I've lost track of Covid protocols.

[sugarbear1]

DS1 has Covid. He started showing symptoms last night and tested positive today. He stayed home from school but DS2 and I went to school. I tested DS1 this afternoon when he spiked a low fever.

DS2 and I just carry on, right? We are symptom free and I will keep testing us, but unless we develop symptoms or test positive, we just stick to our normal schedule?

I will ask our respective schools but I assume 5 days from onset of symptoms (and symptom free) before a return to school?

[cjcouple]

Our school no longer has any other than your typical, no school with a fever, vomiting etc.

Both boys have been sent home from school once each this year and the nurse didn't even ask them to test.

[lilac05]

May 9, 2024 23:04:33 GMT -5 cjcouple said:

Our school no longer has any other than your typical, no school with a fever, vomiting etc.

Both boys have been sent home from school once each this year and the nurse didn't even ask them to test.

Same for our school. I even took one of mine to Urgent Cares with a sore throat & fever, and they didn’t even ask about Covid exposure, home testing, or test him for it. :/ (It was strep.)

Sorry to hear he’s sick right at the busiest time of the year. I hope everyone else stays healthy!

[expectantsteelerfan]

Yeah we have other people carry on as usual, but we do still try to isolate the positive person in our house/wear masks around them.

I was surprised that our school does still have a 5 days out policy and then wear a mask when returning for a few days unless they have 2 negative tests 2 days in a row.

[underwaterrhymes]

As long as you’re not testing positive, you and your non- ill kid are fine to go on as usual.

I fundamentally disagree with the idea that someone who is testing positive but doesn’t have a fever should be allowed to go to school or work. Anyone who tests positive should avoid others until they get a negative test.

[TR]

Timely. I just had a telehealth appointment yesterday about my Covid. School policies might differ, but apparently the CDC is saying 24 hours fever and symptom-free. Nothing about five days. I still plan to test before I stop masking around people (not leaving the house until Sunday Day 5 anyway) or go back into the office. Partly because I don’t wanna go back into the office partly because it just feels like the right thing to do.

[sugarbear1]

Thanks everyone. We had so many plans this weekend! His birthday, a baseball tournament, Mother's Day with my parents.

Fortunately he's not super sick and Monday will be day 5, so I'll test him Tuesday morning and keep my fingers crossed.

He is having fever dreams and was distraught last night so slept with me. He was so confused I couldn't talk him out of it. So my countdown begins.

[lilac05]

May 10, 2024 6:36:19 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

As long as you’re not testing positive, you and your non- ill kid are fine to go on as usual.

I fundamentally disagree with the idea that someone who is testing positive but doesn’t have a fever should be allowed to go to school or work. Anyone who tests positive should avoid others until they get a negative test.

I wish we had more current research on this. (Maybe we do, but we haven't had Covid in a long time, so I haven't looked recently.) I wonder if my strong belief in protocols are still based in good science, or if they've been found to be unnecessary at this point. Did the CDC change recommendations based on science or convenience? 

These are things I'll be looking into if/when we have another positive test in our home. 

But regardless of how I feel, school policy is school policy. And if you're sticking to different recommendations, it might be a fight to get absences excused.

[noodleoo]

May 10, 2024 7:50:17 GMT -5 sugarbear1 said:

Thanks everyone. We had so many plans this weekend! His birthday, a baseball tournament, Mother's Day with my parents.

Fortunately he's not super sick and Monday will be day 5, so I'll test him Tuesday morning and keep my fingers crossed.

He is having fever dreams and was distraught last night so slept with me. He was so confused I couldn't talk him out of it. So my countdown begins.

Aww poor kiddo. I hope he’s better soon.

If it helps, anecdote, DD1 had Covid this winter and we didn’t isolate/mask at home (we tried at first but she was really upset about it so we gave up). None of the rest of us got it. 🤞 that holds true for you too!

[tacokick]

This is a pretty good overview from March sesamecare.com/blog/how-long-are-you-contagious-with-covid-19#

[livinitup]

sugarbear1 Today, the school district posted in Parent Square that Covid protocols have been updated (+ Flu and RSV) (to be in line with CDC & DOH guidance) that says return to work & school when:

- Symptoms are improving overall, and
- Fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

I thought of you & your post. Hope everyone feels better soon or stays healthy.