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Original poster

Has anyone else done this-isolating in own home

76 replies

Wallawallakoala · 06/01/2022 17:10

I have tested positive, DH is still negative and we have 2 young DC also negative.

I've been self isolating in the bedroom with DH taking time off work to look after the kids for a couple of reasons:

  1. I'm quite poorly with it (would still class as 'mild' symptoms, but very unsteady and weak, congestion, headache, fatigue, body aches, shivers, gastric issues and temperature). So the rest is beneficial and I'm lucky to be able to do this.
  1. If DH was also to get ill we would struggle to look after both, we would obviously manage as I would if it was just me looking after them but as this is possible this is what we thought might be best.
  1. DH can take DC out and about while they are testing negative which is good for them and I feel it would be selfish to make everyone ill.

My 4 year old seems to kind of understand this situation and doesn't seem bothered until she realises I cant cuddle her and this is really hard. She will be easily distracted and I have been reading her bedtime stories and facetiming her and seeing her from a distance with the window open. It's only the 2nd day / 3rd night and they are all still negative...

What would you do? Continue this way or just carry on as normal?

I know people say that COVID won't affect people severely especially younger children, but I don't know if it's worse to keep them away from me or cared for by their dad for a few more days and be able to get out and about and more or less in their normal routine?

OP posts:
wineandchocolateforthewin · 06/01/2022 21:55

[quote Wallawallakoala]@wineandchocolateforthewin this sounds exactly the same as our set up, thank you for sharing[/quote]
Hope you feel better soon OP and that your family don't catch it. 🤞🏻

SheilaFentiman · 06/01/2022 22:05

Three of the four of us got it in the summer, we ate separately to DS2 (11) and stayed away as much as possible. He didn’t get it, but it was a bit miserable not hugging him etc! I would do what you are doing.

Original poster
Wallawallakoala · 06/01/2022 22:18

That's so good to know I'm not the only one, it is bloody hard but like others have said a relatively short period of time hopefully for the greater good.

OP posts:
Bagelsandbrie · 06/01/2022 22:36

We are currently doing this now. Dh has been in the spare living room and using the spare bathroom since Sunday. I’ve been bringing him food / drinks and leaving them outside the door for him. So far Ds aged 9, dd aged 19 and I have avoided it. I don’t know if it will stay that way but we’d rather not get it if we can help it. I’m in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and have been triple jabbed.

stripeymonster · 06/01/2022 22:58

We had it over October half term, dd12 had it first asymptomatic and isolated in her room, four days later dh tested positive and he isolated separately. Then I caught it three days later so we stopped isolating in our house. My youngest children didn't catch it but I would still isolate again because I actually became really unwell and was very nearly hospitalised. If it's possible and not causing too much distress I would definitely isolated again.

Allthingspeaches · 07/01/2022 04:28

My husband and I both caught it from our toddler with our symptoms starting day 6 and 7 of isolation for the toddler. We then still had to look after the toddler whilst both at similar stages of feeling like rubbish. If isolation will at least stagger if not prevent spread then it's worth it to me.

wingingit987 · 07/01/2022 04:31

My oh had it all over christmas. He isolated at the other end of the sofa tbh we were all sick but he just had COVID and we didn't.

None of us caught it.

fattymumbum · 07/01/2022 05:16

We've moved out at the moment. Me and two DC 2.5years and 8months. DH has it and is quite unwell. We're on day 5 and nobody else caught it yet.

You're doing the right thing, it's awfully hard but me and my DH would both hate for the DC's to be I'll so worth the sacrifice. My in law's have isolated twice and each time nobody else caught it. So I think if done properly it works, obviously not 100%

user1471509171 · 07/01/2022 06:47

There's no right or wrong. We as a family didn't isolate from each other. Mainly because we have 4 school aged children and I work in a school so we are all surrounded with it anyway. We however all got it but were all able to snuggle up together which was nice.

CosmoMint · 07/01/2022 06:48

My DH tested positive on Xmas eve. He had symptoms two days before that but didn’t test until two days later so would have been 4 days infectious around us before he tested. After testing positive the only difference was he used a mask all day everyday and tried to keep distance. But apart from that we carried on as normal, shared same bed, same bathroom, he even cooked some meals. We didn’t isolate him in one room as would have been hard for the kids not seeing him over Xmas. As all of us were not going school/working over this period, we were together 24 hours a day as we barely left the house. The rest of us didn’t catch it. I have no idea why. Maybe just pure luck.

