Guess who has COVID?

[TheHaitian]

Yeah not me (at least not yet)... but my stupid brother. In itself ironic based on my last thread and I just had a talk with him. My brother has been traveling back in forth between my house, my mom house in NJ and other family members places.

My wife did not feel comfortable with that with COVID and I just had a talk with him about if he is going to go back and forth, he cannot come back to our house. Either stay put or go to NJ or Philly (our older brother lives There) where he can do as he pleases. Mind you both my mom ( a nurse) and step dad already had Covid, my mom was mild while it felt like my stepdad was at the gate of heaven any minute. Brother and sister like typical teenagers moved on with life like nothing every happened, never missing a beat. Tested positive and had zero symptoms ... damn teenagers and their immune system. The concerns us was my mom brought it home but who knows.

Anyway back at it, my brother was at my moms for ~2 weeks then he went to my cousin for ~2 weeks or so. Yet out of the blue he showed up yesterday on our doorsteps. His reason: my cousin had to leave for business and he could not stay in her apartment alone. That was 5 PM yesterday, my wife and MIL texted me he was there, I was at work. Ok all good... and I texted him one more time that now that he is there; if he leaves : pack his bags.

Get home at about 2:30 AM... my wife mentions how she has not heard much from him since he got there. Check up on him and he said he has been feeling sick for the past ~3 days. Throwing up and diarrhea, not able to hold food down. Also mention feeling lethargic, like he is about to pass out/faint. At first I am thinking food poisoning and asking him to go back 3-4 days and what did he eat right before he felt sick. But as he is talking I see he is breathing heavily and I joke he has COVID. He swears no... again I was joking.

My wife texts ; I text her back. She said it sounds like COVID. I call my mom and wake her up at 3 am and she said: sounds like COVID and agrees with my wife. He gets up to go to the bathroom and almost pass out. I take his temperature 103.8 ... So that is when I take it seriously (my brother is 29, 5’11 and 220 lbs). So I told my brother to put a mask on, we are getting him the fuck out of my house. He said where you are taking me? I said where do you think... ER!

We get to the ER they only allow him which is cool, I go back home and disinfect the shit out of the basement, my wife is up cleaning the whole house... my house at 5 AM smelled like a combo of Clorox and Lysol. My wife is freaking out and is pissed; if he did not feel well for the past 3 days why the hell didn’t he stay at my cousin’s.

10 AM came around he calls me and he is getting discharged, they gave him some IV fluid, the fever was gone (has since returned). I tell him where are you going because you are not coming back here. Called my home and she said she would split 50/50 the cost of a hotel with me till we get his Covid test back. Did some quick google search and google saved the day.

Called the Department of Health and explained the situation: brother showing symptoms of COVID, they just discharged him and WTF! Because he is not coming back to my house: I have a 3 year old, a 72 years old and a 35 year old with heart condition plus me 35, overweight, diabetic and high blood pressure. So seems DC has reserved Hotels across the district that are “Covid hotels” for situations just like ours where people cannot be isolated at home and risk infecting others.

He has to check in for 14 days, cannot leave the room, they have a nurse there at all times and provides 3 meals a day. The person can also have Uber eats and what else dropped off or them if they are not happy with the food there. So picked up his bag he came with, pick him up at the hospital and drop him off there. I get home and just as I am about to get in the shower; he calls me. His results are back: he is positive. F*ck my life! I seriously believe my wife shit herself: she has not left the house since March 13th with my daughter because she is so afraid of this and here goes my brother bringing it into the house.

Worse my cousin that is a nurse tells my mom that when she spoke with my brother last Saturday he sounded like he was getting sick and she told him to drink some tea and rest. My mom call my brother out on it and he said yes my cousin did say that but he was feeling fine Saturday (which my cousin confirm that is what my brother also told her) and his Symptoms did not start till Tuesday/Wednesday.

