As an SLE patient on methotrexate I’ve been self isolating for 4 days along with my husband and two teenage daughters.
I’m hearing conflicting information on self isolation. Is it suggested that ALL members of the household self isolate with me for the full 12 week duration or should they just have to be very careful and maintain social distance if they leave the house?
It’s proving challenging (already!) with my 16 year old daughter who wants to see her boyfriend but we’ve said no. I don’t want to do the wrong thing so any guidance would be most welcome! Thanks.
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Sin123
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In my US state and most others all Americans are being asked to self isolate if possible not just the elderly and ones with health issues. Healthy people are at risk too and are spreaders if not unwell.
Our kids are home from school and our towns sent letters stating this is not a snow day and to not go to parks, play dates and to shelter at home.
Graduations are likely canceled, bars,malls, resuarants( except takeout), theaters, and beaches are closed. Everyone sick or not needs to limit all exposure and start self isolating.
If your kids are not on board you should find a safe spot with family or friends that will shelter in place with you. We only leave my house for food pretty much and only that because delivery is two weeks out.
All the countries that controlled it either contained it, or everyone isolated. The countries that didn't are suffering tragedy. Anyone that can afford to isolate should. In my opinion.
Haha. I live in the states and if it’s anything like here, they won’t be isolated from each other for very long. Maybe a week. They may say they aren’t seeing each other, but I’d bet they are. Lol
Resilient teenagers almost feel they have to rebel against rules.
I watched a video that suggested making them more responsible for their actions other than just tell them no.
It suggested sitting them down and explaining what terrible consequences there might be if you caught the virus. Also throw in grandparents or her boyfriends family to make the point.
Ask her how she would feel now and in the future if she was responsible for those she cares for being infected and possibly worse.
Ask her how she would feel if you weren't there and she had to hold the family together.
With the right approach she will probably see things differently
Hi, sin123 I am also an SLE patient and I am on methotrexate. I have decided it would be best for my own health to isolate and me and my family are having the same issues as at least my mum will have to keep working to keep us stable (as my dad takes anti immune medication too).
Currently, we are just being very careful we are doing our best to stay at a distance from one another and we have all been washing our hands and my mum has even been wearing gloves while she’s at work (she is a post lady).
Both me and my dad called the doctors also the other day and they both said to isolate but it doesn’t have to be to the extreme as long as we are being socially aware.
I wish you and your family the best health during these difficult times.
Hi, I'm in the UK with SLE and on immunosupressants. My understanding is that only you have to self isolate for 12 weeks and your family to practice self distancing.
Hi I have UCTD and was due to start Azathioprine but have been advised not to because of the current situation. I am self isolating for 12 weeks but my partner and my daughter are both having to continue working (my daughter works at a nursery which is closing today but is staying on to take care of children of key workers as the government has stated and my partner is a post man and also works at a supermarket).
There is no option for them to work from home and we cannot manage without my partner's income. The only thing they can do is be as careful as possible, practise hygiene rules, social distancing and hope for the best. My daughter is 19 and she is still seeing her boyfriend at his house only as his family are all working from home but if we go into lockdown I have asked her to consider where she would want to stay.
It's such a difficult situation and I'm constantly having to make decisions with them because of my health and it makes me feel very guilty. My 14 year old son wanted to sleep at a friend's house yesterday and I had to say no because he lives with 4 people, 2 are still working in offices. He was very understanding but it breaks my heart to say no. He's gone from doing activities 6 days a week including football, athletics and the gym to nothing in the space of a week.
We've bought him some weights so he can do a workout at home and my partner will go for bike rides with him when he is not working and I will try and go for walks and teach him to cook (he was not impressed 🤣). He also has school work online and we can dig out the board games and jigsaw we never finished. I don't know what this is going to be like but we will do our best.
The official guidance on this from the Government was really insufficient and we've been asked this question a lot. I'm about to update our website article to cover it.
The best precaution would be for the whole household to self-isolate, otherwise someone having contact with others could bring the virus in with them.
We appreciate this can be difficult in some cases, especially for households who have 'key/essential workers'. Other options can include temporarily moving in with parents/grandparents/friends who are also self-isolating or trying to stick to separate rooms. If you have more than one bathroom it would be best not to share and do not share towels etc. Try to stay 2 meters apart from those not self-isolating if possible and carefully follow hand-washing protocols.
Self-isolation of the entire family is generally for when one member of the family has symptoms that could be Covid-19. But if one member if the family is, like you, at high risk, the rest of the family should be practising social distancing very consistently to protect that vulnerable person. If every family with one vulnerable member stayed at home altogether the system would collapse - my two daughters are vulnerable themselves but have no choice about staying at home, they are front-line NHS staff.
Since it is very likely that the boyfriend is still meeting with his mates it is really essential for you that your daughter and he restrict their communication to online because I really can't imagine that they would manage to keep a distance of at least 1m if left alone! If one of his mates has picked it up and they hang out together, he could pick it up. Young people are often so mildly affected that no symptoms are apparent but they are still infectious - and he would give it to her even more easily
I live in Italy - we are not supposed, by law, to meet with people outside our family circle unless we maintain at least 1m distance between us. And still it is spreading - because people ignore the rules. Over 50 thousand have been fined for transgressions - people just don't get it.
But if anyone wants to know why you should be staying away from other people, watch Stuart Ramsay's report on Sky News - I'd put the link up but it is not for those of a nervous disposition - although it should be compulsory viewing for anyone who dismisses Covid19 as "just another flu".
I’ve just watched the Sky video. For sure, that puts it all in perspective. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront of our attention. I hope your safe and well. x
I was just going to say that teenagers should check Italian news... my heart goes out to you PMRpro
La Republica posted yesterday pictures of Bergamo, there are so many corpses that they can no longer cope, 70 militar vehicles were transporting their dead to other cities for cremation.
I live in Mexico, with less than 50 cases in my city, but that gave me the sense of urgency to deal with this in a serious manner. ... we all need to play our part and protect others, this is not the moment to be selfish or to only consider immediate pleasure.
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