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Original poster

Visitors the day after Isolation ends? What to do!

26 replies

Chocolateporridge · 12/11/2021 21:35

My DD is in self-isolation in her bedroom as she has Covid but my DH, DS and myself don't have it.
We live in Scotland and months ago we made plans with relatives from England who we rarely ever see, that they would come for dinner and take my DD on holiday with them for 2 nights. As it happens this has turned out to be the day after my DD's self isolation ends, and I don't know if this is just too close for comfort? I can't find any guidance on it. Their 2 DD's are teens and unvaccinated and they would want to go to my DD's room while they're here but I don't know when it's safe for me to go in and clean it? Also packing clothes and belongings for her to take with her that have been in her room all through isolation, is that safe?
Am I overthinking this, or can anyone point me in the direction of some guidance?

OP posts:
TheMooch · 12/11/2021 21:37

We had similar. I informed the visitors so they could decide if to take the risk.

LilyPond2 · 12/11/2021 21:51

I think you definitely need to tell the relatives so they can decide whether to take the risk. Without wishing to be a massive pessimist, my big concern would be that, despite your best efforts to isolate your DD, another family member does catch Covid from her and is incubating it when your guests are there. I think the risk from surfaces is now thought to be pretty low, so I wouldn't be particularly worried about clothes that have been in your DD's room.

shouldistop · 12/11/2021 21:51

Let your visitors decide.

If you want to clean her room and don't want to be near your daughter then just ask her to go into a different room for a while. You could ask her to open her window beforehand if you want to be ultra cautious

HelloTreeWindow · 12/11/2021 21:54

Let your visitors decide. My friend caught it day 14 after her DH’s positive test. 10 days was agreed to be the time deemed acceptable by the general public and would catch most cases but they know there are outliers.
The bigger risk to them would be if you and your DH have caught it, but it’s their decision to come or not. Hope your DD is doing ok

Andoffwego · 12/11/2021 21:54

How is DD feeling? I’d be more worried that she’d still feel too ill to go away with your friends straight after isolation if she’s unwell with it.

beatrice82 · 12/11/2021 22:47

If I were your visitors then I'd want to know, and I would not visit you so soon.

Original poster
Chocolateporridge · 12/11/2021 22:54

Thanks so much. I've told my visitors a couple of days ago, and they were fine about it but I don't think they've thought it through.
My DD has absolutely no symptoms and the rest of us are doing daily LFTs
I don't think I'd risk cleaning my DD's room until she's past the 10 days, in fact I'd prefer to leave it for a couple of extra days.

OP posts:
Warhertisuff · 12/11/2021 23:15

I'd inform them and if they're ok with it then I wouldn't be concerned. I think you're overthinking this. Yes, there's always a very tiny chance of infection after this time but unless you live a very restricted life, that chance is there anyway.

Also, in terms of the virus, PCR tests are generally recommended 5 days after symptoms due to the drop in virus levels, which should hopefully give reassurance when looking at 10 days.

Warhertisuff · 12/11/2021 23:18

@Chocolateporridge

Thanks so much. I've told my visitors a couple of days ago, and they were fine about it but I don't think they've thought it through. My DD has absolutely no symptoms and the rest of us are doing daily LFTs I don't think I'd risk cleaning my DD's room until she's past the 10 days, in fact I'd prefer to leave it for a couple of extra days.
I would imagine they have thought it through and are just ok with the very tiny risk. You just have to look at how most people are living their lives to know most aren't trying to do everything possible to avoid catching it and are accepting of a degree of risk.
Coughee · 12/11/2021 23:19

If they're happy, I don't see what the problem is. If your dd is old enough to isolate in her room could she not give surfaces a spray before they arrive, open the windows and strip the bed? Surely that would be enough to mitigate what is already a low risk of surface transmission?