So now I am at work running on ~2 hours sleep. My mom and wife want me to get tested but like I said: I was barely in his company for ~30 minutes ; we both wore mask during the car rides and it is too early: doubt if I am positive it would show at this point. My MIL is worried because she is the one that opened the door for him when he got there and she doesn’t remember if she touched any surface he touched without wiping it down or not and driving herself mad. Call my cousin he stayed with; she said she is feeling perfectly fine, was aware My brother was not feeling well and was planning to go and buy a thermometer but did not get around to it.

Just spoke with idiot brother: feeling tired but has not done much, still has fever, difficulty breathing. Was served burger for lunch but could not swallow it so only took 2 bites. I told him to ask for the nurse; if she could give him for something for the fever ...

Long story short : stupid brother gets Covid and expose the whole house to it .

[mollyanna58]

Sorry to hear about your brother's lack of concern for your household; I hope you and your family stay well.

[Opti]

I thought thsi was going to be a Don Jr Trump has Covid thread. 

[Opti]

Long story short : stupid brother gets Covid and expose the whole house to it .



I haven't read wall of text yet. How exposed are you? i.e. 15 minutes face to face within 6 feet while he was infectious or ?

[Deleted]

This is said to be the most common way people are getting it - from people they know who are in contact with others. 

I hope you and your family will be well. I really wish people would just stay home and stop "visiting" others. That's how you get sick and spread this.

As for Don Jr and the rest of the Reich - I hope he gets long-hauler and it's horrible. 

[CCL]

Well, that sucks.Hopefully your contact was limited enough that you and your family won't catch it. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I'm sorry, Carl.  

I'm glad you put your foot down, and that they had a Plan B for your brother.  Fingers are crossed that you managed to avoid getting this.

[Deleted]

I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through.  I truly hope you all come out on the other side of this experience.

[Tennesseer]

Best wishes, Carl.

[TheHaitian]

Nov 20, 2020 19:31:58 GMT -5 Opti said:

Long story short : stupid brother gets Covid and expose the whole house to it .



I haven't read wall of text yet. How exposed are you? i.e. 15 minutes face to face within 6 feet while he was infectious or ?

We were both in the car ride to the hospital and to the hotel which is about ~15 minutes car ride each but wearing mask.

In the basement I would say about ~20-30 minutes but not face to face.

[TheHaitian]

Thank you everyone... spoke with him and he is still somewhat in pain, fever, cannot swallow and having a hard time breathing.

Mom doesn’t think my wife, daughter and MIL were exposed much since they were never at one time sharing the same space but my wife is concern about possibility of having touch same surface without it being disinfected (door knob, kitchen sink, fridge door etc) or possibility of it traveling through the vents. We do have the dehumidifier going 24/7...

I am the one at greater risk to having been exposed but really not freaking out about it (which is upsetting my wife because she translate me not freaking out about it as me not taking it seriously) because I feel I work with the general public 5 days a week, 12-14 hrs / day and my chances of getting it that way is just as high as getting it through my brother so if I do get it —> it was just a matter of time. It will suck I am certain but no use giving myself a heart attack thinking about it or an ulcer.

I am happy that I at least found out about the Department of Health accommodations so I know if I start showing symptoms or get it I have direct contact on who to call and check myself into a hotel for 14 days and not putting my family at risk.

[Lizard Queen]

I'm sorry Carl. That is just maddening. I understand your ready with your job/public and everything, too.

[laterbloomer]

Karl you are suppose to isolate now. You get a test now, isolate and get another one in 7 days. You keep isolating even if your first test is negative. I know it's a PITA but your brother has been highly infectious.

[Opti]

Nov 20, 2020 20:03:53 GMT -5 @donethat said:

I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through.  I truly hope you all come out on the other side of this experience.

YOur experience apparently is why Illinois is blowing up like a balloon Covid-wise. There is an other side and plan to join me in 2022 alive and Covid free. 


P.S. In other news, lockdowns etc. in nursing homes and NY and NJ in general. Interesting day at work today.

