on day 4 were negative and daily negative LFTs. Dare we hope...?

Anyone caught it more than 8 days in?

OP posts:
Yellow85 · 22/10/2021 10:14

Day 8 since my first symptoms, 7 since positive results. DS1 tested positive same days but no symptoms. DH isolated away from us and so far hasn’t caught it. DS2 isolated with us, no symptoms and still testing negative too.

I suspect DS2 may have been our patient zero.

CagneyNYPD1 · 22/10/2021 10:15

Day 0 DD tests positive on LFD
Day 1 her PCR tests confirms positive
Day 2 DS, DH and I all take PCRs
Day 4 our PCR tests are negative. We keep doing daily LFT - all negative
Day 6 - DD now testing negative on LFTs
Day 7 - I develop symptoms, do a PCR
Day 8 - my PCR is negative.
Day 10 is today. DD asymptomatic throughout. Our LFTs and PCRs all negative.

DD did not self isolate in her room, we carried on as normal at home. DS is awaiting his covid vaccine next week. DH and I both double jabbed.

Yellow85 · 22/10/2021 10:16

On another note, I wish there was more guidance on testing of negative cases in a positive household. I mean I’m driving myself mad trying to do the right thing with negative DS2, he’s only 4. How many LTFs to do, how many PCR’s to do, when to do them….symptom watching etc…

Bunsnbobbins · 22/10/2021 10:36

Dc1- day 1
Dh - day 4
Dc2 - day 9
Me - day 9

Angel2702 · 22/10/2021 10:50

I was just wondering this. DD tested positive on LF this morning. Only tested as she was due at cub camp tonight and they asked us to test before we go. She is 10 so not part of the regular LF testing. Her brothers have been testing daily for weeks and they are negative.

No idea how long she has been positive for. School aren’t telling us about cases in the class anymore so no idea when she would have been a contact.

CagneyNYPD1 · 22/10/2021 11:01

@Angel2702

I was just wondering this. DD tested positive on LF this morning. Only tested as she was due at cub camp tonight and they asked us to test before we go. She is 10 so not part of the regular LF testing. Her brothers have been testing daily for weeks and they are negative.

No idea how long she has been positive for. School aren’t telling us about cases in the class anymore so no idea when she would have been a contact.

That was very much our situation. DD also 10 only took a LFT so that she could go to an after school activity. DS 13, DH and I all do regular LFTs anyway and have been consistently negative before and after DD tested positive.

DD now on Day 9. Completely asymptomatic throughout. Tested negative on LFT 5 days after positive PCR. A number of children in her school have tested positive with no symptoms over the past 4 weeks, in various classes. Not once have we been advised by school to take a LFT.

There seems to be no way if predicting what will happen next once one person in te household tests positive. In some, everyone gets it, in others no one gets it. FWIW, I did not make DD isolate in her room as she wouldn't have coped with that. DS13 would have jumped at the chance but it wasn't right for DD. And still no household transmission.

CosmicComfort · 22/10/2021 11:02

Ds2 was positive on LFT Monday, PCR Tuesday. DH and I negative for both.

So far DH and I have continued to have negative LFT’s.

I am a nurse and government guidance is no need to isolate. I have been working from home but work is in chaos so am going back Sunday. Will continue doing daily LFT’s and be very vigilant with my PPE, cleaning etc.

I am nervous about going back but I know work need me and that is the guidance.

Ds2 is 17 so is mostly in his room but does come down for food and the odd chat. We haven’t made any effort to keep him room based as we only have one bathroom and I don’t think it would be good for DS2’s mental health.

I am double jabbed plus booster, DH double jabbed.

CagneyNYPD1 · 22/10/2021 11:05

@Yellow85

On another note, I wish there was more guidance on testing of negative cases in a positive household. I mean I’m driving myself mad trying to do the right thing with negative DS2, he’s only 4. How many LTFs to do, how many PCR’s to do, when to do them….symptom watching etc…
I would do one more LFT on your 4 year old. But on the release day for your older child. If it shows negative, stop there. Unless they have symptoms in the future.
Yellow85 · 22/10/2021 11:09

@CagneyNYPD1 thanks. That’s my plan, one more on Monday evening, if negative then back to school. We’ve isolated negative DS for ten days anyway. I’ve found it quite anxiety inducing as everyone has varying opinions in test not being accurate, not being down at right time etc…I’m just trying to do the right thing but jeez there’s so many opinions out there on what that bloody is!!

ethelredonagoodday · 22/10/2021 11:11

Very similar here. Waiting to see if any of us will 'go positive'...

