https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:13:28 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925222 Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:03:19 +0000 lady baltimore 2925222@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: It seems that LO was considered a false positive. We got her negative PCR results on Tuesday evening, and from what I gather, many of her classmates were back in school on Wednesday (her teacher had set up a Google Meet for the end of that day, but cancelled it because most of the kids were back). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925219 Mon, 18 Oct 2021 10:30:57 +0000 PinkElephant 2925219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lady baltimore: So with the negative PCR, was your daughter's case treated as a false positive, or recovered? I'm primarily curious if your daughter's "close contacts" who were excluded from school due to exposure to her (false) positive were also allowed to come back? Or did they have to sit out their quarantine period anyway because the school considered the negative PCR proof of recovery? There is a lot of uproar where I am because it seems the close contacts are being treated much more harshly in terms of quarantine than the children who were the actual "patient zero", so I'd love to know how another school handled it!</p> <p>I'm so glad you daughter was cleared, and echo that you weren't doing anything wrong, so no need to feel guilty. It could happen to anyone! The only cases I've seen parents getting really mad around here (and rightly so) were ones where people were blatantly disregarding the rules, like returning to school right after an international trip and no testing, or sending a kid with multiple symptoms and a pending test (!!!) in to class. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925211 Fri, 15 Oct 2021 23:34:43 +0000 Grace 2925211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lady baltimore: I guess that just shows the difference in communities/countries approach to handling covid. My city’s hospitals cannot support high numbers of covid cases and so we have to place tighter controls on potential covid spread. Here, you can have your kid in school or daycare with one of the less common symptoms like headache, or runny nose, but not with sore throat, cough or fever. My kids had more sick days than usual, but actually not as many as you’d think. Because everyone was so strict about staying home when sick, my kids were the healthiest they’ve ever been, lol. And we were able to have in-person learning for most of the year. Anyways, I think my point still stands. If your school’s or community’s policy was such that you need two symptoms before the child is sent home, then you would have done nothing wrong and you would have had nothing to feel guilty for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925208 Fri, 15 Oct 2021 20:36:08 +0000 lady baltimore 2925208@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: I'm not inclined to blame the school. I don't know the system's protocol specifically, but at LO's preschool last year, COVID testing/exclusion/etc. weren't triggered until a child showed two potential symptoms. If the nurse sent my 5-year-old home every time she complained of a mild sore throat, I'd be getting a call from the truant officer. Plus, it wouldn't have changed much, as her close contacts from all day Thursday and Friday were excluded from school (as far as I can tell). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925203 Thu, 14 Oct 2021 21:49:36 +0000 Grace 2925203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lady baltimore: well that’s stressful. When I was reading the thread, I was going to tell you not to feel one tiny bit guilty. Your LO went to the nurse complaining of a SORE THROAT. One of the top Covid symptoms and she was sent BACK to class. You weren’t there and didn’t make the call. At my kid’s school, if a kid has a sore throat, they are immediately isolated and parents are called to pick them up. If your school has such poor covid containment protocols, then an outbreak at the school is on them, not you. I’m glad it’s worked out though, and you don’t have to worry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925197 Wed, 13 Oct 2021 20:25:45 +0000 lady baltimore 2925197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all for the reassurance! I know it all logically, but it was hard not to spiral, especially with all of the stress and moving pieces.</p> <p>Plot twist: last night, LO's PCR test came back negative! So she is cleared to go back to school (we kept her home today just to knock out the last of her cold symptoms), and this whole thing was a false alarm. It's a relief, but was still a massive headache for a little while there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925191 Tue, 12 Oct 2021 08:49:38 +0000 MrsSCB 2925191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with the others, I’m sure I’d feel the same as you but please try to not feel bad! It sounds like you’ve done what you can, but the reality is that at this point we probably all have been or will be exposed. Totally get your frustration about being so close to the vaccine, my older kid is the same age as yours. I’m glad she’s not feeling too bad at least. </p> <p>If it’s any comfort, among the small number of cases at my kids’ schools, very few seemed to have caused in-school transmission. The affected classes quarantine, but most of the time there aren’t additional cases in the classroom. So hopefully that’s the case for you!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925190 Tue, 12 Oct 2021 08:36:55 +0000 bhbee 2925190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don’t feel bad, I know several pretty careful families who have still gotten it - just life these days! And yes let’s get those vaccines ASAP! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925189 Tue, 12 Oct 2021 08:26:03 +0000 nwm 2925189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I completely understand why you feel bad, but try not to!! COVID has spread far and wide and there is only so much you can do with individual decisionmaking to control it. My kids had to quarantine a couple of times last year and we were generally aware of who "patient zero" likely was (not that the school told us, but we knew from speaking to other parents including the parents of patient zero), and we never held it against them! It is what it is. Hope LO is feeling better soon.</p> <p>Also I feel you on the vaccine. They have been "right around the corner" for months now!!! They cannot come soon enough!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925186 Mon, 11 Oct 2021 22:13:33 +0000 Mama Bird 2925186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh, I'm sorry! Glad she's not feeling too bad. Hopefully no one else will catch it. My older two had several kids in their classes get covid last year (and already one case in DD's class this year) and they didn't give it to any of their classmates. The quarantine is unfortunate of course 😕 but that's life right now... I think our school doesn't quarantine everyone any more, but these things keep changing so I'm not totally sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-your-kid-is-patient-zero#post-2925182 Mon, 11 Oct 2021 20:23:12 +0000 lady baltimore 2925182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO has COVID (according to a rapid test at her pediatrician's office this morning). She has symptoms of a mild-average cold, and generally has a strong immune system, so I am not too worried at the moment. But I feel SO BAD about the effect on her school, teacher, and classmates.</p> <p>LO went to the school nurse on Friday afternoon complaining of a sore throat. The nurse looked her over, gave her some water, and sent her back to class. She emailed me, and I said we would keep an eye on it over the weekend. By Sunday, LO had a runny nose and intermittent cough, so we decided to keep her home and take her to the ped today. Logically, I know that we couldn't have done anything differently to keep some of her classmates from counting as close contacts, and now having to quarantine, but I still feel AWFUL. Has anyone else dealt with this? How big a gift card should I send her teacher?</p> <p>Also, it is killing me that we got SO CLOSE to getting her vaccinated! Eff this effing virus! </p>