AIBU to think people who tested positive should stay indoors?

[Fuchsake]

My neighbour and his wife have tested positive for coronavirus. They’re “self isolating” which basically means sitting out in the back garden all day. The houses are small terraces so the gardens are tiny and theirs borders three others. One neighbour (me) has small DC, the lady out the back is elderly and extremely vulnerable so has been shielding for five weeks, and the neighbour on the other side is recovering from a stroke. Their seating area is against the fence and my DCs sandpit is against the other side of fence so less than 2m away.

Everyone is having to stay in so these selfish twats don’t infect them. My littlest one is screaming to play outdoors and can’t because there are infected people literally on the other side of the fence. AIBU to tell them to stop being so selfish?

[MrsVMorgan]

Yanbu. Can you let your dc our early so they’re not missing out completely on being outside? Or possibly move their sandpit elsewhere? Alternatively, take them for a long walk so they’re still getting fresh air.

[Floatyboat]

I think you're being excessively cautious. How high is the fence?

[cologne4711]

How do you know they've been tested?

The virus does not jump over fences.

And why is it selfish for them to use their garden but not selfish for you to use yours? Maybe you could come up with a rota if you are really concerned, you go out in the morning and they go out in the afternoon?

[PumpkinP]

I kinda think yabu, I think they can use their own gardens, yours will just have to stay in if you can’t go out if they are out there, loads of kids don’t even have gardens. How small is the garden can’t you move the sand pit?

[NailsNeedDoing]

Couldn’t you ask them to arrange times, so that one of you has the garden in the morning and the others in the afternoon or whatever. Surely with a little planning you could all be allowed to use the outdoor space, I don’t think it’s fair to expect them to stay in their house all day though. You at least can go out the front door for some fresh air and exercise, they can’t.

How come they got tested if they aren’t in hospital?

[Makeitgoaway]

If they're well enough to sit in the garden how have they been tested?

[ShootsFruitAndLeaves]

Yabu to expect people to stay inside and not use their garden because they have a virus that presents statistically zero risk to your child.

Move your sandpit.

[Potatobug]

I thought the virus spreads via droplets, so unless they sneeze on you and cough in your face, you can relax. If you touch anything outside you wash your hands anyway so you being paranoid. The very air you breathe outside is not toxic with the virus.

[Somebodysringingabell]

How do you think they're going to infect anyone by sitting in their garden?

[PurpleDaisies]

People are allowed to use their own gardens, even if they test positive.

I’m intrigued about how they got tested, and how you know all about it.

[coconuttelegraph]

Are you in England? How have they been tested if they are well enough to be at home, are they both NHS workers?

[corabel]

You are not going to catch the virus from people sitting in their own garden, on the other side of a fence. It is probably good for their recovery for them to get fresh air.

[Fuchsake]

How do you know they've been tested?
Their son posted on Facebook that Dad (nurse) and Mum have tested positive. I presume they got tested due to being medical staff and next of kin. They only have mild symptoms so they’re staying at home.

The virus does not jump over fences
Air doesn’t come through fence boards?

And why is it selfish for them to use their garden but not selfish for you to use yours?
They’re infected. The rest of us are not. Three households are having to stay in because they insist on going out. Children need to be outside more than they do and they don’t understand why they can’t.

Or possibly move their sandpit elsewhere?
It’s built into the deck. The gardens are only narrow little yards, they present a risk to everyone. Maybe my DC won’t be severely ill but I could be, and the other neighbours definitely will be very poorly if they catch it.

[PurpleDaisies]

Three households are having to stay in because they insist on going out.

I’m really struggling to see how three households can’t be 2m away from this couple. Are all your gardens less than that size?

Diagram?

[P1nkHeartLovesCake]

I’m sorry but you can’t police how someone using the garden they own/rent. Get over yourself!

[coconuttelegraph]

The risk of catching CV over a fence has got to be almost immeasurable, I wouldn't keep my toddlers inside in your situation.

If you're on good terms with them you could always ask them if you could have a rota for going outside

[Somebodysringingabell]

COVID isn't in the air FFS.

[justanotherneighinparadise]

If they have a mild case I doubt very much they will be spraying droplets into the air frequently. Are they coughing a lot out there?

[Makeitgoaway]

Even with a positive test they only have to self isolate for 7 days from the start of symptoms, provided they don't have a temperature, so from first developing symptoms, arranging a test and waiting for the results their 7 days are probably up anyway.

[forkfun]

It's a droplet infection. Unless the fences are low and they are coughing on you, you really can't get infected.

[Soubriquet]

Yabu

Just go outdoors!

The probably haven’t tested positive just saying they have.

[Fuchsake]

A garden on either side and one out the back makes three families they can approach. Gardens are probably about 4m wide but they’re walking around. If they walk over to my side they’re too close to me. If they walk to the other side they’re too close to the other neighbour. And the news has been saying that 2m is insufficient anyway. Certainly 2m isn’t enough for extremely vulnerable people, otherwise they wouldn’t have been told to stay at home for 12 weeks - they’d be going out to the shops and staying 2m away from people.

[corabel]

The virus will not travel through a fence. You are treating these poor people like lepers.

[Potatobug]

Fuchsake just ignore all the advice given and keep worrying. You know you want to.

[Soubriquet]

You’re right

Everyone else is wrong and should be frothing with anger on your behalf

Seriously