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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think no, there should not be additional support for people who are on holiday in Spain

272 replies

paellaandpies · 27/07/2020 16:10

If you dashed off on holiday when it’s bleeding blindingly bloody obvious that this virus has not gone away but was just subdued by lockdown, no you shouldn’t be entitled to any extra help with having to quarantine when you come home!

Some of us haven’t seen family for months, we have taken pay cuts and lost jobs, we haven’t rushed into pubs and bars and onto beaches, precisely because we do not want to see a second spike.

If you choose to go on holiday and to travel, that’s your right and your choice and it’s not illegal, but you should have been isolating on your return anyway. Those of us who have been more restrained do not want to catch it because you couldn’t wait a bit longer for a holiday, and you’re spreading it all over the place when you get back. If you chose a holiday, you can deal with the isolation to keep everyone else a bit safer.

AIBU?

OP posts:
alwayslosing · 27/07/2020 22:32

I agree. My family is not in the UK and i don't travel to go and see them because of this bloody virus. I don't want to help spreading it.

BetterCallSaul99 · 27/07/2020 22:34

I got back from Spain on Sat, a few hours before quarantine was announced. Yes I knew the risks and no i don't think it should be funded at all. It would have massively affected me if I couldn't work for 2 weeks as im self employed but I would have had to suck it up.
But we had a fantastic time. Felt very safe, the flight home we had a row of seats each. Masks in the resort, the bars and restaurants were so pleased to have custom again. But the biggest thing was getting my son back again. That made it worth the risk. Over lockdown he had deteriorated so much and really suffered. On holiday he was so so happy again. He deserved it, for 10 days we forgot about the horrors of the year and it was bliss.

MintyMabel · 27/07/2020 23:26

But @MintyMabel surely it doesn't take a genius to know that there was risk of self isolation/lockdown/quarantine going on holiday. It is not like the virus has gone away

Can you name a single Covid policy they announced that would start the very next day? No warning, announced and it starts now?

The virus hadn’t gone away when they announced exemptions to the quarantine rules.

PatriciaPerch · 27/07/2020 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ineedaholidaynow · 28/07/2020 00:02

But there was a risk you might have to self isolate if someone was ill on the plane. There are a number of things you needed to factor in when travelling during a pandemic, it’s not like normal times. A local lockdown could have happened whilst in Spain, making it difficult to leave etc. You could have got the virus whilst there and self isolate and need to stay longer. All these things need to be thought about before travelling.

Greyscreendream · 28/07/2020 00:49

Agreed 100%. Have seen the news today with tearful people bemoaning their lost holiday or having to quarantine. Errr....there’s a pandemic. What do you expect? A beach holiday isn’t essential and I say this as someone who used to work in the travel industry.

Becuna · 28/07/2020 01:05

I think we are getting confused with traveling to a place like home and traveling to a holiday destination. I just did a 13 hour flight with a 10 hour layover. I am home now and will not be partying.

Thisismytimetoshine · 28/07/2020 01:15

@Becuna

I think we are getting confused with traveling to a place like home and traveling to a holiday destination. I just did a 13 hour flight with a 10 hour layover. I am home now and will not be partying.
How do you travel to a place like home?
Greyscreendream · 28/07/2020 01:35

I think you and many here are completely missing the point, If help isn't provided then people will ignore the quarantine, we then fuck the travel sector and spread CV...

I think the government have done the right thing here. Yes there’s a risk people won’t self-isolate but it’s a risk like the BLM rallies and crazy scenes at Bournemouth. If it causes a few thousand people to reconsider/cancel their holiday plans then their unapologetic stance has worked.

Mothership4two · 28/07/2020 02:09

Less chance of catching Covid in Spain than in U.K

Spain's rate of cases per 100,000 people is currently at 39.4 whereas the UK's rate is 14.6 and Spain's number of cases has tripled in two weeks

Mothership4two · 28/07/2020 02:14

How do you travel to a place like home?

Tap your ruby slippers together?

