To think going on holiday at the moment is selfish and unnecessary

[OverTheRainbow88]

I think it’s totally unnecessary and selfish for people to go abroad on holiday at the moment. I’m not talking about people that need to go abroad for other reasons, such as ,work or to see ill relatives etc. I think getting our children back to school trumps a holiday.
However, lots of family and friends are going away abroad for holidays, do others agree with me or am I being unreasonable?

@Fungster

I tend to agree. Although my view is somewhat colored by the bone-headedness I see in my own family. They all live in an area that recently went under lockdown as such. Cousin 1 doesn't give a shit and has been out to pubs and parties - maskless, obviously - and went to a family party despite feeling under the weather. Two days later she tested positive for COVID. Cousin 2, who sat next to Cousin 1 at the family party, and who should be self-isolating, flew out to Europe this morning. Because she "needs" a holiday 🙄

Oh wow! That's pretty off the scale irresponsible.

@OverTheRainbow88

or am I missing something?

Yes clearly you are.

I guess we won’t all agree on this issue. I love going on holidays and have missed out this year but am happy to do so for the greater good.

And no I am not miserable and bitter, I’m looking forward to our 6weeks in Spain next year. Equally, I am not staying at home, we have been going on daily adventures and trips, spending money in outdoor restaurants etc

What on Earth makes you think 6 weeks in Spain next year is any more responsible and socially minded than a week in Greece or Turkey this year??

I'm interested to know what other sacrifices you're making "for the greater good". No meals or days out presumably? Imagine if you caught something and spread it around on a trip to the supermarket a few days later?! No online orders, surely, as conditions for many pickers in distribution centres are known not to be great.

So responsible of you, OP

[quote Walkaround]@OverTheRainbow88 - well there you see where people disagree with you. I do not for a second believe that what you did this summer was for the greater good. What you did was a personal risk analysis and you came to the conclusion you felt safest with. You are clearly no more competent at factoring all the competing health, economic and societal risks into your decisions than any other human being. You just like thinking your judgement is superior.[/quote]
Couldn't have put it better myself. I actually LOLed when I read the smug bit about not being miserable because they've been off out enjoying themselves in the UK.

Mind blowing hypocrisy! 🤣

@FelicisNox

YANBU.

Economies and personal wants are not more important than lives but this is MN so prepared to be told to mind you're own business.

The OP also said:

"Equally, I am not staying at home, we have been going on daily adventures and trips, spending money in outdoor restaurants etc"

So they clearly do prioritise wants and whims over lives

I'm just back from France. Our trip was booked prior to the pandemic and were fully insured. We went in our own car, in the Eurotunnel (didn't get out) and stayed in our own caravan. We didn't go anywhere busy (apart from the supermarket that we scooted around as quickly as we could). The beach was large, spacious and quiet. We wore masks in public places (including in the street) as did everybody else without exception. from what friends are telling me that doesn't always seem to be the case here?

Home now and happily quarantining. In actual fact I'm glad that the quarantine was introduced as my conscience will be quite clear when I finally go out and opinionated people won't be in a position to judge us. Our shopping is delivered weekly by our local store. We won't be going anywhere.

I'm lucky in that I work from home anyway. My son will miss a few days of school but he's worked hard during lockdown and is up to date in any case. The school have a plan in place to support kids in his position.

My situation might be unusual but I'm glad we've been able to get away safely and not had to mingle with the crowds in the UK. I don't feel like we've done the wrong thing.

I had a lovely time in Greece, thanks. I recommend it, OP.

@oldstripeyNEWname1

RunningfromInsanity

I'm with you. Same, but not front line. Steep bloody learning curve, I'm normally mental health. Puts a different perspective on things, doesn't it?

Can people please stop saying they have lost money? No one has 'lost' money in the sense it has been stolen, or actually been misplaced. Yes, it is incredibly frustrating and disappointing. Yes, people need something to look forward to. But let's not equate paying for an experience/event you didn't get with loss. It is not loss of income, or loss of livelihood, or loss of the major breadwinner through death or illness.

It is not just about deaths. Some previously healthy ppl are still suffering the after effects of the virus months later. Specialist speech therapy. Physiotherapy. Trauma. Lifelong effects are still becoming more understood.

Don't try and tell me about mental health effects, people 'needing a holiday'. I volunteer with those with enduring mental health difficulties - that group of society most likely to live in poverty, least able to afford a holiday in any circumstances. 🙄

Really struggling with some of the attitudes. I don't have a problem with economy/business restarting. I have a problem with complacency, with 'I don't care, doesn't affect me', with 'I don't believe it, msm is lies', with the very small things, relatively, ppl are being asked to do and just can't be arsed.

