What do you do if your family goes down with COVID

When my daughter, who lives alone, had the virus quite badly, I rang frequently on FaceTime (so I could see how she was) and dropped shopping at the front door. Had I felt she needed medical help I would have rung an ambulance. It’s very hard but you have to remember that for most young people this isn’t as serious as it would be for us! Good luck

It’s not a question of the OP not knowing the rules but rather the degree to which common humanity should be exercised. In the circumstances described we need to make our own risk based decision about the right thing to do.

Neither has Tonucha

phloembundle I often think that the OPs know the answer to their questions, they just hope that others will encourage them to break or circumvent the rules . In this case I think that as long as the child is ok, then the OP should stay away.

I’ve just read the health problems that Kate Garraways husband has ( should he recover) it goes on to say what problems are caused by patients being Intubated, it makes for very scary reading and I would urge anyone who can to please stay away from anyone who has this virus.

Stay home, stay safe

Common humanity doesn't save lives.

It's not about respecting rules its about reducing this vile virus. Providing they as a family can take care of baby and are not too unwell You should not put yourself and others at risk and neither should they, otherwise where will it stop? Lots of other ways to show you care. I wish them a speedy recovery and to you a wee hug. Its really hard when instinct says go help but it really, in the long run, could cause far worse problems. Take care.

I'm a retired nurse with friends working on the front line. Maybe OP should ask a nurse working in ICU if she should exercise common humanity. I'm sure they won't mind an extra patient or two.

This time last week, my GD (4 1/2 was unwell), +test for
Covid. So far, so good. She was back to normal 2 days later. Her brother (almost 2)
absolutely fine.

Obviously I was concerned foe DS/DIL yet a week later they have no symptoms.

I don't live near them but if I did, I would have done was a daily food drop, took the washing home but would not have placed myself at risk. My DS wouldn't expect me to move IN! I'm not in their bubble.

So I think it's best to be supportive in ways which wouldn't endanger oneself.

I hope they all recover soon?

This is something I have thought about as my DD1 is a single parent. Who would take the child if she was hospitalised with covid?
We couldn't as I have lung disease, her brother has a child with chronic asthma so couldn't help either. It's an ongoing worry but thankfully she's fit and well atm

You keep your distance or you may well be taking up a valuable hospital bed yourself

It depends what you mean by support? Buying/preparing food and leaving on the doorstep is fine, but going into their house is not. Yes, you should absolutely respect the rules for your own and everyone else's sake. The rules are there for very good reason, it's hard, but we all want this to be over.

This recently happened to us. Both parents with Covid and an 18 month old to look after. My instinct was to step in and help, but I was banned by my other adult 'children'
I kept in touch online and by phone and delivered shopping, collected prescriptions, made meals etc
Between them they managed. But had they been hospitalised, I would have taken the risk for the baby.
Just take it hour by hour. They should do ok. ❤️

I would support remotely. Get medication , shopping , take meals around etc.

phloembundle, not a response that is required when someone is obviously feeling anxious and reaching out for a helping hand. My little toddler grandaughter's results have just come back positive. They think she may have caught it at nursery. My daughter is a teacher, her partner is furloughed after a brain cancer operation. We were all stressed and worried as the little one coughed and whimpered. Yesterday was a corner turned. Fingers crossed her parents are fine. These are stressful times, made worse, sometimes by unneeded and, sometimes. unkind remarks.

A friend of mine had to move into her elderly parents home as her mum tested positive and the carers were no longer able to go in. She caught it from a carer. Luckily old lady survived and my friend and her sister didn’t catch it. They were very careful with masks and everything else. Fast forward three weeks and her poor dad tested positive, again carers who he caught it from stopped visiting so she moved in again. Amazingly he has also survived and again she and her sisters appear to have not caught it. I think if someone really has to go in to support the old or the very young, they just need to be very careful for their own safety.

Myself, my partner and his father and some of our friendship groups have all had Covid. We all had it very differently - there really isn’t an absolute path for this horrid disease and even if you are not particularly in a vulnerable category you can die from it. We were amazed how well his 94 year olds father has coped with it but yet my partner was very ill - he’s only 53. I would agree with other posters - do what you can from a distance - deliveries of food, shopping etc but don’t have direct contact. Even if you think you’ll be fine you may not. Yes, if they both end up being in hospital and the baby needs caring for them yes, but you shouldn’t otherwise. This disease does knock you for six - it is extremely tiring and debilitating even when you only have it mildly - day 6 and 7 were the worst for me but still you have to manage. Please don’t put yourself at risk.

My friend emailed me today to say that she and her husband caught Covid in Austria on a skiing holiday a year ago. Their friends who are German and who spent the holiday with them were tested and were positive but at that time in England apparently tests were only being done on people before they went into hospital. My friend and her husband developed long covid and have been ill for six months. They coped by one of them staying up with their three large dogs while the other went to bed and then swapping over. Their daughter did their shopping and left it on the drive every two weeks. thankfully they are both getting better now.

If both adults are incapacitated to such an extend they can't care for the baby then you could step up. Preferably taking the baby from their home with as little contact with the parents as possible. Or if they can still function support them with doing shopping, collecting washing. Do hope they are on the mend.

My DD, her DH and all 3 children had it just before Christmas. They are longstanding Ocado customers so shopping wasn't a problem but I kept in touch daily. My DD would not have allowed me or her DF to visit unless it had been an emergency.

I think others have already made sensible suggestions but hopefully your DS and DIL are young enough to only get it mildly whereas you, being older, may get it severely and even die from it. How would they feel if they had to live with that?
Doctor on TV last night said that it was only after he had phoned a family to tell them their elderly mother had died that the penny dropped it had been caused by her going round for Christmas lunch.

I don't think i could obey the rules if there was a baby involved. I know it would be risly . I would hole myself up with the family.
Reminds me of a story my Mum told me of when i was a few months old in 1957and there was the " Asian" Flu pandemic .
My parents " lived in" with my grandparents and aunt. All were completely struck down. No one to even pick me up and feed me .
A neighbour ran in amd grabbed me , taking me to her own home until someone recovered enough to collect me and take me home!

Do what you think is best and safe for all. I think though if you did go and if it were me, I would have to stay there until the isolation period is over so as not to pass it on to anyone else, and then isolate when you get home.

Tonucha, you are allowed to help for medical reasons, but it is up to you if you want to take the risk.

Personally, I would step in and help, with as much PPE etc as possible.

I have always gone to the rescue when my daughters and young families are ill, although avoided the sicky bugs whenever possible.
Covid is different, and they would be horrified if I put myself in danger.
DD2 is a single parent and was very ill with Covid in March before lockdown. It was a nightmare for me as I talked through the window. I did her shopping and left it on doorstep, scoured the town for paracetamol as the panic buyers had struck.
Couldn't even be there when paramedic came.
My 13yr old GS was also poorly, but the 11yr old GD looked after them both as no symptoms.
You really must stay away. Your family will manage without you, but not if you die from Covid

Phloembundle

I'm a retired nurse with friends working on the front line. Maybe OP should ask a nurse working in ICU if she should exercise common humanity. I'm sure they won't mind an extra patient or two.

I'm glad you're retired, because with as much empathy as you've shown on this thread, I wouldn't want anyone to suffer being your patient.