Need to travel to US - Quarantine and Child Care Options?

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1
Hi all

I have an immediate family member who has been in the hospital for the last week. Planning in the event the situation deteriorates and need some advice given current circumstances.

Eldest daughter (bit over 2 years old) caught covid from Krippe testing positive 22nd Jan via antigen, 23rd Jan via PCR, just now finished her quarantine. however, yesterday 27th Jan I tested positive via antigen test and re-tested via PCR, waiting for results.

In the event I need to travel back to the US a few questions to help me get there as quick as I can:

1) Counting 5 days after the 27th (Day 0 per BAG), I would be officially out of quarantine 2nd Feb (should I not have symptoms for 48 hrs prior). on the 26th I also tested as I started showing symptoms but tested negative. And given my daughter has had covid since at least the 22nd, are there any considerations with regards to the quarantine end date?

2) To travel to the US, I need a negative covid test or proof of recovery per the US State Dept.

- How quickly does the Canton issue the recovery certificate post quarantine?

- Can I go to a testing center on Day 5 / last day of quarantine so I can travel the morning Day 6 if I have to?

3) I have two kids (bit over 2 years old and 3 months old). We have not traveled since the pandemic started. If I were to go to the US, this would be the first time I'd be gone overnight and for an extended period of time - will be very difficult for my wife, especially with the kids at this age with the feeds, etc. Are there any extended child care support options in this example?

Thanks all for your insight during this difficult time.

2
Has your wife caught Covid yet? What about your baby?

Before you even consider getting on a plane I would worry first and foremost about your immediate family here. I suspect you will have a difficult time finding any help here at home if your family members here are ill.

There are agencies you can try, such as this one, for extended childcare help.

https://www.rockmybaby.ch/pages/home

This is a very difficult situation for you, Covid makes things even more complicated. I hope things work out.

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Check to see if that hospital allows visitors. Many don't

4
Thank you for the response.

Yes, appreciate immediate family members here need to be looked after, hence my 3rd question above about child care. Is is very difficult as there are only 4 of us here with no family around.

My wife tested negative and also shows no symptoms. The 3 month old had a high fever for 3 days earlier in the week, likely covid, however, the pediatrician did not test at his office. There has been covid "in our house" since at least 22nd Jan when the 2 year old tested positive but likely even earlier (krippe notified of a covid child on 17th)

Thanks for the link - most of the childcare options are more aimed at babysitters. This is different given the ages and circumstances hence was looking more for additional support, particularly in the evenings.

5
I think if you ring the agency and explain what you need, they will tell you if there is a solution for you.

Many of us live here without any extended family. Even those with family here might not be able to count on their support. So you need to reach out to friends, neighbours, parents of children in your child's daycare, or even other EF members and ask for help.

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Spitex and Kinderspitex

Home nursing is called "Spitex" (made up of the word for hospital Spital, and ex for external). If your wife becomes ill, she should ask her doctor to organise Spitex nursing for her.

There is a special Spitex for children, called Kinderspitex.

https://kinderspitex-zuerich.ch/de/i...-u-angehoerige

Therefore, if your wife cannot - for whatever reason, perhaps because she herself becomes ill - properly care for a child who is sick, the Kinderspitex would be the place to call for help. Their services are covered by the basic medical insurance of the patient (the child). To get this service, the patient (the child) needs a prescription from a doctor, although the Spitex might organise this, themselves.

Entlastungsdienst

Ent-lastung means, literally, un-burdening, and dienst means service.

https://www.entlastungsdienst.ch/zuerich/entlastung

https://www.entlastungsdienst.ch/zue...dienst-zuerich

For example: Wir sind für Sie da. Eine zuverlässige und engagierte Betreuungsperson übernimmt auf Wunsch die Betreuung Ihrer Kinder. Mit viel Feingefühl übernimmt sie einen vielseitigen Einsatz: unter anderem hütet sie Kinder und begleitet sie in die Therapie, sie spielt, treibt Sport und unternimmt Ausflüge mit ihnen, sie liest Geschichten vor, bastelt, bereitet Essen zu und bringt sie ins Bett. We are here for you. A reliable and dedicated caregiver will take over the care of your children upon request. With a lot of sensitivity, she takes on a varied assignment: among other things, she looks after children and accompanies them to therapy, she plays, does sports and goes on excursions with them, she reads stories, does handicrafts, prepares meals and puts them to bed.

Here are the tariffs. I think you would have to pay these yourselves. However, they point out that they try not to turn anyone away, even if they're not able to pay.

https://www.entlastungsdienst.ch/zuerich/tarife-zuerich

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The recovered certificate takes 2 days to come home. When you request it be very careful to put the names exactly as in your passport.