[movingforward]

I am so sorry...please keep us posted. I have been told by medical staff that the tests are much more accurate at least 3-5 days from exposure. My guess is that if you tested now it would be negative. I would wait a couple of days, but you do need to be isolating yourself.

I also disagree that you are at greater risk at your job then being in contact with your brother that was full on symptomatic.

[Opti]

Nov 20, 2020 21:21:47 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I am so sorry...please keep us posted. I have been told by medical staff that the tests are much more accurate at least 3-5 days from exposure. My guess is that if you tested now it would be negative. I would wait a couple of days, but you do need to be isolating yourself.

I also disagree that you are at greater risk at your job then being in contact with your brother that was full on symptomatic.

You are at greater risk from a loved one, generally because of prolonged contact.
Carl, I don't know how often you are tested. I am actually lucky now in that I *am* tested very week simply because of where I work and the type of medical facility I work at.

I'm lucky that should I catch it, which I totally plan on avoiding, I should be able to trace it w/i a week. If you have survived this long without getting it, your Covid-fu, the art of avoiding too much Covid exposure, must be good. 

[laterbloomer]

Nov 20, 2020 21:35:28 GMT -5 Opti said:

Nov 20, 2020 21:21:47 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I am so sorry...please keep us posted. I have been told by medical staff that the tests are much more accurate at least 3-5 days from exposure. My guess is that if you tested now it would be negative. I would wait a couple of days, but you do need to be isolating yourself.

I also disagree that you are at greater risk at your job then being in contact with your brother that was full on symptomatic.

You are at greater risk from a loved one, generally because of prolonged contact.
Carl, I don't know how often you are tested. I am actually lucky now in that I *am* tested very week simply because of where I work and the type of medical facility I work at.

I'm lucky that should I catch it, which I totally plan on avoiding, I should be able to trace it w/i a week. If you have survived this long without getting it, your Covid-fu, the art of avoiding too much Covid exposure, must be good. 

There is nothing that proves that. I would actually say it's pretty bad based on the evidence, he let his brother come to his home even though the brother was not careful and was not feeling well.

[Opti]

Nov 20, 2020 21:38:55 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

Nov 20, 2020 21:35:28 GMT -5 Opti said:

You are at greater risk from a loved one, generally because of prolonged contact.
Carl, I don't know how often you are tested. I am actually lucky now in that I *am* tested very week simply because of where I work and the type of medical facility I work at.

I'm lucky that should I catch it, which I totally plan on avoiding, I should be able to trace it w/i a week. If you have survived this long without getting it, your Covid-fu, the art of avoiding too much Covid exposure, must be good. 

There is nothing that proves that. I would actually say it's pretty bad based on the evidence, he let his brother come to his home even though the brother was not careful and was not feeling well.

Later, I meant his workplace. Plus I know what its like to be in a high contact environment for work where you need to be vigilant ALL THE TIME. Some times you get tired. My two sibs are having Thanksgiving together, last I heard. I think they should not, even though it will hurt my fellow single sib more than the one w/ the family. 

Because of the current state of Covid in the US and the desire of NJ & NY to not go through that shit again, there was lots of changes while I was out sick. Now remember its fall, its the change of seasons, this is also the time my sinus infection can take me out, the flu takes people out, and other things that can and might look like Covid. I'm going to be an ass for a minute because I deal with this every day, every hour, every minute and I am starved for human contact that is not with co-workers. Starved.

So sometimes you get weak because you are tired beyond all endurance, and crap happens. Right now the brother is Covid positive. We don't know if and when Carl will become positive from this or not. 

[weltschmerz]

So seems DC has reserved Hotels across the district that are “Covid hotels” for situations just like ours where people cannot be isolated at home and risk infecting others.

Do you have to pay to stay there?

[Opti]

Nov 20, 2020 22:10:25 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

So seems DC has reserved Hotels across the district that are “Covid hotels” for situations just like ours where people cannot be isolated at home and risk infecting others.

