Help me think through covid isolation

[Elizabeth86]

My positive test was Monday the 11th and my symptoms and the symptoms of 3 of my children started that same day. Tuesday was the day my 4th child started showing symptoms. I have 3 specific events I’m asking about. 

Will it be ok to go to:

1. My pup’s spay appointment next Thursday. It will be a quick pick up and drop off with a mask.

2 Trying to figure out if we can do gymnastics class on Wednesday. 
 

3. I want to figure out the most careful and cautious date to visit with my parents again. They are high risk, so I’ll go as long as I need to be 💯 sure they stay healthy. I’m just not sure what that safe time frame should be.

[ktgrok]

2 minutes ago, Elizabeth86 said:

My positive test was Monday the 11th and my symptoms and the symptoms of 3 of my children started that same day. Tuesday was the day my 4th child started showing symptoms. I have 3 specific events I’m asking about. 

Will it be ok to go to:

1. My pup’s spay appointment next Thursday. It will be a quick pick up and drop off with a mask.

2 Trying to figure out if we can do gymnastics class on Wednesday. 
 

3. I want to figure out the most careful and cautious date to visit with my parents again. They are high risk, so I’ll go as long as I need to be 💯 sure they stay healthy. I’m just not sure what that safe time frame should be.

1.  You will be on day 10, so should be fine, but I'd test first, and wear a mask or ask them to come get dog from the parking lot. 

2. Wednesday will be day 9 for 3 kids, day 8 for the other. I would not. CDC says you CAN if you wear a mask - but that's a lot of heavy breathing from people that may likely be contagious. The "can leave after 5 days and wear a mask" if for people that need to work, not because it is totally safe, and I'd be ticked if your kid gave my family Covid over a voluntary fun activity. Plus, people with Covid should rest up for 2 weeks, from what I read, so better for them to stay home. Covid can cause heart rate to be elevated for a while. 

3. After you all test negative on a rapid test. 

[Elizabeth86]

Just now, ktgrok said:

1.  You will be on day 10, so should be fine, but I'd test first, and wear a mask or ask them to come get dog from the parking lot. 

2. Wednesday will be day 9 for 3 kids, day 8 for the other. I would not. CDC says you CAN if you wear a mask - but that's a lot of heavy breathing from people that may likely be contagious. The "can leave after 5 days and wear a mask" if for people that need to work, not because it is totally safe, and I'd be ticked if your kid gave my family Covid over a voluntary fun activity. Plus, people with Covid should rest up for 2 weeks, from what I read, so better for them to stay home. Covid can cause heart rate to be elevated for a while. 

3. After you all test negative on a rapid test. 

Thanks! So helpful!! I thought gymnastics was a bad idea too, I just wanted to be sure. I’d be ticked if someone knowingly exposed us too. Lol

So. You say rapid test. Are those the free ones the government mailed out. Sorry I’m a bit fuzzy on all things at the moment.

 

[ktgrok]

4 minutes ago, Elizabeth86 said:

Thanks! So helpful!! I thought gymnastics was a bad idea too, I just wanted to be sure. I’d be ticked if someone knowingly exposed us too. Lol

So. You say rapid test. Are those the free ones the government mailed out. Sorry I’m a bit fuzzy on all things at the moment.

 

Yes. Any test that you can do at home, that you get results right away, is a rapid antigen test. If it has to be mailed off to a lab and takes a few days, it is a PCR test. Those stay positiv emuch longer, as they will alert even on small fragments of dead virus. 

[KSera]

Here’s the link for ordering more tests, if you have not already gotten three orders from the federal government:

https://www.covid.gov/tests

Should take less than 30 seconds to fill out the form, less if you have auto fill on your phone. (Name, address, submit)

[mommyoffive]

12 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

1.  You will be on day 10, so should be fine, but I'd test first, and wear a mask or ask them to come get dog from the parking lot. 

2. Wednesday will be day 9 for 3 kids, day 8 for the other. I would not. CDC says you CAN if you wear a mask - but that's a lot of heavy breathing from people that may likely be contagious. The "can leave after 5 days and wear a mask" if for people that need to work, not because it is totally safe, and I'd be ticked if your kid gave my family Covid over a voluntary fun activity. Plus, people with Covid should rest up for 2 weeks, from what I read, so better for them to stay home. Covid can cause heart rate to be elevated for a while. 

