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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:
ItWasNotOK · 27/07/2020 17:26

I get that they are probably tired and bored and miserable (aren't we all?) but no they shouldn't get help, they must have known it was a risk. The number of cases is still very high in Europe.

ItWasNotOK · 27/07/2020 17:27

"Luckily I made sure everything was refundable"

That's not luck, that's common sense.

user1497207191 · 27/07/2020 17:27

Maybe save the ''virus spreading'' froth and aim it at the government members who saw fit to allow travel, not the people who took them up on it.

Those same people who were constantly harrassing and campaigning for the rules to be relaxed, along with the impatient media who were constantly asking the Govt officials when lockdown restrictions would be eased and therefore whipping up the general public. If the "people" didn't want to travel abroad and weren't campaigning for relaxation, the Govt wouldn't have done it.

user1497207191 · 27/07/2020 17:27

@ItWasNotOK

"Luckily I made sure everything was refundable"

That's not luck, that's common sense.

Hear hear!
yellowymellowy · 27/07/2020 17:29

No, of course the tax payer shouldn't pay.

Everyone is fully aware of the global pandemic now, how it has spread like wild fire, etc. If someone makes a personal choice to go on a non essential holiday they need to accept the risks, book appropriate insurance, etc. There was always a possibility that the rules would change, they were always subject to review. Holiday makers need to take personal responsibility and not blame the government in this instance.

TimeWastingButFun · 27/07/2020 17:29

Yes because the Government gave them the green light so they need to provide support. And it would be too costly to try to pick out who went for a holiday and when the booked it, and who went to visit dying relatives or went for work purposes etc etc. It was too soon to allow bookings in my opinion!

jasjas1973 · 27/07/2020 17:31

Why did the Govt allow foreign travel if it were deemed so risky? they should have left it as essential travel only.

Its thought around 1.5m people have been caught up in this,either directly or having to cancel plans.... including several Govt ministers.

Passportpacked · 27/07/2020 17:32

I completely agree with you OP. Feel sorry for anyone who booked pre covid but anyone else should have assessed the situation and understood the risks. I really cannot fathom why you 'need' a holiday, I'm a key worker and have worked right through, my partner has just been made redundant after working throughout too. I don't expect any financial help so really disagree with anyone having to quarantine been entitled to anything. I saw a couple of people on tv this morning upset about quarantining as they had further holidays booked in the next few weeks Very hard to sympathise with them.

StarcourtMall · 27/07/2020 17:32

@ItWasNotOK

"Luckily I made sure everything was refundable"

That's not luck, that's common sense.

Well I thought so! I do have sympathy for those who have lost the gamble, but I don’t think they should have financial compensation.
amijustparanoidorjuststoned · 27/07/2020 17:33

YANBU.

whiteroseredrose · 27/07/2020 17:33

We are still contemplating going to Iceland in a few days.

We will be tested on arrival and then be in an apartment or in a car together most of the time. No more interaction with other people than at home. The 'attractions' are all outdoors.

Fortunately both DH and I are fully WFH at the moment and with milkman deliveries wouldn't need to leave home for a month if necessary.

Intelinside57 · 27/07/2020 17:33

"People have been told they can travel..." it's a bit like those wedding invitation threads isn't it? Nobody was told that they had to travel, just that they could if they wanted to. Leaving them to make responsible decisions about what they booked and whether or not they would experience difficulties if quarantine came back.
I'm not a great supporter of this government but they can't do right for doing wrong can they? There are a lot of people in this country who would not lose any income through being quarantined. As I said, retired or those who work from home. So were the government supposed to stop everyone going just because some people would make poor judgements?

GilderoyLockdown · 27/07/2020 17:33

You could say the same for the 3 MILLION self employed who fell through the cracks in Rishi's crazy furlough/grant support schemes. Lots of people saw their income crash to virtually nothing, found they weren't eligible for support (despite pay "the right" amount of tax) and faced the choice of losing their businesses and homes or carry on trading against the rules just to put food on the table.

None of this is fair and the Govt can't bail out everyone who's been hit (or so Rishi told those 3 million!).

There's a reason I didn't mention anyone's subjective view of fairness in the post you quote: because it should have nothing whatsoever to do with the decision here. Neither should consistency. It needs to be a practical assessment: do we think it is worth paying what it would cost to maximise quarantine adherence in this group or not?