CosmoMint · 07/01/2022 07:27

OP-I would do what feels right, more comfortable for you and your family. As seems to be pot luck on whether the rest of the family catch it what ever you do.

Soosiesoo · 07/01/2022 08:02

My DH and I both have it currently and are both very unwell. We can't isolate from our two DDs (9 and 5) and so far they've tested negative.

Only time will tell I guess.

Original poster
Wallawallakoala · 07/01/2022 10:58

DH is now positive so we are all isolating together but I'm so glad i did it even though it was hard it has staggered it

OP posts:
onedayoranother · 07/01/2022 11:22

Yes this is what you do!

PrivateHall · 07/01/2022 11:44

@Wallawallakoala

DH is now positive so we are all isolating together but I'm so glad i did it even though it was hard it has staggered it
You have been isolating from him, so clearly he got it from you before you tested positive and isolated. Hopefully he is ok with it op.
Original poster
Wallawallakoala · 07/01/2022 12:43

Well yes he will have got it from me definitely

OP posts:
Bagelsandbrie · 07/01/2022 18:56

@Wallawallakoala

DH is now positive so we are all isolating together but I'm so glad i did it even though it was hard it has staggered it
Same has happened here in reverse… dh tested positive first and isolated. Now I’ve tested positive…..
Original poster
Wallawallakoala · 07/01/2022 22:33

Urgh @Bagelsandbrie I'm sorry it's just rubbish!

OP posts:
Bagelsandbrie · 08/01/2022 11:44

@Wallawallakoala

Urgh *@Bagelsandbrie* I'm sorry it's just rubbish!
It certainly is! Hope you all get well soon Flowers
Itstheprinciple · 08/01/2022 14:56

When I had it in Dec 20, I isolated from Dh and DD. Slept separately, sat in separate room, cleaned bathroom after using, wore mask when moving around the house, windows open etc and no one else caught it. It was bloody hard but worth it as it meant Christmas wasn't affected.

DD got it in Dec 21. She is a teenager but obviously I wouldn't expect her to isolate as strictly as I did. She was upset and feeling feeling poorly. However, we didn't have unnecessary contact, I sat with her at a distance in well ventilated rooms to watch a film etc and I hugged her whilst wearing a mask. Again no one else caught it.

steppemum · 08/01/2022 15:11

I was in hospital before Christmas and the day before I came home dh tested positive.

Iy would not have been a good idea for me to catch Covid, so he isolated in his bedroom.
Dd had negative LFT. (aged 14). So when I got home she curled up with me for cuddles.
Then she had to have pcr to go to school, and it came back positive.

So she isolated in her room.
I was doing trya service round the house 24 hours after coming home from hospital Hmm

but I didn't get it, and neither did dd1 or ds.(teens)

My dh is part of a vaccine trial, so he had to send off lots of samples etc etc and they said he and dd had omicron.

steppemum · 08/01/2022 15:12

to be fair, I think I didn't get it because I wasn't around dh before he tested, while he was already infectious

RickyZooom · 08/01/2022 15:17

OP unless you are going to isolate whenever you/DC get ANY bug.. I don’t think there’s any point isolating for Covid. I’ve just had it along with my two (preschool) DC. They were poorly for about a day each, temp and miserable. It was completely manageable. My DH didn’t test positive despite sharing a bed!
In contrast me and DS (nearly 2) were both ill with chest infections at the start of Dec. That was HELL! Both extremely poorly for many days.
So, point is, you’re probably doing your kids a disservice by not being there at the moment and protecting them from something that for them, should be v mild.

Original poster
Wallawallakoala · 08/01/2022 21:44

The thing is it was worth it incase he didn't test positive really. I mean we thought he might from the outset but of he didn't it would have been better round.

We've already had our fair share of bugs viruses etc due to preschool and we certainly don't isolate for these. It was more the quarantine side of it and if as a bonus we could keep more of us well. Totally get what you are saying though.

@steppemum that sounds like hard work! Possibly worth it though

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallawallakoala · 08/01/2022 21:45

@Itstheprinciple yeah so hard but sometimes I do think worth it, it's whatever works isn't it!

OP posts: