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Strap in folks... here's the story of me, the boy, COVID and the never-ending quarantine.
On Thursday Jan. 7 we find out the boy had a prolonged exposure, on January 6, to someone at his school who tested positive. He needed a COVID test to be admitted back.
I had limited exposure to this person as well, but not enough to trigger a test requirement.
I had limited exposure to this person as well, but not enough to trigger a test requirement.
Because of the incubation period, the earliest the boy could get tested was Tuesday the 12th.
On Friday the 8th, the boy and I feel a little under the weather, but not symptoms you'd normally associate with COVID. Mostly stomachaches for him.
On Friday the 8th, the boy and I feel a little under the weather, but not symptoms you'd normally associate with COVID. Mostly stomachaches for him.
I book the first possible test on the 12th. I get him tested (because of his exposure) and I get myself tested as a precaution. My symptoms are fatigue and chest pain, but I still have my sense of smell, so I figure I'll test negative.
And we get our test results on the 13th. To our complete surprise, he tests negative and I test positive. The exact opposite of what we were expecting.
But he's still not 100% and we're told that false negatives are common in small kids (because they don't swab kids for very long).
Since someone has to look after him, I decide to treat him as testing positive as well. So we quarantine together.
Since someone has to look after him, I decide to treat him as testing positive as well. So we quarantine together.
On the 13th, in an act of due diligence, inform Public Health of our joint quarantine plan. At no time do they inform me that this would delay his return to school.
We're told to quarantine until "at least the 18th" and then we'd take it from there.
We're told to quarantine until "at least the 18th" and then we'd take it from there.
By about the 15th, the boy seems 100% better. I'm still tired and my chest hurts, but I'm improving.
It was a LONG quarantine. To prevent my wife and daughter being exposed, the boy and I isolate ourselves in a 9x13ft bedroom.
Ever try doing that for a week with a 5-year-old who is perpetual motion? Not fun.
Ever try doing that for a week with a 5-year-old who is perpetual motion? Not fun.
The 18th passes, I get a call from Public Health as a check-in. I keep getting a bunch of contradictory dates and information. I keep asking them to clarify, but it's a mess.
One thing they tell me: The boy has to wait 14 days because of his exposure to me *OR* get a neg test.
One thing they tell me: The boy has to wait 14 days because of his exposure to me *OR* get a neg test.
On the 20th, I take him to get tested again. We get the results back the early afternoon on the 21st. He tests negative and has no symptoms.
At this point, we figure he's good to go back to school, but in *another* act of due diligence, @StandingHannah calls his school.
Their response: "He's good to go - we look forward to seeing him!"
Their response: "He's good to go - we look forward to seeing him!"
We take him to school today (Friday was a PD day). Pull up, and we see his principal. She looks ashen.
Says: "I don't know what happened. He got added to the Do Not Admit list at 9am this morning. He wasn't on it last week! He can't come until the 2nd."
Says: "I don't know what happened. He got added to the Do Not Admit list at 9am this morning. He wasn't on it last week! He can't come until the 2nd."
It turns out that even a negative test doesn't change the clock. So we got him tested for absolutely nothing. Bad advice from Public Health.
And we still have no idea why he *wasn't* on the "Do Not Admit" list until today.
And we still have no idea why he *wasn't* on the "Do Not Admit" list until today.
In summary: My wife and I both have Ph.Ds. We've both worked in government. We both did due diligence on this. And we still can't navigate this system.
Things are completely and utterly borked. THE END.
Things are completely and utterly borked. THE END.