3. After you all test negative on a rapid test. 

All the things my kids are in currently (different dance studios) are all fine with kids coming back after the 5 days masked.   And the kids have come back at that time, so we kind of are just used to people doing that.  It is a lot better than places that have no rules and people just come in.   Which I have overheard parents saying.   Dropped out of stuff like that quick.

[ktgrok]

Just now, mommyoffive said:

All the things my kids are in currently (different dance studios) are all fine with kids coming back after the 5 days masked.   And the kids have come back at that time, so we kind of are just used to people doing that.  It is a lot better than places that have no rules and people just come in.   Which I have overheard parents saying.   Dropped out of stuff like that quick.

given that a significant percentage of people will still be infectious after 5 days, and dance is an activity with heavy breathing so more particles spewed, and that kids often are not able to get a great fit with masks, this sounds like a less than ideal situation. 

[KSera]

1 minute ago, mommyoffive said:

All the things my kids are in currently (different dance studios) are all fine with kids coming back after the 5 days masked.   And the kids have come back at that time, so we kind of are just used to people doing that.  It is a lot better than places that have no rules and people just come in.   Which I have overheard parents saying.   Dropped out of stuff like that quick.

I know this is what people are doing (since it’s what they are being told is okay by Public Health 🙄), but it makes me cry for Fall because this is going to be a disaster if they don’t change those guidelines and we’re really wanting to finally have the kids do some normal activities this Fall 😭. 

[mommyoffive]

Just now, KSera said:

I know this is what people are doing (since it’s what they are being told is okay by Public Health 🙄), but it makes me cry for Fall because this is going to be a disaster if they don’t change those guidelines and we’re really wanting to finally have the kids do some normal activities this Fall 😭. 

Yeah I don't know about you area, but a lot of things around us that had any rules dropped them all early spring.  So there would be no masks, no notifications about anyone getting sick, just nothing.   Their home dance school dropped some of their really tight rules, but does let people come back after 5 days.  Knowing what I know, it bothers me on one hand.  But I honestly just have to accept it.  Because this is one of the only places doing anything at all.  Any place that is doing something runs the same way with the 5 days.  And my kids need it, as is their main interest.  They gave up a lot over the Covid years.  Honestly dh is more at risk at work where nobody masks at all.  

[mommyoffive]

6 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

given that a significant percentage of people will still be infectious after 5 days, and dance is an activity with heavy breathing so more particles spewed, and that kids often are not able to get a great fit with masks, this sounds like a less than ideal situation. 

I agree.  However most places around us are do nothing at all.  No masks.  No notifications.  Nothing.    This is better than nothing

[mjbucks1]

Per the CDC website, if you test positive you can end isolation after 5 days if you are fever free for the precious 24 hours and your symptoms are improving.  One should wear a mask until 10 days after symptoms started when going out.  If anyone is VERY sick, isolation should last 10 days.  (This is all per the CDC website).  I have KN94 masks, so I would feel comfortable going out once fever free and symptoms are cleared up as long as I was wearing a mask and not removing it.  As far as your parents go, I think I would  re-test everyone and once everyone was testing negative I would feel comfortable going to see them (but I would wait the 10 days no matter what).  The one thing to remember is that some will continue to test positive for a longer period of time as the test is picking up a fragment of the virus that is not infectious.  I would want to wait until everyone is testing negative if possible to be safe, though.   

[KSera]

12 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Yeah I don't know about you area, but a lot of things around us that had any rules dropped them all early spring.  So there would be no masks, no notifications about anyone getting sick, just nothing.   Their home dance school dropped some of their really tight rules, but does let people come back after 5 days.  Knowing what I know, it bothers me on one hand.  But I honestly just have to accept it.  Because this is one of the only places doing anything at all.  Any place that is doing something runs the same way with the 5 days. 

Yeah, that’s what mostly happened here, too, though dance studios are one of the activities more likely to still require masks around here. The performing arts in general have been a lot more careful.

 

11 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

I agree.  However most places around us are do nothing at all.  No masks.  No notifications.  Nothing.    This is better than nothing

Yeah, I hear you. I definitely worry what’s going to happen if one of these upcoming variants swings back to being worse than the original. With precautions as lax as they are, I’m concerned even what BA5 will do, much less something worse. We’re already seeing hospitalizations upswinging. Ugh, this thing is neverending. 

