COVID Dilema

[brooklynite]

I had dinner Saturday night with a friend who has now tested positive for COVID and has symptoms. Fortunately I have done an at home test (negative) and will do another tomorrow. IF I turn out to be infected, I am staying with my MIL in a Senior living center, and got here on a full plane for a six hour flight…

[drray23]

1. Good luck.

omicron is taking the country by fire. Quite a few people both well known ( warren, booker, etc..) and some of us here on DU recently tested positive. I too found out Sunday via a home test.
i wonder if it’s possible to isolate in an hotel room when you are COVID positive or you are stuck at the senior center ?

[lapucelle]

2. Quarantine and get advice from a medical professional on prudent next steps.

(Next steps will probably be contingent on whether you are vaxxed and boosted.)

Good luck. Hope everything turns out OK

[Wicked Blue]

3. Stay well!

Sending you healthy vibes

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[LoisB]

4. Hope all goes well.

[Meowmee]

5. Did I understand correctly you are in a senior center?

You need to be isolating in a hotel or elsewhere right now for 10- 14 days. Your test is too soon to see if you have it. Let the airline know as well that you were exposed if they even care. Please don’t expose those seniors to covid. If you get symptoms seek treatment asap. Hope ur ok.

[Tomconroy]

6. The CDC says fully vaccinated people don't need to

isolate but should wear a mask if they haven't tested positive, I believe. If positive then isolate, but common sense sort of says don't stay at the senior center.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fif-you-are-sick%2Fquarantine.html#anchor_1633109423704

[femmedem]

7. If you stay there and then test positive, it will be too late.

I've read (sorry, can't remember where but it was somewhere reputable, not quacks-r-us.com) that at the moment you test negative with a home test, you're probably not contagious yet even if you have contracted it, but with omicron that could change in as few as six hours.

I would quarantine for a few days away from your MIL, and be comforted knowing that it's highly unlikely you would have been contagious during your flight. Maybe visit with her in the mornings shortly after your test and perhaps even test twice a day so you can more safely spend more time with her.

Edited to add: and what a miserable situation. I'm sorry you're going through this.

[brooklynite]

8. UPDATE: Two at home tests came up negative

Did a PCR test today to be sure

[Ms. Toad]

10. Good!

When do the results come in? (I'd still quaratine or mask using an N95 or equivalent until the results come back)

[Ms. Toad]

9. I'd move to a hotel.

With delta you're at about the right stage for peak infection from a Saturday exposure.

As infectious as Omicron is, I would not risk exposing MIL (further). Move to a hotel. If you can get to an urgent care center for testing, they may be able to get the more reliable PCR test back more quickly so the trip isn't a total loss. When I had to be tested multiple times prior to surgery last year, the results from an urgent care center came back in roughly 24 hours - as opposed to the 48 - 72 hours via a pharmacy test.

If you can't move to a hotel, get a KN95 mask or equivalent. Wear it 24/7. eat all meals away from the center (get take-out and eat in your car, if you have to). You may be able to find 3M masks via a hardware store - that's the only place I found where they were in stock. They are ugly as all get-out, but they are effective and generally readily available.

Depending on when you flew, relative to Saturday, they may be safe. When my spouse does stupid things, I don't start sleeping separately until the 3rd night (up to 48 hours), since that's about the soonest for infection. (That may not hold for Omicron.)

We're doing a food and gift hand-off on our front steps tomorrow. Pretty sure I don't have COVID by now (low-grade fever, cough, runny nose, scratchy throat - but 3 negative antigen tests). But my parents are 90, so we've delayed getting together for Christmas because I clearly have something infectious and it isn't worth risking it. And I had to cancel my 3-month/1-year sarcoma follow-up today. I hate COVID.