Quarantine Life

Matthew Garcia2 said:Honestly, it makes more sense to just lay low for a few days if you have the option. Usually, symptoms start showing up within a five-day window.
If you've got any intel.
Nobody is going to call you, even if someone did report the contact.

I’m definitely not being dramatic here—between work, hitting the gym, and everything else, we stay separated at my job and wear masks whenever we're walking through the halls. And at the gym? I usually go by myself or with just a couple of people, so there’s plenty of space to spread out.
A buddy of mine was actually around his brother and sister-in-law for quite a while recently, and he didn't end up catching anything at all.
I already had to take two weeks off once before because of total paranoia, and it turned out to be for nothing—apparently, a woman from Austria had broken some rules, and back then, they just automatically assumed everyone coming from abroad was positive. That was like, a year ago.

we shook hands like everything was fine though

That's pretty much it. Probably won't be an issue. 👍

best,

Does anyone actually have the lowdown on whether you’re forced into isolation if someone in your house tests positive, even if you're vaccinated?

Here's the deal: my mom just tested positive, and my dad got his second shot back in mid-March.

I actually caught it myself about ten days ago. When I reported my contact, I listed my dad, and they told me he didn't need to isolate.
I don't live with them, though.
I'm just wondering if the rules shift once you're officially part of the same household.

Mom doesn't need to quarantine.
Unless she actually starts feeling sick, then she can head out for a test.

mellownomad7 said:

we shook hands like everything was fine though

That's pretty much it. Probably won't be an issue. 👍

best,

Nothing happened... at least, I don't think so.
On Tuesday, I kind of felt like something was brewing—you know that feeling?—but nothing specific actually went down. After my workout, I actually felt better, even though I was more wiped out than usual, and by Wednesday, I felt like a brand new person!

Quick question for you guys—my husband tested positive, so we’ve been stuck in isolation. He spends about 90% of his time holed up in his own space, mostly sleeping or eating separately, but we still have to share a bathroom... and of course, he occasionally wanders out of his room to grab something if we haven't brought him what he needs.
Our isolation period wraps up tomorrow. Me and the kids haven't shown any symptoms so far.
But today, I accidentally had some tea from his room... it’s currently day ten since his symptoms first showed up.
What are the actual odds that I’ve caught it?

Hello everyone, I was wondering if anyone might be able to shed some light on whether I actually need to go into quarantine if I’ve been in close contact with a colleague from work who just tested positive, especially considering I already dealt with COVID back at the beginning of December.

No need to worry... once you test positive for COVID, you're off the hook for isolation for six months.
Obviously, if you start feeling crappy, go get tested.

Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly! 👍

I’d love to hear what you all think about this:
So, I was over at my mom's place for lunch this past weekend. On Sunday, she mentioned feeling a bit run down and said she had a slight fever, maybe around 98.6°F. We didn't have much physical contact over those two days, but I decided it would be best to just self-isolate for a few days once I got back home, just until she can get tested. Talking to her and my brother who lives there, though... it seems they aren't planning on being super strict about isolating. They have a dog that needs walks, so they want to head out... On Monday, Mom called her doctor, and the advice was basically to just wait a few more days and see if symptoms get worse, but the doctor didn't actually recommend isolation. So, my question is really:
Do you think the doctor was being reckless here? And is this something that should be reported? Looking at how this specific situation went down, it feels like if a lot of people don't take potential illnesses seriously enough, it puts everyone else at risk. Not to mention my own family... they're avoiding crowds, sure, but they're still potentially spreading things... Honestly, I'm just feeling pretty frustrated and worried...

I don't really see how the doctor acted carelessly here.
As for his mother—if she’s playing by the rules (social distancing, wearing a mask, staying hygienic, etc.), then walking her dog isn't putting anyone at risk. I honestly think she's being responsible since she reached out to the physician herself; I don't believe she poses any kind of threat.

Edward Cox said:I’d love to hear what you all think about this:
So, I was over at my mom's place for lunch this past weekend. On Sunday, she mentioned feeling a bit run down and said she had a slight fever, maybe around 98.6°F. We didn't have much physical contact over those two days, but I decided it would be best to just self-isolate for a few days once I got back home, just until she can get tested. Talking to her and my brother who lives there, though... it seems they aren't planning on being super strict about isolating. They have a dog that needs walks, so they want to head out... On Monday, Mom called her doctor, and the advice was basically to just wait a few more days and see if symptoms get worse, but the doctor didn't actually recommend isolation. So, my question is really:
Do you think the doctor was being reckless here? And is this something that should be reported? Looking at how this specific situation went down, it feels like if a lot of people don't take potential illnesses seriously enough, it puts everyone else at risk. Not to mention my own family... they're avoiding crowds, sure, but they're still potentially spreading things... Honestly, I'm just feeling pretty frustrated and worried...

