Au Pair Rules During Omicron?

[Anonymous]

I'm really struggling to figure out the balance with our au pair in terms of covid rules right now. When Delta was peaking we instated a no indoor bars or restaurants rule. I'm pretty sure she ignored that and did it anyway and we just looked the other way because rates weren't so high. She does not read the news so does not seem to have an understanding of how this moment is different from prior moments. She is planning to go to take the bus or train to NYC for New Years Eve to be with friends, etc. No idea what those friends are doing or what she will do there but I have to assume that, at a minimum, she'll have an exposure but could very likely get covid herself. She is vaxed and boosted but my 2 year old has nothing...which is what primarily drives my anxiety. She spent Christmas with a large group of friends in DC indoors so I asked her to test and wear a mask in our house for the few days after that. I felt bad about doing that so made sure that all of us wore a mask inside our house (when working with the kids) so that she wasn't the only one. I will probably ask her (and us) to wear a mask while we're all together after New Years too. But I know she's angry about it. She thinks that my asking her to wear a mask and test indicates that I do not trust her. I tried to tell her that it's not about trust---even the most careful people are getting covid right now--but I don't think she believes that.

I feel very bad -- this is supposed to be a cultural exchange experience. How are others handling this right now?

[Anonymous]

My two youngest are also unvaccinated and like you, our au pair has plans for the weekend which I’m guessing include bars, restaurants, parties etc. I hear you!

I also am interested in what others are doing. Our ap is vaccinated and boosted. I may ask her to take a rapid test on Monday before work (I’ll pay).

Do they have any clear data on how common it is for a vaccinated person to spread covid? I’m wondering if the fact that our APs are vaccinated lessens the chance it can spread to others including our unvaccinated kids?

[Anonymous]

I think it's fair to require testing and masking for a few days if they want to party.

FWIW, it's a good thing that omicron seems to have a shorter incubation period than previous variants.

A lot of people I know, including most of my ILs, are basically treating this variant like a regular cold and they just don't give a f*** anymore.

[Anonymous]

You know it’s not a cultural exchange. It’s cheap labor. You get what you pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know it’s not a cultural exchange. It’s cheap labor. You get what you pay for.

Nothing cheap about hosting an au pair.

If they aren't cutting back on the social life on their own or being more careful, it's only a matter of time before they catch covid19. The vaccines aren't preventing infection.

[Anonymous]

Good luck finding a test. At home tests are sold out everywhere, and you can't get appointments or do walk up tests.

and to the PP: people treating it like a regular cold are part of the problem for why it's spreading like wildfire.

[Anonymous]

We regularly have our AP wear a mask when she’s outside of her room if she has done something a bit more ‘risky’ re: COVID. For us that was after her vacation, after the AP Christmas gathering, and then after last night. Our AP went to an outdoor event, but we will still have her wear a mask and then test on Wednesday (we have Binax home tests from CVS).

From talking to my friends, having an AP wear a mask if they were out with a larger group of AP’s seems pretty standard now, so I’m surprised that your AP would baulk at it.

We’ve asked her to pick a few friends to hang out with during this COVID surge, no indoor restaurants, bars, etc. I am pretty confident that she has been respecting the COVID guidelines, she is great and has been extremely trustworthy.

[Anonymous]

Former AP here.

You're doing the right thing, it doesn't matter if she's upset.

[Anonymous]

If she’s that upset than are you willing to continue to put your family at risk ? Ask yourself that. Let her find one of those families who proudly and recklessly advertise that they don’t care about covid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We regularly have our AP wear a mask when she’s outside of her room if she has done something a bit more ‘risky’ re: COVID. For us that was after her vacation, after the AP Christmas gathering, and then after last night. Our AP went to an outdoor event, but we will still have her wear a mask and then test on Wednesday (we have Binax home tests from CVS).

From talking to my friends, having an AP wear a mask if they were out with a larger group of AP’s seems pretty standard now, so I’m surprised that your AP would baulk at it.