Sad really.

Have you actually read the thread? Your sniffy post bears no resemblance to most of the posts on this thread.

I'm sure many people on here are more than aware of the damage that can and has been done by Covid. Some have probably treated people infected, had it themselves, had scares.

What appears to have gone completely over your head is the need to assess and calculate the risk involved in various activities and balance those with the many complex and difficult situations people find themselves living in. Just because YOU and YOUR situation means you would go on holiday it doesn't mean other people are irresponsible for choosing to.

I've just come back from Portugal. Stayed at a friends holiday home. Used masks in all public areas, had a test when I landed there and it was negative. If it was positive I would have isolated in the house.

So I feel that the risks I took to go away were sensible. It's how you do it.

[quote Sorberret]@PourMeADrink
Travel if you want- legally nothing is stopping you. What I find funny, almost hypocritical sometimes, is how everyone is coming up with reasons to justify it. We know travelling spreads the virus but people will continue to go on holiday unless they are told not to[/quote]
This thread is FULL of people detailing how they haven't just gone along with their plans based on what they haven't been told not to do. I and many other have changed plans, often causing inconvenience, disappointment and losing (yes, really!) money. What people have done is weight up, mitigated unacceptable (to them) risks and made the best decision they can.

People are detailing their back stories and listing justifications because of the topic of the thread and the constant snide remarks and challenges being made by a miserable few who, mostly, think they get to be holier than thou because they're off down the local to Eat Out to Help Out and not choosing to leave the country.

Moronic

I wouldn't go, but I won't judge anyone that does. Not my circus, but my monkeys.

@Fungster

I tend to agree. Although my view is somewhat colored by the bone-headedness I see in my own family. They all live in an area that recently went under lockdown as such. Cousin 1 doesn't give a shit and has been out to pubs and parties - maskless, obviously - and went to a family party despite feeling under the weather. Two days later she tested positive for COVID. Cousin 2, who sat next to Cousin 1 at the family party, and who should be self-isolating, flew out to Europe this morning. Because she "needs" a holiday 🙄

As dumb as your family sound, this isn't a reflection of what people on this thread are saying they're doing. Lots of people following guidelines, often going above in respect of distancing, staying away from crowded areas, and so on.

@PablosHoney

Some stricter than you OP would say you are unreasonable for fannying around a zoo and having brunches during a pandemic 😂😂 everyone has their own line and you are way over some people’s holiday or not.

Quite. OP and other do keep conveniently avoiding this topic.

I'm amazed at how difficult some people find it to allow others making choices they wouldn't without calling them selfish idiots

It’s all personal and community risk analysis. Stayed indoors since March, went out twice, socially distanced, once restrictions were lifted. Went to Spain once we reviewed the infection rates where we were going,own apartment, masked on plane and masked every time we were outside. Masked on return, 14 day quarantine. No infection.
Did you go to the shops, take advantage of the eat out to help out, go on holiday in the UK??? Personal and community risk analysis... this is not going anywhere fast how do we continue to function in the medium term if we do not do this?

@Lozza70

It’s all personal and community risk analysis. Stayed indoors since March, went out twice, socially distanced, once restrictions were lifted. Went to Spain once we reviewed the infection rates where we were going,own apartment, masked on plane and masked every time we were outside. Masked on return, 14 day quarantine. No infection. Did you go to the shops, take advantage of the eat out to help out, go on holiday in the UK??? Personal and community risk analysis... this is not going anywhere fast how do we continue to function in the medium term if we do not do this?

^~~~ all this

I think you need a holiday!

@Yorkshirelass04

I've just come back from Portugal. Stayed at a friends holiday home. Used masks in all public areas, had a test when I landed there and it was negative. If it was positive I would have isolated in the house.

So I feel that the risks I took to go away were sensible. It's how you do it.

@Yorkshirelass04
Do you have to have a test on arrival at Portugal? I haven't seen that before .

We have a holiday to Portugal at the end of the month booked before Covid. We had been expecting to have to cancel; then Portugal releases from quarantine . We've just been discussing how we won't
go out unnecessarily between now and our holiday , and now we are seeing rumours that it might go back on to quarantine again .

I don't think it's 'selfish' to holiday as long as you are sticking to all regulations , but it is beginning to seem more trouble than it's worth . Not sure I'd book anything now if I hadn't already got my holiday booked .

