Why didn’t we test our girls after they were exposed to coronavirus? That’s a question I’ve fielded a time or two this month.
At the end of June, the girls had a direct exposure to COVID-19 during swim lessons. The three of us then self-quarantined for 14 days at home. This brings up the issue, which I’ve seen strangely debated on social media: If you have a direct exposure, you should absolutely self-isolate/quarantine for 14 days – no matter if you have symptoms or not.
My infectious disease doctor husband says so. So there. 😉
Then the next topic for discussion is: Do you get tested? That’s a trickier question to answer.
It isn’t a smart idea to get tested right after you are exposed to coronavirus because the virus may not have “set up shop” yet in your body in a detectable way. Some experts say do not get tested until five days after exposure at the VERY least; we are more in the camp of day 11. Even if you are asymptomatic, day 11 should show some virus.
We decided not to test our COVID-exposed kids for these reasons:
- The rate of transmission in this incident was super low – like way low. The girls were outside in 90+ degree weather, in a chlorinated pool, the (unknowingly) infected swim instructor wore a mask the entire time, he barely touched the girls, and the girls were with him for less than 20 minutes. I was present but never came within six feet of the teacher. However, I quarantined anyway with the girls in case one of them was sick.
- The girls never showed any symptoms – and I watched closely. While studies are still inconclusive because there haven’t been enough children tracked (thanks to school closures and summer), the current idea is that fewer kids are asymptomatic than adults. Because Louisa has chronic asthma, statistically she would likely be symptomatic.
- Because Louisa has chronic asthma, we are SUPER CAREFUL about where she goes. An urgent care or testing site is the LAST place I want her.
- The girls don’t go anywhere. No camp. No daycare. No school. No play dates. And no more swim lessons. So, we didn’t need to check because we are all they’ve got right now. Again, because Louisa’s asthma, we are strict about interacting with other people.
- And guess what? We followed the Center for Disease Contol and Prevention’s guidelines to a T.
If either of the girls showed ANY symptoms or the COVID-19 exposure had been riskier, then we totally would’ve tested both girls in a heartbeat.
Add this to the list as another parenting decision I thought I’d never make in this strange year.