LakieLady · 27/07/2020 17:35

Anyone who decides to ignore the warning that the situation can change very quickly and go abroad regardless is completely fucking daft

... or can afford to suck up any financial loss that results.

user1497207191 · 27/07/2020 17:35

@whiteroseredrose

We are still contemplating going to Iceland in a few days.

We will be tested on arrival and then be in an apartment or in a car together most of the time. No more interaction with other people than at home. The 'attractions' are all outdoors.

Fortunately both DH and I are fully WFH at the moment and with milkman deliveries wouldn't need to leave home for a month if necessary.

So you've done a "proper" risk assessment and made the decision in full acceptance of possible consequences. That's what everyone should have been doing. Unfortunately most people aren't like you and just decided "sod it, I'm off to Benidorm because I'm entitled".
ineedaholidaynow · 27/07/2020 17:36

Anyone travelling to Spain needs to check their insurance as their cover may not be valid as FCO advice has changed to essential travel only. I have seen on the BBC website they are looking into the position for the Spanish islands as their numbers are so much lower than mainland Spain.

However, even if quarantine hadn't been imposed people do need to factor in the possibility of 14 days self isolating if they are going anywhere where they may be in close contact with someone, so not just on a plane and going abroad, but going to a pub etc. This is what is part of life now.

MyPersona · 27/07/2020 17:36

@Fluffybutter

I’m so sick of self righteous twats like you ,op. Who gives a fuck ? It doesn’t affect you does it ..
It will affect all of us if there is a further significant wave, exponential spread in the community and further damage to the economy. I’m so sick of selfish, ignorant, thick idiots....
user1497207191 · 27/07/2020 17:37

do we think it is worth paying what it would cost to maximise quarantine adherence in this group or not?

But if they do, it gives the green light for everyone else to do it, safe in the knowledge they'll be compensated if it happens somewhere else. That's definitely NOT what we want to happen.

theemmadilemma · 27/07/2020 17:38

No. It was never said they wouldn't impose self isolation again. I thought it was perfectly clear that if you were somewhere that started shutting down again you would face self isolation on return. It is a risk of travel for the time being.

If they chose to go on that holiday, even if not going meant a money loss, they did so knowing the consequences - or should have.

PinkiOcelot · 27/07/2020 17:38

Where do people think all of this financial help would come from?! There’s been enough money forked out right, left and centre as it is.
If people were daft enough to go on holiday, then they shoulder the consequences themselves. Why should those of us who cancelled our holiday pay out even more for people who went anyway?!
Just because the government said it was ok to go, didn’t mean it actually was. Surely people need to start taking personal responsibility!!

Drinkingallthewine · 27/07/2020 17:39

@ItWasNotOK

"Luckily I made sure everything was refundable"

That's not luck, that's common sense.

My honeymoon that I'm supposed to be on right now was non-refundable, but the hotel agreed to move my booking to next year for me. A lot of companies are being decent and allowing people to change their dates if customers ask.
jessstan2 · 27/07/2020 17:39

I wouldn't give any additional support but then who is being asked for it in the first place? People travel abroad at their own risk at this time and should not moan if that means restrictions. However it's not my business what other people do - even if I think they are bonkers.

user1497207191 · 27/07/2020 17:39

I have seen on the BBC website they are looking into the position for the Spanish islands as their numbers are so much lower than mainland Spain.

Trouble is that there's no restrictions for those travelling between Spanish mainland and their Islands, so the airports etc could be high risk of spreading within the airport itself with people from Spanish mainland mingling with tourists etc.

GilderoyLockdown · 27/07/2020 17:42

@user1497207191

do we think it is worth paying what it would cost to maximise quarantine adherence in this group or not?

But if they do, it gives the green light for everyone else to do it, safe in the knowledge they'll be compensated if it happens somewhere else. That's definitely NOT what we want to happen.

So we factor this into the assessment about costs and how much we're willing to pay in order to maximise quarantine adherence.
MarshaBradyo · 27/07/2020 17:44

How will you separate the non-wfh at risk of going in from the rest? Or is it another throw money at everyone who can get it. It’s a huge amount.