However, it is not immediately valid, starts being valid 10 days after your PCR test, so in your case should be Feb 5th (assuming your test date was the 26th and you got results on the 27th)

In terms of your isolation (not quarantine as that is for people who were in contact but not sick) it can start max 3 days before the test if you have symptoms. So in your case could start 23rd and be done by the 27th. (Again assuming your test was on the 26th)

Contact center will send you a link where you can specify that and then you get your isolation paper.

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Our youngest just had COVID and is out of isolation as of today, so I re-signed up to share our experience.

Isolation begins on the day of your PCR test minus a maximum of two days if you already had symptoms. Our son developed symptoms on Sunday and got tested on Monday. His isolation ended on Thursday at midnight and he returned to school today.

We received three emails on Thursday, the last day of his isolation.

First an isolation order, telling us that he needed to isolate and that the start of his isolation period was the 23rd. Then an email explaining that his isolation ended at midnight if he was free of symptoms except for a minor cough and loss of sense of taste and smell for 48 hours. We had to confirm that this was the case. And finally his termination from isolation.

So yes, you can be released from isolation sooner than 5 days after the test.

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Thanks you for sharing carlasmom, and lovely to see you here again. Welcome back.

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In Zurich you receive an SMS from contact tracing and once you filled everything in, you only one email about isolation (no emails to free you up etc)

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@doropfiz - thank you for the detail. Was not aware of Spitex and Kinderspitex. Based on the photos, this may be for kids which require more medical attention rather than in my specific case where one partner has to leave for a few weeks. I will contact them.

@kri - thanks for you the info - I cannot wait that long for the recovered certificate delivery and validity. I am fully vaccinated and boosted so will use that to travel, I just need to test negative.

Guess I'll have to wait for the email from Canton Zurich to outline when symptoms started (evening 25th) to calculate isolation end date.

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Yes, Spitex is for adults who need nursing at home, Kinderspitex for children who need nursing at home. If your wife became ill, such that she could not care for the children, then she should contact either, to see to what extent that they could help.

The other service, though, the Entlastungsdienst , is a separate organisation, set up to support anyone who are not necessarily ill, but who is feeling tired and overworked or overwhelmed with whomsoever they're caring for, and need a break or a bit of extra help.

13
OK, I now have completed the info for contract tracing and my isolation finishes on Sunday given timing of my symptoms.

However, I just spoke with Zurich Contact Tracing to clarify - I will only get the Recovery Certificate valid effective 7th Feb! Apparently this is CH/EU law on timing.

The problem now is if I need to travel urgently it appears the earliest I could do so is 7th Feb?? Or, looking at the US entry requirements, I just need to show a negative test - the question is if I'll test negative this quickly after recovering.

14
Yes I told you same.timings for the validity of the certificate..PCR test may show positive for a long time, infact it's advised not to do one for 6 months after testing positive..antigen may test negative - it's a bit of a roulette.

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I keep reading on some stories where people are testing positive months after the initial illness - presume this is not the norm? I can't seem to find any stats that clearly outline this data point

I'll have to gamble on the negative result as I won't be able to wait until the 7th Feb for the recovery certificate. I don't see any other solution here?

16
Months isn’t normal, but days to weeks certainly is. The PCR test picks up on even minute levels of the viral DNA in your airways because it amplifies them, making many, many copies until it is detectable. Until all of the virus gets cleared out of your respiratory tract, you will continue to test positive, because there is viral DNA in your airways.

Consequently, to avoid unnecessarily inconveniencing people, the authorities set up an alternate qualification to travel: proof of recovery with the recovery certificate. This won’t go into effect for you until the 7th of Feb because you are not yet well enough to be sure that you pose 0 risk to others in close proximity over long hours across international borders. I honestly doubt you will test negative before then anyway.

I know it is hard and you really want to be with your hospitalized loved one, but with recent cases in your own home and 2 small children and a recovering spouse, you really should consider what your plans B through H look like. Hope for a quick negative PCR test, but plan for the probability that it won’t happen.

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OK. Well US only requires Antigen which doesn't amplify like PCR as noted...hope i don't have to travel full stop. But if that time comes, hope I test negative via Antigen.

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Are you not a U.S. citizen?

Then you don't need the certificate thing, just antigen testing within 24hrs.

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I just came back from the US, and (not to add to your stress, but something you should investigate) and its extremely hard to get a test there to return to CH. We couldnt find an antigen test in the entire state, and we had to settle for PCRs that were 300 dollars a piece.

20
Never mind this, i see that CH has lifted the testing requirement for vaccinated. Hurray!