Warhertisuff · 12/11/2021 23:19

Sorry, typo: PCR tests aren't generally recommended 5 days after symptoms

Warhertisuff · 12/11/2021 23:23

@Coughee

If they're happy, I don't see what the problem is. If your dd is old enough to isolate in her room could she not give surfaces a spray before they arrive, open the windows and strip the bed? Surely that would be enough to mitigate what is already a low risk of surface transmission?
^ This

Please don't say you've been keeping a young child in self-isolation for ten days who is so young they can't even clean their room?

TinaYouFatLard · 12/11/2021 23:27

I think you’re overthinking it.

I hope your DD is an adult or at least an older teen. Keeping a younger child isolated away in their room is just cruel.

VanCleefArpels · 12/11/2021 23:28

@Chocolateporridge

Thanks so much. I've told my visitors a couple of days ago, and they were fine about it but I don't think they've thought it through. My DD has absolutely no symptoms and the rest of us are doing daily LFTs I don't think I'd risk cleaning my DD's room until she's past the 10 days, in fact I'd prefer to leave it for a couple of extra days.
I think his reflects a general difference in attitude between Scotland and England which I have noticed in my own family. People in England are on the whole a lot more relaxed about Covid and the rules etc than in scotland in my experience. If your friends are happy having weighed up all the circs then let them get on with it!
Mindymomo · 13/11/2021 07:16

She will have done her isolation time, so is fine to go. With regards to her room, get her to open windows as much as possible and wipe down surfaces. Unless there is someone vulnerable in the family that is taking her away, there really shouldn’t be a problem.

RoseGoldEagle · 13/11/2021 07:26

I had this same dilemma, my parents were due to stay the day after one of us finished isolating- we decided not to and I’m glad as DH then tested positive a few days later so had been incubating it (had had negative PCR initially and negative lateral flows up to that point). However our children are very young and we hadn’t been able to isolate them, so the risk of the rest of us becoming infected was higher, also my parents are older and I really didn’t want to take even a risk with them.

Keladrythesaviour · 13/11/2021 08:11

Definitely let your visitors know. I'm meant to be visiting friends next weekend and one of the them currently has ckvidm generally I'm pretty relaxed about it all, bit I'm off to see.my.oarents the next day so I've cancelled because I just don't want to risk anything being around/another member of the household being asymptomatic.

Keladrythesaviour · 13/11/2021 08:12

*has covid. I'm generally
(Not quite sure what happened there, I think my fingers sneezed)

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 13/11/2021 08:13

we had a meal out arranged with extended family for the day after DC's isolation ended. we explained that we fully understood if they wanted to push things back a week. They chose not to, but I felt better for giving them the heads up.

JanglyBeads · 13/11/2021 08:27

There is definitely still a risk that either she, or - higher risk - one of you who is currently showing negative, could spread infection.

I’d spell this out to relatives and ask if they’ve bot only thought about their own risk but the risk to anyone they come into close contact with.

Hollyhead · 13/11/2021 08:30

I think anything to do with her will be very low risk, and as for items/surfaces, that form of transmission has been proved to be very rare/difficult.

Them coming to you for a meal is the risky bit - I would arrange to meet them outdoors instead and then they take your DD away.

Doidontimmm · 13/11/2021 08:35

@VanCleefArpels I’m in Scotland and don’t agree with you, it must just be the people you know!

I agree if the child is old enough to be isolated alone they can pass out their washing for you to pack and clean their room!

VanCleefArpels · 13/11/2021 08:46

@Doidontimmm fair enough- my rellies in Scotland have repeatedly commented on the difference of attitude north and south of the border when we have been able to see them during the pandemic.

whatswithtodaytoday · 13/11/2021 08:50

Get her to air the room - it mainly passes via airborne transmission, not surfaces. A wipe down of hard surfaces and handles will be fine.

Maybe you could all do a PCR test a couple of days before? I wouldn't rely on lateral flows with Covid actually in the house.

LethargicActress · 13/11/2021 08:53

I’d let the visitors decide, and if they’re ok with it then let it happen. It would be unfair to try and prevent your dd going if her hosts are happy to take her because she’d have followed the rules and be doing nothing wrong.

There won’t be many adults that continue to hide away after their isolation period is up, so I can’t see how it is fair to enforce extra on a child.