Original poster
BlackInk · 22/10/2021 11:57

We haven't really isolated DS within the home. He's been pretty happy with the laptop in his room and waitress service though. He was feeling pretty rough for about 4 days so not really up to being up and about, but I checked in on him many times a day, sometimes putting on a mask. He's usually putting on a mask to come downstairs but not always.

Me and his dad are vaccinated but his sister isn't. It's so unpredictable. A boy he sat next to for an hour at school the day before he tested positive caught it, but we've been sharing the same air for over a week at home and we seem to have dodged it.

OP posts:
coffeepleeease · 22/10/2021 12:01

DH tested positive first. Quarantined in bedroom but we only have one bathroom. Kept on top of hand hygiene and cleaning the bathroom.

I tested positive 4 days later.

DD (5) tested positive 2 days after my isolation had ended!

Angel2702 · 22/10/2021 12:14

We can’t isolate in our house DD and DS1 are autistic and ds1 and ds2 share a room, one bathroom downstairs. So just got to get on with it. At least half term started today so brothers not in school and DH works from home so don’t have to have the dilemma over school attendance.

Gutted we have lost so much money now from all the things we had booked. They were desperate go to camp and we’d booked lots of half term things, kids are devastated. If we’d known of cases in the class we could have tested earlier and potentially with an earlier positive been released from isolation before end of half term.

Gherkingreen · 22/10/2021 12:35

My 15yo DS had it recently and no-one else caught it, DH was away for some of the isolation period and other DS was at home.
I was up close taking his temp and checking on him regularly but he was in his room for five days, slept for most of it and was feeling pretty rough. Rest of family used a different bathroom.

GypsyWanderer · 22/10/2021 12:37

@Yellow85

On another note, I wish there was more guidance on testing of negative cases in a positive household. I mean I’m driving myself mad trying to do the right thing with negative DS2, he’s only 4. How many LTFs to do, how many PCR’s to do, when to do them….symptom watching etc…
Same here. We’re a family of 6 and one of my DS’s got a positive PCR Wednesday and so far we’re all negative lft’s. He shares a room with his twin and older brother who has recently been vaccinated but he won’t be protected yet. I’m feeling crappy today but I haven’t been sleeping well and I’m thinking it’s probably that but I’ll test again later. Just constant symptom watching and wondering if and when we will get symptoms.
alwayswantchocolate · 22/10/2021 12:39

I've also been musing over this.

Day 1 - DS1 positive on LFT after 'feeling weird', confirmed with PCR
Day 4 - DS2 positive on LFT, no symptoms until day 5, confirmed with PCR
Day 7 - DH positive on LFT, symptoms appeared day 8, awaiting postal PCR
Day 9 - I'm still negative

We have isolated as people have tested positive but were around each other lots in the 48 hours before each positive LFT. DH and I are both double vaccinated.

ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife · 22/10/2021 12:44

@Yellow85

On another note, I wish there was more guidance on testing of negative cases in a positive household. I mean I’m driving myself mad trying to do the right thing with negative DS2, he’s only 4. How many LTFs to do, how many PCR’s to do, when to do them….symptom watching etc…
When ds had covid, Test and trace told the rest of us to get PCRs immediately (effectively day 3 for ds but he time the call came) and on day 8.
Yellow85 · 22/10/2021 12:48

@ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife were not in England, so no calls from our track and trace. Just link to fill in details and email with dates and household guidance. All did PCRs day 2, negative DH also doing daily ltfs. Negative under 5 has done ltf every 3 days throughout and still negative with no symptoms.

I think it’s prudent to do one more on him before coming out of isolation.

Paddingtonthebear · 22/10/2021 15:19

Husband tested positive 13 days ago, now out of isolation.
I tested positive 9 days ago, nearly out of isolation.
DD has no symptoms and has tested negative every day for the last 13 days.