So fun! Thanks for sharing that.

I am so sorry. Prayers for you all.

I haven't read the whole thread--maybe this has already been mentioned. When I got my vaccine yesterday I was given a flyer asking me to participate in the CDC v-safe program, which is an app that sends text messages at intervals post vaccine (daily x1 week after injection, then every week x5 weeks, and at 3, 6 and 12 months after the last dose). I think this is a great way for them to gets tons of data on the "safety" of the vaccine. My colleagues that were vaccinated in another location got the brochure as well. (And FYI, I got Moderna, and only complaint is mildly sore arm at injection site)

Echoing Katie, quoted above. The earliest this guy can be out of quarantine is 8 days. Close contacts need to quarantine a minimum of 7 days after their last contact with the positive person--so out of Q beginning day 8. (The CDC prefers 14 days, but is allowing early out in cases where extended Q causes hardship. ) The day of last contact is Day 0. Needs to have NO symptoms and to test negative on day 5-7 of Q with a PCR (in some states like IL they want the PCR on day 6 or 7, not day 5). So if this guy moves out of the house, and doesn't see wife or kids until 10 days after the last of them either starts symptoms or tests positive, he can go back to work in significantly less time. Not sure if it's better for the marriage/family to provide financially, or help with sick kids. And if mom gets sick and can't take care of kids, he would need to break quarantine and step in and start the Q clock over...

Not to derail about testing, but to address this quote about transmission-- Re no known in-school transmission, I can only speak of my own experience in the school where I work closely with this, and am privy to the data. I feel pretty good saying we've had NO KNOWN in school transmission. We've had a couple cases of coach to athlete transmission (that threw about 50 kids in Q) over the summer. We do actually contact trace EVERY case we hear about, as the county health department is more than swamped. There are definitely cases of unknown transmission, but most seem to be in-family transmission, often from a parent. The unrelated student transmission we've seen has come from social gatherings outside of school. We've traced 391 "events" involving about 800 kids who were either positive, close contacts, or symptomatic and excluded from school until cleared. In our school social distancing, mask wearing, daily questionnaire are enforced, desks are cleaned before sitting in them (and possibly when leaving?). The school upgraded the HVAC, uses some kind of electrostatic or UV or ? disinfecting method on top of regular surface cleaning, all kids are required to participate in population screening/saliva screening weekly. The latter I actually have my doubts about as statistically we should be getting more positives based on our zipcode metrics/positivity rates. But it's still an extra measure and we've kept a few asymptomatic positive kids out of the building. And our schedule is such that the kids are in school 2 days in a row out of every two weeks, so they are out of school a lot more than they are in the building. I was VERY doubtful about reopening, but now feel fine about our in-person learning with our mitigation strategies. (Ok, except for times like this week when we know we have many families lying about travel/social gatherings on the daily questionnaire, and not staying home as requested...)

Our school is still running the standardized tests, and as previous poster mentioned above, they are all 6 ft apart, facing one way, regular rooms =25% capacity or gyms and larger spaces <50 people. We also have been in school at 25% capacity (approx 700 students in building) since Oct, including eating lunch at school, which makes me nervous. But among students there has been no known in-school student to student transmission with the (many) mitigation measures we have in place. I was SO SO doubtful about the plan at first, but it seems to be working.

Maybe you all discussed this on another thread, but I didn't want to leave the above without explanation. From the CDC website: CDC continues to endorse quarantine for 14 days and recognizes that any quarantine shorter than 14 days balances reduced burden against a small possibility of spreading the virus. Your local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine. Options they will consider include stopping quarantine After day 10 without testing After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later) After stopping quarantine, you should Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure. If you have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your local public health authority or healthcare provider. Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. --- Remember that the last day of close contact with a positive person is Day 0, and a 7 day quarantine means one can be out on Day 8. Illinois school guidelines (which I am familiar with) require the negative test result to be a PCR (not the rapid antigen test ), with the test on or after Day 6. The one week "early-out" is only to be used for adults who need to work or the like. Also they are supposed to mask, social distance even at home if at all possible. OP, I'm so sorry you all are going through this, and for the extended family aspect too...

Is it hilly where you live? I'd get really tired out pulling a trailer with no gears on my bike(am I right that cruiser bikes are one speed?). But $60 is not much to spend and you can re-sell it when she outgrows it. I rode my bike extensively with either the seat behind me (ages 3-4ish) or a tag-a-long (ages 4-7) and loved them both. (I will say we rented a tag-a-long on vacation at one point which was REALLY wobbly compared to the one we owned--so maybe brands are different in how they connect and how stable they are).

Just gotta say--just getting it planned out is an accomplishment to be commended! Good work! Sounds like the new plan is reasonable and do-able. (And if not, you've already shown you are good at making adjustments!)

I have to laugh at Mrs. Pollifax as a sleep aid. The last time I read one I couldn't turn my light off until about 1 am because I couldn't leave the sweet lady tied up in a tent with a bunch of Turkish thieves (or something like that!). It doesn't matter that it's all fiction--I worry about the characters, or the outcome of any tension in the plot line, sigh. I have enjoyed many of the other suggestions as pre-bed reading though (Mitford, Miss Julia, Ladies Detective agency.) Might have to check out some of the others.