[KSera]

We have several of these threads going on here right now, but I will drop this article here on the testing, because it’s pretty straightforward from PBS and there’s clearly a lot of confusion about rapid tests versus PCR tests and contagiousness:

If you test positive on a rapid COVID test, don’t stop isolating just yet, virologists say

[mommyoffive]

3 minutes ago, KSera said:

Yeah, that’s what mostly happened here, too, though dance studios are one of the activities more likely to still require masks around here. The performing arts in general have been a lot more careful.

 

Yeah, I hear you. I definitely worry what’s going to happen if one of these upcoming variants swings back to being worse than the original. With precautions as lax as they are, I’m concerned even what BA5 will do, much less something worse. We’re already seeing hospitalizations upswinging. Ugh, this thing is neverending. 

Around us some where until after the first Omi wave.  It swept through shows and pros even with all the rules.  So I think they just stopped.  Others stopped in 2020.  My kids are at have been at dance intensives for the past 5 weeks and every week there are covid notifications every week.  I am just thankful for the little bit of protocols that places have kept even in they are not perfect.

[HSmomof2]

I agree with other pp’s, #1 should be fine if  you wear a mask, and it’s just a pick up/drop off. #2–I’d skip gymnastics for now. #3–I would wait until at least 14 days after the last person’s symptom onset and would test first before seeing anyone high risk. 

[Elizabeth86]

6 minutes ago, HSmomof2 said:

I agree with other pp’s, #1 should be fine if  you wear a mask, and it’s just a pick up/drop off. #2–I’d skip gymnastics for now. #3–I would wait until at least 14 days after the last person’s symptom onset and would test first before seeing anyone high risk. 

Thanks. I was thinking 14 days might make me feel safe with my family. 

[Ting Tang]

2 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

My positive test was Monday the 11th and my symptoms and the symptoms of 3 of my children started that same day. Tuesday was the day my 4th child started showing symptoms. I have 3 specific events I’m asking about. 

Will it be ok to go to:

1. My pup’s spay appointment next Thursday. It will be a quick pick up and drop off with a mask.

2 Trying to figure out if we can do gymnastics class on Wednesday. 
 

3. I want to figure out the most careful and cautious date to visit with my parents again. They are high risk, so I’ll go as long as I need to be 💯 sure they stay healthy. I’m just not sure what that safe time frame should be.

Your vet may be able to retrieve your pet outside from a vehicle or carrier outside.  As for gymnastics, that is a close contact activity. I’d probably be upset because it’s not a necessity (sorry, it’s not— my daughter is doing a summer class and we mask to be cautious). I’d give it another week if possible—even if it’s allowed. Your parents—- I’d wait a bit until everyone is negative for a bit. Someone just shared people can be contagious beyond the standard timeframe. Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to things that aren’t critical imho. Thanks for being considerate! 

[Ausmumof3]

Spay should be fine. I would RAT test. Gymnastics would be a no for me due to the nature of the activity. I would wait two weeks for the at risk parents and RAT test in the two days before.  We did that with ours and only saw them outdoors but that said we hadn’t all had it so in a sense that’s higher risk because someone might be about to test positive.

Edited July 15, 2022 by Ausmumof3

[Elizabeth86]

7 hours ago, Ting Tang said:

Your vet may be able to retrieve your pet outside from a vehicle or carrier outside.  As for gymnastics, that is a close contact activity. I’d probably be upset because it’s not a necessity (sorry, it’s not— my daughter is doing a summer class and we mask to be cautious). I’d give it another week if possible—even if it’s allowed. Your parents—- I’d wait a bit until everyone is negative for a bit. Someone just shared people can be contagious beyond the standard timeframe. Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to things that aren’t critical imho. Thanks for being considerate! 

I totally know it’s not necessary and am 💯 ok on skipping. I just wanted to be sure.

[Ting Tang]

4 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I totally know it’s not necessary and am 💯 ok on skipping. I just wanted to be sure.

I think the guidelines were amended to help prevent even more slowing on the economy.   When you do return, I would let others know why so that they will also think twice about potentially exposing others unnecessarily.  I know this all sucks.  😞  I wish we were not all having to deal with this.  I hope your family is all on the mend soon!