The doctor is the one who determines if testing is necessary, not a family member.
And you can still walk your dog while in isolation. An epidemiologist told a colleague of mine that. You just put on a mask and head out for a few minutes to somewhere where there aren't any people around.

Sent from my PRA-LX1 using Reddit

Hi there, I’m really looking for some insight from anyone who has dealt with COVID before.

So, my partner started showing flu-like symptoms this past Friday—fever of 100.4, headaches, a mild cough, and those typical aches in the muscles and joints. Honestly, we didn't even think it was COVID at first; we just assumed it was a standard seasonal virus because we had no idea he’d been in contact with someone who tested positive, and he wasn't showing any of those "classic" signs—you know, loss of smell or that specific lower back pain... Anyway, by Sunday afternoon, we found out he *had* actually been exposed to a positive case. Once we realized that, we immediately tried to isolate ourselves as much as possible within our apartment—our only real "contact" is sharing the bathroom, so we make sure to leave at least an hour between uses, disinfect everything thoroughly, and wear masks. But prior to that realization, we were just living normally—sleeping in the same bed, eating together, being close as a couple. He tested positive on Monday, and I took a PCR test yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, which came back negative. If it's true that a person is contagious about 48 hours before symptoms show up, then I was definitely exposed from Wednesday through Sunday—and since he was coughing from Friday through Sunday even while we were trying to stay apart (staying about 20 inches away), I guess I could go lick door handles in some random suburb just to increase my exposure levels. My isolation period is set for the same duration as his—10 days starting from Friday when his symptoms began. How likely is it that I tested "too early" and this is just a false negative? Like, is it possible I'll develop symptoms or turn positive later on? For him, it only took three days from exposure to the first symptom. If I retake the test on Monday—which is my last day of isolation—and it's still negative, am I actually in the clear? Or is it possible I could catch it tomorrow or the day after (even though we're isolating now) and then suddenly develop symptoms ten days after my current isolation ends? I realize that theoretically anything can happen—there are no hard rules with this stuff—but realistically, how probable is that? This is incredibly important to me because I have an elderly, seriously ill family member I need to care for as soon as my isolation is over, and caring for them involves very close contact (which is why I'm absolutely insisting on testing one more time).

Thanks so much in advance.

Edward Cox said:I’d love to hear what you all think about this:
So, I was over at my mom's place for lunch this past weekend. On Sunday, she mentioned feeling a bit run down and said she had a slight fever, maybe around 98.6°F. We didn't have much physical contact over those two days, but I decided it would be best to just self-isolate for a few days once I got back home, just until she can get tested. Talking to her and my brother who lives there, though... it seems they aren't planning on being super strict about isolating. They have a dog that needs walks, so they want to head out... On Monday, Mom called her doctor, and the advice was basically to just wait a few more days and see if symptoms get worse, but the doctor didn't actually recommend isolation. So, my question is really:
Do you think the doctor was being reckless here? And is this something that should be reported? Looking at how this specific situation went down, it feels like if a lot of people don't take potential illnesses seriously enough, it puts everyone else at risk. Not to mention my own family... they're avoiding crowds, sure, but they're still potentially spreading things... Honestly, I'm just feeling pretty frustrated and worried...

Just wanted to follow up on my last post:
Mom tested positive this morning. She feels fine, which is the main thing. I'm not a pessimist, but the scenario I was dreading just played out. It's honestly no surprise there are so many cases when medical professionals are handing out Mickey Mouse diagnoses. Meanwhile, my brother is going around to job interviews like nothing even happened. So... what can you say.

My kid is in isolation right now and heads in for testing this Monday.
If he tests positive, does that mean I get his 10 days of isolation plus another 10 days for myself? Does the same rule apply to my husband and our other child?

So, officially speaking, if you don't strictly isolate yourself from the child, you’re looking at an immediate quarantine the moment they test positive; and even once they’ve finished their own period, you’ll still have to pull yourself into self-isolation for another ten days.

But off the record? It really just comes down to how much leeway the local health official calling you decides to give you.

Susan Martin4 said:My kid is in isolation right now and heads in for testing this Monday.
If he tests positive, does that mean I get his 10 days of isolation plus another 10 days for myself? Does the same rule apply to my husband and our other child?

Wait, why is he even getting tested? Is he actually showing symptoms?
If he’s positive, his isolation starts 10 days from when the symptoms first showed up. If there aren't any symptoms, then it's 10 days starting from the test date.
As for everyone else in the house, the isolation period kicks in from his first day of symptoms, and if you don't end up developing symptoms yourselves, you have to extend that by another 10 days. That’s how the official rules work, though from what I hear, people in practice do things differently...

He was dealing with some nausea and diarrhea, so the pediatrician wants us to double-check everything before he heads back to preschool. Things have been looking up regarding those symptoms, though.
It’s been seven days since his last encounter with a kid who actually tested positive.

I reckon those first 10 days after
having the kid are basically just one long isolation period.

Just so you know, that isolation period actually stretches on for another ten days once the kid's quarantine is officially over.