How do I protect the kids

[BergamotMouse]

So after 2.5 years DH and I have finally caught Covid for the first time.
Feeling pretty poorly. Temp of 40. Dreadful cough. But we have 2 kids, 6 and 3.
Do we just accept there's nothing we can do? I can't let them fend for themselves but feel bad filling the room with coughs.

For all we know they've given it to us (haven't tested them).

@ThaiDye the article mainly argues that overprotecting children from viruses (by masking up) simply delays them catching them:

Hackell, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said masking during the pandemic simply delayed the normal infection pattern for respiratory pathogens. “We are seeing a lot more cases at one time where they used to be spread out,” he said.

The Washington Post article also this to say: “Salazar said another theory suggests children exposed to covid-19 have weakened immune systems, even if they had asymptomatic or mild cases. Even if babies had asymptomatic or mild cases, he said it’s possible that the percentage of infection-fighting B-cells might have dropped, creating “a certain level of immunosuppression” just as they are getting hit with a viral infection."

The evidence has been pointing to COVID damaging your immune system for a long time. Being cautious is wise, there's still so much we don't know about COVID.

The point is, my child is not going to benefit in any way from catching COVID now. Yes, he might catch things once he starts school (though hopefully good ventilation will be standard by then, once the world realises there's no need for schools to be hotbeds of infection, whether COVID or any other airborne virus) but his immune system will be stronger from not having been damaged by COVID in the meantime.

but his immune system will be stronger from not having been damaged by COVID in the meantime.

But his immune system may actually be weaker as it had less chances to fight infections.

The 'Covid damaging the immune system' is not proven at all!

There is plenty of evidence that COVID damages the immune system. This isn't news.

Don't confuse building immunity by being exposed to dirt etc (the hygiene theory), which is beneficial, with exposure to harmful pathogens like COVID, which isn't beneficial.

Here are a couple of studies showing impacts on immune system

www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03553-9

www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-00919-x

Our kids are adults now so I’m not sure if Covid vaccinations are being offered to little ones?
if so, going forward, that’s the best way to protect them.

Nope. The government decided no more COVID vaccines for until age 11 (it was available from age 5 till Sept this year). Meanwhile, in the US they plan to add COVID vaccines to the usual pediatric vaccine schedule. Once again, the kids are being failed by the British government.

I had covid about a month ago and didn't isolate or take any measure like not kissing them, extra cleaning etc. My dc 8 and 10 didn't get it, nor did DH who slept in the same bed as me.

They mix with others who could be infected all the time, one DD has had covid and it was v mild, and they don't have health conditions that would make them prone to complications. I was ill for about a week and completely back to normal within 10 days, felt grateful for this and the fact noone else caught it.