To travel or not?

[loutypips]

I've been given the opportunity to travel to Spain at the end of July to work for a week. I'm in two minds what to do. My mum is shielding as she's extremely vulnerable and none of us have been anywhere since the beginning of March. Shielding is due to pause at the end of July anyway, but she doesn't want me to travel.
I'm desperate to go, but on the other hand having to wear masks and travelling on the plane is worrying. I don't know what to do.

I would go, but then I would not see your mother for 2 weeks after you return. If you live together, you'd need to find somewhere else to stay for that time.

Could you self isolate anywhere when you come back?

I would definitely go.

Do you have somewhere you can quarantine away from your mother when you get back?

My understanding is that if you get ill with Corona and are stuck abroad travel insurance will not cover you. Have you looked into this? Can you afford food and accommodation if you are stuck abroad for weeks or months or will your work be offering to pay? (not sure if healthcare in Spain is still free for Brits with the healthcare card/scheme or not with Brexit). Will your insurance cover you if you are in a local lockdown or asked to self isolate?

I think you need to know the answers to all these questions before you decide to go and not just treat it as a simple "my mum doesn't want me to go"

Not sure what to advise OP. We are meant to be going to Berlin for a long weekend at the end of the month. We will be seeing (but not staying with) friends who are keen for us to go, but I’m still feeling we shouldn’t go even though we really want to.

I wouldn't go - but then I wouldn't want to go which is different. I find all the distancing and contant washing hands/using gels after you touch things, knowing when to wear masks, one way systems in and out of shops etc. exhausting and I guess you'd be going to a city/work place and sourrounded by people.

But if you badly want to travel or it's good for your career development, then so long as you stay away from your mum for 14 days, and follow all hygeine and distancing advice while away, you should be fine.

I'm really surprised your work is asking you to travel though (unless it's work-critical of course). For us, all non-essential work travel has been suspended until at least Q4 of this year, it just wouldn't be approved. July is quite early in terms of post-lockdown travel.

I live with my mum, and wouldn't have anywhere to stay when I got back. As the shielding will be ending before then, and no there's no mandatory quarantine period, I'd not be breaking any 'rules' I'd avoid any close contact with her anyway.

As for insurance, some companies are now covering medical costs for covid, and the FCO advice is being updated this weekend so I'd be covered for other stuff.

It's something I do every year, usually for a fortnight, but this time it's just a week. It's not for my actual job, I WFH for that. So they haven't asked me to travel.

If you live with your mum (assuming it's her house) then she gets a large say in setting the rules. Could you book some accommodation to quarantine?

I'd go but stay separate to my mother on my return. Masks etc have become second nature now but understand some have not been using them so will not be used to them when out and about.

Washing hands and gel were always second nature for me and should be for most people by now hopefully.

So just go and relax whilst being mindful.
FCO will be updating so I can't see the risk in that and insurance.

If you are out and about now in the UK what's the risk of travelling to a country with lower nos than ours?

I'd travel to all countries except those with highers nos, as it's no different to travelling and doing things outside the home in the UK.

The aviation industry has said planes with their air filtration systems are not a risk. That was my only worry. Keep distance everywhere and good hygiene and I think it would be OK.