We’ve asked her to pick a few friends to hang out with during this COVID surge, no indoor restaurants, bars, etc. I am pretty confident that she has been respecting the COVID guidelines, she is great and has been extremely trustworthy.

We definitely are not making our au pair (or anyone in our family) wear masks in our home. But we have older kids abs everyone is vaccinated. We also I think probably have a higher risk tolerance generally.

[Anonymous]

She needs to test at least 3 days after the potential exposure so if she spent the weekend with friends she needs to test no earlier that Wednesday/Thursday. But keep in mind I was tested negative two times (with symptoms!). My last rapid was done the same as PCR. Rapid negative, PCR positive. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We regularly have our AP wear a mask when she’s outside of her room if she has done something a bit more ‘risky’ re: COVID. For us that was after her vacation, after the AP Christmas gathering, and then after last night. Our AP went to an outdoor event, but we will still have her wear a mask and then test on Wednesday (we have Binax home tests from CVS).

From talking to my friends, having an AP wear a mask if they were out with a larger group of AP’s seems pretty standard now, so I’m surprised that your AP would baulk at it.

We’ve asked her to pick a few friends to hang out with during this COVID surge, no indoor restaurants, bars, etc. I am pretty confident that she has been respecting the COVID guidelines, she is great and has been extremely trustworthy.

We definitely are not making our au pair (or anyone in our family) wear masks in our home. But we have older kids abs everyone is vaccinated. We also I think probably have a higher risk tolerance generally.

Definitely understood. I also had my husband wear a mask in the house for 5 days, and I wore one in the house when I had to take care of my father who was sick (non-COVID), it’s the best way to ensure that my immune compromised kids are protected if any of us (willingly or unintentionally) have risky encounters/exposures.

[Anonymous]

Are your kids actually immune compromised or is it just an unvaccinated child? Most young children who get COVID are completely fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are your kids actually immune compromised or is it just an unvaccinated child? Most young children who get COVID are completely fine.

Sure, bank on that. 50% of kids end up with long covid. And btw, 46% of kids who were hospitalized during Delta had no underlying conditions. But carry on with being a ghoul

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really struggling to figure out the balance with our au pair in terms of covid rules right now. When Delta was peaking we instated a no indoor bars or restaurants rule. I'm pretty sure she ignored that and did it anyway and we just looked the other way because rates weren't so high. She does not read the news so does not seem to have an understanding of how this moment is different from prior moments. She is planning to go to take the bus or train to NYC for New Years Eve to be with friends, etc. No idea what those friends are doing or what she will do there but I have to assume that, at a minimum, she'll have an exposure but could very likely get covid herself. She is vaxed and boosted but my 2 year old has nothing...which is what primarily drives my anxiety. She spent Christmas with a large group of friends in DC indoors so I asked her to test and wear a mask in our house for the few days after that. I felt bad about doing that so made sure that all of us wore a mask inside our house (when working with the kids) so that she wasn't the only one. I will probably ask her (and us) to wear a mask while we're all together after New Years too. But I know she's angry about it. She thinks that my asking her to wear a mask and test indicates that I do not trust her. I tried to tell her that it's not about trust---even the most careful people are getting covid right now--but I don't think she believes that.

I feel very bad -- this is supposed to be a cultural exchange experience. How are others handling this right now?

I asked my Dh if they wrote this because it’s literally the exact same situation we’re in except we have a one year old. Our Au Pair partied during Christmas weekend and got Covid. Now my family is quarantined separately from her and we all had to take a week off work. She’s matched with another family and her year ends in March.

She said we didn’t trust her to be safe but ended up getting Covid and optionally giving it to the rest of the family. We’re all negative so far.. I wish we had told her to wear a mask. We made her use rapid tests every other day and that’s how we found out she was positive.

I think the moral of the story is to find au pairs who aren’t going to go partying every weekend and take Covid seriously.