Do you have to pay to stay there?

Don't know on the cost, but I believe NY did similar in March/April. You need places to isolate people. Hotels are also used by housing social programs for shortfalls and emergencies.

[justme]

It probably won't stop them from freaking out, but they've mostly ruled out getting covid from surfaces. It would have to be someone like sneezing directly into their hand, touching a surface, and you touching it while it's still wet, and then you putting said hand in your eyes/nose/mouth. So not likely.

I saw another article discussing this today that basically said stop having restaurants/businesses focusing on wiping down surfaces and deep cleaning and focus on improving ventilation as the virus spreads via the air. 

[lurkyloo]

I’m sorry Carl.  Your brother is a jerk and an idiot.  Yes, you need to quarantine for 14 days.

CDC standard is 15 minutes cumulative within a 24 hour period, spent within 6 feet of an infectious person, regardless of masks worn.  You’ve exceeded that.

As justme noted, surfaces are not hugely likely sources so your wife daughter and MIL are likely to be safe.  I hope the mask wearing made a difference for you. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that you’re OK.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Nov 20, 2020 22:10:25 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

So seems DC has reserved Hotels across the district that are “Covid hotels” for situations just like ours where people cannot be isolated at home and risk infecting others.

Do you have to pay to stay there?

Apparently so......just like you do in Canada.  

[weltschmerz]

 Well, I don't know...that's why I asked. What if you don't have enough money to stay in a hotel?

Federal government to fund Toronto COVID-19 isolation hotel
Free stay and free meals


www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-federal-government-to-fund-toronto-covid-19-isolation-hotel/

[TheOtherMe]

When I was exposed I was told to quarantine for 14 days and get tested on the 5 or 6th day so that is what I did.

[mamasita99]

I wonder where the isolation hotels are located. I live in DC and there are a couple hotels within a few blocks from me... believe me I don’t actually want to know, but now it gives me something to wonder about when I walk the dog past the hotels.

[mamasita99]

I’m sorry your family has been put in such a scary position because your brother was being so thoughtless

My daughter also works at a grocery so I worry about her, too, but she feels the company is very good at enforcing precautions to try to protect staff and customers. She takes the precautions seriously outside of work, too. She only spends time with coworkers or us. But it takes everyone in the bubble to follow precautions.

[sesfw]

Carl, I'm so sorry you and family are having to deal with this.

I hope for the best for all of you ............. including your brother.

Next time maybe he will be adult enough to do the right thing himself.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Nov 21, 2020 9:20:13 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

When I was exposed I was told to quarantine for 14 days and get tested on the 5 or 6th day so that is what I did.

Interesting.  Our company wants you tested ASAP and if you are negative get your ass back to work.   They had a person in one department come up positive on Friday.  That person's coworker was back on Tuesday because his test was negative.  That doesn't seem like near long enough since they say the 48 hours before you display symptoms is when you are the most infectious.  The co-worker barely had time to build up a viral load.

We'll see if they change their attitude after one person took out 95% of the staff here.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Nov 21, 2020 9:21:58 GMT -5 mamasita99 said:

I wonder where the isolation hotels are located. I live in DC and there are a couple hotels within a few blocks from me... believe me I don’t actually want to know, but now it gives me something to wonder about when I walk the dog past the hotels.

I googled this info for Calgary, so I know it exists, and you pay.  I suspect if you can’t afford it, there is an alternative.  These are quarantine hotels for travelers. I think that there is a special price in place as you’d be there 14 days.

From everything I have read about needing to quarantine in Canada, they have a set of rules you need to comply and they can contact you randomly, and fine you if you are not where you are supposed to be.  

Not sure why you’d be worried about this.  These are people, quarantining in a set place.   The virus doesn’t jump through walls.  I’d be more worried about the person you are passing on the street walking their dog too than walking by a quarantine hotel.