TLDR: Texas DSHS called to do contact-tracing for my 16-month-old. They then made a number of insinuations about Covid severity and timelines that seem inconsistent with my understanding of what we now know about Covid, it's severity, and recovery timelines. Without getting political, does anyone know what authority does TDSHS have and what is their function?

Yesterday we got a call from daycare that our 16-month-old woke up from nap with a bit of a fever and was pulling on his ear. He is prone to ear infections so, considering we didn't want him to head into the weekend without antibiotics and have it rage out of control, so we took him to the doctor. They did a Covid/Flu test and sure enough, the Covid test pops positive.

We let the daycare know and took him home to quarantine and also brought our two other kids home (one is a Kindergartner and the other is in the same daycare to quarantine). They reported the positive to the government, as is I think their responsibility. I expect everyone in my house will get a round with it, and anticipate that the kids will be mild (the positive case already seems to feel better and isn't medicated). I'm vaxxed and boosted, but being that I'm in a higher risk category due to being overweight and having a touch of high blood pressure, I'll probably pursue Paxlovid if I become symptomatic. We've already ordered big dose Vitamin D per Dr. Rev's recommendations.

Today, I got a call from the Texas Department of State Health Services asking some questions about when our kid for showed symptoms and when they tested positive and who they might have been in contact with and so on. When I asked "what's the purpose of the call" I didn't get very useful answers, other than they want to do contact tracing and want to make sure the daycare facility has a handle on who might have been exposed.

Then the representative started telling me about quarantine guidelines to follow and details about Covid that, from my armchair reading, doesn't match what we know about Covid. She said incubation is up to 10 days. She said it's possible to shed the virus for as long as 20 days after last symptoms. She talked about how it can be severe in children and pointed to an anecdote of someone that she knows whose child is in the hospital with Covid (but didn't offer any details about whether there were other risk factors or causes in hospitalization). Basically, she read off a list best described as fear porn.

When I started asking questions or challenging some of the details (very non-controversial ones), she was extremely frustrated and defensive. I challenged, for example, the 10-day incubation she insinuated. Her response was almost like I was a conspiracy theorist Art Bell would want to interview. She also assured me she has a PhD so she knows what's she's talking about (judging from her voice she couldn't have been older than 30).

I'm not trying to be political here, so please don't turn this into a hatefest for public health, although portions might read like a rant and I need to vent a bit. I didn't want to post on the Politics forum because I figured it would just result 'the government sucks' response. I truly think DSHS, NIH, CDC, and all of these government agencies have done important work and are tasked to perform very important functions, so let's not argue that.

From those of you with experience or expertise in dealing with DSHS, I have a few specific questions:

• What responsibility does Texas DSHS have in regards to contract tracing for Covid in kids?
• What authority does Texas DSHS have over schools and daycare facilities based in reference to Covid?
• The Texas DSHS representative assured me they do this with a large number of diseases and have for years - would I have received a call if the Flu test had been positive, instead? Flu is much more devastating to children, so if not, why not?

In regards to our best understanding of Covid and Omicron:

• My understanding is the Omicron has an incubation period of 3-5 days, max. Is that inaccurate and if not, why is DSHS not providing up-to-date information on actual timelines and risk?
• My understanding is that the CDC recommends 5 days of quarantine. TEA recommends 10 days (local schools where I am are asking for 5 days or whatever the doctor recommends). The pediatrician split the difference and said 7 days. And Dr. Rev (and others) suggest 24 hours after last symptom. DSHS said we should quarantine the kid 10 days or 5 days then 5 days with a mask (as if that's even possible with a 16-month-old). How can we be 2 years into this and still have such a fractured understanding of things?

Or maybe am I just letting my general frustration with Covid messaging and panic merchants color my impression of this conversation with DSHS?

Texas DSHS is the ones that sets daycare rules and issues their licenses. They are very, very strict about it since that is really the only government agency that has any control over COVID these days. If the daycare doesn't follow the rules, it can be a violation on their childcare license. It's very frustrating since they don't control the schools to the same extent.

Likely what will happen next is the classroom of the 16 mo old will be closed for 10 days, full stop. If the older one is older then 2, their classroom may or may not be closed and masks may be required to keep violations off the daycare's record. The older one will be required to quarantine for a long time (if they let them back before 10 days, I will be shocked, they may ask for 10 + 14 and again that's DSHS. Better hope you get a positive out of that kid that stops quarantine at 10 days).

They also usually do this with flu and strep as well. When a child in my daughter's daycare class 2 years ago (pre-covid but barely) passed from RSV we also got a letter sent to the house from DSHS.

It depends if the daycare reports it to the state. Since the kid died, it was a whole thing for our class.

But yes, daycares, DSHS and COVID seem to inflict the most pain on parents (which is likely by design).

jopatura said:

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Texas DSHS is the ones that sets daycare rules and issues their licenses. They are very, very strict about it since that is really the only government agency that has any control over COVID these days. If the daycare doesn't follow the rules, it can be a violation on their childcare license. It's very frustrating since they don't control the schools to the same extent.

Likely what will happen next is the classroom of the 16 mo old will be closed for 10 days, full stop. If the older one is older then 2, their classroom may or may not be closed and masks may be required to keep violations off the daycare's record. The older one will be required to quarantine for a long time (if they let them back before 10 days, I will be shocked, they may ask for 10 + 14 and again that's DSHS. Better hope you get a positive out of that kid that stops quarantine at 10 days).

They also usually do this with flu and strep as well. When a child in my daughter's daycare class 2 years ago (pre-covid but barely) passed from RSV we also got a letter sent to the house from DSHS.

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We have had multiple teachers with Covid and a few rounds of kids having it over the last couple months. The daycare was never shut down and a note sent home was the only time it was discussed. Masks haven't ever been required at any point during this entire event for students. Our daycare has done a great job at essentially operating for the kids as if nothing has changed other than extra hand washing this entire time.

They are risking their license with DSHS then. Or the teachers/students have been quarantining on rapid home tests and it's not getting reported up to the state. I sub at my daughter's preschool and have had all of this beat into me. There are some daycares trying to fly under the radar though and it matters who is doing the inspections.

jopatura said:

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They are risking their license with DSHS then. Or the teachers/students have been quarantining on rapid home tests and it's not getting reported up to the state. I sub at my daughter's preschool and have had all of this beat into me. There are some daycares trying to fly under the radar though and it matters who is doing the inspections.

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Crazy to think that a TX State institution is stricter than the CDC.

...and automagically the daycare was audited this morning "randomly" for vaccine records (which they were meticulously up-to-date on).

That's what I get for asking questions, I guess.

They have someone with a Ph.D. doing contact tracing? That should be a $12/hr call bank job.

Why are day cares different from schools? We get notifications from the school when somebody in one of my kids' classes tests positive. With 5 kids in school, we get 2 - 3 notices per day. They don't mean anything. They don't trigger anything; it's kind of just an FYI, I suppose. Most people don't test kids any more, I think. If the kid is sick, just keep him/her home for a day until he/she feels better, then back to school.

Surprised that day cares are more stringent.