Hello, I’d be grateful for any advice and feedback.
I live in North Lancashire UK and am due to start a repeat dog sit late morning on Thursday. I don’t drive and was planning to use one or more taxis tomorrow and Thursday as well as a train journey to West Yorkshire of over 1.5 hours tomorrow, then staying in a local budget hotel and was also planning to see my 85 year old father who lives nearby tommorow.
Tommorow, I will need a lift from my father or taxis and a short train journey to get to the sit.
I will let the h/o know my situation. I know they have family nearby who may be able to step in but they obviously have sitters for a reason and are flying abroad for 7 days early Thursday morning, with family keeping an eye on the dogs until I’m due to arrive.
I will seek medical advice ASAP. Will probably have to be in the morning now.
My father had Covid himself a couple of weeks ago and was told to try to avoid people as much as possible but didn’t have to completely self isolate. Obviously I’d want to protect him from reinfection. He lives in a retirement block and has some health problems that make him potentially vulnerable. That leaves me depending on trains and taxis, potentially infecting other people although I’d certainly wear my mask and observe hand hygiene scrupulously.
I started with mild symptoms 2 days ago. They’ve got worse and wish I’d tested at the 1st throat soreness. I should be able to manage to travel despite not feeling great but must surely be at my most infectious. The sit is quite rural and only the dogs would need to have close contact with me and would be able to care for them at my own pace I believe. It’s just getting there. Obviously I don’t want to let the family down but am not sure I should risk travelling.
I’d be really grateful if anyone working for TH could flag up and respond to this as I think it comes under the urgent category.
Current UK government guidelines suggest trying to avoid people for 5 days after a positive COVID test but this is no longer mandatory. I’m interested why you took a test as this is also longer recommended.
You would have to make the call on whether you felt fit to travel and sit as well as advising the HO of your positive test if you are having an in person handover.
Just for your info, the forum advice is from other members rather than THS ‘staff’.
I took a test because I started with worsening cold like symptoms in the last 2 days and because I’ve been told it’s doing the rounds where I live, also where my father lives as he self tested positive a few weeks ago.
I’ve contacted the home owner and am awaiting a reply, also Trusted Housesitters.
Thank you, I know this is the community forum. I’ve been advised in the past by people who have been in TH longer than I have that posting in the forum can help alert the attention of moderators who work for TH, which can help flag up a situation that needs quick attention as well as having the opportunity to get helpful advice from other sitters
@catsdogs sorry that you are unwell with Covid - THS don’t read the forum
you can contact them through the Urgent Support Line the phone number is on your dashboard it’s a 24/7 phone number .
I know it’s not ideal or cheap, but this happened to us in Australia and we decided to rent a car rather than take public transportation. We met the owner at the door while every one was masked to get the key.
Thanks @Popidol. I think I could manage to travel and do the sit but can’t avoid public transport and taxis, which would increase my risk of infecting other people, even with a mask on. Hopefully the home owner will see the messages tomorrow.
I know two people who have had covid after returning from holidays. It is more active again and both people have been quite ill so have certainly stayed home. My advice would be not to go, at least you can go to bed and stay there if you are not well. One friend has an awful cough 3 weeks on and certainly is not mixing with anyone else. Hopefully the owners will have a back up plan. Hope you soon feel better
Thanks Chrissy, I’ve been told a lot of people in my area have Covid. The owners have family members nearby who help with the dogs sometimes. I’m hoping they might be able to step in.
Chances are it will be like a short flue’ and you’ll be fine. Let’s hope that is the case. But if your symptoms worsened, you would be much better at home, in your own bed and with access to friends, possibly family and your own doctors. You would not be of any help to the owner, either.
Being so close to the sit and still contagious and developing symptoms, I think cancellation is your best option.
Get well soon.
Best wishes
Hi, poor you. I think you’re ok using a mask these days unless you’re really, really unwell, but I’d make sure I had a good supply of lemons, honey, and some day and night tablets.
Thanks very much everyone. I managed to speak to the owner this morning and she said family members would be able to care for the dogs. I don’t really feel very well and am relieved to not to travel and to not risk infecting others. Thanks again.
So glad you’ve got it sorted, it’s definitely the best result, you sound really compassionate, respectful and would have been upset if you’d infected someone elderly. Stay home, look after yourself and get well soon
This is the best outcome. Covid isn’t ’just a cold’ as some would have us all believe and you really need to rest and give your body a chance to recover fully. It also wouldn’t be responsible to travel whilst contagious and also to risk infecting your dad and other vulnerable people. Covid can also be transferred to pets and I’m sure shortened the lives of our cat who died not long after our sitter had Covid. Really hope you feel better soon.
By far the best outcome! Good for you and everyone involved.
I am a host who got infected with Covid from a THS sitter. She arrived positive, untested and unaware, infected both my husband and me, then fell so sick during her stay that we had to arrange with our neighbors access to the house (she was so confused she couldn’t even find the single bus stop in our village). She was unable to leave for days upon our return, while we were getting very sick ourselves. No blame: we were equally unprepared, we didn’t think she could potentially be infected and didn’t take any precautions - generously but also dangerously allowing her to spend a few days with us before the start of our leave - we realized what had happened only when we got symptomatic upon our return.
Given how disruptive it was for us (exhaustion, three weeks of isolation, disruptions in my work schedule, events missed…) and how worried we were knowing her along at our place, while too sick to think rationally, this outcome is by far the safest for you and the best for all.
Thanks Stmarys. That’s very kind of you. It has taken a while to get rid of it properly so it wouldn’t have been good to risk infecting others as well.
Thanks ADF. Yes, I agree. I didn’t know pets could be infected too and assumed they were safe around people with Covid. Wishing your cats a return to good health.
