Did you find this answer helpful? Subscribe to keep up with all things Lifelong Learning.
I am writing from Canada, but am trying everything possible to figure this out! Your help is greatly appreciated. My father came into close contact with an individual who later tested positive for COVID-19 on the 24th (evening) and 25th (morning). This individual began experiencing symptoms on the 27th, and tested positive via. rapid test on the 28th. My father is now self-isolating, has tested negative via. rapid test, and will get a PCR test on the day one week after his exposure. The issue: I saw my father on the 25th, almost immediately after he came into contact with this individual. He drove me somewhere, but we were both masked in the vehicle. Later, we had an outdoor, socially distanced backyard fire to exchange xmas gifts and see each other for Christmas. I am not eligible for a PCR test and am not symptomatic. But, I do have elderly relatives who often rely on me who I am now scared to visit. Also, I am looking to move back into my student home after the Christmas break but am scared to do so if it is a risk. My understanding is that an individual is contagious 48 hours prior to their symptoms, so my father would have only been exposed on the 25th. If I saw him immediately after, and a few hours after, would he have accumulated enough viral load to be contagious (presuming he did catch it from her?) I am just wondering what the safest thing to do is. I am wondering if this is considered a contact and if I should isolate, or if I do not need to worry about having covid. I did take a rapid test and was negative, but I know those aren't always the most reliable. Any advice is really, really appreciated. Thank you so much!
You were a contact to a contact and thus not in direct contact with a known case. I assume that both you and your father are vaccinated and boosted. There is minimal risk that you are infected from this event. However, since viral transmissions have recently greatly surged over the holidays, when you return to campus (student home) you should observe caution and maintain masking, physical distancing, etc.
