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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Corona virus Simon Calder and This Morning irresponsible

51 replies

Splattherat · 27/07/2020 10:57

AIBU or have I got this wrong? Having just watched Simon Calder’s travel advice on This Morning to think he was totally irresponsible (even if he was pointing out loop holes with government advice)?

He basically said if someone was on holiday in Spain now they could come home and instead of quarantining at home in Britain they could go over to France and quarantine over there instead!!!

OP posts:
SockYarn · 27/07/2020 11:00

He's right though.

Only the UK has reimposed restrictions on people coming back from Spain. If you choose to extend your holiday by spending an additional 2 weeks in France before heading home, you are not breaking Spanish law, French law or UK law.

Regulus · 27/07/2020 11:04

But if France gets added to the list whilst you are out there you might have to have a difficult conversation with your boss...

Sirzy · 27/07/2020 11:05

@Regulus

But if France gets added to the list whilst you are out there you might have to have a difficult conversation with your boss...
And if France get added to the list they are bound to add us back onto it which would make the two weeks there pretty boring too!
Original poster
Splattherat · 27/07/2020 11:07

He seemed to be advising people they could come home and go back off on holiday again!!! No doubt coming into contact with goodness knows how many people in the process as you merrily go off on your second holiday (if you were getting paid no doubt peeing off your boss and work colleagues who were covering for you). Whereas if you were at home and isolating properly you wouldn’t be endangering anyone else if infected.

OP posts:
NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite · 27/07/2020 11:08

Whether it is permissable under law is not the point. He is being totally irresponsible.

NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite · 27/07/2020 11:12

"He seemed to be advising people they could come home and go back off on holiday again!!!"
Are you sure this is what he was suggesting? What did he actually say? If our citizens return from Spain they have to quarantine for 14 days so they can't just go off again on a holiday to France.

EvilPea · 27/07/2020 11:13

Eurotunnel were advertising it as
“To France and beyond”.
It’s always been the very obvious loop hole that needs closing quickly. Even the prices went up to reflect that.

I am not sure the French should feel that happy about being the “hub” with everyone potentially bringing corona in.

Our lack of responsibility (fuelled by the governments mixed messages) to one another is bloody depressing.

LastTrainEast · 27/07/2020 11:14

The problem is pointing out loopholes. There are always loopholes, but people are supposed to be sensible and visiting another country when they may have been exposed already is hardly that.

Someone in that position should think "do I want to risk infecting some family whose dad drove me from the French airport just so I won't be bored?"

Obviously for Simon Calder the answer is !"Yes, why should I care?"

If people are going to act like sulky children there's only so much you can do.

TidyDancer · 27/07/2020 11:15

Yes I saw this and I thought his advice (while I'm sure legally correct) was incredibly irresponsible. Even Ruth seemed flabbergasted by it.

Deelish75 · 27/07/2020 11:20

Was he talking about people driving from Spain through France? So delaying their arrival back in the U.K.
Still irresponsible as France could be added at anytime.

Original poster
Splattherat · 27/07/2020 11:24

I could hardly believe my ears. He clearly has a vested interest in promoting the travel industry as its his job but surely with this irresponsible attitude he will be having a negative knock on effect on the travel industry for very much longer as well as spreading Corona.

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 27/07/2020 11:24

Well if it doesnt break the rules in france or here what is irresponsible?

missyB1 · 27/07/2020 11:27

He has always annoyed me, and often given bad advice too. I saw him on breakfast news this morning bragging about how he intends to travel as much as possible because he just loves to sit on a beautiful beach with a beer! Tosser.

Original poster
Splattherat · 27/07/2020 11:30

Well by promoting not quarantining and instead promoting another holiday with a ‘i’m all right Jack attitude’ and I am making the most of an extra 14 days off work!! Why quarantine miserable at home safely and responsibly in your own house when you can have a good time, top
up your tan (potentially infect a few more people in the process), pee off your manager and work colleagues....whats the problem!!!

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 27/07/2020 11:40

What difference does it make to your colleagues if you quarantine in france or England?

SockYarn · 27/07/2020 11:41

He's just pointing out inconsistencies in the law.

And let's face it - do the maths. What percentage of the UK holiday makers currently in Spain have the money/time/inclination to extend their holiday by another two weeks by travelling from Spain to a third "safe" country before returning home? Shelling out for two weeks' more accommodation, food, travel from Spain to wherever and then home?

A handful. At the most.

LastTrainEast · 27/07/2020 11:46

"Well if it doesnt break the rules in france or here what is irresponsible?" Ask a grown up what being responsible means. It has nothing to do with what is legal.

corythatwas · 27/07/2020 11:47

Well if it doesnt break the rules in france or here what is irresponsible?

Not caring if you infect people or not, as long as you can't be punished for it. It's hardly as if the virus is going to say to itself "ah, but it's the fault of the British government that these infectious people are going around France so I can't really use their germs to spread myself, that wouldn't be playing by the book".

Original poster
Splattherat · 27/07/2020 11:48

Its not for me personally but if someone was responsible and doing the right thing and quarantining at home for 14 days (after a visit to Spain) thats one thing and ok but if they were then living it up in France (for a further two weeks) and bragging about it on social media (whilst employer pays them for the privilege) of them doing this potentially irresponsibly spreading the virus, catching the virus or if a further 14 day quarantine is introduced for holidaymakers returning from France. They could potentially have 6 weeks paid time off work in total following a two week holiday in Spain then two weeks quarantine in France (or much longer if they contract the virus and are really poorly with it).

OP posts:
Musicalmistress · 27/07/2020 11:48

@NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite he said that during those 14 days quarantine you could travel to another country as there's a loophole there. Ruth tried to say that what he referred to was aimed at visiting tourists who might have a return to their home country within the 14 days

corythatwas · 27/07/2020 11:48

I do agree with other posters though that it is extremely unlikely people will actually do this.

GabriellaMontez · 27/07/2020 11:48

I know exactly. Do you?

What exactly is irresponsible? As long as france are happy (and they'll soon let us know if not).

And anyone returning has done their quarantine...

What is the problem?

boon · 27/07/2020 11:50

This is the guy who at the peak back in Feb/March was telling people 'theres never been a better time to take a holiday'.

GabriellaMontez · 27/07/2020 11:51

What bothers you OP?

That someone is being paid for time off? Many of us wouldn't be anyway. But it wouldn't matter where they were.

Or are you bothered by people spreading the virus?

Do you really think the French government will allow this to happen if they also feel its unsafe?

CallmeAngelina · 27/07/2020 11:57

I saw this and agreed with Ruth when she said that she was confused.

Surely, if you come home from Spain, the intent should be that you return to your home asap, mixing with as few people as possible en route. How can it possibly be allowed or acceptable that you turn straight round once you've unpacked/re-packed and get on public transport to travel to another country, where presumably you'll still be mixing with other people??