Socialising when a household member has covid

[ChristmasQuizzer]

If someone you lived with had covid (e.g. partner or child) would you cancel your Christmas plans outside of the house?

If your friend was in this situation would you cancel plans with them?

Would this be for the whole 10 (or now 7!) days regardless of negative tests?

I think it's tricky. Only time it's happened to us was teenage DD who picked it up while away with her dad so was confined to her room as soon as she got home (happily, with room service!). We didn't cancel any plans in those circumstances because we didn't feel we were at much risk of catching it from her. If you've been in close contact with the family member, there is a risk, though not a high one if you've had your boosters and are negative on LFTs. I'd probably go outdoors or to the shops but avoid crowded socialising. Christmas is tricky and depends what everyone involved thinks.

Yes basically, because I know my friends/family wouldn’t want to see me and risk it.

Dd is positive rest of us negative so far. I’m still going for walks and to supermarket etc but nothing else

No, but I taught 180 different children a day when my son had tested positive so I might have a skewed view of it!

And dd is young so have been hugging her etc. Might be different with an older child that was happy to stay in their room

Depends on the circs. Anyone vulnerable? Can the positive case isolate from the rest of the household? Who is vaccinated? Etc.

This is us at the moment as ds2 is positive. We have cancelled plans because it doesnt seem fair to risk spreading it to other family/friends, esp just as they are wanting to get together with their families. The shortened isolation period is interesting but I'm not sure we are brave enough to try it on grandparents.

Yes. It isn't fair to risk ruining someone else's new year,

Depends on circumstances of socialising and vulnerability of people you'll be mixing with.

Anything outdoor I'd probably still attend, although I wouldn't hug or kiss anyone, but indoor meals with windows closed and elderly relatives would be a 'no' from me, even after a negative LFT. I just wouldn't want to risk anyone's life.

My friend's dc tested positive and whilst he was isolating really and they were doing LFTs I was still not happy to meet up until at least the 10 day s were up. I fear she is a bit upset with me - but I really don't want to take the risk. I wouldn't dream of doing this to any one else.

Nope. We’d carry on as usual because they would be isolating in their rooms.

However if they aren’t isolated away from family and using shared space that would be totally different.

I would let the person I was seeing know, and then let them decide.

Pre-Christmas, I wouldn’t socialise with someone who had a covid case in the house. Purely because I don’t want to isolate on Christmas Day. Post Christmas I wouldn’t care and would happily meet up with someone.

Just let the person know, and let them decide. Cancelling or going ahead are both perfectly acceptable conclusions.

It would entirely depend.

I'd let the person know and let them decide.

If I was receiving the info it would depend on where we were meeting, outside or inside, how much I liked then, how much they needed to see me, what was going on with both of our mental health. Like any decision I'd weigh up a whole bunch of factors.

DH had covid a couple of weeks ago and I cancelled plans to socialise at the weekend and also changed a hairdresser's appointment. I still had to go to work obviously and popped into Tescos if we needed stuff but I stayed away from people as much as I could.

To clarify - I’m not the one with covid in house. Everyone else due to go to social event is fine with someone still going who has a house full of covid so I’m annoyed it’ll be me pulling out instead. They’ve said they will only go if everyone’s happy but when everyone else has said it’s fine it’s hard to say no, actually I don’t think it is.

My DC has it (toddler). DC1 and I have both tested negative on PCRs (long story, no symptoms but it has been rife in DC1’s school). DH and I are doing daily LFTs.

We cancelled our Christmas plans as it involved all of us staying with family, so clearly not an option. We will go out for walks and to the shops where we need to if we’ve both had negative tests that morning, and we will take DC1 for walks. But no indoor socialising or other indoor activities.

@ChristmasQuizzer

To clarify - I’m not the one with covid in house. Everyone else due to go to social event is fine with someone still going who has a house full of covid so I’m annoyed it’ll be me pulling out instead. They’ve said they will only go if everyone’s happy but when everyone else has said it’s fine it’s hard to say no, actually I don’t think it is.

I think in a situation of a large group/party, I would pull out if I was the one with covid in the house because I agree with what you’ve said, it’s hard for one person to say they’re not happy with it if everyone else is.

If I was meeting one or two people, I’d ask them what they thought, and be very clear it was up to them, no problem either way.

DS is positive me, DH and DD currently negative but have cancelled all plans just because it’s not fair in him to miss out. If it was DH who was positive and we were all testing negative daily I would carry on with our plans as he wouldn’t want the kids missing out. If the plans involved other people I d be honest with them and let them make the decision.

Do you not have to isolate if you have covid in the household now in England? That seems insane if omicron is as transmissible as they say. In Scotland everyone regardless of vaccine status has to isolate for 10 days if a household member has covid.

@NotAtAll - no. You only have to isolate if you have tested positive or have symptoms & are awaiting results. I know if it wasn’t Christmas this person would isolate too without a second thought but because they don’t want to ‘cancel’ their Christmas they’ve decided they don’t want to.

Well maybe others feel the same as you but everyone is not wanting to say it. So someone has to be the person that does. In the instance you've given I'd expect the covid exposed person to pull out as in a group there's bound to be a variety of positions and people not wanting to say what they really think.

No, infected member is isolating. Rest of us are cracking on, as long as LFTs are negative and the host is comfortable with us being there.

@Coasterfan

DS is positive me, DH and DD currently negative but have cancelled all plans just because it’s not fair in him to miss out. If it was DH who was positive and we were all testing negative daily I would carry on with our plans as he wouldn’t want the kids missing out. If the plans involved other people I d be honest with them and let them make the decision.

Absolutely.. this!

I must say that I am now far more concerned about my own and my family’s mental health than I am about COVID. I will obey the rules but I am not doing any extra. However I am honest with those I’m seeing and I wouldn’t go if they weren’t comfortable.

When I had it DH still went on as normal DD still went to school. They never caught it.
I’d ask the other people if they were still okay with us coming
If I caught it Christmas Eve say I’d prob not show symptoms till after Christmas so I wouldn’t care anyway

@NotAtAll

Do you not have to isolate if you have covid in the household now in England? That seems insane if omicron is as transmissible as they say. In Scotland everyone regardless of vaccine status has to isolate for 10 days if a household member has covid.

I believe in Scotland it’s guidance, that has been slightly presented as law.