Travelling with Covid

If you absolutely must travel you need to be proactive about masking, being outdoors as much as possible, and basic hygiene.

It's really unfair to suggest that if other people are bothered, THEY should take precautions! 1) members of the public won't know you have covid so won't be in a position to judge this. 2) the masking needs to be done by you.

Your friend is not overreacting. Covid can severely affect people. I have long covid and it has completely affected every aspect of my life, for several years including being housebound, unable to work etc. Please don't underestimate the seriousness of it.

If it was me I would wear a good mask N95 or better (surgical masks are not as effective) and make sure it’s well fitted. If I could sit outside on the ferry (weather permitting) I would, and on the bus/train sit well away from everyone if possible. I’d open a window, if possible. If I was able to sit outside on the ferry and have some good distance between myself and others I’d remove my mask, at least to eat and drink. I think the more precautions you take the less opportunity there is for it to spread to others.

I don’t agree with people thinking it’s okay to have Covid and not take precautions when travelling.

I don’t think there are many people who would happily sit near you if they were informed you had Covid, so that tells us something. If people don’t want to catch it, they should take more care with efforts not to spread it.

I'd be travelling op.

I have no immune system and I get free tests and still don't test anymore.

Just keep away from as many people you can.

@DinosaurWhizz couldn't agree more about vaccination and it's criminal that our government only offered jabs to over 75s this year. In most European countries they recommended it for certain age groups - typically 60+ - in some places 50+ - but anyone who wants one can have one. Not so here where they just weren't available if you weren't eligible. We can now get them privately which I will be doing this autumn but I'm lucky I can afford the £90 - many can't. Obviously lots of people wouldn't want to be vaccinated and that's their choice, but it should be available for those that do at a reasonable cost like the annual flu jabs.

On the immunity front I don't think repeat infections of different strains is reducing immunity. The evidence seems to be that the opposite happens, your immune system is damaged by endless repeat infections.

dinosaur this makes no sense. Until we have a decent vaccine, then it doesn’t seem
to stop transmission.

I am genuinely concerned about the fact our kids are going to have Covid countless times in their lives and we know it’s not just a cold. What does that do cumulatively? But there isn’t a vaccine that stops them getting it. I really am hoping that science comes up with a vaccine that works to stop infection with a low chance of side effects, especially in the young.

I've just had Covid from a plane and it was absolutely awful this time and took me 2 weeks to recover so it's not 'just a cold' for everyone.
Having said that, it's a risk your friend takes when travelling. She'll likely catch it from someone else anyway.
I think you should both meet half way - wear a mask when in enclosed spaces, windows open, good hand hygiene etc.

I currently have Covid and feel pretty rough. (Tested due to previous long covid)

I'm still going out just avoiding crowded places etc and didn't at the weekend when I had a fever just like I wouldn't with any other illness.

I agree with others, you should come home but sensible. Sit wear it's less crowded etc

The choices really are spread it or vaccinate. The idea that we should be isolating ourselves is going to cause more harm than it averts. Avoiding it is just going to result in a worse infection when you inevitably do catch it. Whereas if it's constantly going around disease will be mild unless vulnerable in which case vaccination is the answer.

Has the paranoid friend tested themselves?
They could be asymptomatic....

Carry on with your holiday & journey home as Normal.
Friend can isolate in their room & pay for hotel & travel home if they want to avoid you on the ferry.

The mistake you made was testing. Unless she wants to arrange and finance your extended trip she can do one.

And I certainly wouldn't be self isolating.

I'd carry on as normal to be honest. There will be loads of other people on that ferry who have COVID and don't even know as they haven't tested.

The only thing I wouldn't do is visit a vulnerable person at home or in a care home or other setting that isn't open to the general public.

As others have said, ask your friend to get you some high quality masks, stay in the open air as much as possible. Keep away from people. Take every precaution you can to mitigate spreading it while getting yourself home.

We can't shut down society for covid but equally it's very foolish to think it's just a cold. I caught it 4 weeks ago today, was off work for 2 weeks and still not 100%. Before that I'd never had more than two days off in my whole working life (I'm in my 50s). It's the most ill I've ever been. My healthy 18yo DS is on day 8 today of being laid up in bed with it (caught it abroad, it's everywhere currently). A good friend has long covid and her life has been destroyed by it. It's very foolish to under-estimate it and very selfish to spread it.

You know that early on the whole surface transmission theory was completely debunked? It's just ridiculous 'anti-baccing' every surface within half a mile around you. I agree I'd be conscious of who I sat next to though if I actually knew I had it.

I think the middle ground is the place to be here. Yes, I would travel home as planned. It's practically guaranteed that some people of every busy ferry or train or anywhere have COVID at the moment whether they know it or not - it's rife currently, and if your friends get it then it could never be known whether they caught it from you or from somewhere else. But, I would take precautions to minimise the risk of spreading it. Proper mask if in close quarters with anyone, sit outside on the ferry (take mask off and breathe!), open windows in cars, attempt a quiet place on the train etc. Most people don't test, so you've done more than most, don't let your friend make you feel guilty for existing! Hope you feel better soon x

Unless she’s planning to foot the bill of you staying longer and needing to rebook travel, and loss of earnings, she doesn’t get a say. She can of course try to stay away from you during the travel though, and you should take reasonable precautions to try to limit the spread to others. But, covid is just a part of life now and going on holiday using crowded public transport means you accept the risk you may well catch it. Most people won’t even be testing for it now.

just be a decent person and do this.

I can't believe you're isolating in your room on holiday - tell your friend to bugger off!

I think mumhavoc is right too. If I knew I had Covid and was coughing etc, I would struggle happily to sit next to an elderly person or someone with a baby etc.

I would try to sit in a quiet place or outside or in my car for example.

I haven’t been in this situation.

the issue is that Covid is everywhere. Everywhere. We know everyone is now trying to live with it. So I am not sure if I would massively inconvenience myself knowing it was generally around anyway.

my elderly mum is like your friend by the way. She constantly tests and asks me to test the kids when sniffly. The thing is that she will happily sit in crowded restaurants so there isn’t much logic to it all now

I wouldn’t be isolating myself in my room! You can be outside without infecting anyone; enjoy the rest of your holiday.
i would travel home as normal.

It's not 2020 anymore.

Just ignore her, I wouldn't have tested at her insistence either

Why so bothered about covid ? Just travel home and ignore your friend if they are so worried let them take precautions

I imagine where ever you have caught it from
They will all get it too

Go home as planned on Friday, wear a mask, use antibac gel.
Open a window, stay as far away from people as possible

I was admitted to hospital afew days ago
Both a nurse and the patient in the next bed to me both had Covid - Nether had a mask on
I have kidney failure = Fun times for me in afew days time i imagine