Bill, you've mentioned Sous Vide many times over the years. I just can't get on board cooking something in plastic. Any thoughts or research on that aspect? I love the idea, but hot plastic touching my food concerns me.

Were you truly isolated from him during his entire isolation? You were in Q, so unlikely to get it from another source. I think you need to call your primary and get tested. It certainly could be a sinus infection, and if his isolation was excellent, it most likely is. But why guess?

Adding an interesting article I found when googling about shortening Q time that mentions specifically timed testing: https://elemental.medium.com/new-science-suggests-how-to-shorten-quarantine-7cad61243428

So you're saying that you're worried she could turn positive up to 14 days after exposure, not know it, and still spread it for 10 days after the positive test, right? CDC guidelines are test or not, the quarantine is still only 14 days, so the "turn positive late in quarantine and spread asymptomatically" group is very, very small as the NZ statistics show. My state guidelines recommend-but do not require-testing (5-7 days) after a known exposure, but your guest doesn't necessarily even have a known exposure. I "attended" an Illinois Dept of Public Health Webinar this week where one of the presenters mentioned there are rumblings that in the future Q might be decreased to 10 days. He didn't present any data, and then he said maybe he shouldn't have said it after all --and emphasized that close contact Q is still 14 days. I know Q is so, so hard for some people so that's why I mentioned that. Anecdotally I've talked to about 15 families this week who had a high schooler in their household with Covid, and all of them had some kind of symptom that made them test, even if just a low grade fever or mild congestion. Botton line: I'd encourage testing if there is even ONE symptom after flying, but as I said, I'd strongly consider the risk of exposure at the testing center if I was completely asymptomatic. And I concur on Delta/middle seat open airline, the best mask she can find, and goggles, don't eat or drink on plane, etc. And Lewelma--I'm sorry you have to wait so long to see your son. Worth it, of course to have a Covid-free country.

I think she has higher risk by going out and getting tested than avoiding the tests altogether. Q for 2 weeks and NO testing is sufficient. Because of NZ stats, I'd even say Q for 10 days is sufficient if the isolation gets too hard and there are no known exposures.

I'm sorry about your family, and pray that your brother's MIL will have a mild case, and you all stay well. Sounds like your family is doing all the right things. And your husband is right that close contacts of THE close contact do not need to quarantine. Hugs ((((Noreeen)))).

My daughter has had the Micke desk for about 3 years. It's a fairly small desk, but has worked great for her needs--she always does school/her homework there. I would say it would work fine for a small to medium adult, but not for a large/taller adult? For me, not enough "tabletop" for my computer and all my assorted papers. I work at a large table :). She does have a stand on the desk that elevates a screen, so she zooms on the screen on the top, and works on the ipad on the desk surface itself. Re quality--I wouldn't use it to sit or stand on, or treat roughly, but we don't have little crazy or rough kids here, so it's been fine.

Hugs, Panda! (and I agree with your thread tag! :))

Any books or games or puzzles or music you have a history of sharing and enjoying together? Reading a passage, or listening to a song, or playing a turn or two of a game might bring joy and some structure to the visit ("we talk for a couple minutes, listen to this song, then we say goodbye and leave before tiring g'pa too much") And I am so sorry your family is going through this, but grateful for the love and thoughtfulness you have and are modeling.

well done!

My Aldi has not had canned tomatoes the last 3 weeks I've been there. I can still find them at Jewel, but they're more expensive there, of course!

I'd say yes to the card, no to the call. Maybe the call can happen in a few weeks if things calm down a bit. Let the inner circle friend know your availability for meal train, helping with yard work or child care during appointments or treatments if you are wanting to do that kind of thing. Hugs/prayers for you and them.

Per my Johns Hopkins free contact training class, if the last exposure to the positive person was >48 hours before that person had symptoms, there is no need to isolate/test. Close contacts are traced only for the previous two days before symptoms developed. Like the above poster said, if your son comes down with Covid, it's likely NOT from that specific band mate who was unlikely to be contagious when they were together.

Has it been mentioned that one can buy an AG doll (Molly) for Courtney to play with. Comes in a little box, with a little book and catalog...

We are working on crate training a 5 yo foster dog, a 60 lb boxer/shepherd mix, maybe? She still needs to be bribed to go in, but she's sleeping there every night now. I watched the video that was recommended in a pamphlet on the crate box "ABC's of Crate Training" at Midwest Homes 4 Pets website. It took us about a week before I felt like we could leave her overnight in the crate.--Our dog has major separation anxiety and cries a lot at night (or anytime we leave the room (roll eyes), and I didn't want her to associate the crate with feelings of abandonment. We hid lots of treats in the crate, have it in our kitchen where there are people a lot that she might want a break from, praised and treated her when she went in of her own accord, feed her in the crate, closed the door for short periods, then stretched those periods. No idea on food. We are using food and treats the shelter gave us, though we bought a kong toy and kong brand treats that are going over well.