GlummyMcGlummerson · 28/07/2020 02:16

Totally agree OP. All these people stepping off the planes "furious" to find that they have to protect other people in this country are doing my head in. Surely they knew it was risky travelling abroad?

netflixismysidehustle · 28/07/2020 03:12

Can you name a single Covid policy they announced that would start the very next day? No warning, announced and it starts now?

Lockdown announcement was pretty immediate and he announced the "back to work if you can" policy on a Sunday night (May 10) and it was effective the next day.

Pixxie7 · 28/07/2020 04:30

I understand where you’re coming from, however you run the risk of people ignoring the advice and spreading Covid.

famousforwrongreason · 28/07/2020 04:34

Yup. Stinks

BonfireStarter · 28/07/2020 04:38

Yanbu, travelling abroad is very irresponsible-thères a pandemic!

Sailingblue · 28/07/2020 06:45

I agree with the government action here. Unfortunately it means some people will lose out but they can’t risk mass outbreaks connected to travel. Spain was always going to be riskier then Greece given the initial handling of the pandemic in both countries.

I think anyone going needs to be prepared for quarantine, holidays being a bit weird and local lock downs. The first would have been ok for us, the second and third not.

notimagain · 28/07/2020 07:29

Yanbu, travelling abroad is very irresponsible-thères a pandemic!

I'm guessing you aren't labelling all of those who have to travel abroad ATM, for example to help keep supplies of PPE, food etc rolling into the UK as being "irresponsible".

Not all travel is about holidays.

Toastyapples · 28/07/2020 07:39

In this entire mess, the Government have barely implemented a single thing without it being from such and such date; you have to wear masks from such and such date, shops can open from such and such date, even lockdown will begin from such and such date. It's not unreasonable at all that people were blindsided by this extremely dramatic u-turn by the government who had otherwise been actively encouraging people to spend, spend, spend and get back to normal. For many people that means going on holiday and holidays that were booked and planned before lockdown. There should have at least been the option for people on holiday to try and get back before this took affect if they know quarantining isn't an option for them.

hopeishere · 28/07/2020 07:40

There was a woman on the radio complaining that they were in Spain and there was nothing open and no kids entertainment in her hotel and the water park had cancelled their booking. I nearly rolled my eyes out of my head.

Jojo19834 · 28/07/2020 07:45

This is so refreshing to see, there was a thread a couple of days in a similar manner and everyone piled on the OP saying she was being U and people are entitled to a holiday. I couldn’t believe it, spoke to family and everyone agreed we would love to go away, but just won’t be this year. It’s a risk and it’s not compulsory to holiday every year. We all have great sympathy for those that booked pre lockdown however, but it is still not upto the Govt (ie the rest of the country) or employers to fund their post holiday lockdown. It was a known risk.

Jojo19834 · 28/07/2020 07:46

@notimagain

Yanbu, travelling abroad is very irresponsible-thères a pandemic!

I'm guessing you aren't labelling all of those who have to travel abroad ATM, for example to help keep supplies of PPE, food etc rolling into the UK as being "irresponsible".

Not all travel is about holidays.

But in these instances, surely the employer pays as it was the employer that sent them?
SansaSnark · 28/07/2020 07:50

People's jobs should be protected though, because if there's a risk of being fired due to having to self-isolate, then that's a big incentive to lie and say you didn't go to Spain in the end after all. It's all very well saying people should have foresight but clearly they didn't, and these are probably also the people most likely to break quarentine.

I do think the government has to bear some responsibility here. Saying non-essential travel is allowed does imply it is safe, and cancelling a holiday when things seem to be returning to normal is a big decision. I think the advice to travellers should have been clearer and made it clear that things could change at any moment. I think there should have been some kind of legal provision made for people to get refunds if they didn't want to travel.

Kazzyhoward · 28/07/2020 07:52

even lockdown will begin from such and such date

Nope, lockdown was same day, as was closing pubs/restaurants.

It's the easing of restrictions that are given a few weeks notice.

Kazzyhoward · 28/07/2020 07:54

I think the advice to travellers should have been clearer and made it clear that things could change at any moment.

Per Gov.uk website:-

"Travel disruption is still possible and national control measures may be brought in with little notice"

How much clearer do you want it to be!