Don't actually care what you think. I'm going in October and can't bloody wait!!!!!

My parents went away to Spain last week, the company they were flying with would not offer refunds if they cancel, so instead of them losing their holiday money they decided to still go, plus it means they could still go see my grandparents (they leave abroad and only get to see them once a year) plus they had paid up for it before covid...

YANBU

We have hardly left our village since March, so we absolutely did go on our all inclusive summer holiday this year. It’s the only time I have off to spend time with my whole family. The sunshine, the pool, no cooking/cleaning improved my mental health much more than I even imagined. My children were grumpy & anxious before our holiday, since we’ve returned, they are happy & relaxed. I wouldn’t have swapped it for the world. A lot of friends are nurses & have all been to the Greek islands this year.
I’d rather go on holiday than a trip to the supermarket (thank goodness for click & collect)! Life is for living... We had enough of being shut away.

@Isthisadaggerisee

It’s an individuals decision- I would not go abroad but have taken a long UK holiday travelling around. Friends who are teachers have gone to France and will miss the start of the school year because of quarantine but they justified it as they were really stressed apparently. Is that worse than us going around the U.K. ?? Some people would say yes, some would say no.

Isthisadaggerisee

Friends who are teachers have gone to France and will miss the start of the school year because of quarantine but they justified it as they were really stressed apparently.

My daughter is a teacher and they were told if they weren't there on the first day, that was it. Quarantine or not, they shouldn't have gone if there was this risk. Also how bloody thoroughly totally SELFISH of any teacher to do that to colleagues, basically DUMP on them. It's going to be difficult enough during the first days back without teachers being absent as still on holiday, plus they will miss important inset days. I am writing as a person that believes under normal times a teacher should be allowed to have 2 weeks off during term time to get a reasonably priced holiday if they choose, as other countries allow.

@Fungster

I tend to agree. Although my view is somewhat colored by the bone-headedness I see in my own family. They all live in an area that recently went under lockdown as such. Cousin 1 doesn't give a shit and has been out to pubs and parties - maskless, obviously - and went to a family party despite feeling under the weather. Two days later she tested positive for COVID. Cousin 2, who sat next to Cousin 1 at the family party, and who should be self-isolating, flew out to Europe this morning. Because she "needs" a holiday 🙄

My cousin stayed in isolation as had come from abroad to see my uncle, her father on his deathbed, she made it for half a day, but she did NOT go to his funeral as had 4 days of isolation to go. Your cousins are one of the reasons this is not going away. I hope you have told them what you think of their awful behaviour, your cousin could spend her holiday being really sick while she deserves that others she might infect don't.

We returned from our holiday in Turkey a week ago and we booked it in December last year when we had no clue about this Covid. We were not gonna get any money back as flights were not canceled. My husband worked continuously (12 hour shifts) throughout the lockdown with barely any day off and travelling to Central London daily by tube which looked like the ghost tube with no-one around. We took all the precautions in the plane and we were the only ones in the plane to wear masks and face shields too. And now I can say we are so happy we went as it was the best holiday ever. And in Turkey everyone is wearing a mask and they don't need to be told to wear one like here.
Everyone knows their own problems and why they would benefit from a holiday abroad and we shouldn't judge someone for this.

@BillywilliamV

Well my dear friend watched a large number of people on her ward die in May and June. I think she had PTSD, but certainly seemed a lot better when she came back from her camping holiday in France; slightly early because of the quarantine. Still I’ll be sure to tell her what you think. Can’t be arsed voting though!

She should know "better" than to go abroad. There are camping sites in the UK.

Going abroad doesn’t interest me this year too much risk of quarantine etc. However I’ve been to the lakes for three days and I’m go again in September.

Before I go I don’t visit any pubs/ restaurants/ shops etc to minimise the risk of catching anything. I’m still distancingfrom everyone with masks and hand washing.

At work I wear PPE and am very careful. I still distance from colleagues. If I was to have prolonged contact with a positive covid case before I went I would rethink ( I haven’t for months)

When away only two of us and we still take care to distance and use good hygiene and masks where appropriate. We spend lots of time the two of us just walking out in the open air or sat together no mixing with others at tables etc. It’s much needed as my mental health ( anxiety) is already struggling and we have winter in the NHS to come. Which is not equipped for a winter season mixed with Covid.

Plenty of people have stopped taking precautions and are seeing people at home, pub, work without distancing ( plenty of group selfies as evidence on socials) even if they don’t go away on holiday they are more risk than I am as I give a shit and am still being careful.