Should my wife be Self Isolating too?

[banes86]

So I've been trying to keep up with the latest advice and recommendations from the Government regarding Covid19 but I haven't seen anything concrete on the below.

I'm 34, type 1 and have asthma too. My wife is a teacher and has no underlying health conditions (though used to have asthma when she was younger - though within the last 10 years)

She has been self isolating with me since Tuesday 17th and we thought I was in the clear when the school closures were announced but since the government introduced the caveats that some kids would still attend school she has received an email from work to state that she will be working one day a week from the week after next.

Is there any official advice yet to state that people living in the same household as a vulnerable person should also be self isolating for 12 weeks to protect the vulnerable person?

If not yet, do we think it will come?

Just curious if anyone else is in this position at all?

 

[Thebearcametoo]

The advice I’ve seen is about trying to separate within the house so the non self isolating person can still be out in the community. It’s a difficult balance (especially if you don’t have spare bedrooms). I think you can only do what you can do. Unless all schools close there will be a need for staff to be in some of the time. I hope you both manage to stay well.

 

[Tee G]

Hi and welcome @banes86. Being diabetic, in itself, to my understanding , doesnt require isolation at this time. Rather more that we are being encouraged to 'distance' ourselves. (Those people with more serious conditions like cancer, transplants etc are being written to by the NHS with further instructions) - I am like you, diabetic, asthma and have occasional bouts of high BP. And all I am doing is just being aware of my surroundings, I go out for my daily exercise when the streets are empty. Not going into crowded places, (i send hubby to the shops and errands) we are avoiding socialising. My hubby is fit and well & home with me 24/7. Hes careful when he returns home to wash hands, leave shoes at the front door etc etc.

I can understand you anxiety over your wife still going to work, albeit one day a week. I would suspect as long as you are both mindful of the guidelines (and i know they change frequently) about hand washing and being careful around cleanliness then you both should be ok. Its up to us, the individual to look after ourselves as best we can with the little information available to us. Common sense & mindfulness i guess.

I put a link here, if it helps :-

Updates: Coronavirus and diabetes

Coronavirus (Covid-19) and diabetes updates We've created this information for people living with diabetes and their families. We hope you find it useful and it answers some of your questions. We'll keep updating this page and you can find all our other coronavirus news stories in our News Hub.

www.diabetes.org.uk

 

[SueEK]

I work for the NHS, not clinical, and have been told to isolate. I have T2 well controlled but also heart disease, have no problems, I feel as fit as a flea, healthier than I have been in years, but after the GPs had a meeting (7 of them) was told I could no longer work for the foreseeable future. I was gutted and feel a complete fraud. However I am doing as I’m told. My husband works 3 days a week, is 69 and has immune thrombocytopenia but has been told he’s not high risk. I wash our clothes every day, also towels and tea towels and changing bedding much more frequently. We wash our hands frequently and clean surfaces regularly. I really don’t think there is much more we can do. My husband will be 70 in two weeks and I’ve told him he must then isolate but he is very reluctant to do it and I’m hoping the government will enforce over 70s to isolate.
If you and your wife are doing all you can I don’t think there is much else you can do. Things are changing so quickly though that they may bring in new regulations regarding isolating, who knows!!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It is very confusing isnt it @SueEK

As far as I understand it the advice for people with diabetes is still ‘social distancing’ not ‘isolation’ (though I heard a very confusing live press briefing on Monday which mentioned 12 weeks for anyone who gets the flu jab)... however the official written .gov advice hasn‘t changed

[Withdrawn] [Withdrawn] Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK

www.gov.uk

Which explicitly states ‘social distancing’ for PWD, and only compete isolation if you have had a transplant, are on chemo, have CF, are on dialysis etc.

Additionally the ADA suggests well managed diabetes does not in itself give much more risk than the general population.

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/coronavirus-covid19-information.85707/#post-959602

And yet many people are still under the impression, or being told, that isolation is appropriate for them.

I hope some clarity emerges soon!

 

[SueEK]

Thanks Mike, I did tell them at work about being well controlled and my coronary angiogram was 4 years ago, didn’t need a stent but because there was plaque in an artery they have labelled me as having coronary heart disease and I am assuming it is the combination of both that they decided to make me isolate. They did say that because it is a surgery they have to be seen to protecting what they class as high risk. I personally agree with you and don’t see why I can’t be at work.

 

[trophywench]

Distancing at home is rather hard when the home only has 4 rooms, one of each sort. The one bedroom has one bed. With 2 of using them all as and when.

We aren't going out unless we have to, I've got a prescription to pick up from the pharmacy but actually haven't been anywhere since one day last week! I'm already bored

 

[banes86]

Thank you so much for the replies so far guys and gals it really has put my mind at rest a bit.

I'm very lucky that I am able to work from home indefinitely with my job so I'm just hoping I'll manage to avoid the virus altogether.

Think the anxiety is just making me a little paranoid. By the sounds of it my wife will only have around 5 kids in her class when she does have to do her weekly shift.

Fingers crossed for everyone, hope we can all stay safe

 

[Lljohno]

So I've been trying to keep up with the latest advice and recommendations from the Government regarding Covid19 but I haven't seen anything concrete on the below.

I'm 34, type 1 and have asthma too. My wife is a teacher and has no underlying health conditions (though used to have asthma when she was younger - though within the last 10 years)

She has been self isolating with me since Tuesday 17th and we thought I was in the clear when the school closures were announced but since the government introduced the caveats that some kids would still attend school she has received an email from work to state that she will be working one day a week from the week after next.

Is there any official advice yet to state that people living in the same household as a vulnerable person should also be self isolating for 12 weeks to protect the vulnerable person?

If not yet, do we think it will come?

Just curious if anyone else is in this position at all?

Hi there,

We are in the same situation. My husband is T1 and is off work and pretty much isolating apart from walking the dog! I'm a teacher (with no underlying conditions). I've actually been off work for 3 weeks recovering from an op so I also thought I'd managed to avoid it when the announcement came but have now been sent a rota which requires me to work 2 days next week and then they will update us after Easter. I'm really anxious about going in and bringing the virus home. I'm thinking of telling my school that I'll do these two days but that's it. It's just not worth me putting my husband through it to be honest. I'm just going to be super careful next week and hope for the best xx